One of my favorite conversations this month came from a small business owner—let’s call him Mark. He runs a tight ship with a solid team and a strong sense of responsibility over what he’s built.

After placing his first online gold order, he called me and said,
“Becca, I don’t have a fancy portfolio or a big retirement plan, but I do have some extra money sitting in the business… and I’d rather it not disappear with inflation. I just need to understand how this all works if I need to get to it quickly.”

That’s the kind of question I love getting. Because it opens the door to a real strategy—not just a sale.

So we walked through the basics: metals held in storage can typically be liquidated and wired out in 3–4 business days. Pretty darn accessible, all things considered. And if someone wants to hold them personally? Absolutely—they can. It just takes a few extra days to ship them into the vault.

Then I asked a question that changed everything:
“How long has that money been sitting in your business account?”

Mark paused. “Honestly… some of it’s been sitting there for years.”

And there it was.

A lot of business owners keep 6 months, a year—even several years—of reserves just sitting in the bank. It feels safe. But here’s the reality: cash loses purchasing power every single year.

You might still have $100,000 in your business account five years from now… but it won’t buy anywhere near what it does today. That’s inflation. Quiet. Constant. And corrosive.

So Mark decided to take action. We set up a plan that let him keep access to liquidity while moving a portion into gold and silver—something real, something that doesn’t rely on the health of the banking system or the next rate hike or political headline.

But here’s where it got even better:

Mark started looking into how to allow his employees to allocate a portion of their 401(k)s into a gold-backed IRA. This isn’t something every plan allows out of the gate, but with a little guidance and the right self-directed structure, it’s totally doable. He wants his team to have the same protection and long-term stability he’s building for himself. That’s leadership.

And just last week? A financial advisor I work with opened a SEP IRA to start his own personal metals portfolio. Yes—a financial professional who helps others manage money decided he needed physical gold in his corner. That tells you something.

This is the kind of work I love. Not just filling orders—but helping good people build intentional, lasting strategies with their wealth. Whether you’re running payroll, planning retirement, or trying to steward what you’ve built, there’s a way gold and silver can play a role.

Have questions? Thinking about how this might fit into your business or retirement planning?
I’m just an email or phone call away—and I’d love to help.

Here’s to asking good questions, learning something new, and keeping your financial footing solid no matter what surprises the world has in store. Have a question for a future Ask Becca? Send it my way at info@stjosephpartners.com—I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time, Becca

Past performance is not indicative of future results.