✅401k; retirement planning; tax strategies for business owners.

Matt Ruthenberg shows how business founders can leverage a custom retirement plan stack to save six figures in taxes, build real wealth and set themselves up for an early retirement.

Most founders underuse 401k plans. Matt breaks down the 401k tax code, as well as concepts around profit sharing; cash balance defined benefit plans; and the “retirement plan stack” so owners maximize contributions while staying compliant.

We cover 401k vs Roth; mega backdoor Roth; self-directed options for real estate with non-recourse loans; state auto-IRA mandates; S-Corp salary rules; LTIPs for key employees; and how to flex the plan when profits swing. Embrace the mindset shift that equips you to be the CEO of your wealth, not just your company.

00:00 – Introduction to 401k strategies
01:41 – Matt’s journey in financial strategy
03:35 – Understanding the 401k tax code
05:39 – Comparing 401k and Roth IRA
09:34 – Designing a retirement plan stack
11:32 – Maximizing savings for founders
15:41 – Employer-focused retirement plans
19:38 – Common mistakes by business owners
21:34 – State mandates and 401k requirements
23:40 – Investing in real estate with a 401k
25:32 – Self-directing your 401k; compliance
28:00 – DIY plans vs hiring a team
30:47 – Why customization matters
32:36 – Tax implications; strategy pairing
34:20 – Real-life success stories
38:36 – Depreciation; deferred tax questions
40:52 – 401k moves when preparing to sell
43:38 – Mindset shifts for entrepreneurs
46:39 – Balancing business and personal
48:49 – Key takeaways for business owners

✅ From Dyslexia to CEO: Entrepreneurship, AI, Fundraising and Disrupting Alcohol DeliveryEntrepreneurship meets AI in this raw Business 101 Podcast episode with Rob Matzkin.Rob Matzkin shares how dyslexia shaped his learning style and became his superpower; how he built Booze Carriage, the first alcohol delivery service in the US; why MyQuest focused on B2B edtech; and how he is fundraising a $50M deep tech fund at Singularity Ventures. We dig into AI as an operator advantage; a no-nonsense fundraising playbook; corporate culture that rewards outcomes not hours; and why your net worth is your network.Chapters00:00 From dyslexia to entrepreneurship; college hacks that worked14:32 Booze Carriage; innovating alcohol delivery and staying legal21:12 Building MyQuest; B2B edtech over B2C28:48 AI in business; real workflows and vibe coding33:46 Fundraising today; friends and family vs pre seed vs seed vs series A45:24 Coaching founders; first 20k MRR to first $1M raised46:48 Corporate culture; measure results not hours57:39 Final advice; be authentic; be vulnerable; take risks58:01 Wrap and takeaways✅Subscribe for weekly C-suite playbooks✅Comment your biggest takeaway✅Share with a founder who needs this✅Like if you want more no-fluff business lessons✅Join the Business 101 community

In this episode, Ayo talks with Paris, an experienced financial coach and educator, whose journey has spanned the world of financial advising and business coaching.

Paris reveals what most financial advisors won’t tell you: budgeting should free not restrict; emergency funds are nonnegotiable; and inking funds and buffers can transform cash flow management.

Accounting mindsets differ between financial advisors and financial coaches; and Paris advocates for getting a financial coach rather than an advisor.

What You’ll Learn:

- How to shift from advisor‑style investing advice to coach‑driven financial discipline

- Concrete budgeting mistakes many people make and how to fix them

- Why building sinking fund systems can stabilize your financial life

- Investment strategies during volatile markets

- The essential questions to ask before choosing a financial coach

- Ways to reduce stress and build real wealth using money systems