What if you could legally defer, or even eliminate, capital gains taxes on the sale of your business, real estate, or investments? Many entrepreneurs spend decades building wealth only to see a large portion disappear to taxes after a major liquidity event. In this episode of the Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast, Patrick Lonergan explores one of the most powerful, and often misunderstood, tax strategies available to investors today: Opportunity Zones.

Patrick sits down with Ashley Tison, founder of OZ Pros and one of the leading experts on Opportunity Zone investing, to break down how this strategy works and why it has become a powerful tool for entrepreneurs, investors, and family offices looking to minimize tax drag and maximize long-term wealth. Ashley explains the evolution from Opportunity Zones 1.0 to 2.0, how investors can potentially defer taxes for years, reduce their tax liability, and even eliminate capital gains taxes entirely after holding qualifying investments long enough. They also discuss how Opportunity Zones can be used alongside other strategies like 1031 exchanges, estate planning, and business exits, giving entrepreneurs a smarter way to turn a taxable event into a long-term wealth building opportunity.

If you're planning to sell a business, real estate, or any highly appreciated asset, this conversation could fundamentally change how you think about capital gains and long-term investment strategy.

Key Takeaways:

• Opportunity Zones allow investors to defer capital gains taxes by reinvesting gains within 180 days.
• The updated Opportunity Zones 2.0 rules introduce rolling 5-year deferral periods and potential tax reductions.
• Investors may receive up to a 30% tax reduction when investing in rural Opportunity Zones.
• Holding an Opportunity Zone investment for 10+ years can eliminate capital gains taxes on the new investment growth.
• Investors can create their own “captive Opportunity Fund” to control how and where their money is invested.
• Opportunity Zones can be used alongside 1031 exchanges, estate planning strategies, and business exit planning.
• Long-term investing inside Opportunity Zones can dramatically reduce tax drag and improve compounding returns.
• Opportunity Zone investments can potentially eliminate depreciation recapture taxes in certain structures.

Episode Resources:

• OZ Pros: https://ozpros.com
• Opportunity Zone Podcast Resource Page : https://ozpros.com/podcast
• Opportunity Zone Map : https://ozpros.com/map
• Vital Wealth Website: https://www.vitalwealth.com
• Opportunity Zones (IRS Overview): https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/opportunity-zones

Resources:

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast | Tax & Financial Strategies for Entrepreneurs

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/

Credits:

Sponsored by Vital Wealth

Music by Cephas

Art work by Two Tone Creative

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O'Brien

Can a podcast become one of the most valuable marketing assets your business ever builds? In this episode of the Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan sits down with entrepreneur and digital platform builder Nathan Gwilliam, founder of Pod Up, to discuss how podcasting has evolved into a powerful growth strategy for entrepreneurs and CEOs. Patrick explores why podcasting has become such an effective way to build authority, develop relationships with influential people, and expand a company’s reach. Nathan shares insights from building large digital platforms that have reached hundreds of millions of users and explains why podcasting is no longer just about recording audio. Today, it is a full content marketing system that can generate social media content, blogs, video clips, and long-term audience growth.

Throughout the conversation, Nathan explains why many business owners struggle to launch a podcast and why most podcasts fail within their first few episodes. He breaks down the concept of “pod fade,” the common gap between effort and results that causes entrepreneurs to quit too early. Nathan also reveals how modern tools and systems can dramatically simplify podcast production, helping founders focus on what matters most: showing up, sharing their expertise, and building meaningful connections with their audience. For entrepreneurs looking to grow their influence, attract new opportunities, and build an audience they truly own, this episode delivers practical strategies and a compelling look at how podcasting can become a long-term business asset.

Key Takeaways:

• Why podcasting has become one of the most powerful marketing strategies for entrepreneurs
• The real reason most podcasts fail within the first 5 to 10 episodes
• How CEOs can use podcasts to build authority and expand their professional network
• Why inviting ideal clients to be podcast guests can create new business opportunities
• How a single podcast episode can be repurposed into 8 to 12 pieces of content
• The importance of owning your audience through email lists and your own website
• How podcasting can become a long term revenue generating asset for entrepreneurs
• The role of “passion marketing” in creating content your audience truly cares about

Learn More About Nathan:

https://whywebelieve.com/ https://podcastingsecrets.com/ https://podup.com/

Resources:

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast | Tax & Financial Strategies for Entrepreneurs

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/

Credits:

Sponsored by Vital Wealth

Music by Cephas

Art work by Two Tone Creative

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O'Brien

What if the fastest path to business ownership wasn’t starting from scratch, but stepping into a system that’s already proven to work? In this episode of the Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan sits down with franchise consultant and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Greg Mohr to unpack what franchising really looks like behind the scenes. Together, they explore how entrepreneurs can replace W2 income, diversify risk, and build scalable cash flow without reinventing the wheel. For high earners who feel stuck in income concentration or hesitant to gamble six figures on an unproven startup, this conversation offers a smarter framework.

Patrick and Greg break down the realities of franchise ownership, including semi-absentee models, funding options like SBA loans and ROBS structures, how to properly evaluate a franchise using the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), and what strong exit strategies look like. This episode is not about hype. It’s about strategy, due diligence, and building predictable income through proven systems. If you are serious about minimizing risk, accelerating cash flow, and building long-term wealth through business ownership, this conversation will reshape how you think about entrepreneurship.

Key Takeaways

• Why franchising can accelerate business ownership compared to starting from scratch
• The difference between brick-and-mortar and service-based franchise models
• How semi-absentee ownership actually works
• What to look for in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD)
• How to evaluate franchise risk and turnover rates
• Funding options including SBA loans and ROBS (401k rollover)
• How franchise resale and exit strategies typically work
• Why predictable cash flow is critical for long-term wealth building

Learn More About Greg:

• Greg Mohr’s Website: https://franchisemaven.com
• Greg Mohr Email: greg@franchisemaven.com

Episode Resources:

• Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Resources:

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast | Tax & Financial Strategies for Entrepreneurs

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/

Credits:

Sponsored by Vital Wealth

Music by Cephas

Art work by Two Tone Creative

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O'Brien