How to manage capital without losing your soul? “When you make your first millions, that’s when the real challenges begin. Earning is one thing — but preserving, structuring, passing it on to your children, and staying sane in the process is a whole different game.” Entrepreneurs who’ve already built their wealth face a new kind of challenge:What’s next for the money?How do you structure your assets, reduce taxes, pass on your capital to your children — and still live with peace of mind and a sense of meaning, instead of anxiety about the future? We explored exactly these questions at one of NE Club’s closed-door masterminds.Our guests were wealth management experts Andrey and Agnia — professionals with over a decade of experience working with international clients: business owners, investors, and venture partners. The conversation was honest, data-driven, and deeply relevant — no masks, just real talk and real cases. What did we talk about? Here’s just a glimpse of the questions we explored during the session: How can you optimize taxes on investment income — especially in California? When and why should you set up a trust or a holding structure? What’s the right way to declare assets as a new U.S. tax resident? What if your assets are scattered — crypto, real estate, company shares? When does it actually make sense to hire a wealth manager? At what capital level? How can you protect personal assets (like your home) from business risks? Where should you invest if your goal is preservation, not growth? And how do you emotionally transition from “making money” to “managing it with meaning”? 9 insights we’re taking away from this session: 1. Structuring your assets = reclaiming control 🗣 “Sometimes I don’t even remember where I invested. It takes time just to recall everything.” 🔍 Many entrepreneurs have scattered assets — real estate in Dubai, crypto, equity in startups, accounts in different countries. The solution? Create a unifying structure (like a holding company or trust) and manage everything through a single portal. Andrey mentioned their team uses a global aggregator that tracks all client assets — from crypto to wine — in one system. 2. The earlier you set up a structure, the more you save long-term 🗣 “If you’re creating a trust the same year as your liquidity event — it’s already too late.” 🔍 One participant asked how to reduce taxes from VC investment returns. Answer: Set up a trust in a tax-friendly state (like Nevada) before the exit. Otherwise, expect up to 13% in California state tax + 23.8% federal tax. 3. Tax “gray zones” aren’t freedom — they’re delayed threats 🗣 “I keep thinking: I want to sell my property in Ukraine… but then what do I do with the money?” 🔍 His wife owns property abroad and is afraid to sell it, unsure how to transfer and reinvest the funds legally.Andrey’s advice: assess the returns, liquidity, risks, and reinvestment strategy before acting.“Better to pay taxes and sleep well than become a wealthy client of litigation lawyers.” 4. Safe money isn’t always cash 🗣 “All my capital is in cash. But I know I’m missing out…” 🔍 After an exit, many entrepreneurs park their capital in cash out of fear of loss. But as Andrey said: cash without a strategy = lost opportunity. There are low-risk tools with liquidity and returns above inflation: U.S. government bonds at 4.5%, private credit, direct indexing, etc. 5. Crypto isn’t a tax haven — it’s a liquidity trap 🗣 “There’s zero tax in Dubai, but when I try to buy a car, they ask for a bank account… and I’ve got everything in crypto.” 🔍 The fear around crypto often sounds like: “What if they trace it all back?” But the bigger problem isn’t taxes — it’s access. You can’t use your capital if you can’t show where it came from.Andrey stressed that crypto markets are still murky, but tracking tools are evolving fast. The earlier you legalize, the easier life gets. 6. Income doesn’t guarantee peace. Structure does. 🗣 “I made the money — but the anxiety only grew.” 🔍 One of the most honest reflections at the event. A logistics entrepreneur said he’s leveraged and worries that if something goes wrong, the bank could take his house.Andrey suggested moving personal assets (like a home) into a trust or protected structure, especially if you’re signing personal guarantees on business loans. 7. Past gains = future tax, unless you reset the clock 🗣 “I have an asset that grew significantly before I moved to the U.S. What should I do?” 🔍 A key pre-immigration planning rule: if you bring an appreciated asset into the U.S., you’ll owe tax on all the gains. The fix? Sell and re-buy the asset before becoming a U.S. tax resident.That resets the cost basis and avoids taxes on pre-move gains. 8. Private equity, VC, crypto — just one part of the big picture 🗣 “I invest in funds and startups. But how does that fit into a larger plan?” 🔍 Investors often focus on the deal-level upside, ignoring volatility, tax impact, and illiquidity.Wealth management means designing the full asset architecture — aligned with your goals, time horizon, risk profile, and synergy across instruments. 9. Don’t want to think about money? Hire someone who will. 🗣 “I don’t have time to deal with all this. I just want someone to guide me.” 🔍 A common pain point. Entrepreneurs are busy — and wealth management gets deprioritized.Agniya and Andrey work as strategists, not just advisors. Their job is to see the whole picture, spot the gaps, design solutions — and help you preserve and grow, not just react. Why are conversations like this possible in NE Club? Because here, vulnerability is welcome. People share openly — someone forgot where their crypto is stored, someone’s afraid to sell property in Ukraine, someone else doesn’t know how to exit their business without losing their wealth. And no one judges. Because here, the experts are one of us. Andrey and Agniya aren’t just advisors — they respect the path we’ve walked. They understand the nuances of emigration, doing business in the U.S., and holding assets across jurisdictions. Because here, we’ve already earned. Now we’re searching for meaning. We’re not chasing the next big “win.” We’re looking for stability, strategy, peace of mind — and yes, growth. But with intention. Want to be part of this? If you’re reading this and something inside resonates — maybe it’s your time to join us. NE Club isn’t just a community.It’s a support system for the moment when you realize:“Okay, I’ve earned. Now — how do I manage it wisely?” 🔹 Personal onboarding🔹 Masterminds and sessions with top experts🔹 Ongoing support and access to the Silicon Valley network🔹 Formats that blend investment, inner growth, and meaningful connections 📌 Apply for the next bootcamp — and we’ll share how to become part of the club. Apply
