Money Talk with Brandon Steele Mainsail Financial Group

In this special edition of the Money Talk podcast, Brandon shares the impacts that we may see from the Israel-Hamas war to the United States economy and stock market. From oil prices to inflation, tune in below to discover what may be on the horizon as this devastating conflict continues in the Middle East.

When polled, 90% of employees believe teams are critical to success in their organization, but only 25% believe their team to be effective. Whether you find your team to be effective or not, what are some strategies that successful teams employ? In this conversation, executive coach and consultant Liv Olson shares insight into ways to overcome team challenges, how to foster innovation, and strategies for smaller teams. 
For nearly 20 years, Liv Olson led Human Resources and People Operations for mission-driven financial services organizations. During this period, her organization was named among Washington’s best workplaces for nine consecutive years. Today, she works with individuals and teams to unlock and leverage core elemental skills and insights that, until now, have remained hidden. To learn more about Liv and her services, visit her website. 

Planning for college can be stressful. With rising tuition costs, it can be overwhelming to think about the future when it comes to creating a education savings plan. Whether you are thinking about college savings options for your children in the future or have kids quickly approaching college age, what should you know about 529 plans and education funding options? In this conversation, College Inside Track educator Heidi King shares insight into today’s college landscape, how to create a college savings plan, and what you should know to prepare your children for college applications.
Heidi King is an educator with College Inside Track. Her first career as an airline pilot of 20+ years taught her to manage important projects in time sensitive situations, arriving at the destination safely, on time and efficiently. She applied those same skills when helping her two boys find their right college fit, and now does the same helping thousands of families at College Inside Track. Outside of work, Heidi lives in the Chicagoland area with her family where you will often find her in one of the area tennis courts.

Selling your small to mid size business is a big decision. Whether you are a small business owner thinking about what the future may hold or are ready to retire from your business in the next few years, what should you know about selling a business in the state of Washington? In this conversation, Washington Business Brokers founder Ryan Hemmert shares insight into selling your business, how best to prepare your business for sale, and what you should know about the new Washington state capital gains tax.
Ryan Hemmert founded Washington Business Brokers to serve the needs of business owners, buyers, and investment groups. Ryan and his team bring a refreshing, can-do positivity to the work that they do, adding value to every conversation.
This episode was filmed at Serendipity Café and Lounge in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood.

Equity compensation can quickly make up a large part of an employee’s investment portfolio. Whether you already have received equity compensation from an existing employer or are weighing a new job offer, what should you know about stock grants, stock options, and RSUs? In this conversation, Mainsail’s lead advisor Samantha Kennedy joins Brandon to share insight into the most common employee equity compensation plans and what to know about earnings season and layoffs.
Samantha Kennedy has been in the financial services industry for the past nine years, helping clients build a roadmap to reach their goals. She loves being able to help individuals and families prepare for a financially stable future and be a part of their wins as they conquer fears and reach their goals.
At the age of three, Samantha was adopted from China by a loving family. Later, she pursued higher education at Pacific Lutheran University as a fianance major and mathematics minor. In her free time, Sam enjoys daily runs, hiking, and camping in the PNW with her husband.

As the saying goes, nothing is certain except death and taxes. But how can one reduce taxes for those who benefit from your estate? How can strategic gifting benefit your estate planning? And what might change for inheritance and estate tax in the future? In this conversation, estate, trust probate, and family lawyer Jeff Gilbert joins Brandon to share insight into estate gifting strategies, the SECURE Act 2.0 , and what legislation changes may be on the horizon from an estate planning perspective.
Jeff Gilbert has been operating his law practice in Mukilteo, WA since 1995, serving the greater Snohomish, King, and Island county. His practice focuses primarily in the areas of estate, trust, probate, family law, contract review and preparation, and small business formation. He is involved in the local community, serving as past president and as a board member for the Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce and in the Chamber's scholarship committee. Jeff lives in the city of Mukilteo since 1992 with his wife and 3 daughters.
This episode was filmed at Honor Coffee in Downton Bellevue, a coffee shop serving the finest coffee, matcha, and baked goods.