Grow your investment boutique 📈 Founder / CEO @ Havener ⭐ $30B AUM for boutiques w/ The Billion Dollar Blueprint™ 💲 Story-led sales & marketing for founders, fund mgrs, and teams 🎤 Speaker ▪ Podcast Host

Hi, I’m Stacy - a blue-collar girl from the Berkshires who turned a way with words and love of numbers into a business that has raised billions for boutique asset managers.
 
I’ve raised $8B+ for new/undiscovered funds that led to $30B+ in follow-on AUM.

Being a female founder in the male-dominated investment industry at the age of 30 required a huge leap of faith in connecting two tribes: talented boutique asset managers and early adopter investors.

The leap of faith was spot on. 

10+ years later, Havener Capital Partners leads the industry in helping investment boutiques grow. We help clients in three ways: (1) Embedded as part of your sales and marketing team (2) Consulting on sales and marketing efforts with you (3) Coaching you and your team in our membership community

Whether it’s consulting and masterminds, expanding sales and marketing capabilities, or connecting to our network of RIAs and family offices, clients benefit from an expert team and a time-tested framework that has raised billions for boutiques.

If I can be of assistance, please reach out at stacy@havenercapital.com

A little more about me: 

I’m obsessed with all things old school – hip-hop music, classic cars, craft cocktails and vintage furniture. My best lessons in life were learned on the soccer field where I went from picking flowers at the age of 9, to playing on all-boy teams, to becoming an Academic All-American in college. 

Most days you will find me at our office in the city-by-the sea, Newport, RI, sitting next to my reggae-loving husband (who is also my business partner), with a Dunkin Donuts coffee in my hand, and our rescue pitbull at my feet. In addition to building a business together, Erik and I are raising a daughter which is by far my favorite adventure. 

At the heart of it all, there is one thing I believe in – underdogs. Doesn’t matter who we are or what industry we are in, we all start from the bottom; we have all been underdogs. This rebel spirit fuels me every day.

Stacy Havener

I closed more deals when I stopped trying. 


Don't get me wrong, I worked my tail off to help clients raise money. 

But I had to unlearn a deeply ingrained thing for many of us. 

Let's back up. 

People do business with people they
know
like
and trust

That part we all know.

But there is a danger here 👇

The "liking" principle (from Robert Cialdini)
isn’t about being liked by everyone.

That’s where it goes sideways.

Because when “liking” turns into people-pleasing, a few things happen:

We soften our edges

We dilute our point of view

We spew data and stats like a firehouse 

We aim for approval instead of alignment

And ironically…

That makes us less influential.

Real liking comes from clarity.
From conviction
From standing for something
(and not for everything)

It's from the heart, not the head.
(which is where stories shine)

In our work, we see this all the time:

The most trusted leaders aren’t universally liked

They’re distinctly remembered

They repel a little

And resonate a lot

(gah I love that ❤️ putting it on a post it on my laptop)

That’s how trust is built.
That’s how influence compounds.

🎥 In this video, I unpack how to use the liking principle
without losing your backbone.

Because the goal isn’t to be liked by everyone.
It’s to be unforgettable to the right ones.

📌 "This is me" - can that be a vibe for us this year?

Work travel looks glam, but it's a grind. I coped in 1 way v non glam way. 

(There are lessons I am revisiting in 2026 here.)

When I traveled my face off for work, I cooked my face off too. 😂

-- Before trips, to ground myself.

-- After trips, to come back into my body.

Here’s the tell my family learned to watch for:

The higher my stress, the more serious the cooking.

(sooo I was a pressure cooker. eye roll, drum beat 🤣)

If a whole chicken was roasting at 7am, a big trip was coming and I was dreading it.

When I got off the road, I set the cooking utensils down. 
The recipe books went back on the shelf. 
The stove cooled off.

Dusting it all off this year.

I grew up in an Italian family.

Food was never just food.

It's connection and belonging.

Garlic and onions sautéing in olive oil isn’t just a smell to me.

It’s a memory track of my life.

For the last few years cooking became practical.

Weeknight dinners.
Holiday cook fests only.

Until yesterday.

As we welcomed a long weekend and falling snow, I made one of my Italian grandfather’s recipes.

My favorite dish as a kid: Pasta Fagioli. 

I spent 45 minutes in silence chopping the battuto.

Just rhythm.
Texture.
Smell.

One bite of the pasta fagioli and I was back in my grandparents’ house.

Every comforting memory came back.

(It felt like the magical realism of the book/movie Like Water for Chocolate one taste, all the feelings.) 

Here’s the lesson I am carrying into the year ahead:

We live in our heads all week.

Strategy
Pressure
Problem-solving

*Thinking* our way through everything.

But there are five other senses available to us.

Touch
Smell
Taste
Sound
Sight

When we tap into them, we access parts of our creativity that thinking alone can’t reach.

Sometimes the reset we need isn’t another insight.

It’s a knife
A cutting board
And garlic hitting warm olive oil

It's getting out of our heads so when we come back into them, we are rejuvenated and fresh. 

📌 What dish takes you back to childhood?? (I will put my grandfathers Pasta Fagioli recipe below)

Happy weekend.
Stay storied. 

PS This is what chatgpt thinks I'd look like cooking in an Italian kitchen. Sign me up!

7 days, 20 foot ceilings, and big dreams.


Come inside the mansion we rented for our annual leadership meetings! 

The places, spaces, and settings matter in our stories. 

What would happen if you changed up where you are as you plan for where you are going...

A behind the scenes look at Havener's home base for strategic planning with a mansion walk and talk. 🏰

👉 Have you had this experience where place changed your perspective? Tell me more! 🍿

Here's to a new year, big dreams, and a bright future. Let's go!

I built my biz for the underdogs.

And if I’m honest… I still feel like one.

That identity runs deep.

I’ve always been wired to:

-- Fight for the overlooked

-- Bet on the underestimated

-- Stand for the people others ignore


I take pride in that.

My purpose is there.

But here’s the question I’ve been sitting with lately:

Can I stop being the underdog
and still stand for them?  

Can I serve challenger brands and founders while owning my achievements and success?

Can I acknowledge there's more I want to do and achieve without entirely discounting what I have accomplished?

---

Because at some point, there's a shift.

One day you realize:

-- People reference my work before I enter the room

-- The rooms I once fought to get into now invite me in

-- The voice I worked so hard to claim now carries weight

And still…

My nervous system hasn’t caught up.

---

I spent so many years scrapping.

Proving I belonged

Fighting to be taken seriously

Climbing toward success

That kind of fight is hard to turn off.

Even when my own personal fight has changed.

---

Here’s the tension I’m holding:

If I keep saying I am an underdog

If I stay in permanent resistance mode

If I never acknowledge my success


What message am I actually sending?

---

Maybe standing for the underdogs doesn’t mean staying one.

Maybe acknowledging progress doesn’t make me arrogant, it makes the path visible.

Maybe saying “this worked” gives the next generation of challengers something powerful:

Hope.
Positivity.
Proof.

---

So I’m learning a new posture.

Keep the heart of the challenger

Lose the need to bleed for legitimacy

Lead from consistent confidence instead of constant fight

(gah. that need to bleed for legitimacy is hiiiiiitting me 😭 )

---

I am not abandoning the underdogs.

I am showing them what’s possible.

And I’m learning that sometimes the bravest move isn’t to keep finding my fight 

It’s embracing my success to help the next generation fight theirs

---

If you’re a founder who grew up scrappy
and strugglednto let that scrappy go…

You’re not alone.

I’m right here too.

Scrappy and successful. Can they co-exist?

4 fact sheet changes that get more meetings

Fact sheets / tear sheets are doing too much… and somehow not enough.

They’re packed with data.
Light on words.
Heavy on brain.
Empty on heart.

And that’s the miss.

Typical fact sheets are a data dump in the smallest imaginable font.
Flip the script: It’s a highlight reel.

Its job with prospects is simple:

👉 Make them want a meeting.

Here are four fixes to move the needle:

---

1. Include real uniques + differentiators

Not the eye roll "everyone says that" kind

“Strong risk-adjusted returns”
“Experienced team”
“Disciplined process”

Let’s be honest, that’s table stakes. 
Fails the truism test.

The real differentiators tend to live in:

• Philosophy - how you think
• Process - how you execute
• Portfolio - how you build

Those are harder to copy.

And far more sustainable than performance soundbites.

---

2. Add a narrative summary

What’s the story?

• Why this strategy
• Why now
• And most importantly, why you

If allocators can’t understand the why in 90 seconds, they probs won't take a meeting.

Story creates intrigue and curiosity.
Data supports and makes it real

---

3. Be explicit about the role in the portfolio

This one gets mislabeled as “too retail.”

It’s not.

It’s useful.

Think of it as:

• Idea generation for analysts
• Context for non-investment stakeholders
• Clarity for busy humans

Don’t make people do the work.
They’re already overloaded.

That’s not retail.
That’s real life.

---

4. Show the people behind the product

Yes include fund mgrs on the fact sheet.
Now, add photos.

Names + faces + something human beyond alma maters.

People do business with people.
Still true. Always will be.

Pro-tip: If your photo makes you look like Severus Snape, time for a new one. Let's not scare the prospects. 😬

---

These small tweaks to a fact sheet don’t dumb anything down. 

Less data isn't a sign you aren't smart.
It's a sign you understand decision are more than numbers.

Fact sheets get a bad rap. 
But I think they have a starring role with a prospect.

They answer so what? Why should anyone care?

And when your fact sheet does that?

You don’t just get more meetings.
You get better ones.

📌 What's your 1 add for a fact sheet improvement list?

=
+ Fact sheets are part of a foundational franework at Havener, Investable Content™️ 

+ Bc collateral shouldn't just look pretty, it should play a role in your distribtiion

Every company is a media company. (imma keep saying it bc I want you to hearmenow) (and also flowers 💐)

Very few firms in finance embrace this idea that 'every company is a media company.'

Potomac is one. And they don't just kinda do the thang. They go all in.

Here's what hit me on my visit to their office:

1.  A bada$$ recording studio might feel like a luxury, but I'd argue at some point in the future, it might not be a luxury as much as a necessity.

2.  The trick with "every company is a media company" has less to do with the logo on the wall and more to do with the people who bring that logo to life. 

3.  I might invite myself back to "my" studio in "their" office v v soon. 🤣

Wouldn't it be cool if Billion $ Backstory became "in studio" podcast on the Potomac platform?

(Whaa? Who said that? me looking left looking right 😉)

If you want to catch the whole podcast - go to the platform that starts with You and ends with Tube. And I'll pop a shortcut in here asap.
https://lnkd.in/e_2VwDGe

Flowers and hugs and high fives across the miles to some of my all time faves
Manish Khatta and Christopher Norton and Charlotte Jarvis 

Thank you for being awesome 💐

If you don't know, now you know.
If you don't follow them, you should.

I believe in the power of LinkedIn. And the power of personal brand for finance peeps. If you do too, you need to meet this gal. 

If you are a client of Havener, or you work here, or you're a London friend who attended our LinkedIn for Fin breakfast event last year, then you already know Anna Robinson and you also know... she is a force 

Few fun facts to go with this flowers post (plus a give for you): 

--Anna and I met 25 years ago on the soccer field in San Diego. We've been bests ever since. ⚽

-- Before Anna joined Havener, she was a project manager at a software engineering firm, and a lead stylist at StitchFix. She also has a psych degree. So she can crush a to-do list while analyzing you and your wardrobe simul. (Trust me when I say this is an invaluable combination. 🤣)

-- Anna built my personal brand from scratch. She was a better me than me. Especially because she was brave when I couldn't be. I wouldn't have trusted anyone else. I am forever grateful. 

And now the give for you:

-- Anna and one of my other faves Mary Mack hosted a webinar in December on LinkedIn for Fund Managers that had over 250 attendees. 

-- It's now available on demand for you for no exchange of dollar bills. 

(We live our core value of GoGiver at Havener)

So if you are like me and have a differentiated point of view, and you believe LinkedIn is powerful, and you're intimidated even a little bit - grab this masterclass. 

https://lnkd.in/eg4MQeys

Put your trust in Anna. 

She won't let you down... on the soccer field, on social platforms, or in life. 

Flowers and so much love to you Anna
🙌💐♥️

👉 Who wants more of this? 

2026 is your year. Step out of the shadows my friends and lean in to LinkedIn

1 mistake I have made in sales & marketing (and how we can learn from it)

This mistake happens to asset management and wealth management clients too. 

It sneaks up on you. It happens slowly over time. (kind of like a big snowstorm 😂)

The mistake?

*Crafting messaging around what your client needs and skipping what they want.*

Our prospects are at Point A and they want to get to Point B. We know what they need and often that's what we "sell."

Let's take wealth managers:

Their prospects aren't jazzed to get a financial plan. No one wants more documents. (even if that's what they need)

They are jazzed for the financial freedom that plan will create. 
Or the second home they can buy
Or the business they can finally start
(insert the end goal that they want)

---

Talking about what a client needs isn't as hard-hitting or as heartfelt as if we talk about what they want, where they want to go.

Breaking it down for asset managers (and myself) at a crazy cold beach
❄️🎥🌊

👉 Here for your tips on staying aligned with the end game in our client's journey.

You can pitch performance and some people will buy it. (Let's unpack it tho...) 


Lots of ways to fundraise. 

If you've got great performance you might want to pitch it. Hard.

-- Redo materials! Put performance right up top front and center and lots of charts that show it too. 

-- Talk about how poorly your peers are doing to really shine a light on how you are crushing it.

-- Say your core values are to be number 1. (eek) 

Some investors (maybe lots) will buy that performance pomp and circumstance. 

You will cue up Mike Posner Top of the World. 

And then...

Something v normal will happen.

Your performance will slip 

Because you got too big too fast and can't move the portfolio

Or because the market did what the market does and wiled out on you

For whatever reason, you had a normal pull back 

And the investors who bought your out-performance?

Now they redeem your underperformance

The other investors in the fund will see that investors are redeeming, so they will hit the sell button too

And the virtuous performance upswing you raised into will whipsaw into a vicious redemption spiral

(if you've seen that movie before you know it's fun times 🙄(

So... yes, there are lots of ways to fundraise

Pitching performance is one of them

It can work

But it's worth pausing to reflect on what you will get and who you will get in that process

Hot dot chasers buy performance
They redeem it too

Classic tale of be careful what you wish for

My POV: pitch forever vs fleeting

Will be breaking it down this week. 

We can be proud of our results and still focus on the sustainable things that got us there. 

Might take longer but might be worth it in the long run.

1 big change to our target market of asset managers and wealth managers - might inspire you to refine yours.

We just wrapped our 2-day annual planning session.

In a crazy awesome Newport mansion
Because environment shapes thinking and we wanted to dream bigger.

But instead of going bigger with our target market...

We went smaller.

We went clearer.

Check it:

---

In defining target market, most of us will start with demographics.

• AUM
• Titles
• Firm size
• Geography

The challenge is we can get stuck in a big sea of "everyone is our market."

Demographics can be quicksand.

Predictable
Generic 
Crowded

---

The real leverage in target market lives in psychographics.

That’s where alignment happens.

We already knew our ideal clients:

• Share our core values
• Believe in the power of story
• Want a more human way to grow

What we hadn’t explicitly named?

---

Personal brand.

Not just believing in story,
but believing they are part of it.

We have it in our differentiators as a firm but we didn't have it in our target market. 

So we refined. 

Our ideal client has a founder or C-suite leader committed to

•  Building a personal brand
•  Showing up on LinkedIn
•  Being seen

A  person who is jazzed to become a thought leader in their unique area of expertise

---

That small shift will change everything

• Who we say yes to
• How the work lands
• The results we can create

Because story doesn’t work in the shadows.

---

Big dreams don’t require broader markets.

They require braver ones.
 
And braver can mean smaller focus. 

📌 Have you found what a client believes (or doesn't) matters in your target market (maybe more than we realize)?

=
+ If you want help on LinkedIn in 2026, I got some things cooking. DM me and I will add you (or your team) 👀 to our wait list 🙌

5 filters to set goals for an amazing year of growth. 
 
We use these with clients in annual business strategy sessions. 

And we use them on ourselves. 

---

1️⃣ Did we reverse engineer from long-term vision to short-term goals?

- Start with the 10-year vision

- Pull it into 3 years

- Then 1 year

- Then the next 90 days

Humans can focus and execute well for shorter sprints (quarter by quarter).

Design our goals such that if we hit quarterly goals, we will be on track to hit annual, if we hit annual, we will be on track to hit 3 yr and so on.

Set the long term vision
Work back to the year
Then play the next 90 days like they are high stakes. (cuz they are)

---

2️⃣ Are we driving forward with metrics we can actually control? 

Goals that depend on other people? Rough.

Instead, ask: 
what’s the step right before the result we want? 
The one we can ensure we hit. 

We can’t control outcomes.
We can control inputs.

That’s where progress lives.

---

3️⃣ Are we measuring backwards to protect confidence and juice momentum?

We’re excellent at this pattern:

Hit the goal

Move the goalpost

Feel behind again

When the reality is we just accomplished something meaningful... but we missed it.

Measuring backwards is a pause.

It reminds us:

- how far we’ve come

- what’s already working

- why we’re capable of the next level


For my quant friends, confidence compounds too. 😘

---

4️⃣ Are we trying to do less better? (bc less is more)

1–3 big things

Not 5–7 “important” things

(forget 10 omg 10 is an anxiety spiral)


We’d rather:

do 3 things exceptionally well

than 5 things halfway decent


Focus isn’t restrictive.
It’s freeing.

We said no to some really cool business opportunities for 2026 bc we want to focus on our core programs. 

It's the same reason we are pausing on our annual summit too. 

Tough choices but necessary. 

(I am learning and still a work in progress on this one.)

---

5️⃣ Does it light us up?

Seriously - a fun filter 😉

Is the goal interesting?
Is it meaningful?
Is it fun? 

This one matters more than we admit.

If it doesn’t make us:

energized

enthusiastic

eager to start the day


Why are we doing it?

Sustainable growth requires emotional fuel.
Or we will just be "who cares-ing" the year away.

(I speak from experience on this. Real talk.)

---

These 5 filters help our clients and us architect a banger of a year in 2026:

Clear goals
→ fewer priorities
→ controllable metrics
→ visible progress
→ positive energy

📌 Which one hits for you, any to add?

Happy New Year, Friends. Game on!

The busy attorney's financial advisor | Putting your money where it matters most, so you can reduce your taxes today and tomorrow. Stop tipping Uncle Sam!

Hundreds of law firm owners have worked with me to cut their taxes, protect what they’ve built, and create financial freedom on their terms.

They call me The Wealth Guardian — because my superpower is helping attorneys keep more of what they earn and build a financial foundation that lasts.

Here’s what I see every day:

You’ve built a successful firm.
Clients are happy. Revenue’s strong.

But your tax bill? That’s another story.

Most attorneys don’t overpay because they’re careless.
They overpay because they’re too busy serving others to plan ahead for themselves.

That’s where I come in.

I help law firm owners simplify the complex — so they can stop tipping Uncle Sam and start building lasting wealth.

Our MPG System is built around three goals:
✅ Minimize taxes with proactive, law-firm-specific strategy
✅ Protect income and assets from hidden risks
✅ Grow wealth with clarity and confidence

We start with a simple belief: serve the person, not sell the product.
No cookie-cutter plans. No pressure. Just smart strategy that fits your life and your firm.

A little about me:
I’m a Chicago guy at heart, a lifelong baseball fan (had a little trouble with the curve), and now a Florida resident who still bleeds Blackhawks red. I’m also a proud dad to a physician assistant daughter and an active member of AHEPA, raising scholarship funds for local high school seniors.

Next step:
If you’re ready to see how smart tax and financial planning can create real freedom — let’s talk.
📩 Book a 20-minute Ask-Frank-Anything session — no pressure, just real insight.
📞 954-253-5508
📧 frank@palmwealthpartners.com

P.S. You’re gonna love the way you feel when you stop tipping Uncle Sam.

Frank Rekas, CPFA

I was asked the other day what I'm most proud of.

The answer was easy.

My daughter.

My little girl isn't so little anymore.

She's creating the life she wants. 
Building a career she worked hard for. 
Becoming the woman I always knew she would be.

Last Saturday, she was in Chicago on a long weekend trip.

My phone rang. 
It was her calling me on FaceTime. 
She was all smiles.

Truth be told I was waiting for the call!

And before she even said a word, she flashed the ring.

Engaged!

Brett, my now future son-in-law, is a terrific young man.

He cares deeply about her.
Comes from a very good family.

And he had the decency and maturity to call me 
about three months ago to ask for my blessing.

I told him that I'm not a relationship expert.

But I asked him for four things:
Love her. 
Protect her. 
Be true to her. 
Communicate with her.

If you can do all those things, no matter how tough things get,
you'll be able to have the best life you can together.

Alexandrea, I'm so proud of you.

Not just because you're engaged, but because of who you've become.

The choices you've made. 
The person you are. 
The life you're building.

This is what makes a father's heart full.

I shaved about 5-7 years off my life today.  

Literally. 

I haven’t fully shaved since Covid. 

2020! 5 years!

It burned. I was bleeding. 
But it feels clean. 
Maybe even smooth
How long will I keep shaving?

I have no idea. 
But for now this is me.

Hi! 😁

No alternative text description for this image

I didn't pick my niche. I discovered it after I quit.

In 2023, I left my management role because I knew 
I needed to get back to working directly with clients.

But I also knew I couldn't keep doing generic wealth 
management for anyone with a pulse.

So I did something most advisors don't do, 
I actually analyzed my client base.

Over 60% were attorneys and law firm owners.

I didn't target them. 
I didn't market to them. 
They just found me and stayed.

That's when it hit me: 
I'd been accidentally building expertise in serving 
law firm owners for years without even realizing it. 

I understood their world, the irregular cash flow, 
the tax exposure, the retirement planning challenges that kept them up at night.

And they valued real planning, not product pushing.

So instead of fighting it or trying to diversify, I went all in.

Fifteen months ago, Rania and I left the corporate 
broker-dealer world entirely and went independent. 

Now I serve law firm owners exclusively with the 
MPG system built specifically for their needs,
minimize taxes, protect assets, grow wealth.

Rania enjoys working with these same people along with me,
and also enjoys working with women in transition.
Widows, divorcees, single moms.  It's important work.

We both like each of our niches and work together on them.

Our clients call me their Wealth Guardian, not just their advisor. 

When someone asks who does their "stuff," they say "Frank's my guy."

Sometimes your niche isn't something you choose. 
It's something you discover when you finally stop 
and look at what's already working.

P.S. What's already working in your business that you're not paying attention to?

This pen isn't for sale.

But maybe you need one anyway.

I've had this Waterman pen since 1997.

Back when applications were done on paper, 
clients would sign their name and stop mid-stroke.

"Wow Frank, this pen is gorgeous." 
"It writes beautifully."
Then they'd try to keep it.

I'm not kidding. 
People would "forget" to hand it back. 
Try to slip it into their purse. 
Pocket it like it was theirs.

The clients who knew about it? 

They'd ask before we even started.
"Can I sign with the pen?"

Like it was part of the experience. Because it was.

Then somewhere along the way, I stopped using it. 
Not sure why. 

Then digital applications took over. 
The pen ended up in a box.

It followed me whenever I moved.

Then a couple of weeks ago I pulled it out. 
I immediately bought new ink cartridges. 

And I started writing with it again.

And wow.

Did I ever miss this pen.

Now I don't need it for applications anymore. 

But when I'm doing my planning? 
My monthly reviews?
My goal setting?

This is the pen I use.

And here's what I noticed:
The ideas flow differently.

Something about the weight. 
The shear elegance of the pen. 
The way it glides across the page.

It makes thinking feel intentional. 
Important. Worth the time I'm spending.

You can't buy this one from me.

But maybe you should get your own.

Not because you need a fancy pen. 

But because the right tools change how you think.
(maybe this was the real hook 🤔 )

And sometimes bringing back what worked before 
is exactly what you need to move forward.

What's something you stopped using that deserves to come back?

My first post has bombed today! 🥵 

Therefore I'm gonna repurpose part of one from last week
in hope for some better exposure and engagement.

I love hanging out with lawyers. 

Niching is one of the best things that I've done. 

In an effort to expand my niche, I want to meet  
people in the legal market while I'm in Columbus, Ohio.

I'll be there from February 3rd to the 8th and would love
to meet you for coffee or even lunch on one of those days.

I'll be in the Grandview area hanging out at Stauf's Coffee Roasters.

Message me directly for time and day, or even a different location.

I'll also tag a few people in the comments.

See you soon....

What if your financial future was actually brighter than you think?

A client said something to me a little while ago that 
I can't stop thinking about, and need to mention.

"Frank, we feel so much better now."

We'd just finished going through their complete financial picture. 
Everything was laid out. It was organized and clear.

Then they said something that really stuck with me:
"After going through this process and seeing what you're doing for us, 
looking forward, things look a lot brighter than we thought."

A lot brighter.

That's what this work is really about.

Not just the protection stuff. 
Not just the tax strategies. 
Not just avoiding the bad things.

It's about making the good things happen.

The lake house you've been talking about. 
Your daughter's college without loans hanging over her. 
The boat. The convertible. The trip to Greece. 
Retiring at 58 instead of grinding until 68.

When you get organized and intentional with your money, 
the dreams stop being "someday" and start being "next year."

I've watched clients buy their dream second home, 
send kids to school debt-free, take a month off to explore Europe, 
and live the life that they want to live for them.

That's what gets me fired up every single day. 
Helping you see that things are brighter than you thought.

Because what's the point of working this hard if you 
can't actually enjoy what you're building?

Here's my question for you: 
What would "a lot brighter" look like in your world?

Want the same feeling my client had? 
That "things are brighter than I thought" moment?

Let me show you what I showed them. 
Reach out and we'll set up 15 minutes.
I'm Frank Rekas, Personal CFO for law firm owners.

We start with a person to serve, not a product to sell.

You're gonna love the way we work, you can count on it.

I took my foot off the gas and was ready to start over.

Friday morning our Boca Elite Mastermind group met 
for our opening meeting of the new year.

6 months ago I was considering ending the 6 year run we were on.

I was frustrated, tired, and had seemingly lost interest.

Then I took a long hard look at what was happening, 
and realized maybe it wasn't them.

Maybe it was me.

On my way to our October meeting, 
I decided to change the format of that days meeting, and thought of 2 questions for the group to openly discuss.

Those two questions changed everything.

The energy came back. 
Not just for me, but for everyone.
Every member said it was one of the best meetings we'd ever had.

November's meeting had the same effect. 

We planned what 2026 would look like and 
how we'd show up for each other.

Everyone had input on why they were there 
and what they felt would benefit each other. 

Our first meeting of the year opened with a bang. 

I sent every member a goals exercise to work on. 

We each shared our top 3 goals of 2026. 
Whether personal or professional, there were some common themes.

Growth. 
Living life under our own terms. 
Setting boundaries around our work. 
Being more present and eliminating distractions around family and loved ones.

Here's what I discovered during this process:

Sometimes the thing that needs fixing isn't the group. 

It's the leader.

I had stopped showing up with the energy I expected from everyone else. 

I'd let routine replace intention.

The moment I owned that and took responsibility? 

Everything changed.

And it wasn't because I had all the answers. 
But because I was willing to start over and do the work.

Six plus years in, and things feel fresh again. 

What's one thing you need to own up to this year?

What book have you started off 2026 with?

As you know I love to read.

The book has to be in my hand.

I need to dog ear the pages, highlight, and make notes.

I recently finished The Magic of Thinking Big, which if I'm not
mistaken was suggested a while ago by my friend Derrick Kinney.

(If you're a financial advisor, you should follow and connect with him).

Here's what I feel are the 10 best lessons that I learned from the book:

	1.	You don’t need more intelligence to succeed, just think bigger.
         You can learn skills, but you need to choose to believe. 
	2.	Action cures fear, and it cures all slumps.
        Waiting for confidence keeps you stuck. Moving creates it.
	3.	Your excuses set your limits.
        When you stop justifying, you start growing.
	4.	Think goals, not obstacles.
        Successful people train their minds to see solutions first.
	5.	Confidence is visible, and contagious.
        How you carry yourself shapes how others respond to you.
	6.	Average thinking produces average results.
        Big results require intentional, elevated thinking.
	7.	Environment matters more than motivation.
        Surround yourself with people who stretch your vision.
	8.	Results follow attitude faster than strategy.
        Strategy matters, but your mindset determines action.
	9.	You become what you expect of yourself.
        Raise the standard, and behavior rises with it.
	10. Success is not luck it’s learned behavior practiced daily.
          Like Harvey says, he makes his own luck

The biggest breakthroughs I see aren’t tactical, they’re mental.

Thinking bigger changes decisions, and decisions change outcomes.

Which of these 10 lessons do you think are the most crucial for success?

P.S. If you’re a law firm owner who’s focused on long-term thinking, 
long term relationships and real growth, let’s connect.

5 minutes. That's how long 20,000 people stood to honor one man.

For 15 years, Jonathan Toews wore the 'C' for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Named captain at 20 years old. 
Almost unheard of. But leadership doesn't wait for permission.

He guided the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups in six seasons. 
He was named playoff MVP in 2010. 
He's won Olympic Gold. 
He has been voted best defensive forward in the league.

He wasn't just a player. 
He was the heartbeat of a franchise. For 15 seasons.

Then he missed two seasons battling health issues. 
The Blackhawks wouldn't offer him a contract. 

Something that I cannot forgive them for.

So he signed with his hometown Winnipeg Jets.

On Monday, January 19th, he came back to Chicago. 
Not as a Blackhawk. As an opponent.
My daughter who got engaged two nights before was there.

The crowd gave him almost a 5-minute standing ovation.

Watch the video by clicking on the link at the end of the post.

You'll see what happens when a fan base is loyal. 
You'll see what happens when you show up 
with everything you have, every single night.

You will feel the love the city of Chicago has.
Chants of Johnny, Johnny at the end of the clip.
Not many dry eyes in the building.

Even more from those watching from home.
Myself included, I'm not afraid to admit.
He is beloved beyond a doubt.

Maybe this belongs on Facebook instead of LinkedIn.

But if you want to know where I learn commitment, 
work ethic, and what it means to lead?

It's from watching people like Jonathan Toews.

Thanks for all the memories Jonathan.

Who's the athlete or leader that shaped how YOU show up?

https://lnkd.in/epPT2JGU

You have to stop what you're doing and watch this.

I mean it.

Chris Williamson and Alex Hormozi delivered 20 minutes 
that'll make you rethink everything about growth.

Here's the quote that hit me over the head:
"When your friends start to tell you you've changed, 
it's because they don't know how to tell you, you've grown."

Mic. Drop.

As law firm owners, you know this feeling.
You're building. Scaling. Investing differently. Thinking bigger.

And the people who knew you before? 
They notice. And sometimes they don't like it.

That's not your problem to solve.

Growth looks like change to people who aren't growing with you.

My friend Mando Sallavanti III, CFP® sent me this, 
and I've watched it twice today already.

Tell me which quote resonates most with you.

Because this conversation deserves a conversation.

https://lnkd.in/eReCisea

Open video: The Most Important 20 Minutes You'll Spend Today | Chris Williamson x Alex Hormozi Motivation on youtube.com

The Most Important 20 Minutes You'll Spend Today | Chris Williamson x Alex Hormozi Motivation

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The Battle

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