Podcasts about financial advisors

"How do I know it's time to fire my advisor?" That question came up over and over at a recent retreat, enough that Joe knew it needed its own episode. Today he and OG walk through five real, specific red flags, not vague warnings about fees, but concrete signs that your advisor might be coasting, out of their depth, or simply not built for where your life is headed. If you've ever sat in a meeting with your advisor and wondered whether you're getting real value or just really good small talk, this one's for you.What You'll Walk Away WithWhy an advisor who knows your portfolio better than they know your actual life is a warning sign, not a complimentThe real reason a "free" advisor should make you more suspicious, not lessWhy an advisor working with literally anyone, instead of a defined type of client, often means shallower expertiseHow to tell the difference between a collaborative advisor relationship and one where you're quietly doing all the drivingWhy outgrowing your advisor isn't always about more money, sometimes it's about more complexity, and that's worth a real conversationA simple question to ask about fees that costs you nothing and might save you real moneyThe single clearest red flag of all: an advisor who leads with products instead of questionsWhy This Matters NowMost people have no natural way to judge whether their financial advice is actually good, since the whole reason you hired someone was that you didn't have the expertise to evaluate it yourself in the first place. That's not a flaw in you, it's exactly why concrete, observable signs matter more than a vague gut feeling. Knowing what a good advisor relationship actually looks like, real collaboration, a defined specialty, clear communication about fees and process, gives you a way to check in on that relationship without needing a finance degree to do it.From the BasementAn Earth, Wind & Fire trivia detour uncovers the real, long-hidden meaning behind "the 21st night of September," and a listener question from someone getting her first-ever 401k at 50 sparks a genuinely useful conversation about target-date funds, Roth versus pre-tax decisions, and the often-overlooked Rule of 55.Resources MentionedStacking Benjamins Field Kit — the all-in-one budgeting, privacy, credit and net worth tracking toolStacking Benjamins Benjamins After Dark meetups — local in-person Stacker meetup groupsYell Down the Stairs — submit a question for a future OG and Anna episodeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we answer an email from Cameron.  First, we consider the long history of consumer marketing and how the retail financial services industry fits into it, including reviewing developments in financial services business models over the past century.  In that context, we then break down why the current most popular business models are fear-based, which leads to retirement planning firms pushing “paycheck replacement,” annuities and other inefficient solutions involving buckets, ladders and flower pots.   We also discuss how AUM combined with fear-based business models leads to the biggest current problem in retirement planning -- chronic underspending, and why that is unlikely to change in the near future.And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio.Links:Empire of Things:  Empire of Things: How We Became a World of Consumers, from the Fifteenth Century to the Twenty-First – An Epic History of Goods and the Modern Material Life: Trentmann, Frank: 9780062456328: Amazon.com: BooksPropaganda:  Bernays, Edward L. Propaganda [1928] [1936] : E. Bernays : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet ArchiveInfluence:  Amazon.com: Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion (Audible Audio Edition): Robert B. Cialdini, Robert B. Cialdini, Harper Business: Audible Books & OriginalsPsychology of Human Misjudgment:  Charlie Munger - 24 Cognitive Biases - Human Misjudgment full speech (Improved Audio & Captioned)Thinking, Fast and Slow Summary:  Microsoft Word - Thinking Fast and Slow Book Summary.docExtraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds:  The Project Gutenberg eBook of Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, by Charles MackayFifty Years in Wall Street:  Fifty years in Wall Street by Henry Clews | Project GutenbergWhere Are The Customers' Yachts?:  Where Are the Customers' Yachts?: or A Good Hard Look at Wall Street (Wiley Investment Classics): Schwed Jr., Fred, Arno, Peter, Zweig, Jason: 9780471770893: Amazon.com: BooksClassifying Financial Advisors By Their Business Models:  Interacting with the Financial Services Industry with SC GutierrezWhite Coat Investor Podcast Episode -- (start at 57:30 -- "6 out of 7 retirees are underspending"):  Advanced Financial Planning Q&A for Physicians - WCI Podcast #489Source For The 6 Out of 7 Are Underspending Statistics:  How Do Retirees Actually Spend Their Money?Breathless Unedited AI-Bot Summary:A retirement plan that “feels like a paycheck” can be a comforting story, but comfort is not a strategy. We respond to a listener who sat through a pitch from an Atlanta-area retirement planning firm and walked away hearing the same two levers again and again: income and annuities, followed by taxes and crash fears when challenged. That's the hook for a much bigger conversation about why so much retirement advice is designed to manage anxiety instead of maximizing outcomes.We trace the roots of modern financial marketing through consumer culture and the persuasion playbook, from early propaganda techniques to the behavioral finance insights that explain how fear and incentives shape decisions. Then we map that history onto the financial services industry itself: the commission era, the loaded mutual fund era, the rise of assets under management (AUM), and today's shift toward selling “sleep well at night” reassurance. Along the way, we talk about why “income-first” retirement planning can be tax-inefficient, why liquidity and total return matter, and why bucket, ladder, and flower pot strategies often solve for feelings before they solve for math.After the big-picture rant, we bring it back to practical portfolio work. We run through the weekly market snapshot and performance across the show's diversified sample portfolios, spanning stocks, Treasury bonds, gold, commodities, managed futures, and more. We also detail an OPTRA portfolio rebalance after a long stretch without rebalancing, including exactly what we sold and bought and what the rule-based experiment is meant to reveal.Support the show

Need a hack to finally get better at delegation—without feeling like you have to lower your standards? If you're a financial advisor who knows you need to get more off your plate but keeps thinking, “It's just faster if I do it myself,” this episode is for you. I'm breaking down Gary Vaynerchuk's 15-80-5 framework, a simple approach that lets you maintain ownership of the vision without owning every step of the execution.In this episode you will learn:How the 15-80-5 framework can help you delegate projects without sacrificing quality.Why spending more time communicating your vision upfront can prevent delegation breakdowns.How stepping out of the middle 80% helps your team develop ownership, judgment, and confidence.Why “different” doesn't necessarily mean “wrong”—and how accepting that can make you a better leader.The goal of delegation isn't to lower your standards. It's to build a business capable of meeting those standards without requiring your involvement in every tiny detail. The 15-80-5 framework gives you a practical way to provide clarity, give your team room to execute, and still ensure the finished product meets your expectations—so you can stop being the person everyone is waiting on.Register for the Quin x Efficient Advisor Show & Tell HERE!Check out The First 100 Days Course: The Advisor's Blueprint for a Remarkable Client Experience HERE!Learn more about T2MWorks HERE! Learn more about Asset-Map financial planning software HERE! Learn more about our sponsor Beemo Automation HERE!   Check out the Efficient Advisor YouTube Channel HERE!Connect with Libby on LinkedIn HERE!Successful businesses don't get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.

Michael Brady says he has perfect clients and he means it.Frank sits down with Michael, founder of Generosity Wealth Management, to unpack how his career took a hard turn away from traditional financial planning. Michael shares the story of a longtime client, one of the first AIDS doctors in Boulder, who retired and went on to train doctors in Uganda, a moment that pushed Michael to eventually take two years off with his wife to travel and volunteer before starting his own firm in 2008.Michael shares how upfront he was with prospective clients from day one about exactly what kind of advisor he is, so the people who are not a fit filter themselves out naturally, a dynamic Frank names himself, calling it positive friction. Frank pushes him to explain what having perfect clients actually looks like in practice and Michael walks through how deeply charity is woven into his firm, from inviting clients onto nonprofit boards alongside him to requiring every advisor at Generosity Wealth Management to serve on a board of their own.The conversation covers how this approach builds real trust and referrals, not just goodwill and why Michael believes purpose driven practices attract clients who stay for decades.Questions answered in this episode include:What does it mean for a financial advisor to have perfect clients?How do you build a financial advisory practice around philanthropy?What is positive friction and how does it help attract the right clients?How can financial advisors get their clients involved in charitable boards?Why does Generosity Wealth Management require advisors to serve on a nonprofit board?How do you know if a charity or nonprofit is legitimate before getting involved?What does it look like to build a business centered on purpose instead of just revenue? Chapters:00:00 Introduction: Perfect Clients 01:06 From Financial Planning to Purpose 06:35 Founding Generosity Wealth Management 07:24 What Perfect Clients and Positive Friction Really Mean 12:14 Integrating Charity Into Every Client Relationship 19:28 Turning Clients Into Board Members 29:30 Why Every Advisor at the Firm Must Give Back 37:10 How to Reach Michael Brady Michael Brady, Generosity Wealth Management: https://generositywealth.comResources:- Elite Consulting Partners: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com- Elite Marketing Concepts: https://elitemarketingconcepts.com- Elite Advisor Successions: https://eliteadvisorsuccessions.com- JEDI Database Solutions: https://jedidatabasesolutions.com- Elite Wealth Management Insights Report: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/insight-report- Listen to more: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-consulting-partners/

Have you ever wondered how entrepreneurial drive can transform not just industries, but entire systems like finance and climate action? This episode of The Angel Next Door Podcast prompts listeners to consider the power of innovation in addressing some of society's most pressing challenges, especially when those challenges are as broad-reaching as the climate crisis and personal wealth management. The guest for this episode is Bonnie Gurry, a mechanical engineer-turned-entrepreneur with a background in R&D, finance, and venture capital. Bonnie shares her journey from cleanroom engineering to the world of climate fintech, detailing how her personal frustration around aligning investments with her climate values led her to found Green Portfolio—a digital advisory service focused on helping individuals effortlessly decarbonize their investments and find like-minded financial advisors. Throughout the conversation, Bonnie demystifies what it means for regular investors to align their money with their values, highlighting how bank choices and investment accounts can significantly impact the environment—often much more than daily lifestyle changes. The episode covers practical steps, like using Green Portfolio's tools to evaluate climate impact and matches with specialized sustainable financial advisors, and explores broader trends, such as the upcoming generational wealth transfer and the distinct needs and mindsets of women and next-gen investors. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in actionable ways to make their wealth a vehicle for positive change, as well as those curious about the intersection of entrepreneurship, finance, and impact.   To get the latest from Bonnie Gurry, you can follow her below! https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonniegurry/ https://greenportfolio.com/   Sign up for Marcia's newsletter to receive tips and the latest on Angel Investing! Website: www.marciadawood.com Learn more about the documentary Show Her the Money: www.showherthemoneymovie.com And don't forget to follow us wherever you are! Apple Podcasts: https://pod.link/1586445642.apple Spotify: https://pod.link/1586445642.spotify LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/angel-next-door-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marciadawood

On this episode of The Dentist Money Show, Matt and Tom discuss why dentists need their CPA and financial advisor working together. They explore how better communication and coordination can help prevent costly mistakes, improve financial decision making, and keep a dentist's personal finances and practice finances working toward the same goals. They also talk about why dentists shouldn't have to play middleman between their financial professionals and should have a team that communicates, understands the bigger picture, and is aligned with your goals. Book a free consultation with a CFP® advisor who only works with dentists. Get an objective financial assessment and learn how Dentist Advisors can help you live your rich life.

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Do you really need a financial advisor in retirement? Jeremy Keil argues that the answer depends on a better question: What do you actually want a financial advisor to do for you? After reading responses from Kiplinger readers about whether they use financial advisors, Jeremy noticed that most people immediately focused on investment management—choosing investments, managing portfolios, or trying to improve returns. Real retirement planning extends well beyond investments. For retirees deciding whether professional advice is worthwhile, start by identifying the problems you need help solving. Once you know what you need from an advisor, you can make a much better decision about whether—and what kind of—financial planner is right for you. For disclosures and conflicts visit keilfp.com/disclosures.

Should you be charging for financial planning—and if so, how much? For many advisors, the idea of charging directly for their advice brings up a whole lot of questions (and maybe a little head trash). In this episode, I'm joined by Jacqueline Bradley and Ben from MindShift Financial Coaching to unpack what it actually looks like to move from “working for hope” to confidently charging for the value you provide. We're talking pricing, positioning, separating planning from AUM, communicating your value, and even how to approach existing clients when you've been providing planning for free.In this episode you will learn:How to determine what to charge for financial planning without overcomplicating your pricing.How to clearly separate financial planning from investment management and other transactional services.How to communicate your planning charge with confidence and position the value beyond the financial plan itself.How to begin introducing planning charges to prospects and existing clients without changing your entire business model overnight.If charging for financial planning has been on your mind, this episode will give you practical language, a new way to think about your value, and some simple first steps to get started. And if you're ready for more support, MindShift Financial Coaching offers both a self-paced Financial Planning School and a live cohort beginning October 21st. Efficient Advisor listeners can receive 10% off either option—head to the show notes or visit the Resources page at theefficientadvisor.com for all the details.If you want to learn more about Mindshift and take advantage of the 10% discount: Check it out HERE and use code: LIBBY at check out!Register for the Quin x Efficient Advisor Show & Tell HERE!Check out The First 100 Days Course: The Advisor's Blueprint for a Remarkable Client Experience HERE!Learn more about T2MWorks HERE! Learn more about Asset-Map financial planning software HERE! Learn more about our sponsor Beemo Automation HERE!   Check out the Efficient Advisor YouTube Channel HERE!Connect with Libby on LinkedIn HERE!Successful businesses don't get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.

Send us Fan MailIf a person thinks of themselves as a castle, their ego is the wide moat surrounding the castle. A moat was designed to protect and defend the castle against attacks. Having an “inflated ego” is not good, but even a “healthy ego” can become the moat around a person, preventing “change” from entering.If you'd like to be a part of a free online retirement community, join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/399117455706255/?ref=share

In retirement, should you be looking for opportunity in the stock market or should you leave those days behind? Subscribe or follow so you never miss an episode! Check out The Fire Your Financial Advisor Retirement Show on YouTube! Learn more at GoldenReserve.com or follow on social: Facebook & LinkedIn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One overlooked estate planning decision can leave a family carrying consequences for years. In this deeply personal episode, Jim Fox shares the emotional story of his mother’s passing and how it shaped his approach to retirement and estate planning. From healthcare surrogates and beneficiary designations to legacy planning and family conversations, Jim explains why preparing important documents may be about more than assets alone. The discussion explores how thoughtful planning can help loved ones navigate difficult moments and better understand your wishes. Ready to connect with Jim today? Get some Financial Straight Talk! Follow us on social media: YouTube | FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can 300 conversations teach you about becoming a better financial advisor? For the 300th episode of the Wicked Pissah Podcast, past and present hosts come together for a conversation about the ideas, people and experiences that have shaped the show and, in many cases, their own careers and practices. Michael Connaughton and Corey Christiana are joined by former hosts Chris Boyd, Brad Wright and Kathleen Keneally to look back at how a podcast that began as a way to extend the reach of FPA New England programming grew into 300 episodes of conversations with advisors, authors, industry leaders, technology companies and subject-matter experts. But this isn't simply a trip down memory lane. The group talks about something every advisor can relate to: How do you keep learning while you're busy actually running a practice and serving clients? Over the years, hosts have used questions coming directly from their own practices to find guests and topics. Those conversations have introduced them to new technology, planning strategies, marketing ideas and resources they could bring back to their firms and, sometimes, directly to their clients. You'll also hear how participating in the financial planning community can create opportunities you don't necessarily anticipate. Kathleen shares how stepping outside her comfort zone as an introvert led to four years of conversations with people she might never otherwise have had the opportunity to sit down with. The hosts reflect on career decisions, launching firms, learning from other practitioners and the value of seeing other advisors openly share how they approach the profession. And then there's the question of what happens next. The group looks ahead at AI, technology, video and the increasingly human side of financial advice, including a prediction that Wicked Pissah could eventually reach 1,000 episodes. Whether you've listened since the beginning or have never heard an episode, Episode 300 is a reminder that some of the best professional development doesn't come from having all the answers. It comes from knowing who to ask, staying curious and being willing to learn from other people in the profession. 300 episodes down. Only 700 to go.

Your vision for retirement can fall apart quickly if you don’t understand what it actually costs. In this episode, the conversation explores the growing gap between retirement expectations and real‑world expenses, from inflation and taxes to major decisions like selling real estate or creating income. The discussion highlights how overlooked tax consequences, Medicare impacts, and rising costs can catch retirees off guard—and why easing into retirement often works better than making big, all‑at‑once moves. It’s a candid look at turning retirement dreams into numbers you can plan around, not guesses you hope work out. As the founder of Ashton and Associates, Abe Ashton has more than 20 years of financial planning experience helping thousands of families in Utah, Nevada, and across the country retire with confidence. Abe’s mission is to provide client-focused education and solutions to seniors and retirees, that help them achieve the retirement they’ve worked so hard for. To get more information on Ashton & Associates, or to schedule a consultation call, 435-688-9500 or visit AshtonWealth.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discount brokerage ads keep telling Canadians they don't need "their parent's advisor." So is that true? With robo-advisors, low-fee ETFs, and endless free information online, do you still need a financial advisor? In this episode of Think Smart with TMFG, we talk about what advisors actually do beyond picking investments, and why the two biggest objections, fees and trust, don't hold up the way people assume. We break down Russell Investments' 2026 Value of an Advisor Study, which puts that value at 4.92% annually, most of it from behavioural coaching, plus tax-smart planning, family wealth planning, asset allocation and many more. We also cover why cheap, diversified funds have made basic investing easy, shifting the real value of an advisor toward retirement income planning, tax-efficient withdrawals, and wealth transfer, and how trust with an advisor gets built over years, not a first meeting.

Suze Orman is one of the most famous financial advisers in America, and she wakes up at 5 a.m. every single day. While Your Money Briefing is on a break, we're bringing you the first episode of My Monday Morning from our colleagues at The Journal podcast, where Lane Florsheim talks with Orman about when to retire, why she avoids eating out and why she doesn't trust AI. Follow The Journal here. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We sat down with Chris Hodge, Chief U.S. Economist at Natixis Corporate & Investment Bank Americas, for his outlook on monetary policy in the current rate cycle. Chris joins host Mark Gatto, co-Founder and co-CEO of CION Investments, to discuss whether recent economic data prints point to a disinflationary trend, and how AI capex is bolstering what Chris calls a "three-speed economy" amid flattened consumer spending and declining wage growth.

On this episode: How much wheeling and dealing should a retiree do in the stock market? Social Security says they will cut checks back by 28% in 6 years. Are you ready? What you need to know about inherited IRAs. Keeping inflation in perspective. Subscribe or follow so you never miss an episode! Check out The Fire Your Financial Advisor Retirement Show on YouTube! Learn more at GoldenReserve.com or follow on social: Facebook & LinkedIn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 375: 32 Years Coaching, What Financial Advisors Get Wrong With over 32 years of experience coaching financial advisors, Joe Lukacs breaks from his usual format to share a case-study conversation featuring two of his longest-standing clients, "Andy" and "Bob," both with him since the very start of his coaching career, over three decades ago. Joe explores why some advisor-client relationships last a lifetime while others quietly fall apart, even when the numbers look fine. He explains why fees and performance are only a small piece of client retention, and why building a genuine relationship, not just delivering a service, is what keeps clients loyal for 15, 20, even 30+ years. Through Andy and Bob's real journeys, from a solo insurance rep to a multi-billion dollar RIA, and from an eight-figure top-line practice to a business that turned down a $45 million offer, Joe unpacks the mindset shifts that separate advisors who plateau from those who scale into true business owners and leaders. Topics covered: ✅ Why clients leave even when you think you've done a great job ✅ The difference between offering a "service" and building a relationship ✅ How advisors evolve from practitioner to entrepreneur ✅ Why complacency is the biggest threat to a growing practice ✅ The importance of culture, team, and reinvestment as your business scales ✅ Finding your "next game" at every stage of your career ✅ Whether you're just starting out or decades into your practice, this episode is a reminder that long-term success in this industry is built on relationships, reinvention, and never assuming you've already won. Learn more or book time with Joe at coachjoe.guru, or visit magellannetwork.net.

What should financial advisors charge? Too often, advisors answer that question by looking around at what everyone else is charging and picking a number that feels safe. But your clients aren't paying for the number of hours you spend creating a financial plan or the number of meetings on your calendar. They're paying for the years of experience, expertise, and pattern recognition that allow you to help them make better decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and move forward with confidence. In this episode, we're breaking down how to think differently about pricing your advice—and how to determine whether your fees actually reflect the value you create.In this episode you will learn:Why pricing based on what other advisors charge can lead you to undervalue your expertise.How to separate the one-time value of financial planning from the ongoing value you provide.Why you shouldn't immediately lower your price when a prospect pushes back on your fee.A simple exercise to evaluate whether your current fees reflect the value you create for clients.Your clients aren't paying for how many hours it takes you to do the work. They're paying for what your experience, expertise, and time make possible. Take a look at the last five clients you onboarded, identify the value you created and the costly mistakes you helped them avoid, and then ask yourself one important question: Does my fee actually reflect that value?Register for the Quin x Efficient Advisor Show & Tell HERE!Check out The First 100 Days Course: The Advisor's Blueprint for a Remarkable Client Experience HERE!Learn more about T2MWorks HERE! Learn more about Asset-Map financial planning software HERE! Learn more about our sponsor Beemo Automation HERE!   Check out the Efficient Advisor YouTube Channel HERE!Connect with Libby on LinkedIn HERE!Successful businesses don't get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.

Stacey opens this episode with a hot take before Frank even gets a word in.Frank breaks down a comment made online by Cheryl Penny, founder and CEO of Dynasty Financial Partners, who argued that a financial advisor is only truly independent if they own their own RIA. Frank explains why he disagrees, using real examples of RIAs having their custodial agreements pulled by firms like Schwab and Raymond James, proving that ownership alone does not remove risk or outside control.Stacey pushes back on the idea of captive independence, pointing out that advisors at firms like LPL or Centera are not captive at all, they own their clients and their data and they can leave whenever they want. Frank walks through the real math behind a transition deal to show why taking a check from a firm does not trap an advisor either, since the note can simply be paid back.Stacey introduces what she jokes she should trademark, the spectrum of independence, the idea that independence is not binary but exists on a range from heavily branded wirehouse structures to fully self built RIAs, with plenty of legitimate options in between. Frank adds a real client example of an advisor who has stayed an IAR of an RIA for years because building his own simply is not worth the time and energy and explains how firms like Dynasty help advisors avoid reinventing the wheel with technology and pricing.The conversation turns pointed when Frank and Stacey discuss financial advisors being quietly penalized for keeping smaller clients as their book grows and whether that pressure from a firm should count against how independent an advisor really is. The episode closes with Stacey's real test for independence, if you cannot pick up and leave without restrictions, ask yourself how independent you actually are. Questions answered in this episode include:Is a financial advisor only truly independent if they own their own RIA?What is captive independence and is it a real risk for advisors?What is the spectrum of independence?How does a financial advisor transition deal actually work if you want to leave early?Why do some financial advisors stay as an IAR instead of building their own RIA?Should financial advisors be penalized for keeping smaller clients?What is the real test of whether a financial advisor is independent? Chapters:00:00 Introduction: You're Not as Independent as You Think 01:55 The Comment That Started the Debate 03:19 Layers of Termination and What True Independence Means 04:21 Captive Independence: Is It Real 09:38 The Spectrum of Independence 13:12 Finding the Right RIA Fit Without Reinventing the Wheel 16:23 Is Your Firm Punishing You for Smaller Clients 21:02 How to Reach Frank and Stacey Resources:- Elite Consulting Partners: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com- Elite Marketing Concepts: https://elitemarketingconcepts.com- Elite Advisor Successions: https://eliteadvisorsuccessions.com- JEDI Database Solutions: https://jedidatabasesolutions.com- Elite Wealth Management Insights Report: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/insight-report- Listen to more: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-consulting-partners/

You don't need a Bloomberg terminal, a private jet, or a research team to invest alongside the world's most famous hedge fund managers… you just need to know where to look. Today, Nicole breaks down five real ways everyday investors can piggyback on billionaire money managers like Bill Ackman, David Einhorn, and Warren Buffett, from closed-end funds and copycat ETFs to buying the "tollbooth" instead of the cars driving through it. Check out Nicole's financial literacy course ⁠The Money School⁠  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole's company ⁠Private Wealth Collective⁠  Watch video clips from the pod on ⁠Money Rehab's Instagram⁠ and ⁠Nicole Lapin's Instagram⁠  Here's what Nicole covers today: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 00:15 Piggyback on a Billionaire's Portfolio 00:33 Option 1: Buy a Closed-End Fund Like Ackman's PSUS 01:33 Why PSUS Trades at a Discount to NAV0 2:25 Option 2: Buy the Manager, Not the Fund 03:04 Option 3: The Insurance Float Trick (Einhorn's GLRE) 03:45 Option 4: Buy Berkshire Hathaway 04:31 Option 5: Copycat ETFs Like GURU 05:12 Which Option Is Right for You? 05:31 Confusing a Great Investor With a Great Investment 05:54 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's podcast episode, we discuss whether banks can successfully encourage customers to use their AI-powered tools on their own websites and apps for personal finance management, how AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and others can convince people to use their LLMs for personal finance, and what banking consumers are most likely to want to use AI for when it comes to managing their money.   Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Principal Analyst Tiffani Montez and Head of EMARKETER Advisory Rob Rubin. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.   Subscribe to EMARKETER's newsletters. Go to https://www.emarketer.com/newsletters   Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/emarketer/   For sponsorship opportunities, contact us: advertising@emarketer.com   For more information, visit: https://www.emarketer.com/advertise/   Have questions or just want to say hi? Drop us a line at podcast@emarketer.com    For a transcript of this episode, click here: https://www.emarketer.com/content/podcast-ai-financial-advisor-banks-biggest-opportunity-biggest-threat-behind-numbers   © 2026 EMARKETER Verve is a global ad solution that helps brands, agencies, and publishers activate consumer intent in real-time across platforms. Learn more at https://verve.com/verve-intelligence/

We spend a lot of time talking about how to simplify, systematize, automate, and streamline our businesses—but what about our lives outside of work? After sharing that I recently flew my family to South Africa and back in upgraded seats for mostly free, I got flooded with questions about how I had accumulated so many miles. The answer isn't complicated travel hacking or a spreadsheet filled with credit cards. In this episode, I'm sharing my “easy button” approach to free travel: a simple, mostly automated system that helps me earn points, score travel perks, and save money without turning any of it into another job.In this episode you will learn:How I use SkyKey to automatically find lower fares and get money or miles back after I've already booked a flight.My simple strategy for using companion passes and credit card spending to cover more of my family's flights.How I “double dip” with Uber, SkyMiles Dining, shopping portals, and everyday spending to earn points with minimal effort.How I keep my entire system simple by giving each credit card a specific job for business expenses, personal spending, and travel.This episode isn't about perfectly optimizing every point or becoming a travel-hacking expert. It's about finding your version of the 80/20—using simple systems and automation to get more of the benefits you want without adding more work to your life. Whether your preferred combination is Delta and Marriott or completely different airlines and hotels, the goal is the same: find what works, keep it simple, and use the margin you've worked so hard to create to actually enjoy your life.READ THE BLOG HERE! Register for the Quin x Efficient Advisor Show & Tell HERE!Check out The First 100 Days Course: The Advisor's Blueprint for a Remarkable Client Experience HERE!Learn more about T2MWorks HERE! Learn more about Asset-Map financial planning software HERE! Learn more about our sponsor Beemo Automation HERE!   Check out the Efficient Advisor YouTube Channel HERE!Connect with Libby on LinkedIn HERE!Successful businesses don't get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.

Send us Fan MailIt's been a little over one year since I placed some of my assets with a financial advisor. One year, already!!!! A one-year review of my portfolio and its performance was promised. So, here's an update on my portfolio and a one-year review. If you'd like to be a part of a free online retirement community, join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/399117455706255/?ref=share

What happens to your retirement plan when life refuses to follow the script? In this episode, Jim Fox explains why flexibility is an important part of retirement planning. Using his bucket strategy approach, Jim discusses how retirees can prepare for market volatility, income needs, unexpected expenses, and major life events without relying on a rigid financial roadmap. He also shares why planning for multiple scenarios, rather than a single outcome, can help create more options and reduce stress when retirement challenges arise. Ready to connect with Jim today? Get some Financial Straight Talk! Follow us on social media: YouTube | FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Start a free trial, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core Tier with code MONEYGUY at https://bit.ly/monarch-moneyguy Is TikTok money advice actually helping you build wealth—or encouraging costly investing mistakes? Financial advisors Brian and Bo react to viral personal finance advice about saving money, emergency funds, Roth IRAs, index funds, stock picking, taxes, entrepreneurship, and financial independence. From investing $50 a week to claims of turning $2,500 into $100,000, they separate useful financial principles from risky shortcuts. If you're wondering how to start investing, how much to save, whether the S&P 500 can build wealth, or whether you need to own a business to become wealthy, this breakdown reveals what smart long-term investing actually looks like. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Decamillionaire Decoded, Justin addresses the critical missing link holding financial advisors back from reaching $10M+ enterprise value: personal branding. Moving beyond credentials, marketing, and analytical checklists, Justin explains why true scale requires advisors to drop their technical guard, uncover their unique personal story, and embrace authenticity. He breaks down the core architecture of branding - from establishing your vision and mission to defining values and core promises. By sharing his own journey and practical frameworks, Justin outlines how peeling back personal layers directly drives market distinction, client attraction, and long-term business growth. DecaMillionaire Decoded Links • Relentless Value Coaching Workshops • DecaMillionaire Decoded on YouTube

To celebrate a milestone 400th episode (more than 200 hours of me running my mouth), I've decided to give you a "cheat sheet" of sorts: I've rounded up my 10 best marketing ideas I've ever uttered on this show, and put them on a silver platter for you in this episode. If you implement just one of these 10 ideas, you might double your income before the year ends.  But if you take all 10 and implement each and every one of them? Then, well, I'd be absolutely shocked if you didn't become a top 1% advisor - in terms of impact, wealth, and legacy.  So, if you want to become one of the best advisors walking on the planet today, listen now.  Show highlights include: The 10 best money-making ideas I've shared for free on this podcast (1:10)   Why actively trying to turn prospective clients off might be the single most persuasive tactic you ever use (2:08)  How to become more attractive to prospective clients by rising your fees (and why lowering them makes you look less trustworthy) (4:49)  How the human brain perceives a $90 bottle of wine vs a $10 bottle of wine that will forever change how you approach pricing your services (5:30)  Why being on one social media platform beats being on five (and why most advisors believe the exact opposite) (6:54)  The weird (but effective) way to leverage the "Pratfall Effect" to use your mistakes and flaws to build more trust with your prospects and clients (11:00)  What nobody understands about making referral marketing easy, reliable, and running on autopilot (15:04)  This is the single most powerful marketing force I have witnessed in over a decade of helping financial advisors (and most advisors are absolutely terrified by it) (21:34)  Since you listen to this podcast, I want to give you a gift:  If you subscribe to the Inner Circle Newsletter, I'll send you a collection of seven "objection busting" and copyright free emails, personally written by me, that you can use right away to begin getting more clients. Sign up here: https://TheAdvisorCoach.com/Coaching. Then, let me know you subscribed, and I will reply back with a link where you can download them for free.

CNN~This weeks topic is Financial Literacy. This is wake up challenge for all entrepreneurs & for our own personal present & future growth. You may have see my guest recently featured on CNN, Rob Wilson. He is a financial advisor at an independent financial and investment advisory firm based in Pittsburgh (a.k.a SixBurgh – The City Of Champions). He feels that we all should be focused in Financial Independence. Rob says: "The corporation's reason for existence is not to keep you employed. Its job is to maximize profit for its shareholders." Rob has been dubbed “Hip Hop's Financial Advisor” because he is a trusted advisor to professional athletes & entertainers; Rob believes that we can all learn from their success. However, Rob states: "I realized that as a financial advisor, I have also come into contact with, and have as clients, a plethora of doctors, lawyers, accountants, architects, business people and entrepreneurs that are living fabulous lives. In fact, many of these individuals live lives that are far more enriching than a number of these celebrities, because of the fact that, due to their inability to manage their money, the average celebrity's “high life” is short lived. However, the stories of these wildly successful “non-celebrities” has largely gone untold…" Rob is originally from Pittsburgh. He received his bachelors degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and his Masters in Business Administration from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.~ RobWilsonTV.com© 2026 Building Abundant Success!!2026 All Rights Reserved Join Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASJoin me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

On this episode: Retirement is a time to spend and enjoy not a time to clip coupons. Why celebrate a 10% market win when you are losing 30% on taxes? How people view monthly income vs their account balance. Covering your bases with the correct legal documents in retirement. Subscribe or follow so you never miss an episode! Check out Fire Your Financial Advisor on YouTube! Learn more at GoldenReserve.com or follow on social: Facebook & LinkedIn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.Today's Host: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin) and Co-Hosts: Ronald Weaver III (@ronthe3manweav), Brett Hammer (@bhammertimeshow)Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676

Kim Lewellen is the Head Coach of Women's Golf at Wake Forest University, where she has built one of the nation's premier collegiate programs. Since taking over in 2018, she has led the Demon Deacons to the program's first NCAA National Championship in 2023, multiple ACC Championships, and numerous conference and national honors. She is widely recognized for her leadership, competitive excellence, and ability to develop athletes both on and off the course. 01:03 Living the Dream: Coaching and Connection at Wake Forest 02:52 No One Gets There Alone: Why Relationships Matter 04:38 Leaving 10 Minutes Early Can Change Someone's Life 08:32 HINGE MOMENT: The 15 Seconds That Changed a Coaching Career 13:07 Mental Toughness: Don't Overvalue a Bad Shot 14:40 The Power of the Debrief in Coaching and Performance 16:30 How an ACC Loss Helped Fuel a National Championship 23:43 Staying Present When the Pressure Is Highest 25:40 Winning Feels Better Than Having Won 28:08 Build Your Armor When Things Are Going Well 30:49 Two Rules for Building a Championship Culture: Be Kind and Work Hard 33:00 What Separates Elite Performers: Persistence and the Process 35:14 Building Confidence and Keeping Doubt From Taking Over 37:07 Giving Athletes Ownership of Their Development 44:51 When Elite Athletes Start Asking, “Am I Good Enough?” 49:37 The “Just One More” Mental Toughness Mindset Don't forget you can also follow Dr. Rob Bell on Twitter or Instagram! Follow At: X @drrobbell Instagram @drrobbell 5 Mental Toughness Advantages for Financial Advisors: https://pages.drrobbell.com/ If you enjoyed this episode on Mental Toughness, please subscribe and leave a review! Dr. Rob Bell Exclusive Podcast Partner: Morton Brown Family Wealth https://mortonbrownfw.com/  Morton Brown Family Wealth is the Presenting Partner of The Mental Toughness Podcast with Dr. Rob Bell. Sponsorship of this podcast does not imply endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services expressed by individual guests.

Some of the best efficiency wins in your practice aren't massive system overhauls—they're the small decisions you find yourself making over and over again.In this episode, I'm sharing one incredibly simple process I used in my own advisory practice to eliminate a recurring interruption, empower my team to make more decisions without me, and ultimately give clients faster service. I'll walk you through exactly how we created a “first $20,000” distribution strategy for clients, documented it in our CRM, and built a decision tree that helped my team know exactly what to do when a client called needing cash.In this episode you will learn:How to create a simple “first $20,000” distribution strategy for your clients.How to use your CRM to give your team clear direction without needing to involve you.How to build a decision tree that helps your team confidently handle client distribution requests.How to identify recurring questions and small decisions you can systematically remove from your plate.You don't have to build this process for every client overnight. Start with the clients you're already meeting with next week, document where you'd recommend they access cash if a need comes up, and build from there. Small systems like this can eliminate interruptions, speed up your client service, and gradually train your team to take ownership of more decisions—freeing you to focus on the bigger strategies and conversations that actually require you.Register for the Quin Show & Tell HERE! Check out The First 100 Days Course: The Advisor's Blueprint for a Remarkable Client Experience HERE!Learn more about T2MWorks HERE! Learn more about Asset-Map financial planning software HERE! Learn more about our sponsor Beemo Automation HERE!   Check out the Efficient Advisor YouTube Channel HERE!Connect with Libby on LinkedIn HERE!Successful businesses don't get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.

Most advisors go into a transition focused on the upfront money. Very few are prepared for everything that happens after they walk out the door. Some surprises are good ones. Clients move faster than expected. Assets go up, not down. The income jump is real. But there are also things advisors consistently underestimate, overlook, and wish they had negotiated differently. In this episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa and Stacey Frank do a post transition breakdown of the things advisors wish they had known going in, including what they underestimate about client loyalty, what they leave on the table in negotiations, and the operational realities that no one warns them about until it is too late. Frank also breaks down the shrink to grow concept, why payout structure matters more than the upfront check long term, and why the first 30 days of a transition can make or break the entire move. Frank and Stacey also discuss what separates advisors who have a smooth transition from those who struggle, and why the more preparation you put in before the move, the less stress you will face after it. Questions answered in this episode include: How many clients do financial advisors actually retain when they switch firms? What do advisors consistently underestimate when making a move? Should a financial advisor negotiate payout or upfront money? What is the shrink to grow concept in financial advisor transitions? What operational issues do advisors face in the first 30 days after a transition? How should a financial advisor prepare their support staff before making a move? What should advisors ask firms to include in their transition support package? Chapters: 00:00 – What Advisors Wish They Knew Before Leaving 01:07 – Welcome to Advisor Talk 02:26 – The Biggest Surprise: Client Loyalty Is Stronger Than You Think 09:01 – The Income Jump Is Real: What the Math Actually Looks Like 12:50 – What Advisors Wish They Negotiated Differently 15:41 – Shrink to Grow: Why Not Every Client Should Come With You 18:13 – Operational Realities Nobody Warns You About 23:54 – How to Reach Frank and Stacey Learn more about Elite and our resources: Elite Consulting Partners | Financial Advisor Transitions https://eliteconsultingpartners.com Elite Marketing Concepts | Marketing Services for Financial Advisors https://elitemarketingconcepts.com Elite Advisor Successions | Advisor Mergers and Acquisitions https://eliteadvisorsuccessions.com JEDI Database Solutions | Technology Solutions for Advisors https://jedidatabasesolutions.com Elite Wealth Management Insights Report https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/insight-report Listen to more Advisor Talk episodes https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts/

Anna is standing on the fact that Raven lost the weight loss challenge! Clothes on for the first weigh in, clothes on for the last! You snooze you lose!  Trigger, Sniper, Caliber? These are real life names parents are naming their children. Is this taking it too far?  It is no longer socially acceptable to enter someone's house and ask if for a house tour. It's deemed the "rudest" thing when visiting someone. Anna has never seen her bestfriends upstairs floor of her house.  What was the longest you ever went without showering? Men are now pheromone maxing, to hopefully gain more attention from woman. Is TikTok just the platform for bad ideas?  Most annoying phone traits. Walking with your head buried in the phone is now deemed annoying AND unsafe to where the Italian government may start fining people for crossing the street looking down!  Pick em news! Door dash driver delivery... naked, Cereal Butt sniffer arrested again, Subway customer freak out after extra charge to toast.  Anna was stood behind 2 men who we're well over 7 feet at a pitbull concert over the weekend. This should be illegal! Concerts need a designated short (or tall!) section. Anna and Nick discuss the "unsaid" rules of attending a show!  Am I close? Labor Day weekend is approaching, so today Justin will be quizzing Anna and Nick on the Straw Hat Riot!  Recently, a doctor went viral for telling a story about how she woke up with a bat in her mouth. Yuck. Anna and Nick listen to the nastiest things that have landed in peoples mouths before.  Tom Henske, Financial Advisor, Educator, and Founder of Total Cents, joins Anna and Nick today to discuss "Sudden Wealth Syndrome". Listen to his whole TedX talk on the syndrome at https://www.tomhenske.com/.  Jason's been taking their sons to the movies regularly since there's been so many great ones out this summer and every time they go to the dollar store, buy tons of candy, and sneak it in. Mom thinks it's setting a bad example of breaking rules. It's against the theatre rules, and it's shorting the business. If they want to keep the place in business, pay for overpriced candy. Do you agree? 

Andy Schwartz CEO, OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners  |  Kevin Spahn Founder, Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG) Two former Northwestern Mutual advisors, two very different paths. Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn share what it takes to build, grow, merge, and create lasting enterprise value. In Summary What separates a successful advisory practice from an enterprise with the ability to grow well beyond its founders? Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer two different perspectives on that question. Both spent decades at Northwestern Mutual, but their paths eventually diverged. Andy left to help build what is now OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ firm expected to surpass $20B by year-end. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual's top practices before deciding to merge his business into OnePoint and become an equity partner. Louis talks with Andy and Kevin about the decisions behind both journeys: creating a true firm rather than an aggregation of practices, transitioning advisors from 1099 to W-2, using outside capital without relinquishing control, rethinking succession, and determining when equity in a larger enterprise can offer greater opportunity than continuing to build alone. Underlying it all is a factor that's much harder to quantify: trust. The Storyline Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn have known each other for roughly 30 years. They met while both were building careers at Northwestern Mutual, where Andy became an important mentor to Kevin as Kevin transitioned from practicing law and estate planning into wealth management. After roughly 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets to launch independently. What began as Bleakley Financial eventually became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ enterprise that Andy expects will surpass $20B by the end of 2026. That kind of growth required more than attracting assets. Andy describes the evolution from a predominantly 1099 structure into a firm where more than 85% of advisors and AUM are now W-2. The shift created a more cohesive enterprise, gave advisors access to equity, and ultimately positioned OnePoint to bring in minority capital from Joe Duran's Rise Growth Partners. Andy makes an important distinction about that relationship: OnePoint is “private equity invested,” not “private equity owned.” The structure gave the firm capital and expertise while allowing its partners to retain control. Kevin faced a different decision. After more than 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, his practice had grown to 18 people and approximately $2B in assets. He was happy at the firm, but his clients had evolved, his business had become increasingly complex, and the internal succession plan he once envisioned carried risks he could no longer ignore. He could have built an independent firm himself. Instead, he chose to merge with OnePoint. The decision wasn't driven by the largest possible check. Kevin saw the opportunity to become an equity partner in a larger enterprise, give his team and clients a more durable future, and leverage infrastructure he didn't want to recreate himself. For both men, the story ultimately comes back to the same principle: The right economics matter, but sustainable partnerships require trust, shared philosophy, and the belief that everyone involved can create more value together than separately. Topics Covered Building an enterprise versus building a practice Northwestern Mutual and the path to independence OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners' growth from ~$3B to $18B+ Organic growth versus M&A Creating a growth-oriented advisor culture Moving from a 1099 model to a predominantly W-2 structure Equity ownership and advisor alignment Minority private equity investment Rise Growth Partners and Joe Duran Internal succession versus an external merger Selling versus merging an advisory business Merging versus teaming versus going it alone Evaluating equity versus cash in a transaction The economics of leaving a captive firm Centralization versus advisor autonomy Trust as a factor in partnerships and transactions > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors How did Andy and Kevin's 30-year relationship ultimately lead to a transaction? (04:11)Kevin explains how Andy helped him transition from attorney and estate planner into wealth management, beginning a professional relationship that would eventually make their partnership possible decades later. Why did Andy leave Northwestern Mutual after roughly 30 years? (08:45)Andy describes wanting greater flexibility, a multi-custodial platform, and more optionality for clients and the business—a decision that ultimately led to the creation of OnePoint BFG. Why did Kevin decide his longtime Northwestern Mutual practice needed something different? (15:49)Kevin explains how his clients, service needs, and business evolved over time, while concerns about his original internal succession plan led him to consider a different path. What has driven OnePoint's growth from approximately $3B to $18B+? (21:41)Andy outlines the firm's emphasis on client experience, advisor experience, organic growth, and carefully selected inorganic growth—and why helping advisors grow is fundamental to the model. Why does Andy say OnePoint is a firm rather than an aggregator? (23:54)The distinction comes down to alignment, shared responsibility, centralized resources, equity, and a partnership structure in which advisors are accountable to one another. How did OnePoint convert a predominantly 1099 advisor base into a W-2 enterprise? (29:26)Andy explains why capital and equity became necessary to build the next stage of the business and why trust was essential to bringing advisors into a more integrated structure. Why did OnePoint choose minority private equity investment? (33:13)Andy shares why Rise Growth Partners offered something previous potential buyers had not: a structure designed to benefit the broader advisor partnership while preserving control. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than shop his practice broadly? (36:43)For Kevin, maximizing price wasn't the objective. His decision centered on trust in Andy, confidence in OnePoint's infrastructure, and creating a strong future for clients and employees. Why did Kevin choose equity in the larger firm instead of simply cashing out? (40:57)Kevin explains why he believes participating in the future growth of a larger enterprise offers a compelling alternative to relying solely on the future growth of his own practice. How should advisors evaluate the “golden handcuffs” that can make leaving difficult? (46:42)Andy argues that the analysis needs to compare what an advisor gives up with the potential growth, economics, equity, and leverage available on the other side. How much conformity does a true enterprise require? (49:06)Andy explains why OnePoint sits somewhere between complete advisor autonomy and complete centralization, seeking enough consistency to create enterprise value without eliminating entrepreneurial flexibility. What would Andy and Kevin tell their younger selves? (52:06)Kevin emphasizes surrounding yourself with the best people possible, while Andy reflects on having the courage to make a difficult change after a successful 30-year run. Key Takeaways Building enterprise value requires more than asset growth. OnePoint's evolution included changing its ownership structure, integrating advisor practices, creating equity opportunities, and investing in centralized capabilities. Organic growth remains central even in an M&A-driven market. OnePoint targets approximately 10% organic growth and evaluates prospective partners partly on whether they are growth-oriented and whether the firm can meaningfully help them grow. A collection of successful advisors does not automatically make a firm. Andy sees shared ownership, alignment, accountability, infrastructure, and centralized services as critical distinctions between an enterprise and an aggregator. Outside capital does not have to mean giving up control. OnePoint chose a minority investment from Rise Growth Partners that provided capital and strategic support while leaving control with its operating partners. Succession can expose risks that growth may obscure. Kevin began reconsidering his internal succession strategy when he recognized its dependence on his continued production, key employees, and the future economics of an aging client base. The highest purchase price isn't always the most valuable transaction. Kevin prioritized equity participation, infrastructure, continuity for his employees and clients, and confidence in his future partners over broadly shopping his business for the highest bid. Trust can determine whether structural change is possible. From OnePoint's 1099-to-W-2 conversion to Kevin's decision to merge, both guests repeatedly point to established trust as the foundation that allowed significant business decisions to happen. https://youtu.be/jkIoynpZj6Y Quotable Moments “The biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit.”— Andy Schwartz “We're not an aggregator, we're a firm.”— Andy Schwartz “The biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don't.”— Andy Schwartz “I wasn't looking to sell my business. I was looking to merge it.”— Kevin Spahn “You have to trust them. You have to see that they provide value. And you need to be on the same page philosophically.”— Kevin Spahn “Associate yourselves with the best people you can… It accelerates your trajectory in ways that you can't do on your own.”— Kevin Spahn FAQs Why did Andy Schwartz leave Northwestern Mutual? After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. How large is OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners? At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. What has driven OnePoint's growth? Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. Why did OnePoint move advisors from 1099 to W-2? The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. What does “private equity invested, not private equity owned” mean? Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Why did Kevin Spahn leave Northwestern Mutual? Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than launch his own independent RIA? OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Why didn't Kevin shop his practice to multiple buyers? Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. How do Andy and Kevin suggest advisors evaluate a potential partner? Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. Related Resources Rise and Reinvent: Joe Duran on Building and Rebuilding World-Class Firms From Insurance Sales to $8B RIA: A Northwestern Mutual Breakaway Story The 4th Annual Advisor Transition Report Andy SchwartzCo-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer Andy Schwartz is the Co-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, where he also serves as a Wealth Management Advisor. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® with more than 40 years of experience, Andy has built his career around helping clients make confident, well-informed financial decisions at every stage of life. He works extensively with physicians and business owners on wealth building, retirement planning, and tax-efficient asset transfer across generations. A 2026 finalist for Wealth Management Awards CEO of the Year (under $25B AUM), Andy brings the same discipline to leading the firm that he brings to client relationships: comprehensive planning, long-term thinking, and an unwavering commitment to independence and integrity. Beyond his client work, Andy is deeply invested in the advisory profession itself. He co-hosts The Advisor’s Compass podcast, offering candid, practical guidance on the business and responsibilities of being an advisor. His mentorship philosophy is straightforward: pass the ladder back down. His industry recognition spans more than a decade, including Top 1,200 Advisor by Barron’s (2018–2024), Top 250 Wealth Advisor and Best-In-State Wealth Advisor by Forbes (2018–2024), Top 400 Financial Advisor by the Financial Times (2018–2020), and Top 100 Independent Advisor (2020–2023). He was named Executive of the Year by NJBIZ in 2019 and was a finalist for the Invest in Others Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 20 years of service with NJ SEEDS. Andy holds a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Rowan University and is actively involved with Nourish NJ, the Navy SEAL Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, and JSDD. Outside the office, he enjoys golf, reading, and time with his family at the beach.   Kevin SpahnPartner and Wealth Advisor Kevin Spahn is a Partner and Wealth Advisor at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, bringing more than three decades of experience in comprehensive financial planning to his clients and the firm. Kevin’s path to wealth management is rooted in the law. After earning degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin, he began his career as a practicing attorney before making a deliberate pivot toward financial planning in 1993. He joined Northwestern Mutual, then founded Spahn Financial, building a practice centered on thoughtful, holistic planning for families and business owners. That practice joined OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners in 2025. His approach has remained consistent throughout: help clients build and protect wealth not just for themselves, but for the generations that follow. Kevin works with clients on comprehensive financial plans that account for the full picture, understanding that the impact of good planning extends well beyond an individual portfolio to families, businesses, employees, and the broader community. Kevin is based in the greater Chicago area.   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… Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise A conversation between Louis Diamond, Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners and Kevin Spahn, Founder of Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG). Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise. It’s a conversation with Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, and Kevin Spahn, founder of Spahn Financial, now OnePoint BFG. I’m Louis 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. 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. Louis Diamond: There’s a big difference between building a successful practice and building an enterprise. I think Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer a unique perspective on that distinction from two very different sides. Both spent decades in the Northwestern Mutual system. Andy ultimately left to build what became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, taking the firm from roughly three billion to nearly 20 billion and transforming just about every aspect of the business along the way. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual’s top practices before reaching a different inflection point, deciding what he wanted the next phase of his career and business to look like. Rather than go independent on his own or simply monetize what he had built, he chose to become part of Andy’s growing enterprise. That makes their story particularly relevant for our Build, Grow, and Transact series. Andy can speak to what it takes to build a firm capable of becoming an acquirer, from converting advisors from 1099s to W-2s, to creating equity opportunities, to bringing in outside capital while remaining very deliberate about being private equity-invested rather than private equity-owned. And Kevin brings the seller’s perspective, how you evaluate the economics, the trade-offs, and ultimately the people you’re trusting with the business you spent more than 30 years building. Because whether you’re building, buying, or considering a transaction of any kind, the numbers are only part of the equation. As you hear from both Andy and Kevin, trust may be the most important currency of all. So let’s get to it. Andy and Kevin, thank you so much for both joining us today. Andy Schwartz: Great to see you again, Lewis. Thank you for having us. Louis Diamond: I’ve been excited about this interview for a bunch of reasons. One, our Build, Grow, Transact series has become a real staple of our show and we got lots to talk about there. But also, the friendship, the relationship that you two have had for over 30 years really stood out to me. So before we get into the nuts and bolts, talk about your relationship. How’d you guys meet, and how did your career stay so intertwined together when you’re in different geographies and at different firms, and have each been very successful in your own rights? Andy Schwartz: Sure. Kevin, do you want to start with that? Kevin Spahn: Sure. I started in this career in 1994 and met Andy sometime after that. He was a more advanced financial planner. I was an attorney, and then I transitioned into this business. So when I first joined Northwestern Mutual, which is my first broker dealer, I didn’t really have a background in investments. At the time, a lot of Northwestern Mutual reps were learning the investment business because they maybe originally started with Northwestern Mutual focusing more on insurance planning. My background was more estate planning. At the time, if you think early ’90s, if you did estate planning, insurance often went hand in hand with that. The estate exemption in early 1990s was about $600,000. So if you pass more than $600,000 to your children, there was a 55% tax. One way around it was to put insurance in an irrevocable trust, help cover the tax that way. So it really was a popular common strategy back then, and it’s really what got me into the business. But I quickly realized that I didn’t want my future to be insurance and estate planning. And there was a conflict if you acted as someone’s attorney and sold insurance. So I had to pick one way or the other. I decided long-term it would be better for me to move into the wealth management space. But with that little background in that, I had a lot of work to do. So took a lot of tests, became a certified financial planner. But the person that helped me the most along the way was Andy. We became friends, we sat on committees together. That’s really how we met, I would say. So we worked side by side interacting with our home office and representing the field, bringing issues to the home office that we thought were beneficial to the field. As we did that together, I got to know Andy. And then separately, I learned from him how he built his business and how they would review clients’ portfolios and come up with solutions. So I really credit Andy with helping me more than anyone else to transition from attorney, financial planner doing more estate planning insurance to wealth management. Louis Diamond: Very cool. Hey, I would say, maybe I’m a little biased, that, Kevin, you picked the right path in hanging up the law shingle and coming into wealth management. Kevin Spahn: I tell a lot of people I’m a reformed attorney. Andy Schwartz: Great. Louis Diamond: Exactly. My dad would say the exact same thing. Very common at dinner tables in the Diamond households. Andy Schwartz: I was always grateful that I wasn’t smart enough to be an attorney. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: That’s where my gratitude lies. Yeah. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: Some would say he’s too smart. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy, question for you. I mean, anyone who is at or was at Northwestern Mutual, I mean, you’re like Elvis to them. It’s absolutely crazy the amount of fanfare and brand recognition that you and your brother Scott have. But for those who maybe missed your first podcast appearance with us a number of years ago, or aren’t or weren’t within the Northwestern Mutual system, or haven’t been familiar with Bleakley and now OnePoint BFG, just give us the cliff notes, the origin story, how you got into the business, and how’d you get from here to there? Andy Schwartz: Yeah. So the origin is probably pretty common, probably by accident. Going into my senior year in college, I was working in a restaurant, had a falling out with my boss. I happened to be dating a woman who was living with a general agent with Fidelity Union Life. No one will have ever heard of Fidelity Union Life, but their secret sauce was they sold life insurance to college seniors on a note. So if you can get a $10 money order, because where I went to school, nobody had a checking account, then you could basically get a note signed and they would buy insurance. And then when they graduate, hopefully they’d pay for it. I started selling life insurance my senior year in college. And then my twin brother Scott, who is my partner, and has been for over 40 years, he took an interview with what was the nucleus of our present firm actually. I just went up to Northern New Jersey in May of 1984 because I was an expert. I had been selling life insurance to college kids for six months, so I knew everything you had to know. We met with these guys, and we both ended up joining them. So that was a Northwestern Mutual district agency, and that was 1984. We got licensed right away. I got my CFP in ’86. We always knew that it was going to be about planning. So I think we had the right idea. We were a little ahead of the curve because there weren’t a lot of CFPs in ’86. We got securities license immediately. So before Northwestern had securities license, we got securities license with US Life actually. And then it was really a volume business, a client-building business. We always tried to act as a firm and share resources. We were small, but like a lot of people, we started out selling A shares and B shares and C shares, doing financial planning, selling insurance, and then we made a lot of really good hires along the way. And then after 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, which was a great experience for me, and I have nothing but respect for the institution and certainly the advisors that are there, Kevin certainly was one of them, and I know he feels the same way, but we just wanted to have a little more flexibility. We went independent about 11, almost 12 years ago. We wanted to be able to be multi-custodial. We wanted to have a little bit more optionality for our clients and for ourselves. We left Northwestern at three billion or so in assets, and that was in 2015. It’s in March of 2024, I get introduced to this guy with a crazy accent named Joe Duran. Funny, probably the only person in the industry that had no idea who Joe Duran was me. I’d never heard of Joe Duran. I don’t pay attention. I worry about our firm. I don’t worry about what’s going on outside. So I get introduced to Joe by a mutual friend, and we had an interesting conversation, and it took us probably about four or five months to figure out what we wanted to do. And then in August of ’24, myself and my three partners, we rolled in. And then in ’85, the rest of the firm rolled in. And we can talk a little bit more about that. Today we’re 18-plus billion, growing quite a bit. We’ve been very lucky that we’ve made some very good decisions along the way. We’ve made some bad ones too. But most of the decisions had to do with the people that we hired, the people that we brought on to help us, because I think it’s really important. I always say that the biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit, and I try not to, and I realize that I’m smart enough, but I’m certainly not the smartest guy. I’m rarely the smartest guy in the room. So what we try to do is hire lots and lots of really smart people. And we’ve done that. They’ve been loyal to us, we’ve been loyal to them. Yeah, so we’re blessed to have a really great team and lots of good partners. Yeah. Louis Diamond: Yeah, we’ll definitely get into more of the nuts and bolts of the decision to take on capital, partner with Joe Duran’s Rise, but that’s an amazing background. Andy, I have to give you credit because your style, and I think I’m sure there’s business benefits, but it comes from a good place, I’m sure. But the coaching and consulting and just assistance that I’ve heard you provide to so many past and current Northwestern Mutual advisors through sports camps is absolutely incredible. It’s very near and dear to my heart because we always try to lead with education and helping people. So I just wanted to call that out, that your reputation for just providing amazing guidance and coaching to advisors is unparalleled. Andy Schwartz: And it’s been the best part of our journey. We’ve been able to help so many people. We get way too much credit by the way. So everybody gives us way too much credit. But the way I look at it is, I’ve been able to leverage my life because I’ve been able to build a great life for myself and my family, but we’ve been able to leverage that, and that’s where the real gift is. So yeah, it’s been a joyful journey for us. Louis Diamond: Amazing. Kevin, question for you. You walked through your little bit unorthodox background to get into Northwestern. Can you talk about where your personal practice is today? And then I want to ask you about the decision to leave Northwestern and sell and team up with Andy and team. Kevin Spahn: Well, I have to go back to the beginning. What was attractive to me about this business is I went from a career which was confrontational adversarial. I was a trial attorney for six years, and every day I would fight with people over things I didn’t necessarily have a personal interest in and I didn’t really believe in always. But the adversarial confrontational nature wasn’t really my personality, and I would take it too personally. So sometimes I’d go home in a bad mood because I was fighting with somebody taking a deposition. At night, after so many years as a trial attorney, I started going to people’s houses and doing wills and trusts. And that’s where the dynamic of working with a client or a potential client, feeling that you helped them and walking out of the meeting where they would appreciate what you did for them, and you build a relationship and actually all of a sudden have a friend, that dynamic was attractive to me. That’s really what got me to transition into the business. So I think it was really helpful to me at the beginning of this career. As Andy said, we all grew our businesses one client at a time. There’s a lot of doors closed, phones hung up on. There’s many people that don’t want to talk to you. There’s many people that don’t call you back. There’s many people that you think you’re getting somewhere with and you don’t. And that’s difficult for people because people often, young reps take that as personal rejection. I had the benefit of comparing what I was dealing with as a young financial planner to what I had dealt with as an attorney in litigation. I think it just was perspective that I knew I didn’t want to do that anymore. So the negatives to this business didn’t seem that bad to me. I loved the independence. I loved all the relationships that I was building. And that part of it is to this day my favorite part of the business. When you ask about the present, what basically happens is you start out taking anybody and everybody as a potential client or as someone that you would be willing to work with. And then over time you work with more successful people. So where I’m at today is working with pretty successful people, but they’re all the same, meaning we like working with nice people. If people are nice, we work with them. I feel we can help anybody. Over the years, one client at a time. The thing that I probably, if I could go back, would change is I think Andy and I are both good at meeting people and building trust and providing value, so that’s why they work with us. So I think that’s just something we’ve both been able to do. He’s much better than I am at building an organization. So I built an organization basically hiring people, that whenever we got too busy, I hired another person. Drawback in terms of that is, anybody that I interview I think is great, and I think they’d be great to join the organization. I like them all. In spite of that, I’ve also brought in many good people that I love. At this point, my firm has 18 people. We’re a little subset of Andy’s larger firm. I think one of the most attractive things to me about joining Andy’s firm is what Andy mentioned before: the people. As opposed to me having to build this all out myself, going independent, Andy already did that. And he has the infrastructure that would allow me to just merge right into that and not have to go through the pain of figuring all that out, which I don’t even think I’m capable of, to be honest with you. Louis Diamond: You’re probably selling yourself short because the way I understood it, you had one of the top practices within the entire Northwestern Mutual systems, and it’s a firm filled with very successful advisors. For you, Kevin, what was the driving force to leaving NM after all these years? What was bothering you or frustrating you that indicated to you that it was time to do something different? Kevin Spahn: To be honest with you, I was pretty happy at Northwestern Mutual. I love the company and the people. I still have many good friends there that I truly miss. The big thing for me, I don’t know if it was any one thing, to be honest with you, is Andy said there’s optionality, especially on the investment side. I think one of the things that happened to me is, when I first started, I was 31 years old, and most of the potential clients that I would meet and work with, they weren’t what I would call today great investment clients. They didn’t have a lot of money. They had great futures. They might’ve been earning significant income or on the way to earning significant income. So what did they need at that point in their life? They needed planning. They needed protection. They didn’t really need investment management because most of their investments were going into their 401(k). But a lot of those clients that we would take on, and I think that’s the big advantage of Northwestern Mutual, you take on clients that a lot of the investor firms don’t want because they don’t have large investment portfolios. But at some point down the road, all of a sudden you wake up and they do have large investment portfolios. So you bring them in as clients that might buy life insurance from you or disability insurance or something like that. And then you help them, and you give them advice, and you build a relationship with them. Down the road, they make more and more money. They leave jobs, they roll 401(k)s, they have the ability to invest money, stock options, things like that. Next thing you’re doing more comprehensive planning that incorporates investments. As that progresses even further, you work with larger and larger clients, much more significant net worth, more complexity, bigger tax issues. Some of the strategies and opportunities that we now have at this independent RIA are very attractive for these high-net-worth clients. Along the same lines, less of what I do at this point in my career is insurance, mostly because a lot of the people that I meet are older, they already bought insurance, they’re looking more for investment advice as opposed to insurance. So one of the things that most attracted me to Northwest Mutual was their strong insurance products, which helped me for many years. As time went on, I was doing less of that. Louis Diamond: Makes complete sense. So it was a changing of what clients wanted and just the circumstances of your clients where you said, “What got me here when I was 31 was insurance planning, and that’s what my clients needed. But as my practice has evolved, I’ve aged, my clients are older, have more money, the focus shifted from insurance to investments.” And then the distinction was, am I at the best place to run investments in addition to insurance planning, et cetera? It’s a very interesting dynamic. Just the shift in basically your legacy clients was what drove you to consider change. Kevin Spahn: That was a big factor. I think the second big factor was I had my own firm with 18 people. My succession plan was that at some point I would shift ownership of the firm to people that worked with me. So as they owned more of the firm, they would have revenue that was currently at the time being paid to me. In my mind, as it shifted to them, they would buy me out using revenue from the clients that we already had. And I realized that there were some issues with that. In our business, as you get older, in your client’s age, they start taking money out of their portfolios. So everyone understands that in our business, the younger average age client you have makes your book more valuable. I was the biggest driver of new business at my firm, and I started to see that there were some problems with my succession plan. They included, if something happened to me during this succession, that would be a real problem for the people that were buying my business from me if I went that way. If something happened to some of my key people, that would’ve been a problem as well. So it was really attractive to me to… I wasn’t looking to sell my business, I was looking to merge it. So I merged it with Andy’s business. I believe that Andy and what he’s put together and the actual idea of having partners. So I never really had partners, but now I do. Having partners that we’re all on the same page, we all have similar backgrounds, we all bring something different to the table, and we can learn and benefit from working with each other. But also, owning a little piece of a much larger firm was, number one, it put me in a better position in terms of the potential risk of something happening to me or one of my key people. But secondly, I just think it’s more likely to grow at a greater pace than my firm would’ve as I aged from my 60s to my 70s. Louis Diamond: Very interesting. It’s a great realization. I think it’s one that probably every firm owner grapples with at some point, is the romanticism or the ease, some would say, of an internal succession plan. Rewarding those who have helped you build the firm is something I think everyone is interested in. But once that’s put into practice, whether it’s because of capital or sky-high valuations or right people on the bus or risk, et cetera, nowadays oftentimes leads to a firm owner looking at a transaction, whether it’s a merger, a sale, a private equity, capital infusion as a means to solve for succession. So it’s a very interesting way you framed it. Andy, I want to turn it over to you for a little bit. So you mentioned when you launched Bleakley Financial, which was the old name of your firm, out of Northwestern, you’re about three billion. I think I read that you’re about 10 billion or so when Joe Duran and Rise invested you in 2024. You just said you’re at 18 billion now in the middle of 2026. That is absolutely incredible and amazing. Andy Schwartz: We’ll be well over 20 by the end of the year without any additional organic growth. Louis Diamond: That’s absolutely incredible. Andy Schwartz: We’ve got a lot going on right now. Louis Diamond: What’s actually driven that? What’s been the playbook? Andy Schwartz: The three areas that are most important for us, and we had our town hall this morning, and we always talk about the things we focus on as a group, the first and most important is the client experience. I always say to people, if you are their advisor, then that means someone else isn’t. These people, they all deserve to be really well taken care of. They deserve the best service, they deserve the best advice. So that’s something we take really personally. So client experience first. Then we also understand that we don’t just work for clients, we work for our advisors. So I have two jobs. I have, I don’t know, 500 clients I service with my team, and I work for Kevin and 36 other partners and all of our employees. Because again, I recognize that the decision Kevin made… We’re in the middle of a transition out with another advisor, and we pretty much talk to her every day, and I know how hard this is. A transition is so difficult. When you come from a good place, because any of the Northwestern advisor who joins, they’re coming from a good place, it’s not like they have to go anywhere, it’s difficult. So we have the massive responsibility that three or four or five or 10 years from now, that there better be hugs around that this was the best decision ever made or otherwise. That’s the kind of thing that keeps me up at night. So we’ve got to take care of our client experience, we’ve got to take care of our advisor experience. And then obviously, we’ve got to grow the firm so the firm grows organically. So part of this whole idea of serving our advisors is we have to help our advisors grow. I talk to a lot of people on the acquisition side, and if I’m talking to an advisor, it doesn’t matter how big they are, we kind of think of it as a OnePoint way. There’s flexibility in the OnePoint way. But if I can’t help them grow, I don’t want them, because I say it all the time, I’m not the mafia. I’m not here to get a taste. Louis, if you weren’t interested in joining us, if I thought that we could help you grow by doing that, then I want you bad. If I don’t think I can help you grow because we’re so different, or because you’re not going to adapt what we do, or there’s no leverage in it, or you’re already better than we are, I don’t want it. So for us, organic growth, number one, and I think you know the industries well enough, that’s got to be the key. We shoot for 10% organic growth. We’re at a little over 5% so far halfway through the year. So assuming we have the similar second half of the year, we’ll hit our 10. Last year we’re at 7.5%. The second is the inorganic growth. If you truly build a platform, if you truly build a firm that advisors know that they’ll be supported, that they’ll be loved, and you’ll help them grow their businesses, it does make it easier for us. We’re not the highest bidder typically. We can’t. We respect our client’s capital, we respect their equity, so therefore we’re not going to go out there. We’re not an aggregator, we’re a firm. But I think that if we can get that message across, and I think we have, then advisors join us. So that’s been a big part of the growth. And then the market’s helped. Obviously, over the last two years, the market’s been helpful. So that’s how we’ve gone from 10 to 18 and on our way to 22 by year-end. Louis Diamond: This is absolutely incredible. Any advisor or firm owner would say organic growth is important, but just saying it’s important doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. So what are the ways in which you help your advisors or your own practice grow organically? What is it that OnePoint is doing for your advisors? Andy Schwartz: Starting with bringing on growth-oriented advisors. I mean, look, Kevin Spahn and I come from the same place. We learned how to sell. The great thing about coming out of whether they’re broker dealers or out of the different insurance BDs is, these are people that know how to sell. These are people that don’t think that selling is a bad word. A lot of times you go to the wirehouses and they’re not necessarily sales guys. They’re really smart. They think that they’re investment mavens and investment geniuses. I’m not interested in investment geniuses. I’m interested in people that want to take care of their clients, provide everything they can, clients first, do the proper planning, be good advisors, but they’re growth-oriented. So as long as we’re talking with the right advisors. Again, if I’m talking to advisor and they might have a big practice, if they’re not growers, we’re not interested. There’s a sense of responsibility for all the partners because we are a true partnership. It’s not an aggregation. This is a firm. I’m responsible for Kevin. Kevin’s responsible to me. All of our partners are responsible to each other, because if we’re going to do a 10% organic growth target, and if some partner is negative 3%, we don’t put them through the spanking machine, but everybody is very aware of where everybody is and nobody wants to let their partners down. I think either you’re a growth-oriented advisor or you’re a zoo-fed bear. There’s another expression that I got from another Rise Growth Partner or Rise Growth firm. We all kind of communicate and talk to each other. And I was talking about zoo-fed bears, and he said, we call them house cats that think they fight. So they’re house cats, but they have no claws. But I think if you’re careful about who you bring on as partners, and if they are workers, growers, they understand that their job in life is to serve the people. We talk about referrals, we do lots of training to help on referrals. We work on organic growth strategies from the firm, but a lot of it comes from the advisors themselves. Louis Diamond: Makes sense. So it sounds like, to boil it down, it’s being really selective and having a really clear sense of who’s the right fit for your firm. Not that there’s not amazing advisors out there, but just because you’re an amazing advisor, doesn’t mean you’re the right fit to join OnePoint. Andy Schwartz: I think the one big distinction and difference is other than the fact that we are minority-owned with private equity. So we own our business. I mean, I’m the CEO of the firm. I also have the biggest book in the firm. At least for right now, I mean, Kevin was transitioning, so I’m sure next year he’ll be the leading advisor. But I lead the firm, because as far as I’m concerned, you have to lead by example. We are completely aligned. I know exactly what Kevin does every day because I do the same thing. I’m not some attorney or accountant or private equity boss that’s saying, “Oh, I’ve got an idea for growth. We’ll just raise our fees by 5%.” Brilliant. Yeah, we are completely aligned, all of us. I think that makes us a little bit unique, and it really helps us, I think, in our growth trajectory. Louis Diamond: I would agree. The challenge that a lot of advisors-turned-firm-owners or turned-enterprise-builders have is the tug of war between the client work, which either is their ultimate passion and driving force, or it’s something they’re really good at minimum, versus being the owner, the operator, et cetera. I resonate very much, Andy, with the way you handle it. I do the same thing running a company, but also working with advisors. To me, I need to do both in order to do my job well. But that tug of war is tough. So I’m curious, your firm is very large now, you’re a steward of external capital, and you have a $3 billion book yourself. How do you do it? How do you balance the two? Andy Schwartz: Well, fortunately, my kids are grown, so I’m not coaching sports anymore. So I do have a little more time than most. Look, we have a great team. So the idea that I run the firm… I mean, I lead the firm, I don’t run the firm. We have great partners. We have great… Our manager team is fantastic. So I mean, they really run the firm. But this is where my passion is for now. So I don’t mind. Days are typically pretty long. I don’t play golf during the week. Mara and I don’t travel probably as much as we should. Vacations are always a little bit mixed. There’s always room for calls and meetings and whatever. But to me, I mean, I’m grateful to be in this situation. I’m enjoying it. This is such a privilege to be the person that people recognize as the leader of this bunch, of this group. I mean, it is the honor of my life. So I don’t think of it so much as work. It’s my advocation. It does get busy. There are some times where I have to remind myself, “Just enjoy the ride.” I get a little overwhelmed, but I get lots of help and that makes it possible. Louis Diamond: Yep. If you’re not doing the job of the folks that you’re encouraging and leading to do, how do you have fodder to train them, to teach them, to empathize with that? Andy Schwartz: Exactly, you don’t have the credibility. I can ask them to do almost anything because they know I do it myself, and I think that helps. Louis Diamond: Yep. So moving more into the decision to bring on private equity capital, what I thought was probably the most interesting component of your announcement that you took on PE investment was that you completely restructured or reoriented your firm prior to Joe Duran coming in 2024. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Bleakley Financial Group was almost all 1099 contractors. So everyone owned their own books of business, paid Bleakley a fee or an override for certain services. But now, today, over 85% of your advisors and your AUM are W-2 employees, meaning you converted them from 1099 to acquiring them or merging with them. To me, that’s the dream. It’s had to have been very, very, very hard and challenging because there’s so many aggregator firms or platforms that support independent advisors, but the value that they’ve created is fairly minimal relative to one cohesive firm. So can you just talk about that decision, a very big and brave decision to go down the path of acquiring or merging with the practices rather than letting them continue to operate independently? Andy Schwartz: Well, look, we had to… It’s funny because we had been having conversations for years with consultants, and they kept telling us what we had to do. Again, we’re not that smart, so we just kept thinking, “No, we don’t have to do that.” But we were told 10 years earlier that the only way that this thing has any value to the world is you’ve got to have EBITDA for the firm. We talked to all the smart people, we ignored all of them. But what happened was we needed capital and we needed equity in order to bring people on, because people aren’t just joining us just because we can help them grow a bigger business. So the reason we went in the direction we went initially was we just needed capital. We wanted to grow the firm, and the only way we were going to get to is… What’s the old saying? What got us here is not going to get us there. So we needed capital. But we also realized that I had to have something I could sell in the marketplace. And people want equity. So they want cash, but they also want equity, because we’re talking to entrepreneurs. Kevin owned his own firm. He has $2 billion of assets. He wasn’t interested in being someone’s employee, but he was interested in being able to get leverage and be a partner and share equity in a larger firm that had the chance to grow even more. So what the gift that Joe Duran, the Rise folks gave us was that gift of structure and understanding. So that was really helpful, and that’s been a big part of our success. Louis Diamond: Yeah, it’s an amazing journey. Again, I think you could probably write a book or a case study on how that happened. I’m sure there were some downfalls, some people that weren’t all that excited about it, but the results speak for itself. Andy Schwartz: I think people ask all the time because I do get phone calls. People are trying to do this, and they’re struggling. It took us 90 days to basically do it. People say, “I’ve been at this for two years.” And the biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don’t. At the end of the day, I always went to the advisor here, we were a firm for 30-plus years prior, and these guys knew that we always did what we said we were going to do, and we always did. If your people trust you, then you can do it. If your people don’t trust you, it isn’t going to work. Louis Diamond: In other words, your firm added immense value to the advisors as well. Aside from trust, if you weren’t providing a service or services that they found a value that they couldn’t access on their own, it would’ve been 85/15 going the other way for sure. Andy Schwartz: Yeah, 100%. I know it’s not easy, but it wasn’t that hard for us. Louis Diamond: Good. It’s well-earned. So I believe you were Rise Growth Partners’ first investment. Andy Schwartz: We were. Louis Diamond: That’s cool. It’s exciting. You get to be someone’s first, but did it make you uncomfortable that you were the first investment or did you see that as a positive? Andy Schwartz: I actually saw it as a positive. Well, one, because I recognized immediately that Joe Duran and his team were way smarter than we were certainly, and certainly with what we were trying to do. And I figured that it’s almost like the first child. They were so excited to have somebody, and there was so much time and energy, so they just really doted on us. They were really able to help us. Now they’ve got four or five groups that they work with, and obviously we’ve been launched. So the younger babies are getting more time and attention, although we get everything that we need from them. But yeah, that never concerned me. I always thought that would be our advantage. It actually turned out that way. Louis Diamond: Interesting. In thinking through a sale or a minority sale, did you entertain other types of capital, whether it was a family office or a multitude of other private equity sponsors or selling the firm outright? Andy Schwartz: Yeah, we probably had four or five very, very serious conversations. Actually, some got pretty close to the end where we basically just made the decision not to do it. One was a much larger firm, good people. But the problem always was… I was always going to get rich out of the deal because it was going to be 100% sale, but there was really no lift or leverage from the advisors. So the principals, they were willing to pay me a big multiple and my partners a big multiple, and pay these guys basically an average multiple. So we had always told our guys, “Let’s stay together, and someday, this thing, whatever it’s going to turn into be, will benefit everyone.” So with the Duran situation and the deal with Rise did, it gave everybody a chance to benefit from what we were doing. But what was good about all of those false starts was, it taught me a lot because I had… I know you’re involved in this, so you know better than I do, but we’d start conversations, somebody would reach out to me, I would be very specific about what I needed. They would say, “Yep, we can do that.” And then you get to the finish line, and it’s almost like, I started out, I wanted a tomahawk steak and a baked potato, and I ended up getting a two-day-old hamburger with some cold French fries. It’s like, I know I’m not that smart and I know you’re the PE guys, but for God’s sakes, we’re not stupid. So it was funny because in January of ’24, I told my partners, “I don’t want to have any more of these conversations. It was a waste of time and energy. I’m sick of talking to these people. Let’s just put our heads down, and then let’s grow the firm a little bit more, and then we’ll see what the world looks like.” And then I get introduced to Duran. Louis Diamond: Perfect. Makes sense. Yeah, so you were well-educated on the market, the types of buyers, and I always say it’s almost more important to understand what you don’t want more than what you do want. The only way oftentimes to understand what you don’t want is to experience it and touch and feel it and really get into the weeds on it. I like too, Andy, I saw in an article, you said that “we’re private equity invested, we’re not private equity owned,” which is a very cool dynamic. I could imagine why that was important to you to retain majority control. Kevin, I want to bring you back into the conversation. Thank you for being patient here. But I mean, I would imagine you had some real choices. I mean, you could have stayed at Northwestern and been very successful, gone through with your internal succession plan. You could have gone to an independent BD, monetized, figured out succession later. You could have sold the business to a strategic acquirer. You were big enough to take on an investor in some capacity on your own. So options wasn’t your problem. Maybe just walk us through. Did you consider any other pathways? And what were the pros and cons in your mind that led you to doing a transaction with Andy? Kevin Spahn: I’m a little different, I think, than most people in this industry. Even as you grow your business at a certain percentage, none of that stuff has ever really meant anything to me. All I know is I like what I do. So when I came into the business, because I like it, I enjoy it, I spend time doing it, I’ve tried to get better at it. But it comes naturally because it’s something that I don’t look at Monday mornings as, “Oh, no, it’s Monday morning.” I’m excited to go to work. My entire career, once I left law, my business has just grown over the years naturally. But you said something before, Louis, and I think this applies to me. I love to work with the clients. I don’t like what I have to do in terms of running the firm. I never have. It’s never been my cup of tea, but you have to do it if you run a firm. So number one, the thought of all the due diligence that I would have to do to research all the firms out there, I wasn’t really all that interested in doing that. At the end of the day, it comes down to this word trust. I trust Andy. I trust the other partners here too, because I’ve known not just Andy, but I’ve known Scott and many of the other partners for years. So I knew what I was getting myself into. At the end of the day, I knew what they built. I was very comfortable with it, and I was either going to stay at Northwestern Mutual or I was going to come here, but I wasn’t going to go anywhere else. I will say, since I’ve gone, it’s been exactly like I thought. I thought I trusted Andy. And if something happened along the way with the transition, everything that he said has been true, thing that he promised is real. As you deal with more complexities with a bigger book and more and more employees, I knew that I was almost at the breaking point in terms of my own organization and to merge into this organization that, as I said before, he’s already built out. I don’t have to do it. And to benefit from these great people that he has as part of his organization, that’s all been a real blessing for me and my team. So I didn’t shop the marketplace really, but I knew what I was getting into, and it’s worked out clear as I thought it would. Louis Diamond: That’s amazing. I think that’s what most people would covet. But it is a decision in and of itself to not shop the marketplace. I mean, from representing buyers or prospective buyers, I know the pricing leverage or the negotiation leverage and the valuation lift that comes from having an open market, having multiple bids, et cetera. It sounds like that wasn’t the… Obviously you wanted to get fair value for your firm, but for you, it was more, it’s trust, “I’m either going to just stay at Northwestern, which is the devil I know or it’s what I’ve known where I’ve been successful, or I’m going to go to the individual that I trust and forget about all the other noise.” Kevin Spahn: Well, Andy says things, but I know they’re true because I’ve seen him at work. I’ve seen how he’s acted. I’ve seen how he interacts with people. But here’s an example. He cares about the people that are at his firm. He says that, but I know it’s true because I see it. I’m the same. I really care about the people in my firm. So as I think about, well, what about the future of two groups, my clients, but also the people that work in my firm? They’re going to be around long after I am. Well, I don’t want myself to retire someday, get a big check, because there’s all sorts of options to get a check. If I get a check and then my client’s scatter to the wind, and my employees don’t really have a future and they just have to go and find their own way, that wasn’t attractive at all to me. So one of the things that I really appreciate about this opportunity is that there is a plan for both my clients and my employees or the younger team members at formerly Spahn Financial, where I feel very good about the fact that they have a solid, secure future in an industry that they’ve all grown to love without them having to go out and make their own way. Louis Diamond: Makes sense to me. We noted a couple of times in this interview, you talked about equity, partnership, both of you have. So Kevin, for you, what did it mean differently for you to become a partner and get equity in a larger firm rather than, we’ll say, the less risky move of just taking everything in cash? Why was that an important distinction for you? Kevin Spahn: For many years, when I left law and came into this business, I didn’t have any money at the time. I was just starting to make money as a lawyer. It takes a while. I started low. I got trial experience working for the government, so they didn’t pay much. That was three years. Then I was at a firm, and I was just starting to make more money. Then I made this big shift into a career tha

An 11.15% coupon sounds irresistible—until you read the trapdoors. Don and Tom unpack a listener's BNP Paribas auto-callable structured note and ask the question Wall Street hopes nobody asks: what actually has to happen before you get paid?The answer includes contingent coupons, the worst-performing of three indexes, a five-year lockup, bank credit risk, and a cliff where a 41% market loss can become your 41% loss. Add a 1.5% advisory fee, and this complicated promise fails the show's favorite tests: simplicity, transparency, and liquidity.Then the phones open for retirement-planning software, a 19-year spousal age gap, fears about Japan dumping Treasuries, an Irish financial jingle, and the difference between a mega backdoor Roth and an ordinary backdoor Roth.1:05 — The structured note pitch: 11.15% with fine print4:03 — Contingent coupons and the worst-of-three rule6:50 — The 40% buffer cliff and five-year lockup9:34 — Simplicity, transparency, and liquidity fail11:50 — How big is the structured-note market?13:20 — The Financial Fysics album makes its debut15:35 — DIY retirement-planning tools and a big age gap21:56 — Could Japan dump a trillion dollars of Treasuries?25:16 — Compound interest meets an Irish pub27:26 — 401(k), mega backdoor Roth, and contribution limitsWant more Money Music? Hear extended versions from Don's fictional AI band, The Financial Fysicist, on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/let-the-boring-money-in/6805953759 or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0G06JEvGsyw6SISfAOxLt6?si=ah2uVVWuQwmxTqjBeta8AQQuestions? Comments? Click!

What happens when a client has enough money to retire, but no idea what they're retiring to?That's the tension at the center of my conversation with Mark Hedderman, a second-generation financial advisor from Ireland who's been rethinking what great financial planning should actually look like.Mark started noticing a gap in the traditional model. Clients could accumulate enough money for several lifetimes while quietly neglecting other parts of their lives that become much harder to fix later.We get into why advisors can mistake a growing portfolio for a successful outcome, how retirement can expose problems the accumulation years hide, and why the rise of AI may actually make the human side of financial advice more valuable.4 Insights From This Week's Episode…#1.) Money Is The Vehicle, Not The OutcomeA client can reach every financial milestone and still arrive at retirement unprepared for what comes next. Mark and I explore why the numbers only tell part of the story and what advisors risk missing when accumulation becomes the primary definition of success.#2.) AI May Make The Human Side Of Advice More ValuableTechnology can analyze portfolios, compare fees, and produce financial information faster than ever. The bigger question is what happens to the advisor's value when those things become commodities.#3.) Help Your Clients Retire To SomethingLeaving a career can also mean losing purpose, routine, relationships, and identity. Mark explains why retirement shouldn't feel like slamming on the brakes, and how advisors can help clients gradually transition into a new season filled with meaningful experiences, relationships, and pursuits.#4.) Being Rich And Being Wealthy Aren't The Same ThingMore money can create freedom, but it can also become a scoreboard that never stops moving. Mark challenges the assumption that a larger portfolio automatically creates a better life and explores the point where accumulating more can actually distract clients from what the money was supposed to make possible.FREE GIVEDownload your copy of The Life Care Plan. One place for care preferences, legal and estate details, and the conversations families put off until it's too late. Get your copy here: https://bradleyjohnson.com/184-life-care-plan-download/ SPONSORED BY BELAYIf you're an advisor and you're still scheduling your own appointments, sending your own follow-up emails, or dealing with other tasks keeping you from bringing on other clients, you're the bottleneck. BELAY helps busy leaders find world-class Virtual Assistants who can take tasks off their plate, protect their time, and help them stay focused on the work that actually moves the business forward. Learn more about BELAY and find the right assistant for your business here: http://belaysolutions.com/dbdlSHOW NOTEShttps://bradleyjohnson.com/184FOLLOW BRAD JOHNSON ON SOCIALXInstagramLinkedInFOLLOW DBDL ON SOCIAL:YouTubeTwitterInstagramLinkedInFacebookDISCLOSURE DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. No statements made in the episode are offered as, and shall not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations. The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Financial Advisors|What You Need to Know Crockett Carothers & Michael Hull Find out your Wealth Score:https://wealthycowboywealthscore.netlify.app/See how much wealth you're leaving on the table with your card processing fees:https://cardsfeesforwealth.netlify.app/

Financial advisors are surrounded by marketing advice. Post more videos. Build a personal brand. Pick a niche. Send more emails. Improve your website. Start a podcast. But which of those things actually moves the needle? In this episode of The Model FA Podcast, David DeCelle sits down with Zeke Silvani, CEO of Tango, for a candid conversation about what effective marketing really looks like for financial advisors. Zeke pushes back on the idea that advisors need to become influencers or produce an endless stream of content to grow. Instead, he believes successful marketing starts with a defined audience, compelling messaging, consistent outreach, and a system for following up with the people you want to serve. David and Zeke also discuss why marketing tactics rarely work in isolation. A prospect may receive a cold email, but before responding, they are likely to Google the advisor, visit the website, check LinkedIn, watch a video, or read reviews. Every one of those touchpoints helps build, or erode, the trust necessary to turn outreach into a conversation. The conversation also explores one of the biggest mistakes advisors make: constantly starting and stopping marketing strategies. Rather than searching for the next shortcut, David and Zeke argue that advisors should choose an approach that fits their strengths, build a repeatable system around it, and give it enough time to work. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why great marketing is an ecosystem, not one magic tactic Why advisors don't need to become social media celebrities to grow How targeted prospecting can create a predictable stream of opportunities Why Zeke defines trust as a combination of warmth and competence How your website, reviews, videos, LinkedIn presence, and brand support outbound marketing Why follow-up is one of the most important, and overlooked, parts of lead generation The danger of jumping from one marketing strategy to another too quickly Why advisors often feel burned by marketing agencies and consultants The value of working with marketers who understand the financial services industry Why AI-generated content can hurt your brand when it feels impersonal or low-effort How Zeke's experience at Google, Capital One, private equity, and a legal marketing agency ultimately led him to launch Tango Zeke also shares his journey from hedge fund analyst to Google, Capital One, private equity, and eventually entrepreneurship. After experiencing what it was like to work inside massive organizations, he discovered that entrepreneurship gave him something different: the ability to do work where the connection between effort, value, and results was much more immediate. If you're a financial advisor who feels overwhelmed by conflicting marketing advice—or you're wondering why the tactics you've tried haven't produced the results you expected—this conversation offers a more practical way to think about growth. Connect with Zeke Silvani Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvani/ About the Model FA Podcast: The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no "gotchas" or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams.  Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you'd love to see covered.  Our Team: President of Model FA, David DeCelle If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.  

Brad Wooten, CPA, joins Steven Jarvis, CPA, to share his firsthand experience opening Trump Accounts for his three children and why he views them as long-term retirement savings. They discuss how the accounts work, what happens when children turn 18, and why future Roth conversions and kiddie tax considerations matter. The conversation then shifts to the relationship between financial advisors and CPAs and how advisors can be appropriately tax-aware without overstepping. Brad shares real-world examples of clients facing unexpected tax bills because financial decisions were made without enough communication about their tax consequences. Steven and Brad emphasize that advisors do not need to become tax experts to improve collaboration with CPAs. Instead, proactive communication and simply recognizing that financial decisions can have tax implications can go a long way. https://zurl.co/R9rb7  

Kate has good money habits. She's saving, she's investing, she's automated her high-yield savings account. So why does she still feel like she's behind? Today, Nicole sits down with a Money Rehab listener for a real-life financial intervention, digging into the exact questions so many 20-somethings are quietly Googling at 1am. Kate walks Nicole through her real numbers: what she earns, what she spends, and how she's splitting money between a Roth IRA, a brokerage account, and student loan payments. Nicole breaks down the actual mechanics she never learned, like why you need cash in the account before you can buy anything, how to think about a Roth versus a brokerage account, and whether it's smart to max out one before touching the other. They also get into the emotional side of money: the guilt Kate feels every time she spends, why her financial goals always seem to move further away the more she achieves, and how giving herself a real number for guilt-free spending changes everything. Check out Nicole's financial literacy course The Money School Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole's company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab's Instagram and Nicole Lapin's Instagram Here's what Nicole covers with Kate: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 02:28 Meet Kate: Her Money Goals 03:53 From Ice Cream Shop Paychecks to a 9-5 04:39 Breaking Down Kate's Budget 05:54 The High-Yield Savings Account Strategy 07:11 Using a HYSA as a "Don't Touch This" Account 08:01 Roth vs. Brokerage: Kate's Investing Confusion 09:25 Why No One Teaches You How to Actually Buy 11:06 Roth vs. Brokerage, Explained 13:28 Should You Max Out Your Roth First? 15:09 Why Kate Sticks to Index Funds 17:15 The Tax Truth About Brokerage Accounts 20:07 What Financial Freedom Actually Means to Kate 21:19 The Guilt Spiral of Spending 22:28 Why Sticking to the Plan Is the Hard Part 22:52 How Kate's Childhood Shaped Her Money Mindset 23:52 The Moving Goalpost Problem 25:25 Building (and Sticking to) a Budget 28:30 Solving Spending Guilt With a "Fun Money" Number 29:51 Where Kate Keeps Her Savings 31:05 Kate's 5 and 10 Year Money Goals 32:36 Is Money a Never-Ending Game? 34:41 How Kate Started Investing With Just $20 36:45 Nicole's Game Plan for Kate 45:05 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank Get started with a SoFi high yield savings account: SoFi.com/MNNBank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

This Gen Z listener wants to become a financial advisor for her generation. How can she build her authority and platform?Side Hustle School features a new episode EVERY DAY, featuring detailed case studies of people who earn extra money without quitting their job. This year, the show includes free guided lessons and listener Q&A several days each week.Show notes: SideHustleSchool.comEmail: team@sidehustleschool.comBe on the show: SideHustleSchool.com/questionsConnect on Instagram: @193countriesVisit Chris's main site: ChrisGuillebeau.comRead A Year of Mental Health: yearofmentalhealth.comIf you're enjoying the show, please pass it along! It's free and has been published every single day since January 1, 2017. We're also very grateful for your five-star ratings—it shows that people are listening and looking forward to new episodes.

Start a free trial, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core Tier with code MONEYGUY at monarch.com Financial advice on YouTube can sound convincing—but should you actually follow it? Brian and Bo react to viral money advice about 401(k) loans, investing, credit cards, covered calls, tax deductions, 529 plans, home buying, saving money, and building wealth. They break down which personal finance tips hold up, which leave out important risks, and why boring long-term investing can beat complicated strategies. If you're trying to improve your finances, invest for retirement, build credit, reduce taxes responsibly, or reach financial independence, these real-world reactions can help you separate useful money advice from financial advice that sounds better than it really is. Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Selling Sunset isn't just a show about real estate, drama, and outfits... it's a show about money. Over the past few years, Nicole has had four cast members from the Selling Sunset universe on Money Rehab: Jason Oppenheim, Emma Hernan, Mary Bonnet, and Polly Brindle. Today, she's pulling out four moments from those conversations that she hasn't been able to stop thinking about. Jason, one of the most successful real estate brokers in LA, makes a confession you'd never expect from someone who sells homes for a living: renting often beats buying, financially speaking. Mary opens up about the ex-husband who secretly ran up six figures of debt in her name, and the exact tactic she used to rebuild her credit score from scratch. Emma explains why she's turned down millions in outside investment for her company and what she thinks is broken about "Shark Tank culture." And Polly gets brutally honest about maxing out three credit cards, borrowing from friends, and the mindset shift that turned her financial life around. Start investing investing at SoFi.com/MNN  Check out Nicole's financial literacy course ⁠The Money School⁠  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole's company ⁠Private Wealth Collective⁠  Watch video clips from the pod on ⁠Money Rehab's Instagram⁠ and ⁠Nicole Lapin's Instagram⁠  Here's what Nicole covers today: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 00:15 Four Money Moments From the Selling Sunset Universe 00:42 Jason Oppenheim's Take: Renting Beats Buying 04:48 Mary Bonnet's Secret Debt and Financial Abuse Story 09:07 Red Flags to Watch For Before You Share Finances 12:29 Emma Hernan on Turning Down Millions in Funding 16:47 Polly Brindle: From Maxed Credit Cards to $48M in Sales 21:46 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Divorce attorney James Sexton is back for part two of his conversation with Nicole; in part one, he talked about advice for couples getting married. Today, he's giving advice for people getting divorced. Nicole and James dig into the financial habits that sabotage marriages, the creative ways people hide money before filing, and the red flags that signal a spouse might be planning an exit. Plus, James gives simple advice on what might be the most complicated part of this process: how to tell your spouse you want a divorce. James also breaks down how alimony actually works, the best argument for keeping the house, and the negotiating tactics he uses to fight for a bigger settlement. Then things get spicy: the digital footprint mistakes blowing up divorces in real time, the unofficial "a-hole tax" judges impose on bad behavior in court, and the wild story of a $20 million divorce that almost collapsed over a toaster oven. Check out Part 1 of Nicole's conversation with James Sexton Start investing investing at SoFi.com/MNN  Check out Nicole's financial literacy course ⁠The Money School⁠  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole's company ⁠Private Wealth Collective⁠  Watch video clips from the pod on ⁠Money Rehab's Instagram⁠ and ⁠Nicole Lapin's Instagram⁠  Follow James' work and check out his latest book Here's what Nicole covers with James: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 02:31 The Financial Habit That Complicates Every Divorce 05:01 How People Hide Money Before a Divorce 09:21 Red Flags Your Partner Might Be Planning a Divorce 11:35 What To Do If You're Thinking About Divorce 12:11 How Much Does a Divorce Actually Cost? 17:13 Mediation vs. Litigation: Which Should You Choose? 19:37 The Best Way To Ask For a Divorce 21:18 How Alimony Really Works 25:00 When the Woman Is the Breadwinner 28:29 Is Alimony About Money or Power? 29:58 The Best Argument for Keeping the House 32:11 Bunnie XO, Jelly Roll, and Who's Entitled to What 34:56 Lightning Round 38:03 The $20 Million Toaster Oven Story 39:14 The Most Expensive Emotion in Divorce 39:20 What To Never (and Always) Put in Writing 40:00 How Social Media Can Blow Up Your Divorce 42:54 The "A-hole Tax" Explained 45:31 James Sexton's Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank