Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast

What if hitting seven figures doesn’t make money easier… it actually makes every decision harder? In this kickoff episode of the “Designed to Last” series on the Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan sits down with Michael Loki, a Vital Wealth advisor, for a conversation that challenges a common belief entrepreneurs have as they grow: that more income automatically brings more clarity. Instead, Patrick explains why success often creates more moving parts, more decisions, and more pressure and why financial confidence must be built intentionally, not hoped for.

Throughout the episode, Patrick breaks down the real reason high-income business owners still feel uncertain about profitability, cash flow, and what’s “actually working” inside the business. He shares the three pillars that help businesses scale without becoming a stressful house of cards – profitability, financial reporting, and cash management and offers practical tools like monthly P&L tracking, accrual accounting awareness, accounts receivable reporting, and a 13-week rolling cash flow forecast. If you’ve ever wondered why you can have money in the bank but still feel behind, or why growth can trigger surprise tax problems and cash crunches, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Takeaways:

• Higher income creates more complexity, not less and clarity must be built on purpose
• A profitable business is the first requirement for something truly “designed to last”
• Monthly P&L reporting (including year-over-year comparisons) is a non-negotiable tool
• Owner pay matters: underpaying yourself can create “fake profitability” and hurt valuation
• Cash flow problems can happen even in profitable businesses (especially with taxes + growth)
• A 13-week cash flow forecast helps owners lead proactively instead of reacting

Episode Resources:

• Simple Numbers by Greg Crabtree
• QuickBooks Online
• Vital Wealth cash flow assessment: vitalstrategies.com/cashflow

Resources:   

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources     

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: https://link.chtbl.com/vitalstrategies    

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies      

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast     

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/     

Credits:    

Sponsored by Vital Wealth    

Music by Cephas    

Art work by Two Tone Creative 

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O’Brien

What happens to your wealth and your freedom, when money is no longer backed by anything and every transaction can be tracked, restricted, or shut off? In this episode of the Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan sits down with financial researcher and author David Morgan to unpack the real risks of fiat currency, inflation, and centralized monetary control. David shares decades of insight into how modern money is created, why inflation quietly erodes purchasing power, and how financial “stability” can mask a system built on increasing debt, manipulation, and surveillance.

Throughout the conversation, Patrick and David explore what a monetary reset could look like, the dangers of programmable money and CBDCs, and why “sound money” matters for entrepreneurs who want true long-term security. David also breaks down practical ways to reclaim monetary sovereignty, highlighting gold, silver, and land as time-tested stores of value and explains why he remains skeptical of Bitcoin as a freedom tool in today’s institutional landscape. This episode is a must-listen for business owners and high earners who want to protect their assets, think independently, and build wealth that isn’t dependent on fragile systems or compliance-driven control.

Key Takeaways

• Fiat currency systems historically collapse when trust breaks, often through inflation or debt crises
• Inflation acts like a hidden tax that steadily erodes purchasing power over time
• CBDCs and programmable money can enable surveillance and restrictions on personal spending
• Financial collapse often results in asset repricing and ownership transfer—not “wealth disappearing”
• Gold, silver, and land remain foundational tools for preserving monetary sovereignty
• Silver can be a practical, accessible hedge for everyday investors
• Bitcoin may not deliver the independence many expect due to institutional capture concerns
• True freedom includes financial resilience, critical thinking, and personal responsibility

Learn More About David:

• The Morgan Report: morganreport.com
• Silver Sunrise Documentary: silversunrise.tv
• Silver Manifesto by David Morgan

Episode Resources:

• Mises Institute (Austrian economics): mises.org
• Bank for International Settlements (BIS): bis.org
• The Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin
• Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
• The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Resources:   

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources     

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: https://link.chtbl.com/vitalstrategies    

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies      

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast     

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/     

Credits:    

Sponsored by Vital Wealth    

Music by Cephas    

Art work by Two Tone Creative 

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O’Brien

What happens when your net worth grows faster than your liquidity and your tax bill keeps climbing along the way? Many founders and executives with equity in private companies find themselves asset-rich on paper but limited in flexibility, diversification, and tax efficiency. In this episode of the Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan explores one of the most overlooked challenges facing high-earning entrepreneurs: concentrated, illiquid private equity and the hidden risks that come with waiting on a future liquidity event.

Patrick is joined by Brogger, Founder and CEO of Collective Liquidity and a pioneer in private market innovation. Greg shares how exchange funds, structured liquidity, and disciplined diversification strategies can help founders and executives reduce risk, access capital, and defer taxes without giving up long-term upside. Drawing from his experience building SharesPost and the NASDAQ Private Market, Greg breaks down why traditional approaches often fail private equity holders and how a more intentional strategy can create financial flexibility, peace of mind, and better outcomes for growing businesses.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Why over-concentration in private company equity creates both financial and tax risk
• How exchange funds work and why they are especially powerful in private markets
• Ways founders and executives can create liquidity without triggering immediate capital gains taxes
• The importance of diversification for long-term wealth preservation
• How proactive tax strategy supports smarter business and investment decisions

Learn More About Greg:

Collective Liquidity Official Website: About us | Collective Liquidity

Resources:   

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources     

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: https://link.chtbl.com/vitalstrategies    

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies      

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast     

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/     

Credits:    

Sponsored by Vital Wealth    

Music by Cephas    

Art work by Two Tone Creative 

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O’Brien

Is AI really ready to run parts of your business, or is it just another overhyped tool that creates more confusion than clarity? In this episode of the Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan, founder of Vital Wealth, sits down with Steven Saehrig, founder of Descent IT, to cut through the noise and explain what AI actually looks like when implemented correctly inside a real business. Rather than focusing on shiny tools or viral prompts, this conversation gets practical, strategic, and grounded in how entrepreneurs can use AI to increase efficiency, protect their data, and future-proof their organizations.

Patrick and Steven explore why AI is best viewed as a workforce multiplier rather than a replacement for people, how businesses should think about the true cost and ROI of AI adoption, and why cybersecurity must be the foundation before any automation is deployed. From real-world examples like AI-driven IT support and agentic workflows to the risks of bad actors using AI for phishing and fraud, this episode gives business owners a clear roadmap for adopting AI intentionally and securely. If you are a founder or executive wondering where to start with AI, how fast to move, and how not to get burned along the way, this episode delivers clarity, context, and actionable insight.

Key Takeaways

• AI is not a magic bullet; it requires intentional planning, investment, and follow-through
• The biggest opportunity today is using AI to augment people, not replace them
• Businesses should automate low-value, repetitive tasks first before moving to advanced AI
• Paid, secure AI tools are essential for protecting business and client data
• Cybersecurity and identity protection must be in place before scaling AI adoption
• AI-driven attacks are increasing, making employee training and behavior monitoring critical
• Companies that delay AI adoption risk falling behind competitors over the next 5–10 years

Episode Resources:

• Descent IT Official Website
• Anthropic Claude
• ChatGPT
• Microsoft Copilot
• Google Gemini
• Vital Wealth Strategies Episode 088

Resources:   

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources     

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: https://link.chtbl.com/vitalstrategies    

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies      

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast     

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/     

Credits:    

Sponsored by Vital Wealth    

Music by Cephas    

Art work by Two Tone Creative 

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O’Brien