Chris Hamilton gets called when the money disappears. He is a forensic accountant, which means fires, fraud, and figuring out what a business was worth the minute before it burned.
Charlie and Daniel sit down with him for the stories most accountants never get to tell, and the harder lessons from 32 years of building a firm.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 The pile of ash: what a forensic accountant walks into
0:33 Meet Chris Hamilton
2:35 Fires, fraud, and disasters: the work behind forensic accounting
6:06 The FBI case: a 1 a.m. informant and a truck full of records
13:09 Starting the firm and a partnership where everyone earns the same
18:58 What actually breaks partnerships: too much money and not enough
22:51 Ownership is who you are today, not who we hope you become
24:07 Family, ministry, and work: priorities are on a wheel
34:36 Turning down Congress, and the strength that became a weakness
45:50 Leading a business like the church, and where fraud creeps in
51:57 No bad decisions: the deal that nearly ended the firm
1:05:38 Succession, California, and working for the love of the game
ABOUT THE GUEST
Chris Hamilton is a CPA, certified fraud examiner, and certified valuation analyst who has spent his career in forensic accounting and complex civil litigation. He started his firm in 1994, teaches forensic accounting certification around the country, and has served as an elder at Grace Community Church for more than two decades.
Connect with Chris Hamilton: https://arxisfinancial.com/about-us/chris-hamilton-cpa-cfe-cva/
ABOUT RISKY ASSETS
The Risky Assets Podcast is produced by Greyhawk Premier Insurance Solutions. Every episode is an honest conversation with entrepreneurs about building businesses, taking smart risks, and protecting what you create.
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