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KC Quarterly Q2 2025
Build a Future That Outlives Us All
3 GENERATIONS OF GRIT, GENEROSITY, AND BUILDING SOMETHING THAT LASTS
Father’s Day always gets me a bit nostalgic and a little reflective. I can’t help but think about my grandfather and dad and how, without ever planning it, the three of us have all walked similar paths. Not the same careers, not the same industries, but the same drive, the same grit, and the same deep-rooted values. We’re entrepreneurs at heart. The foundation of our lives has remained remarkably consistent: hard work, a willingness to take risks, a drive to build something meaningful, and a deep commitment to our families and communities. My grandfather was a self-made man. He launched an appliance sales and service business he ran for decades with grit and grace before selling it. I remember stories of him working tirelessly to grow his business and ensure that his customers felt cared for. Back then, that meant knocking on doors, fixing things himself, and building trust in the community — one customer at a time. He wasn’t just selling washers and dryers — he was offering a promise: “I’ll be here when you need me.” It wasn’t just about appliances. It was about integrity and connection.
on the hunt for his next business venture because creating something out of nothing is just part of who he is.
Then, there’s the founder of this firm, Robert Kulas, who built this company from scratch. And then there’s me. While I wasn’t here from day one, I had the unique opportunity to acquire this estate planning practice after his retirement. Taking over the reins was a chance to carry forward a legacy and, in doing so, shape it into something new. I bring the same values to my clients that my father and grandfather brought to theirs: dedication, trust, and a sincere desire to serve. What ties all of this together is the concept of legacy. In my work as an estate planning attorney, legacy goes beyond legal documents. It reaffirms a profoundly human need. My clients come to me because they want to protect the life they’ve built. They want to ensure their families are supported, their values preserved, and their wishes honored. Legacy is more than money or property. It’s the story we leave behind. It’s the lessons we teach our children. It’s the example we set through our work, our relationships, and our character. So, this Father’s Day, I’m thinking about the men who came before me and how their strength, determination, and generosity shaped who I am today. And I’m thinking about the future, about how we can all take steps now to ensure that the people we love are protected and prepared, no matter what comes next. If you’ve been thinking about your legacy — whether it’s time to start planning or update a plan you already have — I’d be honored to help. Because legacy isn’t just about looking back. It’s about making thoughtful choices today for a stronger tomorrow.
“Legacy is more than money or property ... It’s the example we set through our work, our relationships, and our character.”
My father carried that spirit into a different industry. He started a fire protection company, built it from the ground up, and managed it successfully for years. After selling the business, he didn’t retire to the sidelines. He didn’t slow down. He’s already
–Josh Crawford
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and, perhaps most offensively, they caused distracting gases.
they could cause a rare and severe genetic reaction called favism. Unbeknownst to the ancients, some people (especially in Mediterranean regions) have a genetic deficiency that makes fava beans potentially deadly. So, weirdly, Pythagoras may have been onto something, but not for the reasons he thought. The Man, the Myth, the Golden Thigh Of course, bean phobia wasn’t Pythagoras’s only claim to strangeness. His followers believed he was a demigod, possibly the son of Hermes or Apollo. They claimed he could tame wild animals just by speaking to them and that he had the power to write messages on the Moon. But the most outrageous legend? He supposedly had a golden thigh. He would flash his shimmering leg whenever someone doubted his divine status and instantly gain a new believer. And yet, despite all this mysticism, Pythagoras’s biggest fear was beans. This just goes to show that even history’s greatest minds had their odd quirks; some were just more odd than others.
Ancient Wisdom or Legume Lunacy?
Legend has it that Pythagoras was so committed to avoiding beans that, when fleeing from attackers, he and his followers refused to run through a blooming fava bean field. Instead of making their great escape, they chose to stand and fight. Spoiler alert: It didn’t end well for them. The Philosopher vs. The Bean So, why was Pythagoras so scared of a simple legume? One of the more eyebrow- raising explanations is that he believed fava beans bore an uncanny resemblance to human reproductive organs. Apparently, the connection was so strong in his mind that he once declared, “Eating beans and eating the head of one’s parents are the same thing.” That is quite the leap, even for a philosopher. Another theory suggests Pythagoras believed beans were literal doors to the underworld. He wasn’t alone in this, as the ancient Greeks and Romans were suspicious of fava beans, perhaps because
THE PHILOSOPHER WHO FEARED BEANS MORE THAN DEATH
Pythagoras (yes, the one responsible for making high school geometry a nightmare) had a dark secret. He wasn’t just a mathematical genius; he was also utterly and irrationally terrified of beans. Specifically, fava beans. And not just in an I-don’t-like-their-texture kind of way. He believed they were portals to the underworld, conduits for lost souls,
One Trust, a Lifetime of Protection PROTECT WHAT YOU’VE BUILT FOR THE ONES YOU LOVE
Designed for your unique needs. No two families are alike, and neither are their estate planning needs. The beauty of a family trust is that it can be tailored to fit your exact goals and family dynamics. Whether you want to make provisions for a loved one with special needs, protect assets from estate taxes, or account for blended family structures, a trust can be crafted to fit your situation.
When it comes to protecting the people you love and the legacy you’ve worked hard to build, few tools are as powerful as a well-crafted family trust. While many consider wills the go-to for passing on assets, a family trust can provide an added layer of security, control, and peace of mind that a will can’t match. Shield inheritances from life’s surprises. One of the standout benefits of a family trust is the long-term protection it offers your beneficiaries. Life can be unpredictable — divorces, debts, lawsuits, and accidents can arise when you least expect them. A family trust can shield the inheritance you leave behind from these threats, helping ensure that your hard- earned assets stay where you intended. Control beyond your lifetime. A trust lets you decide who gets what, when, and how. This is especially helpful when minor children or financially inexperienced heirs are involved. You can build in guidelines to distribute assets in phases, set spending limits, or delay access until certain milestones are reached — such as graduation, marriage, or reaching a specific age.
Your legacy is secured. Without a carefully designed trust, building this kind of personalized, lasting protection is nearly impossible. When created properly, a trust is a powerful way to keep your family secure long after you’re gone. If you’re ready to take the next step, contact our firm today to explore how a trust can help protect your legacy and give your loved ones lasting peace of mind.
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Is Your Estate Plan Missing Critical Details? Don’t Let These Estate Planning Errors Derail Your Legacy
Even the smallest details matter when it comes to estate planning. You might have the most thoughtful, well-drafted plan in place, but it could create complications if a few (even the most minuscule) key pieces are off. Fortunately, many of the most common mistakes are easily avoidable with a little knowledge and regular check-ins. Here are four missteps we see all too often and how to avoid them. Mix-ups with account titling and beneficiary designations. One of the most common mistakes we see? Improperly titled accounts or incorrect beneficiary designations. It’s surprisingly easy to overlook, but this small error can cause major problems for your estate plan. For example, if you have a trust, your accounts need to be titled in the name of the trust, or the trust needs to be named as the beneficiary, depending on the asset type. Skipping this step means those assets might not follow your trust’s instructions. An outdated power of attorney. Life changes, and your documents should, too. A power of attorney (POA) that hasn’t been updated in years might not reflect your current wishes, or worse, may not work how you
need it to if you become incapacitated. Ensuring your POA is up to date is a key part of a reliable estate plan.
Not sharing your plan with loved ones. We know it’s not always easy to discuss, but communicating your estate plan with the people it affects most is critical. If you become incapacitated or pass away without ever sharing your plan, even the best legal documents can lead to confusion or unintended conflict. Only reviewing half the story. Many clients think reviewing their estate plan means discussing changes in their family or personal wishes. While that’s important, there’s another side to the review — your actual financial documents. We need to review bank and investment account statements to confirm that everything is titled correctly. This deep dive is just as essential as updating your goals. If it’s been a while since your last review or you’ve never had your account titling and beneficiary designations reviewed, we’re here to help. Schedule a comprehensive review so we can ensure everything is aligned with your wishes and set up for success.
Teriyaki Beef Skewers
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
Ingredients • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar • 1 cup soy sauce • 1/2 cup pineapple juice (optional) • 1/2 cup water
• • •
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large garlic cloves, chopped 4 lbs boneless round steak, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Bamboo skewers soaked in water
Directions 1. In a large bowl, whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, water, vegetable oil, and garlic together. Drop beef slices into the mixture and stir to coat. 2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours. 3. Remove beef from marinade, shaking to remove excess liquid. 4. Thread beef slices on skewers in a zig-zag pattern. 5. Preheat grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grate. 6. Cook beef skewers for about 3 minutes per side until the meat is cooked through.
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Inside pg. 1
Why Legacy Matters More Than Ever This Father’s Day Why One of History’s Greatest Minds Refused to Eat Beans
pg. 2
Trusts That Do More Than Distribute Wealth
pg. 3
The Hidden Errors That Could Cost Your Family Later
Teriyaki Beef Skewers
pg. 4
Did Old Hollywood Stars Really Talk Like That?
Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and the Art of Speaking Like an Aristocrat
There’s a certain charm to old Hollywood movies — glamorous stars, sweeping orchestral scores, and, of course, that oddly posh, vaguely British way of speaking. You know the one. The voice makes Katharine Hepburn sound like she’s perpetually midway through an important luncheon and Cary Grant appear to deliver a one- liner while also sipping afternoon tea. This isn’t just a coincidence; it’s the Transatlantic accent , and for a while, it was the gold standard of sophisticated speech. Unlike normal regional dialects, the Transatlantic accent wasn’t something people naturally developed by growing up in a particular area. It was an acquired accent drilled into the minds of upper- crust New Englanders at elite boarding
schools and embraced by stage actors who wanted to sound refined. Essentially, it was the linguistic equivalent of wearing a tuxedo at all times. Hollywood, never one to pass up a trend, adopted this cultivated accent in the early days of talkies. Why? Because it made actors sound polished, articulate, and, quite frankly, fancy. The crisp, clipped tones worked wonders for those speedy, back-and-forth screwball comedy exchanges. Just watch “His Girl Friday” and try not to be dazzled by the machine- gun dialogue between Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell!
vanished. By the 1950s, Hollywood started shifting away from aristocratic dramas and high-society stories, opting instead for gritty realism and everyday characters. The era of Marlon Brando and James Dean meant mumbling was in, and sounding like you vacationed on the French Riviera every summer was … well, out. Of course, we can still enjoy the legacy of the Transatlantic accent in classic films. Want to master it yourself? Pick up “Speak With Distinction” by Edith Skinner, the holy grail of old-school elocution training. Soon enough, you’ll drop your R’s, crisp your T’s, and stretch your vowels until “dance” becomes “ dahnce .” After all, old Hollywood may be gone, but its impeccable enunciation will never go out of style.
And then, just as suddenly as it arrived, the Transatlantic accent packed its bags and
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