The Alternative Investing Advantage

Advanta IRA
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Get off Wall Street and explore the wide world of alternative investments for your IRA. Take control and give yourself the freedom to choose the assets for your retirement plan, assets like real estate, cryptocurrency, private placements, and much more. Our podcast features Advanta IRA professionals and guest experts who help provide a roadmap to your success with investment trends, strategies, and tips for investing your IRA to build wealth for your future.

  1. 1d ago

    Franchise Investing: Hidden Industry Trends Investors Need to Know - Episode 214 w/ Bob Bernotas

    Franchise investing is more sophisticated than most people realize. Bob Bernotas brings four decades of experience as a franchisee, national chain CEO, and consultant to walk us through how the industry actually works today. Key Points: - Franchise sales organizations (FSOs) have reshaped how brands grow across the country, and why the best ones screen rigorously before taking on a brand - Brand aggregators provide infrastructure and capital that early-stage franchisors lack, accelerating growth and reducing risk for franchisees - Getting into a franchise early in the territory lifecycle is one of the most powerful advantages an investor can have - Semi-passive franchise models allow investors to keep their jobs while building a business that runs on a manager-operated system - Red flags to watch for include excessive profit centers, restricted franchisee communication, and franchisors selling tier-three territories they previously turned down - Service-based franchises that hold up in down economies are where the best risk-adjusted opportunities exist today Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:31 Bob Bernotas background and career 03:22 Why franchise systems beat building from scratch 05:19 How the franchise industry has evolved over 20 years 07:45 What franchise sales organizations (FSOs) are and how they work 11:39 FSO history and how to identify good vs. bad ones 13:48 How FSOs look from the investor's perspective 15:58 Warning signs that an FSO or brand is not worth your money 20:44 Semi-passive franchise models and time commitment 24:01 How brand aggregators differ from FSOs 28:57 Why chasing recognized brands is usually a mistake 31:19 What the current franchise investor market looks like 33:40 How franchise fees and support have changed 38:00 Profit centers, red flags, and how to spot a bad franchisor 43:40 Industries to avoid and what makes a franchise recession-resistant 47:21 Final thoughts on change and timing in franchising 50:14 Territory strategy and protecting your market 51:50 Closing advice and how to reach Bob Subscribe to the Alternative Investing Advantage podcast for strategies, insights, and expert guests covering the full spectrum of alternative investing. Questions? Contact us at Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com Learn more about our guest, Bob Bernotas: https://www.franchisewithbob.com Learn more about Advanta IRA: Website: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/AdvantaIRA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/advantaira Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdvantaIRA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdvantaIRA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/advantaira #FranchiseInvesting #AlternativeInvesting #FranchiseBusiness

    54 min

  2. May 27

    The Truth About AI and Financial Data Accuracy - Episode 213 w/ Andrew Lebbos

    What actually goes into the financial data powering your brokerage app? In this episode, Alex Perny sits down with Andrew Lebbos, Director of Licensing at Benzinga, to pull back the curtain on how financial data is produced, validated, and delivered at scale. Key Points: - Benzinga provides earnings, dividends, analyst ratings, and news to Robinhood, Fidelity, Schwab, and more - Data validation combines AI-enabled QA systems with human oversight to catch outliers - Proprietary first-party data is increasingly valuable as LLMs demand accurate inputs - Benzinga powers Perplexity Finance and works with major hedge funds and brokerages - Companies issue intra-quarter guidance to manage large expectation gaps - Conference call transcripts and guidance calendars add context beyond raw earnings - Private market data coverage is actively being built out by Benzinga - Blockchain-based secondary markets and tokenized assets are opening private markets to retail investors - Illiquidity in private markets can act as a behavioral safeguard against panic selling Chapters: 0:00 Introduction and guest background 2:15 How financial data is packaged and produced 5:41 Data validation and QA systems 8:11 What outlier data means for investors 10:54 Earnings surprises and guidance calendars 13:13 AI's role in financial data accessibility 16:56 Benzinga's data-first business model 19:58 Ensuring data accuracy for AI platforms 22:36 How investors can verify AI outputs 26:32 LLM data sourcing and direct integrations 30:51 Changing investor behavior and private markets 34:08 Private market data challenges 38:51 Blockchain, tokenization, and secondary markets 45:12 Illiquidity as a behavioral benefit 48:25 Real estate, prediction markets, and Benzinga's scope 53:17 Where to find Benzinga Subscribe to our YouTube channel and join our growing community for new videos every week. If you are interested in being a podcast guest speaker or have questions, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about our guest, Andrew Lebbos: https://www.benzinga.com/ Learn more about Advanta IRA: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/advanta-ira https://www.linkedin.com/company/Advanta-IRA/ https://twitter.com/AdvantaIRA https://www.facebook.com/AdvantaIRA/ https://www.instagram.com/AdvantaIRA/ #FinancialData #RetailInvesting #Benzinga #AlternativeInvesting #AIInvesting #PrivateMarkets #AlternativeInvestingAdvantage #FinancialLiteracy #InvestingPodcast #DataDrivenInvesting

    54 min

  3. May 20

    How Blockchain Is Unlocking Pre-IPO Investing for Retail Investors

    Chan Ahn is the founder of Tessera and a 17-year veteran of Wall Street. He joins Alex Perny to explain how blockchain tokenization is opening private markets to retail investors. This episode covers pre-IPO investing, atomic settlement, counterparty risk, on-chain proof of reserve, stablecoins, and the regulatory outlook for tokenized assets. Key Points: - Private markets are restricted due to settlement risk and information asymmetry, not just regulation - Blockchain enables atomic settlement: buyer and seller transact simultaneously with no delay and no counterparty trust required - Tessera houses assets in a Cayman segregated portfolio and uses Chainlink for 24/7 on-chain verification - SpaceX tokens trade on-chain at $1.5 to $1.66 trillion, a discount to the $1.75 to $2 trillion institutional target - Tokenized assets total roughly $30 billion today and are growing at 200% year over year - McKinsey projects the tokenized asset market reaches $2 trillion by 2030 out of a $300 trillion addressable market - Blockchain will compress a decade of TradFi market evolution into one to two years - Dollar-denominated stablecoins serve as the primary liquidity layer for tokenized private market assets Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:12 Chan's background: Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and founding Tesera 6:37 Why private markets exist: settlement risk and information asymmetry 13:16 How atomic settlement works on blockchain 20:19 Converting off-chain private equity into on-chain tokens 26:53 Liquidity, price discovery, and trading tokenized assets 32:10 Do private companies benefit from blockchain valuation transparency? 34:31 The disclosure challenge blockchain cannot solve alone 42:01 Derivatives, lending, and the next phase of tokenized markets 47:39 Stablecoins, FX risk, and liquidity standards 51:09 The $300T addressable market and the path to $2T by 2030 55:15 Why tokenization is a win for both companies and investors Subscribe to our YouTube channel and join our growing community for new videos every week. If you are interested in being a podcast guest speaker or have questions, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about our guest, Chan Ahn: https://www.tessera.pe/ Learn more about Advanta IRA: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/advanta-ira https://www.linkedin.com/company/Advanta-IRA/ https://twitter.com/AdvantaIRA https://www.facebook.com/AdvantaIRA/ https://www.instagram.com/AdvantaIRA/ #BlockchainInvesting #PreIPO #Tokenization #DeFi #PrivateMarkets #RWA #AlternativeInvesting #Tesera #ChanAhn #CryptoFinance

    58 min

  4. May 13

    Why the Best Bitcoin Mining Opportunities Are in the Middle of Nowhere - Ep. 211 w/ Jesse Pielke

    Africa burns off enough energy every day to power entire cities. Bitcoin miners figured out how to profit from it, and almost no one is paying attention yet.Jesse Pielke, founder of HashrateUp, joins Alex Perny on the Alternative Investing Advantage podcast to break down one of the most overlooked plays in alternative investing: using stranded energy in Africa to mine Bitcoin at near-zero cost.Jesse has spent years on the ground in Cape Town building pilot projects across Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa. He explains why electricity has nowhere to go. 🔑 Key learnings from this episode:• Why a single 20-foot shipping container holds a full megawatt of mining capacity• How Bitcoin mining absorbs "stranded" energy that grid infrastructure can't move• Ethiopia's hydro power mecca and why politics keep burning investors• Nigeria's flared gas opportunity and how it creates a win-win for oil producers• Why older-generation ASICs that lose money in Norway can profit in Africa• The surprising reason Bitcoin mining only needs a basic LTE signal, not fiber• Risk-adjusted pricing: what energy really has to cost to make these deals work• How US investors can write off Bitcoin mining hardware against taxable income• Why Bitcoin mining gives energy producers a backup when commodity prices tank⏱ Chapters:00:00 – Intro & Jesse's background01:47 – How solar work in West Africa led Jesse to Bitcoin mining04:43 – Ethiopia & Nigeria: Africa's two biggest mining markets08:17 – South Africa's curtailed solar surplus10:30 – Why Bitcoin mining is power-dense and location-independent13:46 – Shipping containers, Starlink, and remote operations17:41 – Why mining needs almost no bandwidth19:36 – The interruptible nature of mining and why it matters21:30 – Security at remote sites24:06 – Ethiopia's volatile regulation and PPA structure26:58 – The Paraguay playbook and risk-adjusted pricing31:45 – Nigeria: flared gas, OPEC, and Bitcoin mining36:29 – Turbines, generators, and CapEx sharing40:58 – Old ASICs finding a second life in Africa47:35 – OPEC, UAE, and Bitcoin as an energy price hedge50:39 – Modularity and scaling into developed markets54:59 – How to get involved as an investor57:21 – Wrap-up and how to find JesseSubscribe to our YouTube channel and join our growing community for new videos every week.If you are interested in being a podcast guest speaker or have questions, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Learn more about our guest, Jesse Pielke:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-pielke/Learn more about Advanta IRA: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/advanta-irahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/Advanta-IRA/https://twitter.com/AdvantaIRA https://www.facebook.com/AdvantaIRA/ https://www.instagram.com/AdvantaIRA/#BitcoinMining #Africa #AlternativeInvesting #StrandedEnergy #Cryptocurrency #Blockchain #Nigeria #Ethiopia #SouthAfrica #HashrateUp #EnergyArbitrage #Bitcoin

    1 hr

  5. May 6

    A Turnkey Real Estate Strategy that Removes the Hardest Part of Investing - Ep. 210 w/ Lindsay Davis

    What does it actually take to build a profitable rental property portfolio without doing all the work yourself? In this episode of the Alternative Investing Advantage podcast, host Alex Perny sits down with Lindsay Davis, CEO of Spartan Invest, to break down the full-service turnkey real estate model and why the Southeast, especially Alabama, continues to be one of the strongest markets for cash flow investing. Key points from this episode: • What turnkey real estate investing is and how Spartan Invest handles everything from purchase to tenant placement • The "three M's" framework for making smart renovation decisions without over- or under-improving a property • How Spartan uses a proprietary, metric-driven system to set rental rates across 2,300+ managed properties with 96%+ accuracy • Why factors like steep driveways and neighbor conditions are built into rental rate calculations • What makes Alabama one of the most landlord-friendly, low-tax investment markets in the country • How to think about rent increases, tenant retention, and the true cost of tenant turnover (~$3,300 average) • When new construction makes more sense than acquiring and renovating existing properties • The growing generational shift toward renting and what it means for long-term demand ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:02 — Introduction & overview of Spartan Invest 01:32 — What full-service turnkey investing looks like 04:09 — Educating investors on risk tolerance and realistic expectations 07:11 — Smart renovation: what adds value vs. what doesn't 11:42 — How Spartan sets rental rates with data-driven accuracy 15:30 — Unusual factors that affect rent (driveways, neighbors, railroad tracks) 18:38 — Alabama's growing appeal as an investment market 21:43 — Impact of migration from high-cost states on local inventory 25:14 — Post-COVID price appreciation in Spartan's submarkets 27:00 — Rent increases: 2020–2023 data and how to handle renewals 32:32 — Strategies for annual rent increases and tenant retention 38:56 — Appliance responsibility: tenant vs. landlord norms by market 44:39 — New construction vs. renovated properties: how Spartan decides 48:50 — The biggest reasons investors choose new construction 51:58 — Generational shift toward renting and long-term demand outlook 53:50 — How to connect with Spartan Invest Subscribe to our YouTube channel and join our growing community for new videos every week. If you are interested in being a podcast guest speaker or have questions, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about our guest, Lindaay Davis: https://spartaninvest.com/about-us/our-team/lindsay-davis/ Learn more about Advanta IRA: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/advanta-ira https://www.linkedin.com/company/Advanta-IRA/ https://twitter.com/AdvantaIRA https://www.facebook.com/AdvantaIRA/ https://www.instagram.com/AdvantaIRA/ #RealEstateInvesting #TurnkeyRealEstate #RentalProperty #SingleFamilyRentals #CashFlowInvesting #PassiveIncome #AlabamRealEstate #LandlordLife #PropertyManagement #SpartanInvest

    55 min

  6. Apr 29

    How to Scale Your Business, Raise Capital, & Build an Efficient Team - Episode 209 w/ Tyrus Shivers

    Most business owners think raising capital is out of reach. Tyrus Shivers, co-founder of Legacy Wealth Capital Group and former U.S. Air Force signals intelligence analyst, joins host Alex Perny to explain exactly how founders and business owners can access the capital they need legally, strategically, and without giving away the store.Tyrus shares the frameworks he uses every day to guide business owners from cash flow struggles to structured capital raises, using JOBS Act exemptions such as Reg CF, Reg D 506(c), and Reg A. Whether you're a startup founder or a business generating $500,000 in revenue and ready to scale, this episode gives you a clear picture of what it actually takes to raise capital the right way.🔑 Key Learnings:• Why most small business owners are "accidental" operators and how that holds them back from raising capital• The vision-to-marketing-to-sales pipeline that must exist before any capital raise• Why influencer-driven entrepreneurship has set unrealistic expectations for scaling• How to determine exactly how much capital to raise (hint: ask for more than you think)• The full capital stack: bootstrapping, friends & family, angels, banks, grants, venture, and JOBS Act exemptions• What Reg CF, Reg D 506(c), Reg D 506(b), Reg D 504, and Reg A Tier 1 & Tier 2 each allow and which is right for your stage• Why raising capital is a second full-time business and how to staff it correctly• The legal risks of raising capital without proper exemptions or documentation• Why reading your own pitch deck is a red flag to serious investors• How to build a high-performing three-owner team structure to deploy capital effectively⏱️ Chapters:00:02 — Welcome & Tyrus's Morse code background03:58 — How Tyrus got into the capital raising space06:48 — The most common issues business owners face11:09 — Why vision and cash flow must come before operations14:41 — The post-COVID influencer problem in entrepreneurship20:38 — Walking through the full capital stack24:47 — Reg CF, Reg D, and Reg A explained33:37 — The real cost of raising capital38:36 — Documentation, SEC filings, and audited financials46:10 — What to expect from the investor relations process52:44 — Legal rules for who can raise capital on your behalf54:11 — Building a high-performing three-owner team57:51 — How to connect with TyrusSubscribe to our YouTube channel and join our growing community for new videos every week.If you are interested in being a podcast guest speaker or have questions, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Learn more about our guest, Tyrus Shivers:https://tyrusshivers.com/Learn more about Advanta IRA: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/advanta-irahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/Advanta-IRA/https://twitter.com/AdvantaIRA https://www.facebook.com/AdvantaIRA/ https://www.instagram.com/AdvantaIRA/#CapitalRaising #BusinessFunding #RegCF #RegD #JobsAct #AlternativeInvesting #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #StartupFunding #AlternativeInvestingAdvantage

    1 hr

  7. Apr 22

    How AI Is Solving the Home Insurance Crisis One Address at a Time - Episode 208 with Ben Gilliland

    37 million homes across the United States are sitting in extreme weather disaster zones, and they're losing 1.2% of their value every single year. That's not a projection. That's what's happening right now. In this episode of the Alternative Investing Advantage podcast, host Alex Perny sits down with Ben Gilliland of Future Proof Property Intelligence, a seven-year veteran of disaster mitigation, AI-driven property analysis, and climate-resilient engineering, to break down exactly what this means for real estate investors, homeowners, and anyone trying to protect their property and portfolio. Whether you're a homeowner in a high-risk state or a real estate investor looking to protect and grow your portfolio — this episode could save you six figures. ⏱ Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction: Why Climate Risk Is Now a Real Estate Issue 2:10 — Ben's Background: Rock Bands, Silicon Valley, NVIDIA & Sailboats 8:19 — Defining the 7 Major Disaster Types Threatening US Property 10:29 — Which 17 States Are at High Risk Today 13:30 — What California Is Doing About Wildfire — And What Texas Isn't 14:11 — The My Safe Florida Home Program: What It Covers 15:28 — The Real Cost of Home Hardening in Florida 18:57 — Shallow Water Flooding: The AI Solution for 62% of Flood Claims 22:31 — How AI Scans Your Home, Builds a 3D Twin & Generates a Blueprint 26:25 — The Insurance Crisis: Why Insurers Are Leaving High-Risk States 29:19 — ROI of Home Hardening: The 10-Year View 35:29 — Forced Mitigation: What States Will Soon Require 39:41 — Existing Housing Stock vs. New Construction: The Real Problem 41:14 — Why Reinsurers Walked Away — And What That Means for You 50:05 — The Worst Place to Own Property in the US (It's Not Florida) 51:51 — Migration Patterns & Where Real Estate Value Is Heading 52:53 — The #1 Factor Driving Population Migration: Fresh Water 56:46 — 5 Markets Future Proof Serves Beyond the Consumer 58:37 — How to Access the Tool, Invest & Connect with Future Proof Subscribe to our YouTube channel and join our growing community for new videos every week. If you are interested in being a podcast guest speaker or have questions, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about our guest, Ben Gilliland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-gilliland-third Learn more about Advanta IRA: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/advanta-ira https://www.linkedin.com/company/Advanta-IRA/ https://twitter.com/AdvantaIRA https://www.facebook.com/AdvantaIRA/ https://www.instagram.com/AdvantaIRA/ #ClimateRisk #RealEstateInvesting #HomeHardening #InsuranceCrisis #FloodRisk #WildFire #SelfDirectedIRA #AlternativeInvesting #AdvantaIRA

    1h 2m

  8. Apr 15

    How the IRS Quietly Becomes Your Biggest Retirement Partner - Episode 207 with Rebecca Irey

    Most investors think they’re diversified… but they’re not. In this episode of the Alternative Investing Advantage podcast, Alex Perny sits down with Rebecca Irey of Blue Sky Financial to break down the biggest misconceptions in modern investing, retirement planning, and tax strategy. If you’re relying on outdated strategies like the 60/40 portfolio or assuming retirement will “work itself out,” this conversation challenges that thinking. This is not financial advice — it’s a reality check. Topics Covered: - Retirement planning mistakes - Roth vs traditional IRA strategy - Alternative investments explained - Market volatility and risk management - Building generational wealth - Financial planning in uncertain markets Chapters: 00:02 Introduction to Alternative Investing Advantage 01:49 From Commodity Trading to Financial Planning 05:10 The Flaw in the 60/40 Portfolio 09:54 Variety vs. True Asset Class Diversification 13:09 Navigating the "Upside Down" Economy 16:44 Building a Foundation of Safety 20:04 Lessons from the Great Depression Era 22:55 Kicking the IRS Out of Your Retirement 26:05 Roth Conversions and Income Mapping 31:04 The "Financial Quarterback" Model 37:22 Preparing for the Great Wealth Transfer 44:15 Managing Life’s "Unwritten Stories" 52:18 Closing Thoughts and Contact Information Subscribe to our YouTube channel and join our growing community for new videos every week. If you are interested in being a podcast guest speaker or have questions, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast@AdvantaIRA.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about our guest, Will Harvey: https://harvey-capital.com/about Learn more about Advanta IRA: https://www.AdvantaIRA.com/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/advanta-ira https://www.linkedin.com/company/Advanta-IRA/ https://twitter.com/AdvantaIRA https://www.facebook.com/AdvantaIRA/ https://www.instagram.com/AdvantaIRA/ #Investing #PersonalFinance #RetirementPlanning #WealthBuilding #FinancialFreedom #AlternativeInvesting #StockMarket #PassiveIncome #MoneyMindset #RothIRA

    54 min
See All (212)

About

Get off Wall Street and explore the wide world of alternative investments for your IRA. Take control and give yourself the freedom to choose the assets for your retirement plan, assets like real estate, cryptocurrency, private placements, and much more. Our podcast features Advanta IRA professionals and guest experts who help provide a roadmap to your success with investment trends, strategies, and tips for investing your IRA to build wealth for your future.

Information

You Might Also Like