Acquisition Capital: Using Retirement Accounts to Invest in Businesses - John Bowens

In this episode of What's Your Deal?, Matt sits down with John Bowens, Director of Head of Education & Investor Success at Equity Trust, to break down one of the most overlooked wealth tools for entrepreneurs and investors: self-directed retirement accounts.   John explains what "self-directed" actually means, why most retirement money stays locked in mutual funds by default, and how investors can use IRAs, 401(k)s (and even HSAs) to invest in real estate, private lending, private equity, pre-IPO stock, cryptocurrency, and precious metals—all while keeping the tax advantages of retirement accounts.   They also dive into the ROBS (Rollover for Business Startups) structure and how some buyers use retirement funds to acquire a business without triggering taxes and penalties—plus the common mistakes and prohibited transaction rules that can trip people up if they don't understand the guardrails.   If you've ever wondered how to put your retirement money to work in the assets you actually understand—this episode is your roadmap.   Timestamps:      1:30 – What Equity Trust does + what "self-directed" means     3:40 – John's background and how he got into this industry     6:40 – Why investors choose self-directed accounts (diversification + taxes)     9:20 – Clearing up a misconception: contributing vs investing     12:15 – Liquidity: short-term vs long-term alternative investing     16:50 – Matching strategy to age, goals, and skill set     20:20 – ROBS overview: using retirement funds to buy a business     29:50 – Costs + when it does/doesn't make sense financially     38:45 – Common mistakes + prohibited transactions     41:30 – John's "hand up" story + mentors         Resources & Links   Connect with John:      Website: https://www.trustetc.com   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnbowenscisp   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-bowens/       Connect with Matt:      Follow Us on Social Media     Instagram: @AmpedSuccess     LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-uhler-a9896612/     Tiktok:  @Ampedsuccess     YouTube: @AmpedSuccess   📧 Contact Us: [email protected]