When Alan Porter’s family faced medical and financial crises, he discovered a little-known clause in a life insurance policy that changed everything.

That awakening launched his career in tax and business advisory, and today, he helps business owners and high-net-worth families keep more of what they’ve earned.

In this episode, Alan Porter, Certified Tax and Business Advisor and CFF (Certified Financial Fiduciary), from Strategic Wealth Strategies, joins Steve Burton to expose why most CPAs don’t actually reduce your taxes and why 93% of small businesses overpay. From real-life stories to advanced tax strategies, Alan breaks down the difference between tax prep and tax planning and how it impacts your ability to sell, retire, or reinvest.

Here’s what you can expect from the episode:

• The biggest tax mistake 93% of businesses make

• How to use insurance for tax-free retirement

• A $2.2M case study that rewrote one client’s future

• Why entity structure and timing change everything

• And so much more!

Resources:

• “Tax Free Retirement Solution” by Alan Porter

• Get your free personalized report at www.scaletosell.com/value

• Unlock your business’s potential with our free Scale to Sell self-assessment

• Book your free discovery call with us today!

Connect with Our Team:

• Website: Scale to Sell

• info@scaletosell.com

• LinkedIn: Scale to Sell

• Facebook: Scale to Sell

• YouTube: Scale to Sell

• Instagram: Scale to Sell

Connect with Adam Burton and Steve Burton:

• LinkedIn: Adam Burton

• LinkedIn: Steve Burton

Connect with Alan Porter:

• Alan Porter Website

• Strategic Wealth Strategies

• LinkedIn: Alan Lee Porter, CEO

About our Guest:

An accomplished expert in financial fiduciary matters, Alan Porter guides his clients in reducing or eliminating their unnecessary taxes, fees, and debts as a SMART Adviser and owner at Strategic Wealth Strategies, which has been in operation since 2011. Through the company, he and his team of Certified Public Accountants, tax-focused attorneys, and other specialists utilize more than five decades of experience in the field to provide financial guidance, help set up tax-free retirement plans, and guarantee income for a lifetime, as well as protection for long-term care expenses. Backed by accrued experience in the industry, as well as a lengthy military career, Mr. Porter attributes his success at Strategic Wealth Strategies to his unwavering passion for educating individuals and offering assistance with their financial struggles, as well as the love and support of his wife, Ela.

Are you building a business that buyers actually want?

Adam and Steve Burton uncover what drives value and how to create a business that commands a premium price, whether or not you’re planning to sell today.

Together, they explore the 6 P Method: People, Product, Process, Proprietary, Patrons, and Profit, detailing how each factor can make or break your ability to scale, enjoy your life, and exit on your terms. Through real-world examples (like the rise and fall of Blockbuster, Kodak, and other once-thriving companies), they highlight the risks of staying stagnant and the rewards of future-focused leadership.

What you’ll learn:

• Why the right team unlocks both profit and freedom

• How to build diversified and sustainable revenue streams

• The role of processes and proprietary assets in boosting valuation

• How customer loyalty and culture increase multiples

• And more!

Resources:

• Unlock your business’s potential with our free Scale to Sell self-assessment

• Book your free discovery call with us today!

• “Exit Rich: The 6 P Method to Sell Your Business for Huge Profit” by Michelle Seiler Tucker

• “Wealthy and Well Known” by Rory and AJ Vaden

• “The AI-Driven Leader” by Geoff Woods

• How to Create Business, Personal, and Financial Freedom Before You Exit (Ep. 45)

• The Power of Mission Statements: How this Non-profit Practice Could Help Grow Your For-profit Company with Jonathan Sheeley (Ep. 21)

Connect with Our Team:

• Website: Scale to Sell

• info@scaletosell.com

• LinkedIn: Scale to Sell

• Facebook: Scale to Sell

• YouTube: Scale to Sell

• Instagram: Scale to Sell

Connect with Adam Burton and Steve Burton:

• LinkedIn: Adam Burton

• LinkedIn: Steve Burton

What if you could build financial, personal, and business freedom, without selling your business?

In this episode, Adam and Steve Burton challenge the myth that you have to wait for a big liquidity event to win. Instead, they break down four specific freedoms that every owner can build right now to stop being the bottleneck and start enjoying life before the exit.

Adam and Steve discuss:

• (00:03:00) Why business owners don’t need to sell to create freedom

• (00:06:00) Systems over sweat: building a business that runs without you

• (00:11:00) Clear roles, team accountability, and the path to owner independence

• (00:16:00) Strategic compensation, recurring revenue, and how to fund freedom now

• (00:20:00) What “flexible exit options” really mean and how to stay ready to grow or sell

• And more.

Resources:

• Get your free personalized report at www.scaletosell.com/value

• Unlock your business’s potential with our free Scale to Sell self-assessment

• Book your free discovery call with us today!

• Unlocking the Current Value and Dream Value of Your Business with Jason Early (Ep. 43)

Connect with Our Team:

• Website: Scale to Sell

• info@scaletosell.com

• LinkedIn: Scale to Sell

• Facebook: Scale to Sell

• YouTube: Scale to Sell

• Instagram: Scale to Sell

Connect with Adam Burton and Steve Burton:

• LinkedIn: Adam Burton

• LinkedIn: Steve Burton

What if handing the business to your kids does more harm than good?

In this episode, Adam and Steve Burton talk about the emotional and financial complexities of passing down a family-owned business. Drawing insights from the book Every Family’s Business by Thomas William Deans, they explore the often-ignored questions that can make or break a legacy.

Adam and Steve discuss:

• (00:01) The real risks of assuming your kids want—or are ready—to take over

• (00:06) Why differing visions between generations lead to conflict and burnout

• (00:12) How ownership structure and communication prevent team disruption

• (00:16) Why annual valuations and succession plans protect the entire family

• And more

Resources:

• Get your free personalized report at www.scaletosell.com/value

• Unlock your business’s potential with our free Scale to Sell self-assessment

• Book your free discovery call with us today!

• Every Family's Business: 12 Common Sense Questions To Protect Your Wealth by Thomas William Deans

• Unlocking the Current Value and Dream Value of Your Business with Jason Early (Ep. 43)

Connect with Our Team:

• Website: Scale to Sell

• info@scaletosell.com

• LinkedIn: Scale to Sell

• Facebook: Scale to Sell

• YouTube: Scale to Sell

• Instagram: Scale to Sell

Connect with Adam Burton and Steve Burton:

• LinkedIn: Adam Burton

• LinkedIn: Steve Burton

Most business owners don’t realize their business could be worth far more, or far less, than they think. What’s worse? They don’t discover this until it’s too late.

In this episode, Steve Burton sits down with Jason Early, founder of RISR, to reveal how business owners can stop guessing and start knowing their business value today and in the future.

Steve and Jason discuss:

• Why your business is likely 80% of your net worth—and still not tracked

• The real difference between your “current value” and “dream value”

• The hidden risks quietly dragging down your business’s valuation

• Why owner dependency kills transferable value (and how to fix it)

• And more

Resources:

• Get your free personalized report at www.scaletosell.com/value

• Book your free discovery call with us today!

Connect with Our Team:

Website: Scale to Sell
📧 info@scaletosell.com
LinkedIn: Scale to Sell
Facebook: Scale to Sell
YouTube: Scale to Sell
Instagram: Scale to Sell

Connect with Adam Burton and Steve Burton:

LinkedIn: Adam Burton
LinkedIn: Steve Burton

Connect with Jason Early:

LinkedIn: Jason Early
Website: RISR

About Our Guest:

Jason Early is the founder of RISR, a platform built to help financial advisors and business owners bridge the valuation gap. With decades of experience in financial services and wealth tech, Jason has created a system to demystify the business valuation process, helping owners align their exit goals with their actual business value.

What if your company’s 401(k) is quietly draining your employees’ retirement savings, and putting your business at compliance risk?

In this episode, Steve Burton sits down with Michael Tarr, Director of 401(k) Maneuver and MEP & PEP Plan Services at Royal Fund Management. Together, they break down why so many company retirement plans underperform and what business owners can do about it.

Steve and Michael discuss:

• Why most 401(k) plans fail employees: lack of guidance, high fees, and poor management

• The hidden cost of target-date funds and why active management matters

• What “benchmarking” your 401(k) really means—and why the Department of Labor cares

• Secure Act 2.0 changes: how age 50 in-service transfers open new planning opportunities

• The difference between a MEP and a PEP—and why these models are the future of retirement plans

• How to get your plan benchmarked for free and avoid common audit headaches

Resources:

• Unlock your business’s potential with our free Scale to Sell self-assessment

• Book your free discovery call with us today!

Connect with Our Team:

Website: Scale to Sell
Email: info@scaletosell.com
LinkedIn: Scale to Sell
Facebook: Scale to Sell
YouTube: Scale to Sell
Instagram: Scale to Sell

Connect with Adam Burton and Steve Burton:

LinkedIn: Adam Burton
LinkedIn: Steve Burton

Connect with Michael R. Tarr, II:

Website: Royal Fund Management
LinkedIn: Michael R. Tarr, II

About Our Guest:

Michael Tarr brings deep expertise in retirement plan design, compliance, and participant-focused investment strategies. As Director at Royal Fund Management, Michael helps businesses across the country optimize their 401(k) plans with fiduciary-focused solutions like the 401(k) Maneuver PEP.

You may feel ready to exit, but is your business truly prepared?

In this episode of Scale to Sell, hosts Adam and Steve Burton unpack powerful insights from two exit planning conferences. From valuations to AI to family handoffs, they break down what most owners miss—and how to fix it. Whether you’re five years out or thinking about it now, this episode could reshape your strategy.

Steve and Adam discuss:

• The importance of building an exit-ready business that can run without you (05:00)

• Why business owners need a realistic valuation and how to use it to plan a successful exit (08:17)

• How family businesses are at risk when there's no clear succession or structure in place (12:25)

• Why handing off the business to your kids without liquidity is harming generational wealth (15:52)

• How AI and smart acquisitions can fuel growth and improve both sales and buyer appeal (18:17)

• And more!

Resources:

• Unlock your business’s potential with our free Scale to Sell self-assessment

• Book your free discovery call with us today!

• FREE Valuation Report - What’s Your Business Worth?

Connect with Our Team:

• Website: Scale to Sell

• info@scaletosell.com

• LinkedIn: Scale to Sell

• Facebook: Scale to Sell

• YouTube: Scale to Sell

• Instagram: Scale to Sell

Connect with Adam Burton and Steve Burton:

• LinkedIn: Adam Burton

• LinkedIn: Steve Burton

What makes recurring revenue the darling of the business world today?

In episode 40 of the Scale to Sell podcast, Adam and Steve Burton explore the power of incorporating a recurring revenue model into your business. This episode highlights why recurring revenue businesses, like HVAC and lawn services, are highly valued by private equity firms and competitors alike.

Discover how building predictable and stable revenue can ensure long-term business success. These conversations tackle the common hesitations business owners may have and illustrate why you might be more suited for a subscription model than you think. Tune in to uncover:

• (00:05:10) The strength of predictable and stable revenue models

• (00:08:45) How recurring revenue increases customer lifetime value

• (00:12:20) Strategies to improve customer retention and brand authority

• (00:18:05) Popular industries and surprising sectors embracing subscription models

Resources:

• Unlock your business’s potential with our free Scale to Sell self-assessment

• Book your free discovery call with us today!

• Mission One Million by Merle Gilley and Steve Burton

• Predictable Profits by Stu McLaren

• Growth Through Acquisition with Jeff Snell (Ep. 35)

• How to Make More Money While Working Less in Your Business (Ep. 39)

Connect with Our Team:

• Website: Scale to Sell

• info@scaletosell.com

• LinkedIn: Scale to Sell

• Facebook: Scale to Sell

• YouTube: Scale to Sell

• Instagram: Scale to Sell

Connect with Adam Burton and Steve Burton:

• LinkedIn: Adam Burton

• LinkedIn: Steve Burton