Been watching the news?  

Former biotech engineer Elizabeth Holmes may need to read the book “Orange Is the New Black” because it looks like she’s going to jail.

She created a company called Theranos that claimed to have the technology to instantaneously complete an entire blood profile with a single drop. Here’s the problem: her tech didn’t work.

She raised billions in capital and built a board of directors made up of former DC power brokers, like senators and secretaries of state.

Her strategy was ‘fake it ’til you make it.’ 

She hoped eventually her tech would work. She made billions for herself without ever selling a single product until then.

Eventually, it all came crashing down. And last month, she was convicted on four counts of fraud. 

Ms. Holmes is not alone. This world is full of businesses (and people) that make money, pushing false promises. ‘Fake it until you make it’ is a strategy employed by many.

And dare I say, you’ve probably bought into (and paid) a few. We all have at some point or another.

So how can you protect yourself?  

Well, the best way to do that is simply to take the time to vet businesses before you buy from them.

Figure out what their track record is. Do they have a process for getting results – and can they explain why it works? Are they promising something that sounds too good to be true? What have other buyers experienced?

You don’t have to go full CIA every time you want to buy something – just ask questions. 

If you’ve been thinking about working with a financial advisor, let’s talk about what that looks like. All you have to do is call 513-563-PLAN (7526) or get 15 minutes on my calendar here.