In this episode of the Wealthiest podcast (hosted by Anthony Mlachnik, Senior Wealth Advisor at Annex Private Client), guest Chellee Siewert (President and Founder of Capture Sports & Entertainment) discusses how her firm helps professional athletes, entertainers, and organizations develop authentic philanthropic strategies.

Key highlights include:

• End-of-Year Giving Trends — About 30% of annual charitable donations occur in December, with examples like athletes hosting shopping events for kids, fulfilling both wants and needs (e.g., debate team ties for a high schooler).
• Building an Authentic "Why" — Capture guides clients to identify personal stories and passions, define 2-3 impact pillars, align philanthropy with their brand, and create realistic plans that fit busy lifestyles (from weekly involvement to a few annual events).
• Legacy Beyond the Game — Emphasis on defining identity outside of sports, building post-career legacies, and ensuring giving feels genuine and enjoyable.
• Heartwarming Stories — Touching anecdotes, such as Aaron Jones' "Yards for Shoes" campaign (donating shoes based on rushing yards, revealing a child's need for properly fitted new shoes), J.J. Watt events honoring veterans, and meaningful make-a-wish connections.
• Human Side of Athletes — Discussion of Vin Baker's recovery from addiction, losing over $100 million, and rebuilding his life, underscoring that athletes face public highs and lows like anyone else.
• Practical Structures and Benefits — Overview of giving vehicles: Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) for tax-deductible donations, fiscal sponsorships (preferred for most clients due to compliance support), and private 501(c)(3)s. Insights on offsetting "jock taxes" (state taxes on games played away), donating appreciated stock to avoid capital gains, and leveraging league/team matching programs or awards.
• Team Support — Importance of a trusted core team (advisors, agents, accountants) to maximize impact, endorsements, and opportunities.

Chellee shares her own journey founding Capture 14 years ago to balance motherhood and entrepreneurship, starting with clients like J.J. Watt, and finding her "why" in amplifying athletes' ability to change lives. The conversation draws parallels between athletes/entertainers and busy executives in purposeful, tax-smart giving.

Host: Anthony Mlachnik (Senior Wealth Advisor, Annex Private Client)
Guest: Anna Franklin – Founder & Creative Director of Stonehouse Collective (Milwaukee/Wisconsin-based luxury interior design firm)

Anna’s Journey

• Grew up in small-town Wisconsin → studied Public Relations → moved to Chicago for event planning & major-gift fundraising (10 years).
• Met husband in Chicago, moved back to Wisconsin (Whitefish Bay, Milwaukee area) ~10 years ago to raise family (now 3 kids).
• After first child, rediscovered creative passion → accidentally fell into home staging → became “the stager of Milwaukee” → pivoted to full interior design during 2020/COVID.
• Not a formally trained designer; acts as creative director/entrepreneur.
• Grew Stonehouse Collective to 15 employees (5 full-time designers), opened first retail store in Shorewood in March 2023, and hit record revenue in 2025.

Key Themes & Insights on Wealthy Clients

1. Two Types of Clients Today
   • High-customization, unique, heirloom-quality (willing to pay $30k for a sofa).
   • Want the “look” but at the lowest possible price (tariffs & cost pressures pushing this segment).
2. Psychology of Spending
   • Wealth does not equal willingness to spend on furniture/design.
   • Some ultra-wealthy clients buy the $3k sofa because “they don’t care about furniture.”
   • Some middle/upper-middle clients will stretch or max out credit for fully U.S.-made, 40-hands-touched heirloom pieces because that is what they value.
   • It’s never about the dollar amount; it’s about personal values, legacy, memories, and emotional connection.
3. Trends by DemographicYounger / Millennial / Liquidity-Event Wealth
   • Full smart-home integration (Lutron, Sonos, automated showers, security, lighting scenes controlled by phone).
     Wellness spas at home: cold plunges, saunas, steam, red-light therapy — all ideally in one integrated wellness room.
     Hitting all five senses the moment they walk in (scent, sound, light temperature, etc.).
4. Boomers / 60s–70s
   • Surprisingly also adding wellness/spa elements (many now want saunas & cold plunges too).
   • Grandkid-focused spaces (arcade rooms, integrated TV/gaming areas with sleek motion furniture instead of old dedicated theaters).
   • Aging-in-place planning: wider doors, future elevator shafts, curbless showers.
   • Strong aversion to bold 90s-style patterns/color that millennials are embracing (“grand-millennial” trend).
5. Tech & Smart Homes
   • Almost everything is now phone-controlled; wall panels and whole-house distributed audio are largely out.
   • TVs hidden or pop-up, projectors still used, but giant TVs are cheap and ubiquitous.
   • Some boomers initially resist phone control but warm up once they see it in action.
6. Outdoor & Extended Living
   • Big focus on indoor-outdoor flow, pool houses with saunas, outbuildings (elevated “she-sheds,” homeschool barns, wellness barns).
   • Layered exterior lighting (down-lights, up-lights, feature lighting on stone/wood) is huge.
7. Emerging & Fun Requests
   • Flower rooms / cutting rooms (glass conservatory-style for arranging bouquets).
   • Dog washes still popular but no longer novel.
   • Lighting as “jewelry” of the house — heavy layering (picture lights, sconces, pin spots, etc.).
8. Social Media & Pinterest Effect
   • 97% of clients arrive with a Pinterest board or saved Instagram images.
   • Pros: helps clients communicate when they lack design vocabulary.
   • Cons: creates unrealistic expectations about cost, lead times, and customization (Amazon-effect).
   • Anna actively discourages excessive scrolling and digs deep (“You say you love this photo — is it the lamp or the feeling?”).

Closing Message from Anna

• Emphasizes timeless, classic design with layers of trend so homes don’t need gutting every 5–10 years.
• Stonehouse Collective retail store in Shorewood, Milwaukee is open to the public.
• Instagram: @stonehousecollectiveco

Overall, the episode highlights how deeply personal luxury design is — wealth buys options, but values and life stage dictate what people actually spend money on and how they want their home to feel.

Perfect episode for any entrepreneur who knows they’ll eventually sell but hasn’t yet faced the question: “What then?”

In this week’s Wealthiest episode, host Anthony Mlachnik sits down with Andy Oliver, a 30-year finance veteran, two-time business founder/exiter, and partner at Oak Hill Business Partners, a boutique consulting firm that helps lower-middle and middle-market owners dramatically increase enterprise value and prepare for a successful exit.

Key highlights and takeaways:

1. Andy’s Unusual Journey
   • Survived 9/11 (was half a block from the South Tower), which prompted him and his wife to leave NYC and return to Milwaukee.
   • First exit: Co-created the first municipal-bond primary-market pricing system in the 1990s (sold to a UK firm).
   • Second exit: Founded Gear Wash, a firefighter-gear cleaning/disinfection company born from post-9/11 safety research (sold in 2020 right as COVID began).
2. The Biggest Blind Spot for Business Owners
   • Most owners are great at building the business but terrible at building a personal post-exit plan (financial, lifestyle, purpose).
   • More than 50% have never calculated how much capital they actually need to replace their salary with passive income or what they’ll do with their time after the sale.
3. What Actually Drives Enterprise Value & Exit Price
   • The business must be transferable: owner must decentralize themselves (strong COO/GM, documented SOPs, job descriptions, integrated data systems).
   • Lack of these = heavy valuation discounts during due diligence.
   • Clean, real-time data and KPIs are non-negotiable in today’s market.
4. Execution & Accountability
   • Traction/EOS praised as a simple, proven system to create cadence and accountability.
   • Without disciplined execution, enterprise value stalls regardless of a great product.
5. Exit Planning Framework Andy Uses
   • Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) via the Exit Planning Institute.
   • “Value Acceleration Methodology”: Start with a rough valuation → align personal + financial + business plans → de-risk and grow → decide whether to exit or keep growing.
6. Personal Advice from Andy
   • Start entrepreneurial ventures earlier if possible.
   • Understand compounding: save and invest early, take calculated risks.
   • Prioritize health (he works out 6 days a week) and social connections (he jokes about starting a “ROMEO Club” – Retired Old Men Eating Out – when he retires).