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Samantha Grant is the Founder of GUSH Productions, an award-winning media production company based out of San Francisco. She is a journalist, Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker, and educator who has produced films that range from polished traditional broadcast pieces to edgy and innovative online-only content. Samantha has over 20 years of experience working in the film, media production, and tech startup industries.

Samantha holds a BA in American studies and literature from Yale University and a master’s of journalism in cinematography and film/video production from the University of California, Berkeley.

In this Episode

What can you learn from painful memories? How can you use tragic experiences to become a better person and improve your life?

Having experienced the loss of her 15-year-old home to a tragic fire, Samantha Grant learned valuable lessons about focusing on the most important things in life. Although she lost her possessions, she still had the love of her family and community. Samantha now uses her journalism skills to help people find meaning in life, remove distractions that prevent them from enjoying the moment, and find inner peace. She also encourages people to accept help and intentionally connect with others.

In this episode of the Pillar6 Podcast, Roman Polnar interviews Samantha Grant, the Founder of GUSH Productions, about the lessons she learned from the tragic loss of her home. They also talk about materialism, the power of journaling, and her family's healing process.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Pillar6 Advisors
• Roman M. Polnar on LinkedIn
• GUSH Productions
• Samantha Grant on LinkedIn
• The Fire Journal Project
• Melanie Vetter on LinkedIn
• Wellfleet Circle
• Siddhartha: A Novel by Hermann Hesse

Andy Block is a Senior Loan Advisor and Personal Finance Advisor at Flagstar Bank where he helps individuals and families make wise decisions about their personal finances. His background combines mortgage banking and wealth management, allowing him to advise clients on how to make effective financial decisions that support their lifestyle and plan for the future. Andy has more than 29 years of experience in the mortgage industry and has spent the past 12 years focusing on reverse mortgages.

In this episode…

The use of reverse mortgages has become more popular over the last couple of years. Financial advisors say that reverse mortgages can be a good financial tool if used for the right purpose.

However, reverse mortgages are not for everybody. There are some key factors to consider before being approved for a reverse mortgage. 

In this episode of the Pillar6 Podcast, Roman Polnar interviews Andy Block, a Senior Loan Advisor and Personal Finance Advisor at Flagstar Bank, about how reverse mortgages work. Andy discusses the evolution of reverse mortgages, the differences between reverse and traditional mortgages, the qualifications for obtaining a reverse mortgage, and how to refinance a reverse mortgage.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Pillar6 Advisors
• Roman M. Polnar on LinkedIn
• Flagstar Bank
• Andy Block on LinkedIn
• Andy Block's email: andy.block@flagstar.com
• A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel by Amor Towles
• The Nightingale: A Novel by Kristin Hannah

Dr. Mark Salisbury is the Co-founder and CEO of TuitionFit, a company whose mission is to aid students in finding college options that are affordable and accessible. An enthusiastic champion of college price transparency, Dr. Salisbury received his PhD in educational policy from the University of Iowa and has spent more than 25 years in academia. He has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Money Magazine. He was also featured in The Price You Pay for College and Who Gets In and Why, which are two well-known books on college admissions.

In this episode…

It’s no secret that college tuition is expensive. Is there any way to know if the value of education is worth the sticker price? 

Information is powerful in helping families make informed decisions on which college to attend. However, there is a lack of transparency when it comes to the cost of higher education. Colleges have the upper hand in negotiating tuition prices, causing families to feel obligated to pay the full sticker price. To bridge this gap, Dr. Mark Salisbury created TuitionFit, a tool that helps families compare tuition prices and negotiate these prices with colleges.

In this episode of the Pillar6 Podcast, Roman Polnar interviews Dr. Mark Salisbury, the Co-founder and CEO of TuitionFit, about creating transparency in college pricing. They also discuss the evolution of college prices, how high college sticker prices impact college admissions, and how TuitionFit helps families save on college tuition fees.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Pillar6 Advisors
• Roman M. Polnar on LinkedIn
• Dr. Mark Salisbury on LinkedIn
• Dr. Mark Salisbury's email: mark@tuitionfit.org
• TuitionFit
• The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make by Ron Lieber
• Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions by Jeffrey Selingo
• The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure by Yascha Mounk