Podcasts about advisor

Have you ever been passed over for a promotion?Are you wondering whether you're ready for the CEO role—or your next big career move?Are you struggling to figure out when it's time to leave for good?In this episode, CEO Coach and Advisor, Damien Faughnan, joins host, Muriel Wilkins, to answer questions from the Coaching Real Leaders community.For further reading: Learn more about Damien: https://damienfaughnan.com/Rewriting the Playbook: Leading Through Compounding Uncertainty: https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/insights/articles/rewriting-the-playbook-leading-through-compounding-uncertaintyLeaders, It's Time to Build Your Tolerance for Uncertainty: https://hbr.org/2026/01/leaders-its-time-to-build-your-tolerance-for-uncertaintyHow to Become a First Time CEO: https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/about/careers/careers-with-our-clients/how-to-become-a-first-time-ceoThe Midlife Chrysalis: https://www.meawisdom.com/podcast/Connect with Muriel:Website: murielwilkins.comLinkedIn: @Muriel Maignan Wilkins Instagram: @CoachMurielWIlkins Join the Coaching Real Leaders Community: coachingrealleaderscommunity.comRead Muriel's book: LeadershipUnblocked.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chris, Hogi, and Adam address a bizarre, viral forum post targeting Chris Collins Performance on a competitor's platform. The team breaks down the obvious inconsistencies in the post—from fake claims about techs quitting to misinformed takes on labor grids and parts pricing—and explains why real service advisors who understand business profitability actually thrive under proper operational systems. The guys also answer a direct hotline question comparing automotive parts departments to heavy-duty truck parts operations. They break down the fundamental differences between B2C car dealerships and B2B truck dealerships, how wholesale operations drive millions in outside revenue, and the exact process needed to stop special order parts bleeding before cleaning up obsolescence. Plus: Adam checks in live from his hot Florida vacation with 15 family members, detailing their annual family drink competition, fish boils, golfing in 106-degree heat, and the team's weekly workouts at Planet Fitness. (Note: SDR Live Academy returns next week on Zoom, where Hogi leads an interactive workshop on building and mapping high-performance service drive systems!) KEY TAKEAWAYS - Debunking Online Forum Drama: An unfiltered breakdown of a fake forum post, addressing why right-sizing labor rates and pricing matrices is essential for shop survival. - The "Mom Test" for Maintenance: Why advisor integrity means never selling a client something you wouldn't sell to your own mother. - B2C vs. B2B Parts Operations: How auto parts departments rely on internal service drive volume, while heavy-duty truck parts departments generate millions in outside fleet and municipality sales. - Stopping the Obsolescence Bleed: Why cleaning up old inventory fails if you haven't fixed your prepaid special order parts processes and technician returns first. - The Planet Fitness Business Model: A funny look at how low-cost gym memberships rely on members never showing up—and what happens when everyone actually does. - SDR Academy Systems Preview: A look at Hogi's upcoming workshop on outlining and executing a seamless operational blueprint. GOT A QUESTION OF YOUR OWN? Call 833-3-ASK-SDR — we answer on the show! Get special deals on our books and training at offers.chriscollinsinc.com #ServiceDriveRevolution #FixedOps #AutomotiveLeadership #ServiceManager #ServiceAdvisor #DealershipLife #CarBusiness #ChrisBulldogCollins #AutoIndustry #DealershipTraining #ServiceDirector #FixedOperations #BusinessStrategy #SDRAcademy #HeavyDutyTrucks #PartsDepartment #Obsolescence SDR Live Academy Online Training For Huge Results: https://chriscollinsinc.com/op/sdr-live-weekly/ Book your Profit Gap Analysis Now: https://calendly.com/byron-webster/30min Best-selling books on making Fixed Ops a money printer: https://chriscollinsinc.com/shop/ Got a question? Call us at 1-833-3-ASK-SDR  Want to work with the best? https://chriscollinsinc.com/careers/ Grab Chris' New Leadership Book I AM LEADER: https://iamleader.com  

Tens of thousands of migrants crossed into Spain's north African territory of Ceuta from Morocco. While most of them have since returned - Spain's been condemned by right-wing politicians in Europe and the United States. Is the criticism about border management or is it politics? In this episode: Anna Terron Cusi - Spain’s former Secretary of State for Immigration and Emigration, who's now a Senior Fellow at the Migration Policy Institute. Daniel Gros - Director of the Institute for European Policymaking at Bocconi University and an Advisor to the EU parliament. Deborah Fleischaker - Former Acting Chief of Staff at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who's now a Senior Advisor for Immigration Policy and Strategy at UnidosUS. Host: Anna Burns-Francis Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

In this episode of TLOP's Originator Coaching, host Dustin Owen is joined by Marketing Mike and producer Karina Mojica for an in-depth discussion on the five distinct career stages of a mortgage loan originator: Technician, Advisor, Rainmaker, Operator, and Legacy Builder. Dustin provides a comprehensive breakdown of each stage, illustrating how mortgage professionals progress from mastering the foundational technical skills required to originate loans, to developing the ability to offer expert advice and build lasting client relationships. As originators advance, they transition into the Rainmaker stage, where they focus on generating consistent business and expanding their network, before moving into the Operator phase, which emphasizes building efficient systems, managing processes, and leading high-performing teams. Ultimately, the journey culminates in the Legacy Builder stage, where experienced originators focus on mentoring others, giving back to the industry, and creating a lasting impact. Throughout the episode, Dustin, Mike, and Karina share personal anecdotes and actionable insights to help listeners identify which stage they are currently in and what steps they can take to move forward in their careers. The conversation also touches on the importance of continuous learning, adaptability, and the value of surrounding oneself with mentors and peers who can provide guidance and support. In addition to the main topic, the episode highlights several upcoming industry events, including a highly anticipated mortgage sales summit cruise to the Bahamas, offering loan officers unique opportunities for networking, professional development, and relaxation. The hosts also take the opportunity to promote TLOP's Originator Coaching program as a valuable resource for mortgage professionals at any stage of their career who are looking to accelerate their growth, overcome challenges, and achieve long-term success in the industry. Whether you're just starting out or aiming to leave a legacy, this episode provides practical advice and inspiration for every originator's journey. TLOP's Originator Coaching:

Replay Episode — This one's a "blast from the past." David originally recorded this conversation in the last quarter of 2022, right in the middle of heavy recession fear and a rough year in the markets. He's bringing it back now because 2026 has had its own share of ups and downs, and the mindset underneath this conversation hasn't gone stale.Joining David is Mike DiJoseph of Vanguard's Investment Advisory Research Center, whose team studies why investors make the decisions they make — and how a good advisor changes the outcome.In This EpisodeWhy financial news functions more like entertainment than informationVanguard's "Advisor's Alpha" research: the roughly 3% net-return value a good advisor adds over timeA real 2020 case study: bailing out at the bottom turned $1M into $800K, while staying the course turned it into $1.2MWhy the political party in power has a surprisingly weak relationship with market returnsThe behavioral finance reason your brain forgets years of gains the moment there's one bad yearReframing downturns: lock in the loss on the portfolio, or lock in the loss on the goalMeet the GuestMike DiJoseph works within Vanguard's financial advisor services division, on the Investment Advisory Research Center team. He and David connected through the Financial Planning Association.Key MomentsApproximate timestamps — this is a replay, so times are estimated from the conversation flow.00:00 — Why David is replaying this episode now03:30 — Meet Mike DiJoseph and Vanguard's research team06:00 — Is a recession actually bad for the stock market?10:30 — The Tesla thought experiment13:00 — How one word turns a headline from bullish to bearish16:00 — Staying the course doesn't mean standing still19:00 — Does the party in power actually move the markets?24:00 — The recency bias problem27:00 — The 2020 case study: $800K vs. $1.2M33:00 — What a good advisor is actually worth37:00 — Insurance and estate-planning blind spots41:00 — Personal definitions of wealthQuotable"You can either lock in the loss on the portfolio, or you lock in the loss on the goal.""There is never going to be an all-clear signal. And to the extent that there is one, it's probably too late.""When your values are clear, your decisions are easy."Not sure if your portfolio — or your plan — is actually built for moments like this? Book a free 20-minute Vision Call: weeklywealthpodcast.com/visionConnect with David directly: david@parallelfinancial.comIf this episode helped reframe how you're thinking about the market right now, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and follow the show so you don't miss what's next.

This interview featuring James Pollard is part of Influential Advisor Media's Top 50 Most Innovative Voices in Advisor Growth series, hosted by Paul G. McManus. The series recognizes leaders whose ideas, platforms, and work are shaping how financial advisors build trust, attract clients, and grow their firms.James Pollard is the founder of The Advisor Coach and host of the Financial Advisor Marketing Podcast, where he has created more than 370 episodes focused specifically on helping financial advisors build steadier, more predictable growth. Since 2015, his podcasts, newsletters, articles, training programs, and marketing resources have helped more than 50,000 financial advisors attract clients and build more profitable businesses. Known for rejecting short-lived hacks and empty marketing promises, James teaches advisors how to earn attention and trust through stronger positioning, relevant messaging, consistent visibility, and a substantial body of work that makes them easier to know, trust, and choose.In this wide-ranging conversation, James shares how he went from helping one financial advisor with marketing to building The Advisor Coach into a scalable media and publishing business with newsletters, products, articles, and the Financial Advisor Marketing Podcast.You'll also hear why effective advisor marketing begins by entering the conversation already happening in a prospect's mind. For retirement-focused advisors, that often means speaking clearly about retirement income, replacing a paycheck, and reducing the fear of running out of money—not leading with technical planning language prospects may not yet understand.A major theme of this episode is trust. How can a financial advisor build trust before the first meeting? James explains why a substantial body of work—such as a book, podcast, YouTube channel, newsletter, or specialized client track record—can demonstrate expertise before a prospect ever speaks with you. He also explains how appropriate personal disclosure can reduce intimidation, create rapport, and make advisor marketing feel more human.James shares real examples from his own marketing, including why posts about strength training generated inquiries, how non-financial content can communicate discipline and status, and how private financial advisors can begin revealing more of themselves without oversharing.The conversation also covers one of the most important questions for founder-led advisory firms: What should you outsource? James argues that financial advisors should not outsource the creation of an unproven marketing strategy. Instead, they should first discover what works, document the process, and then delegate the maintenance of a proven system.This episode is especially useful for financial advisors, RIAs, wealth managers, advisor marketing professionals, and founder-CEOs who want to attract better-fit clients without relying on generic content or interchangeable marketing.Learn more about James Pollard and The Advisor Coach:https://theadvisorcoach.com/Learn more about Influential Advisor Media:https://influentialadvisor.com/Subscribe for more conversations about financial advisor marketing, books, media, authority building, and AI search visibility.Support the show

Political strategist and pollster Lee Hartley Carter recently joined us at the Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different podcast to share her sharp insights on the current American political landscape. As the founder of Carter Intelligence Group and author of “Persuasion: Convincing Others When Facts Don’t Seem to Matter,” Lee Hartley Carter brings a rare combination of research expertise and communications mastery to some of the most pressing questions facing voters and candidates today. From the rise of democratic socialism to the upcoming midterms, Lee Hartley Carter unpacks why anti-establishment energy is reshaping both parties and what it means for the future of American politics. You're listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let's go.   The Anti-Establishment Wave Is Rewriting the Rules Lee Hartley Carter argues that the single most defining force in American politics right now is a deep distrust of institutions. Voters no longer trust big companies, big government, or career politicians to deliver on their promises. This sentiment fueled Donald Trump’s rise on the right, and it is now driving a new generation of progressive candidates on the left. She points to Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory in New York City as a prime example. A candidate in his early thirties with no executive experience captured the city’s attention by speaking directly to people’s frustrations about rent and affordability. According to her, candidates who name real problems and offer simple, emotionally resonant solutions are winning, while those who run on credentials and qualifications are losing.   Lee Hartley Carter on Why Feelings Trump Facts in Modern Political Communication One of the most powerful observations Lee Hartley Carter makes is that feelings consistently override facts in political decision-making. Christopher Lochhead challenges the old saying that facts do not care about your feelings, flipping it to argue that feelings do not care about your facts. Lee Hartley Carter wholeheartedly agrees with this framing. This dynamic explains why candidates who connect emotionally with voters consistently outperform those who lead with policy credentials and experience. Telling voters they are wrong or uninformed only pushes them further away. She emphasizes that the candidates winning today are the ones validating what people already feel, then offering a focused, believable path forward rather than a long list of policy positions.   Lee Hartley Carter on What to Expect From the Midterms and Beyond Lee Hartley Carter predicts that the upcoming midterms will not be the clear blue wave that conventional wisdom might suggest. Despite an unpopular war, high gas prices, and a president with approval ratings hovering around 38 percent, Democrats hold only a razor-thin lead in generic ballot polling. She believes the race remains wide open for both parties. Her advice for Republicans is to stop reacting to socialist messaging and start setting their own clear narrative, much like Trump did in 2016 with Make America Great Again. For Democrats, she sees affordability as the singular issue that could carry them to victory, provided the moderate and progressive wings of the party stop undermining each other. Lee Hartley Carter believes the candidates who define the conversation rather than respond to it will ultimately win. To hear more from Lee Hartley Carter and her thoughts on the current political scenarios, download and listen to this episode.   Bio Lee Hartley Carteris a communications strategist and public opinion expert. She’s the founder and CEO of Carter Intelligence Group and author of “Persuasion: Convincing Others When Facts Don’t Seem to Matter” As a television news personality and researcher, she doesn't rely on traditional polling for her unique insights into U.S. politics; rather, she analyzes voters' emotional responses to help understand and empathize with them on a more visceral level. The reaction matters, but the “why” behind it matters more. It was this approach that allowed her to accurately predict the results of the 2016 presidential election and primaries.   Links Follow Lee Hartley Carter! Fox News | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook   We hope you enjoyed this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different™! Christopher loves hearing from his listeners. Feel free to email him, connect on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and subscribe on Apple Podcast / Spotify!  

This is episode 861. Read the complete transcription on the Sales Game Changers Podcast website. Watch the video of this podcast on YouTube here. The Sales Game Changers Podcast was recognized by YesWare as the top sales podcast. Read the announcement here. FeedSpot named the Sales Game Changers Podcast at a top 20 Sales Podcast and top 8 Sales Leadership Podcast! Subscribe to the Sales Game Changers Podcast now on Apple Podcasts! Purchase Fred Diamond's best-sellers Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know and Insights for Sales Game Changers now! Today's show featured an interview with Brian Green, Advisor at CodeSignal and Founder of GenerativeSelling Solutions. Find Brian on LinkedIn. BRIAN'S TIP: "Mission clarity is not what you claim to believe. It's what your business can consistently decide, defend, and deliver."

You climb the mountain, the money, the awards, the deals, and then you look around and realize it's not filling you up anymore. So what does?In this episode, Bart Berkey sits down with Brett Kaufman - entrepreneur, advisor, investor, and founder of Inner Space. After nearly 30 years in business and building, managing, and selling billions of dollars of real estate (including The Gravity Project in Columbus, Ohio, described as the world's largest conscious community), Brett hit the wall that so many high performers hit: "not enough-ness." The belief that more money and more things would finally make him feel like enough, and the hard-won discovery that they never do.Brett shares why the real work isn't out there but inside, how his simple framework - awaken, align, expand - helps founders let go of what no longer serves them, and why the people who most need this are often the ones who look most successful from the outside. It's a short, rich first conversation (with a deeper one already promised).Bart welcomes Brett Kaufman, founder and CEO of a real estate development company and the founder and host of Inner Space, for a candid conversation about what happens after you "make it." Brett draws on nearly three decades as a founder, employer, husband, and father, and 15+ years building intentional mixed-use communities, to explain why he now devotes himself to helping high-performing founders and executives navigate life's hard transitions.Key Takeaways:More doesn't make you happier. Brett's pursuit of "more" came from "not enough-ness" — a belief he needed external validation to feel worthy. Accumulation has a diminishing return.The real work is inward. It's called Inner Space, not outer space, on purpose. Clearing out old conditioning and inner chatter is where real growth happens.Money is a tool, not the goal. Brett enjoys money for the freedom, security, generosity, and ease it creates — but it's not what fills him up. Being of service is.Episode DetailsShow: Most People Don't… But You Do!Season 4, Episode 241Host: Bart BerkeyGuest: Brett Kaufman — Entrepreneur, Advisor & Investor; Founder & CEO of a real estate development company; Founder & Host of Inner Space (and the Inner Space Podcast)Notable: Developed The Gravity Project in Columbus, Ohio — described as the world's largest conscious communityConnect with Brett: joininnerspace.com · brettkauffman.comNote: A shorter first conversation — Bart and Brett agreed to record a deeper follow-up.

Two forces are converging right now that will define which advisors become indispensable and which ones become obsolete. One is artificial intelligence. The other is alternative investments. Duncan MacPherson calls them the two AIs, and in this episode, he and Matt Doran break down exactly what each one means for the future of advisor value. Join Duncan MacPherson for a wide-ranging conversation with Matt Doran, Leader of Advanced Planning at &Partners, a rapidly growing wealth management firm supporting over 112 practices and approximately $52 billion in prehire assets. Matt brings more than 20 years of experience as a CFP and holds a master’s in taxation from Villanova University. Both forces are raising the bar for what advisors need to offer, and both are creating a gap between those who see the opportunity and those who don’t. The gap between advisors who get this and those who don’t is only going to widen. This conversation is worth your time. Key highlights include: Why the public markets universe is shrinking and what it means for advisors Positioning alts diagnostically, not prescriptively The shift from COIs to strategic partners Why the process is the offering How liquidity events redefine who’s in the room Why complexity is the greatest fuel for referrals The iceberg problem: being your own best-kept secret Tune in for a rich, substantive conversation on the evolving role of the financial advisor, what fee worthiness really looks like in today’s environment, and how the advisors who will be indispensable tomorrow are positioning themselves right now. Promotions: Pareto Systems – Turnkey Advisor Membership: paretosystems.com/turnkey-advisor-membership Alternative Investment Masterclass: paretosystems.com/alternative-investments-masterclass Connect With Duncan MacPherson: Website: ParetoSystems.com Toll Free: 1.866.593.8020 Learn More: Schedule a Call: paretosystems.com/schedule-a-call LinkedIn: Duncan MacPherson: linkedin.com/in/duncanmacpherson Connect With Matt Doran: Website: andpartners.com LinkedIn: Matt Doran: linkedin.com/in/matthewdoran14 About Our Guest: Matt Doran is Leader of Advanced Planning at &Partners, a rapidly growing wealth management firm founded by former Wells Fargo leaders and headquartered in Nashville and St. Louis. With more than 20 years of experience as a CFP and a master’s in taxation from Villanova University Law School, Matt has spent his career at the intersection of complex planning and advisor practice development. A former principal at Edward Jones and founder of Sage Wealth Planning, he now helps advisors and their clients navigate the growing complexity of wealth management, with deep expertise in alternative investments, tax planning, charitable structures, and liquidity event strategy. Matt lives in Elk Rapids, Michigan.

RATES - market doing Fed's jobRETAIL - Retail army hit the sell sell sell button!BREADTH - keeps getting better as market corrects moves sidewaysBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-care-for-my-wealth-show--2487688/support.

AI agents are quickly evolving from assistants into economic payment ninjas. The latest development allowing models like ChatGPT and Claude to initiate crypto transactions has sparked a much bigger conversation: Would you let AI be your financial advisor? Where do you stand?Most crypto investors know what they own. Few know where they actually stand in the shift to on-chain finance.Start with ALEN, the free 60-second diagnostic that helps you understand where a digital asset fits within today's institutional market structure.→ https://tokentrustadvisors.xyz/alenWant the assets before they're headlines?Signals is my institutional watchlist, tracking the infrastructure, tokenization, and capital flows shaping the next phase of crypto.→ https://tokentrust.substack.comManaging significant capital, advising clients, or building an institutional allocation?Book a strategy session.→ https://calendly.com/meetwithchip/alignIf this episode helped you better understand where capital is moving, please follow the show and leave a review. It helps more investors discover the podcast.The Chip Mahoney Show is part of Big Pond Podcast and represented by DV Collective. Views are for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Music licensed through Spotify Creators. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode you'll hear:A very short update about the audio series I just released & why you need to listen before it goes away!Resources mentioned in this episode:Listen to The Advisor Activation Audio Series → https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com/activateThanks for listening. If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram stories and tag me @ambitiousbookkeeperFor more information about the Ambitious Bookkeeper Podcast or interest in our programs or mentoring visit our resources below:Visit our website: https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.comFollow me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ambitiousbookkeeperConnect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambitiousbookkeeperConnect on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ambitiousbookkeeperConnect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenashoupcpaThank you for your support of our show. If you haven't left a review yet it's super simple. Please go to ambitiousbookkeeper.com/podcast and leave your review.Podcast Publishing Tools we use:Editing → Sabr Media LLC: https://www.iangilliam.com/sabr-media-llcDescript: https://get.descript.com/u7lubkx09073 (affiliate link)Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1753696 (affiliate link)Get access to the FREE Advisor Activation Audio Series before it goes away! https://www.ambitiousbookkeeper.com/activate

1 - Happy National Lipstick Day! Senator George Geist checks in. 105 - Former NJ Assemblyman and Advisor to RFK Jr. Jamel Holley joins us this afternoon. Is it dangerous for a Democrat to be pro SAVE Act? Does he blame New Jersey's voter roll fiasco ona glitch? As a member of MAHA, what does he think about Fauci this morning and Phil Murphy's handling of Covid? 120 - Congressman Jim Jordan joins us today. Who was his one loss in high school wrestling? How could Dr. Fauci plead the fifth 111 times in one of the biggest hearings of all time? Will Larry Krasner take the fifth when Jim is pressing him? What does he expect out of Krasner? What does he want to know? Has Krasner's office submitted any materials after being subpoenaed? What is the issue that can drive the voters out? 140 - How many commies have joined the DSA? More calls. 145 - Does the American people deserve a hearing like the one today? 150 - Why isn't Mikie Sherrill giving us any names? More calls.

12 - Dr. Fauci pleads the fifth! Is that advice from his lawyer getting thrown out? 1205 - 1210 - Side - countdowns 1215 - 1220 - Your calls on the side question to get us going. 1230 - Corey DeAngelis, School Choice Evangelist, joins us today as lawmakers look to have a reckoning regarding COVID. Where was Corey at the start of the pandemic? Is Corey surprised Dr. Fauci plead the fifth 111 times? How did Teachers' unions hijack Covid relief funds during this time and spend virtually none of it on the students, resulting in learning loss? How are school choice credits coming along? 1250 - Harvey from TMZ is upset with the Fauci questioning today. Why did this need to happen? 1 - Happy National Lipstick Day! Senator George Geist checks in. 105 - Former NJ Assemblyman and Advisor to RFK Jr. Jamel Holley joins us this afternoon. Is it dangerous for a Democrat to be pro SAVE Act? Does he blame New Jersey's voter roll fiasco ona glitch? As a member of MAHA, what does he think about Fauci this morning and Phil Murphy's handling of Covid? 120 - Congressman Jim Jordan joins us today. Who was his one loss in high school wrestling? How could Dr. Fauci plead the fifth 111 times in one of the biggest hearings of all time? Will Larry Krasner take the fifth when Jim is pressing him? What does he expect out of Krasner? What does he want to know? Has Krasner's office submitted any materials after being subpoenaed? What is the issue that can drive the voters out? 140 - How many commies have joined the DSA? More calls. 145 - Does the American people deserve a hearing like the one today? 150 - Why isn't Mikie Sherrill giving us any names? More calls. 2 - Pastor Bill Devlin joins us from Kenya today! What is he doing there? How does Fauci's testimony today reflect the Archbishop in Philadelphia telling priests not to engage parishioners looking for a religious exemption from the COVID vaccine? 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 220 - Your calls. 225 - Who's missed more? Trump Advisors or Sixers Front Offices? 235 - There's a big lawsuit going against the Mayor's office! And it's over DEI? Who's worse ideologically, Mamdani or Krasner? 240 - Your calls. 250 - The Lightning Round!

What if selling wasn't about convincing someone to choose you - but helping them confidently make the right decision?In this episode of the Disruptive Influence Podcast, Jeff Abracen speaks with Alli Rizacos about selling with more structure, confidence and humanity - without the pressure, manipulation or ick traditionally associated with sales.Alli explains why buyers need three things before they are ready to act: awareness of the real problem, enough urgency to change and trust that you can help them solve it.They explore why your content might not actually be the problem, how imposter syndrome creates awkward sales conversations and why ethical selling means diagnosing before prescribing - even when that means directing someone away from your offer.Alli also reveals the systems beneath her seemingly casual approach, including personally messaging event registrants, qualifying people before they buy and testing offers in the market before building them.In this episode:• Why selling is really about helping people make decisions• The three conditions buyers need before they act• How to diagnose the real problem beneath the symptoms• Why your content might not be the actual issue• The difference between a “bruise” and a “broken bone” problem• How imposter syndrome makes sales conversations uncomfortable• Why personal attention can outperform automation• How systems make sales more repeatable and predictable• Why you should sell and test an offer before fully building it• How to use the language your buyers are already using• Why new entrepreneurs should begin with a market need - not only their passionChapters00:00 – Stop overcomplicating the sales conversation00:47 – What does good selling look like in 2026?03:10 – Stop selling and start helping people decide10:27 – The three things every buyer needs before acting16:00 – Diagnose before you prescribe22:10 – Ethical selling, commitment and client results28:26 – Success, pressure and moving the goalposts30:16 – Why your energy and capacity affect your business35:19 – Building repeatable and predictable sales systems37:32 – The personal DM strategy most people overlook42:17 – How imposter syndrome creates awkward selling47:13 – Testing your offer in the real market51:45 – Using the language your buyers actually use57:12 – Solve the market problem before chasing your passionAbout Alli RizacosAlli Rizacos is a sales coach and former corporate sales leader who helps coaches, consultants and service-based entrepreneurs create structured, repeatable sales systems without losing their personality.Drawing on her experience in enterprise sales and her fascination with buyer psychology, Alli teaches entrepreneurs how to clarify their market, strengthen their offers, start better conversations and help buyers make confident decisions—without manipulative tactics or performative sales personas.About the Disruptive Influence PodcastHosted by Jeff Abracen, Communication Coach & Advisor, and former agency Vice President, Creative Director, The Disruptive Influence Podcast explores how founders, leaders and creative thinkers use communication, storytelling and unconventional ideas to earn attention, build trust and inspire action.Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/]If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot.Cover art by Daniel DevoyMusic by Stephen Voyce©2024-2026 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen

What Are The Money Green Zones? & The Happy Retiree Super Power Are you flying blind when it comes to your retirement savings? Forget the terrifying headlines telling you that you need tens of millions of dollars to retire—that kind of advice often does more damage than good by making your goals feel completely out of reach. In this episode, Wes Moss breaks down brand-new research on what everyday Americans actually have saved and introduces three attainable, concrete "Money Green Zones" where happiness levels and financial autonomy jump dramatically. Plus, Wes reveals the ultimate superpower of happy retirees that has nothing to do with your bank account, and everything to do with your well-being. Mentioned on the show: Betterment Review: How It Works, Pros & Cons - Clark Howard Best Investment Companies for Investors in 2026 A Key Investing Lesson to Remember Right Now Plus, Christa shares your #AskWes questions and Wes gives his take. All this and more on the July 28, 2026, Ask an Advisor episode of the Clark Howard podcast. Submit your questions: WesMoss.com/ask We hope you enjoy our weekly Ask An Advisor episodes.  Let us know what you think in the comments! Learn more about Wes:  BOOKS BY WES MOSS   Wes Moss, CFP®  Wes Moss - Clark.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could this be the most flexible whole life insurance policy I've ever reviewed? Want to Connect with The Catholic Order of Foresters as an Advisor or Prospect? Click Here: https://bttr.ly/CatholicInsurance In this episode, Caleb Guilliams sits down with Matthew Korienek from Catholic Order of Foresters to explore one of the industry's most flexible life insurance products. They break down customizable term and whole life options, premium flexibility, policy loans, charitable benefits, and how this Catholic carrier compares to other mutual life insurance companies. Watch the Interview on Youtube for Visuals - https://youtu.be/LqfD4OcUh8kWant to Connect with The Catholic Order of Foresters as an Advisor or Prospect? Click Here: https://bit.ly/CatholicInsurance Want to See If Whole Life Insurance Can Improve Your Financial Plan? Schedule Your Clarity Call Here: https://bttr.ly/bw-yt-aa-clarity Chapters:Introduction to Catholic Order of Foresters: (0:00 - 1:33) History and Founding (1883): (1:33 - 5:08) Fraternal Structure and Membership: (5:08 - 8:44) The Fraternal Legacy Rider & Charity: (8:44 - 10:33) Community Events and Scholarships: (10:33 - 12:17) Mortality and Financial Ratings: (12:17 - 14:48) Policy Overview (Term & Whole Life): (14:48 - 18:16) Amazing Policy Flexibility: (18:16 - 29:00) 1035 Exchanges & Universal Life Concepts: (29:00 - 31:07) Whole Life Mechanics and Cash Value: (31:07 - 37:03) Policy Flexibility (Skipping Premiums/PUAs): (37:03 - 48:15) Chronic Illness Riders & Final Thoughts: (48:15 - 52:41) DISCLAIMER: https://bttr.ly/aapolicy *This video is for entertainment purposes only and is not financial or legal advice. Financial Advice Disclaimer: All content on this channel is for education, discussion, and illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice or recommendation. Should you need such advice, consult a licensed financial or tax advisor. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of the information on this channel. Neither host nor guests can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

Your best advisors are stretched thin, and it is tempting to blame the calendar. In this episode, Ray Sclafani makes the case that capacity is a leadership decision, not an operations problem, and shows advisory firm leaders how unresolved choices about clients, roles, and delegation quietly push the heaviest load onto the people the firm can least afford to burn out.Ray connects this to Michael Kitces' 2025 research on associate advisor delegation, which found that smart delegation can meaningfully speed up the return on a new hire while protecting senior advisors from unnecessary client work. He then walks through a five step framework for segmenting clients, defining service models, clarifying roles, measuring capacity objectively, and hiring ahead of the breaking point.Firm leaders will walk away with a concrete way to diagnose where capacity is leaking in their business and a practical plan for protecting their top talent while growing enterprise value.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODEWhy overloaded top performers usually signal a leadership gap rather than a staffing shortage.Four questions to diagnose team structure, capacity measurement, proactive hiring, and review cadence.How Michael Kitces' 2025 research on associate advisor delegation ties directly to firm capacity.How to design roles and service models so lower value work moves off the senior advisor's plate.Why a quarterly capacity review is the practical tool for hiring ahead of the breaking point.THE FIVE STEP CAPACITY FRAMEWORKDefine your client segments.Define the service model for each segment.Define the roles around the service model.Measure capacity objectively.Hire ahead of the breaking point.REFLECTION QUESTIONS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAMWhere is your firm relying on heroic effort rather than a better structure?Which client segments require distinct service models, roles, and staffing assumptions?What work should your senior advisors stop doing in the next 90 days?What capacity signals would tell you it's time to hire before performance starts to slip?How will you implement a system so that every 90 days you're evaluating the opportunity to infuse AI into your workforce?RESOURCES MENTIONEDKitces Report: What Actually Contributes To Advisor WellbeingClientWise Executive Coaching and Team DevelopmentBuilding the Billion Dollar Business is hosted by Ray Sclafani, founder and CEO of ClientWise, the financial services industry's leading executive coaching and team development firm for elite advisors and wealth management teams.Find Ray and the ClientWise Team on the ClientWise website or LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Jeannette sits down with Tricia Handley-Hughes, Managing Director of InteleTravel UK, Ireland, and UAE, to explore her four-decade career spanning retail, aviation, and home-working.  Tricia shares candid leadership lessons on the power of clear communication, the importance of personal branding for home-based entrepreneurs, and how to stay grounded when navigating public scrutiny and industry disruption. She also offers an insider look into InteleTravel's hybrid, community-focused business model and explains why embracing new technology and fresh talent is essential for the future of travel. You'll Learn Why: Communication is the single most consistent foundation of effective leadership across every industry and role. Building a personal brand requires staying humble, accepting yourself, and grounding your pitch in key business values. Overcoming public scrutiny and industry pushback requires facing challenges head-on and letting your results do the talking. Adapting to changing work cultures—including the rise of side hustles and flexible, part-time models—is essential for long-term growth. Whether you're a founder, CEO, small business owner, entrepreneur, startup leader or executive, these lessons will help you make smarter hiring decisions and build a stronger, more successful business.

Neil Lanctot examines the May 7, 1915, sinking of the Lusitania by a German submarine, which killed over 100 Americans and sparked a massive crisis for American progressivism. Wilson's advisor, Colonel House, urged severing ties with Germany—a move that typically signaled war—but Wilson resisted, famously declaring that a nation could be "too proud to fight." This restraint infuriated TR, who was simultaneously fighting a high-stakes libel trial against Republican boss William Barnes. TR argued that losing national self-respect was worse than war, though he acknowledged the U.S. was militarily unprepared. Internal administration tension peaked when Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan, a staunch pacifist and ally of Addams, resigned in protest, believing Wilson's diplomatic notes to Germany were too provocative. During this turmoil, the newly married Edith Bolling Wilson began asserting her influence, successfully maneuvering to diminish Colonel House's role by sowing doubt about his loyalty in Wilson's mind. (3)

Selling an IT services company is far more likely to close and typically sells for about 20% more when you use a specialist M&A advisor instead of going it alone. Here is what the data shows and what an advisor actually does to improve the outcome. In this episode of Shoot the Moon, the Revenue Rocket team breaks down the real economics of IT services M&A: why most owner-led sales never close, how an advisor adds roughly 20% to the sale price, and what makes selling an MSP, cybersecurity, cloud, or software firm different. We cover pre-market preparation, competitive tension, and today's market including the silver tsunami of boomer-owned businesses now heading to market. If you are weighing an exit in 2027 or beyond, this is where to start. CHAPTERS 0:00 Cold open and intro0:35 Do you really need an advisor to sell?3:00 What the data says: close rates and the ~20% premium6:15 Why deals die when founders go it alone10:45 The wrong-advisor trap12:00 How an advisor moves the numbers17:30 What makes IT services M&A different23:00 Market conditions and the silver tsunami27:00 The emotional side of selling29:00 What founders should do right now KEY TAKEAWAYS • Owner-led sales close under 10% of the time; top specialists close 80% to 95%. • An advisor adds roughly 20% to the sale price on average, with studies ranging from 6% to 25%. • In IT services, recurring revenue and a well-distributed client base drive value. • The silver tsunami of boomer-owned businesses—12 million firms representing $10 trillion in assets—is bringing a wave of supply to the market. • If you are considering an exit in 2027 or later, start a conversation now—not a commitment. LINKS • Value your firm: https://www.revenuerocket.com/valuation-calculator/ • Schedule a confidential conversation: https://www.revenuerocket.com/contact-us/ • Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-moon-with-revenue-rocket/id1478519505 • Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6y7u9KuOjaplhScHtINGZU • Explore more episodes: https://www.revenuerocket.com/series/shoot-the-moon/ • Website: https://www.revenuerocket.com/ ABOUT REVENUE ROCKET Revenue Rocket is a sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory firm focused exclusively on IT services companies, including MSPs, cybersecurity firms, cloud service providers, custom application development companies, and VARs. For more than 25 years, Revenue Rocket has helped founders grow, position, buy, and sell tech-enabled services firms. Thinking about an exit? Schedule a confidential conversation with our team:https://www.revenuerocket.com/contact-us/ #MergersAndAcquisitions #ITServices #MSP #ShootTheMoon #RevenueRocket #ExitStrategy #MandAAdvisor #SilverTsunami Listen to Shoot the Moon on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Buy, sell, or grow your tech-enabled services firm with Revenue Rocket.

We all love a good plan.   The calendar is full, the flights are booked, the strategy is mapped out, and everything feels like it's finally coming together. Then life reminds us of one unavoidable truth: the unexpected happens.   In this episode, I share a personal story about having to cancel an important business event after weeks of preparation because life and business demanded my attention somewhere else. It wasn't the decision I wanted to make, but it became a powerful reminder that leadership isn't about controlling every outcome. It's about responding well when circumstances change.   Over the years, I've helped business owners navigate some of the hardest moments they'll ever face, from the uncertainty of COVID to devastating fires, financial downturns, unexpected loss, and personal crises. One thing has become incredibly clear: businesses don't survive because leaders can predict every challenge. They survive because leaders build enough margin to respond when those challenges arrive.   In this episode, I'm sharing the five-step framework I use with my clients whenever the unexpected happens. It's a practical way to move from panic to purposeful action, make better decisions under pressure, and keep leading with confidence even when you don't have every answer.   Because change is inevitable. Your response is what defines your leadership.   Key Takeaways: • Change Is Not the Enemy - No amount of planning can eliminate uncertainty. Great leaders accept that change is part of building a business and learn how to adapt instead of resist it.   • Margin Creates Resilience - Financial reserves, extra time, strong systems, trusted relationships, and emotional capacity all create the flexibility leaders need when plans suddenly change.   • Your Team Takes Their Cue from You - You don't have to pretend everything is perfect. But your team needs to know someone is calmly leading through the uncertainty.   • Clarity Comes Through Action - Waiting until you have every answer often keeps you stuck. Forward movement creates clarity, confidence, and momentum.   Timestamps / Chapter Markers: 00:00  When the Best-Laid Plans Fall Apart 00:58  The Business Event I Had to Walk Away From 02:23  When Life Forces You to Change Course 04:44  Unexpected Doesn't Mean You Failed 06:10  Why Every Business Needs Margin 09:22  What Crisis Has Taught Me as an Advisor 10:13  Leading Clients Through COVID and Uncertainty 13:08  Lessons from a Business Owner's Worst Day 15:38  The Mindset That Comes Before Every Solution 18:34  Step 1: Pause and Assess the Situation 19:40  Step 2: Evaluate Your Options 20:31  Step 3: Identify the Resources Around You 21:29  Step 4: Create Your Next Steps 22:43  Step 5: Take Action and Build Momentum 24:03  Why Every Leader Needs Trusted Advisors 25:28  One Question Every Business Owner Should Answer 26:20  Building a Business That Can Weather Any Storm   If today's conversation resonated with you, don't wait until the next crisis to prepare your business.   Ask yourself:   Where does my business need more margin?   Is it financial? Operational? Leadership? Time? Systems? Or simply having someone in your corner who can help you think clearly when things don't go according to plan?   Building resilience before you need it is one of the greatest investments you can make as a leader.  

Choosing an ERP system is one of the most stressful decisions a finance or IT executive will have to make in their entire careers. It has a high failure rate so getting it wrong can cause unexpected damages and costs. Luckily, learning from others' mistakes can save a lot of time, headaches, and expense by getting it right the first time.Connect with us!https://www.erpadvisorsgroup.com866-499-8550LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/erp-advisors-groupTwitter:https://twitter.com/erpadvisorsgrpFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/erpadvisorsInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/erpadvisorsgroupPinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/erpadvisorsgroupMedium:https://medium.com/@erpadvisorsgroup

On this episode: Is market volatility really the biggest retirement concern, or is there a more important question hiding in plain sight? "Whatever's left, they can have" sounds simple. Why that mindset may create challenges for spouses, children, and heirs. Healthcare costs, spending habits, and other unexpected realities can reshape retirement faster than many people anticipate. A large IRA could create unexpected tax consequences. Discover why timing may matter more than many retirees realize. Most retirees picked guaranteed income over a lump sum. Their answer reveals an intriguing retirement mindset. Advisor fees can add up over time. A closer look may raise questions many investors never think to ask. Subscribe or follow so you never miss an episode! Check out Fire Your Financial Advisor on YouTube! Learn more at GoldenReserve.com or follow on social: Facebook & LinkedIn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What separates financial advisors who consistently grow from those who stay stuck? Marcus Ranger, who leads a business unit of more than 1,200 independent financial advisors, shares the marketing strategies, systems, and mindset shifts he sees driving advisor growth.In this episode of The Influential Advisor Podcast and our Top 50 Most Innovative Voices in Advisor Growth series, Marcus joins Paul G. McManus to discuss why financial advisors are in the marketing business first—and how the best advisors build intentional systems for attracting ideal-fit clients, generating referrals, creating authority, and growing their practices.You'll learn why niching down can accelerate financial advisor growth without forcing you to turn away opportunities, how to build a client experience people naturally want to refer, and why giving clients valuable information to share may be more effective than simply asking for referrals.Marcus also explains how financial advisors can:• Build repeatable marketing systems instead of relying on random tactics• Choose a niche and become the go-to advisor for a specific audience• Use books, podcasts, video, and content to build authority• Create a systematic approach to generating more client referrals• Reward referral behavior in a meaningful and repeatable way• Identify centers of influence beyond CPAs and attorneys• Build a differentiated client experience• Think like a media company in the age of Google, ChatGPT, and AI search• Use client testimonials and social proof more effectively• Build internal and external marketing strategies that work together• Stop becoming the bottleneck in your own growthOne of Marcus's most powerful ideas is that an advisor's real product isn't simply a portfolio or financial plan—it's the client experience.And when that experience is combined with a clear niche, strong positioning, valuable content, and an intentional marketing system, advisors can create a business that attracts more of the clients they most want to serve.ABOUT MARCUS RANGERMarcus Ranger is an experienced financial services executive, advisor, coach, and business leader who leads a business unit of more than 1,200 independent financial advisors across 10 western states.After building a successful advisory practice, Marcus transitioned into executive leadership with a focus on helping financial advisors build stronger businesses, develop scalable systems, improve their marketing, and multiply their results.Connect with Marcus Ranger on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-ranger-9050702/ABOUT INFLUENTIAL ADVISOR MEDIAThe Influential Advisor Podcast, hosted by Paul G. McManus, features conversations with leading voices shaping the future of financial advisor growth, marketing, authority, media, and business development.Subscribe for more strategies on financial advisor marketing, authority building, books, referrals, AI search visibility, advisor growth, and building a more influential advisory business.https://podcast.influentialadvisor.com/https://influentialadvisor.com/Support the show

Frank LaRosa has been in this business for thirty-two years and he says he has never seen deals like this. Frank opens by explaining why he cannot see how financial advisor transition deals get any more lucrative than they are right now. Stacey backs that up with the numbers, pointing out that deals sitting at 100 percent of trailing twelve or 100 basis points today were only 40 or 50 just four or five years ago. That is not an opinion, it is math. From there, the conversation turns personal. Frank talks candidly about being in his mid-fifties and watching people his age face serious health scares or pass away without warning. That perspective drives his argument for why advisors with real practices should think seriously about taking chips off the table now, without selling their business, especially since transitions have become dramatically faster than they used to be. Frank also raises a fear a lot of advisors quietly carry, the worry that a new firm could eventually get acquired by the same company they left. Stacey breaks down why advisors still come out ahead in that scenario, since negotiating a move almost always comes with a lower cost of affiliation and a higher payout, meaning the money is already in the bank regardless of what happens years down the road. The episode wraps with a challenge Stacey poses directly, does your family or your spouse actually know about the decision you are making to stay put. Frank follows it up with a story from his branch manager days about closing deals over dinner with a recruit's spouse and why staying exactly where you are is still a decision that deserves a real conversation at home, not silence.   Questions answered in this episode include: Why are financial advisor transition deals at an all-time high right now? What does it mean to take chips off the table without selling your practice? Why is choosing to stay at your current firm still considered a decision? Should advisors worry about their new firm getting acquired down the road? How fast can financial advisors realistically transition their book of business? Why do family conversations matter when deciding whether to move firms? Is complacency costing financial advisors real money right now?   Chapters: 00:52 Introduction: This Market Won't Last Forever 02:54 Why Advisor Deals Are at an All-Time High 04:27 Mortality, Chips Off the Table and Taking Action Now 07:52 Choosing to Stay Is Still a Decision 10:58 The Risk-Reward Gap Advisors Are Ignoring 14:06 Your Head Is in the Sand 18:13 The Family Conversation Every Advisor Needs to Have 23:23 How to Reach Frank and Stacey   Learn more about Elite and our resources: - Elite Consulting Partners: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com - Elite Marketing Concepts: https://elitemarketingconcepts.com - Elite Advisor Successions: https://eliteadvisorsuccessions.com - JEDI Database Solutions: https://jedidatabasesolutions.com - Elite Wealth Management Insights Report: https://eliteconsultingpartne

AI can crunch a portfolio, harvest losses, and explain an investment concept in seconds. But can it stop a nervous investor from selling at exactly the wrong moment—or understand the life behind the spreadsheet?Tom and Don test the robot-advisor promise, even asking ChatGPT to weigh in. The verdict is a useful division of labor: let technology handle repeatable mechanics, while human judgment, fiduciary responsibility, and behavior coaching remain hard to automate.Then the questions get wonderfully strange: whether a 0.70% advisory fee earns its keep, how a concentrated tech fund hides risk behind a huge return, whether a $100 million Bitcoin Roth story adds up, and how to invest an inherited account.00:00 Are AI advisors coming for financial planners?03:06 ChatGPT offers its own cautious verdict04:14 Where automation helps—and where humans matter09:36 What investors should ask their advisory firms12:10 Is a 0.70% advisor fee earning its keep?16:50 The concentrated tech fund with a dazzling record21:12 A purported $100 million Bitcoin Roth25:22 Building an inherited-account portfolioQuestions? Comments? Click!

Heather Marx-Zavattero is an art advisor specializing in curating and guiding collectors through the contemporary art world.LinksWebsite: HMX Art AdvisoryInstagram: @marxartadvisorySupport the showIf you would like to get involved with The Wider Lens, you can review sponsorship and contribution options here, as well as become a member here.Remember to stay safe and keep your creative juices flowing!---Tech/Project Management Tools (*these are affiliate links)Buzzsprout*Airtable*17hats*ZoomPodcast Mic*

We are pleased to continue our COBT California Summer Series with today's episode featuring Martin Viecha, Founder and Advisor at MV Motion Advisory. Prior to founding MV Motion, Martin served as the Vice President of Investor Relations at Tesla and previously spent several years as a sell-side equity research analyst covering the automotive and technology sectors. Based in Palo Alto, MV Motion is focused on robotaxis and autonomy, humanoid robots, and the evolving automotive landscape. We were delighted to host Martin for a wide-ranging discussion on the technologies shaping the future of transportation, robotics, and AI. In our conversation, Martin provides a comprehensive overview of the rapidly evolving autonomous vehicle and humanoid robotics landscape. We discuss why he believes robotaxis are approaching a mainstream adoption inflection point, transitioning from a Silicon Valley novelty to a service that will soon be available across much of the U.S. He explains why California, Texas, and Florida have emerged as leading deployment markets, how expanding permitting and improving safety records are accelerating adoption, and why safety, utilization rates, and cost per mile will ultimately determine the industry's winners. We explore Tesla's camera-only autonomous driving approach versus Waymo's multi-sensor strategy and the long-term implications for automakers, ride-hailing platforms, insurance, and vehicle ownership. We examine China's growing leadership in EVs and robotics, the enormous long-term potential for humanoid robots, the significant technical hurdles that remain around dexterity, world models, and data collection, and why geopolitics, national security, and public policy are likely to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of advanced robotics and AI. Martin outlines why, despite the excitement surrounding humanoid robots, they remain considerably further from widespread commercialization than robotaxis due to the vastly greater complexity of replicating human movement and decision-making. It was a fascinating discussion. We look forward to staying connected with Martin and continuing to follow his research. To start the show, Mike Bradley noted that the next three to four weeks will be dominated by second-quarter earnings reports. From a fixed income perspective, U.S. Treasury yields have continued to trend higher, driven in part by rising energy prices and their inflationary impact. The S&P 500 was up modestly on the day, gaining roughly 0.25%. In commodities, Brent crude oil rose approximately $2/bbl to around $94/bbl amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. President Trump also formally approved a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia to support the development of a civilian nuclear program in the kingdom, potentially opening the door to uranium enrichment activities there. In energy and power equities, GE Vernova (GEV) shares fell approximately 8% following earnings as the company fell short of highly elevated investor expectations despite reporting solid gas turbine performance and providing robust forward guidance. In contrast, Weatherford International (WFRD) shares rose as much as 9% after delivering strong quarterly results and a more optimistic outlook for the second half of 2026 than the market had anticipated. With equity markets trading near all-time highs and quarterly and second-half 2026 expectations remaining extremely elevated for many companies, Mike noted that the next three to four weeks of earnings reports could generate significant market volatility. Ellen Wilkirson also joined the discussion and peppered in her technology questions and perspectives. 

Matt Kilgroe — President & CEO, Cyndeo Wealth Partners Matt Kilgroe shares how Cyndeo Wealth Partners grew from a newly launched $1.2B RIA to a $3.5B enterprise, and why the next challenge isn't independence, but building a firm capable of reaching $25B.  In Summary Five years after launching Cyndeo Wealth Partners from UBS, Matt Kilgroe returns to the podcast to discuss what happens after independence. Rather than focusing on the transition itself, Louis and Matt explore the next phase of growth: scaling an advisory business, attracting talent, developing niche expertise, taking on outside capital, and building an enterprise designed to last. Along the way, Matt shares how Cyndeo expanded from $1.2B to $3.5B, why serving professional athletes required a different business model, and what led the firm to partner with Rise Growth Partners as it looks toward a $25B future.  The Storyline For many advisors, independence is viewed as the finish line. For Matt Kilgroe, it became the starting point. When Cyndeo Wealth Partners launched in 2020, the goal wasn't simply to leave the wirehouse behind. It was to build a business with the flexibility to grow in ways that simply weren't possible before. Five years later, that vision has evolved into something much larger. Cyndeo has nearly tripled in size, expanded its niche serving professional athletes and entertainers, recruited advisors, added specialized operational talent, and recently welcomed Rise Growth Partners as a minority investor to help accelerate its next phase of growth. The conversation explores what changes when firm leaders stop thinking like advisors managing successful practices and begin thinking like CEOs building enduring enterprises. The discussion spans succession planning, capital strategy, recruiting, organizational design, and the mindset required to scale from billions to tens of billions—all while remaining focused on clients and culture.  Topics Covered Building an enterprise beyond independence Scaling from $1.2B to $3.5B in assets Organic growth versus recruiting Serving professional athletes and entertainers Why fiduciary independence matters for niche client segments Building operational infrastructure for growth Partnering with Dynasty Financial Partners Minority capital and Rise Growth Partners Succession planning and employee ownership Thinking from $3.5B to $25B > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors What did Matt learn after transitioning nearly 98% of his clients? (06:20) Why client relationships—not firm logos—proved to be the firm's greatest asset during one of the most challenging transitions imaginable. How did Cyndeo nearly triple in size in five years? (16:10) Matt discusses the combination of niche specialization, disciplined organic growth, recruiting, and operational investment that fueled the firm's expansion. Why has Cyndeo become a destination for professional athletes? (17:15) The conversation explores how deep industry expertise, fiduciary flexibility, and specialized service created a business that would have been difficult to build inside a wirehouse. Why bring on a minority capital partner when the business was already thriving? (24:15) Matt explains why succession planning, future recruiting, and long-term enterprise growth made outside capital the right decision. How should advisors think about ownership versus compensation? (35:40) A candid discussion about enterprise value, equity, and why many advisors underestimate the long-term economics of ownership. What does it actually take to scale toward $25B? (42:20) From hiring executive talent to expanding geographically, Matt shares how he's thinking about the next chapter of Cyndeo's evolution. Key Takeaways Independence creates opportunities that extend well beyond higher payouts, including enterprise value, recruiting flexibility, and ownership. Scaling a business requires investing in operational leadership, not just adding advisors. Specialized client niches demand expertise that goes well beyond investment management. Outside capital can accelerate growth when it's aligned with long-term strategy rather than an exit. Building an enduring enterprise requires thinking differently about succession, talent, governance, and equity. https://youtu.be/WRYJd9Lkt7o Quotable Moments “Don't rent your practice. Own it.” “You can't work in those niches and not be a fiduciary.” “We're not done.” “The road from $3B to $25B is going to really compound on your equity.”  FAQs Why did Cyndeo decide to take on a minority capital partner? To support its next phase of growth, strengthen succession planning, recruit additional talent, and benefit from the experience of leaders who have successfully scaled wealth management businesses before. How did Cyndeo grow from $1.2B to $3.5B? Through a combination of consistent organic growth, specialized client niches, advisor recruiting, and investments in operational infrastructure. Why is serving professional athletes or other niche client segments different from serving traditional wealth clients? Niche client segments often face unique financial decisions involving private investments, business opportunities, and career transitions that require specialized knowledge and a fiduciary framework. What advantages did independence create that weren't available inside a wirehouse? Matt points to greater flexibility around private investments, the ability to build specialized client experiences, reward employees with equity, and create an enterprise with lasting value. How should advisors think about building versus joining an independent firm? The discussion highlights the tradeoffs between creating your own firm and joining an established independent enterprise, emphasizing that ownership and long-term equity often matter more than headline payouts. What does Matt believe is required to build a $25B firm? A willingness to invest beyond advisors alone, adding executive leadership, expanding geographically, recruiting strategically, and maintaining a long-term enterprise mindset. To support its next phase of growth, strengthen succession planning, recruit additional talent, and benefit from the experience of leaders who have successfully scaled wealth management businesses before. Through a combination of consistent organic growth, specialized client niches, advisor recruiting, and investments in operational infrastructure. Niche client segments often face unique financial decisions involving private investments, business opportunities, and career transitions that require specialized knowledge and a fiduciary framework. Matt points to greater flexibility around private investments, the ability to build specialized client experiences, reward employees with equity, and create an enterprise with lasting value. The discussion highlights the tradeoffs between creating your own firm and joining an established independent enterprise, emphasizing that ownership and long-term equity often matter more than headline payouts. A willingness to invest beyond advisors alone, adding executive leadership, expanding geographically, recruiting strategically, and maintaining a long-term enterprise mindset. Related Resources Article: Your Practice Isn't Worth What You ThinkMost advisors misjudge their business's value, not because of the number, but because of the framework. Learn what really drives enterprise value. Rise and Reinvent: Joe Duran on Building and Rebuilding World-Class FirmsHe's built and rebuilt some of the industry's most successful firms and now he's helping others do the same. In this episode, Joe Duran, the founder of Rise Growth Partners, shares lessons from building, selling, and starting again, and how staying curious and adaptable fuels lasting success. Matt KilgroePresident/CEO Prior to launching Cyndeo Wealth Partners in 2020, Matt ran advisory teams at Merrill Lynch and UBS Financial for 29 years. Providing guidance, counsel, and strategy for families the firm serves is Matt's passion. In addition to his role as an advisor, Matt works in a leadership capacity for Cyndeo while also helping with business development. Matt has been recognized by Barron's as a Top 1000 or Top 1200 Advisor consistently since 2009. In 2020 Forbes named him to their “Best-In-State Wealth Advisor” list. A graduate of Eckerd College, Matt has served on the Board of Trustees at his alma mater since 2012. His three children are his pride and joy. Daughter Carrington owns Sunstate Yoga studio in St. Petersburg, son Kent is a financial advisor with Cyndeo, and daughter Jillian recently graduated Florida State University. An athlete in college, Matt continues to enjoy staying in shape, playing basketball, and bike riding. NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… True Alignment: Advising Business Owners on Wealth, Significance, and Value A conversation with Jason Diamond, Nick Hubert and Taylor Gentry – Founding Partners at Panoramic Capital Partners. Jason Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is True Alignment: Advising Business Owners on Wealth, Significance, and Value. It’s a conversation with Nick Hubert and Taylor Gentry, Founding Partners, Panoramic Capital Partners. I’m Jason Diamond and this is the Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual advisor transition report. It’s the award-winning, data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Jason Diamond: Advisory firms that work with business owner clients typically operate through a fairly traditional wealth management lens. The business may be the source of the wealth, but the advice itself often centers around investments, planning, and asset allocation, yet Panoramic Capital Partners approaches that equation differently. Nick Hubert and Taylor Gentry are the founding partners of the roughly $450 million RIA, serving about 150 families with a seven-person team. And while they come from very different professional backgrounds, Nick with more of a relationship and storytelling orientation, Taylor from the analytical and private equity side, they’ve built the firm around a shared philosophy tied to what they call personal significance, personal wealth, and personal value. A big part of that philosophy, or the north star as they put it, is applying some of the same accountability and long-term thinking frameworks commonly seen in private equity to the advisory relationship itself, not in a transactional sense, but in helping clients think more intentionally about decision-making, alignment, and outcomes over long periods of time. As a result, our conversation delves deeply into the private equity world, reframing how clients and advisors should consider this important tool as both a growth mechanism and a strategic part of their client’s plans. We talk about how that perspective also shapes not only how they think about serving business owners specifically, but also the role private equity should play in wealth management. Then we take a view of their long runway and how they and other younger advisors might see things differently about building firms today and why clarity of vision may matter more than sheer scale in the years ahead, and much, much more. It’s a narrative that is refreshing and informative, so let’s get to it. Taylor, Nick, thank you so much for joining. Walk us through your background. What brought you to the world of wealth management? Nick, let’s start with you. Nick Hubert: Sure. I think I got my first taste of the industry actually in a sophomore year of college internship, or I interned at Morgan Stanley here in Oregon. I studied finance and accounting at University of Oregon, and so I had this affinity for finance and markets and had that privilege of having that internship. So I had it early on in my career. Ultimately ended up setting my sights on doing investment banking and going that route and did that for a short period of time. Ended up not going very long due to a medical reason, so you don’t have to be that sorry for me. And ultimately started my career in business consulting before pretty quickly realizing that I want to get back to finance, back to investing these things that just felt like core competencies and that thing that you keep coming back to when you’re alone in the middle of the night thinking about stuff, it was always that. Just had this desire to work with smaller units than large corporations, which is great for wealth where you get to work with families and small businesses. And so it was just a natural alignment that took me back full-time to the space in 2016. Jason Diamond: I like the framing it through the size of the unit you’re working with and having more of an impact on the family. Taylor, what about you? Taylor Gentry: I’m a little more circuitous, if you will. Spent a couple of years in investment banking, so you can be sorry for me. Nick and I met in undergrad at the University of Oregon, had the opportunity to work in this investment group together where we were investing a portion of the university’s endowment. And like Nick, interned in wealth management and kind of walked away from it going, “Boy, that’s boring. I don’t really like that.” And so moved to New York, cut my teeth in banking for a couple years and we were working… So an investment bank for context, helping companies raise debt, raise equity, and with mergers and acquisitions, we’re working with huge companies. So the Mattels of the world, the largest toy company in the world. Like Nick, realized, “Hey, I’m going to work with smaller companies that we can get our arms around a little bit better and be more helpful with and have a bigger impact on.” So spent about 10 years with a private equity firm in the western half of the US and we invested in companies in what’s referred to as the lower middle market. So companies doing 50 to 300 million of revenue. And we would invest in those companies, grow those businesses and then look to sell them. Awesome experience, learned a ton, got a bunch of experience around how to invest in companies, how to grow businesses. Then had the opportunity to step into the CFO seat of a couple of different operating companies during that time. It was just a great learning ground, but also to see a whole bunch of different situations. Nick and I have always invested in things together. We’ve worked on things together and we’ve always wanted to work together full time. And a few years ago, the stars really just aligned to say, “Hey, what would it look like to create a differentiated offering in the wealth space where we can blend my background on companies, transactions, how to draw on scale and all those pieces and really marry that with the wealth management piece?” And Nick will get into that further, but it’s just a really unique way to partner with families and companies that are smaller which can have a really high impact experience with those families and really move them through their life journey, if you will. Jason Diamond: Yeah, there’s a lot to unpack there and we’ll get to some of the elements of how you run the business today. First of all, you can’t fool me by using a toy company as your example to make investment banking more interesting. I’m just kidding. Actually, my real takeaway there is you have a skillset that is incredibly relevant in the current wealth management ecosystem, especially in the model you’re currently in. So let’s talk about that a little. Tell us about your current chapter, which is Panoramic Capital Partners. Who do you serve? What types of clients? Give me some perspective on size as well. Nick Hubert: I'm going to take this first. Taylor can do the PE background side and give you a bunch of numbers. I’ll give you the story and see if we can piece it together that way. Jason Diamond: I get the impression you guys use that line a lot. Nick Hubert: Oh, no, that’s the first time. How’d it land? Jason, I spent eight years at our prior firm with our third founding partner, Andrew, and he was at that firm for 30 years. And so we’ve got this core DNA that we’ve always carried of serving high net worth families in a very holistic and deep planning-based capacity, which I think a lot of modern firms say that. And so that’s not necessarily that different, but it is a DNA that carries through. When we got struck with this vision of launching Panoramic and what inspired us to build the firm, it was as, Taylor outlined, around this idea of how do we partner with entrepreneurs and business owners more holistically across their entire entrepreneurial journey, not just around the exit as is so often where the gravity of the conversation sits. And so our firm vision and inspiration was all around that. And since launching in May of 2024, it has been about how do we bring that vision to life with a different business model. And to your point, there’s a bunch to unpack there, but that is ultimately the founding vision of what we are trying to build here overall and what inspires us every day to say, how do we, as Taylor mentioned, bring the combination of skillsets to bear in a way that allows us to be a better partner along the entirety of the journey as opposed to just towards the end when assets traditionally show up, so to speak? So that’s a story from a vision perspective. Taylor, I don’t know what you want to add to that. Taylor Gentry: As Nick outlined, it’s the ability to work with folks throughout the lifecycle. So in private equity, you invest in a company, you work with that management team for three to seven years and then you sell the business and move on to the next project or deal. And really, it’s the deal mechanic that is the value creation. Whereas, with what we are building here, we have the opportunity to really step along the journey with folks when they are in the early phases building what we talk about as the middle phase of allocating, and we’ll talk about this further, and then really the third phase of stewarding capital along the way. And it’s a life cycle or entrepreneurial journey that we’re able to be hand in hand with folks over decades opposed to measured in three to five year spans. Jason Diamond: So it sounds, and you’ve both kind of touched on this now, your different backgrounds, you view as very much a positive because it gives you, Taylor, the more in the weeds analytical perspective. Nick, you’re probably more the storyteller. Do you find that to be a benefit when you’re running your firm every day? And are there instances when it’s a negative? Is there ever a time when you say, Taylor, just maybe more for you, not coming from this world, you don’t speak the same language? Nick Hubert: Do you want me to drop off the call so Taylor can be honest and he can give you the scoop and then he can jump off and I’ll give you the scoop? Taylor Gentry: Jason, we talk about that a lot, honestly. I think it is atypical for someone with my background to step into the wealth space maybe more so. And we leverage that because we have the ability to work with folks on how do you drive value in the company, how do you set the business up for a potential sale exit or transition internally? But this business, historically, we’ve talked about it as almost like two tracks. You have Taylor on the quote unquote business consulting or the business work track and you have Nick on a wealth management track. It’s really not the case. And really, the power is the ability for these two pieces to come together and there isn’t a conversation we have with clients where those two perspectives and backgrounds or contexts aren’t married into one to create really truly holistic advice. And so Nick will probably tell you otherwise, but I haven’t seen an area yet where our two backgrounds has been a negative. It’s actually been immensely positive. And then on top of it, in terms of kind of building out the firm, Nick is more of a traction visionary and I’m more of the traction implementer. What’s amazing about it from our perspective is the partnership we have allows us to, A, recognize that, B, name it, and then C, leverage it in terms of being able to dole out duties and maximize our success together. Jason Diamond: Nick, anything you’d add? Nick Hubert: I think that’s all right. I mean, Jason, your question was from an operational perspective. I think a lot of Taylor’s view is from a client perspective, which is spot on that the overlap of that is really helpful for clients and I think what allows it to be a different experience for them. Internally, operationally, I think that where you could see friction there amongst partners with differences, and I think you do see that, and at the same time, Google was the one who did team research 15 years ago where they put out what you really want, is similarity and vision and differences in skillset when building a team. And so I think we’ve been intentional about that and it’s been really helpful for… Taylor and I functionally met in a quasi-professional setting back in 2011 and developed a friendship quickly, so we’ve got that deep level of friendship that underpins all of it. And same with Andrew and our time working together. So part of it is there’s just such a strength of relationship amongst us that we give space for each other’s differences and look for those as assets as opposed to negatives, but in some sense, beauty in the eye of the beholder as is the case with anything. Jason Diamond: Yep. I appreciate you adding that context. I’ll be honest that when I first encountered your firm, my reaction was your core value prop of serving business owners is not all that differentiated. And then I learned more about the way in which you serve business owners. Can you talk about that? Because a lot of advisors in general, but then I think more specifically, a lot of RIAs would say, “We service primarily business owners.” Tell me how do you do it in a way that’s different and meaningful? Nick Hubert: I’ll take a first stab at that and then Taylor can maybe add on with specific stories. The wealth space is an awesome business and it’s a place where it’s very difficult to differentiate. And so we think a lot about that through the lens of how do we grow this business well for the long period of time to create opportunities for clients and employees. And so we spent a lot of time thinking about that, not only for the sake of differentiation, but also how do we actually just continue to add value to clients? Because if we add value in a different way, growth will take care of itself. I’d say one way of cutting that is we revisit the mission is through this idea of, okay, if I want to be a partner along the journey, it’s about more than a single transaction, more than a single exit, whatever that might be, or a series of transactions as wealth is often created over a series of transactions. It’s this idea of how do we focus on wealth creation and driving business value as the engine of wealth creation for entrepreneurs and what we call personal significance, which is the life of the entrepreneur. And so there’s a next click down framing of our framework that we work through that lens. I think the most important piece for us has been how do we build a business model that actually brings that to life and that’s the trick because we can say that, and if we basically still just operate out of an AUM-based or an asset advisory fee-based business, the reality is my incentive is still towards getting assets out of the entrepreneurial environment, so to speak, into a place that I can manage them, which may or may not be the best thing for the entrepreneur based on where they are at. And so our current work continues to be around how do we build that business model. So layering in different ways of engaging, whether it’s a retainer fee or some other way of engaging so we can start earlier when assets aren’t there and actually encourage the entrepreneur, “No, keep reinvesting in your business. It’s your highest rate of return right now and it’s where the investment needs to go.” I don’t want to have a conflict in giving that advice. And so I think step two here has been building that business model from an actual engagement perspective to enable us to enact the vision. And then I think the third piece is how do we then build tools that are different than just evaluating pre-exit planning, and as is so often, the toolkit, but actually saying, okay, what are the value drivers of a business? And this is probably where Taylor has a lot more to add because it’s 101 of the PE model, but how do we take the mission and vision of an entrepreneur, what we call north stars, translate those into value drivers, ensure those tie to strategic initiatives in the business, ensure it ties to reporting, and ultimately, how capital is allocated between the business and other investments? So then that’s our toolkit that we continue to build out to deploy the mission through our business model with tools that back it up. So that’s how we frame it right now. Taylor, we can share stories about how that’s come to fruition to create different outcomes. Jason Diamond: Taylor, I’d love to hear that. Let me just add maybe my understanding, because this is what helped me, I think, to really understand how you defer, and Nick and Taylor, correct me if I’m wrong, it sounds like the typical advisor thinks about an entrepreneur, a business owner relationship as the next liquidity event in most cases. And you take the viewpoint that it’s a journey, in some instances, 30 years in the making. It’s not even about liquidity event might come that’s beside the point. Is that a fair summary? Taylor Gentry: Yeah. We talk about it as a growing business is a healthy business, a business that is creating incremental value and adding to the multiple in terms of how the business is valued in the marketplace is a healthy business. And so whether you are going to sell that business or retain that business into perpetuity, let’s make a really valuable business and grow a very healthy business. And that’s what we do with clients. Nick laid out the north star framework. And so how do we actually go about engaging with folks on a practical level? It does start with the north star framework. It’s got five steps to it as Nick outlined in terms of defining the north star, where we’re going, what we’re trying to do and that’s across those three pillars, personal significance, personal wealth and business value. And that personal significance has to be held at that same level. Otherwise, we find folks that are mid 50s, their business is crazy valuable, they’ve got a lot of dollars, but their family life isn’t where they want it to be because they didn’t take care of that along the way. So we lay out a place map that says, “Hey, these are the north stars that we are aligning on and coming back to every month when we work with these owners.” We then push that into, okay, what are we trying to do on the business side of the equation? Let’s lay out what is going to drive the value of the business from a multiple and enterprise value perspective. We push that into a set of strategic initiatives that is tactical, who owns what, when’s it getting done, and are we red, yellow or green on it? We then build out the performance reporting package with folks. And so that is a monthly reporting package that says what happened last month and what operational data are we looking at to be able to improve the business month over month and get a good feedback loop going into the company. And then the last piece is around capital allocation that Nick mentioned where if the business generates a million dollars, where’s that capital going? I think there’s a lot in there and it’s really deep, but if you zoom all the way back out, it’s take a private equity style playbook where private equity firms come and invest in a company. And what do they do after close? They put in place good financial reporting, good operational reporting, and then hold the team accountable to that reporting and those results on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. And so this is not rocket science or something that’s never been seen before. It’s just most business owners that have never experienced this private equity world don’t have access to it and don’t know how to go about doing it. It’s a relatively long process to get that installed with companies and with teams to really dig in and understand it, but it’s building out those packages to be able to say, “Okay, what happened last month? What changes do we need to make and what are we doing from a initiative perspective to drive the business forward?” So to Nick’s point, it was previously, this was all about liquidity planning or from a wealth management perspective, it’s about the exit. This is about how do we make a more valuable business along the way, and that’s going to be good for the entrepreneur as they move through the journey. Nick Hubert: When we were around the dinner table, the proverbial dinner table creating the vision of this firm, it was around this idea of the silver tsunami and everything that everybody reads in the headlines of this massive wave of transition, this generational transition of business ownership that we could help facilitate. So we launched with that thesis in some sense. In addition to this broader journey perspective, we have gotten to this place by following the market and listening to what entrepreneurs actually want through the big unlock was honestly in a deal process with one of our clients where we realized, “This is a great deal. This person’s going to put a ton of money in their pockets, secure their future,” and it’s completely the wrong outcome for the entrepreneur because it’s thinking all about the deal, not thinking about what this person didn’t want was an exit. They wanted a different relationship with their business, and that required, what do you actually want out of life, that personal significance piece? And it required, “Hey, if we can actually create a layer of team members and reporting that allows you to manage this like a board chair would do as opposed to a highly engaged CEO. That’s actually what you want. You don’t want out of this business. You want to still have this be a huge rock in your life.” And so we’ve ran through that door, said no to the deal with them and have been building the infrastructure around this, and that was the unlock and aha moment for us. There’s something bigger here and that’s what then inspired, in some sense, the broader build out of the toolkit, but I think puts more meat on the bone of actually saying no to a deal, which is not the classic wealth manager outcome to get to a way better outcome for the client and is ultimately still an awesome client for us as a firm and somebody that we can go build with for the next 20 years. I think just telling it through the lens of a story that’s different than what’s normal, so to speak, is a way to frame that up. Jason Diamond: It’s such a hyper focus on a fairly long-term and honestly nebulous potential outcome. You don’t have certainty. That, I think, is why most advisors would prefer the near-term liquidity. I mean, it’s not a secret, right? You can bill on assets, firms are incentivizing it and it’s a pretty direct recipe to net new asset growth, but it’s certainly a refreshing point of view. It resonates with me. I’m wondering if it’s resonated with clients and prospects. I guess what I’m asking is, do they feel that this is something different than the typical wealth management experience for this type of client? Nick Hubert: Yeah, Taylor, tell that story of the guy who said, “I’ve had this, but I felt alone.” I think that story of partnership, you tell pretty well. Taylor Gentry: Yeah. Jason, it was actually that same client, he had a investment banker, a wealth manager, attorney, and a CPA. CPA said, “The deal’s terrible, you shouldn’t do the deal.” Investment bankers obviously incentivized to do the deal. And so he’s saying, “You should do the deal.” That’s how he gets paid. He had a wealth manager who was silent and he had an attorney who just pushing paperwork. Jason Diamond: It’s like the start of a bad joke. Taylor Gentry: Yeah. No, seriously, it’s pretty remarkable. It’s like this guy did what he was supposed to do. He put the team of resources around himself. He got professionals in the seat. It’s that no one could connect the dots of all four of those people because they have the seat of those four people. And so it’s really resonated because there’s an ability to see a bigger picture and connect these dots and say, “Okay, this investment banker is saying X because of A, B and C.” And the CPA is saying it’s a bad deal and that it’s not a market deal. It’s 100% a market deal. This deal is right down the fairway in terms of what the market should value your company at and they just don’t understand how the transaction mechanics should work. And so it’s worked really well from that perspective of being able to be the quarterback or centralized point or personal CFO for folks in understanding where interests lie and also being able to think about what they are pursuing in a bit of a different lens. I think the second piece on that is where does it resonate for folks? I think that there is a gap in the marketplace that we are still working to close, and that gap is that business owners do not know what this monthly reporting package looks like. They do not know what really good reporting on their business looks like in terms of they have always run their… You’ve got a business owner. They’ve run their business for 10 or 20 years. They have a pulse on the business from their gut feel. That does not mean that the business has been optimized, is ready to go to the next level or is ready for a transaction and go through a transaction because they have not done the work on the backend to understand the moving pieces of the business at a granular level. This recording package, we oftentimes get this confusion around, well, I’ve got a temporary CFO or a controller or X, Y, Z. That is very different than what we’re talking about. Well, that is all accounting, close the books, have clean numbers. What we’re talking about is how do I marry operational data in the business, number of units ships, number of jobs completed, time on job, operational data to the financials in the business so I can then go make adjustments operationally on how to improve the business and continue taking steps forward. Jason Diamond: It’s very clear. Nick, anything you’d want to add to that? Nick Hubert: I’d say it’s easy to still cut that from a deal lens and say, look, when an investment partner comes to evaluate a business to sit in their seat for a moment, they’re going to look at the replicability of what that leader has done without that leader still in the seat. And if so many businesses are still reliant on that person and this gets talked about as processes, reporting systems, that ultimately results in a discount to the value of the business because although it can be viewed… For the leader, it’s like, it’s that control thing that entrepreneurs deal with. It’s what made them good. It’s what got you there. And so that transition is really hard. And that’s important from a deal lens because that does a direct impact to value. And to widen out the scope beyond the deal and to think about the entrepreneur’s life, this goes back to the dynamic that a lot of times entrepreneurs look for the exits because they’ve built something that it’s now owning them and what they’ve built is not resulting in the life that they want. And so how can we use this system to actually change that relationship, as I mentioned earlier, with the business so that they can run it more like an executive might and get out of the knife fight, so to speak, that often is how this can feel for a lot of folks, even for pretty large businesses. It can just feel like you’re a firefighter, you’re in a knife fight, whatever you want to use for that terminology. I think it’s as much about creating a different life outcome and different relationship and owning and leading a business as it is in driving deal value. Jason Diamond: Taylor, maybe I’ll ask this of you. Forgive the question, but private equity, I think in our space, has a little bit of a negative stigma at the moment. I don’t think that’s true across the board. I think people appreciate generally the need for capital and there are certainly benefits of private equity. But I’ll say as a whole, advisors are, let’s say, suspicious of private equity. You ever get that pushback? Does anybody ever view your experience or the way you position the story as a negative? Taylor Gentry: I think most people that we talk to don’t know what private equity is. They may have seen it in the headlines. They may have some sort of connotation around it. They won’t come out and say that they don’t like it. They don’t know why they don’t like it. The average American business owner, they don’t know what it is or what it means. So yes, you do have to fight that because of the headline piece around private equity, bad actor ABC, and that’s what gets the headlines. I think what private equity is really good at is taking a business that is not optimized or not running on systems and processes that it can run on. Again, it's not rocket science is not crazy hard. It’s just the private equity world has created ways to install systems and process that improve the value of the business by way of providing visibility to financials and operations in a way that the owner previously didn’t have. And so for us, we view it not by any means as the end all be all or the answer. There are clients we’ve worked with that have taken private equity capital and grown successfully, executed on some acquisitions and then exited again. There are clients that have evaluated those transactions and said, “Hey, not for me.” We are actually fairly agnostic to it. What we really spend a lot of our time on is what are we solving for? What’s the end game? How do we use this private equity transaction to get to where we’re trying to go and is it what we want at the end of the day? Because the reality is, if you’re going to stay on and run that business with private equity investment in, there’s a higher expectation on what you need to do Monday morning than when you owned it yourself and it was a little bit of your personal piggy bank too. Jason Diamond: I love it because you bring it back to the north star concept. Taylor Gentry: Yes, that’s exactly right. It’s what are we solving for and what game are we playing to be able to get to where we ultimately want to go? And for, as Nick mentioned that client that turned down the deal, it was a private equity investment. We got very clear with that, “Hey, here are going to be the expectations. You will have a monthly financial reporting call. You’re going to have quarterly board meetings.” These are things that need to happen in this business to be able to upgrade the management and cadence in this company. You don’t have to do it all tomorrow, but that is how you make a more valuable company, is installing some of these systems, process and cadence. And so we’re working with him now on doing that, just in a private context instead of in the private equity backed environment. Nick Hubert: I think there are three things embedded in this. I’d say number one, to Taylor’s point, this is a massive black box, in some ways by design. Wall Street’s had not a great reputation for a very long time of putting things behind the paywall, so to speak. And so we think a lot about our job as empowerment and education. Jason Diamond: Education, yep. Nick Hubert: Yeah. And so part of it is just, number one, how do we just demystify this thing and name things and take away the go to or bad? Because it can be that, but it should not be that from a core basis. That’s number one. Number two, a lot of entrepreneurs feel like they cannot get access to this ability to professionalize or level up or whatever these things are without bringing on that investment partner. And so part of our motivation is how do we actually bring this skillset in without needing to bring on an investment partner because oftentimes, that investment partner comes when you’re done, and so you don’t actually get to experience it. That’s number two. Number three is, Jason, part of your point earlier was like there’s still a trap here of potentially being able to get motivated primarily by the exit. And so again, that gets back to our business model, making sure our price Racing is right, all that good stuff. And it’s also the reality that a lot of businesses, if you just look at a very broad scope of American businesses, a lot of them don’t have value in the marketplace in a massively material way and/or won’t exit in a traditional way. And so the wealth creation journey then becomes much more of a conversation of, how do we manage the balance between investing in the company and distributing out of the company to invest elsewhere because we should actually be creating investment assets along the way because when you get to the exit, there’s no better power position at the moment of exit than already having financial security to some degree and giving you choice in the right deal, not the highest and best deal because you need to fill the piggy bank for retirement. Jason Diamond: I just want to be sure to ask because you did mention a couple times your pricing structure. How have you set it up so that you can be more agnostic about this as opposed to the typical… You want to talk about it for a minute? Nick Hubert: As it’s structured now, it starts with a retainer earlier on where we are working… As Taylor mentioned, we are going deep in the operational build of the business. We will do that on a monthly retainer. We’re engaging consistently. As assets get built up and if assets get built up, we start to chew that retainer down as assets go up. I think what we are ideally trying to figure out, and still honestly have not figured out yet, is how do we get to parity so that we don’t create an… I want to be able to work agnostically with a client to say- Jason Diamond: Yeah, I love it. Nick Hubert: … regardless of how I’m engaging with you, that’s the goal. So I’d say we haven’t cracked the code on exactly what that is yet, but mechanically, we’ve got the levers to pull to say how we price and move that retainer down is basically allowing to keep it at par, so to speak, for the client and allowing us to say, “I’m here to engage in making the best wealth creation outcome for you along the way, whether that’s investing in the business or investing outside the business.” Jason Diamond: I think that’s the right recipe. I agree. The levers can be fine-tuned, but to me, that’s the model you want to create where you can credibly look your prospects and clients in the eyes and tell them, “Our job is to serve you in the best way… We’re sitting on the same side of the table as you.” I want to turn this inward for a second. The home cooking concept. M&A, within the RIA independent space, is obviously a hot topic. Have you thought about it? Do you think it’s a critical part of a potential growth trajectory of a healthy, independent firm? I’m curious your perspective. I feel you, Taylor in particular, probably have a unique lens on this coming from the world you came from. Taylor Gentry: Yeah, Jason, I think if Nick and I wanted to put as much money as we possibly could in our pockets as fast as humanly possible. It’s a pretty easy recipe. It’s go get some private equity capital backer, roll up a few RIAs, get to a few billion of AUM and then sell it to the next private equity firm or roll it to the next private equity firm, do that a few times. We’d all make plenty of money and go on our way. We’ve been really intentional on this front, and again, I talk about this is what we want to do for the next 30 plus years. And really being intentional around building a business that has that enduring nature to it, decided to take private equity capital on, you are on a shot clock to some degree. Yes, you’re trying to build a best business, all of those pieces. You get cadence. You get capital. There’s a ton of value there, but you are on a shot clock that is not a shot clock we’re trying to get on at this stage. I’d say we opportunistically are looking at acquisitions. So we think about it, and Nick and I talk about it all the time, how much of our time should we be spending on acquisitions? And we think of it as 80/20 or even 90/10, 80% or 90% organic growth-focused, 10 to 20% acquisitions-focused. And so we’re actively evaluating those consistently and see deals on a monthly basis that we look at and evaluate, but it’s less of the focus today than it could be down the road. Jason Diamond: And Nick, do you think of that when you guys talk? Do you guys call that your true north? Do you think the same way you coach your clients and prospects to say, “For right now, it wouldn’t be the right move for us to take private equity capital and to do this acquisition rollup strategy because A, B and C are more important for us”? Nick Hubert: Yes. I think if we take our life north star for Taylor. I’m speaking for Taylor, but we’re close and so we share this of… To Taylor’s point, the life outcome of scaling that quickly with that type of capital backing is likely to create a life that I don’t actually want that’s not good for me, not good for my family, and honestly, not good for our clients at this point. And so that overrides in this case, even though the wealth, north star might say, “Hey, absolutely do that.” At some point something has to win. And so that is true. At the business side, as the north star is motivated by this mission of the entire entrepreneur journey, the worst thing I could do is shortcut my ability to be on that journey for a long period of time. One of our friends in this space says, “The best thing I can do for my clients is still be in the seat 30 years from now because I’ve lived a good life that enables that.” And I think that’s spot on for us, is everything, it’s so easy in today’s world to be consumed by short-termism and we are intentional in ensuring that we don’t succumb to that. While still recognizing to your point, I mean, you’re in this all day, Jason, right? There’s a massive opportunity in front of us to be thoughtful about how acquisitions fit into this. And I think we want to be open to that in a way that ensures we just don’t lose the core of the goodness of what we’re trying to build. Jason Diamond: I think that’s the right answer. The only wrong answer in my mind is we’re not open to this or we’re closed to it. To not at least be opportunistically aware of the dynamics in the market, I think is naive. But also, I’ll be honest, Nick, when I think about the concept of the north star, I have a hard time imagining, because we use a similar concept when we counsel advisors. What is your true north or your north star and your best business life, whatever you want to call it? To me, it does include absolutely the personal piece. I think it’s hard to define it only on the economic verticals because, I mean, I think about this for a transitioning advisor. Almost never is the conversation about crunch the spreadsheet and get us the biggest check possible. It’s, yeah, sure, transition capital is important, but it’s let’s also, we want a better work life and we want freedom to market and blah, blah, blah. To me, I think it’s a completely fair way. You two are looking at it at least for now and I assume you reserve the right to revise that opinion down the line. Nick Hubert: I think acquiring for size and scale is as often the headline is, yeah, we’re not into that at this point because I think… And yet, hey, if the right acquisition with the right people came along in that, we’d be extremely excited and would move very quickly to execute on that. So it’s a little bit of a both hand. Taylor Gentry: Yeah. Jason, I think it goes without saying, but my background on having done a bunch of transactions of businesses like this, it’s a natural fit for us to have this as a lever. And so we are looking at deals. We just haven’t prioritized it as the top priority. Jason Diamond: I think also where you are, 2024 was the launch of the business. It’s pretty common to see, all right, let’s nail this, let’s get our feet under us, client service model and then we’ll start to think about that down the line. A couple other things I want to ask you about running an independent firm. This is a pretty glowingly positive review, I think, of your ability to service clients, your ability to grow and to build and run the business that you want. Has there been anything negative that you haven’t enjoyed about running and operating this business, other than working with each other, of course? Nick Hubert: No, I was going to say, I’m like, can we get Taylor off the call again? Taylor Gentry: Jason, maybe I’ll take a first cut at it. I think for both Nick and I, it’s just the administrative components of running an independent business that we don’t enjoy candidly. I don’t think many people would. That said, you come full circle and it is a pretty glowingly positive review of running an independent business because we get to run it in the way that we see fit. And oh, by the way, we use the same things that we use with our clients. So the value drivers we’ve talked about, we have a value drivers worksheet. We refresh it every six months. Nick, Andrew, and I get together every six months and we’re 18 months into this thing and we’ve already got this cadence and system to it, if you will. So I personally really enjoy the running the business piece of it from a macro perspective. Yeah, I’m responsible for running our fee billing and running the math on all that and getting that done, for example. Jason Diamond: I think that’s actually a very thoughtful answer. And I appreciate you saying I enjoy running… I feel the same way, by the way. There’s some elements of running a business that I think are immensely fun. I think it gets painted with this brush of, “Ugh, running the business is the hassle and I want to work in the business.” Agreed, nobody likes invoicing and accounts receivable for the most part, but Nick, what are your thoughts on this? Nick Hubert: Yeah, I think mine is different a little bit coming from a different background where it’s easier for me to sit with the rose-colored glasses of the joy of the freedom that we have in this model. At the same time, when I’m counseling folks who are talking with folks or mentoring folks, younger people who are thinking about, “Okay, I want to go start my own thing,” I’m like, “Hey, it’s like I’m the same way. I want to look in the mirror and think I’m the boss or I’m one of the bosses and we get to go build this.” Then the reality is, at the end of the day, if there was something that you didn’t want to do that had to get done and you didn’t do it, you got to look in the mirror and be like, “Well, you’re the boss, you didn’t do it.” It’s the both sides of the coin that I think a positive, negative cut is one way to look at that because it can feel that way sometimes. And the reality is every job has 20 to 30% of it that you just don’t enjoy doing, and that’s totally true. Jason Diamond: It’s why they call it work. That’s why they pay you. Nick Hubert: They’d be pretty quick to point out that I’m the one of the partnership group that they’re going to have to chase for a smaller administrative item because, yeah, I honestly, just similarly speaking, don’t enjoy that. I want to go talk to clients. I want to go focus on building what we’re building. In finance speaks, it is a higher beta to just the all encompassing realities of running a business that is really hard to underscore without being in the seat. And yeah, there’s definitely 20 to 30% of that I would love to wave a magic wand and say, I don’t have to do anymore. Jason Diamond: Yeah, I appreciate that. Nick Hubert: You can’t have one without the other. It’s both sides. Jason Diamond: I think it’s getting easier and I think it’s getting more offloadable and some of it probably gets more… In some ways, more offloadable as you scale, but then you get a new set of problems, probably two, because you’re dealing with bigger… It’s a never ending. I think most business owners would agree with that. And you said it well, you take the good with the bad and overwhelmingly, most people we speak with in the independent space feel as you do, which is, are there things I would prefer to offload or that I would prefer not to do? Of course, but that’s almost just the price you pay for the freedom and for doing all the things you want to do. Two more questions that I want to be sure to ask about where this has been a great episode. One is AI. Need to know your thoughts. Is this coming for our jobs? Do you think your firm is positioned to capture either asset flows or also just to leverage this technology and use it to serve clients better? Just give me your thoughts. Nick Hubert: I think, in some sense, it would be irresponsible as people this early in our entrepreneurial journey and thinking about how do we optimize what we do for clients to not be engaging with AI in some way, shape or form, at least in an evaluative posture. So we are actively, in a bunch of different ways, whether it’s buy it off the shelf or build it, continuing to find ways to think about, not only how do we drive efficiency, because there’s an obvious surface level dynamic of if I can save time and spend more time with clients, that is a go to thing objectively. And there’s this deeper dynamic of if it can amplify what… Actually, back to your prior question, if it can amplify what I’m best at and enjoy and reduce what I don’t enjoy, that’s a massive win. And I think we’re on the surface of seeing that. That’s the opportunity we are motivated by that and pursuing that. And at the same time, I would say an operational principle that really is important to us, and you can almost call it a north star within the business is client security can never be put at risk for the sake of our own growth, our own efficiency, or anything else. There’s, I think, still a question mark as to how we think about trusting this. And so we are very cautious as we think about we will never try to move so quickly on any technology, whether it’s AI or otherwise that we risk our clients in some way, shape or form, because the reality is we are also in a context where AI is, when pulled, one of the least popular things happening in the world today for the average American. And so there’s no kudos here for being a leader. Jason Diamond: I totally agree. The first mover advantage here is slim to none. Nick Hubert: Yeah, you don’t want to be the one sticking your neck out on this in our industry. And yet there still objectively has a potential to be better for the clients. Navigating that I think is messy. Taylor Gentry: I think the only thing I’d add, which is pretty short, is the use of these tools has the ability to create a better deliverable for clients on a more consistent basis. And marrying that with exactly what Nick just outlined around the risk is really the magic piece here. And so I think, to the extent we can get it implemented effectively with the security, but also with, this is going to result in a lot better outcome for clients across the board, that’s a pretty attractive objective to go after and it’s pretty exciting to be in the industry with that now on the forefront in terms of ability to improve that experience over time. Jason Diamond: Yeah. No, that’s a good color to add. I want to end here with a potential HR violation, but you’ll forgive me. I’m not going to ask about age, but you are clearly both relatively young advisors. And this is a hot button issue in our industry, the idea that there are not a lot of talented, young next gen advisors at a time when a lot of gen one or older advisors are retiring out of the business. So what would you say… I think one of you made the comment earlier, it’s not necessarily the coolest industry to go into at 23 years old right out of school. I think more commonly people go into sales and trading, investment banking or some of the other finance verticals. What would you say to younger folks interested in wealth? And maybe I’d ask also, do you have any thoughts on how we solve this next gen talent crisis? And if you’re both secretly 90 years old, you can just do it. Taylor Gentry: You talking my internal age or my actual age? Jason Diamond: Why don’t you go first? Nick Hubert: Yeah, go ahead, Taylor. Taylor Gentry: I think there’s two threads here. The first is it’s not a sexy industry to go into and not as sexy as an investment banking, private equity shtick, if you will. I think from my perspective, it’s really important what you’re working on. The ability to be in a firm like what we are building with the diversity of work that is available is a little bit like the world’s your oyster and we’re designing it with that in mind. For Nick and I, the ability to work on many different situations throughout the day and throughout the week is actually why this business is so attractive and interesting and why we want to do it for 30 years. And so we’re building with that context. And so, in some ways, it’s almost like a plug for younger advisors, the ability to work in a firm like what we’re building where you’ve got this diversity of work that is not just trading stocks and bonds or just spreadsheeting or just financial planning. This is a much broader expression and experience than what I would call “traditional” wealth management. So I think that’s the key on that front. Then, on the talent development side of the equation, if you will, this AI thing is going to be a big question mark. And what I mean by that is there is significant training that will be required in, call it traditional wealth management or the firm we’re building with regard to folks’ ability to actually learn when you can plug it into AI and get an answer that you don’t have to critically question or think through. And so there’s going to be a significant learning curve for folks that we’re going to have to continue to train and educate on in order to produce talent that can be long-term sustainable and beneficial for clients more writ large. Jason Diamond: Nick. Nick Hubert: Well, first and foremost, we haven’t given our third partner enough here of time. I think we have a tremendous benefit of having a multi-generational team at the partnership level where he’s in his mid to late 50s and can bring that additional experience to bear and as is necessary, and as is important because investing is an experienced business and a lot of clients want that. And so the power of that matters. I think that actually speaks to firms being willing to think of partnership at that level that partnership is not reserved for just once you’ve been there for a long time. So I think it’s getting at like, how do you share ownership earlier, do it in a way that is actually giving people a stake in the outcome and allowing that elevation to happen. I think that’s number one. Number two, honestly, the existence of people like you and your team and that your family has built over the years, Jason, is awesome. And because of the ability for you to help people navigate and see how easy it is to actually run this business and build this business in some sense… And that’s in the broader spectrum of having seen. We work with so many different types of companies. We sometimes say our business is so much easier to run and it has come so far with technology and with people like you who are providers to us to allow it to be easier for us so to speak. That’s a big deal. I think that should be talked about more that there is a massive… What that allows is more time to, as Taylor mentioned, build what you actually want because you can outsource the compliance piece in a major way that allows you to not spend as much time on that as you used to. So I don’t think that gets talked about enough. And I think if you just zoom out and view this in the perspective of post-2020, there was this massive movement of entrepreneurship through acquisitions and people looking at this idea of how do I get the life I want by way of not having to be on a two-year clock to go to the next job to the next job. Have something that I can have a long-term impact on where I get to build something and have employees. This is the perfect space for that because it’s such an awesome business where you get to work so intimately with people and clients and their life outcomes. They’re, again, relatively speaking, easier businesses to run relative to what’s out there. I’m just baffled by the fact that it is not seen a larger wave of younger people coming out of these more “traditional” paths and seeing this as an awesome place when they’re willing to go buy an HVAC company. This is so much easier than that. So honestly, I think

Most service advisors assume price is the problem long before the customer ever says it. That's where profit disappears. In this episode, Jen Suzuki challenges one of the biggest habits hurting dealership service departments: discounting before exploring better solutions. Learn why financing should be one of your first "bats" instead of your last resort or never, how immediate discounts quietly destroy your ELR, gross profit and customer confidence and why the best advisors never assume someone can't afford needed repairs. You'll hear practical examples of how to present financing naturally, protect the value of your technicians' work, increase MPI approvals and create conversations that build trust instead of negotiation. If you're serious about becoming a stronger advisor while helping more customers repair their vehicles before small problems become expensive ones, this episode is for you. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast |

What happens when a Dow Chemical employee turned real estate investor can't find a financial planner willing to look at his whole picture? He becomes one himself.In this episode of Only Fee Only, Peter and Broc talk with Ethan Kok, owner of Sage Wealth Planning. Ethan shares how his search for real financial advice as a young investor in Midland, Michigan opened his eyes to the fee-only model — and ultimately pulled him out of a corporate career and into financial planning. He breaks down how he built his early client base by mastering Dow's complex employee benefits, why offering flat-fee planning to clients without big portfolios is an opportunity most advisors miss, and what he learned from purchasing Sage from its founder, including why the transition plan matters just as much as the purchase price.Ethan also talks about his team's shared passion for tax planning, how his appreciation for insurance planning has grown over the years, the "downer meeting" his firm uses to help clients get real about life insurance and estate planning, and his advice for anyone at a big company thinking about a career change into this profession.Ethan's Social:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-kok/Music in this episode was obtained from Bensound.

Most UK-US cross-border tax advisors fall into one of two camps: UK-based specialists who understand British and US tax intimately but charge eye-watering fees, or US-based CPAs who know their side of the Atlantic but have insufficient grasp of the UK side of things. This episode explores what happens when British expats end up in the wrong camp, and why finding someone who genuinely understands both systems, including the US UK tax treaty, while being based in America, has been so hard to come by.  Richard Taylor, Chartered Financial Planner and founder of Plan First Wealth, is joined by Toni Sculthorpe, founder of Avante Tax and known online as "Your Tax Lady," to unpack the gap she's spent the last decade filling. After 25 years as a UK accountant, Toni was pulled into cross-border work when a client's US-based Amazon business exposed how badly disconnected American and British tax advice can be. As a British expat herself, now based in North Carolina, Toni frames the conversation through the lens of clients navigating dual tax UK and US obligations on both sides of the Atlantic.  Richard and Toni walk through the most common, and most costly, mistakes British expats make once they've relocated: unreported FBAR accounts, ISAs that trigger PFIC penalties, mishandling a UK pension or US pensions during the transition, and the temptation to take tax advice from Facebook groups or ChatGPT instead of getting proper US tax help from a qualified professional. They break down why the IRS's reasonable cause can test hinges on whether you disclosed everything to your advisor, whether that advisor was actually qualified to advise on your situation, and whether you followed their advice, and why skipping professional guidance before a move can turn a $2,000-3,000 problem into a $30,000+ one.  They also discuss why tax compliance and financial planning are too often handled in silos, with tax advisors and financial planners on opposite sides of the Atlantic never speaking to each other, and what it looks like when those two roles work in tandem instead of in isolation.  Whether you're moving to America, already living there and unsure if you're fully compliant, or advising clients with assets on both sides of the Atlantic, this episode covers the specific mechanics of what gets missed, not just the broad strokes. It fits into cross-border financial planning for anyone managing international wealth across the UK and US.  --  Expat Wealth is supported by Plan First Wealth. Plan First Wealth is a Registered Investment Advisor serving fellow expatriates and immigrants living across the US on matters such as retirement planning, investment management, tax planning and non-US asset management.  https://planfirstwealth.com/  --  Expat Wealth is affiliated with Plan First Wealth LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Plan First Wealth.    Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Plan First Wealth does not provide any tax and/or legal advice and strongly recommends that listeners seek their own advice in these areas. 

Takuji Aida, advisor to prime minister Sanae Takaichi, explains Sanaenomics.

Financial advisors are being pitched new AI tools almost every day.The promise is simple: more automation, better client service, and fewer hours buried in administrative work.But adding AI to a fragmented technology stack doesn't automatically make your business smarter. If your client data is incomplete, trapped inside disconnected systems, or flowing through tools you haven't properly vetted, AI may amplify the problems you already have.Today, I'm talking with Triad's Chief Technology Officer, Quin Kilgore, to explore why the next era of advisor technology won't be won by the firm with the most software.We discuss why the tools that helped build your firm may not be the tools that carry it forward, where convenience can create hidden compliance risks, and how AI could reshape everything from marketing attribution and advisor coaching to client events and everyday operations.3 Insights From This Week's Episode…#1.) The Hidden Risk Beneath Every AI Tool Advisors tend to focus on what a new AI tool can do. But the bigger risk may be hiding in incomplete client records, fragmented systems, and unclear data policies. We explore why AI adoption can make weaknesses in your firm's foundation much harder to ignore.#2.) Why Today's Tech Stack May Become Tomorrow's BottleneckFor years, advisory firms built their businesses around software that was expensive to customize and painful to replace. Quin explains how quickly that equation is changing, and why advisors may need to reconsider what a “core” technology system even looks like.#3.) The Client Intelligence Advisors Are Leaving BehindYour client conversations contain far more valuable information than a traditional fact finder can capture. We explore what becomes possible when that information can be organized, understood, and used throughout the firm.INTERESTED IN TRIAD'S AI MASTERMIND?Triad's AI Advisor Lab, led personally by Michael Hyatt, is built for financial advisors who want to cut through the hype, apply AI more effectively, and stay ahead as the industry evolves. Apply here to see if the mastermind is the right fit for your firm: https://bradleyjohnson.com/178-ai-advisor-labSHOW NOTEShttps://bradleyjohnson.com/178FOLLOW BRAD JOHNSON ON SOCIALXInstagramLinkedInFOLLOW DBDL ON SOCIAL:YouTubeTwitterInstagramLinkedInFacebookDISCLOSURE DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. No statements made in the episode are offered as, and shall not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations. The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies. TP07265629240See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AMDG. Today, Kolbe advisors Pam Castor, Abby Ehlers, and Krysten Pizzurrro join the Kolbecast to discuss extra-curricular activities in homeschooling. Homeschooling is certainly about educating the minds of our children, but we're always striving to bring about the well-being of the whole person. Activities outside of schooling can play an important role in this, with activities such as sports, serving in the parish, and groups such as scouting.   These advisors give us some examples of how this can be done and provide us with advice on how to find balance.  Links mentioned & relevant:  Articles from the Academics & Advising section of the Help Center:  Scheduling Recommendations  Cultivating Friendships and Enriching Social Activities for Homeschool Students   Scheduling the Elementary and Middle School Day  Extracurricular Activity Tracker  High Academics, Non-Academics, and Activities  Related Kolbecast episodes:  258 Seeking, Finding, and Building Community - Groups and Extracurriculars  313 Preparing for a Stellar School Year  320 College Considerations  125 Call the Advisor  284 Flexibility and Structure for the Early Years with Pam Castor and Emmanuelle Wilhelm  Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.   We'd be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

What Is the Retire Sooner Method? & Can You Retire Without Touching the Principal? How do you retire sooner, increase your happiness, and ensure you never run out of money? In this episode, Wes Moss breaks down the Retire Sooner Method—your ultimate retirement happiness GPS. Just like navigating an unfamiliar city, navigating retirement without a map guarantees you'll get lost. Wes shares the 5 essential steps to build a guided blueprint, maximize your financial freedom, and dramatically reduce money anxiety. Later in the episode, Wes tackles a major fear shared by almost every new retiree: touching the principal. Through a real-life client story, he explains how to bridge your income gap using dividend yields and the famous "4% Rule" so you can protect your hard-earned nest egg and retire with peace of mind. Plus, Christa shares your #AskWes questions and Wes gives his take. All this and more on the July 21, 2026, Ask an Advisor episode of the Clark Howard podcast. Submit your questions: WesMoss.com/ask We hope you enjoy our weekly Ask An Advisor episodes.  Let us know what you think in the comments! Learn more about Wes:  BOOKS BY WES MOSS   Wes Moss, CFP®  Wes Moss - Clark.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A profitable med spa can still be hard to scale, and even harder to sell. When the owner is responsible for every major decision, key patient relationships, team oversight, and day-to-day problem solving, the business carries more risk than the financials may initially show.  In this episode, I sit down with Annie Robertson Hockey, president of Skytale Group, to talk about what makes a medical aesthetics or wellness practice more valuable over time. We cover owner dependence, scalable systems, clean financial reporting, revenue concentration, team incentives, and the operational work that gives practice owners more options as they grow.  A Valuable Practice Can't Depend on One Person  Many practice owners become the center of the business without realizing how difficult that makes the next stage of growth. They approve the decisions, solve the team problems, manage important relationships, and step in whenever something breaks. That may work for a period of time, but eventually the owner becomes the bottleneck.  Start paying attention to where the practice still relies heavily on you. Which decisions come back to your desk? Which patients only want to see you? What happens when you take a week off? Those questions matter whether you are thinking about a future exit, adding locations, or simply trying to create more space in your own role.  From a buyer's perspective, owner dependence is risk. From an operator's perspective, it also limits how much the practice can handle without adding more stress at the top.  Build Systems Before Growth Exposes the Gaps  A process that works for one location or a small team may fall apart at twice the volume. Practice owners need to look ahead and ask whether the current operation could support two, five, or even 10 times the activity without creating chaos.  That means taking a closer look at the parts of the business that affect consistency, risk, and repeatability:  Reduce dependence on a single provider, location, treatment, or revenue stream  Document the operational systems that drive consistent patient experiences  Track where new patients come from instead of relying on assumptions about marketing performance  Build HR and sales processes that can function without constant owner involvement  Review key performance indicators over time instead of reacting to isolated monthly results  Automate repetitive processes when technology can improve consistency and reduce administrative burden  Assign clear ownership to major functions across the team  Pick an area that is creating friction, give it focused attention, and improve the process before moving on to the next one. A quarter spent strengthening one important function can be far more productive than trying to fix 10 things at the same time.  (00:07:54) Framework for expansion and exit (00:10:25) Building enterprise value (00:16:48) Thinking in scalable systems (00:20:37) Managing revenue concentration risk (00:24:44) Defining clean financial data and metrics (00:37:20) Tying incentives to controllable actions (00:42:51) Managing HR and sales processes  Your Financial Reports Should Help You Explain the Business  Clean financials are not just about accurate bookkeeping. You should be able to look at your reports, identify the major trends, and explain what is driving the numbers. A buyer will want to understand whether growth came from a stronger marketing cohort, a new provider, one unusually productive location, a change in treatment mix, or something else entirely. You should want that same clarity as the owner. Without it, you are making decisions based on a snapshot instead of understanding how the business is actually changing.  This is where trend analysis and a focused set of key performance indicators become useful. Track the metrics that help you make decisions, review them consistently, and stop collecting data simply because you can. More reporting does not automatically create better management.  The Team Has to Be Able to Carry More of the Business  Scaling exposes team issues that are easier to work around when the practice is smaller. Hiring, training, performance management, HR processes, and incentive plans all need more structure once the owner can no longer oversee every interaction. Pay particular attention to incentives. Employees should be rewarded for outcomes they can actually influence, with clear expectations and measurable responsibilities behind the plan.   As the practice matures, capable leaders, documented processes, reliable financials, and a team that can operate without constant owner involvement make the business easier to expand, easier for a buyer to evaluate, and less dependent on you. Follow Shannon & Keep What You Earn:   Shannon Weinstein is the founder of a fractional CFO firm specializing in helping 7-figure aesthetics and wellness practices scale with clarity, cash flow, and confidence.  Shannon is committed to helping med spa owners understand, fix, and maximize their business's enterprise value, offering actionable advice and resources, including a popular free video series specifically for aesthetics practice owners.  Connect with Shannon: Fractional CFO Services and Executive Financial Review: https://www.keepwhatyouearn.com/  Connect with Shannon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonweinstein  Watch full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@KeepWhatYouEarn  Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1580071347  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonkweinstein/  The information shared is for educational purposes only and is not individualized financial advice. Aesthetics practice owners should consult a qualified professional before implementing financial strategies discussed here.  About Annie Robertson Hockey:  Annie Robertson Hockey is the President of Skytale Group, a boutique investment banking, management consulting, and private capital firm. Prior to Skytale, Annie co-founded and served as co-CEO of Column, a nationally chartered infrastructure bank, where she currently serves as an Advisor and Board Member. She previously worked at Bain & Company, Goldman Sachs, and was an early employee at several Silicon Valley startups. Annie graduated with honors from both Stanford University and the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was an Arjay Miller Scholar. She also serves on the board of a nonprofit focused on remediating youth economic inequality and advises the Stanford Technology Ventures Program and Stanford Women in Tech Entrepreneurship, supporting the development of female leaders.  Connect with Annie and Skytale Group:  Website: www.skytalegroup.com  Email: info@skytalegroup.com  Phone: (945) 235-7850 

Stijn Schmitz welcomes back Steve Hanke back to the show. Steve Hanke is a Professor of Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University. Hanke highlights the two major wars—the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran and the Ukraine war—as critical disruptors of global commodity flows. He notes that the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, with Iran controlling it, and the Houthis threaten the Red Sea chokepoint, severely constricting crude and refined product supplies. Russia's cutoff of diesel exports and domestic fuel shortages compound the strain. Oil markets are in backwardation, with spot prices above futures, signaling dangerously low inventories that have cushioned prices so far but are nearing depletion. Hanke warns that once physical inventories run out, oil prices could spike dramatically, potentially later this summer. He advises going long on oil, especially major producers, as a straightforward trade for most investors. On gold, Hanke maintains a bullish outlook, projecting a peak around $6,000 per ounce based on historical ratios to real disposable income. He attributes recent pullbacks to dollar strength and rising interest rates but sees central bank buying as a fundamental driver. He also discusses the pressure on the Fed to monetize debt, which could fuel inflation and support gold. The conversation shifts to the broader commodity supercycle, fueled by deglobalization, underinvestment, and the need for larger precautionary inventories. Copper and tungsten are identified as clear bullish plays due to supply deficits. Hanke notes that high diesel prices are squeezing mining and agriculture, potentially raising output prices. He also touches on dollarization, recommending developing countries adopt the U.S. dollar to expand its use rather than de-dollarize. The interview concludes with Hanke emphasizing the importance of money supply growth as the key determinant of nominal GDP and inflation. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:05 – Key Developments on Radar 00:04:58 – Oil Predictions vs Reality 00:10:53 – Inventory and Flow Analysis 00:14:40 – Crack Spreads and Refining 00:16:27 – Demand Destruction Dynamics 00:20:51 – Anticipated Oil Price Spike 00:22:32 – Long Oil Opportunity 00:27:37 – Gold Bull Market Outlook 00:29:38 – Central Bank Buying Drivers 00:45:54 – Concluding Thoughts Guest Links: X: https://x.com/steve_hanke Website: https://thegoldsentimentreport.com Amazon Book: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Money-Work-Rewrite-Financial/dp/1394257260 Amazon Book: https://www.amazon.com/Capital-Interest-Waiting-Controversies-Additions/dp/3031633970 E-Mail: mailto:hanke@jhu.edu Steve H. Hanke is a Professor of Applied Economics and Founder & Co-Director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Troubled Currencies Project at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C., a Senior Advisor at the Renmin University of China's International Monetary Research Institute in Beijing, a Special Counselor to the Center for Financial Stability in New York, a contributing editor at Central Banking in London, and a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal's Opinion pages. Prof. Hanke is also a member of the Charter Council of the Society of Economic Measurement and of Euromoney Country Risk's Experts Panel. In the past, Prof. Hanke taught economics at the Colorado School of Mines and at the University of California, Berkeley. He served as a Member of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors in Maryland in 1976-77, as a Senior Economist on President Reagan's Council of Economic Advisors in 1981-82, and as a Senior Advisor to the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress in 1984-88. Prof. Hanke served as a State Counselor to both the Republic of Lithuania in 1994-96 and the Republic of Montenegro in 1999-2003. He was also an Advisor to the Presidents of Bulgaria in 1997- 2002, Venezuela in 1995-96, and Indonesia in 1998. He played an important role in establishing new currency regimes in Argentina, Estonia, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ecuador, Lithuania, and Montenegro. Prof. Hanke has also held senior appointments in the governments of many other countries, including Albania, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yugoslavia. Prof. Hanke has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Universität Liechtenstein, the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, the Free University of Tbilisi, Istanbul Kültür University, Varna Free University, and the D.A. Tsenov Academy of Economics in recognition of his scholarship on exchange-rate regimes. Prof. Hanke and his wife, Liliane, reside in Baltimore and Paris.

On today's Political Breakfast, our Republican strategist Brian Robinson responds to some listener feedback, wondering how his current role of advising the Rick Jackson campaign for Georgia governor, really works in tandem with his job untangling Georgia politics on WABE. Plus, our Democratic strateigst Tharon Johnson also talks about his past roles as a campaign advisor, for former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and others. We also break down the recent Toast on Lenox-Rick Jackson photo controversy. Brian and Tharon talk about Jackson's visit to the Atlanta Black-owned breakfast spot. It's now being subjected to calls for a boycott. And more polls, polls, polls. We breakdown how a new poll released Monday morning and analyzed by the AJC, shows Democrats hold an early advantage in the Georgia Governor's race. BUT the pollsters acknowledge that much of that edge depends on voters who are LESS likely to turn up at the polls, when the race for president is not on the ballot. The poll also acknowledges that their sample could lean a little bit bluer than the overall Georgia electorate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.  Brad is first joined by the NRDC's Bob Deans to discuss the wildfire smoke and extreme heat sweeping across the U.S., and how it's been made worse due to human-caused climate change. They also talk the environmental impacts of data centers, the Trump administration trying to strip away protections for endangered species, and how the NRDC is fighting that move in court. Then, Brad interviews Jack Hanna, Advisor for the Coalition for the National Infrastructure Bank. Jack details where the idea for a national infrastructure bank came from, the two other times it's been used in American history, why it's so badly needed, and how it could create 25 million U.S. jobs over ten years. The website for the NRDC is www.NRDC.org and the website for the Coalition for the National Infrastructure Bank is www.nibcoalition.com. Brad is on the National Journal's panel of political insiders, is an American political analyst for The Times of India TV, and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. Brad also writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.' You can read his new Substack called, 'The Bannon Ballot Blast,' at www.bradbannon.substack.com. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.  Brad is first joined by the NRDC's Bob Deans to discuss the wildfire smoke and extreme heat sweeping across the U.S., and how it's been made worse due to human-caused climate change. They also talk the environmental impacts of data centers, the Trump administration trying to strip away protections for endangered species, and how the NRDC is fighting that move in court. Then, Brad interviews Jack Hanna, Advisor for the Coalition for the National Infrastructure Bank. Jack details where the idea for a national infrastructure bank came from, the two other times it's been used in American history, why it's so badly needed, and how it could create 25 million U.S. jobs over ten years. The website for the NRDC is www.NRDC.org and the website for the Coalition for the National Infrastructure Bank is www.nibcoalition.com. Brad is on the National Journal's panel of political insiders, is an American political analyst for The Times of India TV, and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. Brad also writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.' You can read his new Substack called, 'The Bannon Ballot Blast,' at www.bradbannon.substack.com. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

The firm's head of practice strategy discusses the rise of mega-teams and how advisors can maximize growth. Host: Ray Sclafani. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603–1689. The focus shifts to Charles I and his favorite advisor, the Duke of Buckingham. In a bizarre 1623 incident, Charles and Buckingham traveled in disguise to Madrid to secure a marriage with the Spanish Infanta, hoping to gain wealth and influence. The mission was a humiliating failure, leading to a shift toward war with Spain. James I ended his reign ill and disillusioned as his peaceful foreign policy collapsed. Upon his death in 1625, the 24-year-old Charles I inherited a massive debt of one million pounds, forcing an immediate and fractious confrontation with Parliament. (2)22642

A client once told Stacey Frank he was losing $20,000 a day by doing nothing. That number changed the whole conversation. Frank and Stacey open by unpacking a real story from one of Stacey's clients, a junior partner at an independent firm stuck with outdated technology, a flat payout and a senior partner unwilling to change. When Stacey ran the math with him, the true cost of staying became impossible to ignore and complacency became the real competitor in the room. From there, the conversation shifts into something more personal. Frank references a recent story about an advisor in his fifties, a founder of a respected RIA, who passed away suddenly. That story becomes the jumping-off point for a bigger conversation about financial advisor transitions, why payouts and transition deals are at an all-time high right now and why waiting to explore your options carries real risk. Frank also breaks down dual monetization, a concept he has trademarked, where advisors sell their practice to a W2 firm, keep running the business, grow it further and then sell it again years later. He walks through real-world numbers, including a three-million-dollar producer who turned a transition deal into twelve million dollars upfront while still earning over a million dollars a year running the business. The episode wraps with a challenge every advisor needs to hear. Staying exactly where you are is still a decision and it is one that deserves the same scrutiny advisors give their own clients every single year.   Questions answered in this episode include: What is complacency actually costing financial advisors every day? Why are transition deals and payouts at an all-time high right now? What is dual monetization and how does it work? Should advisors consider moving from a 1099 practice to a W2 firm? How do advisors calculate the true cost of staying at their current firm? What happens to a financial advisor's practice valuation if something happens to them unexpectedly? Why is making no decision still considered a decision?   Chapters: 01:04 Introduction: Complacency Is Costing You More Than You Realize 02:11 The $20,000-a-Day Wake-Up Call 05:27 When an Advisor's Death Changes the Conversation 08:19 Why Transition Deals and Payouts Are at an All-Time High 09:57 The W2 Acquisition Trend Advisors Aren't Talking About 14:39 Introducing Dual Monetization 17:06 Why Staying Put Is Still a Decision 18:16 How to Reach Frank and Stacey   Learn more about Elite and our resources: - Elite Consulting Partners: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com - Elite Marketing Concepts: https://elitemarketingconcepts.com - Elite Advisor Successions: https://eliteadvisorsuccessions.com - JEDI Database Solutions: https://jedidatabasesolutions.com - Elite Wealth Management Insights Report: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/insight-report - Listen to more: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-consulting-partners/

The 200-Hour Friendship Rule & Are Financial Advisors Worth It? Making friends as an adult is harder than ever – but just how much time does it actually take to build a close friendship? In this episode, Wes Moss discusses the growing friendship gap in America and the surprising research behind forming meaningful connections. A study from the University of Kansas found that becoming a close friend takes far more intentional time than most people realize. Wes explains why friendships become more difficult to maintain as we age and what you can do to build and preserve strong relationships throughout life. Plus, are financial advisors really worth the cost? With about half of pre-retirees working with an advisor and half managing on their own, Wes breaks down who can benefit from professional financial guidance—and who may not need it. From investing and tax planning to estate and family considerations, learn when financial advice can add real value. Mentioned on the show:  Early Mortgage Payoff Calculator - Clark Howard  Plus, Christa shares your #AskWes questions and Wes gives his take. All this and more on the July 14, 2026, Ask an Advisor episode of the Clark Howard podcast. Submit your questions: WesMoss.com/ask We hope you enjoy our weekly Ask An Advisor episodes.  Let us know what you think in the comments! Learn more about Wes:  BOOKS BY WES MOSS   Wes Moss, CFP®  Wes Moss - Clark.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The leadership skill that changes everything Special guest Amy Holloway explores how trust shapes thriving communities, effective leadership, and long-term economic growth. Drawing from interviews with leaders across the United States, Amy shares the simple but powerful behaviors that build trust, strengthen collaboration, and create meaningful change – whether in organizations, neighborhoods, or entire cities. Together, Amy and Ann discuss the leadership traits that foster connection, the behaviors that erode trust, and why building community starts with intentional relationships. “Trust-building is within everyone’s power.” – Amy Holloway Time Stamps for Trust Builders: Leadership That Creates Change with Amy Holloway (305) 00:15 Importance of establishing trust in communities 07:32 Trust breakers vs. trust builders 14:18 Characteristics of effective community leaders 19:52 Insights from interviews with local leaders 25:33 Crisis management and community recovery About our Guest – Amy Holloway, President of Aha! Amy Holloway is the president of Aha!, an economic development consultancy specializing in strategic planning, and a practitioner-in-residence with Harvard Kennedy School's Reimagining the Economy Project. Over a 30-year career, she has helped more than 200 places design strategies for long-term economic growth and community prosperity. A retired partner at Ernst & Young and leader of the firms national economic development practice, Amy previously founded and led Avalanche Consulting, one of the nation's leading strategic planning firms. With her upbeat, welcoming style, she brings local leaders together through conversations that spark “aha!” moments and shared action. Her new #1 bestselling book, Trust Builders: The Key To Thriving Communities, is the culmination of Amy’s career-long belief that trust among local leaders is the single most powerful force shaping thriving communities. Amy lives in Asheville, North Carolina. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, painting, and teaching Pilates. Resources for Trust Builders: Leadership That Creates Change with Amy Holloway (305) Trust Builders: The Key to Thriving Communities – Get your copy of Amy’s book today!! Aha! Advisor – Aha! is where leaders unite to make a lasting impact, learn more Trust Strengths Assessment – Take your assessment here!! Reimagining the Economy Project, Harvard Kennedy School – Rohan Sandhu, Tony Ditta, Monserrat Magana Ocana The Social Capital Atlas – Raj Chetty, Matthew O. Jackson, Theresa Kuchler, Johannes Stroebel. Abigail Hiller, Sarah Oppenheimer * The Opportunity Insights Team Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!   Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.     Get your copy of Secure Relating here!!

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas and Platypus Economics host Justin Wolfers report on Donald Trump's Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh flipping on him an revealing himself to be the “interest rate hawk” he always was and not the “dove” that Trump had in Jerome Powell. Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices