Tag: life planning

Lessons from 80 Years of Living and Leading with Don Connelly (Ep. 90)

Lessons from 80 Years of Living and Leading with Don Connelly (Ep. 90)

Don Connelly isn’t just a master storyteller; he’s living proof that passion, purpose, and soft skills matter more with age, not less. 

At nearly 80 years old, Don brings unmatched wisdom from decades in the financial services industry. In this rich and heartfelt conversation with Bryan Sweet, he reflects on building a life of value, how storytelling makes the difference in client relationships, and why he refuses to retire.

From overcoming rejection to defining what it means to “retire to” rather than “retire from,” Don offers up insight you won’t find in a textbook. Whether you’re a veteran advisor or just starting out, this is one of those rare episodes that feels like a mentorship session.

What to Expect:

  • The soft skill that sets top advisors apart
  • How to stay sharp, engaged, and joyful at any age
  • The one question clients care about most
  • A new way to think about your next chapter in life
  • And more!

Connect With Sweet Financial Partners:

Connect With Don Connelly:

About Our Guest:

Don Connelly is perhaps the nation’s most successful speaker, motivator, and mentor to advisors in the financial services industry. His career on Wall Street spans more than 40 years and includes positions as stock broker, financial planner, branch manager, wholesaler, national sales manager, and, for nearly 19 years, a company spokesperson and Senior Marketing Officer for a multi-billion dollar Investment Firm. Now, as founder of Don Connelly 24/7, an extraordinary learning center and mentoring program, Don’s timely and provocative sales ideas are available to thousands of financial professionals, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Don has lectured tens of thousands of investors and financial services professionals in large cities, small towns, boardrooms, and universities. Audiences at England’s Cambridge University, Harvard, Wharton School of Business, Chapman College, and Pepperdine have all benefited from his presentations. He has shared his wisdom with Investment professionals abroad in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Canada, England, South Korea, and Ireland. In the past few years, he has given several presentations to the prestigious Million Dollar Roundtable as both a main platform and workshop speaker.

Offering practical guidance to financial services professionals, Don inspires audiences to strive for greater accomplishments. He is known as a guru on managing client relationships, selling, and becoming a successful financial advisor.

He educates, entertains, and motivates audiences with an extraordinary flair and fast-paced combination of wit, intellect, anecdotes, and simplistic doctrine. Don’s mission for financial professionals is to simplify the process.

The opinions voiced in The Dream Architect Life Podcast with Bryan Sweet and Brittany Anderson are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine what may be appropriate for you, consult with your attorney, accountant, financial or tax advisor prior to investing. Guests on the show are not affiliated with CWM, LLC. Investment advisory services offered through CWM, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Carson Partners, a division of CWM, LLC, is a nationwide partnership of advisors.

Building Confidence in Young Minds with Barry Garapedian (Ep. 81)

Building Confidence in Young Minds with Barry Garapedian (Ep. 81)

What if the key to unlocking your full potential is hidden in letting go of what holds you back?

Join Bryan Sweet on The Dream Architect Life podcast as they dive into an inspiring conversation with Barry Garapedian, a renowned figure in Wall Street and a passionate advocate for empowering young minds. Barry shares his journey from a 39-year career in finance to creating family constitutions and mentoring young adults through the transition to their fullest potential.

Barry discusses: 

  • His transformation from Wall Street to working on family governance and designing impactful family constitutions [00:02:13]
  • The seven pillars that define a winning life and why they are crucial for personal and family planning [00:03:16]
  • Innovative strategies to build self-confidence in young minds through real-life practices like crafting vision boards and creating personalized notes [00:06:52]
  • Tips for young individuals to gain a competitive edge in life, emphasizing the importance of both interpersonal skills and self-presentation [00:17:13]
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Sweet Financial Partners:

Connect With Barry Garapedian:

About Our Guest:

Barry Garapedian is the President and CEO of MAG 7 Consulting, a boutique coaching, mentoring, and advisory firm that caters to high-school and college-aged students. The MAG 7 program has distilled and codified key principles of achievement and paths to success that propel young people to meet their highest potentials in all aspects of life.

The opinions voiced in The Dream Architect Life Podcast with Bryan Sweet and Brittany Anderson are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine what may be appropriate for you, consult with your attorney, accountant, financial or tax advisor prior to investing. Guests on the show are not affiliated with CWM, LLC. Investment advisory services offered through CWM, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Carson Partners, a division of CWM, LLC, is a nationwide partnership of advisors.

Maximizing Your Retirement Through Estate Planning with Craig Hersch (Ep.67)

Maximizing Your Retirement Through Estate Planning with Craig Hersch (Ep.67)

Think estate planning is just about what happens after you’re gone? Think again! It’s a vital life plan to help you shield wealth, minimize taxes, and set your family up for success. 

Today on The Dream Architect Life Podcast, Bryan Sweet interviews Craig Hersch, a seasoned estate planning attorney and strategic coach. They discuss the upcoming changes in estate tax laws, particularly the sunset provisions set to take effect in 2026. Craig shares insights on advanced estate planning strategies, the importance of timing, and how to identify qualified estate planning attorneys.

Craig discusses: 

  •  How important is timing when implementing estate planning strategies
  •  What are some common misconceptions clients have about estate planning processes
  •  Why is open communication with family about financial matters essential
  •  What is necessary to create a personalized estate plan tailored to a client’s unique situation
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Craig Hersch:

Connect With Sweet Financial Partners:

About Our Guest:

Craig R. Hersch is the go-to National Practice Development Expert for truly entrepreneurial & ambitious estate planning attorneys. He almost single-handedly created the innovative, trademarked processes The Family Estate & Legacy Program® and The Estate Settlement Program®, The Advanced Planning Expander™ and The Transitional Event Sequence™.  These unique processes, designed to provide clients with comfort and clarity when navigating the complex legal, tax, and financial concerns associated with planning and administering an estate, are innovative game-changers that can’t be compared with anything else out there.