Escape The Clock: How to Become Financially Free and Have the Option Not to Work

Daniel C. Rodgers
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Join me, Daniel C. Rodgers, WMCP® and author of the award-winning book Escape The Clock, as I break down the tactics you need to take control of your finances and achieve financial independence. These 40-minute episodes deliver bite-size, easy-to-understand strategies to get the most out of your money, giving you the option not to work, on your terms. For the book, the planner, and more free resources, visit www.escapetheclock.com.

  1. 9h ago ·  Video

    Credit on Your Terms: How to Build Great Credit Without Sinking Into Debt with Karlesha Hewitt, Founder of WisdomChild Consulting

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! How do you use credit to build a strong score on your way to financial freedom, without sinking into debt? Karlesha Hewitt had an excellent credit score and close to $60,000 in debt, including five maxed-out credit cards. An attorney and the founder of WisdomChild Consulting, she paid that debt off in two years and now teaches financial literacy through her Money Talks Academy. Together we explore what your credit score actually measures, how lenders keep us borrowing, how to build credit without paying interest, and how to turn credit into an asset on your way to escaping the clock. CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 — When a Great Score Hides Debt00:01:24 — Who’s Doing the Grading?00:03:44 — Karlesha’s Credit Score Wake-Up Call00:08:14 — Borrowing for Groceries and Oil Changes00:10:05 — What Your Credit Score Measures00:13:27 — The Road to $60,000 in Debt00:15:28 — Are 0% APR Offers a Trap?00:18:30 — Minimum, Statement, or Full Balance?00:23:01 — Your First Step Out of Debt00:25:10 — Should You Let AI Run Your Money?00:28:04 — Debt Snowball vs. Debt Avalanche00:30:41 — Good Credit and Your First Home00:35:03 — The Lender Wrote the Test00:44:53 — Four Moves to Use Credit Wisely00:53:19 — Set Your Own Terms EPISODE REFERENCES: ℹ️ 82% of adults have a credit card; 45% of cardholders carried a balance — Federal Reserve 2026 https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/2026-economic-well-being-of-us-households-in-2025-credit.htm ℹ️ Average FICO Score of 714 and what consumers misunderstand about scores — FICO 2026 https://investors.fico.com/news-releases/news-release-details/ficor-score-credit-insights-report-average-fico-score-dips-714 ℹ️ U.S. credit card balances reach $1.26 trillion — Federal Reserve Bank of New York 2026 https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/research/2026/20260811 ℹ️ Average rate on credit card accounts assessed interest — Federal Reserve 2026 https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/20261007/ ℹ️ $160 billion in card interest and $31.3 billion in fees in 2024 — CFPB 2025 https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_consumer-credit-card-market-report_2025-12.pdf CONNECT WITH KARLESHA: 🌐 Website — https://wisdomchildconsulting.com/ 💼 LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/karleshavhewitt/ 🎓 Money Talks Academy — https://wisdomchildconsulting.com/financial-literacy-education/ ESCAPE THE CLOCK RESOURCES 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast ⬇️ Free Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🤝 Free 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe SUPPORT THE PODCAST: ▶️ Watch more full episodes — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLO34lLUX2G8hVBErMy34e7RsYfUJBeiL 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@EscapeTheClockMedia?sub_confirmation=1 📣 Share this episode with someone who needs it 📕 Grab my award-winning debut fiction Killswitch — https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #escapetheclockpodcast #escapetheclock #financialfreedom #financialindependence #earlyretirement #workoptional #financialliteracy #creditscore #creditcarddebt #debtfree #personalfinance

    Credit on Your Terms: How to Build Great Credit Without Sinking Into Debt with Karlesha Hewitt, Founder of WisdomChild Consulting

  2. Oct 27 ·  Video

    Buy Back Your Time: The Math Behind Financial Freedom

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! How much do you need to retire early? Learn the financial independence math behind your FIRE number, early retirement savings, passive income goals, bridge years, and the age you can stop working. What if the day you could walk away from your job is a number, and you just need to do the math? An updated take on Episode 1 — https://rss.com/podcasts/escape-the-clock/2000908 Most people carry a retirement number in their head, and it moves with how they feel. In this solo episode, I walk through the math I used to retire at 43: why a single FIRE number falls short, the three goals that replace it, how to set your cost of living, passive income, and target ages, and how to turn it all into the age you can stop working, tracked like a program. CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 — Why Your Retirement Number Keeps Moving00:02:05 — When Do You Get to Stop Working?00:04:46 — Why One FIRE Number Falls Short00:09:10 — Set Your Current and Target Cost of Living00:15:06 — Passive Income and Your Target Ages00:18:33 — Calculate Your Three Goals00:23:15 — Use Passive Income as a Lever00:26:08 — Find Your FI Age00:29:14 — Run Your Plan Like a Program00:32:28 — Buying Back Your Time EPISODE REFERENCES: ℹ️ Retirement magic number — Northwestern Mutual 2026 https://news.northwesternmutual.com/2026-04-01-Americans-Believe-They-Will-Need-1-46-Million-to-Retire-Comfortably,-Up-More-Than-15-Since-Last-Year,-According-to-Northwestern-Mutual-2026-Planning-Progress-Study ℹ️ Retirement expectations — EBRI 2026 https://www.ebri.org/docs/default-source/rcs/2026-rcs/rcs_26-fs-2.pdf?sfvrsn=1e29022f_1 ℹ️ Retirement preparation — EBRI 2026 https://www.ebri.org/docs/default-source/rcs/2026-rcs/rcs_26-fs-3_prep.pdf?sfvrsn=1329022f_3 ℹ️ Household spending — BLS 2025 https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cesan.nr0.htm ESCAPE THE CLOCK RESOURCES 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast ⬇️ Free Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🤝 Free 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe SUPPORT THE PODCAST: ▶️ Watch more full episodes — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLO34lLUX2G8hVBErMy34e7RsYfUJBeiL 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@EscapeTheClockMedia?sub_confirmation=1 📣 Share this episode with someone who needs it 📕 Grab my award-winning debut fiction Killswitch — https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #escapetheclockpodcast #escapetheclock #financialfreedom #financialindependence #earlyretirement #workoptional #financialliteracy #fire #finumber #retirementplanning #passiveincome

    Buy Back Your Time: The Math Behind Financial Freedom

  3. Oct 20 ·  Video

    The Real Cost of Medicare: How to Plan for Premiums, Gaps, and Deadlines Before You Leave Work with Danielle Kunkle Roberts, Co-Founder of Boomer Benefits

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! How do you plan for Medicare so the costs, the deadlines, and the income rules don’t catch you off guard after you leave work? Danielle Kunkle Roberts is the co-founder of Boomer Benefits and the author of 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make. She started her agency after clients kept asking for help with their parents’ Medicare. We break down Parts A, B, C, and D, what Medicare actually costs, the one-time window to buy a supplement, how income at 63 sets your premiums at 65, and what to plan today to retire before Medicare starts. CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 — What Medicare Really Costs00:01:27 — The Health Insurance Bill You Never See00:04:00 — Why Families Struggle With Medicare00:06:20 — Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D Explained00:09:17 — Is Medicare Free?00:13:22 — What Medicare Costs Each Month00:18:47 — The Big Medicare Mistake00:22:15 — Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage00:28:34 — How Your Income Raises Your Premiums00:30:50 — When Your Income Drops in Retirement00:33:17 — Planning Medicare Before You Retire00:35:26 — Can You Afford to Retire Early?00:38:14 — My Early Retirement Health Care Mistake00:42:06 — Three Moves to Plan for Medicare EPISODE REFERENCES: ℹ️ Medicare expectations and lifetime costs — Fidelity 2026 https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260721306626/en/Fidelity-Investments-Shares-25th-Annual-Retiree-Health-Care-Cost-Estimate-Highlighting-the-Importance-of-Incorporating-Potential-Health-Expenses-in-Retirement-Planning ℹ️ Employer family premiums — KFF 2025 https://www.kff.org/health-costs/2025-employer-health-benefits-survey/ ℹ️ Marketplace premium increases — KFF 2026 https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/how-will-the-loss-of-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-affect-older-adults/ ℹ️ Job lock for health insurance — Gallup 2026 https://news.gallup.com/poll/712166/one-four-employees-locked-jobs-health-insurance.aspx ℹ️ Part B premiums and IRMAA — CMS 2026 https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles ℹ️ Medigap awareness — eHealth 2026 https://s204.q4cdn.com/837903328/files/doc_news/New-Survey-Americans-are-Confident-They-Understand-Medicare-but-the-Data-Suggests-Otherwise-2026.pdf CONNECT WITH DANIELLE: 🌐 Website — https://boomerbenefits.com 📚 Book — https://link.amazon/B0dW5eoIm 👥 Medicare Q&A Group — https://boomerbenefits.com/medicare-qa-facebook-group/ ESCAPE THE CLOCK RESOURCES 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast ⬇️ Free Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🤝 Free 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe SUPPORT THE PODCAST: ▶️ Watch more full episodes — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLO34lLUX2G8hVBErMy34e7RsYfUJBeiL 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@EscapeTheClockMedia?sub_confirmation=1 📣 Share this episode with someone who needs it 📕 Grab my award-winning debut fiction Killswitch — https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #escapetheclockpodcast #escapetheclock #financialfreedom #financialindependence #earlyretirement #workoptional #financialliteracy #medicare #medicareplanning #irmaa #medigap #medicareadvantage

    The Real Cost of Medicare: How to Plan for Premiums, Gaps, and Deadlines Before You Leave Work with Danielle Kunkle Roberts, Co-Founder of Boomer Benefits

  4. Oct 13 ·  Video

    The CFO Playbook: Run Your Personal Finances Like a Business with Monica Roca-Quesada, Founder of Agile Planners

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Run your personal finances like a business: budgeting vs forecasting, cash flow, lifestyle creep, emergency funds, and financial independence with fractional CFO Monica Roca-Quesada of Agile Planners. What if the reason you’re not getting ahead has nothing to do with how much money you earn, and everything to do with the fact that no one’s ever taught you how to run your money like a business? Monica Roca-Quesada is a fractional CFO, the founder of Agile Planners, and a co-founder of FynOps. She has spent 30 years helping businesses see where their money goes, yet for years she ran her own household on instinct. In this episode, we ask what a CFO sees that the rest of us miss, whether your income is a vanity metric, whether a forecast matters more than a budget, and what it takes to run your household like a successful business. CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 — Earning More but Not Getting Ahead 00:02:17 — What Are Your Annual Operating Costs? 00:04:34 — Is Your Income a Vanity Metric? 00:08:58 — Why a Financial Pro Resisted a Budget 00:16:03 — Forecasting vs. Budgeting at Home 00:18:32 — The Money Stories We Grow Up With 00:20:54 — Running Your Household Like a Machine 00:23:01 — The First Move for a 38-Year-Old 00:26:54 — Why Raises Disappear 00:32:16 — Four CFO Moves for Your Household 00:34:35 — Building Your Rainy Day Fund EPISODE REFERENCES: ℹ️ Financial plans — Schwab 2025 https://content.schwab.com/web/retail/public/about-schwab/schwab-modern-wealth-survey-2025-findings.pdf ℹ️ Financial health — Financial Health Network 2026 https://finhealthnetwork.org/research/financial-health-pulse-2026-u-s-trends-report/ ℹ️ Middle-income strain — Ramsey Solutions 2026 https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/state-of-personal-finance ℹ️ Financial literacy — TIAA Institute-GFLEC 2025 https://www.tiaa.org/public/institute/about/news/2025-tiaa-institute-gflec-personal-finance-index ℹ️ Emergency savings — Federal Reserve 2026 https://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerscommunities/sheddataviz/emergency-savings-table.html CONNECT WITH MONICA: 🌐 Website — https://agileplanners.com 💼 LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrocaquesada/ 📊 Free Guide — https://agileplanners.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Agile-Planners-16-Parts-of-Your-Business.pdf ESCAPE THE CLOCK RESOURCES 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast ⬇️ Free Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🤝 Free 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe SUPPORT THE PODCAST: ▶️ Watch more full episodes — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLO34lLUX2G8hVBErMy34e7RsYfUJBeiL 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@EscapeTheClockMedia?sub_confirmation=1 📣 Share this episode with someone who needs it 📕 Grab my award-winning debut fiction Killswitch — https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #escapetheclockpodcast #escapetheclock #financialfreedom #financialindependence #earlyretirement #workoptional #financialliteracy #personalfinance #budgeting #cashflow #emergencyfund

    The CFO Playbook: Run Your Personal Finances Like a Business with Monica Roca-Quesada, Founder of Agile Planners

  5. Oct 6 ·  Video

    The 59½ Exception: How to Access Your Retirement Money Early Without the Penalty with Rob Townend, CPA and Founder of Early Retirement Access

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! How to access your 401(k) or IRA before age 59½ without the 10% early withdrawal penalty. CPA Rob Townend explains 72(t) SEPP plans, the Rule of 55, and the mistakes that trigger IRS penalties. What happens when you finally have the money to walk away, and the tax code tells you that you are too young to touch it? Daniel speaks with Rob Townend who spent 25 years as a CPA before deciding in his early 50s that he was done with corporate life. He found nearly everything he had saved locked inside old 401(k)s and IRAs, and no one willing to help him reach it for a flat fee. So he read the code himself. Today he is the founder of Early Retirement Access. In this episode, Rob walks through the 21 exceptions buried in Section 72(t), why he tells most callers to try the Rule of 55 first, how a substantially equal periodic payment plan actually gets calculated, and what it costs when someone breaks one by accident. CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 — Why 59½ locks up your savings 00:04:51 — Twenty-five years as a CPA 00:08:22 — Where Section 72(t) came from 00:11:56 — The Rule of 55 and its two hoops 00:15:48 — A tax strategy, not just income 00:18:34 — How the payment gets calculated 00:21:49 — What breaking a SEPP costs you 00:24:58 — When paying the 10% is smarter 00:27:25 — The expense ratio gotcha 00:30:41 — Where to find Rob Townend 00:32:04 — Daniel's takeaways EPISODE REFERENCES: ℹ️ 12% of workers plan to retire before 60, while 13% of retirees left before 55 and 17% between 55 and 59 — EBRI/Greenwald Research, 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey 2026 https://www.ebri.org/docs/default-source/rcs/2026-rcs/rcs_26-fs-2.pdf ℹ️ Americans held $18.2 trillion in IRAs and $13.8 trillion in workplace plans, 34% of all household financial assets — Investment Company Institute, Quarterly Retirement Market Data Q1 2026 https://www.ici.org/statistical-report/ret_26_q1 ℹ️ About 59% of U.S. adults have money invested in a retirement savings plan — Gallup 2026 https://news.gallup.com/poll/691202/percentage-americans-retirement-savings-account.aspx ℹ️ Median retirement account balance among families who have one is $86,900 — Federal Reserve Board, Survey of Consumer Finances 2023 https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/october-2023-changes-in-us-family-finances-from-2019-to-2022.htm CONNECT WITH ROB: 🌐 Website — https://www.earlyretirementaccess.com 💼 LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-townend-817a2a37 📘 Learn About 72(t) SEPPs — https://www.earlyretirementaccess.com/learn-more ESCAPE THE CLOCK RESOURCES 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast ⬇️ Free Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🤝 Free 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe SUPPORT THE PODCAST: ▶️ Watch more full episodes — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLO34lLUX2G8hVBErMy34e7RsYfUJBeiL 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@EscapeTheClockMedia?sub_confirmation=1 📣 Share this episode with someone who needs it 📕 Grab my award-winning debut fiction Killswitch — https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #escapetheclockpodcast #escapetheclock #financialfreedom #financialindependence #earlyretirement #workoptional #financialliteracy #72t #sepp #401k #ruleof55 #retirementplanning

    The 59½ Exception: How to Access Your Retirement Money Early Without the Penalty with Rob Townend, CPA and Founder of Early Retirement Access

  6. Sep 29 ·  Video

    What the Money Pros Are Saying, Live From FinCon 2026

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Live from FinCon 2026 in Palm Springs: personal finance creators, coaches, and advisors share money tips on financial independence, early retirement, FIRE, investing, debt, and financial literacy. If you only got one money tip from a pro, what should it be? Five money pros. One tip each. Recorded live at FinCon 2026 in Palm Springs, Daniel asks Anthony Weaver, Kelsa Dickey, Shari Rash, Nik Johnson, and Whitney Hansen for the money tip on their mind right now. Then retired personal finance teacher Kathy Cuevas turns the mic around: why would anyone walk away from a tech career to teach money? CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 — Live from FinCon 202600:02:20 — The conversation that made the trip00:04:22 — Anthony Weaver: Personal finance is personal00:07:10 — Kelsa Dickey: Your future deserves savings00:09:01 — Shari Rash: Rethinking savings-by-age rules00:11:03 — Nik Johnson: You're one concept away00:12:51 — Whitney Hansen: Back to the basics00:14:43 — Kathy Cuevas asks: Why leave tech?00:19:26 — Teaching money in a Title I school00:24:02 — What people get wrong about money00:33:30 — Why time beats money00:36:21 — The work trips I never got to take EPISODE REFERENCES & RESOURCES: ℹ️ Credit card debt — NY Fed 2026 — https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/research/2026/20260811 ℹ️ Personal finance mandates — NGPF 2026 — https://www.ngpf.org/live-us-dashboard/ CONNECT WITH THE GUESTS: 🎙️ Anthony Weaver, About That Wallet — https://www.aboutthatwallet.com/podcast 🎙️ Kelsa Dickey, Money Made Human — https://spendfirst.com/podcast 🎙️ Shari Rash, She's Talkin' Money — https://www.shestalkinmoneypodcast.com/ 🎙️ Nik Johnson, Everyday Money Heroes — https://everydaymoneyheroes.com/ 🎙️ Whitney Hansen, The Money Nerds — https://www.themoneynerds.com/ 🎙️ Kathy Cuevas, Financial Freedom Pathway — https://www.financialfreedompathway.us/ 🌐 FinCon — https://finconexpo.com/ ESCAPE THE CLOCK RESOURCES 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast ⬇️ Free Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🤝 Free 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe SUPPORT THE PODCAST: ▶️ Watch more full episodes — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLO34lLUX2G8hVBErMy34e7RsYfUJBeiL 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@EscapeTheClockMedia?sub_confirmation=1 📣 Share this episode with someone who needs it 📕 Grab my award-winning debut fiction Killswitch — https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #escapetheclockpodcast #escapetheclock #financialfreedom #financialindependence #earlyretirement #workoptional #financialliteracy #fincon2026 #fire #personalfinance #moneypodcast

    What the Money Pros Are Saying, Live From FinCon 2026

  7. Sep 22 ·  Video

    The Gold Rules: What Every Investor Should Know Before Buying Gold with Greyson Geiler, Fund Manager of the GoldRush Yield Fund

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! What if the safest-sounding asset in the world is the one nobody ever taught you how to own? Greyson Geiler began his career on the trading floors of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and has spent more than two decades as an investment advisor. Today he is an Investment Advisor Representative with Andorra Capital and Lead Portfolio Manager of the GoldRush Yield Fund. In this episode, Greyson explains what gold actually does inside a portfolio, why he is not worried about another 1933-style confiscation, how the IRS taxes gold as a collectible, and why a gold fund manager tells people to build a plan and an emergency fund before buying a single ounce. Chapters: 00:00 - Gold Took 45 Years to Break Even01:38 - A Dollar Saved in 2000 Buys 51 Cents04:33 - From the CME Pits to a Closet of Gold06:16 - Why Central Banks Keep Buying Gold08:33 - Could the Government Take Your Gold10:35 - Bitcoin, Gold and a Weaponized Dollar13:49 - Gold That Pays Interest in Gold16:40 - Physical Gold Versus a Gold ETF20:06 - Gold Is Taxed Like a Collectible22:31 - How Bullion, ETFs and Miners Are Taxed24:16 - How Much Gold to Own and When to Buy28:03 - Guaranteed Income Comes Before Gold30:47 - A Gold Fund Manager Puts Gold Fourth34:30 - No Dividend, No Coupon, No Rent36:33 - Where You Hold Gold Decides the Tax39:16 - Everything Else Depends on a Promise Escape The Clock Resources: 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book ⬇️ The Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast 🤝 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Episode References & Resources: ℹ️ Purchasing power - BLS (2026) https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm ℹ️ Real earnings - BLS (2026) https://www.bls.gov/news.release/realer.nr0.htm ℹ️ Credit card rates - Federal Reserve (2026) https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/current/ ℹ️ Central bank survey - World Gold Council (2026) https://www.gold.org/goldhub/research/central-bank-gold-reserves-survey-2026 ℹ️ Central bank buying - World Gold Council (2026) https://www.gold.org/goldhub/research/gold-demand-trends/gold-demand-trends-full-year-2025/central-banks ℹ️ Gold price history - JM Bullion (2026) https://www.jmbullion.com/investing-guide/facts/history-of-gold-prices/ ℹ️ Silver prices - Forbes (2026) https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/silver-price/ ℹ️ Collectibles tax - IRS (2026) https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc409 ℹ️ Emergency savings - Bankrate (2026) https://www.bankrate.com/banking/savings/emergency-savings-report/ Connect with Greyson: 🌐 Website — https://andorracapital.com 💼 LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/greyson-geiler-8621a81a/ Support the podcast: ⭐ Leave a rating & review 📣 Share this episode with others ✉️ Join the newsletter at https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe 📒 Grab my debut fiction book Killswitch at https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #EscapeTheClock #EscapeTheClockPodcast #DanielCRodgers #GoldInvesting #PreciousMetals #FinancialIndependence #TaxPlanning #PortfolioDiversification

    The Gold Rules: What Every Investor Should Know Before Buying Gold with Greyson Geiler, Fund Manager of the GoldRush Yield Fund

  8. Sep 15 ·  Video

    Retire and Thrive: How to Turn Decades of Experience Into Income You Own with Lynn Friesth

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! What if your career ends on someone else's schedule — and the only asset left that can replace the income is the one everyone keeps telling you is expiring? Lynn Friesth spent 40 years in manufacturing leadership at John Deere before retiring in 2015. Over the next decade he built a coaching practice, recorded more than 200 podcast episodes, mentored founders through SCORE and the Iowa Venture School, and at 75 built an AI coaching assistant with no coding background. In this episode, Lynn explains how to design an intentional life after work instead of drifting into one, why doing everything at once is the most common post-retirement mistake, and how a 75-year-old with a slide rule background ended up building an AI tool that coaches people around the clock. Chapters: 00:00 - 48% of Retirees Left Earlier Than Planned02:16 - The Retirement Party Nobody Gets Anymore05:31 - Drifting After 40 Years at John Deere08:21 - Retired With a Pension and Still Working11:23 - People Skills and a Slide Rule14:13 - Fractional Work and Other Paths After 5016:01 - Money Mistakes and the Zone of Genius18:41 - Building an AI Coach With No Coding22:39 - Filter Failure, Not Information Overload26:34 - Small Experiments Before You Leave Work29:17 - Take a Sabbatical, Not a Vacation31:17 - Four Months of Life at Red Lights35:18 - Leaving Work at 43 With No Plan37:45 - Does It Energize or Sustain You41:08 - What Would You Do If Nobody Paid You44:13 - Your Decades Are Not a Sunk Cost Escape The Clock Resources: 📖 The Book — https://escapetheclock.com/book ⬇️ The Planner — https://escapetheclock.com/toolkit 🎙️ The Podcast — https://escapetheclock.com/podcast 🤝 1:1 Help — https://escapetheclock.com/schedule ✉️ Free Monthly Insights — https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe Episode References & Resources: ℹ️ Early retirement trends and workforce confidence - EBRI 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey https://www.ebri.org/retirement/retirement-confidence-survey ℹ️ Age and high-growth entrepreneurship - Azoulay et al. (2020) https://www.nber.org/papers/w24489 ℹ️ Older worker labor force projections - Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) https://www.bls.gov/emp/data/labor-force.htm ℹ️ Age discrimination in the workplace - AARP 2026 Survey https://www.aarp.org/work/age-discrimination/age-bias-survey-2026/ ℹ️ Life expectancy at 65 - SSA Actuarial Life Table https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html ℹ️ U.S. deaths projected to exceed births - CBO Demographic Outlook (2025) https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61164 ℹ️ Slow productivity and deep work principles - Cal Newport, Slow Productivity (2024) Connect with Lynn: 🌐 Website - https://www.lynnfriesth.com 🎙️ Creating An Encore Career Podcast - https://www.lynnfriesth.com/podcast 💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnfriesth/ 🤖 LynnAI — https://app.coachvox.ai/share/LynnFriesth Support the podcast: ⭐ Leave a rating & review 📣 Share this episode with others ✉️ Join the newsletter at https://escapetheclock.com/subscribe 📕 Grab my debut fiction book Killswitch at https://escapetheclock.com/books/killswitch This information is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance. #EscapeTheClock #EscapeTheClockPodcast #DanielCRodgers #RetireAndThrive #EncoreCareer #RetirementPlanning #FinancialFreedom #AICoaching

    Retire and Thrive: How to Turn Decades of Experience Into Income You Own with Lynn Friesth
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About

Join me, Daniel C. Rodgers, WMCP® and author of the award-winning book Escape The Clock, as I break down the tactics you need to take control of your finances and achieve financial independence. These 40-minute episodes deliver bite-size, easy-to-understand strategies to get the most out of your money, giving you the option not to work, on your terms. For the book, the planner, and more free resources, visit www.escapetheclock.com.

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