Digital Social Hour: “Investing Secrets That Could Make You $18 Million From $100k”

Guest: Weston Smith
Host: Sean Kelly
Episode: #1626
Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly sits down with Weston Smith, an Iowa-based entrepreneur, military veteran, and the founder of Fortis, to reveal unconventional investing strategies, deep financial insights, and the mindset required to turn $100,000 into $18 million over 10 years. The discussion ranges from military service and personal values to life insurance hacks, alternative asset investing, the American tax code, and thought-provoking takes on religion, proximity, and wealth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Compound Investing & Alternative Assets

• Weston’s Investing Math:

  • Smith opens the episode by walking through the math of compounding at 60% annual returns:

    “If you invest 100k, after 10 years you'll have about $18 million.” – Weston Smith [00:00]

  • He notes this math excludes inflation and taxes but demonstrates the potential of high-return alternative opportunities.

• Alternative Assets (Beyond Stocks):

  • Smith explains his transition from life insurance sales to exploring investments in venture capital, private equity, colored diamonds, gold, and silver.
  • He’s critical of traditional vehicles like term life insurance and standard 401(k)s, advocating for products structured with tax-advantaged growth.

• On Stocks vs. Private Investments:

  • “You're not gonna find a stock that's like that [5% a month].” – Weston Smith [37:07]
  • He argues that private equity and venture capital can provide predictable, “unheard-of” yields when compared to public markets.

• Practical Examples:

  • Loans against home equity, leveraging zero-percent business credit cards, and using whole life insurance as a banking instrument (the “infinite banking” concept).
  • “Anybody that has money just sitting, that's like my prime target. I can go get them massive amounts of passive cash flow for the rest of their life.” – Weston Smith [18:12]

2. The Life Insurance Industry & Financial ‘Hacks’

• Whole Life vs. Term Life:

  • Smith is adamant that whole life insurance is preferable due to payout rates and tax advantages:

    “Only 7% [of term policies] actually pay out … I would always get a whole life as soon as you can, because you're locked in at that price.” – Weston Smith [06:03–06:19]

  • Critiques agents who oversell coverage for extra commissions; encourages transparency from clients.

• Insider Tax Knowledge:

  • Many CPAs and accountants overlook significant strategies:

    “Nobody reads the tax code. CPAs usually don't even know about this either, dude.” – Weston Smith [06:36]

  • He discusses little-known loopholes – like using trusts and religious designations to minimize taxes.

• Building Wealth via Policy Structure:

  • Details how agents' incentives can misalign with client interests, emphasizing the importance of understanding fee and commission structures.

3. Entrepreneurship, Mindset, and Networking

• Veteran to Entrepreneur:

  • Smith shares his journey from Army National Guard to early Covid layoffs, and how he pivoted into sales through TikTok outreach.

• Success & Manifestation:

  • Both Sean and Weston credit expecting success and manifesting opportunities:

    “Luck can actually be made … it increases 15 if you expect it.” – Weston Smith [10:59]
    “Right time, right place, right energy, right people. So everything will happen if you expect it to be.” – Weston Smith [11:48]

• Proximity and Environment:

  • Living in a hub of influential or wealthy individuals multiplies opportunities (“Power comes from proximity.” [10:00])
  • Partnership is essential:

    “Nobody gets anywhere alone.” – Sean Kelly [10:32]

• Active vs. Passive Income:

  • While Smith champions passive cash flow, both agree that active pursuits provide meaning and structure.

• Overcoming Struggle:

  • The hardest milestone was the first $100K:

    “First 100k is always the hardest. It is exactly like they said. The first 100k will be a battle, and then everything after that … it's much easier to compound.” – Weston Smith [26:52]

4. Tax Systems, Wealth Inequality, and Legal Loopholes

• Tax Avoidance by the Wealthy:

  • Details how strategic use of trusts and business structures allow high-earners and even churches to avoid taxes:

    “Anybody, I don't care if you're making a billion dollars a year, you can pay zero in taxes. … There is a trust in the United States where you can defer taxes indefinitely.” – Weston Smith [20:48]

  • Shines a light on “religious” entities (e.g., Hell's Angels) adopting tax-exempt status.

• Property & Cemetery Loopholes:

  • Discusses obscure tricks (e.g., declaring property a cemetery to avoid taxes) [14:42].

• Concern for Ordinary Americans:

  • Stoic about U.S. wealth inequality and the fact that 70%+ have less than $1,000 in savings [16:49].
  • “Again, in supposedly the richest country in the world.” (16:53)

5. Controversies: Religion, Society, and the Meaning of Wealth

• On Organized Religion:

  • Views religion as a business, citing his own shunning by a church after a failed business deal:

    “The church is a company and I'll probably never set foot in another church.” – Weston Smith [44:26]

  • Discusses hypocrisy and business interests within non-denominational and Catholic settings.

• Faith, Numerology, and Metaphysics:

  • Describes moving from a strict Catholic upbringing to a broader spiritual understanding that incorporates numerology and manifestation.
  • Shout-out to Gary the Numbers Guy and numerological principles for success and compatibility [51:32–53:05].

• Philosophical Take on The Bible:

  • Questions literal interpretations – such as biblical age restrictions – using historical counter-examples:

    “I know for a fact everything in the Bible is not true … the oldest person in recent history has been 122 years old. … There was a guy who lived to be 256 years old.” – Weston Smith [47:27–48:27]

6. Practical Money Tactics and Wealth Building Shortcuts

• Credit Card Leverage:
  • Explains leveraging multiple $0 APR cards per LLC to finance investments with “free money”:

    “That's, that's again, companies that I partner with, they offer business and personal 0% interest cards. That is truly free money.” – Weston Smith [42:22]

• Loans Against Assets:
  • Recommends pulling equity from homes or using life insurance as collateral for expansion and investment.
• Alternative Real Estate:
  • Mentions investment opportunities in Bali bungalows and luxury properties drawing high returns [43:37].

7. Hot Takes and Memorable Moments

• Passive vs. Active Income:

  “Passive income is … taking care of the physical needs. And active takes care of like the mental needs of needing to do something, Needing to feel important in some way.” – Weston Smith [19:07]

• On Mainstream Investing:

  "If you think you're gonna get to something that rarely ever happens, acting like everybody else, it's not going to happen." – Weston Smith quoting Hormozi [28:18]

• Wealth is Common:

  “My whole goal with Fortis is to make wealth common. That's like my motto.” – Weston Smith [08:43]

• On Financial Industry Gatekeepers:

  “If you're just having a CPA that calls you once a year... they're not going to do anything for you.” – Weston Smith [07:30]

• On Financial System Frustrations:

  “The banking industry, financial industry, there's some definitely shiesty things going on.” – Weston Smith [26:45]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:00–00:39] — How $100k turns into $18 million with 60% returns
• [01:12–03:21] — Weston’s upbringing, military background, family history
• [05:03–06:36] — Life insurance industry, whole vs. term life, industry hacks
• [10:00–11:48] — Power of proximity, creating “luck” through expectation
• [14:42–16:53] — Tax code loopholes, cemetery & religious exemptions, America’s hidden debts
• [18:12–19:31] — Active vs. passive income and the psychological need for contributing
• [22:59–24:46] — Life insurance agent fees, commissions, and transparency for consumers
• [26:52–28:30] — The struggle to $100k, entrepreneurship, resilience, and outlier thinking
• [34:27–35:46] — Gun ownership, open carry laws, and the trouble with extremes
• [37:04–41:14] — Private equity/VC vs. stocks, how high-yield products work, rolling over 401(k)s
• [41:19–43:36] — Using credit, business hacks, leveraging multiple LLCs, shelf corps
• [44:26–50:35] — Critique of organized religion, personal experiences, philosophical doubts
• [51:32–53:05] — Numerology, success rituals, and compatibility

Notable Quotes

• On Wealth:

  “It can be [common], if we just have the right knowledge.” – Weston Smith [08:43]

• On Tax Loopholes:

  “Anybody, I don't care if you're making a billion dollars a year, you can pay zero in taxes.” – Weston Smith [20:48]

• On Proximity:

  “Power comes from proximity.” – Sean Kelly quoting Bedros Coolian [10:00]

• On Passive Income:

  “I mean, that's where we all want to be... But we still need to feel productive, wanted, needed.” – Weston Smith [18:59]

• On Religious Disillusionment:

  “The church is a company and I'll probably never set foot in another church.” – Weston Smith [44:26]

• On Thinking Independently:

  “You have to look at what the crowd's doing and do the opposite.” – Weston Smith [28:24]

Conclusion

This episode delivers a wealth of unconventional financial strategies and candid opinions on wealth creation, taxes, and the societal systems that shape them. Weston Smith provides practical, actionable advice for those looking to build wealth outside the mainstream, while challenging listeners to reconsider their beliefs about money, religion, and success.
Connect with Weston:

• IG/TikTok: @alt.investments.by.wes
• Website: fortisbywest.com

Listen to this if you want:

• Alternative paths to wealth that most financial advisors don’t discuss
• Honest takes on religion, taxes, and the reality of American finance
• Mindset tools that separate the top 1% from the rest

“My whole goal with Fortis is to make wealth common ... it should be in the land of the free.” – Weston Smith [08:43]