PODCAST

Building Wealth & Building Family

What happens when a wealth strategist brings his college-age son on a real estate due diligence trip? In this episode, Tom Suvansri shares the full story of a recent trip ...to the Raleigh, North Carolina market to evaluate a multifamily syndication investment, and what it revealed about investing, family, and legacy.

Tom walks through his impressions of the Research Triangle market, including why strong population growth, major university anchors, and a deep local operator network make Raleigh a compelling area for real estate investing. He breaks down how rising interest rates froze deal flow for years and how the right operators used that period to position themselves for off-market acquisitions at a discount.

Beyond the market, Tom makes the case for why in-person due diligence is non-negotiable in passive real estate investing. Meeting operators face to face, walking properties, and asking hard questions about past failures tells you things no offering memorandum ever will. The operator is the investment, and you can't underwrite integrity from a spreadsheet.

But the most powerful part of the trip was what it meant from a legacy standpoint. Most estate planning focuses on transferring wealth efficiently. What gets overlooked is preparing the people who will receive it. Tom shares why he believes including the next generation in real financial conversations, starting earlier than you think they're ready, is one of the most important things a parent can do.

This is Part 1 of 2. Part 2 will bring Tom's son into the conversation to share his perspective on what he learned.

Topics covered: multifamily real estate investing, real estate syndication due diligence, Raleigh NC real estate market, evaluating private real estate operators, legacy planning, financial education for the next generation, wealth strategy for business owners, multi-generational wealth building.

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 - Introduction
00:00:05 - The Trip: Raleigh, NC and the Research Triangle
00:01:27 - Why Bring My Son? Financial Education in Real Life
00:02:49 - Investments Feel Abstract Until You See Them
00:04:20 - First Impressions of the Raleigh Market
00:05:10 - The Bus Tour: Meeting Operators and Seeing Properties
00:06:10 - How Interest Rates Shaped Deal Flow in This Market
00:06:53 - The Brooklyn Property: An Off-Market Acquisition
00:08:18 - Seeing a 150-200 Unit Property as a Business
00:10:33 - The Most Important Thing in Passive Investing: The Operator
00:11:44 - Evaluating Trust, Integrity, and Contingency Planning
00:13:25 - Why Relationships Drive Everything in Real Estate
00:15:23 - Legacy Is Not Just Money. It's Preparation.
00:17:39 - Normalizing Wealth Conversations in Your Family
00:19:16 - Practical Takeaways for Investors
00:21:23 - Practical Takeaways for Parents
00:22:54 - Putting Money in Its Proper Place
00:23:46 - What's Coming in Part Two

Visit https://perennialpride.com to explore more resources, connect with Tom's team, or book a strategy conversation.

Pick up a copy of Wealth Beyond the Numbers: https://perennialpride.com
Subscribe: @perennialpride7448
Facebook: Perennial Pride
LinkedIn: Tom SuvansriShow More

Building Wealth & Building Family

What happens when a wealth strategist ...

You Don't Have a Money Problem. You Have a Design Problem.

There's a version of financial success ...

How to Sell Your CPA Firm for More and Regret It Less

Tom opens this episode by flagging one ...

Tom opens this episode by flagging one of the most expensive planning gaps he sees among business owners: the assumption that there is always more time to figure out the ...exit. His guest, Steve DeTray, CEPA and founder of Freedom Path Planning, brings a sharp framework to the conversation built on years of working directly with CPA firm owners who come to him too late, or just in time. They walk through why entrepreneurs, CPAs especially, tend to delay exit planning until it has already cost them, what push and pull factors actually drive most exits, and why 75 percent of business owners who sell end up regretting it within 12 months, not because of the check, but because they never thought through what comes next.

The second half of the conversation gets into the mechanics: the five Ds that force half of all exits to happen involuntarily, the two-to-seven-year runway that separates a solid exit from an expensive one, and what buyers actually look for when they evaluate a CPA firm. Steve and Tom also dig into why price is not the only thing to optimize for, how proactive service offerings change a firm's valuation, and the first assessments every business owner should run before they even think about going to market.

Links & Resources

Wealth Beyond the Numbers by Tom Suvansri — Available at https://perennialpride.com

Episode Chapters

00:00:00
Welcome and Episode Introduction
00:01:20
Steve DeTray and His Book: Opportunity Lost
00:02:38
Why CPA Owners Delay Exit Planning
00:05:38
Push Factors vs. Pull Factors in a Business Exit
00:08:12
Why 75% of Business Owners Regret Selling
00:10:34
The 5 Ds: Death, Divorce, Disability, Disagreement, Distress
00:13:16
Steve's Own Exit and What He Left on the Table
00:16:17
How Much Lead Time You Really Need
00:18:13
Tax Strategies That Require 5 to 7 Years
00:20:32
What Buyers Look for in a CPA Firm
00:25:30
Selling a Business Is Not Like Selling a House
00:27:25
Hidden Value Killers in CPA Firms
00:32:18
Exit Planning Is Good Business Planning
00:36:08
Price Isn't Everything: Aligning the Exit to What Matters
00:40:42
First Steps: Assessments and Wealth Gap Analysis
00:43:47
Closing ThoughtsShow More

Moving Money Through Our Kids, Not To Them

Tom Suvansri opens this episode fresh ...

Tom Suvansri opens this episode fresh off a college tour with his son and wife, and what started as a trip to explore schools turns into a rich conversation about ...wealth, legacy, and the way most families think about money. Tom draws a sharp distinction between moving money to the next generation and moving it through them. Estate planning, inheritance, and tax minimization are all useful, but none of them address the more fundamental question: are your kids actually prepared to steward that wealth, carry your family values forward, and use it in a way that compounds for generations?

He uses the Rockefeller and Vanderbilt families as two very different case studies in what legacy looks like in practice. He also breaks down the trap of being too cost-focused in financial decisions, whether that is college tuition, insurance, or investment strategy, and challenges listeners to zoom out and measure the long-term return instead. The episode closes with a call to design your financial life with intention: to face the uncomfortable questions, get exposure to ideas outside your bubble, and make every dollar do more than just pay for today.

Links & Resources

Perennial Pride (Website): https://perennialpride.com

Episode Chapters

00:00:06
Welcome and Introduction
00:02:19
The Power of Exposure in Your Financial Life
00:06:36
Seeing Beyond Cost to the Bigger Return
00:11:40
Moving Money Through, Not Just To, Your Family
00:15:08
The Rockefeller vs. Vanderbilt Legacy Lesson
00:18:10
Growth Requires Discomfort
00:20:58
Designing Your Financial Life with Intention
00:25:51
Closing Thoughts and Resources
[00:00:06 - 00:02:19]
Tom opens with a recent college tour with his son that surfaced key wealth and legacy lessons.
[00:02:19 - 00:06:36]
Staying in financial bubbles limits opportunity; constant exposure to new ideas is essential for growth.
[00:06:36 - 00:11:40]
The true return on college, or any major investment, goes far beyond the immediate cost: network, environment, and long-term impact matter most.
[00:11:40 - 00:15:08]
The shift from moving money to your family to moving it through them is one of the most important ideas in multi-generational wealth building.
[00:15:08 - 00:18:10]
The Rockefellers perpetuate wealth by working together across generations; the Vanderbilts lost billions within two.
[00:18:10 - 00:20:58]
Discomfort is a sign of growth; financial evolution requires stepping outside the default path and comfort zone.
[00:20:58 - 00:25:51]
Designing a life of intention starts with facing uncomfortable questions, from mortality to taxes, so money serves the life you actually want.Show More

Offense vs. Defense: Building a Smarter Financial Strategy

Balancing “offense vs. defense” in your ...

Balancing “offense vs. defense” in your financial life to build resilient, optimized wealth. It uses a sports analogy (especially basketball/March Madness) to explain how:

Offense = wealth-building activities (investments, income, growth, ...assets)
Defense = protection and structure (tax strategy, insurance, liquidity, risk management, debt strategy)

Key ideas include:

Most people over-focus on offense (growth) because it’s more exciting
The defensive side is overlooked, but it’s what protects and amplifies long-term success

A strong financial system requires coordination, not silos. Defensive strategies (like tax efficiency, liquidity, and proper use of debt) can actually fuel offensive growth.

Financial success isn’t about extremes—it’s about intentional balance and integration.

Working with a coordinated team of advisors is critical to avoid fragmented decision-making

At its core, the episode is about:

Designing a financial system where every dollar works smarter—protected, positioned, and productive.

Links & Resources

https://perennialpride.com/

Keywords

Wealth Strategy Financial Planning Taxes Investing Risk Management Cash Flow Liquidity Debt Strategy Insurance Wealth Building Personal Finance Asset Allocation Financial Freedom Capital Efficiency Money Mindset

🎧 Episode Highlights

00:00–01:00 – Tax season stress and the sports analogy introduction
01:00–02:00 – Why offense vs. defense applies to financial life
02:00–03:00 – The overemphasis on investing and growth (“offense”)
03:00–04:30 – What “defense” really means: protection and structure
04:30–05:30 – Taxes as the biggest hidden expense and opportunity loss
05:30–06:30 – The importance of insurance and risk protection
06:30–07:30 – Liquidity: the overlooked key to seizing opportunities
07:30–08:30 – Strategic use of debt as a growth accelerator
08:30–10:00 – How poor coordination creates financial fragility
10:00–11:30 – Using tax strategy to fuel future investments
11:30–13:00 – Life insurance as both protection and financial asset
13:00–14:30 – Leveraging assets like home equity strategically
14:30–16:00 – Real-world example: borrowing vs. selling assets
16:00–17:30 – The dangers of being too aggressive or too conservative
17:30–19:00 – Why coordinated financial systems outperform siloed strategiesShow More

The Business of Giving: Turning Wealth Into Lasting Impact

In this episode of the Perennial Pride ...

In this episode of the Perennial Pride Podcast, Tom Suvansri sits down with philanthropic advisor Barron Damon to explore a topic often overlooked in financial conversations: how we use our ...wealth for good.

With over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic space, Barron shares his personal journey into philanthropy, sparked by a life-altering event that reshaped his perspective on empathy, purpose, and impact. Together, they unpack common misconceptions around giving—especially the belief that philanthropy is only for the wealthy—and introduce a more intentional framework: values + resources + strategy = impact.

The conversation dives into how individuals and families can approach giving more proactively, the importance of defining a personal “philanthropic why,” and how advisors can shift from transactional relationships to transformational ones by integrating philanthropy into financial planning.

They also discuss the upcoming generational wealth transfer, the role of family values in preserving legacy, and how structured giving can strengthen relationships across generations. This episode offers both a philosophical and practical guide to building a legacy that goes beyond money.

Links & Resources

https://perennialpride.com
https://businessoflifecc.com/

Keywords

Philanthropy Wealth Management Legacy Giving Financial Planning Generational Wealth Values-Based Investing Impact Strategy Nonprofit Personal Development Family Wealth Financial Advisors Purpose-Driven Wealth Social Impact Legacy Planning

Episode Highlights

00:00–01:02 – Why philanthropy is often missing from wealth conversations
01:02–02:58 – Barron’s life-changing experience that led him into philanthropy
02:58–04:27 – Defining philanthropy as “the love of mankind”
04:27–05:20 – Common misconceptions: philanthropy is not just for the wealthy
05:20–07:01 – The “business of giving” and why structure matters
07:01–08:17 – Moving from reactive to intentional giving
08:17–09:59 – The framework: values + resources + strategy = impact
09:59–11:35 – Why most people lack a clear philanthropic “why”
11:35–13:04 – Teaching giving as a family value and building generational habits
13:04–14:44 – Creating a family mission statement around giving
14:44–16:02 – How to discover your philanthropic passions
16:02–17:47 – The emotional connection: what you love and what frustrates you
17:47–19:34 – Advisors shifting from transactional to transformational relationships
19:34–21:41 – Philanthropy as a tool to deepen client trust and connection
21:41–24:08 – Navigating generational wealth transfer and differing valuesShow More

The IRS Dirty Dozen: How to Spot Dangerous Tax Schemes and What Real Tax Planning Looks Like

In this episode of the Perennial Pride ...

In this episode of the Perennial Pride Podcast, Tom Suvansri dives into the realities of tax season and the growing risks taxpayers face from fraudulent schemes. Using the IRS “Dirty ...Dozen” list as a foundation, Tom breaks down common tax scams—from phishing attempts to misleading social media advice—and explains how easily individuals can fall into costly traps.

More importantly, he shifts the conversation toward what good tax planning actually looks like. By focusing on economic substance, legal grounding, and proper implementation, Tom outlines how individuals and business owners can approach taxes strategically and ethically. From real estate depreciation to charitable giving and business structuring, this episode offers practical insights to help listeners reduce taxes the right way—while staying compliant and aligned with long-term financial goals.

Links & Resources

https://perennialpride.com

Keywords

Tax Planning
IRS Dirty Dozen
Tax Scams
Phishing
Social Media Tax Advice
Ghost Tax Preparers
Tax Credits
Charitable Giving
Real Estate Depreciation
Cost Segregation
Bonus Depreciation
S-Corp Strategy
Business Structuring
Economic Substance
Tax Compliance

Episode Highlights

00:00–00:40 - Introduction and the chaos of tax season
00:40–01:21 - Why tax season is a great time to start planning
01:21–02:10 - Overview of the IRS Dirty Dozen tax scams
02:10–03:06 - Difference between tax planning and tax fraud
03:06–04:16 - IRS impersonation scams and phishing tactics
04:16–06:03 - How the IRS actually communicates with taxpayers
06:03–07:11 - Dangers of social media tax advice and misinformation
07:11–08:09 - Misuse of self-employment tax credits
08:09–09:12 - Risks of ghost tax preparers and unlicensed advisors
09:12–10:36 - Improper use of tax credits like fuel tax credits
10:36–12:09 - Inflated charitable deductions and appraisal manipulation
12:09–13:46 - Why tax planning is encouraged when done correctly
13:46–15:13 - Three pillars of good tax strategy: substance, law, execution
15:13–17:07 - Real estate depreciation and cost segregation explained
17:07–18:39 - Bonus depreciation and accelerating tax benefits
18:39–20:10 - Charitable giving strategies and donor-advised funds
20:10–21:20 - Business structure strategies like S-Corp elections
21:20–22:52 - Retirement plans and income/expense timing strategies
22:52–24:24 - Questions to ask before implementing any tax strategy
24:24–25:42 - Importance of a team: CPA, attorney, and advisor
25:42–26:43 - Final thoughts on aligning tax strategy with life goalsShow More

Real Estate Investing: Flipping vs. Lending for Smarter Returns

Real estate investing often seems ...

Real estate investing often seems complicated for those who are busy running businesses or managing their careers. In this episode, host Tom sits down with Neil Timmins, founder of Little ...Guy Loans, to unpack two major paths into real estate: becoming an operator (fixing and flipping properties) or becoming the lender behind those deals.

Neil shares insights from more than 20 years in the industry, including experience as a real estate agent, investor, flipper, landlord, and now private lender. The conversation explores how investors can get started, what separates successful operators from struggling ones, and why buying the property right is the most important decision in a fix-and-flip deal.

The episode also dives into the often overlooked role of private lending in real estate. Neil explains how lenders structure deals, manage risk, and protect their capital through underwriting and loan-to-value ratios. He also explains how investors can participate in private credit opportunities and what they should evaluate before allocating capital to real estate lending.

Whether you're considering active real estate investing or looking for alternative investment strategies beyond traditional markets, this episode offers a practical look at how both sides of the real estate equation work—and how to determine which path might be right for you.

Links & Resources

neil@littleguyloans.com
perennialpride.com

Keywords

Real estate investing
Fix and flip strategy
Private lending
Real estate lenders
Loan to value
Real estate underwriting
Property flipping
Private credit investing
Alternative investments
Passive income real estate
Real estate capital
Property rehab investing
Real estate deal analysis
Investor risk management
Real estate financing

Episode Highlights

00:00–00:36 - Introduction to the episode and the topic of getting started in real estate investing
00:36–01:15 - Meet Neil Timmins and his experience in real estate and lending
01:15–02:26 - Neil’s career path from banking to real estate agent and investor
02:26–03:18 - Launching Little Guy Loans and the philosophy behind supporting Main Street investors
03:18–05:18 - Comparing risk between flipping properties and lending on real estate deals
05:18–07:30 - Why successful flippers focus heavily on buying the property correctly
07:30–09:14 - The importance of project management, contractors, and sticking to a renovation plan
09:14–10:50 - How lenders evaluate deals and ensure borrowers have realistic projections
10:50–12:02 - Why lenders must avoid setting borrowers up for failure
12:02–14:22 - Common mistakes flippers make and how they lose money on deals
14:22–15:30 - Treating real estate investing like a business rather than chasing big wins
15:30–17:04 - Understanding how private lending works in real estate transactions
17:04–18:42 - What it means for lenders to hold first position on a property
18:42–20:22 - How loan-to-value ratios create protection for lenders
20:22–21:36 - Structuring deals to reduce risk in real estate lending
21:36–23:01 - How private lenders move faster than traditional banks
23:01–24:47 - Who is best suited for active investing vs. lending capital
24:47–26:24 - How investors can participate as private lenders without managing properties
26:24–27:33 - Where private credit fits inside a diversified investment portfolio
27:33–29:00 - Risks investors must understand before lending privately
29:00–30:17 - Liquidity considerations when investing in private real estate deals
30:17–31:19 - The importance of knowing the operators behind private investments
31:19–33:20 - Final thoughts and where listeners can learn more about Little Guy LoansShow More

Choose Hard Now, Live Free Later

In this reflective episode of Perennial ...

In this reflective episode of Perennial Pride, Tom Suvansri shares lessons sparked by a college visit trip with his son — and how that experience became a powerful metaphor for ...life, finances, and long-term fulfillment.

Tom explores the idea that life is a compounding journey shaped by daily decisions. Whether in finances, health, relationships, or personal growth, the choices we make today determine whether life becomes easier or harder tomorrow. The episode challenges listeners to rethink comfort, discipline, and planning by asking a simple question:

Are you choosing easy now — or freedom later?

Through practical examples and personal stories, Tom explains why discipline, planning, education, and intentional discomfort are essential tools for building resilience, wealth, and meaningful success over time.

Ultimately, this episode is about embracing the right kind of hard — the kind that compounds into freedom, confidence, and fulfillment in the future.

00:00–01:25 - A college visit sparks reflections on life transitions and growth
01:25–02:45 - Life as a compounding journey rather than an overnight destination
02:45–03:39 - Easy choices today vs hard consequences tomorrow
03:39–04:33 - Studying, training, and saving as examples of compounding effort
04:33–05:37 - Planning versus reacting in financial and personal decisions
05:37–06:33 - Discipline as the foundation of freedom and resilience
06:33–07:20 - The hidden cost of being “cheap” in life and finances
07:20–08:22 - When short-term savings create long-term expenses
08:22–09:12 - Paying for expertise, planning, and guidance as investments
09:12–10:22 - Education and coaching as lifelong growth tools
10:22–11:14 - Applying compounding principles to health and relationships
11:14–12:25 - Avoiding hard conversations and long-term relational costs
12:25–13:13 - Why humans naturally choose comfort and ease
13:13–14:13 - Fear, unfamiliarity, and financial avoidance
14:13–15:15 - Ego as a barrier to learning and growth
15:15–16:11 - Growth requires discomfort and effort
16:11–17:19 - Practical decision filter: choose the harder path intentionally
17:19–18:29 - Thinking about future costs before making decisions
18:29–19:34 - Getting comfortable being uncomfortable
19:34–20:22 - Building mental resilience through small challenges
20:22–21:08 - Designing decisions around long-term vision
21:08–22:03 - Discipline vs regret: both are hard — choose wisely

🔗 Links and Resources
perennialpride.comShow More