The Ascent With Crestmont Private Wealth

Sam McGee
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Host:  Sam McGee, MBA, CFA Founder/Owner of Crestmont Private Wealth. 604 S. Main St. Boerne TX 78006 (830) 368-2898 www.crestmontpw.com

  1. Sep 19

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Financing Your Dream Home 9-19-26

    This episode of The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth covers the financial side of custom home construction: securing a construction loan, how draw schedules work, budgeting for cost overruns, and how to fund a build without over-leveraging your finances. Hosts Alec Walker and Sam McGee discuss working with local/community banks, one-time-close construction loans, pre-bidding to avoid budget overruns (especially on finish-out selections), and strategies for bridging cash flow — including selling investments, taking distributions, or using a pledged asset line — until an existing home sells. They close with the importance of budgeting for post-move-in costs (furniture, landscaping, taxes, insurance) and preserving liquidity/flexibility rather than tying up all net worth in the new home. 0:00 – Intro / recap of part one (land, build team, values) 0:42 – Getting a construction loan, working with a bank 3:04 – The draw process and payment schedule 4:45 – Interest-only payments and one-time-close loans 5:59 – Typical budget overruns (10–20%) and why they happen 6:58 – Pre-bidding contractors and finish-out selections 8:42 – Funding the build: cash flow, portfolio leverage, pledged asset lines 10:16 – Debt aversion, liquidity, and using smart leverage 11:18 – Overlooked costs (furniture, moving, time investment) 12:00 – Final advice: budgeting for post-move-in expenses 12:43 – Wrap-up and contact info Original Air Date: September 19, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com  Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288  Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. Sep 12

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Practical Tips for Buying Your Dream Home 9-12-26

    This episode of The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth (hosts Alec Walker and Sam McGee) covers the practical — not financial — side of planning to build a custom or dream home. Sam draws on his background in private banking/lending to high-net-worth families building homes, plus his own recent build experience. Key topics: choosing the right lot (city ordinances, setbacks, HOA covenants, soil/engineering due diligence), fitting the home to its neighborhood, assembling a team (real estate pro, builder, architect vs. in-house designer), staying flexible since plans always change during construction, and designing around family values and life stage (e.g., multi-generational needs, hobbies) rather than just budget. They close by previewing a follow-up episode on the financial/cost side and point listeners to Crestmont's website/email for questions.   0:00 – Intro: today's topic is practical planning for building a dream/second home 0:30 – Sam shares his background in private banking/lending for home construction 2:34 – Do's and don'ts of picking where to build (ordinances, setbacks, HOA/CCRs, neighborhood fit) 4:30 – Assembling your team: real estate pro, soil/engineering testing, architect vs. builder 6:01 – Architect route vs. in-house designer route — trade-offs explained 8:22 – Recap/bridge: staying flexible, teaser for the financial episode; multi-generational home planning 9:35 – Final practical points before financing: values-based design decisions, life-stage priorities 12:10 – Closing: how Crestmont can help, contact info (crestmontpw.com / info@crestmontpw.com) Original Air Date: September 12, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com  Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288  Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. Sep 5

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Judge Kirsten Cohoon 9-5-26

    Judge Kirsten Cahoon on The Ascent is a conversation between host Sam McGee and Judge Kirsten Cahoon of the 451st Judicial District in Kendall County, Texas.   Summary: Judge Cahoon shares her path from practicing corporate law in Houston to becoming a district judge in Boerne, discusses how Kendall County's court system has grown and split into two courts, warns listeners about a rise in sophisticated scams (including a personal story about a friend who was defrauded of $20,000), and closes with a heartfelt reflection on presiding over adoptions.   Timeline:   0:00 — Introduction 1:50 — Judge Cahoon's Background & Path to the Bench 5:11 — Kendall County Court System 4:49 — Scams in Kendall County 7:42 — A Real Scam Story 12:08 — Adoption & Family Law I Original Air Date: September 5, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com  Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288  Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Judge Kirsten Cohoon 9-5-26

  4. Aug 29

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Hannah Perry 8-29-26

    In this episode of The Ascent features Sam McGee interviewing Hannah Perry, COO and equity partner at Crestmont Private Wealth, about the behind-the-scenes operations that support client service. Hannah explains her role overseeing trading, billing, onboarding, and internal operations, using the "pit crew" analogy to describe how her team executes on financial plans set by advisors. She details the digital workflow that has replaced paper applications, how the firm handles mistakes and process improvement, and the extensive checks involved in servicing multi-generational family accounts — including beneficiary reviews and required minimum distribution (RMD) audits with multiple safeguards. The conversation closes on relationship-building from an operations perspective, client communication preferences, and Crestmont's focus on financial literacy and personalized service for high-net-worth families.   Timeline Time     Topic 0:00     Intro & welcome back Hannah Perry 1:02     Hannah's role as COO at Crestmont 2:11     The "pit crew" analogy for operations 3:19     How the team executes advisor decisions 4:15     Evolution from paper to digital workflows 5:24     Handling and learning from mistakes 6:19     Servicing multi-generational family accounts 6:57     Beneficiary reviews & touch points 8:11     Required minimum distributions (RMDs) deep dive 9:46     10 years of relationships & client trust 10:35  Building relationships from an operations seat 11:56  Client communication preferences 13:10  Financial literacy & who Crestmont serves 14:11  Closing & contact info See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Hannah Perry 8-29-26

  5. Aug 22

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Concentrated Stock Positions 8-22-26

    Sam McGee of Crestmont Private Wealth discusses the dangers of holding concentrated stock positions, drawing an analogy between driving a car (control bias) and holding onto a single stock despite market risk. He cites collapsed companies (Enron, Lehman Brothers, WorldCom, etc.), explains how a small number of mega-cap stocks drive S&P 500 performance, and shares his own personal experience losing money on Washington Mutual stock. He closes with a call to action: diversify, get tax-sensitive planning, and reach out to Crestmont Private Wealth for a confidential consultation.   0:00     Intro: Concentrated stock positions 0:11     Why this topic matters to Sam 1:35     Control bias explained (driving analogy) 3:49     Stock market as a "super highway" 6:41     Back to concentrated positions: career stories 8:53     Golden handcuffs near retirement 10:57  Sam's own Washington Mutual mistake 12:05  Advice: diversify and get a plan 12:42  Closing / call to action Original Air Date: August 22, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com  Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288  Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. Aug 15

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Agnes Damp 8-15-26

    This is a podcast episode of The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth, hosted by Sam McGee alongside Baron Wiley, featuring guest Agnes Damp, a Texas A&M senior and summer intern at Crestmont Private Wealth. After casual opening banter, the conversation covers Agnes's background: a discipleship program in Panama City Beach, her leadership as sorority president at Kappa Delta, her academic path into finance, and her Charles Schwab internship experience touring multiple RIA firms. The back half focuses on her two-week internship at Crestmont, what she learned about financial planning and client work, and closes with praise for her character and a teaser that she may get a job offer.   0:00 — Intro/disclaimer (Alec Walker) 0:22 — Sam McGee & Baron Wiley banter, intro Agnes 1:25 — How Agnes and Sam met via Texas A&M 2:55 — Agnes's summer: Kaleo discipleship program in Panama City Beach 4:21 — Sorority (Kappa Delta) leadership journey, becoming president 6:10 — Academic path into finance at Mays Business School 6:54 — Landing the Charles Schwab internship 8:09 — Life on Schwab's Dallas campus, RIA team rotations 9:54 — Comparing firm cultures across visits 11:28 — Transition to her Crestmont Private Wealth internship 13:02 — What she learned at Crestmont (e-money, 529 plans) 14:09 — Closing praise and reflections on her character 14:53 — Sign-off and teaser about a possible job offer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Agnes Damp 8-15-26

  7. Aug 8

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Hannah Perry 1 8-8-26

    Sam McGee of Crestmont Private Wealth sits down with business partner and Chief Operating Officer Hannah Perry to discuss her decade-long journey from intern to equity partner. Hannah shares career advice for young professionals, breaks down what a custodian is in plain English, covers cybersecurity best practices for investors, and opens up about faith, family, and work-life balance in Boerne, Texas.   Chapter Timeline:   0:00 – Welcome & Introducing Hannah Perry and Roland Ruiz 1:24 – Hannah's Career Journey: From Intern to COO 3:30 – Advice for Young Professionals 5:20 – What Is a Custodian? Choosing & Switching Custodians 8:18 – Cybersecurity & Protecting Client Assets 9:42 – Personal Side: Family, Faith & Life in Boerne 11:51 – Vision for Crestmont's Future & Work-Life Balance 13:06 – Redbird Ministries & Community Giving   Original Air Date: August 8, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288 Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - Hannah Perry 1 8-8-26

  8. Aug 1

    The Ascent with Crestmont Private Wealth - The Fed 8-1-26

    In this episode of The Ascent, Sam McGee of Crestmont Private Wealth breaks down one of the most misunderstood topics in personal finance — the Federal Reserve and interest rates. Whether you're a homeowner, borrower, or just curious about what drives the economy, this episode gives you a clear, jargon-free explanation of how the Fed works and why it matters to your everyday financial life. Topics covered: What is the Federal Reserve and how did it start? How interest rates regulate the economy and inflation The difference between Fed rate cuts and mortgage rates Why the 10-year Treasury is a better barometer for mortgage rates Lessons from COVID-19, the 2008 financial crisis, and beyond   0:00 – Welcome & intro (Hill Country flooding update) 0:30 – Why interest rates matter to everyone 1:30 – What is the Federal Reserve? (Founded 1913) 3:00 – The Fed's two goals: economy vs. inflation 4:30 – How low rates stimulate a sluggish economy 6:00 – How high rates cool inflation 7:00 – Sam's background in meteorology & pivot to finance 8:30 – Mortgage rates: does a Fed cut automatically lower them? 10:00 – The 10-year Treasury as a mortgage rate barometer 12:00 – The FOMC and the federal funds rate explained 13:30 – The Fed as an emergency response system 15:00 – Post-COVID economic reflections & soft landing 16:00 – About Crestmont Private Wealth & closing   📩 Contact: info@crestmontpw.com | sam@crestmontpw.com 🌐 Crestmont Private Wealth | Houston & Boerne, TX   Original Air Date: August 1, 2026 at 8:30am as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM Contact:  www.crestmontpw.com  Alec Walker in Houston:  831-280-5288  Sam McGee in Boerne: 830-368-2898 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Host:  Sam McGee, MBA, CFA Founder/Owner of Crestmont Private Wealth. 604 S. Main St. Boerne TX 78006 (830) 368-2898 www.crestmontpw.com

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