Buckle up as Jake McClure flies solo—Jeff’s off enjoying the mountains, while Jake dives headfirst into the murky waters of national debt, trade deficits, and the difference between good and bad borrowing (spoiler: financing a yacht with a credit card is still a no). With a wry sense of humor and a dash of Shakespeare, Jake unpacks why balance of trade isn’t necessarily bad, how infrastructure spending might actually be the grown-up in the room, and why the U.S. is spending more on interest payments than defense.

From Adam Smith to awkwardly named legislation (“Inflation Protection Act,” anyone?), this episode unpacks decades of fiscal habits with clarity and candor. If you’ve ever wondered whether government borrowing is more like investing in bridges or just bingeing on late-night infomercials, this one's for you. Also: drones, Roth strategies, and why bipartisan budget logic might just be the unicorn of economics.

This episode was recorded on July 11th, 2025.

If you would like to contact us, please send an email to us at Jeff@tpwc.com or Jake@tpwc.com. We are happy to address any of your questions about Economics and Finance.

If you are ready and would like to book an appointment either in office or over the phone, you can also send a message to us through the contact form on our website TPWC.com.

** The information provided in this episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. We are “The Personal Wealth Coach,” which is also the name of an SEC-registered investment advisory firm. However, being registered with the SEC does not authorize us to provide investment advice. Investment advice should be personalized, offered in a private setting, and be in the best interests of the individual as a fiduciary. If we make any fraudulent statements, you should report them to the SEC. The information presented in this educational episode has been obtained from sources that we deem to be reliable, but we make no warranty or guarantee as to the completeness or accuracy of said information.

This week on The Personal Wealth Coach, Jake takes a deep dive into the mysterious, sometimes maddening world of artificial intelligence—from its noisy origins in 1950s sound-cancellation algorithms to modern-day machine learning missteps (like inventing Venmo accounts and promising deliveries in blazers). Along the way, you'll get a quick market update, a nod to the elusive “Big Beautiful Bill Act,” and a crash course on how AI really thinks—or rather, mimics thinking.

With humor, history, and a healthy dose of skepticism, Jake demystifies AI’s not-so-generative answers, explains why your phone’s text predictions might be smarter than your investment chatbot, and reveals why scuttled German warships are vital to clean scientific research. If you've ever wondered whether AI is the future or just confidently wrong, this episode is for you.

This episode was recorded on July 3rd, 2025.

If you would like to contact us, please send an email to us at Jeff@tpwc.com or Jake@tpwc.com. We are happy to address any of your questions about Economics and Finance.

If you are ready and would like to book an appointment either in office or over the phone, you can also send a message to us through the contact form on our website TPWC.com.

** The information provided in this episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. We are “The Personal Wealth Coach,” which is also the name of an SEC-registered investment advisory firm. However, being registered with the SEC does not authorize us to provide investment advice. Investment advice should be personalized, offered in a private setting, and be in the best interests of the individual as a fiduciary. If we make any fraudulent statements, you should report them to the SEC. The information presented in this educational episode has been obtained from sources that we deem to be reliable, but we make no warranty or guarantee as to the completeness or accuracy of said information.

Jake flies solo this week while Jeff escapes the Texas heat, but that doesn’t stop the markets—or the commentary—from heating up. The S&P 500 hit new all-time highs despite a cascade of bad news, including shrinking GDP, falling consumer spending, and a housing market in a 2008-style funk. Jake untangles this economic knot with his usual mix of insight and dry wit.

Also on deck: the mysterious “Rio Reset,” BRICS nations plotting dollar workarounds, and why gold might be the new global handshake. Plus, a reminder that recessions, like exhaling, aren’t the end of the world—just part of the cycle.

Along the way, Jake explores why confidence matters more than numbers, how the bond market seems to be ignoring the Fed, and why housing data may be the canary in the coal mine. This episode is part education, part economic therapy, and 100% The Personal Wealth Coach.

This episode was recorded on June 27th, 2025.

If you would like to contact us, please send an email to us at Jeff@tpwc.com or Jake@tpwc.com. We are happy to address any of your questions about Economics and Finance.

If you are ready and would like to book an appointment either in office or over the phone, you can also send a message to us through the contact form on our website TPWC.com.

** The information provided in this episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. We are “The Personal Wealth Coach,” which is also the name of an SEC-registered investment advisory firm. However, being registered with the SEC does not authorize us to provide investment advice. Investment advice should be personalized, offered in a private setting, and be in the best interests of the individual as a fiduciary. If we make any fraudulent statements, you should report them to the SEC. The information presented in this educational episode has been obtained from sources that we deem to be reliable, but we make no warranty or guarantee as to the completeness or accuracy of said information.