Most trades entrepreneurs we meet didn’t start their company thinking about ‘seven steps of wealth’, acquisitions or big exits.

They wanted to do great work, take care of their people, and make a living doing something they were proud of.

But as the business grows, so do the stakes. At first, everything depends on that single engine: if the business thrives, you thrive. 

But if it slows down, everything else slows down too.

How to get out of that cycle isn’t always clear. The advice you often find at this stage of life and business is generic, with advisors pushing financial products as a solve-all savings solution. 

But you don’t feel like one of a million a product will help. The business you’ve poured yourself into is one in a million. 

So we decided to do something about this bad-fit advice we’re seeing. And this newsletter is part of it. What we’ve built through BuiltWealth™ is a way to help business owners climb their “wealth ladder” at their preferred pace on their terms, to reach their goals. Helping them move from being “all-in” on the business to creating wealth, security, and legacy beyond it over time.

Let’s take a look at the climb:

The BuiltWealth Ladder 

Step 1: All-In on the Business
Everything rides on one engine: the business. You’re building, grinding, and making it work.

Step 2: Turning Profit Into Progress
The business is producing profit, and now it’s time to start building wealth outside of it.

Step 3: Building a Backstop
You’ve got momentum, but things still feel scattered. This is where we start tying it all together.

Step 4: Getting My House in Order
You’re planning ahead. Maybe it’s a sale, maybe the family takes over. Either way, you want control.

Step 5: Big Transition, Big Decisions
You’ve stepped back. Life looks different now, and every decision feels big. Taxes, family, purpose.

Step 6: Freedom With a New Focus
The business no longer defines you. Now your money supports your lifestyle, not the other way around.

Step 7: Leaving Something That Lasts
It’s about legacy. Making sure what you built supports the people and causes that matter most.

 

Life Happens on the Ladder

That feeling of “business grows I grow, but if business slows I slow”, that’s Step 1 in the BuiltWealth™ 7 Steps, and it’s where every great story begins.

As profits start to build, Step 2 is about turning that success into progress: setting up systems that pull money out of the business and put it to work for you.

By Step 3, most of our clients realize they’ve got good pieces in place, like investments, insurance, estate plans, but nothing’s really connected. This is where we come in to organize, protect, and unify everything so the whole plan works together.

Then comes Step 4 and Step 5, where you start thinking about the next chapter. Not just the business, but your life beyond the business. Maybe you’ll sell. Maybe your kids will take over. Either way, we help make sure you’re building the future you want, and that you’re financially and emotionally ready for whatever comes next.

And for those who’ve already made that leap, Steps 6 and 7 are all about freedom and legacy. Freedom to spend your time how you want. Legacy to make sure what you’ve built continues to do good long after you’re done building.

 

Moving Up the Ladder 

Most entrepreneurs in the trades meet us between Steps 2 and 3, when the business is profitable but the complexity is starting to build, too.

That’s the perfect time to start climbing.

Because once you’ve built something valuable, the next step isn’t working harder, it’s making sure it all works together.

 

Let Us Ask You This

We ask every entrepreneur we meet: where do you see yourself on the ladder? 

And we follow up with: which step on the Ladder feels like where you want to be in the next two to three years?

Because once you see where you are on the Ladder, the next step gets a whole lot clearer. And we’re here to help you take it, at your pace, in your way.

And if you aren’t quite sure after reading this, consider: if everything you’ve built could work together instead of in pieces, what would that change for your life?

 

What’s Next?

If you’re not ready to talk but want to keep learning, you can stick with us by subscribing to the weekly BuiltWealth™ Ladder Newsletter here!

 

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HFM Investment Advisors, LLC is a registered investment adviser. All statements and opinions expressed are based upon information considered reliable although it should not be relied upon as such. Any statements or opinions are subject to change without notice. Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. All investments involve risk and are not guaranteed. Information expressed does not take into account your specific situation or objectives and is not intended as a recommendation appropriate for any individual. Listeners are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified tax, legal, or investment advisor to determine whether any information presented may be suitable for their specific situation. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.