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Ryan Sullivan, PE - Financial & Business Planner, Bozeman, MT (2026)

06/03/2026

A firm owner client had revenue bouncing between $10,000-40,000/month.

Some months felt great.

Other months she couldn't even pay herself.

That variability was causing significant stress.

Not just because of the money but because it makes everything harder:

⚠️ Hiring
⚠️ Paying herself
⚠️ Planning ahead
⚠️ Saving for taxes
⚠️ Investing personally
⚠️ Making confidence business decisions

When revenue is unpredictable, the entire business feels unstable.

And when the business feels unstable, the owner carries all of that stress.

So we focused on one big thing:

Creating more consistent predictable revenue.

Within 6-months she built over $75,000/month in recurring predictable revenue with additional project based revenue layered on top.

That changes everything.

From someone who was living off credit cards and racking up debt;

To someone that has tens of thousands of dollars a month of extra cash every month to do whatever she wants with.

Not to mention the stability of it.

🚨 Life changing 🚨

More firm owners think they just need more revenue.

Sometimes they do.

But often, what they really need is better revenue.

🔥 More predictable.
🔥 More repeatable.
🔥 More aligned with the business and life they are trying to build.

The goal isn't just to make more money.

It's to make the business feel less chaotic while building something that actually supports your freedom.

06/02/2026

I hear some version of this on a lot of prospect calls:
“You hit the nail on the head.”
“You just described my situation perfectly.”
“That’s exactly what I’ve been struggling with.”

That’s not an accident.

And it’s not because I’m psychic (although that would be cool).

It’s because I’ve had the same conversation with a lot of architecture and engineering firm owners.

The details are different.

But the pattern is the same.

⚠️ They’re making decent money, but not building enough personal wealth
⚠️ The business is growing, but it still depends heavily on them
⚠️ Cash flow is inconsistent
⚠️ They want more freedom, but don’t have a clear path to step back, scale, or eventually exit

After you hear the same problem enough times, you start to understand the person before they even finish explaining it.

That’s what creates trust.

And I think this is where a lot of A/E firms miss the mark with their own clients.

They say things like:
🤮 “We provide thoughtful design”
🤮 “We’re collaborative”
🤮 “We deliver high-quality work”

So does everyone else.

The real question is:
Do your clients feel like you understand them?

Do they say:
💡 “You get it”
💡 “That’s exactly what we need”
💡 “You understand what we’re trying to build”

Because if they don’t, you’re probably still talking too much about your services and not enough about their world.

Your best marketing does not come from sounding impressive.

It comes from making your ideal client feel understood.

That’s when you stop being one of many options.

And start becoming the only choice.

06/01/2026

The firm owners I worry about most are not the ones who are struggling.

They know they have problems.

The ones I worry about are the successful firm owners who assume everything will work itself out.

✅ Revenue is good
✅ Clients keep coming
✅ The team is solid
✅ The business is profitable
✅ Retirement accounts have grown

Everything looks fine.

But beneath the surface, there may be no real plan.

❌ No clear retirement strategy
❌ No business valuation
❌ No successor
❌ No transition timeline
❌ No answer to the question: “What happens when I want to slow down?”

This is the trap.

Success creates comfort.
Comfort creates delay.
Delay slowly removes options.

And by the time the owner is finally ready to step back, they may realize the business still depends too much on them.

⚠️ The key employee does not want ownership
⚠️ The firm is harder to sell than expected
⚠️ The firm is not positioned for maximum valuation
⚠️ The investment strategy is disconnected from the business plan

The owner has built a successful firm… but not yet a freedom plan.

That is the difference.

A successful firm can create income.
A freedom plan creates options.

✅ Options to slow down
✅Options to sell
✅Options to transition internally
✅Options to keep working because you want to, not because everything falls apart without you

This is exactly why I created the No Limits Blueprint.

To help architecture and engineering firm owners connect their business, personal wealth, investments, taxes, systems, and succession plan into one clear path forward.

Because a successful firm is not the same thing as a freedom plan.

If you are 5 to 10 years from wanting to step back from your firm, comment below or message me “Freedom” and I’ll send you the Firm Owner 5-Pillars Assessment.

05/21/2026

Your thoughts, become your words,
Your words, become your actions,
Your actions, become your habits,
Your habits, become your character,
Your character, becomes your destiny.

I’ve always liked this quote because it highlights something most people miss:

Your life is not built through massive moments.
It’s built through repeated patterns.

The way you think.
The way you spend money.
The way you handle stress.
The way you show up every day.

That all compounds.

Eventually, it becomes your life.

Most people want a different outcome while repeating the same habits.

But freedom doesn’t happen accidentally.

Neither does financial success.
Neither does a great business.
Neither does a great marriage.
Neither does great health.

Those things are built slowly.

Repeatedly.

Intentionally.

That’s why systems matter so much.

Because eventually your systems become your reality.

05/20/2026

A lot of investors think the only way to outperform is by taking more risk.

I don’t believe that.

I believe the real key is managing risk better.

That’s been the philosophy behind my Dynamic Investing strategy:
✅ Participate aggressively when conditions are favorable
✅ Protect capital when conditions deteriorate
✅ Focus on long-term compounding, not just raw returns

April was another strong month delivering 8.5% growth to put us up ~17% on the year through the end of April (after fees).

In early April, as geopolitical fears and market uncertainty peaked, I gradually increased exposure to higher risk areas of the market as conditions improved and fear began fading.

More recently, after a strong run in certain sectors, I’ve started reducing exposure and raising cash again as risk and momentum became more extended.

That’s the entire point of a dynamic strategy.

Not predicting every move perfectly.
Not reacting emotionally.

But adapting as conditions change.

Because investing isn’t just about maximizing returns.

It’s about creating a strategy you can actually stick with through different market environments.

Less time digging out of deep holes.
Less reliance on “just wait it out.”

More focus on adapting to what the market is actually doing.

Most portfolios are static.

Mine isn’t.

Disclaimer: Performance figures mentioned are based on a representative client portfolio net of a 1% management fee and is shown for illustrative purposes only. Individual client results may vary. Past performance is not indicative of future results. This is not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. All investing carries risk.

05/19/2026

Most architecture and engineering firm owners I talk to aren't interested in “retiring.”

At least not in the traditional sense.

They are not dreaming about selling their business, disappearing forever, and spending the rest of their life doing nothing.

They still care about the work.
They still care about their clients.
They still care about the firm they built.

But they are starting to wonder:

"How long can I keep doing this at this pace?"

❓Could I slow down without the business falling apart?
❓Could I take more time off without my income dropping dramatically?
❓Could I stop being involved in every major decision?
❓Could I transition ownership someday?
❓Could I keep working because I want to, not because I have to?

That is not really a retirement question.

It is an optionality question.

For architecture and engineering firm owners, retirement is often too narrow of a goal.

The real goal is building enough wealth, profit, systems, leadership, and transition options that you have the freedom to choose
what comes next.

Maybe that means selling.
Maybe it means stepping back.
Maybe it means mentoring the next generation.
Maybe it means working three days a week.
Maybe it means taking summers off.
Maybe it means fully retiring.

Or maybe it simply means knowing you could, even if you choose not to.

I put together a short guide called: "Retirement Is the Wrong Goal"

It is a retirement guide for firm owners who do not really want to retire.

If you own an architecture or engineering firm and are starting to think about the next phase, comment “Options” and I’ll send it over.

05/18/2026

I just made a big portfolio change.

Not because I’m bearish.

And not because I think the world is ending.

Actually… I’m still fairly optimistic about the market over the remainder of the year.

But some areas of the market have gotten very hot.

Semiconductors.
Big tech.
Certain momentum trades.

Things were starting to feel a little stretched.

And when markets get extended after a strong run, risk changes.

That doesn’t mean you panic.

It means you pay attention.

So after a strong year, I decided to take some chips off the table, raise some cash, and clear the book a bit.

Not because I “know” what happens next.

I don’t.

Nobody does.

But good investing isn’t about predicting every move perfectly.

It’s about managing risk, protecting gains, and positioning yourself so you can take advantage of the next opportunity when it comes.

Sometimes the right move is pressing aggressively.
Sometimes the right move is stepping back and reassessing.

That’s the difference between reacting emotionally and having a process.

Most portfolios are static.

Mine isn’t.

Disclaimer: Not investment advice. Information provided for educational purposes only, my view is subject to change, and is not an indication to buy or sell any security. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

05/15/2026

“Stay invested.”

“Be patient.”

That is what the financial industry wants you to do by investing in the S&P 500 or a simple index portfolio all while charging you annual fees for doing very little.

That isn’t a strategy.

So I built a different approach.

Dynamic investing.

Instead of building portfolios based only on your personal risk tolerance…

I focus on market risk.

When risk is high → we adjust

When opportunity is strong → we lean in

Not all in.
Not all out.

Because long term returns matter…but when you take risk matters even more.

If you want to learn more, comment or message me “dynamic” and I’ll send you the guide.

Not investment advice. Information provided for general education only.

05/13/2026

You built your firm.

Now what?

That is the question a lot of architecture and engineering firm owners start asking in their 50s and 60s.

The business is not failing.
Actually, it is doing quite well.

✅ Revenue is solid
✅ The team is capable
✅ Clients keep coming
✅ The retirement accounts have grown

But the questions change:
❓ Can I slow down?
❓ What is the firm worth?
❓ Who takes over?
❓ Can the business run without me?
❓ Do I have enough to retire?
❓ What happens if something happens to me?

This is where successful firm owners get stuck.

They do not need generic retirement planning.

They do not just need business coaching.

They need both sides connected.

Because your business drives your wealth.

And your wealth should create options.

That is why I created the No Limits Blueprint.

It helps architecture and engineering firm owners unlock freedom and flexibility through 5 key pillars:
👁️ Vision
💰 Wealth
💸 Profit
💻 Systems
🏖️ Options

So the business you built can become the freedom you wanted in the first place.

The goal is not to retire tomorrow.

The goal is to have the option:

✅ To keep working because you want to.
✅ To slow down without fear.
✅ To protect your spouse, family, team, and legacy.
✅ To choose what comes next.

You spent decades building your firm.

Now it is time to design the next phase.

If you are thinking about what comes next, message me "No Limits" and I will send you the one page "5-Pillars Assessment" so you can see where you stand.

05/12/2026

Most people think there are only two ways to access money:

Earn it.
Or sell something.

But there’s a third option that wealthy people understand very well:
Borrowing against assets.

Here’s a simple example.

Imagine you have a taxable brokerage account worth $500,000 with:
• $75,000 of short-term gains
• $75,000 of long-term gains
• $150,000 of total unrealized gains

Now let’s say you need $100,000.

Option 1: Sell investments.

If you sell a proportional amount of the account, you trigger taxes.

Assuming a 25% short-term tax rate and a 15% long-term tax rate, the tax drag could be thousands of dollars.

That money is gone.

Option 2: Borrow against the account.

Let’s say you use a securities-backed line of credit at 6.8%.

Your interest cost on $100,000 is:

$6,800 per year

Now the question becomes:

Can the assets you did not sell earn more than the cost of the loan?

At first glance, the hurdle is 6.8%.

But because selling would have created taxes, the real mathematical hurdle is slightly lower.

The avoided tax reduces the return the portfolio needs to earn in order for borrowing to come out ahead.

That is the power of borrowing against assets:

• Investments keep working
• Avoid selling at the wrong time
• Defer taxes
• Preserve flexibility
• Access liquidity without disrupting your plan

But this is not free money, the interest cost is guaranteed.

The investment return is not.

And if the account drops enough, you may be forced to add cash or sell assets at a bad time.

In my mind, the math usually comes down to this:

If the loan costs 6.8%, I want the portfolio to have a realistic expected return closer to 8-9% to justify the risk.

Because certainty deserves a premium.

The loan cost is certain.
The investment return is uncertain.

That spread matters.

Used poorly, borrowing against assets can create risk.
Used strategically, it can create flexibility.

And flexibility is one of the most underrated forms of wealth.

Not financial advice. Information provided for education only.

Ryan Sullivan, PE - Financial & Business Planner

06/03/2026

06/02/2026

06/01/2026

05/21/2026

05/20/2026

05/19/2026

05/18/2026

05/15/2026

05/13/2026

05/12/2026

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