Month: April 2025

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Why the Smartest Families Invest Differently with Eric Knauss. (Ep.109)

Why the Smartest Families Invest Differently with Eric Knauss. (Ep.109)

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Are traditional investment strategies enough to secure a future?

Join Brent Mekosh as he sits down with Eric Knauss, Chief Investment Officer at Proteus, a seasoned advisor with over 40 years of experience in major firms like Merrill Lynch and T. Rowe Price. They delve into the nuances of private equity, real estate, and hedge funds, emphasizing their potential to enhance and stabilize financial portfolios.

Eric discusses:

  • The benefits of private investment exposure [00:10:20]
  • Understanding the family wealth preservation [00:11:52]
  • Innovations in private market accessibility [00:21:34]
  • Proteus’ role in democratizing investments [00:30:52]
  • And more

Connect with Brent Mekosh:

Connect with Eric Knauss:

About Our Guest:

Eric Knauss is the President and Chief Investment Officer at Proteus. He oversees Proteus’ overall direction, strategy, and operations, including all aspects of investment management from sourcing and selection to due diligence and monitoring. Mr. Knauss is also the lead on managing the Proteus Model Portfolios and Pools. With more than 40 years of experience in the investment management industry, Mr. Knauss began his career at Merrill Lynch and went on to hold leadership roles at T. Rowe Price, GenSpring Family Office, Lazard Wealth Management, and Sight Capital Advisors. Over the course of his career, Mr. Knauss has managed the asset allocation, portfolio construction and portfolio management of large family office and institutional investors on a discretionary basis and has successfully led the creation of two, de novo open architecture wealth advisory practices. He has significant experience in conducting investment manager due diligence and created one of the first after-tax performance reporting systems in the industry.

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How Venture Capital Meets Philanthropy with Amy Armstrong (Ep.108)

How Venture Capital Meets Philanthropy with Amy Armstrong (Ep.108)

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How can venture capital strategies transform the nonprofit world?

Brent Mekosh sits down with Amy Armstrong, CEO of Social Venture Partners Arizona, to explore the synergy between business acumen and charitable initiatives. They discuss the significance of multi-year giving and trust-based philanthropy, emphasizing the profound impact these approaches can have on supporting charitable endeavors.

Top takeaways include:

  • The venture capital approach to philanthropy
  • Amy’s inspiring story from interior design to nonprofit leadership
  • Why multi-year giving is crucial for sustained nonprofit success
  • How trust-based philanthropy fosters organizational growth
  • And more

Connect with Brent Mekosh:

Connect With Amy Armstrong:

About Our Guest:

Amy is the CEO of Social Venture Partners Arizona, where she has been a partner for 15 years. She was also the founder of Next Generation Philanthropists and Support My Club, two Arizona-based nonprofit organizations. As an active philanthropist in the community, she serves on several boards and governance committees, including Board Secretary and Grant Coordinator for the Kiita Foundation and the Grant Advisor of the Armstrong Family Foundation. She dedicates time to serving college students with foster care backgrounds and recently was co-chair of the ASU President’s Club.

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Making Private Jet Travel Work for You with Brent Wouters (Ep.107)

Making Private Jet Travel Work for You with Brent Wouters (Ep.107)

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What makes private aviation more accessible and appealing today than ever before?  

Join host Brent Mekosh and special guest Brent Wouters, CEO of JetLinx, as they navigate the skies of private aviation in this episode of Smart Money Simplified. They dive deep into the world of private jets, exploring everything from the unmatched convenience of bypassing TSA lines to the strategic benefits of fractional jet ownership.

Brent discusses:

  • The rise of fractional jet ownership and its accessibility to a wider audience (00:10:12)
  • The economic benefits and challenges of owning versus chartering aircraft (00:18:57)
  • How JetLinks manages a diverse fleet offering custom solutions for every need (00:22:31)
  • The evolving role of AI in optimizing flight operations and logistics (00:30:53)
  • And more

Connect With Brent Wouters:

Connect with Brent Mekosh:

About Our Guest:

Mr. Wouters is a CEO who specializes in transforming underperforming private equity portfolio companies into high-growth, extremely profitable industry leaders. Mr. Wouters possesses deep experience in aviation, automotive, manufacturing, and distribution. With his diverse expertise in sales, marketing, engineering, finance, accounting, risk management, and regulation, Mr. Wouters overhauls and grows underperforming businesses that require brand, technology, channel, product, and financial transformation.

Brent Wouters transforms and grows companies using a combination of high-touch human interaction and high-efficiency technological innovation to build a Culture of Belief. Mr. Wouters has completed very successful growth transformations in vertical industries including aircraft manufacturing, hybrid electric luxury automobile manufacturing, adventure outdoor equipment, industrial goods, data centers, and other complex global industries.

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Navigating Life’s Twists: The Path to Elite Wealth Stewardship with Ryan Reming (Ep.106)

Navigating Life’s Twists: The Path to Elite Wealth Stewardship with Ryan Reming (Ep.106)

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What does it take to build a successful financial advisory career from the ground up while navigating life’s unpredictabilities and decisions?

Join Brent Mekosh as he sits down with Ryan Reming, an elite advisor and associate partner at The Wealth Stewards. Ryan shares his journey from his early economics studies through the volatility post-financial crisis, to becoming a key player at The Wealth Stewards. 

By tuning in, you’ll discover how Ryan transitioned through various roles and challenges, explaining why a personalized, client-first approach profoundly shapes one’s career and client relationships.

Key Discussion Points:

  • Ryan’s unexpected entry into finance and how a health scare shaped his career path [00:02:00] 
  • Pivoting in his career after an unmet succession plan and the importance of aligning personal values with professional goals [00:06:00] 
  • The transition from broker-dealer to RIA and how building a team culture enriched his professional life [00:11:00] 
  • Insights about technology’s evolving role in finance and how AI is reshaping client services [00:17:00] 
  • Ryan’s perspective on true financial planning versus traditional investment approaches [00:22:00] 
  • And more!

Connect with Brent Mekosh:

Connect with Ryan Reming:

About Our Guest:

With over a decade of experience as a trusted personal CFO, Ryan helps successful families manage their wealth, define their goals, and craft customized wealth strategies to support their long-term security. His expertise covers various life transitions, including business sales, retirement, purchasing dream homes, navigating the loss of loved ones, preparing children for affluence, and fostering community impact.

As lead advisor and associate partner, Ryan is integral to The Wealth Stewards’ operations, helping to enhance efficiency and improve the client experience. Actively involved in investment due diligence, he evaluates strategies to ensure they align with client objectives and the firm’s high standards. As part of the Investment and Marketing committees, he also collaborates with team members to strengthen investment strategies, messaging, and outreach.

Ryan’s dedication to wealth stewardship is rooted in hard work, integrity, and compassion — values instilled by his parents and grandparents. He finds the greatest fulfillment in building deep, meaningful relationships with the families he serves. By working with a select group of clients, he can truly understand their unique aspirations and help align their wealth with a greater purpose, maximizing personal fulfillment.

A Phoenix native, Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Arizona State University. Now settled in his hometown with his wife and daughter, he cherishes family time. Outside of work, he enjoys playing and watching sports, expanding his extensive record collection, and attending concerts.

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