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Michael Smith—Managing Partner and Founder, Emerald Advisors Michael Smith shares how a client-first philosophy, niche specialization, and independence helped Emerald Advisors grow from $385mm to more than $1B in assets. In Summary What happens when an advisor builds a business around client service rather than operational efficiency? Jason Diamond speaks with Michael Smith, Founder and Managing Partner of Emerald Advisors, about the path from a successful Merrill practice to an independent RIA that has grown from approximately $385mm to more than $1B in assets. Along the way, Michael shares the story of being told he was “overservicing” clients, why that moment became a catalyst for independence, and how a highly specialized service model fueled the firm's growth. Drawing on lessons from a 24-year Navy career, Michael offers a perspective on leadership, specialization, client care, and what it takes to build a durable business in today's wealth management landscape. The Storyline Growth is often viewed as the result of marketing, referrals, acquisitions, or scale. Michael Smith sees it differently. After building a successful practice at Merrill, Michael found himself at odds with the constraints of the traditional wirehouse model. What ultimately stood out wasn't compensation, technology, or platform capabilities. It was a philosophical difference around client service. When he was told he was spending too much time helping clients navigate tax planning, equity compensation, and other financial decisions outside the traditional scope of investment management, he began to question whether the model aligned with the way he wanted to serve families. That realization eventually led him to launch Emerald Advisors in late 2019. The firm started with roughly 85 clients and approximately $385mm in assets. Today, Emerald serves more than 225 families and oversees more than $1B in assets. Throughout the conversation, Michael reflects on the lessons learned from building an independent firm, developing a niche around concentrated stock positions and executive compensation, navigating custodial and technology decisions, and creating a culture rooted in accountability and service. Underlying it all is a simple belief: when firms become highly intentional about who they serve and how they serve them, growth often becomes the outcome rather than the objective. Topics Covered Merrill breakaways and independence Client service as a growth driver Building an RIA RIA growth and scalability Organic growth strategies Concentrated stock positions and equity compensation planning Ideal client personas and niche specialization Schwab and Fidelity custody relationships Advisor succession and enterprise value Navy leadership principles in wealth management The rise of mega RIAs Advisor technology and infrastructure > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors Why did being accused of “overservicing” clients become a turning point? (08:15)Michael explains how a conversation with management revealed a deeper misalignment between his client-service philosophy and the wirehouse model. What does client service look like beyond portfolio management? (11:30)The discussion explores how tax planning, equity compensation guidance, and proactive coordination can deepen client relationships. Why can specialization accelerate growth? (15:45)Michael shares why serving a defined niche often creates stronger referrals, greater expertise, and clearer positioning. How has the RIA landscape evolved since 2019? (20:30)Michael reflects on the rise of mega RIAs, changing technology capabilities, and why he believes independent firms still have significant advantages. What role do custodians really play in an independent business? (23:15)Michael discusses his experience working with Schwab and Fidelity and why he views custodians as strategic partners rather than competitors. Is the wirehouse model still the right fit for some advisors? (26:45)The conversation challenges the assumption that independence is the best path for everyone and explores the realities of running a business. Does reaching $1 billion in assets actually change anything? (32:45)Michael offers a practical perspective on growth, success, and why asset milestones can be misleading. What can advisors learn from the “steamboat” philosophy? (37:15)Drawing on his Navy experience, Michael shares a leadership framework that continues to shape how he approaches business building and decision-making. Key Takeaways Exceptional client service can become a meaningful competitive advantage when it extends beyond investment management. Independence gave Michael the flexibility to build a service model that aligned with his philosophy rather than adapting his philosophy to fit the platform. Developing a niche around executive compensation and concentrated stock positions helped accelerate Emerald's growth. The ability to make technology, custodial, and operational decisions quickly remains a significant advantage for independent firms. Not every advisor should be independent. Running a business requires a different set of skills and responsibilities than serving clients alone. Growth milestones are useful, but they do not define success. Michael believes success existed long before Emerald reached $1 billion in assets. High-performing teams with a clear client focus often find that growth becomes a natural byproduct of execution. https://youtu.be/RjzsMcC2DnY Quotable Moments “I literally had to go back and Google the word overservicing.” “Servicing the client is the most important thing that we can do today.” “If you serve a niche and you're very good at that niche, that word gets around.” “Growth becomes the outcome.” FAQs Can an advisor really “over-service” clients? The discussion explores the tension between efficiency and depth of service. While some business models prioritize scale and consistency, others are built around solving a broader range of client problems. The right answer often depends on the advisor's philosophy and business model. Does specialization still matter in a relationship business? Michael argues that developing expertise in a specific area can accelerate growth by making referrals easier and helping advisors become known for solving a particular set of problems. What actually changes when an advisor becomes independent? Beyond economics, independence often creates more flexibility around client service, technology, processes, and business decisions. At the same time, advisors assume responsibility for running the business itself. Is full independence the right path for every advisor? No. Michael acknowledges that many advisors benefit from the structure, support, and resources available within traditional firms. Independence offers flexibility, but it also introduces complexity and responsibility. How should advisors think about the $1 billion milestone? Michael views asset milestones as useful benchmarks but not measures of success. In his view, business quality, client outcomes, and sustainability matter more than any specific asset number. What role does an ideal client persona play in growth? Rather than trying to serve everyone, Emerald built its business around a clearly defined client profile. Michael believes that focus improves service, creates operational consistency, and supports organic growth. How can advisors balance growth with client service? One of the central themes of the episode is that growth and service are not necessarily competing objectives. In some cases, a differentiated service model becomes the reason a business grows. The discussion explores the tension between efficiency and depth of service. While some business models prioritize scale and consistency, others are built around solving a broader range of client problems. The right answer often depends on the advisor's philosophy and business model. Michael argues that developing expertise in a specific area can accelerate growth by making referrals easier and helping advisors become known for solving a particular set of problems. Beyond economics, independence often creates more flexibility around client service, technology, processes, and business decisions. At the same time, advisors assume responsibility for running the business itself. No. Michael acknowledges that many advisors benefit from the structure, support, and resources available within traditional firms. Independence offers flexibility, but it also introduces complexity and responsibility. Michael views asset milestones as useful benchmarks but not measures of success. In his view, business quality, client outcomes, and sustainability matter more than any specific asset number. Rather than trying to serve everyone, Emerald built its business around a clearly defined client profile. Michael believes that focus improves service, creates operational consistency, and supports organic growth. One of the central themes of the episode is that growth and service are not necessarily competing objectives. In some cases, a differentiated service model becomes the reason a business grows. Related Resources The Transitioning Advisor's Lament: Things I Wish I Knew Before Freedom vs. Familiarity: Is it Worth Disrupting Comfort for Something That Might Be Better? IBD vs. RIA Revisited: Two Independent Pathways for Advisors to Consider Advisor Transition Report 2026 Guest Bio Michael Smith, CPWA® is the Founder and Managing Partner of Emerald Advisors, an independent wealth management firm overseeing more than $1 billion in assets for affluent families, executives, and business owners with complex planning needs. Mike entered the wealth management industry in 2005 after a distinguished 24-year career in the United States Navy, where he served both as an enlisted sailor in the Submarine Force and later as a Limited Duty Officer aboard USS Abraham Lincoln and on major staffs around the world. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Management and an MBA with dual emphases in Finance & Accounting and International Business. Throughout his career, Mike has been known for his commitment to comprehensive planning, helping clients navigate complex issues involving concentrated stock positions, executive compensation, tax strategy, estate planning, philanthropy, and multi-generational wealth transfer. His client-first approach and passion for education have helped Emerald Advisors grow from a startup firm in 2019 to a nationally recognized RIA serving more than 225 families. Outside of the office, Mike is an avid ultrarunner, golfer, lifelong learner, and dedicated advocate for children’s health initiatives. He is a current member of the Legacy Council at Seattle Children’s Hospital and has served in leadership and board roles supporting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, the ALS Association, and the Alyssa Burnett Adult Life Center. He is also the proud father of Kat Smith. 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… From “Overservicing” Clients to Building a $1B RIA: A Merrill Breakaway Story A conversation with Jason Diamond and Michael Smith, Managing Partner and Founder of Emerald Advisors.      Jason Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is From “Overservicing” Clients to Building a $1B RIA: A Merrill Breakaway Story. It’s a conversation with Michael Smith, managing partner and founder of Emerald Advisors. 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: Growth is often viewed as the result of better marketing, stronger referrals, a larger team and even acquisition and that’s all true yet growth can be the byproduct of something else entirely. For example, Michael Smith built a successful practice at Merrill then, one day, he was told he was spending too much time with his clients, or his management put it over-servicing clients. For Michael, that wasn’t a warning sign about his approach, it was a signal that he might have outgrown the firm and the model. Today, Michael is the founder and managing partner of Emerald Advisors, the independent RIA he launched in late 2019 with roughly 385 million in assets and 85 client relationships. Less than seven years later, the firm has grown to more than a billion in assets while remaining deeply focused on a highly-specialized client base and an unusually hands-on service model. What makes this story particularly interesting isn’t just the growth, it’s the thinking behind it. Michael’s perspective was shaped long before he entered wealth management. After serving more than two decades in the Navy, he brought a leadership philosophy centered on accountability, discipline and what he calls steamboat people, those who keep moving forward regardless of conditions, that mindset continues to influence how he builds his team, serves clients and evaluates opportunities. In this episode, we discuss the decision to leave Merrill, the realities of launching a fully independent RIA, why specialization can accelerate growth, the evolving role of custodians and technology and why he believes exceptional client service remains one of the industry’s most durable competitive advantages. Because Michael’s experience suggests that growth isn’t always the result of finding more opportunities, sometimes it’s the result of creating the freedom to execute the vision you already had so let’s jump in. Michael, thank you so much for joining us today. For starters, can you walk us through your background and what brought you to the world of wealth management? Michael Smith: Jason, thank you so much for the opportunity to be here today, I do listen to the podcast a lot especially before I left Mother Merrill. But my background and how I got into financial services is really distinct because I was on the board of JDRF back in the day and the national sponsor for JDRF was UBS PaineWebber and they’re like, “Mike, why don’t you be a financial advisor?” And my master’s degree was actually a finance and accounting in portfolio management because I’ve managed my own portfolio for years and years and so, when I couldn’t get a job, I just fell into it because I couldn’t get a job and I needed a job. That was 21 years ago, Memorial Day so that’s how I got into this industry. Jason Diamond: It’s a unique background, it’s super interesting and I want to talk more about it. You mentioned Mother Merrill, we’ll certainly get there. Before we do, give us a little bit of context on the current business you operate, Emerald Advisors, any context you can share on size, number of staff, types of clients you serve would be great. Michael Smith: Sure. So, we launched Emerald in 2019, November 2019 with about 85 clients and you always talk about this on the podcast how scared it is to launch and go independent. And I would say we took over about 95% of our clients that we wanted to bring over and today we’re at about 230 clients, I think we have some onboarding right now, we have just over a billion of assets. So, we launched with the 85 clients and around 350, 385 million, now we’re over a billion. Jason Diamond: Good for you. Michael Smith: Thank you. And I launched with four employees and we’re now at 11. And I would give a shout-out to one of my key employees because, when I launched, I actually hired somebody that had no experience with us and that was really a good thing because that allowed that person to really focus on operations and back office stuff while my business partner Emily and I were able to focus on bringing on the clients and alleviating any issues that they may have or thought. Jason Diamond: So, meaning you hired somebody basically immediately upon launch to help you with the transition and with this next chapter? Michael Smith: Correct. I hired them before but they started the day we launched. Jason Diamond: Brilliant, I love it. Oh, let’s definitely talk more about that because I think that’s a great strategy for … You’re right, you said it in a joking manner now because you’re seven years past but it’s a very real fear that advisors have and I think it’s worth talking more about. I want to mention too you have, obviously, built this business and grown this business dramatically. I don’t want to make this episode about the pandemic but you moved the business at a, certainly, a unique time. Did it impact your growth at all? Did you feel like you hit a brick wall? Just curious about your thoughts. Michael Smith: No, Jason, that’s a great observation. I would venture to say that the pandemic was actually a good thing for us. Jason Diamond: Interesting. Michael Smith: And I say that because, all of a sudden, you could hit pause because everyone was relearning how to do business, how do we do client reviews, how do we communicate with clients in a environment. So, I think the pandemic allowed us to just really reset our expectations visiting with clients because I used to fly a lot because I have clients in 38 different states so this has actually been, not just good for me, but good for the industry because I think it’s reset our expectations that we don’t have to be every day with a client facing. Jason Diamond: I agree with that largely and it’s true of our business too, by the way, it’s certainly reshaped the way people expect to be communicated with. I think Zoom has become much more mainstream, phone calls and we’ve heard from many other advisors who say something similar. I was just curious because you moved so close to or if there was an impact but I get, honestly, I think you’re right, it allowed you to have this nice natural inflection point and almost like flipping a switch of a clean slate. Michael Smith: It allowed us to learn the processes too. So, we launched in November 1st, by March we were in lockdown and so it gave us the opportunity to take several months of just learning the processes of how to be an RIA, it was pretty good. Jason Diamond: Absolutely. So, one of the things you mentioned in that was the way in which you serve clients and I’d read something funny and I think it was around the time of your move. You were talking about that, Merrill, you had a manager who spoke about that you would overserve your clients, you serve clients too much, tell me about that. Michael Smith: That was such an interesting topic because I got called down to the ops officer’s office and they’re like, “Ugh, Mike.” And it brought my admin down with me and they’re like, “Mike, these reports that you’re taking care of your clients too much,” and I’m like, “What do you mean?” “Well, you’re overservicing them.” Jason, I literally had to go back and Google the word overservicing because I was like, “How do you overservice the client? I’m not making their bed.” It was just so funny to me that I got counsel for overservicing clients when we’re in a client-facing job and I think that was part of the catalyst. Jason Diamond: Tell me more about what they meant, you think. Michael Smith: Hindsight, I think they … I like to take care of people which means I’m very intuitive towards taxes, I understand how the tax code works, I understand how everything impacts their bottom line. So, when we’re doing deferred comp enrollments or 401(k) enrollments or I’m a big believer in Roth 401(k)s and backdoor Roths and I’ve been doing them for years, I think what Mother Merrill wanted at that time was us not to do that. And, again, nothing against Merrill, I get it but this is how they wanted us to act and I wasn’t in that mold, I was taking care of clients to a much deeper depth is how I would say it. Jason Diamond: And I think that speaks to you outgrew the model not necessarily the firm. I think Merrill does a lot of things really well, you would agree with that, I think given that you built 85 clients and 350 million in assets is nothing to sneeze at. But the model that it seems like you value client service and an integrated client service experience of that and the wirehouse model oftentimes doesn’t put a premium on that. Tell me about your ethos or your thoughts around client service today and what being independent enables you to do. Michael Smith: So, that’s an interesting observation because one of my clients actually just mentioned to me that the reason we’re growing so much is because of our service model and the fact that we deliver a tremendous amount of value over just portfolio management. I said my managers is in portfolio management, I don’t do that any longer, I have a staff that handles that for me but it’s really the servicing of the clients because they don’t know what we know and I think servicing the client is the most important thing that we can do today. Jason Diamond: Give me some examples of what you mean by servicing the client in a more holistic way. I agree with you, by the way, portfolio management, table stakes, financial planning, table stakes, tell me more about what you mean. Michael Smith: By that I mean we do a quarterly review on tax. So, a lot of people don’t understand how taxes work and how estimated taxes work. So, estimated taxes are January 1st to March 31st, January 1st to May 31st, January 1st to August 31st, that’s how you do your estimated tax payments, you figure out what that is. And for compensated employees where they have RSUs that come in at different times of the year or different grants or exercise their options at a different time, that can affect their estimated tax liability and I’m not big on giving Uncle Sam any more money than they have to have until they need it. And then everyone doesn’t understand how the penalties and interest works on the IRS. And I’m big on the tax payments because that’s where we can add a lot of value for not a lot of time and we integrate it with our portfolio so we know what we’re doing with our gains. And I happen to reside in Washington State which has a long-term capital gains tax rate once you surpass about 270,000 of long-term capital gains. So, it’s super important for us to be aware of this and that’s how we service them. We also help them with their rebalancing of their 401(k)s, things that wirehouses cannot supposed to do, we are not supposed to be helping them with some of their aspects of life. Jason Diamond: Yup. That’s what I was alluding to earlier, it’s limitations on the model, not because they’re bad models, it’s just a different way, a different ethos around client service. You mentioned RSUs and corporate employees, I know that’s a niche you have is around concentrated stock positions and equity comp plans. I guess let me ask you two different questions around this. First of all, why that niche? Interested. And then, second of all, do you think a team needs to have a specialization to be competitive these days or do you think it’s okay just to be like, “My job is to be the best advisor and I want to service assets wherever those assets may come from?” Michael Smith: Another great observation. I’m going to address the niche first and foremost. I think, and I talked to R.J. Shook’s staff just recently, and having a niche gives you a specialization and it also accelerates your growth factor. If you serve a niche and you’re very good at that niche, then that word gets around. If you’re a jack of all trades, you can do lots of things but I don’t think you’re focused and you’re not hitting the right numbers that I like to see. And I think that would be my theme is the niche allows you to focus on a very specific type of ideal client, that’s a Schwab thing where you have an ideal client persona and our firm has an ideal client persona. As far as having the equity comp, I absolutely was one of the teams at Merrill Lynch that was equity compensation designated, I managed a couple of plans. My exposure to that, Jason, I haven’t thought about this in a very long time, came from UBS where I had team members that were colleagues that were associated with the Nextel Sprint plan. And I always thought that you’re taking care of the top executives but, really, my background being in the military was how do we take care of the troops, the troops, I call them sailors, and how do we educate those sailors. And one of the things I’ve always said in my entire career in the military and I still say to this day is 50% of every bonus or a promotion or something like that should go to long-term savings. So, I use that same mentality with RSUs, with stock options, with bonuses. Set that aside, let that grow because you’re not used to spending it and you will learn to spend what you make. Jason Diamond: I think that’s a great reason, it’s super smart and I love your explanation, it was a very simplistic way. Honestly, even I hadn’t thought about that around your niche, I think, becomes almost like a force multiplier for your own growth because it’s much easier to become the guy in X, Y, Z vertical than to be the guy in every financial advisor of America, across America. Let me ask you a follow-up question, you mentioned the ideal client persona. I spend a lot of time at our firm thinking about this as well, what does your ideal client persona look like. How do you think about an opportunity though that differs from that persona? So, it’s great. Obviously, everybody, it’s easy, you get somebody who’s your perfect prospect, they walk in the front door, sign me up. But when you get something that’s not down the fairway for you, is it just I evaluate it on a one-off basis or are you super disciplined to that approach because it’s who your firm is? Michael Smith: I truly haven’t given that a whole lot of thought but I will tell you how I would handle that because I am handling it with some one-offs. I like the opportunity because you’re stretching your brain in that you’re thinking about how somebody else is reacting so you’d never know. So, I like it from a learning perspective but I also know it comes with a lot of other baggage, I’ll call it baggage, because, all of a sudden, they want to short the market, they want to go long-short strategies. So, all of a sudden, they’re not in our niche and, all of a sudden, they’re taking a lot of time, they’re draining our time so I think you got to be very careful about what you wish for. And there’s a lot of great advisors out there that will walk circles around these topics that I’m like, “Okay, I would rather refer somebody so they get the right experience than give them the wrong experience.” Jason Diamond: I absolutely love that answer. The bow you just put on it, I think, is the appropriate way in my mind to put a bow. At the end of the day, wouldn’t you rather service somebody more optimally even if you don’t believe it’s yourself, I agree with that. I want to ask you one more point on the client service piece. I was playing around on your website and, on your service model, you have health as a component of the client experience of your diagram. Why do you think health matters in a financial context? Michael Smith: I always believed in a healthy mind and a healthy body will bring so much joy to you and I think health is just part of your persona. If you don’t take care of yourself and your body and your mind, then it doesn’t matter what I do, I think you got to start with health. So, I’m very big on the executive physicals, I routinely require all of our staff to have an annual physical. And, again, they’re young people but you got to have these annual … I live and breathe going to see a doctor every year to do my annual physical, not because I think I’m pretty good health, I still run, I do a lot of things but I think your life starts with being healthy. Jason Diamond: Yeah, it’s refreshing to hear that, no doubt. It’s funny to think about but 2019 is a long time ago now and, in RIA world, I almost think of it like dog years. You’ve been around the block now for a little while so I’m curious how have you seen this space change since you launched in 2019? Michael Smith: In 2019, I didn’t know what I was doing, I could barely get out a wet paper bag but I do think it’s changed dramatically. I would say the biggest thing I’ve seen in just the six and a half, almost seven years is the rise of the mega RIAs and how they’re going to shape the industry. Everyone talked about fee compression at Merrill Lynch. When I was at Merrill, we talked about fee compression, then they talked about robo-advisors and now they’re talking about artificial intelligence replacing advisors, I don’t believe that and I don’t think that’s going to happen in the RIA space. What I see the RIA space maturing is into these very big mega firms as well as these independent RIAs like myself that serve a very niche market where we can walk in our lane. The ability to transact today is so much easier as an RIA than it was at a wirehouse as well because we have instant access to technology. My military background, my Navy background says make a decision right, wrong or different, if you don’t like it afterwards or you get new data, course change. So, in our industry, we can change on a notice. I hired a tech firm last year, I didn’t like the experience nine months into it, guess what, they’re not coming back. So, I can do that but you can’t do that at the bigger firms and even the bigger mega firms would have a hard time navigating a change just like that on a dime. Jason Diamond: You bring up an interesting point. To the extent you face competition, do you find yourself competing more against traditional wirehouse type firms or RIAs like yourself, mega caps RIAs? Are your clients attuned to any of this? Michael Smith: That’s an observation I haven’t thought of either there, Jason. I would say I don’t feel that I have a … I know there’s competition out there but we have a growth issue more than we have anything else so I don’t … I can’t take on the clients that want to become my clients so I’m not competing with people too much. Jason Diamond: A capacity issue, you mean? Michael Smith: Yeah, I have a capacity issue. Jason Diamond: I think you’re not alone in that. How can I even think about competition and the like when … A lot of advisors would probably say that. I want to talk more about the capacity situation but, before I do, let’s talk a little more about the RIA setup. Who do you custody with, remind us, and why or how did you arrive at that decision? Michael Smith: Yeah. So, when I launched, I went with Schwab, Schwab is a phenomenal partner, they helped me get a lot of stuff done, I couldn’t have done it without Schwab. During the pandemic, I realized that I should probably … So, remember, during the pandemic, we had a lot of issues with the banking industry, it was almost like a financial crisis but in a very compressed time. So, during the COVID, I decided to add Fidelity as another custodian so now I have two custodians and I opened accounts on both sides of the house but I like the custodians that are there to help you, they’re very good at what they do. I don’t even consider them a competitor and they aren’t competitors, they have their own branch so I don’t consider them competitors, I think they’re my partners and both Charles Schwab and Fidelity are good partners. Jason Diamond: Yeah, I think that’s the healthy way to look at the custody relationship. That’s a very common approach, I think, is launching with one custodian and then adding a secondary custodian or a tertiary custodian down the line for one reason or another so I appreciate you sharing that because we get those types of nuts and bolts questions a lot so I figured I’d ask you. One last question on the setup and then we’ll shift gears. Has anything been a negative? So, you talked about leaving Mother Merrill behind and, Mother Merrill, we use it facetiously but obviously it implies a degree of comfort and the homeland so I’m curious if you miss anything. Michael Smith: I miss the camaraderie of being with a bunch of other folks. I mentioned this when I first launched, I mentioned it year over year with my team, the one thing that we miss as an RIA and, again, Dynasty has their benefits as well and the mega RIAs have their benefits but, if you’re a true independent like myself, we get to go to conferences that we want to and that’s a timing issue, really, a time constraint. But one thing Merrill and Morgan, JPMorgan, and the other big wirehouses have as well as the megas, they have the ability to put conferences together for their advisors or their administrators and have this education. That’s the one thing that, I think, would evolve in the RIA industry in the future as well. They’re not my competitors, they’re my business colleagues. And if we think of them as competitors, and a lot of people do because I don’t want to share my client information or what I do with my competitor because they may steal them, if you’re that insecure, then you’re probably not the right advisor in the first place. Jason Diamond: I don’t disagree with that. It’s interesting too, I hear two common answers to that question, not about Merrill but just about somebody who’s broken away, what do you miss about the captive firm world. Either on this podcast or just in conversations with advisors, brand comes up a lot and then the point you just raised. I’ll even hear like, “Hey, forget the conferences and the trainings, just being able to have an office where I’ve got eight other advisors on a row for me, it’s a little bit of a different setup than in the independent space,” and I think that’s just a reality of you take the good with the bad. And for other advisors, by the way, one of the things I want to ask you about to this point is do you believe that there are advisors that are just better served in the W2 traditional firm world or do you think that every advisor should be looking at the RIA space? Michael Smith: I think that wirehouse serves a great purpose and- Jason Diamond: Okay, me too. Michael Smith: … there’s a lot of great people that are great advisors in that wirehouse, they need the structure. What I hadn’t alluded to is, and I mentioned this to a former manager from Merrill Lynch of mine just recently, actually, I was like, “I don’t think advisors realize what it takes to run a business.” I’m not trying to sugarcoat it, running an RIA is hard work, it takes a lot of your time day in and day out to run a business as well as taking care of and servicing your clients so I do think the wirehouse venue is the right way to go. And, Jason, I want to go back to one other thing about your identity. I launched as the Smith Group because that’s what I was known at Merrill Lynch. Within three or four months, I changed that name to a firm because I did not want to be associated with it. So, when you’re at one of the wirehouses, you’re known as your team name or something of that sort, I didn’t want to be known as that, I wanted to be known as Emerald Advisors not the Smith Group because, all of a sudden, you have a single point of failure. So, brand identity, it’s not so unique inside the wirehouse because it’s a team name versus Merrill or Morgan Stanley or something like that. Jason Diamond: It’s a good segue because I’ll tell you where my mind goes when you bring that up. My mind goes is you’re smart in a way that you might not even realize or maybe you do realize which is that, if and when it ever comes time to sell this business, it is probably more valuable without your name attached to it or maybe not. But in some way, shape or form, as an RIA, you have an obligation to be thinking about that or it’s probably on your radar, maybe not an obligation. Have you given an ounce of thought to M&A either acquiring businesses, growing in that way or, ultimately, when you succeed out of this business and what the RIA space enables you to do? Michael Smith: To answer that question, yes. Everyone’s thinking about merger and acquisition, I think about succession planning from day one. I actually thought about I’m a big team person, I come from the submarine force where everyone is a key player on a submarine, every single person has a job and responsibility on a nuclear submarine. So, inside the financial services industry, I know Merrill Lynch was very big on teaming, I understand Morgan Stanley is as well because teaming gives them a breadth of responsibility where the responsibilities are shared. So, mergers and acquisitions or selling my business, I think, if you’re not thinking about that … And I’m not thinking about selling my business because that’s a distraction to me. If I needed the money, then I would’ve went to a wirehouse and that’s okay, you monetize your life’s work. Today, I’m all about what’s right for the client, what’s right for my team and what’s right for where I want to be in the next 10 to 20 years. So, I am growing, I do want to grow, I’m looking at opening offices in probably three locations in the next 24 months or so. Jason Diamond: Well, that’s what I was going to say, plenty of advisors I think would say the same, I have a lot of runway. But what about the other side of this equation which is you’ve had tremendous organic growth, you’ve tripled your client base, you’ve more than tripled the asset base, have you thought about acquisition as a mean to jet fuel the inorganic growth side of things? Michael Smith: I have but not in the typical sense that you’re looking at as buying a book of business. I want to partner with like-minded advisors that share that common thread of taking care of clients where you can serve as their trusted counsel and sit in the meetings with their attorneys and sit in the meetings with the accountants and give them sage counsel that you can only do because you’ve been with the family for 20 years. You know this family and that, not always, but I think that’s missed a lot in other firms. Jason Diamond: Yeah, I think that’s fair. I just thought of something else that you brought up. You brought Dynasty so I’m going to ask … I’m going to pull on this thread. That implies to me that you’re at least loosely aware of the supportive independence models that are out there yet you chose a very independent, autonomous path, why? Michael Smith: Because I didn’t know what I was doing. Jason Diamond: Fair. Michael Smith: Let’s be honest, I like Dynasty, I talked with Dynasty when I left. I talked to them all, I talked to Rockefeller, I talked to Morgan, I talked to Dynasty and then, when push came to shove, I wanted to be Mike Smith and launch my own firm and learn. And I will tell you, you learn drinking through a fire hose and we did that, we learned, I know the mistakes. What I didn’t want to do is just go to someplace where this is the stuff you’re going to have to use. So, I think Dynasty is a great launching platform, I think there’s other ones out there that are similar to Dynasty or the Rockefellers or the Morgans, it’s truly what you’re trying to achieve in life. What do you want for you and your clients and I always put my clients before me because I’ve always had this lifelong thing of, you do the right thing, you’re going to get taken care of. Jason Diamond: Yeah. And that’s a very common analysis, by the way, and it’s very common too for big advisors like yourself to say I did my homework across all of those different categories. I looked at the traditional wirehouses and regional firms and boutique firms, I looked at the independent broker dealers, I looked at the support platforms and the aggregators and the roll-ups and here’s ultimately what I landed on and why. Did you always know that though or was that something that it took you a diligence process to figure out? There was plenty of advisors, by the way, who come to us and they’re like, “I knew for the last five years that I was sitting there I was launching an RIA someday.” Michael Smith: Yeah. I did not know that and, to be honest with you, hindsight, I think one of those partners probably could have made me a little bit better at first because then I could have focused on clients versus focusing on, hey, how to open a business, who’s your technology … We talked about custodians and some other things but we didn’t talk about technology, how do you go find that technology. Where’s your email address come from? Who’s your chief compliance officer? When it resides on you, you got to look in the mirror. So, I think those parties out there that provide that for brand-new advisors launching could be very beneficial. I had in my mind what I needed to do and I knew I’m very frugal so mine boiled down to how much money I wanted to spend, to be honest with you. Jason Diamond: I think it is a cost benefit analysis, it is. It’s absolutely … Because if you list the functions of a support platform on paper and you showed it to somebody who didn’t know the industry, they would say, “Why on earth wouldn’t you do this? They’re taking off your plate compliance and tech and custody and the like,” and the answer is because there’s a cost associated with it and plenty of advisors decide what you decide, I wanted … Or I just wanted a greater degree of autonomy and freedom, to your point, the name on the door piece, I wanted this to be mine. Michael Smith: And, Jason, I think it also goes to the uncertainty. I had never done anything since Navy, financial advising and then launching. So, for me, I was launching with four employees I had to take care of and here I was going to hire a third party that I was going to have to spend X amount on and I didn’t even know what my income was going to be. That’s different if you’re a multi-billion dollar FA coming out of a wirehouse, the monetary dynamics are different. Jason Diamond: Agreed. Okay, here’s a good one for you. We get this concept from advisors, from firms, from private equity that a billion dollars in assets is like this magic number in our industry. Do you feel like anything’s changed now that you’re at a billion and what’s the next chapter for Emerald Advisors? Is it just continuing on this steady trajectory and serving clients and trust that everything else comes with that? Michael Smith: I go back and forth on a billion, everyone thinks that’s the right number, the biggest number that you need but I think it’s just an arbitrary numbers because it didn’t define who I was. And a lot of people define success at a billion, they define success that you’re a successful firm at a billion. I think I was a successful firm at 300 million, I was a successful financial advisor with 20 clients in 2005. I would say a billion is a multiplier, what I would tell new advisors out there today is gather assets. The more assets you have, the more revenue you generate. The more revenue you generate, the more money you can put in your pocket which means the longer you can stay in the industry. The problem with the industry is an attrition problem, not anything else. So, assets just give us the ability to have revenue which gives us the ability to grow. Jason Diamond: And is that the plan? Keep adding assets, keep growing one client at a time with the focus though, obviously, on what makes you which is a very client-centric service model. Michael Smith: Correct. There’s a lot of things I want to do in the next couple of years and expanding our footprint is our biggest one with the right partners and then just keep adding. I have a business development officer that I’m probably offer a job to here pretty soon and things are going well. Jason Diamond: Yeah, that’s great. You mentioned the tech stack and the other components of the business and I hear you on the frugal cost-benefit analysis. But who did you turn to for some of those early decisions, was it Schwab primarily who helped hold your hand through that? Michael Smith: Schwab was very good at helping me identify the tech stack at first and the tech stack is actually the one consistent, there’s a lot of things I’ve been consistent on but tech is one that I’ve stayed with them. I launched with RightSize, now they’re Advisory, they’re very good, they do the right job for us and I’m big on cybersecurity. So, tech was helpful from Schwab, Schwab helped us with that. Jason Diamond: So, we spoke a little bit about your naval experience but, I’m curious, can you tell us how has your naval experience shaped your perception or your experience in wealth management? Michael Smith: My Navy path was a lot different than many officers. I served 12 years as an enlisted person before I got my direct commission as a Mustang officer, typically called limited duty officers or loud, dumb and obnoxious as I like to say. But that experience gave me a unique perspective because I was able to be the enlisted side and officer which are the workers and then the management side so I had both experiences which was unique. When I was commissioned, Admiral Jerry Ellis, a submarine admiral that commissioned me, heard this lesson to the podium, he was just talking about me in this point but he said, “There are three kinds of people in every organization. You have rowboat people who need to be pushed, you have sailboat people who move whenever the conditions are favorable and then there’s steamboat people, they move continuously through calm or storm.” And he said, “This is Ensign Michael Smith,” he said, “Make your course.” And that’s always stood with me because you do have those three types of people in life. You got people that are just … They’re robo people, they go until they get tired. You got sailboat people that go wherever the wind blows them and then you got steamboat people that chart their own course. I would say for advisors out there make your course or just be happy with what you’re doing. But for some of us hard chargers, I think that analogy has stayed with me my entire career. Jason Diamond: It’s fantastic. I love the analogy, great naval tie in also. Thanks for sharing that. We got time for one more question. You have a fascinating background, a fascinating path to the industry, obviously, an incredibly disciplined approach around client service, any parting thoughts, words of wisdom especially as it relates to growth? That’s what strikes me most about your story is the growth that your move unlocked and that’s what every advisor who listens to our show is looking for. Michael Smith: I’m going to give another plug to Schwab on this. We actually were fortunate and I got their consulting group to come in right afterwards and I’m a big believer in having offsite. So, I’ve had an offsite, two offsites a year for my team and it’s the entire team unlike the wirehouses where you don’t take your admins and stuff like that. I take my entire team to an offsite and we group up on what we’re trying to achieve and have goals and objectives for the year. Schwab allowed us to use their consultants and we came up with our ideal client persona. Teams or firms that have this model become high performing. When you become high performing, growth becomes the outcome. I couldn’t do anything but grow. Jason, I couldn’t not grow because I had this ideal client persona, I knew how I was going to do it, it was measurable. So, growth becomes the outcome and, if you hold people responsible, then we’re all going to grow together and it’s a fun outcome. Jason Diamond: Fantastic, it’s a great place to end. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us, I can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds for Emerald, this has been a lot of fun. Michael Smith: Jason, thank you so much. I appreciate everything you do for the industry as well. Mindy Diamond: As a financial advisor, you hold yourself to the highest standards of integrity, honesty and credibility. You are successful because you take your professional responsibility seriously and are dedicated to your clients. But are you living your best business life? Are your goals aligned with your firms or could a better option exist? Should I Stay or Should I Go? Is a book written with you in mind? It’s a self-guided journey that walks you through the key steps that we take with our advisor clients. This strategic thought process and roadmap to professional self-discovery is designed to help you ask the right questions and think critically and objectively whether you’re considering change or not. Learn how to get your copy at diamond-consultants.com/thebook. From “Overservicing” Clients to Building a $1B RIA: A Merrill Breakaway Story A conversation with Jason Diamond and Michael Smith, Managing Partner and Founder of Emerald Advisors.      Jason Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is From “Overservicing” Clients to Building a $1B RIA: A Merrill Breakaway Story. It’s a conversation with Michael Smith, managing partner and founder of Emerald Advisors. 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: Growth is often viewed as the result of better marketing, stronger referrals, a larger team and even acquisition and that’s all true yet growth can be the byproduct of something else entirely. For example, Michael Smith built a successful practice at Merrill then, one day, he was told he was spending too much time with his clients, or his management put it over-servicing clients. For Michael, that wasn’t a warning sign about his approach, it was a signal that he might have outgrown the firm and the model. Today, Michael is the founder and managing partner of Emerald Advisors, the independent RIA he launched in late 2019 with roughly 385 million in assets and 85 client relationships. Less than seven years later, the firm has grown to more than a billion in assets while remaining deeply focused on a highly-specialized client base and an unusually hands-on service model. What makes this story particularly interesting isn’t just the growth, it’s the thinking behind it. Michael’s perspective was shaped long before he entered wealth management. After serving more than two decades in the Navy, he brought a leadership philosophy centered on accountability, discipline and what he calls steamboat people, those who keep moving forward regardless of conditions, that mindset continues to influence how he builds his team, serves clients and evaluates opportunities. In this episode, we discuss the decision to leave Merrill, the realities of launching a fully independent RIA, why specialization can accelerate growth, the evolving role of custodians and technology and why he believes exceptional client service remains one of the industry’s most durable competitive advantages. Because Michael’s experience suggests that growth isn’t always the result of finding more opportunities, sometimes it’s the result of creating the freedom to execute the vision you already had so let’s jump in. Michael, thank you so much for joining us today. For starters, can you walk us through your background and what brought you to the world of wealth management? Michael Smith: Jason, thank you so much for the opportunity to be here today, I do listen to the podcast a lot especially before I left Mother Merrill. But my background and how I got into financial services is really distinct because I was on the board of JDRF back in the day and the national sponsor for JDRF was UBS PaineWebber and they’re like, “Mike, why don’t you be a financial advisor?” And my master’s degree was actually a finance and accounting in portfolio management because I’ve managed my own portfolio for years and years and so, when I couldn’t get a job, I just fell into it because I couldn’t get a job and I needed a job. That was 21 years ago, Memorial Day so that’s how I got into this industry. Jason Diamond: It’s a unique background, it’s super interesting and I want to talk more about it. You mentioned Mother Merrill, we’ll certainly get there. Before we do, give us a little bit of context on the current business you operate, Emerald Advisors, any context you can share on size, number of staff, types of clients you serve would be great. Michael Smith: Sure. So, we launched Emerald in 2019, November 2019 with about 85 clients and you always talk about this on the podcast how scared it is to launch and go independent. And I would say we took over about 95% of our clients that we wanted to bring over and today we’re at about 230 clients, I think we have some onboarding right now, we have just over a billion of assets. So, we launched with the 85 clients and around 350, 385 million, now we’re over a billion. Jason Diamond: Good for you. Michael Smith: Thank you. And I launched with four employees and we’re now at 11. And I would give a shout-out to one of my key employees because, when I launched, I actually hired somebody that had no experience with us and that was really a good thing because that allowed that person to really focus on operations and back office stuff while my business partner Emily and I were able to focus on bringing on the clients and alleviating any issues that they may have or thought. Jason Diamond: So, meaning you hired somebody basically immediately upon launch to help you with the transition and with this next chapter? Michael Smith: Correct. I hired them before but they started the day we launched. Jason Diamond: Brilliant, I love it. Oh, let’s definitely talk more about that because I think that’s a great strategy for … You’re right, you said it in a joking manner now because you’re seven years past but it’s a very real fear that advisors have and I think it’s worth talking more about. I want to mention too you have, obviously, built this business and grown this business dramatically. I don’t want to make this episode about the pandemic but you moved the business at a, certainly, a unique time. Did it impact your growth at all? Did you feel like you hit a brick wall? Just curious about your thoughts. Michael Smith: No, Jason, that’s a great observation. I would venture to say that the pandemic was actually a good thing for us. Jason Diamond: Interesting. Michael Smith: And I say that because, all of a sudden, you could hit pause because everyone was relearning how to do business, how do we do client reviews, how do we communicate with clients in a environment. So, I think the pandemic allowed us to just really reset our expectations visiting with clients because I used to fly a lot because I have clients in 38 different states so this has actually been, not just good for me, but good for the industry because I think it’s reset our expectations that we don’t have to be every day with a client facing. Jason Diamond: I agree with that largely and it’s true of our business too, by the way, it’s certainly reshaped the way people expect to be communicated with. I think Zoom has become much more mainstream, phone calls and we’ve heard from many other advisors who say something similar. I was just curious because you moved so close to or if there was an impact but I get, honestly, I think you’re right, it allowed you to have this nice natural inflection point and almost like flipping a switch of a clean slate. Michael Smith: It allowed us to learn the processes too. So, we launched in November 1st, by March we were in lockdown and so it gave us the opportunity to take several months of just learning the processes of how to be an RIA, it was pretty good. Jason Diamond: Absolutely. So, one of the things you mentioned in that was the way in which you serve clients and I’d read something funny and I think it was around the time of your move. You were talking about that, Merrill, you had a manager who spoke about that you would overserve your clients, you serve clients too much, tell me about that. Michael Smith: That was such an interesting topic because I got called down to the ops officer’s office and they’re like, “Ugh, Mike.” And it brought my admin down with me and they’re like, “Mike, these reports that you’re taking care of your clients too much,” and I’m like, “What do you mean?” “Well, you’re overservicing them.” Jason, I literally had to go back and Google the word overservicing because I was like, “How do you overservice the client? I’m not making their bed.” It was just so funny to me that I got counsel for overservicing clients when we’re in a client-facing job and I think that was part of the catalyst. Jason Diamond: Tell me more about what they meant, you think. Michael Smith: Hindsight, I think they … I like to take care of people which means I’m very intuitive towards taxes, I understand how the tax code works, I understand how everything impacts their bottom line. So, when we’re doing deferred comp enrollments or 401(k) enrollments or I’m a big believer in Roth 401(k)s and backdoor Roths and I’ve been doing them for years, I think what Mother Merrill wanted at that time was us not to do that. And, again, nothing against Merrill, I get it but this is how they wanted us to act and I wasn’t in that mold, I was taking care of clients to a much deeper depth is how I would say it. Jason Diamond: And I think that speaks to you outgrew the model not necessarily the firm. I think Merrill does a lot of things really well, you would agree with that, I think given that you built 85 clients and 350 million in assets is nothing to sneeze at. But the model that it seems like you value client service and an integrated client service experience of that and the wirehouse model oftentimes doesn’t put a premium on that. Tell me about your ethos or your thoughts around client service today and what being independent enables you to do. Michael Smith: So, that’s an interesting observation because one of my clients actually just mentioned to me that the reason we’re growing so much is because of our service model and the fact that we deliver a tremendous amount of value over just portfolio management. I said my managers is in portfolio management, I don’t do that any longer, I have a staff that handles that for me but it’s really the servicing of the clients because they don’t know what we know and I think servicing the client is the most important thing that we can do today. Jason Diamond: Give me some examples of what you mean by servicing the client in a more holistic way. I agree with you, by the way, portfolio management, table stakes, financial planning, table stakes, tell me more about what you mean. Michael Smith: By that I mean we do a quarterly review on tax. So, a lot of people don’t understand how taxes work and how estimated taxes work. So, estimated taxes are January 1st to March 31st, January 1st to May 31st, January 1st to August 31st, that’s how you do your estimated tax payments, you figure out what that is. And for compensated employees where they have RSUs that come in at different times of the year or different grants or exercise their options at a different time, that can affect their estimated tax liability and I’m not big on giving Uncle Sam any more money than they have to have until they need it. And then everyone doesn’t understand how the penalties and interest works on the IRS. And I’m big on the tax payments because that’s where we can add a lot of value for not a lot of time and we integrate it with our portfolio so we know what we’re doing with our gains. And I happen to reside in Washington State which has a long-term capital gains tax rate once you surpass about 270,000 of long-term capital gains. So, it’s super important for us to be aware of this and that’s how we service them. We also help them with their rebalancing of their 401(k)s, things that wirehouses cannot supposed to do, we are not supposed to be helping them with some of their aspects of life. Jason Diamond: Yup. That’s what I was alluding to earlier, it’s limitations on the model, not because they’re bad models, it’s just a different way, a different ethos around client service. You mentioned RSUs and corporate employees, I know that’s a niche you have is around concentrated stock positions and equity comp plans. I guess let me ask you two different questions around this. First of all, why that niche? Interested. And then, second of all, do you think

This episode of the Brain & Life Podcast was recorded live at the American Academy of Neurology's Annual Meeting. Co-hosts Dr. Daniel Correa and Dr. Katy Peters were joined by Jen Pollack from Alzheimer's Association, Rich Brennan from ALS Association, and Julienne Verdi from Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy to discuss how advocacy and sharing stories makes a difference. Tune in to hear these field experts share the positive effects of collaboration and advocacy!   Additional Resources Become a Brain Health Advocate The Why Behind Your Weakness- ALS Association ASAP Act- Alzheimer's Association HEADACHE Act- Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy   We want to hear from you! Have a question or want to hear a topic featured on the Brain & Life Podcast? ·       Record a voicemail at 612-928-6206 ·       Email us at BLpodcast@brainandlife.org   Social Media Guests: ALS Association @als; Alzheimer's Association @alzassociation; Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy @allianceforheadacheadvocacy Hosts: Dr. Daniel Correa @neurodrcorrea; Dr. Katy Peters @KatyPetersMDPhD

In this episode of Aging Starts Now, elder care coordinator Janel Heflin sits down with Cody Filbert and Shelby Smith from the ALS Association to explore one of the most challenging diagnoses individuals and families can face—ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. An ALS diagnosis can feel overwhelming, bringing uncertainty, emotional strain, and complex care needs. This conversation sheds light on what ALS is, how it impacts daily life, and the critical role of support systems for both individuals and caregivers. Cody and Shelby share: A clear understanding of ALS and its progression The mission and impact of the ALS Association Programs and services designed to improve quality of life Essential support available for caregivers Current research advancements offering hope for the future Ways individuals and families can get involved or access resources Whether you're navigating a diagnosis, supporting a loved one, or simply seeking to better understand ALS, this episode offers insight, compassion, and practical guidance. Presented by Johnson McGinnis Elder Care Law & Estate Planning—helping you plan wisely, protect independence, and age with confidence.

Donate to the ALS Association: https://www.als.org/?form=general&s_src=donatebutton  Come see BNC live! https://linktr.ee/bnclive  Pre-order Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It: https://sites.prh.com/phoebe-bermans-gonna-lose-it SUBSCRIBE TO THE BNC CHANNEL: https://bit.ly/45Pspyl   Ad Free & Bonus Episodes: https://bit.ly/3OZxwpr This week, Brooke and Connor talk about the their three fun facts, identifying as double jointed, and the new JFK Jr. show. Plus, Connor recaps his trip to the Olympics and Brooke learns about frame mogging and looksmaxxing.  Join our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/5356639204457124/  Join the loyalty program for renters at https://joinbilt.com/bnc Go to https://nuuly.com and enter the code BNC at sign up to get $28 off your first month.  Go to https://Nutrafol.com and use promo code BANDC for $10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping Join for free at https://rakuten.com or download the Rakuten app to start saving money today Use code BNC for 15% off at https://barebells.com B+C IG: https://www.instagram.com/bncmap/ B+C Twitter: https://twitter.com/bncmap TMG Studios YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tinymeatgang TMG Studios IG: https://www.instagram.com/realtmgstudios/ TMG Studios Twitter: https://twitter.com/realtmgstudios BROOKE https://www.instagram.com/brookeaverick https://twitter.com/ladyefron https://www.tiktok.com/@ladyefron  CONNOR https://www.instagram.com/fibula/ https://twitter.com/fibulaa https://www.tiktok.com/@fibulaa Hosted by Brooke Averick & Connor Wood, Created by TMG Studios, Brooke Averick & Connor Wood, and Produced by TMG Studios, Brooke Averick & Connor Wood. Chapters: 0:00 We're Going On Tour!!!! 0:44 Intro 1:00 It's Ok To Take Breaks 2:05 Run Ins.  5:56 Fisting Clam Chowder 9:33 Figuring Out Our 3 Fun Facts 15:09 Exploring The Double Jointed Community 19:42 Bilt 20:52 Nuuly 22:39 The New York Blizz 23:53 Horned Up For Love Story 28:39 We Need New Faces 32:10 Excited About TV Again!! 33:23 All Eyes On Punch the Monkey 37:22 Nutrafol 39:13 Rakuten 40:10 Barebells 41:23 Getting Emotional Over Porch Goose 46:26 Connor Goes To The Olympics 49:25 Getting Lost In Paris 55:20 Completely Framed Mogged  1:00:04 Phoebe Is Going On Tour!!! 1:04:19 We're Also Going On Tour!!! 1:05:47 Bonding With Dylan E. 1:07:43 Loving Symbolism & Jacob Elordi 1:10:09 RIP Eric Dane 1:10:43 See You In Bonus!!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Less than a year after announcing his diagnoses with ALS, actor Eric Dane passed away last night from the disorder. His passing has once again brought the progressive neurodegenerative disease back into the national spotlight. In this Deep Dive, Maria Shilaos discusses the disease -- what it is, how it affects the body, life expectany, and more -- and the way to support those who have ALS and their families. She's joined by Dr. Mark Bromberg, the former director of the ALS Clinic at U of U Health and Brian Federick, Marketing and Communications Officer for The ALS Association.  

The greatest Royal of ‘em all, George Brett, can't wait to watch Jac Caglianone's major-league debut on Tuesday. Neither can golf icon and Royals fan Tom Watson. At an annual fundraising event for The ALS Association in Overland Park Monday, half of Kansas City's sports Mount Rushmore weighed in on the Royals' decision to elevate their top prospect to Major League Baseball. Caglianone will make his MLB debut Tuesday in St. Louis. What can Caglianone expect in the bigs? Brett and Watson agree, and their answer may surprise you: Caglianone's best approach, they say, will be to do less: “Try to do less when the pressure is on,” Brett said. “He's got to breathe.” Brett and Watson join Star sports columnist Vahe Gregorian and podcast host Blair Kerkhoff in this special installment of the SportsBeat KC show, presented by Underdog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, host Ken Vinacco sits down with guests Lauren LaMar and Kyle Vasher to discuss the range of resources that the ALS Association offers for people with ALS. Lauren shares her role in the multidisciplinary clinic as well as the range of online, local and one-on-one support services offered for patients and caregivers. Kyle adds his input as a DD SIG liaison and treating therapist. Filled with great advice, perspective and practical resources to share with patients, this is a helpful listen for PTs treating patients with ALS.   The Degenerative Diseases Special Interest Group is part of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy – www.neuroPT.org  For questions about this podcast, please contact neuroddsig@gmail.com.   Resources from the ALS Association  Medicare information: https://www.als.org/navigating-als/financial-information/medicare-information  Caregiver education and support groups: https://www.als.org/navigating-als/support-for-caregivers   Care Matters newsletter: https://www.als.org/care-matters-sign-up   Multidisciplinary clinic locator: https://www.als.org/support/certified-centers-clinics  Education for healthcare professionals: https://www.als.org/navigating-als/education-healthcare-professionals       - Rehabilitative Care for ALS: Guidance for PTs and OTs: https://app.schoox.com/login.php?courseId=8207995   Printed materials: https://www.als.org/order-portal   Transfer technique videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6QI9CQO63I&list=PL2RF9Bwbv6Com3nZM-jFh_EGl3Gmn6S43  Virtual home modification and safety assessment program: https://www.als.org/support/programs/virtual-home-modification-and-safety-assessment-program   ALS Insurance Navigator https://www.als.org/support/als-insurance-navigator  ALS Advocacy Team https://www.als.org/advocacy/action-center   Show notes: https://app.box.com/s/q45h3p0fsgiuzluwxtzajnupp5hyofr2

May 27, 2025 - A DNA test can reveal important health information, but legislation in Albany would restrict insurers from using that genetic data to inform their coverage costs. We consider this restriction with Danielle Spadafora, managing director of advocacy for The ALS Association, and Ashley Crawley, whose father died from ALS in 2024.

In the early days of peer-to-peer fundraising events, one of the fastest ways to grow a program was to launch events in new markets. But many organizations scaled back over time, whether due to strategic shifts or limited resources. So what happens when it's time to grow again? How do you evaluate new opportunities and ensure long-term success?Expanding into a new market involves much more than adding a city to your event series. It requires significant lead time to build local relationships, experienced mentorship, and the right team in place with boots on the ground.In this episode, P2PPF's Marcie Maxwell speaks with Cliff Whitlock, National Director of Ride to Defeat ALS at the ALS Association. Cliff shares how his team is expanding their growing ride series into new markets, the criteria they use to assess potential locations, and what it takes to launch successfully, from staff training to local engagement.You'll also learn:Why local volunteer leadership is essentialStrategies for building credibility in new communitiesKey lessons learned from first-year hurdles and how to overcome themMentioned Linksals.org als.org/ridetodefeatals Stay Connected on LinkedInConnect with CliffConnect with MarcieConnect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box (01:20) - Introducing Cliff Whitlock (04:30) - The Rides to Defeat ALS (10:45) - The Power of the Assessment (13:26) - Motivation (16:06) - Building Community in a New Location (30:00) - Learn More at ALS.org

On this episode of the Doing What Matters podcast, Teresa has the joy of sitting down with  special guests Mary Valloni and Mike Kim, who discuss their new book aimed at helping Christian missionaries with fundraising. They delve into the origins of their partnership, the challenges they faced, and the meaningful journey that led to the book's creation. Mary and Mike share insights on marketing, cutting through Christian jargon, crafting mission statements, and the transformative impact of their work. They also reflect on the deep trust and friendship that has been foundational to their collaboration. This episode is filled with practical advice and heartfelt storiesand bringing meaning to your life work. TIME STAMP:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:55 The Journey to Writing the Book03:35 Target Audience and Mission04:58 Personal Stories and Partnership08:02 Challenges and Mindset in Fundraising11:21 Simplifying Mission Statements15:47 Practical Advice for Missionaries20:17 Encouragement and Final Thoughts24:40 The Importance of Authenticity in Ministry25:54 Building Trust and Partnership27:13 Navigating Personal and Professional Challenges28:56 The Power of Mutual Support34:50 Reflecting on the Journey and Future Goals45:31 Concluding Thoughts and ResourcesCLICK HERE for a link to the bookGuest Information:Contact Mike Kim & Mary Valloni at mary@maryvalloni.com  http://fullyfundedacademy.com Mary Valloni is a respected expert on fundraising, a podcast host, and the award-winning author of the book Fundraising Freedom. With over twenty years of fundraising experience with organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the ALS Association, and the Special Olympics, she now shares her expertise as a coach, trainer, and mentor to nonprofit leaders around the world. For more information about Mary, visit MaryValloni.com. Mike Kim is a marketing strategist and author of the Wall St. Journal and USA Today bestseller, You Are the Brand. His clients include faith-driven organizations such as Catalyst, People of the Second Chance, and Global Mission Awareness, as well as numerous churches, ministry schools, and para-church organizations. Mike has been featured in and written for Inc., Entrepreneur, and The Huffington Post. For more information about Mike, visit MikeKim.com.  Email: mary@fullyfundedacademy.com Our bestselling book, Fully Funded: The Christian Missionary's 7-Step Guide to Raising Support and Growing Your Donor Base in Today's Modern World.FREE RESOURCES:Take the FREE Intro to Needs & Values AssessmentReady to discover what uniquely matters to YOU? CLICK HERE to take our FREE Intro to the Needs & Values Assessment.FREE Download: 4 Steps to Simplify Your CalendarReady to uncover more time on your calendar? This FREE download will help you remove what doesn't matter, so you have space for what does. Click here to get this FREE resource!OTHER RESOURCES:Check out our YouTube Channel!Prefer to watch AND listen? Check out our YouTube channel for the podcast episode on video! Make sure to subscribe so you get all the latest updates.My Book LinkMy new book, Do What Matters, is available NOW! Banish busyness and discover a new way of being productive around what truly matters. Learn more at DoWhatMattersBook.com.LifeMapping ToolsWould you life to discover  Life Mapping tools to help you recognize and respond to God in your Story. Check out these tools here https://www.onelifemaps.com/JOIN OUR COMMUNITY & CONNECT WITH ME:Become part of the FREE REALIFE Process® Community! Connect with Teresa and other podcast listeners, plus find additional content to help you discover your best REALIFE.Connect with your host, Teresa McCloy, on:Facebook - The REALIFE Process® with Teresa McCloyInstagram - teresa.mccloyLinkedIn - teresamccloyAbout Teresa McCloy:Teresa McCloy is the founder and creator of the REALIFE Process®, a framework designed to empower individuals and groups with the tools, training, and community needed for personal and professional growth. Through the REALIFE Process®, Teresa is on a mission to help others grow in self-awareness, establish sustainable rhythms, and enhance their influence and impact by integrating faith and work into their everyday lives. She lives with her husband of 42 years on their 5th generation family farm in central Illinois and enjoys great coffee, growing beautiful flower gardens and traveling as much as possible. About Erica Vinson:Erica Vinson helps clients walk through defining moments with confidence and courage enabling them to move forward in freedom and embrace fearless living. As an ACC Credentialed and Certified Professional Life & Leadership Coach, she uses wisdom from all 3 Centers of Intelligence to help clients gain deeper self-awareness and grow in relationships with others both personally and professionally. Erica is a certified REALIFE Process® Master Coach, an ©iEnneagram Motions of the Soul Practitioner, and has a certificate in Spiritual Transformation through the Transforming Center. She lives in the Metro East St. Louis area and enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, golfing, tennis, boating/water skiing, traveling, is a bit of a technology nerd and loves learning!

This is a special episode all about the Boston Marathon. The 129th Boston Marathon will take place on April 21, 2025 and holds a special place in the hearts of those in this episode. There are also 174 charities participating in the marathon. See below on how to show your support. Our guest in this episode is Dr. Kristin Whitney, who is an Assistant Professor in Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Director of the Injured Runners Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital. She is also the Boston Marathon Medical Tracking Program Team Captain. We talk about Kristin's experiences and perspectives in these roles and how she has used her learnings and expertise to improve performance for others. She shares her story of a clinical care team that made a huge impact in her and her family's life and how that fueled her passion to bring excellent clinical care to so many today. Kristin also shares a groundbreaking study with a team that is on the frontiers of performance research. We were inspired by this conversation and hope it inspires you too! Thank you to our sponsors! The Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance: https://humanperformancealliance.org/ Connect with Dr. Kristin Whitney! Website: https://www.childrenshospital.org/directory/kristin-whitney Instagram: @kristinwhitney.md Twitter: @KristinWhitney LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-schwarz-whitney-md-ma-a1037947/ Boston Marathon Research Study: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/59/4/222 Donate to Team Challenge ALS via Hannah's page: https://www.givengain.com/project/hannah-raising-funds-for-the-als-association-89275 Learn more about the ALS Association: https://www.als.org/ Donate to other 2025 Boston Marathon charities: https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/charity-program Connect with BOOM! Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook: @biomechanicsonourminds LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/biomechanicsoom/ YouTube: Biomechanics On Our Minds Website: biomechanicsonourminds.com More from Kristin and her team: Runners World Magazine feature: https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a63084616/low-energy-availability/ Boston Children's Hosp Blog: https://answers.childrenshospital.org/low-energy-availability-boston-marathon/

This episode originally aired December 14, 2025: Anne Supplee, a Care Services Manager at The ALS Association joins host Ken Haglind on “Living Health and Aging Well” radio show to talk about the programs and services of The ALS Association. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive disease that causes individuals to lose their ability…

In this month's episode, Roberto and Martha chat with Deborah Ferrell, Director of Care Services for the San Diego chapter of the ALS Association. Listen to their discussion about understanding the nature and course of ALS, and the challenges and rewards of caring for someone with the disease. ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that impacts the cells of the brain and spinal cord. Keywords: caregiving, ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease, ALS caregiving, case management, neurodegenerative disease,

Anne Supplee, a Care Services Manager at The ALS Association joins host Ken Haglind on “Living Health and Aging Well” radio show to talk about the programs and services of The ALS Association. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive disease that causes individuals to lose their ability to walk, talk, eat and eventually breathe. The…

"LUKi and the Lights" is not just an animated short film; it's a beacon for children trying to grasp the complexities of ALS. Inspired by the real-life journey of Anjo Snijders and Sascha Groen, this episode unravels how their personal ALS/MND experiences fueled the creation of a groundbreaking resource for families worldwide.  Hear how the layers of creativity, medical accuracy, and emotional authenticity make this film a vital tool for understanding ALS/MND.Meet my insightful guests — Toby Cochran, Adrian Ochoa, and Dr. Melinda Kavanaugh — who reveal the unexpected journey behind this project. Dr. Kavanaugh shares her unique path into the collaboration, while Toby and Adrian discuss how this team navigated challenges to create a story that resonates globally and transcends cultural and linguistic barriers. Their dedication ensures the film retains its heartfelt essence and medical integrity, proving invaluable for children and families.Beyond the screen, "LUKi and the Lights" is making waves with its global reach and festival appearances, even vying for Oscar consideration.   As a follow-up to this episode, we invite you to participate in a Special Virtual Screening, Tuesday, November 12th at 7pm EST, where you can connect with the creators and delve deeper into the mission of spreading ALS awareness. Join us in supporting this initiative by visiting Global Neuro YCare's website to help bring LUKi's message to families worldwide.  Thank you for sharing LUKi with your friends and family.  If it's on your heart to review this episode to help share LUKi, thank you for doing so!Follow and see what's coming next: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn.

Rick lives with ALS. He and his wife discuss his diagnosis and how their lives have changed. You'll be inspired by their courrage and optimistic outlook.Danatria Spears is the associate director of development for the ALS Association of Texas. The ALS Walk on Saturday Nov 16th at the University of Houston. www.als.org

Do you know about the neurological disease ALS? Elder Care Coordinator Pati Bedwell speaks with Melissa Enfinger the Director of Education and Resource Development of the ALS Association, about the progression of the disease, potential causes and treatment, and resources available.

Melissa Enfinger is the Director of Education & Resource Development at The ALS Association

Season 3 kicks of with a battle of best pals from South Florida! Luke Tennie (Shrinking and Nickel Boys) goes up against Esteban Dager (Suits and Players) for 4 rounds of pub style trivia. Luke is playing for Orphans Hope while Esteban is playing for The ALS Association. Follow us @youshouldknowbetterpod - please rate, subscribe and review!

We've talked before about how appreciative we are of our partners, so this summer we wanted to give some love to those folks! We're having each of our partners on to talk about their businesses and whatever else we can get in to; take a listen to learn a little about their services and see what else is going on this summer! This week: Tony Nash from AZee Branding Solutions: 6:30 Noah Jacobs from Jacobs Insurance: 23:06 Kori Shook from Kori Shook & Associates: 41:49 Jim Woodworth from Success Group Mortgage & Servicing: 55:17 Sarah McNamara from Memorial Healthcare Wellness Center: 1:10:49 Thanks as always to all our great partners: Rivals Taphouse & Grille, Nelson House Funeral Home, Detroit Jerky, Shiawassee County Fair, Memorial Healthcare Wellness Center, AZee Branding Solutions, Kori Shook & Associates, Success Group Mortgage & Servicing, ALS Association, Jacobs Insurance, z925 The Castle, SportsNet MI

4th of July has come and gone, and that means on with the rest of the summer. The MLB All Star Game and the Olympics are around the corner, we get in to a couple of the hot topics around those events. Michigan football has a new head coach, are they being overlooked after winning a title? A quick Tedertainment Tonight, and a Detroit Jerky taste test. Take a listen and hit us up @3pointpod! Thanks to: Memorial Healthcare Wellness Center, Nelson House Funeral Home, Rivals Taphouse & Grille, Success Group Mortgage & Servicing, AZee Branding Solutions, Detroit Jerky, Kori Shook & Associates, Jacobs Insurance, Shiawassee County Fair, SportsNet MI, ALS Association, z925 The Castle

Guest: Ben Gioia   Guest Bio: Ben Gioia (“joya”) is a four-time, best-selling author, podcast, and international radio show host whose teachings are used by more than 80,000 leaders & game-changers. Ben helps folks write great books in as little as 5 weeks, enjoy 5-figure speaking fees, and attract 6-figure consulting. (Even BEFORE publishing!) Ben's trained 100s of millionaires and helped a Fortune 100 create an empathy video game. He helped launch the world's largest magazine (AARP) and won a patient services award from The ALS Association.   Guest Links: The Influence With A Heart® Book Success Assessment (Will Your Book Actually Work?)  The Influence With A Heart® Book Success Assessment will help you write/finish a high-quality book fast, elevate your business right, and position yourself for 2X-5X-10X more money and impact. It's a “strategic litmus test” whether you're starting, in the middle, or almost done with your book. Going through this quick assessment will help you maximize what's working — and refine what you want to improve — so you can create more income, influence, and impact. You will discover how to stand out and serve your people in a more powerful, positive, and profound way by writing an unforgettable book!     About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders Download your free gift, The Salesology® Vault. The vault is packed full of free gifts from sales leaders, sales experts, marketing gurus and revenue generation experts.  Download your free gift, 81 Tools to Grow Your Sales & Your Business Faster, More Easily & More Profitably. Save hours of work tracking down the right prospecting and sales resources and/or digital tools that every business owner and salesperson needs. Watch the demo of the Salesology® Prospecting Method, A Simple, 3-Step Method That, On Average, Increases Qualified Appointments & Sales By 73%. If you are a business owner or sales manager with an underperforming sales team, let's talk. Click here to schedule a time. Please, subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated! To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Twitter and check out our website at  http://www.gosalesology.

In this episode of  ""I'm Dying To Tell You,"" I meet up with the resilient Sara Bennett, from Columbus, Ohio.  At just 36 years old, Sara was confronted with a devastating diagnosis: ALS.  In a candid and deeply moving conversation, Sara opens up about her extraordinary journey, bravely navigating the intricate balance of life as a mother to two young sons, aged 5 and 7, while grappling with the harsh reality of a terminal illness. With unwavering courage, Sara shares her poignant insights, offering listeners a profound glimpse into the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable challenges.  Sara shares how she told her young boys about her diagnosis and how she is navigating parenthood in this new season.  Sara also shares how she is working with a death doula to assist her with end-of-life.  This episode is a reminder of the indomitable strength found within us all.  Follow Sara:  https://www.instagram.com/theanandapivot/Thank you for listening in.  Hugs, LorriI am so incredibly grateful that you are here. It means the world to me! Thank you. Follow and see what's coming next: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn.

In hour number two former MLB pitcher Mike Boddicker joins the guys in studio as he voices his thoughts on the early work being done by the Royals pitching staff and his thoughts on Cole Regans.  SSJ also talks about the event him and Mike did last weekend together for The ALS Association.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karen McClaflin is the Executive Director of the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento, California. A California native she was the Executive Direcgro of the ALS Association and the California Automobile  Museum from 2006 – 2015 before focusing on Development at Broadway Sacramento before returning for a second term. I had the pleasure of visiting the California Automobile  Museum in 2018 when I filmed an episode of Cars Yeah TV that you can enjoy on the Cars Yeah YouTube channel.

From the reigning National Championship winning Quinnipiac Bobcats, the set up man on the iconic overtime goal, Sam Lipkin joins Drop the Mitts for Episode 34. Sam talks about the goal and what he saw on the play along with Jacob Quillan's iconic celly hitting the Selanne with the stick toss in the stands. Sam talks about playing for legendary Head Coach Rand Pecknold and what he has meant to Quinnipiac as well as the chemistry he has with teammates Collin Graf and Jacob Quillan. With some of the most passionate fans in College Hockey Sam describes what its like playing in front of the Quinnipiac faithful. He also talks about his time with the Chicago Steel and the honor he had being able to wear the "C" as well as playing with guys like Owen Power, Adam Fantilli and Matt Coronato to name just a few. Later in the episode Chris talks about the first big trade to happen in the NHL where Chris Tanev was sent to the Dallas Stars. Was this an overpay? Chris also disects the new PWHL Playoff and Draft format which seemed to be a hit. Chris talks about the hot start Dallas Stars rookie Logan Stankoven is off. On a sad note Chris talks about the passing of Kenneth Mitchell who played the iconic role of Ralph Cox in Miracle who passed away Saturday after a long battle with ALS. Please consider donating to the ALS Association to help combat this horrible disease. As always if you enjoyed Drop the Mitts Hockey content please don't hesitate to leave a 5 star review and follow Chris Davis @chrisjdavis11 on all social media platforms as well as the podcast account @DropMittsHockey on all social media platforms. 

In hour number two former MLB pitcher Mike Boddicker joins the guys in studio as he voices his thoughts on the early work being done by the Royals pitching staff.  SSJ also talks about an event him and Mike are doing together for The ALS Association this weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode I chat with Juliet Taylor & Tim Abeska who each lost spouse to ALS. They met in a virtual support group for widow & widowers.   Realizing they lived in the same area and had common interests, they met for coffee and their relationship grew from there.  Today they encourage each other to love & honor their late spouse, enjoy life and be active ALS advocates to help end ALS.   Here, Juliet & Tim share about their late spouses, Jeff Sarnacki & Mary Ann Abeska.  We talk about how they are supporting each other's grief journey and what advice they have for others who are experiencing loss.  It's incredible that both Juliet & Tim have jumped back in to the ALS community as key advocates.  Together, they are the co-chairs of the I AM ALS Community Outreach Team, which helps bring others into our fight for a cure.  Juliet writes a beautiful column for ALS News Today. Listen in to this hopeful chat and share with a friend.  Thanks for listening.  Hugs, Lorri I am so incredibly grateful that you are here. It means the world to me! Thank you. Follow and see what's coming next: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn.

In light of the recent and unexpected passing of our longtime host, Jeremy Holden, Connecting ALS is taking a pause to regroup. During this time, we'll be revisiting impactful past episodes that continue to resonate with the ALS community.In this episode, from May 25th of 2023, Jeremy spoke with Leslie Ryan, Senior Director of Education and Professional Competencies at The ALS Association about the new My ALS Journey tool, a web-based platform that provides personalized guidance and support to people living with ALS.

In light of the recent and unexpected passing of our longtime host, Jeremy Holden, Connecting ALS is taking a pause to regroup. During this time, we'll be revisiting impactful past episodes that continue to resonate with the ALS community.  In this episode, which originally aired on June 9th, 2022, Jeremy talks to Dr. Neil Thakur, Chief Mission Officer at The ALS Association, and Melanie Lendnal, the Association's senior vice president of policy and advocacy, about the role of advocacy, and how's it's central to the fight for improving the lives of people living with ALS.

Here you'll meet Tony and Karen Vick.  Tony, a brave U.S. Veteran, has been living with ALS for the past 6 years.  Karen, his dedicated wife, serves as his full-time caregiver, showcasing the strength of their bond.  Despite facing the challenges of ALS, Tony and Karen lead a fulfilling life and share their journey on Karen's Instagram account, https://www.instagram.com/thekaregiver/.  After realizing how many young caregivers are out there, they decided to share more on the day-to-day realities, triumphs, and tribulations of living with ALS.  They hope to help other caregivers and individuals grappling with illnesses like ALS.  Tune in to discover how they extend their reach and provide support through their engaging weekly LIVE sessions on Instagram @thekaregiver, where they update their journey, answer questions, and offer encouragement.  Both Tony & Karen are returning guests on this podcast.  We get an update on how Tony is doing and his thoughts on his positive perspective.  Tony also shares advice for other veterans living with ALS.  Listen in as I delve into the inspiring story of Tony and Karen Vick, demonstrating that even in the face of adversity, love, resilience, and community can thrive.  Thank you for listening in and sharing with a friend.  Hugs, LorriI am so incredibly grateful that you are here. It means the world to me! Thank you. Follow and see what's coming next: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn.

We have a special treat for you today! Erin interviewed Renee Hetzler, PT, DPT, NCS and Bernadette Cummings, OTR/L, ATP who both specialize in working with people with ALS to have a conversation about caring for individuals with ALS. There are do's and don'ts when working with this population and we wanted to bring it to you! If you're someone who doesn't see this population very often and you want to know what to focus on, the timeline of events you should be tuned into and how to prioritize your plan of care, this is the episode for you!   Some of the topics discussed include: The types of ALS, initial symptoms, warnings signs and timeline Outcome measures and assessments to consider How to be prepared based on the timeline How to have conversations with the patients and their families Favorite equipment recommendations from PT and OT Exercise recommendations Resources for individuals with ALS and their families  ALS Association: https://www.als.org/ Team Gleason: https://teamgleason.org/ Muscular Dystrophy Association: https://www.mda.org/  I AM ALS: https://iamals.org/ Compassionate Care ALS: https://ccals.org/ https://shower-buddy.com/ https://razdesigninc.com/ https://www.fawssit.com/ https://www.etac.com/en-us/us/products/patient-handling/slings/molift-rgosling-toilet-highback/ https://www.performancehealth.com/air-soft-resting-hand-splint https://www.performancehealth.com/rolyan-adjustable-wire-frame-cervical-collar#sin=35206 https://www.amazon.com/DRIVE-Rollator-Walker-Removable-Storage/dp/B07TCTBLD9/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 https://kineticresearch.com/product/the-noodle-classic-afo/ https://www.amazon.com/Medline-Lightweight-Transport-Wheelchair-Handbrakes/dp/B007WA1ZG4 And no need to take notes, we've got an info sheet with everything that was covered for you to download HERE

In light of the recent and unexpected passing of our longtime host, Jeremy Holden, Connecting ALS is taking a pause to regroup. During this time, we'll be revisiting impactful past episodes that continue to resonate with the ALS community.In this episode, which first aired on April 15th 2021, Sandra Sullivan, The ALS Association's Director of Chapter Communications, talks to Sarah Trott, a former contestant on The Bachelor, about her connection to ALS and her work trying to support and connect young caregivers like herself around the country.

In light of the recent and unexpected passing of our longtime host, Jeremy Holden, Connecting ALS is taking a pause to regroup. During this time, we'll be revisiting impactful past episodes that continue to resonate with the ALS community.In today's episode, which first aired on Nov 4 2021, Jeremy celebrates Family Caregivers' Month with guest co-host Steve Becvar, who is  the executive director of The ALS Association's Greater San Diego Chapter. They speak with  Ann Larson, who was caregiver to her husband during his fight against ALS, and Jennifer Meyer, care services coordinator at The ALS Association MN/ND/SD Chapter.

Episode 152: ALS FundamentalsFuture Dr. Rodriguez explains the symptoms of ALS, including UMN and LMN symptoms. Dr. Arreaza discusses the principles of symptomatic treatment by primary care. This is a brief introduction to ALS.  Written by Adraina Rodriguez, MSIV, Ross University School of Medicine.  You are listening to Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast, your weekly dose of knowledge brought to you by the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program from Bakersfield, California, a UCLA-affiliated program sponsored by Clinica Sierra Vista, Let Us Be Your Healthcare Home. This podcast was created for educational purposes only. Visit your primary care provider for additional medical advice.Arreaza: It is rare but you may encounter it and you should be able to identify the most common symptoms. ALS Challenge in 2014: Ice bucket challenge. Adriana: Patrick Quinn was an ALS patient and activist who created the ICE Bicket Challenge and helped raise US$220 million for medical research.Arreaza: What is ALS?Adriana: ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, formerly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. It is the most common form of acquired motor neuron disease. ALS is a progressive, incurable neurodegenerative motor neuron disorder with Upper motor neuron (UMN) and/or Lower motor neuron symptoms that cause muscle weakness, disability, and eventually death. There is no single diagnostic test that can confirm or entirely exclude the diagnosis of motor neuron disease. Arreaza: When should you suspect ALS in a patient?Adriana: The classic patient presentation is insidious, slowly progressive, and unremitting UMN and/or LMN symptoms present in one of four body segments - cranial/bulbar, cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral - followed by spread to other segments over a period of months to years. Arreaza: What would you see on the physical exam when the Patient is in the clinic? There is a system to send signals from your brain to your muscles. It involves basically two neurons: Upper and lower motor neurons. The UMN goes from your cerebral cortex to your spinal cord and there it connects to a lower motor neuron through synapsis. The LMN then sends the signal to your muscles, causing contraction or relaxation. Tell us about the UMN and LMN symptoms.Adriana:LMN Symptoms: Weakness, Fasciculations, Muscular atrophy, Decreased muscle tone (flaccidity) and reduced or absent reflexes. UMN Symptoms: Increased tone and increased extremity deep-tendon reflexes, presence of any reflexes in muscles that are profoundly weak and wasted, pathological reflexes (crossed adductors, jaw jerk, Hoffman sign, Babinski sign 50%), syndrome of pseudobulbar affect (inappropriate laughing, crying, forced yawning).Arreaza: What are important factors to help narrow your differential to ALS?Multifocal motor neuropathy, cervical radiculomyelopathy, benign fasciculations, inflammatory myopathies, post-polio syndrome, monomelic amyotrophy, hereditary spastic paraplegia, spinobulbar muscular atrophy, myasthenia gravis, hyperthyroidism, and many others.There are pertinent negatives to look out for: Usually negative neuropathic or radiculopathic pain, sensory loss, sphincter dysfunction, ptosis, or extraocular muscle dysfunction (20-30% positive sensory symptoms or “pins and needles” and “electricity” in the affected limbs).Note: Cognitive dysfunction does not exclude ALSArreaza: What are the diagnostic criteria for ALSAdriana: Gold Coast Criteria 2019 proposed over El Escorial criteria:Progressive upper and lower motor neuron symptoms and signs in one limb or body segment, ORProgressive lower motor neuron symptoms and signs in at least two body segments, ANDAbsence of electrophysiologic, neuroimaging, and pathologic evidence of other disease processes that might explain the signs of lower and/or upper motor neuron degeneration.Arreaza: What diagnostic tests should be ordered for further evaluation?Adriana: Electrodiagnostic studies: Electromyogram and nerve conduction studies (EMG and NCS)Laboratory testing: creatine phosphokinase up to 1000u/LNeuroimaging: to exclude other causes mainly. Brain MRI whenever bulbar disease is present. Cervical and lumbosacral spine MRI for LMN findings in the arms and legs.Genetic testing: FALS 10% of ALS defect in C9ORF72 gene that makes motor neuron and brain nerve cell protein, the exact cause is unknown. Arreaza: Finally, how do you treat ALS?Adriana: Disease-modifying treatment: Riluzole is recommended for all patients with ALS. Shown to prolong survival and slow functional deterioration. The mechanisms of action that reduce glutamate-induced excitotoxicity: 1) inhibit glutamic acid release, 2) non-competitive block of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated responses, 3) direct action on the voltage-dependent sodium channel. Arreaza: Riluzole is given 50 mg by mouth twice a day. It may cause drowsiness or somnolence, hepatic injury: Not recommended for patients with elevation of transaminases >5 times the upper limit of normal. It is recommended to monitor for hepatic injury and discontinue if there is evidence of liver dysfunction, such as hyperbilirubinemia.Adriana: Symptom-based management is the mainstay of treatment. You may involve a multidisciplinary team to treat the symptoms. For example: palliative, hospice, respiratory function management (Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation vs mechanical ventilation.Arreaza: PCPs may be in charge of managing symptoms because you are the closest provider to the patient. Wherever available, it is recommended to refer your ALS patients to a specialized center. Many patients do not have availability to an ALS center or a neurologist, but they have you to manage their symptoms or complications.Adriana: Dysphagia: It is a common and distressing symptom. It is suggested PEG tube placement for patients with ALS with normal or moderate respiratory function who have dysphagia. It is controversial, some studies found no benefit on survival or quality of life and other studies suggest that it is safe to give a high-carb, hypercaloric diet to ALS patients. Arreaza: Spasticity: Use medications such as baclofen and tizanidine may be helpful, and botulinum injections are an option for those who are not responding to oral muscle relaxants. Adriana: Sialorrhea: Use medications such as atropine, hyoscyamine, amitriptyline, and scopolamine. If these medications are not effective or tolerated, used botox injections into the salivary glands. It is considered safe and useful for treating sialorrhea in patients with ALS. Botox is not only for wrinkles!Arreaza: There are many other symptoms that will require management, but you are invited to review your preferred source of information such as Up to Date, AAFP, or the ALS Association website. ______________________________Conclusion: Now we conclude episode number 152, “ALS Fundamentals.” You heard from future Dr. Rodriguez that ALS can present with upper motor neuron symptoms, such as spastic muscles and hyperreflexia; or lower motor neuron symptoms, such as flaccid and weak muscles. Some other symptoms include dysphagia, shortness of breath, difficulty talking, fatigue, thick mucus, and pseudobulbar affect. Dr. Arreaza explained that primary care physicians are in a special situation to help diagnose and treat the symptoms of ALS, especially in communities with limited access to an ALS center. You may need to involve a multidisciplinary team to improve the quality of life and possibly the survival of ALS patients. This week we thank Hector Arreaza and Adriana Rodiguez. Audio editing by Adrianne Silva.Even without trying, every night you go to bed a little wiser. Thanks for listening to Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast. We want to hear from you, send us an email at RioBravoqWeek@clinicasierravista.org, or visit our website riobravofmrp.org/qweek. See you next week! _____________________References:Galvez-Jimenez, Nestor and Colin Quinn, Symptom-based management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Up To Date, updated on July 31, 2023. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/symptom-based-management-of-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis. Royalty-free music used for this episode: Good Vibes: Sky's The limit, downloaded on July 20, 2023 from https://www.videvo.net/ 

Here I chat with military veteran of both the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy, Kate Peters.  She served in the USMC 2007-2015, USN 2015-2020 and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.   Kate is a mother of two boys, three and five and was medically retired from the military after being diagnosed with ALS, a fatal disease that has no cure.    She was diagnosed with ALS in 2020 a few weeks after her second son was born, after about 2 and 1/2 years of symptoms and a misdiagnosis.   I talk to Kate about her military experience, the connection between ALS & the military and her upcoming BIG adventure of traveling the world for a year with her young family.  Kate is considered a slow progresser with ALS, having symptoms for almost 6 years and still being fully independent and able to take care of her children.   She's been able to witness some blessings after being given a terminal diagnosis and shares some beautiful life advice that will encourage us all.   Thank you for listening in and sharing with a friend.  Hugs, LorriFollow:  https://bit.ly/ImDyingToTellYouInstagram  

This week, Jeremy welcomes Kathleen Sheehan, Vice President of Public Policy at The ALS Association, for an update on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee's action plan to make ALS livable and to accelerate the search for treatments. Learn more about the NAS working group at https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-accelerating-treatments-and-improving-quality-of-lifeThis episode is brought to you by The ALS Association in partnership with CitizenRacecar.

This episode is just me answering YOUR questions.  I had a lot of requests for this format again, so I asked listeners to send in questions about anything and I answered them here.  I'm so grateful for all the questions that came in, about life, perspective, my ALS longevity, family and advice.  I love that my listeners feel comfortable asking me anything.  This was a super special experience.  I hope you enjoy and share with a friend.Connect: https://www.instagram.com/imdyingtotellyoupodcast/?hl=en and https://twitter.com/LorrisPodcast

This week, Jeremy talks to Dr. Kelly Gwathmey, Chair of Neuromuscular Neurology at Virginia Commonwealth University, about recent research showing racial disparities in the time it takes to confirm an ALS diagnosis.Learn more about the research conducted at VCU at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022510X20303919 For more information about the importance of a timely diagnosis, go to https://www.als.org/thinkals/benefits-timely-diagnosisThis episode is brought to you by The ALS Association in partnership with CitizenRacecar.

This week, Jeremy kicks off National Wellness Month with Melissa Enfinger from The ALS Association's Care Services team. To participate in research into the mental health and wellness needs of people living with ALS, go to https://milwaukee.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4I9CXsunR8LrTYaThis episode is brought to you by The ALS Association in partnership with CitizenRacecar. 

This week, Jeremy catches up with Brooke Eby, a social media influencer living with ALS, about her efforts to raise awareness of ALS and critical funding for ALS research, and how she uses levity and humor along the way. Find ways to follow Brooke's journey at https://hoo.be/limpbroozkit Check out Brooke's appearance on Today at https://www.today.com/video/meet-the-woman-facing-als-with-heart-and-humor-174780997741 Listen to Brooke's conversation with Lorri Carey at https://imdyingtotellyoupodcast.com/uncategorized/fighting-als-with-humor-brooke-eby/ To learn more about August Advocacy Action Month go to https://www.als.org/advocacy/action-centerThis episode is brought to you by The ALS Association in partnership with CitizenRacecar.

Here I continue my talk with Amy, Jim and Matt who are living with ALS about having the toughest conversations of their lives.  When you're living with a terminal illness that doesn't have a cure and typically gives you just a few years to live, like ALS, the most difficult conversations come up quick.  In this Part 2 episode, I continue chatting with  Amy Stiens, Jim Plews-Ogan and Matt Klingenberg.  I am grateful for their willingness to chat about how they were told they had a terminal illness with no cure, how they told their children and friends and even the toughest conversations yet.  Amy, Jim & Matt share their advice on how to go about having "tough talks" like these as well.  Thanks for listening in and sharing with a friend.  Hugs, Lorri  

This week, Jeremy explores some of the ongoing fights to make insurance work more effectively for people living with ALS. He is joined by Shannon Todd from The ALS Association's Care Services team and ALS advocate Katie Adams, who updates us on her ongoing fight for insurance coverage of her power wheelchair. Learn more about Katie Adams's story at https://www.als.org/blog/katie-adams-fighting-change-everyone-als Read about the support available to help navigate insurance barriers at https://www.als.org/blog/katie-adams-fighting-change-everyone-als For more information on the ways insurers erect barriers to access at https://www.als.org/blog/breaking-barriers-fight-make-health-care-affordable-and-accessibleThis episode is brought to you by The ALS Association in partnership with CitizenRacecar.

This week Jeremy explores some of the barriers insurers establish that make it difficult to use insurance for essential health care needs, and talks to Kara Nett Hinkley, National Vice President of State Advocacy at The ALS Association, about some of the work being done to break down those barriers. Learn more about the ALS Focus results at https://www.als.org/research/als-focus/survey-results/survey-6-results Become an advocate at https://als.quorum.us/sign_in/This episode is brought to you by The ALS Association in partnership with CitizenRacecar.

When you're living with a terminal illness that doesn't have a cure and typically gives you just a few years to live, like ALS, the most difficult conversations come up quick. In this episode, I bring together 3 others who are living with ALS to talk about their experiences with these tough conversations.  Here, I'm talking to Amy Stiens, Jim Plews-Ogan and Matt Klingenberg.  I am grateful for their willingness to chat about how they were told they had a terminal illness with no cure, how they told their children and friends and even the toughest conversations yet.  Amy, Jim & Matt share their advice on how to go about having "tough talks" like these as well.  Thanks for listening in and sharing with a friend.  Hugs, Lorri  Stay connected on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imdyingtotellyoupodcast/?hl=en  

This week, Jeremy reflects on some recent news in the ALS community and looks back on a discussion of the challenges of traveling while living with ALS. Read the National Geographic article on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/als-ice-bucket-challenge-research-impact Find the New Yorker article (password required) on the FDA's path to approving AMX0035 at https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/06/26/relyvrio-als-fda-approval Learn more about The ALS Association's new research grant programs at https://www.als.org/stories-news/new-grants-seek-optimize-als-care-and-improve-quality-life

This week, Jeremy talks to Calaneet Balas, President and CEO of The ALS Association and Chair of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Association, about the state of the global fight against ALS. Learn more about the fundamental rights of people living with ALS/MND at https://www.als-mnd.org/support-for-pals-cals/pals-and-cals-rights/This episode is brought to you by The ALS Association in partnership with CitizenRacecar.

This week, we look at the latest headlines in the fight against ALS and commemorate Juneteenth by looking back on a discussion of racial disparities in ALS. Read the inspiring story of Matt and Laurel Cluthe at https://alstexas.org/als-legacy-and-baseball-the-cluthe-family-story/Urge your congressmen to support the Justice for ALS Veterans Act at https://als.quorum.us/campaign/48277/Learn more about Lou Gehrig Day 2023 at https://www.als.org/blog/als-community-and-major-league-baseball-come-together-celebrate-lou-gehrig-dayThis episode is brought to you by The ALS Association in partnership with CitizenRacecar.

In this special Q&A episode, 3 young adults answer questions you sent in about ALS and living with a terminal illness.  May is ALS Awareness month.  So in the spirit of increasing awareness of ALS, a terminal illness with no cure, I chatted with 3 others living with ALS.  We answer the questions sent in by listeners of this podcast about what it's like being a young adult and living with a terminal illness.  My guests, Ashley Rivera and Mira Hudson were diagnosed at 24 and James Smith was diagnosed at 36.  They dig deep and open their hearts to answer your questions like, "Can you share about the moment you were diagnosed with ALS?"  "How do you find the strength day in and out to persevere and overcome fears, pain, negative emotions, etc.? "  "What's important now that wasn't before your diagnosis?"  "What makes you feel inspired or like your best self now?"  and "How are you dealing with the mental side of living with ALS."  Those are a few examples of questions they answer and generate a full conversation around.  Please consider sharing this episode to share their courageous spirits and to tell others about ALS.  Thank you. Hugs, Lorri  

Here I talk to someone who has  ALS for over 25 years.  I reconnect with a former colleague from Kraft Nabisco, John Carthum.  It was a few decades ago when I heard John left the company for medical reasons.  I never knew what hand he was dealt that made him have to leave his career at such a young age until I was diagnosed with ALS in 2004.  That's when I learned that it was also ALS that John was diagnosed with in 1995.  Now he is outliving the typical 2 to 5 year death sentence that comes with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.  It's incredible that John has been living with ALS for 27 years now. I am so grateful that John decided to take me up on my invitation to chat for this episode.  I knew his precious insights would be a blessing to many.  Listen in and hear John share what it has been like living with a terminal illness with no cure for such a long time, how he and his wife decided to have children after his diagnosis and what keeps him living life to the fullest while struggling every single day.  Thanks for listening in and sharing with a friend.  Hugs, LorriStay Connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imdyingtotellyoupodcast/?hl=enFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ImDyingToTellYouPodcast/ Connect more: http://www.ImDyingToTellYouPodcast.com