Derick Van Ness
Tax and wealth strategist who makes understanding money easy, helping 2,500+ entrepreneurs turn business income into lasting wealth and freedom.
Contact Details
Primary Contact:
Derick Van Ness
Scheduling Link:
Meetme.so/DerickVanNess
Backup Contact:
Marissa Hofland
Website:
LinkedIn:
Biographies
Mini Bio
Derick Van Ness is the founder and lead Tax and Wealth Strategist at Big Life Financial. He works with high earning business owners to help them turn strong income into lasting wealth using innovative tax strategy and systematic financial frameworks that predictably build lasting wealth.
Short Bio
Derick Van Ness is the founder and lead Tax and Wealth Strategist at Big Life Financial, where he helps business owners turn their business income into personal wealth and time freedom. His work focuses on helping entrepreneurs use advanced tax strategy and coordinated financial systems to live a big life.
Over the years, Derick has worked with over 2500 business owners who understand how to generate income but were never shown how to structure it for long term growth. He is known for developing practical frameworks that simplify complex financial decisions and help owners reduce taxes, create consistent cash flow, and make more confident choices about their future.
Outside of work, Derick enjoys sailing, traveling, and pursuing creative and outdoor adventures with his wife, Jacqui.
Full Bio
Derick Van Ness is the founder and lead Tax and Wealth Strategist at Big Life Financial. He works primarily with business owners earning over 300k who have built successful companies but feel their personal wealth has not grown in proportion to their income. His focus is helping entrepreneurs move from reactive financial decisions to clear, coordinated strategies that support long term wealth building.
Derick has worked with over 2500 business owners across a wide range of industries. A consistent pattern he sees is that many entrepreneurs know how to make money but don’t understand other key wealth-building skills like tax planning, how to grow money passively, how to protect assets, and what it takes to build a multi-generational legacy.
To make things simple, Derick developed what he calls a Financial Operating System designed to help owners reduce taxes, systematize wealth-building, and make it so a business owner can focus on what they do best, and let the systems take care of the rest.
Derick approaches money conversations from a human perspective, recognizing that business owners are often leaders in their communities who carry significant responsibility. His work centers on simplifying complex financial concepts so owners can make informed decisions with more clarity and less stress.
Podcast hosts often invite Derick to speak about tax strategy for entrepreneurs, building wealth outside the business, and the mindset shifts required to turn income into lasting results. When he is not working with clients or developing new frameworks, Derick spends time sailing, traveling, and exploring new adventures with his wife, Jacqui.
Signature Topics
Your CPA Is Not Your Strategist. Here Is What That Means.
The difference between proactive tax strategy and merely tax recording
Why your CPA isn’t proactive and what you can do about it
The Stock Market Is Not Broken. Your Strategy Might Be.
Why many owners rely on market exposure without understanding how that might limit their options
How business owners can think beyond the market to create more predictable retirement income
The Massive Difference Between Earning an Income and Building Wealth
Why many high-earning owners still feel behind despite strong revenue
How misalignment between tax, profit, and personal planning slows real progress
The Danger of Having All Your Wealth Trapped in a Business
Why reinvesting everything back into the company creates long-term risk
Practical ways owners can start building assets beyond their primary business
How to Turn Your Tax Planning into an Income Stream
The mindset shift from reactive filing to proactive planning
What effective tax planning looks like and why it’s worth the effort
Why Traditional Advice Doesn't Work for Owners
Where most business owners get advice and why it’s flawed
How acting like the 1% serves business owners better than W2 employees
Suggested Interview Questions
Many business owners earn well but still feel behind. What patterns do you see causing that gap?
What is the difference between a CPA who files taxes and a strategist who helps design better outcomes?
Why do you believe business owners need to build wealth outside their company, and where do most people get stuck?
How should high-earning owners rethink traditional retirement advice like 401(k)s and IRAs?
You often talk about financial systems. What does that actually look like for a business owner day-to-day?
What is one tax planning mindset shift that can change how an owner makes decisions throughout the year?
Many entrepreneurs reinvest everything back into their business. When does that become risky?
What signals tell you that a business owner has outgrown the financial advice they are receiving?
You often say income alone does not solve money stress. What is usually missing from the picture?
How can owners start thinking about taxes as a planning tool instead of something that only happens at filing time?
When someone says, 'I should be further ahead by now,' what questions do you start asking them?
What does it actually look like to build wealth outside of your business without stepping away from growth?
Talking Points & Frameworks
Talking Points
High earning business owners often struggle because their tax strategy, profit strategy, and personal planning are disconnected.
Research and Development Credits are one of the most under-utilized tax breaks that are costing most business owners 10s or 100s of thousands a year in extra taxes
A business that depends entirely on the owner may generate income, but it rarely creates long-term stability on its own.
Return on Emotion (ROE) matters more than ROI, so a financial plan should create peace of mind, not just higher returns.
Tax planning should guide decisions throughout the year, not just show up during filing season.
Building assets outside the business gives owners more options, especially during transitions like exits or slowdowns.
Frameworks and Models
Financial Operating Systems
A simple way to describe coordinated planning across:
Tax strategy
Growth and cash flow structure
Systems and automations
Strategic safeguards
The Income to Wealth Shift
Building a highly profitable income
Systematically moving assets out of the business
Building the business so it no longer requires you
Fully transitioning from an operator to a full-time investor
Focus on ROE not ROI
Money is merely a tool, it is not the outcome we are seeking
If you have more money but your quality of life goes down, that’s a bad trade
How you feel about your life is what actually matters, not how much money you have
Featured In & Clients Served
DENTALPRENEUR
MIKE KOENIGS
FORBES
JJ VIRGIN
HUFFPOST
THE DENTAL A-TEAM
DR. TYNA MOORE
DENTAL NACHOS
Recent Appearances
The Dentalpreneur
Increase Your Net Income
Making it with Jon Davids
Guest Appearance
Entre Architect Podcast w/ Mark R. LePage
Guest Appearance
Raising a Billion Dollars with Ellis Hammond
Guest Appearance
No Vacancy The Podcast with Natalie Palmer
Guest Appearance
Eggs! The Podcast
Episode 164
The Thoughtful Entrepreneur
Recapturing Your Money
Business Credit & Financing
How to Create Financial Peace
SOCIAL PROOF INDICATORS
Tax Case Studies
Multi-location operator: Reduced tax liability by $271K in one year
$10M revenue business: Reduced taxes by $403K while improving cash flow and operational structure
Auto repair shop owners: Identified average annual tax savings of $50K–$122K
Brands & Organizations Served
DSI
The Dental A-Team
MindShare (JJ Virgin)
Tyna Moore
Mike Koenigs
ASTA
VISION
STX
The Remarkable Practice
Media & Podcast Appearances
Dentalpreneur
The Dental A-Team
The Thoughtful Entrepreneur
Forbes
Huffington Post
Ratchet & Wrench Magazine
Dental Town
Dental Nachos
The Remarkable Practice
Chiro Health USA
Cashflow Diaries
The New Work Revolution
Host Asset Vault
Everything you need for show promotion.
Direct downloads for high-resolution graphics and media assets.
Listener Call to Action
3-Year Tax Review (Primary)
A no-cost review of your last three returns to identify missed incentives, structural gaps, and opportunities to keep more of what you earn.
Script
"If you'd like a complimentary three-year tax review to see what may have been left on the table, visit the link in the show notes."
Download Business Owner Tax Guide
A practical guide outlining overlooked tax strategies and incentives many business owners qualify for.
Script
"If you'd like a straightforward guide to tax strategies many business owners miss, download it free at the link below."
Get a Free Wealth Gap Assessment
A simple assessment to identify the gap between your current financial structure and the level of freedom you want to create.
Script
“If you’re curious where you stand financially and what might be missing, you can take the free Wealth Gap Assessment at BigLifeFinancial.com/gap.”
Technical Specifications
BIGLIFEFINANCIAL
Building family offices for business owners who refuse to settle for middle-class outcomes.
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