Building Wealth with Alternative Strategies

Glenn Harper [00:00:00]:

Hello, everyone. Welcome to another edition of the Empowering Entrepreneurs podcast. I'm Glenn Harper, Julie Smith.

Julie Smith [00:00:06]:

Yeah. Sounds like you need a little water

Glenn Harper [00:00:08]:

to wet your whistle or something. Coffee's not hitting me yet today. I don't I I gotta work on that a little bit. How are we doing today?

Julie Smith [00:00:13]:

It's a little late, Not enough caffeine?

Glenn Harper [00:00:15]:

No. It's not, unfortunately. But, we'll get there. I've only just begun.

Julie Smith [00:00:19]:

Okay. Well

Glenn Harper [00:00:20]:

How are things?

Julie Smith [00:00:21]:

Well, we were just talking about how it was 60 degrees yesterday, and now we woke up and there's snow on the ground.

Glenn Harper [00:00:27]:

You know?

Julie Smith [00:00:28]:

It's called spring in Ohio. Right?

Glenn Harper [00:00:29]:

It's the curse. It's the curse. Well, we have got a wonderful guest today. I'm gonna do my best to do a little introduction here. He's been gracious enough to join us. I'd like to introduce Michael Lobscher, MC, founder of Producers Wealth, creator and host of the following podcast, Cash Flow Ninja, Cash Flow Investing Secrets, and Cash Flow Ninja Banking. He's a best selling author and a member of the Forest Finance Council, which from what I understand is very similar to the Illuminati. This guy loves to rock the boat and provide alternative wealth strategies versus a standard mutual funds and ETFs.

Glenn Harper [00:01:03]:

He has cracked the money finance enigma code, is on a mission to share the tools with the masses. You might think you have to be loaded to engage and apply his services, but remarkably, if you're curious and have some investable assets, he will find a place for you. He is well traveled individuals and settled in Newton Grand, Pennsylvania, which is very far from Cape Town, South Africa. He loves being a husband and father, which gives us which is evident by his passion to enjoy life and share experiences with his family as he navigates his journey through life. When he is not writing, talking, consulting, or dad detail, he enjoys the controlled violence of the rugby scrum. He obviously plays the wing left wing as his side prevents him from being playing the loose head prop position. A passionate guy, we are looking forward to delving his journey experience and wisdom. Thanks, MC, for being on the show.

MC Laubscher [00:01:46]:

Thank you for having me. That was fantastic.

Julie Smith [00:01:50]:

I mean, how long did that intro take you? That was I mean, you even got some rugby words in there that I

Glenn Harper [00:01:55]:

I noticed in. I knew enough to be dangerous, but I thought, well, this guy's got all kinds of good stuff. So this is gonna be a a great chat, because, again, it's all about for our audience, it's about this entrepreneurial journey, those trials, the tribulations, the struggles, the the chances, the decisions, and what happens, and where you end up. And looking at your life history, it's amazing where how did you get where you're at? So, you know, when we do this, we just like to, you know, how do we, you know, get to know you and where you're coming from. And it's and, again, grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. That's way different than, Pennsylvania. And, again, you'd Paul Roos Gymnasium High School. So what was this like in South Africa? Just born and raised there, and how long did you live there?

MC Laubscher [00:02:37]:

You guys really did your, homework. I'm I'm very impressed. Yeah. I grew up in South Africa during a very interesting time in the country's history. I was actually attending boarding school at Paul Roos Gymnasium. As you just mentioned, it's an all boys school, and I went to boarding school there. And I still remember, the massive changes that was happening in the country moving from one form of government to another government while I was at school. And I saw a lot of, I mean, massive changes, a lot of confusion.

MC Laubscher [00:03:07]:

Nobody knew what was going on. Nobody knew what to believe what to believe because the media was out of control. Sounds familiar.

Glenn Harper [00:03:15]:

Yep.

MC Laubscher [00:03:16]:

And then also, it it it led to a lot of people panicking. I I saw as a young man how a lot of people react in times of uncertainty, in times of chaos, which was a gift. If I look at my my life as a, you know, and just my journey as a as an entrepreneur, business owner, and and an investor. But, yeah, I mean, a lot a lot of, it also made me question everything Mhmm. Which I think we don't do enough of these days anymore. But I I I mean, at that stage, I was, you know, 13, 14, 15 years old when all this stuff was going down, and I questioned everything, moving forward, regardless of where it comes from. And, research, I was curious, and, you know, looking at I love history and economics, and that also tied into their money, you know, which plays a pivotal role in, in the quality of our lives, the quality of our families' lives, and and, touches all other areas. So I came to The United States in 02/2001, which is kind of crazy to think that it's basically 2025 now.

MC Laubscher [00:04:18]:

Not basically. It is. So

Glenn Harper [00:04:21]:

Depends on if you celebrate the millennial. I don't know. Yeah.

MC Laubscher [00:04:24]:

Yeah. Yeah. So, came here, backpack suitcase, sense of humor, sense of adventure, couple hundred bucks, ready to travel a little bit. I had a a rugby scholarship at university in South Africa. So I played in a league year up until 02/2007. And as I was doing that, I was that guy on the team bus and team plane reading books. Worked in a couple of card games, but for the most part, reading books about business, entrepreneurship, and investing. Read Rich Dad Poor Dad's Robert Kiyosaki, written by Robert Kiyosaki, and that that's kind of where my journey started.

MC Laubscher [00:05:00]:

I took action, you know, within six months. Bought my first real estate property, put some tenants in and collected rent. There was some cash flow left at the end of the month just like in the book, and that's kind of where my my journey really took off, as a as an entrepreneur and as a as a as a investor. So I started a real estate business, and that's when school starts, everybody knows, after a quick win. But

Glenn Harper [00:05:27]:

I don't wanna get too far ahead here because this is awesome, but I wanna go back, back, back, back. So when when you when did you start boarding school? How old were you? Were you in public school then went to boarding school? How does that work?

MC Laubscher [00:05:39]:

Yeah. I was 14 years old.

Glenn Harper [00:05:41]:

So going at 14. Okay.

MC Laubscher [00:05:43]:

Going at 14 till 18, which is I mean, think back now, one of the best best times of my life. So it's great. Just I still am very close with all of my friends from boarding school and school. We're scattered all over the world too. Right. Interestingly enough, we're all over the place. Australia, The UK, The United States, Canada. That's the

Glenn Harper [00:06:04]:

crazy thing about, going and getting to places to get educated. You meet people from everywhere, and then you have friends for life. But before that, were you in public school? Were you have some siblings? How did that work? And then So

MC Laubscher [00:06:16]:

I was I I attended public school, and I had, siblings. I have a brother and a sister. My sister is actually an Australian now. She married an Australian. My brother is still in South Africa, so now I'm in The United States. But, yeah, I was in public school and then went to, Paul Rustam Nation.

Glenn Harper [00:06:31]:

But doesn't that, and again, for, you know, American, we're, like, you actually you get sent away when you're in high school, and you have to live somewhere else in high school and go to high school, and you don't get to your parents and family. And, like, how how long do you go? I mean, it's like a you're just gone. Right? Is that how that works?

MC Laubscher [00:06:49]:

Yeah. And, I mean, very prestigious school, great academics, great sport, great culture, and arts. So, it's an interesting school. You know? In in South Africa, a lot of, entrepreneurs, business leaders come out of the school, politicians, you know, the media in South Africa, a lot of prominent people from the media. I went to school with all of them, which is interesting. And then also sports, which, you know, the beloved Springboks, and I went to school with a couple of them. So, we all came out of that that school in Stellenbosch, Boulder Bridge Gymnasium.

Glenn Harper [00:07:27]:

Did your did your dad go to that school, or how'd they pick that? So it's just a family thing to just keep okay. Gotcha.

MC Laubscher [00:07:33]:

Yeah. My dad my dad attended Boulder Bridge Gymnasium too. So that that's a a very big tradition too where, you know, the the parent the the the fathers would attend it and then send their sons there. Two of my friends actually have their sons now in Polar Rosatomnayjum too. That is in in South Africa.

Glenn Harper [00:07:49]:

Was your dad an entrepreneur or your mom? Or what was the what was the impetus for you? Did how did you become like, think about being an entrepreneur? Did you do that kind of stuff when you were a kid or no?

MC Laubscher [00:07:58]:

No. So my dad, my dad actually was in the military. So I grew up in a military family, and he's a a very well known martial artist. So he travels still six to eight countries per year and just teaches martial arts across the world. So, you know, people always ask me, how did you come up with the Cash Flow Ninja brand name, for example? I took the cash flow, and then I saw my dad, which is the real life ninja, that I saw what he did every day. And his philosophy and approach is he pursues excellence in his craft daily. So he doesn't he doesn't say, okay. I'm good.

MC Laubscher [00:08:37]:

I'm a ninja now. I'm excellent. I'm great. He pursues it daily. He just tries to get better every single day. He's 76 years old, still trains two to three hours a day, and he still has the same mindset. He's just trying to get better every single day. And I took that approach to, business and to investing in my life.

MC Laubscher [00:08:57]:

So he was not an entrepreneur, but I learned a lot from that from him.

Glenn Harper [00:09:00]:

Did did you did he teach you any martial arts then when you were a kid or no? A little bit?

MC Laubscher [00:09:06]:

A lot of I played a lot of sports, and so all of us did martial arts at some stage. But at some stage, it became, you know, there there's just not enough time to work it in. Rugby, cricket, tennis, cross country, track and field, like, where do you fit in the martial arts? And my mom was a teacher, and that's where my passion comes from, for educating. You know, and, actually, my dad before he, at one stage, was a teacher too before he went in back into the military. And then he teaches martial arts. So, you know, that I kinda got a little bit from both parents. You know? Although they weren't entrepreneurs, I would say it has really helped me on my journey.

Julie Smith [00:09:46]:

What do your, siblings do? Just curious what they took out of all that.

MC Laubscher [00:09:52]:

So my brother is a very well known musician, a rock star. He played in a very famous band in South Africa. They did travel in Europe, and then he has his own band right now. So that's what he does. He's a musician. And, my sister is, you know, she's in sales and marketing in Australia working in in in real estate. But it's, yeah, we're not boring. I guess you could say a lot about our family, but we're not we're not a boring bunch.

Glenn Harper [00:10:19]:

Well, I think the the takeaway so far is that you got, we'll call it the, I wanna say privilege, but you had the opportunity to ex to do everything. There are so many choices and options, and instead of going, ah, I don't really wanna do that, you I think you said yes to everything. Right? Apparently.

MC Laubscher [00:10:38]:

Yes. And I just also wanna clarify that. So I I come from a a middle class family in South Africa. So it's not it's not, there was no silver spoon no silver spoon. But, there was you know, I love sports, so my parents, had me tried every everything, just to just to see what I enjoy and what I what I what I love doing.

Glenn Harper [00:10:59]:

But, well, that's the thing. Like, the sports he chose were not like, chess and, badminton. We're, you know, we're talking full contact, mental strength. But I think that, the martial arts at at a young age probably gave you that confidence, balance, and just I mean, you have to have that thing that says you can attack and do anything. I I suspect that's probably what happened.

MC Laubscher [00:11:22]:

Yeah. So the big lesson in martial arts too, and especially the type of karate that my dad, still teaches today, is, the first thing in martial arts is to, have pretty good defense. So the first thing that you gotta do is make sure that you don't get punched in the face or get knocked out. It's the first that's that's lesson number one. The lesson number two is, well, now that you've protected yourself, and you've got pretty good defense, now go knock out the other guy. Right? Now you now now you go now you go clean these pipes, which that kind of approach too, and this is the thing where I love bringing in sports into my business, is we all and and when I played sports and later down the line, coach sports, you wanna have pretty good defense, and and that that's a very a main focus. Because once you have the foundational stuff down and your defenses in place, now you can swing for the fences and really go off for it.

Glenn Harper [00:12:20]:

No fear. Yep. You know, it's funny. You probably have a different, childhood growing up. You know, usually when you're a kid, you you feel like there's that day you gotta challenge the, quote, the old man and take him down. At this point, I don't I think you just leave him alone. I don't think you wanna go after him. And I think he's still the top dog.

Glenn Harper [00:12:35]:

Out of respect

MC Laubscher [00:12:35]:

I know I will never be able to take him. Yeah. That's not that's not gonna happen in this lifetime.

Glenn Harper [00:12:40]:

Isn't that crazy? Alright. So so here you are. You're, you're you're graduate high school, and it looks like you wanted to

Julie Smith [00:12:46]:

go Wait. I wanna I wanna know. In high school, I at this all boys school, what was your experience? Obviously, I think it was a very good one. I think you had a, you know, great education. You obviously played rugby. What other sports did you pursue in high school? What what else happened that kinda formed who you are today?

MC Laubscher [00:13:04]:

Yeah. So I played, I played rugby. I played cricket. I did track and field. And then, also, I learned how to play guitar, while at boarding school. So music was big. I mean, that was a big thing that guys were into. There were some guys that, got into the arts and did a lot of plays and that kind of stuff.

MC Laubscher [00:13:22]:

We were actually forced not forced, but it's a it's a requirement. So, technically, forced. But you have to pick a winter and a summer sport and then a cultural activity. So the goal is to get well rounded, great, you know, individuals. And then, of course, academics is important too. So you don't just wanna, you know, you just don't wanna have a bunch of jocks running around. You want well balanced individuals. So and music was great too, to just to learn.

MC Laubscher [00:13:49]:

So, yeah, there's a lot of stuff that I took, from from high school, whether it's the the sport, the cultural stuff, learning how to play guitar, and then also, you know, just, the camaraderie and the the friendships that performed.

Julie Smith [00:14:04]:

Did you do anything entrepreneurial in high school? Did you, you know, sell anything, create things to do, or no. That itch wasn't there.

MC Laubscher [00:14:15]:

No. That itch wasn't really there. That's why I I always say I I don't have a cool entrepreneurial story where I was the kid going door to door selling candy bars.

Julie Smith [00:14:25]:

What? You've got a great story. It's just different, which is what's awesome about everybody's story. So okay. So you're in high school. You obviously get recruited to play rugby. Must be, you know, what you shine at. So how do you pick where you go and what you do next?

Glenn Harper [00:14:40]:

I think you you went to I think I I've made some notes.

Julie Smith [00:14:43]:

Oh, okay. I don't have I'm not prepping some of the notes. Okay?

Glenn Harper [00:14:46]:

I'm just gonna see if if I got this right. And so I think you went to Stellenbosch University

MC Laubscher [00:14:52]:

and That's correct.

Glenn Harper [00:14:53]:

History, politics, and economics, a triple major. And then the University of South Africa complete your degrees and then went back to earn your MBA. So how how did you pick that university and what was the impetus of all that?

Julie Smith [00:15:05]:

Why so many degree? So many things?

Glenn Harper [00:15:07]:

Some people are overachievers. It's okay.

MC Laubscher [00:15:09]:

Yeah. So, I went to, University of Stellenbosch, which is in the same town that Belarus Gymnasia is.

Glenn Harper [00:15:16]:

Okay.

MC Laubscher [00:15:16]:

So Stellenbosch is one of the oldest towns in South Africa. Not cities. So it's just a town, but it's a, you know, college town, and, yeah, this this the whole town is kinda centered around around the high schools that are there, Paul Ridstrom, Najim, and the sister schools, Blumoff and Rennes. Blumoff is the Afrikaans speaking girls school, and Rennes is the English speaking girls school. Paul Reuss was bilingual, so it's English and Afrikaans. And Stellenbosch University is the, you know, the university on the town. So, which also happened to be the university that you wanna go and play rugby at. So it's kind of like our Notre Dame, I would say.

MC Laubscher [00:15:57]:

So playing for Stellenbosch University, is is the equivalent of of of, you know, playing football at Notre Dame.

Glenn Harper [00:16:05]:

Gotcha.

MC Laubscher [00:16:06]:

So great academic school too. You know, and but, you know, the the rugby is is a big deal there. So that's that's what that's what lured me over there, to and besides the fact that it was in the town that, I went to high school to. So it made it really, really simple. It wasn't a lot of hard choices.

Glenn Harper [00:16:25]:

Well, it's just funny too. Like, historically, you would think most, hyper athletic people probably just wanna go place, go to college on a scholarship, and maybe take one degree in, like, underwater basket weaving. Here, you took three that are pretty intense majors. Like, is that just something because that was all your voracious reading. You just were curious about that kind of stuff. You're like, I wanna do all these.

MC Laubscher [00:16:49]:

Yeah. And, I mean, I messed around a little bit at university too, so I wasn't a star student. So I'm not gonna

Glenn Harper [00:16:57]:

He is human. He is human. Alright.

MC Laubscher [00:16:59]:

Yeah. So no. No. No. There was a lot there was a lot of, learning and discovering yourself at at university. But, eventually, I got my, you know, I got I got my ducks in a row, and I I love the history. So that wasn't really taking a class or studying for me. I love just reading and reading different parts of history and understanding history, and then I also, and really enjoyed economics, because the you don't really understand history if you don't understand the economics.

MC Laubscher [00:17:30]:

You know? You know, an example would be every single time there's severe economic downturns, that's usually when the big wars are.

Glenn Harper [00:17:38]:

Yep.

MC Laubscher [00:17:39]:

Like, if you if you kind of overlap them. And then later down, down the line, I I really started to study, finance and money and how the world works with the global financial system, central banks. You put those three together, you understand how the world works. I think you have one of them. You just have one piece. You know, one of the things that a lot of people don't, talk about, you know, when you put all the pieces together, if you just take Napoleon, the the everybody knows the Battle of Waterloo. Probably one of the biggest battles in Western civilization still in history, not just because of it was, you know, Napoleon at Waterloo being defeated, but the in the entire global monetary system changed after that battle. And, of course, you had the central bankers funding heavily the one side of it.

MC Laubscher [00:18:36]:

Napoleon actually sold off Louisiana. Everybody knows the Louisiana Purchase. Why did he do that? He was up against the European banking families, and he didn't wanna borrow money from them. So he sold off Louisiana to raise money to go and fight these guys, which they eventually defeated him. London became the main financial, center. You know, gold switched vaults in London. That's how they settled trade deficits after that. So there's a lot on the line, but you if you only look at history, you just get the one lens.

MC Laubscher [00:19:09]:

Right? Then if you have the economic lens, well, then you understand what was happening globally, that it was a you know, as a world superpower, you control the trade routes. That's what makes you a superpower. That's why we're seeing a lot of what we're seeing right now.

Glenn Harper [00:19:22]:

Correct.

MC Laubscher [00:19:23]:

You know? We have an administration that's trying to restore The US as a superpower because they completely have they've left a lot of areas kind of, like, go to you know, not as protected as it used to be, and that's how a superpower kinda fades away. So there's a massive battle in the oceans between the British and, the French at that stage. South Africa got a good got a good idea about it because we were a very strategic point if you look at where Cape Town is in Africa. So French and British ships go back and forth and to war all the time. But after that, Britain became the main superpower control control all the trade routes and became a financial superpower. And, I mean, the sun still never sets on the British Empire after that. Right? So that's why I love this stuff, and I I really went into this. And, eventually, my MBA was in in finance, and you mentioned the University of South Africa.

MC Laubscher [00:20:16]:

The reason why I did that was it was a long distance learning too. And I was I was, I was, just finishing up with sports, and, I was doing some consulting at that time. So I was working and finishing up, doing my MBA. That was the missing piece that I felt that I needed. So, I am a lifelong learner. I I love to learn, but, yeah, I I wouldn't say I've always been a a student or a model student.

Glenn Harper [00:20:45]:

Well, I think I think the cool thing is that you you recognize something big was happening in high school with South Africa. And Yep. You're that probably was you you knew you were a part of something big at that time there. Like, it was a huge change, right, for there.

MC Laubscher [00:21:01]:

Yep.

Glenn Harper [00:21:02]:

And then how did we get there? That's you look in the history, and then you live through it, and then where do we go from here? So I think that kinda pulls that all together, like, it seems like it makes logical sense. I I just don't understand why you didn't get an accounting degree in there. It was it's very it's it hurts me. It hurts me.

MC Laubscher [00:21:18]:

No. No. No. Accounting or law school? No. I'm good. I'm good. Yes.

Glenn Harper [00:21:22]:

Yes. So so then all of a sudden, you decide, okay, you've got your degrees, you got your things, and you decide, hey, it's time to head to, I wanna go to America. Is that how that happened? Is there something here that drew you, or you're just like, I gotta go there?

MC Laubscher [00:21:36]:

Yeah. I I was, I was pursuing some, professional contracts in, in Europe at that stage with rugby that eventually didn't materialize. So there was a league in The United States that was a very good league. It was the, I would say, the precursor of Major League rugby that's now. The league that I play no longer exist. It kind of, went away in '2 after the two thousand eight, two thousand and nine financial crisis. So, there was an opportunity here to play in play in that league, which, you know, I was young and looking at that going, well, you're playing rugby. You're traveling to see The United States, seeing the world.

MC Laubscher [00:22:12]:

You're playing in a different city every weekend. I mean, where where do I sign up? Right? So that was that was fun, and, you know, I had a sense of adventure. I love traveling, still do. You know, our family still travels quite regularly. But, yeah, it was it that's that's all I ended up here. So But

Glenn Harper [00:22:32]:

it's weird, like, you know, most rugby players like to have a pint or two after a match, but you don't seem like you're that guy. You don't think you ever partied when you went out.

MC Laubscher [00:22:41]:

No. No. I did reading.

Glenn Harper [00:22:43]:

Dude, I'm telling you, I've I've ran into some rugby players at bars before, and it is impressive. What goes down, it is it is a it is it's gotta be an awesome thing to be part of. It's a whole cult fraternity thing.

MC Laubscher [00:22:55]:

It's a great brotherhood. I I had a lot of fun. I had a blast. And, you know, when when you're on the pitch for eighty minutes, there's not a single person that doesn't get thirsty after, all a hard day's work on the field, so you might have to quench that thirst when you get off of it.

Glenn Harper [00:23:12]:

So at at some point, you, you're traveling around playing ball, and then, that's what's going on. But then you're like, man, I gotta make a living here. Are you working at this time, or are you just playing?

MC Laubscher [00:23:23]:

Yeah. I that was the one thing is you're almost unemployable, really, traveling that much and and playing. So, you know, in the book Rich Dad Poor Dad, one of the licenses, the rich don't work for money. They work to learn, and that kinda resonated with me. And I looked at this and I said, well, there's a huge opportunity here. And I met also met a friend that, his family were were one of the largest real estate investors on the North Side of the city of Chicago during that point, during that time. So, I started working for them, and started picking up trash, like, on their properties. Yep.

MC Laubscher [00:24:03]:

Literally, people ask me, you know, we're we're invested heavily in multifamily real estate too, have been for years. And people said, well, when did you where where did your multifamily, investment journey started? I said, I I picked up trash at properties in multifamily, and then I helped with apartment turnovers and did maintenance, and, you know, ran construction crews and eventually did property management work, and eventually got a a real estate license and was part of, you know, an acquisition team looking at more properties. So, yeah, started right right at the bottom. So I understand the business. I understand how what happens in buildings, when you see those large multifamily buildings. I understand exactly what's happening there, what's happening on the weekends, what's happening during the week. So it was it was a like, all these things on your on your journey, it's a gift. It's a it's an absolute gift.

Glenn Harper [00:24:56]:

It's it's just, so funny funny, weird that not that you're you're sitting in your history, politics, economics, MBA, and you go into real estate, and you go in at the very bottom of it, and you work your way up, and it just has to be, like, you must just have saw this and say, this is the way to do it. Is it Kiyosaki's book? Is it Rich Dad Porter that was the impetus and you had an opportunity with a friend? Is that how you chose that, or does it choose you?

MC Laubscher [00:25:26]:

You know, I think, there was a little bit of both. I think it fit my personality. I liked that especially when it comes to investing. I'm a person with a very long term view. So, you know, I could look at things and go, well, for the next hundred years, does this make sense? Right? Where that fits my personality. Things that move slowly, things that are more predictable, at that time. I've done other things that are a little bit out of character, but I I like I love the asset clause. It's, you know, it's kind of like, I can explain you know, my children who are now, eight eight and and and six, I can explain to them when they were five years old how real estate works.

MC Laubscher [00:26:09]:

So it's very, very simple. I like to keep things simple. So I love the asset clause. The book definitely gave me an insight, to a different world of how to think about real estate, but, I love the asset class. And then, you know, the other asset classes that's combined with us, is just stuff that I learned. It started with real estate, and that's an investment asset class. And then this friend of mine, who I mentioned they were one of the biggest investors in the North Side of the city of Chicago, came from a family, but it's it's it's one of these legacy families. So these family office, quote, unquote, families, which are families.

MC Laubscher [00:26:48]:

A family office is a private wealth management firm that manages the wealth of a family that usually have around a hundred million dollars in assets. Right? So, I I got an insight to a world that I did not know exists growing up in South Africa and attending high school and university there. And I also, you know, I had lunch the one day with this friend, and, we were just this is, you know, just hanging out. I'm working on some of his real estate properties. I was probably painting and, you know, sweaty and dirty at that stage. This is great. Having a lot of fun. We're having lunch.

MC Laubscher [00:27:24]:

He's got his CPA, and he's he's a lawyer with him and a life insurance, professional. And I sat with them, and I didn't I understood what the lawyer was doing. I understood what the CPA was doing, but I had no idea what the life insurance professional there, specialist was doing. And then afterwards, I said to him, like, I don't you know, I kinda have an idea what's going on here, but fill me in. And then he was explaining, look. We have operating businesses that we've had in our family for, you know, decades. Those generate income for us, and then we position all of our liquidity in life insurance contracts, in very specifically designed life insurance contracts. And then we leverage those life insurance contracts to go buy real estate.

MC Laubscher [00:28:09]:

And we just do that over and over and over, and it blew my mind. And I was like, but, you guys are, you know, shareholders in a bank. Like, in this, like, a private bank. Wouldn't you just put your money there? He goes, no. That's where other people put their money. So we warehouse our money in these life insurance contracts. So then I learned another asset clause, and then, you know, the way he was explaining it to me at that point too was like, look. It's just like real estate.

MC Laubscher [00:28:37]:

It's structured and designed exactly just like real estate. And I started to my mind was just blown, and I started to learn more about that. And then I brought in that asset class into kind of my own strategy, and then I started to incorporate other things and learn. And as I as I did that, you know, my philosophy is you don't have to do a Rockefeller to do to do what the Rockefellers do. You can do it on a smaller scale. It just the trajectory of my life changed completely. So it started with real estate. I still love real estate, and I'm invested in real estate and, you know, specific commercial real estate like resorts and so forth.

MC Laubscher [00:29:15]:

But, from my business standpoint too, I'm also, in the insurance space as an asset clause of ex exactly how these family office families utilize insurance, and that's one of the companies that I have producers wealth that we will share other people about exactly how to do that.

Julie Smith [00:29:34]:

So you hear about this. How long after do you create it? Like Yeah. So you're exposed to it then, like, take us down that path.

MC Laubscher [00:29:43]:

Yeah. You know, it all happened kind of in sync. It's interesting how life comes at you, if I can put it that way. Because I read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert I by Robert Kiyosaki. I read it I read it every year. So I've been reading it for twenty five years, every year, and people think kind of like I'm crazy for doing that. You don't have to read a thousand books. Sometimes you have you can read 25 of them and just re reread them every year, especially the good ones.

MC Laubscher [00:30:11]:

Because when the student is ready, the teacher appears. So I was reading that, and in it just hit me like a lightning bolt that I was looking at the financial statements. This is about the third or the fourth time I was reading it. And I look at this, and I said, well, all the liabilities on my financial statement, that's some that's someone else's asset. And then I looked at that, and I'm like, it's the bank's asset. All of these are the banks. The mortgage that you have that is a liability for you that causes you sleepless nights provides cash flow for the bank, the car loans, you know, the credit cards, all those things. So I looked at that, and I go, these banks have really got this figured out.

MC Laubscher [00:30:53]:

I have to figure out how to become my own bank. And then as I had that moment, I had that lunch where he shared, look, we create our own banking system, you know, between our operating businesses, our family bank, which is these these life insurance contracts, and then the real estate that we buy. And then I came across a book written by my, like, great mentor, Nelson Nash, called Becoming Your Own Banker. So So it was almost like it all happened within, you know, six to twelve months, and then I took action, and I started to set up, you know, the strategy for myself. And, you know, this is now if I think of it, like, it's it's been more it's it's been more than fifteen years if I have to do math quickly in my head, of doing this and implementing and executing it. But, yeah, I mean, I'm one of those, people too that I love to learn stuff, then I like to I I like to do it, actually implement it, and then I teach it and share it with other folks if it's successful or not or share the lessons that I learned, and here's where I messed up, and here's where I did okay. So, anyway, yeah, I it was it was fairly within the first twelve months after that moment.

Glenn Harper [00:32:02]:

So after you you figure this thing out, you don't go hire somebody to do this for you. You actually learn it and do it yourself. Is that a fair statement?

MC Laubscher [00:32:12]:

I actually found a professional because I could not work with that person's, life insurance specialist. I was not their ideal client. No. But, no. So I I found someone else, to do that, and they were helping me, but, you know, then I also learned, I mean, financial services. That's you know, I I also I learned the world of financial services because I was in the real estate world and the business world. And at that stage, you know, starting other businesses with with partners. And then I saw the financial services space, and I'm like, wait a second.

MC Laubscher [00:32:49]:

So the people that actually sell a lot of products and set up a lot of strategies in the financial services. They don't actually do it themselves. Right. Because I got I got it set up, but they don't know they were saying, well, I don't I don't really know how they use it because and I'm like, so you guys don't have this yourself? No. And I'm like, oh, so how do you sell products when you're like, oh, this is the greatest thing since sliced bread. This is the greatest product in the world. Do you have it? No. But you should get it.

MC Laubscher [00:33:19]:

It's great. It just didn't make any sense to me. And then I started to see too why on in the financial services world, especially entrepreneurs and business owners, how they're on the one side, and you have a lot of financial professionals on the other side. And it's almost like the advice for the general population is, I mean, for business owners, entrepreneurs, it it's the wrong thing. You know? You should not be doing what the general population's doing at all. The advice that the majority of of of media and books and financial professionals shares, good for the regular person, but for an entrepreneur or business owner, no. I mean, completely the wrong adviser information that you should be, getting. And I started to see this more and more and, you know, how I look at it as a, you know, as an entrepreneur too.

MC Laubscher [00:34:11]:

It's like, there's a there's a huge problem here, like, massive problem, but that also provides a massive opportunity. We can create a business where we kinda bring all of this together, where we are in alignment, where the entrepreneur business owners' interests are aligned with the company that's serving them. So that was a big part to solve that, you know, that challenge. So then we started to, you know, then I started to get license and learn how to set this up and get all the, you know, the structure it correctly. And that that was a journey of, you know, another year for me of really deep diving, meeting with a ton of professionals, networking, learning from folks in family offices. And, you know, I I would just I would just cold call people and say, hey. Literal. You know, can I come in and see see you guys? I'm I I'm not looking for a job.

MC Laubscher [00:35:06]:

I just wanna learn if you guys, you know, if if you have a meeting or something. And there was actually a couple of people that that did sit sit down with me, which I'm very, very grateful for. But twelve months of that, and then we eventually started to to execute it and and set set these policies up ourselves. And then we also have the coaching aspect of, we're actually using this. We could show you how to use it, map out strategies, and now we, you know, now we're in a in a in a position to craft an entire multigenerational holistic wealth strategy for business owners and their and their families. But, yeah,

Glenn Harper [00:35:39]:

it's That's the producer's wealth company. Correct? That's correct. Yes. So an entrepreneur could give you a call and say, hey. Give me the secret to turn my liabilities into assets and help me set up and do what the wealthy do, not the rich, but the wealthy. You you have a process for that is what your business basically does.

MC Laubscher [00:36:01]:

That's what we do. We have a strategy called the Get Wealthy For Sure strategy, and it it really addresses the three biggest pain points of business owners. I mentioned I made a statement, and I like I like to usually give examples, to not leave people hanging, but I made a statement that most financial advice and information that business owners are getting is completely wrong for them. Good for the general population, terrible for business owners. They they should actually be doing the opposite. So what are some of those examples? Well, the first thing is, you know, when you start a business, you don't know if it's gonna fly or not, and you're all in. Look. Everything.

MC Laubscher [00:36:41]:

You're you're you're all in. You're this is long days, nights, blood, sweat, tears, cry crying, laughter, all those things. Then the business survives. And then you're like, oh, I'm not gonna go bankrupt. This is fantastic. And then you keep you keep your head down and keep building. At that stage, you look like a broke person on on a financial statement, right, if we have to be honest, because you're all in. Like, unless you come from a wealthy family or have a silver spoon in your mouth, for most of us, you're all in.

MC Laubscher [00:37:11]:

Nobody wants to talk to you. Financial advisers, CPAs, lawyers, you're not their ideal client. I I've I've been there. Then the business becomes profitable, and you really start to grow and scale it. And now you're generating cash in your business. Well, now you do have professionals that come into your life. So a financial adviser comes in and said, you know, you've done a fantastic job with your business. Let's diversify out of your business a little bit, and take some money out of your business and put it in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

MC Laubscher [00:37:43]:

So why is that terrible advice? Because now you're taking money from your business, and you're giving it to someone else losing control over that money. And what are they doing? They're investing in other people's businesses. They're providing liquidity and capital for Apple to grow Apple's business. I love Apple, but Apple doesn't need my money. My own business does. So that's the first mistake. And because you're now diversifying outside of your business, losing control of the money and investing in other people's businesses, it gets worse. Any business owner listening to this knows that there's different seasons of cash flow in a business.

MC Laubscher [00:38:24]:

You know, I talk about the four seasons of cash flow, summer being the highest revenue month, winter being the lowest revenue month. Summer, very, very easy to run a business, paying bills, payroll, expenses, investing in technology, hiring new employees. Very easy. Winter, not so much. The lowest months. Right? And then, of course, from your highest summer, you go into your fall, it slows down, and then you go into your winter. Well, what gets you into spring and then back into summer? You need money. You know, you need a new marketing campaign, maybe products or services.

MC Laubscher [00:39:02]:

Maybe you bring on a an just an a play player of an employee or you invest in AI technology. So in that cash flow management cycle, because you've diversified out of your business losing control over the capital, what do you do? Gotta go to banks. Any business owner that's listening to this, you're probably cringing right now. Mhmm. I am just saying this because when you walk into a bank, how does that feel? It sucks. It really sucks. Even if you come out there with a line of credit, I mean, it's basically a proctology exam every time you go in there. Right? So it sucks.

MC Laubscher [00:39:38]:

And then the third piece of it is, you know, the information that people are getting, especially the general public, is, this idea that there's always a better investment somewhere else than in your own business. You know? And I know your listeners are not average listeners. We're not happy with, like, hey. You could get an average of eight to 10% returns, you know, in the market. What's average? I don't want average health or an average marriage or average relationship with my kids or an average business. Why would I why would I want average returns? Plus, if you're doing it correctly, the returns that people can get in their own business you know, the ten years that we've been in business, I have not seen any return outside of their of someone's own business that could beat it. It's almost impossible if you do it correctly. So those are the three biggest things that I would say, like, that's the misinformation and the wrong advice.

MC Laubscher [00:40:31]:

So what are what are the some of the things that

Glenn Harper [00:40:34]:

the business owner should come up? Say two things that I've that I've noticed in my career when you do this is it's the craziest thing. You pay rent to somebody to hold your money. You gotta pay them rent to hold it. And then you when you walk into the bank, they never give you money when you need it. It's always available when you don't need it. When you really need it, they don't give it to you. And then the belief that you believed in yourself all those years to put the money into your business, do your thing, and all of a sudden you start, I don't believe in myself anymore. So over there, I believe that they're gonna do something better than me here.

Glenn Harper [00:41:06]:

So you you nailed the trifecta. That that is the the craziest thing that happens to every single business owner.

MC Laubscher [00:41:13]:

And the the shiny object syndrome. It gets worse. I mean, we're living in a world where, let's face it, collectively, we have the attention span of an act. And you see shiny objects everywhere. I mean, look at meme coins. They're all over the place. And, you know, I get the craziest questions from folks, and I go, are you should I be should I be investing in crypto right now? I'm like, you're you're making, like, a thousand to 2000% just in your business of these new products you're rolling out. Why would you even, like, look at a doggy coin? Like, that's just a distraction, plus you have control.

MC Laubscher [00:41:51]:

You understand your business. You know your business. You know your market. You know your your ideal clients. You know where they are. You know where to you have so much control over that. Now you wanna go go put it in a doggy coin? It's funny. It's wild.

Glenn Harper [00:42:04]:

I I swear everybody who's an entrepreneur has a little bit of a gambling gene in them, where they they gotta find the quick rich things. So you alright. Take, like, 3% and go play over there. And by the time we get back to next year, it's always zero, but they gotta go play. But you don't wanna put everything over there, which is the is the hardest thing to teach them the discipline of that.

MC Laubscher [00:42:25]:

Yeah. And and there are strategies of how to diversify diversify out of your business. Right? So I mentioned I mentioned the system that you can build. So, again, what if you had a system where you do take some capital out of your business? You build a family bank. Now it's in your net worth. You're moving some of the some of the liquidity out of your your business into your family bank, but it doesn't starve your business ever from capital or liquidity because you're just now the banker to your business. So instead of, you know, taking that money out of your business, handing it over to someone else, lose full control over it, and now you gotta go to beg banks, what if you put it in keep it in your own system, this banking system, put it in your family bank, and you now become the banker to the business. You can also you know, one of our one of our clients bought the real estate from which the business was running and operating from using the system.

MC Laubscher [00:43:22]:

They got the they got the money from the family bank, which they set up with this specifically designed insurance policies. That's where the money came from, the loan. The trust loaned the money to to them. They bought the real estate, and and now they own the real estate. They have the family bank and the business operating from the real estate. There was three other tenants paying rent. I mean, that now they own real estate business, and they have a family bank. So that's how you do it with more control and never starving your business.

MC Laubscher [00:43:53]:

You know, we call it the alignment capital strategy where your capital, all of your resources are aligned to drive you, the business owner. It's not spread across spread across, like, 10 or 15 different things. It's all in alignment.

Glenn Harper [00:44:07]:

I think that's the thing too. And I and, Julian, you love the question about the team and and and and how to do that. So, you know, it's, like, it's one thing as a business owner. You're trying to do on your journey, you're trying to be the master of everything and do it all yourself. But at some point, some point, you just you just can't do it. And the hardest part for an entrepreneur is either the pain is so much, you have to because the the the discomfort's there. Or if you just do it at the beginning and just invest in that, it it makes everything so much nicer. But as an entrepreneur, we just it's so hard for entrepreneurs to believe that you can hire somebody that's smarter than you, and it's not an expense.

Glenn Harper [00:44:47]:

It's it's not an expense. It is an actual investment, but it's so hard to do that. How how did you figure that out in your in your journey when you said, look, again, for you, it sounds like you invested a lot in yourself, but I think you did invest in other people at some point for your team. How did that come about?

MC Laubscher [00:45:04]:

That that's been, outside of my business and my family. My best investments have have been in my team and and my employees. You know, I remember, working with a a very good, CPA firm, tax strategy firm. And I remember when I got the invoice, you know, to sign up, and I looked at that, I'm like, alright. Let's let's let's do this because the pain was so bad. I mean, anybody that's paid a a ridiculous amount of taxes, you know, when you get nauseous, you you gotta do something. So, anyway, so I did that, and then I saw them reduce my taxes so much within the one year that there was a multiple of a return on that money. Let's just say, you know, let's just for a round number say $10,000 and somebody saves you, you know, a hundred and 50 to $200,000 because you paid them 10.

MC Laubscher [00:45:58]:

That is one of I mean, again, from an investment standpoint, you have a multiple on that return. That's not an expense. That's an investment. Your lawyers, by the way, the same thing. People can get very negative, especially in the business world on lawyers. Well, I could tell you, you know, if if and when there's there's somebody suing you as a business owner, which in America, great country, but you don't have to do anything wrong in this country to get sued at all. Yep. So that could happen at any given point in time.

MC Laubscher [00:46:27]:

I can tell you this. You're gonna look at that the money that you spend on your lawyers for just getting your corporate structure set up, your proper asset protection and estate planning, that was a that's an investment. That is not an expense. When that moment comes, you're like, man, that just saved me, I don't know how much. Probably a lot, 25% of what you have or 50% or even more. And then the same thing with, you know, with employees and just my my team and my and my and my businesses. I can't think of better investments. I mean, like, we we brought on three full time people, this year too, and, I mean, it's just been incredible.

MC Laubscher [00:47:04]:

It's already paid for itself. I mean, it's you know, we're three months into the year. So it's

Glenn Harper [00:47:10]:

That eternal optimism of an entrepreneur is is, is what keeps us going, and you definitely have it. And if as an entrepreneur, if you can't enjoy what you're doing and you're wigged out all the time and stressed, like, why are you even doing it? You gotta look every while and just be like, wow. This is amazing and and get the attitude that you have.

Julie Smith [00:47:29]:

Well, I feel like, Glenn's taken all the all the

Glenn Harper [00:47:33]:

Hard questions.

Julie Smith [00:47:33]:

Well, I don't know. You got to really you got to really drive today in this this interview. But I have two questions left for you, and I promise they're two of the hardest questions of of the whole hour. So the first question is, what is your superpower?

Glenn Harper [00:47:49]:

And don't say because you can speak 35 languages. That's not it.

Julie Smith [00:47:52]:

And 4,000 degrees.

MC Laubscher [00:47:55]:

I think storytelling. I think, you know, entrepreneurs and business owners that tell good stories, I I see that as a superpower. And, again, that's me growing up in South Africa sitting around the fire and listening to my grandfather tell stories. You know, it's an art form, and it's an art form that's been that's been lost. You know? So communicating to the marketplace and telling stories is is is great. I actually did take a course about storytelling years ago. We're talking about ten plus years ago.

Julie Smith [00:48:26]:

I mean, I'm not surprised.

MC Laubscher [00:48:28]:

People were making fun of me. No.

Glenn Harper [00:48:29]:

It's good.

MC Laubscher [00:48:30]:

I learned I learned so much, and, I mean, there's an art and a science to it. So, yeah, I mean, I I remember just in front instead of sitting in front of the TV, just sitting around the fire with my grandfather growing up, yeah. I mean, that that that learning from him, it's an art and it's a skill, and I would say that that's my superpower.

Glenn Harper [00:48:49]:

Like if I told the same story with you without your awesome accent, I don't think I'd get the attention of the crowd. I just I just know it.

Julie Smith [00:48:57]:

He's got a leg up on you.

Glenn Harper [00:48:58]:

Yep. I I'll never get to compete on that.

Julie Smith [00:49:00]:

So I have one more. I'm gonna add a question in the middle based on your answers. So bear with me here. Do you think your grandfather was a huge mentor to you? And, you know, maybe you didn't realize it then, but as you've gone through life, he really impacted you?

MC Laubscher [00:49:15]:

Yes.

Julie Smith [00:49:15]:

Because you haven't mentioned him the whole interview.

MC Laubscher [00:49:18]:

No. He I, yes. He was a very big mentor, and we spent a lot of time together. So he loved rugby too and loved sports. So, growing up, he was at every rugby game, every sports game, and he would always come and and and help. And, I grew up on a on a small holding, which is kinda like a homestead in South Africa. So he would he would always help out. So I would go and, you know, get some eggs from the chickens from him and, you know, do some stuff around, you know, the property.

Julie Smith [00:49:48]:

Awesome. So last question. Are you ready?

MC Laubscher [00:49:51]:

Yep.

Julie Smith [00:49:52]:

What is your endgame?

MC Laubscher [00:49:55]:

What is my endgame? Living and leaving a a legacy. You know? And that's why I'm I'm really focused, and my purpose is to help other business owners do that too because they build a legacy. I mean, they build a business rather, and we help them to build a legacy and then also live that legacy. If you have structure and structures and frameworks in place that provides, you know, the foundational kind of things, for your life and for your family and for your business, well, now you can really swing for the fences. So that's that's what I'm passionate about. So my endgame is, you know, living and leaving a legacy. I don't plan on ever selling my business. I build producers wealth for my for my family.

MC Laubscher [00:50:41]:

So it's a it's gonna be a it's a family, enterprise and for my children. So, yeah, so that's what gets me up and excited every day. They're still young, so I gotta I gotta crack it, you know, back on, you know, fifteen, twenty years until until they can take it over. But that's kind of my end game is to build this, to grow and scale it, and eventually have them come into the business and work and eventually, you know, take over the business.

Julie Smith [00:51:07]:

I mean, you hope that. Right? But for some reason, those children, they always got something else they're gonna do. But great answer because the true answer and the true entrepreneurial spirit is there is no end game. Why would you you're not gonna sit on the couch and eat popcorn. Right? You're gonna keep reading your book and finding different ways to serve.

Glenn Harper [00:51:26]:

You know too much. Why would you stop?

MC Laubscher [00:51:28]:

I would I would never stop. I don't know how people do stop, and that's the other

Glenn Harper [00:51:32]:

They die.

MC Laubscher [00:51:32]:

Financial misinformation. The the term retirement, I think we need to attack that.

Glenn Harper [00:51:38]:

Agree.

MC Laubscher [00:51:38]:

You know, to oh, I'm gonna put myself out of use. Retire.

Glenn Harper [00:51:42]:

That's That's when you know everything. You got all the wisdom at that point.

MC Laubscher [00:51:45]:

Yes. I mean, we we as a like, if you think about humans. Right? And and I I studied you we are a strange species, so I studied a lot of humans. But if you look at how humans are are just our societal structures were, is that you always had the elders that the older folks in their life, and they were the mentors. Mhmm. So they didn't go, yeah. I'm just gonna sit and drink pina coladas at a beach, and you guys are on your own. They're like, no.

MC Laubscher [00:52:13]:

They were they were there until they eventually left the spinning bowl of dirt, mentoring their children and their grandchildren, you know, and great grandchildren if they were blessed enough to have it. So, you know, I kind of I like that philosophy. So nobody retires. There's no there's no, beach with a pina colada every day. Three days of that, and you'll you would have had enough. It's over. Yeah. So, no, I agree with you.

MC Laubscher [00:52:37]:

There is no endgame. My, you know, my my whole thing is living and leaving a legacy, so, for my kids.

Glenn Harper [00:52:45]:

Well, that is that is a fantastic journey. I appreciate you taking the time. I know you're a busy guy and all that, but, I can't wait for our listeners to hear this. If this doesn't inspire them, nothing will. So I I appreciate you being on the show. You wanna give a quick plug to your how people can get ahold of you?

MC Laubscher [00:53:02]:

Yeah. Thank you so much. It's been a lot of fun. Producerswealth.com is where our company is. But for your, guest too, we put a page together. And we're actually I've got a best selling book out called Get Wealthy for Sure, the number one financial strategy for business owners to multiply the wealth predictably. So we packed that with a ton of, information and strategy, for them. But, anyway, there's a there's an offer a year for them, a free paperback book.

MC Laubscher [00:53:30]:

Just pay for shipping and handling. And the page that they can go to is producerswealth.com/empowering. That's producerswealth.com/empowering. And what they'll find on that page is, a ton of resources, including the book. You can request, the paperback copy of the book there. We also have a ton of webinars where we share best practices and case studies if people are interested to explore some of the strategies. And then there's also a link on that page if, folks wanna reach out and schedule a call with myself and my team just to explore, strategies for themselves and their families.

Glenn Harper [00:54:08]:

Well, that is the coolest thing ever.

Julie Smith [00:54:10]:

Thank you so much for doing that. Sure we add that to the show notes and make sure to promote that as well.

Glenn Harper [00:54:14]:

Well, I appreciate it. Enjoy Philly, and, stay out of trouble, and, keep keep doing the pitch. It's all good.

MC Laubscher [00:54:20]:

Awesome.

Glenn Harper [00:54:21]:

Well, there's another great interview, and what a great time that was. This is, Glenn Harper.

Julie Smith [00:54:26]:

Julie Smith.

Glenn Harper [00:54:27]:

Thank you.