A Father’s Inspiration

Finding the right coach to achieve success is extremely important. Mark Guttenberg understands this from the perspective of both student and coach. It was Guttenberg’s father who first inspired him to play golf. When he was ten years old, his father had weekly golf dates and would sometimes let Guttenberg come along and caddy. When one of his father’s fellow players noticed that Guttenberg had a natural swing, he told his father that he should let the boy take lessons. “And that’s where it all started,” says Guttenberg. “I started playing golf at the age of ten and knew right away I was going to be a golf pro.”

His father further increased Guttenberg’s determination when he took him to the US Open at Congressional Country Club, where he saw Arnold Palmer on the putting green. “He had this knock-kneed putting stance, and this really charismatic way about him, and when I saw that, I just knew I (had to) do this one day,” Guttenberg says. So he did. After he accomplished his dream of competing in the PGA Tour, Guttenberg decided to give back and pass on what he had learned by becoming a golf coach.

Giving Back Through Coaching

Guttenberg was a head pro at a golf club where he started to become more involved in teaching. However, when that club bought more houses and took away from the driving range, Guttenberg decided to leave. An acquaintance who had nine golf courses that he wanted teachers for called Guttenberg up and offered him 60,000 customers and a facility where he could teach them. Guttenberg jumped at the opportunity. “I become enamored by the aspect of teaching, the idea that people could come to me to talk about something I love so dearly, pay me money to make them better at what they could do,” says Guttenberg. “I couldn’t believe that I could make a living at that.” The gratification he gets when he sees a student leave with a smile is heartwarming.

A Torch Passed Down by His Own Coach

Guttenberg had had a coach of his own who made him feel like Superman. Now he wants to make his own students feel the same way, passing down the passion from generation to generation through coaching. “(He made me feel) like I could really achieve my dreams, and I try to instill in my students that they can do what they want to do,” he says. “I try to give back like he gave to me.”

Finding the Right Coach For Your Child

Parents seeking a coach for their child have to trust that the coach has the child’s best interests at heart. They also need a good relationship and rapport. “If you and the parents and the kids aren’t on the same page, nobody’s going to win,” says Guttenberg. Although a coach needs to know how to play the game, there’s more to it. “A great coach has to know more than the mechanics of a golf swing,” he says. “You have to be able to motivate your students. You have to be able to empower them and believe in them no matter what.” There will be good days and bad days, and a coach has to know how to get the child up and keep them going through those bad days.

Support Your Child’s Coach

For parents to get the most out of their coaching investment, they should support the coach. “If your child is taking lessons, find out from the coach and from your child what the coach wants you to do,” he says. Nobody wins when Guttenberg gives a lesson and the student comes back two weeks later and didn’t work on what they were supposed to work on, because he or she worked on what the parents thought the child should do instead.

“It’s really not about how great the coach is,” says Guttenberg. “It’s really about how great the parents are. It’s what the parents have done to support and follow up with the development of the kids that makes the difference.”

Novices Need Coaches Too

It’s not only children just learning the sport of golf that benefit from coaches. Novices can also learn and improve with a coach. “The first and most important thing, even if you just took one or two lessons, is the basic fundamentals of how to hold the golf club,” says Guttenberg. He breaks it into four letters — GASP — that teach the proper Grip, Aim, Stance, and Posture. “If you don’t do those correctly, your swing will not evolve properly,” he says. “Fundamentals are very important.”

Lessons, both for children and novices, should be catered to the student. “The type of lesson that you get has a lot to do with you as an individual and your personalities,” says Guttenberg. “So the first part of every lesson for me is an interview. I want to know more about the student.” Guttenberg also wants to know what his students would like to get out of their lesson so he knows how best to pass on the torch of knowledge to the next generation of golf pros.

Contact Information for Mark Guttenberg

You can learn more about Mark Guttenberg at his website, where you can also find his email address and phone number.

1. Capital

A self-directed IRA allows you to invest, but you definitely need available capital. As Brian Eastman of Safeguard Advisors realistically advises, “Most people want to invest in real estate, but guess what? You’re not going to be able to do that with just $10,000 or $15,000.” There are other investment options for that. For many people, retirement income is locked into their employer’s plan. Others believe their money is tied up permanently, but there are some exceptions to this. Sometimes when you change jobs or reach a certain age you are able to access those IRA or 401(k) funds. Talking with someone who specializes in self-directed IRAs can help you recognize potential opportunities and avoid missing out on a chance to redirect your funds. You may be able to free up some of that money and put it to work for you in a self-directed IRA with investments of your own choosing.

2. Advisors

You need something to invest in, but you also need a team of experienced advisors around you to help you develop a sound investment strategy so you can invest wisely. “The nature of our business,” says Eastman, “is to educate people.” Contrary to what many believe, Safeguard Advisors does not offer investments; they offer advice regarding the tax code and guidelines for investing.

The interest in self-directed IRAs is rapidly growing, as many people are ready to move beyond the traditional investment model. “In past generations that model worked pretty well,” he advises, “but the economy has been much more disruptive in the past few years. It has changed the way people look at Wall Street.” Safeguard Advisors has grown from a fledgling company into a national leader in its field, employing legal and financial experts who can help you with every aspect of successful self-directed IRA investments. In fact, they have thousands of clients in all fifty states and an A+ rating with the BBB. Perhaps that is why upwards of 40% of their business comes as a result of referrals from existing clients.

3. Perspective

And finally, you need good perspective, which is gained with increased knowledge. If, for instance, you are interested in real estate investing, it’s not enough to think it’s a good idea. You need some knowledge to give you the perspective that will help you make good choices. Some people think that because they are investing in real estate they can finally buy that vacation home on the beach. Not so, says Eastman. “Because the real estate has tax-sheltered status, it’s about exclusively growing the IRA, not about your personal enjoyment.”

Another good way to gain investment knowledge and experience is to join an enlightened local investment club. They usually meet once a month to share ideas and information, learn about investing, network with other investors, analyze investment options, and many even pool their money to make investments as a unit. Buying and selling is done by a voting process. Since they are all different, it is often a good idea to visit more than one group so you can choose the one that feels right for you. Another part of educating yourself and gaining perspective is reading magazines and books about investing. There is a great deal of information out there, and Eastman advocates that all you have to do is make the time for it.

Learning More

There is no such thing as learning too much when it comes to growing your nest egg for retirement. All those you learn from, advisors, authors, and fellow investors all become part of your network, and you can learn something from all of them. Host Ryan Sloper remarks that learning about self-directed IRAs and acting on that knowledge “could mean the difference between a successful retirement and dreaming about what could have been.”

Safeguard Advisors is working hard to put that knowledge out there in several ways. The Safeguard Advisors Facebook page is a great resource for timely information and includes topics such as stocks vs. housing, investing in non-performing notes, and successful flipping with a self-directed IRA. The Safeguard Advisors website is easy to navigate and loaded with interesting information which will inform, educate, and entertain you. They also welcome your questions via telephone at 1-877-229-9763 and by emailing irainfo@ira123.com.

A Little Girl with Big Ideas

What sort of environment creates someone like Sheyna Burt? The oldest of four children, Burt quips, “I was always super bossy. I wanted to be queen of the universe, but apparently that is not a thing, so short of doing that, I wanted to be an astronaut, but by age ten I knew I wanted to be an attorney.” She was serious about it too, carrying a briefcase to school in lieu of a book bag. In public school she also had the opportunity to learn to play an instrument. Hers was a violin, and right away she loved it. “I remember getting a violin just before fifth grade started, making the most obnoxious noises with it. I remember the way it smelled. I was obsessed with how it sounded and how it smelled. ”

Later, when Burt was invited to participate in the Governor’s School for the Arts, she describes it as a “transformative moment” in her life. “I found my fellow nerds of music!” she says with satisfaction. The Governor’s School mission statement identifies it as “a center for innovation that develops excellence, nurtures creativity, inspires artistic vision and builds communities with a passion for the arts.”

Role Models and Mentors

“My first mentors were in the house,” says Burt. “Both of my parents were extremely inspirational to me. They were able to pull themselves into the middle class by their intelligence, their drive, and hard work, so I expected the same from myself.” She gives high praise to the Prince William County Public School system and her mentors there. “I was so lucky to have the teachers I had.”

You Can’t Do Both

As a junior in college, Burt studied music as a major. A panel of musicians was invited to answer questions from students in one of her classes. One musician was from a musical group, which Burt says she will not name. She told him she was studying both law and music, and asked if it was possible to have careers in both fields? The musician laughed and replied, “Absolutely not. If you want to practice law, do that. If you want to become a musician, do that, but pick one. You can’t do both.” Burt was crushed, realizing that if he was right, after college her dreams of playing music would come to an end, so she enjoyed it as much as she could during the remainder of her college life. It wasn’t until about a year after she graduated that she decided he was dead wrong. She could do both, and she has been doing so ever since.

Don’t Settle

Burt says that after graduating, “I went and got a job with a big city law firm. I was not cut out for it at all. I was not happy.” She moved to a smaller firm, which was a better fit. Eventually though, she opened her own shop so she could have time to do the musical and volunteer work she loved. Even her law firm is all about service. “I wanted to be in practice dealing with people directly,” Burt says, so she focused on family law. Then she added service organizations, like community associations, non-profits, volunteer groups, and arts associations, which now form the bulk of her business.

Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra

A year or so out of law school in 2003, Burt was a law clerk and enjoyed it but felt the need for something more. After researching music in her community she came across Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra and gave them a call. “They were so welcoming and nurturing,” she says. Not only did she go on to play for them, she brought along her two sisters, also musicians. To this day they all still play, but now Burt also serves at the Concertmistress and Board President.

“Our Messiah Sing-Along is easily our most popular event,” says Burt. “There is something profound and beautiful about hundreds of people joining forces to produce this music.” Admission is free but donations are encouraged. Due to popular demand, the event is being offered twice: on Friday, December 16th at First Baptist Church at 13600 Minnieville Road in Woodbridge and on Saturday, December 17th at Grace United Methodist Church at 9750 Wellington Road in Manassas. They usually do five performances per season and details are on their website. Their biggest concert of the year is in May at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas. The “Tribute to American Composers” features songs Americans know and love, including works by Aaron Copland and George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

Prince William County Arts Council

Burt suggests a great first step for parents to encourage their children to explore music is by contacting the Prince William County Arts Council. Its job is to support artists and performers while connecting with community members.

World Doctors Orchestra USA

As President of World Doctors Orchestra USA, Burt is excited about the projects this group has in the works, including their goal of bringing a youth choir over from South Africa for an event in June. People short on volunteering time but with an interest in offering support can donate at their website.

Contact Information for Sheyna Burt

To learn more about Burt, visit her website for plenty of information regarding Burt, her volunteer work, her awards, and her business.