Financial planning for Chicagoland trades owners
You built the business. Now make it pay you back.
I'm Sean Rhodes, a Senior Wealth Advisor with 30 years in the business. I help electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, contractors and the other trades turn years of hard work into real wealth, lower taxes, and a way out when you're ready.
The pattern I keep seeing
"The business is doing great. So why doesn't it feel like I have anything?" — Nearly every trades owner, the first time we talk
- Every dollar goes back into the truck
New equipment, new hires, bigger jobs. The business grows, but nothing is being built outside of it.
- Taxes take more than they should
Business structure, retirement plans and timing all affect what you owe. Most owners never get a plan that ties them together.
- One injury away from zero
If you can't work, can the business keep paying you? Can your family keep the house? Your body is your biggest asset.
- No plan for the last day on the job
Selling, handing off to a partner or passing it to your kids all take years to set up. Most owners start too late.
How I help
A plan measured to every stage of your business
What you need at year two is different from what you need at year twenty. We plan for where you are and build toward where you're headed.
Getting started
You're out on your own. Set up the foundation so a slow month doesn't sink you.
- Emergency reserves
- Disability & life coverage
- First retirement account
Growing the crew
Trucks, payroll, bigger bids. Keep more of what you earn as the numbers get bigger.
- Tax-aware planning with your CPA
- Retirement plans for you & your crew
- Key-person protection
Established
The business runs. Now build wealth that doesn't depend on you showing up at 6 a.m.
- Investment management
- Buy-sell agreements
- College & family goals
Handing off the keys
Sell it, pass it down or wind it down, on your terms and your timeline.
- Succession & exit planning
- Retirement income
- Estate & legacy coordination
What's in the toolbox
One advisor for the whole job
No handing you off to five different people. I work alongside your CPA and attorney so every piece fits.
Tax-aware strategy
Plan business structure, retirement contributions and timing with your CPA to help lower what you owe.
Retirement plans
SEP IRAs, Solo 401(k)s and group plans that help you save more and help you keep good people.
Protection
Disability, life and key-person coverage so an injury or loss doesn't take the business and family down with it.
Investments
A portfolio outside your business, built for your goals and your stomach for risk.
Succession planning
Get the business ready to sell or pass on, and know what it's worth well before you need to.
Legacy & estate
Make sure what you built ends up where you want it, with the right documents in place.
About Sean
Thirty years in. Built for the trades.
I started my career 30 years ago at Olde Discount, then spent years at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley. In 2012 I went out on my own and started Rhodes Capital Management, so I know what it takes to build something with your name on it.
Along the way I focused on portfolio management, financial planning, risk management, and tax and estate planning, and turned it into a planning process I call the Fairway FORMula. Today I pair that process with the resources of Accurate Wealth Management.
Trades owners don't need jargon or a 60-page binder. They need someone who picks up the phone, speaks plainly, and knows how a business like theirs actually makes money. I live in Batavia with my family, and when I'm not working you'll find me traveling with them or on a golf course.
- 30 years in wealth management
- B.S. Finance, Bradley University
- Senior Wealth Advisor, Accurate Advisory Group
- Batavia, Illinois
How we get started
Straightforward, like a good estimate
Discovery call
A free 20-minute call. Tell me about your business and what's keeping you up at night. No pressure, no pitch.
Walkthrough & plan
We look at the full picture: business, taxes, family, goals. You get a clear plan in plain English.
Build & maintain
We put the plan to work and check in as your business changes. You always know who to call.
Free discovery call
Let's take a look at your numbers
Fill out the work order and I'll reach out within one business day to set up a time that works around your schedule, including early mornings and evenings.