In this episode of The Smarter Planner Podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, welcomes Carl Richards, CFP®, creator of The Sketch Guy column for The New York Times, where for more than a decade he translated complex money ideas into simple, hand-drawn sketches.
Carl has built and sold a successful investment firm and is now a sought-after speaker and bestselling author of The Behavior Gap, The One-Page Financial Plan, and Your Money: Re-Imagining Wealth in 101 Simple Sketches. He is also the host of the podcast Behavior Gap Radio.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Carl challenges advisors to rethink how they communicate with clients. While advisors are trained to manage complexity, Carl argues that actual value lies in elegant simplicity. He explains how the overuse of jargon and technical language can unintentionally distance clients and why most people nod along even when they don't understand what's being said.
Carl shares why simplifying financial conversations helps clients:
- Feel truly heard and understood
- Build trust more quickly
- Engage more deeply with their financial decisions
- Stay focused on what actually matters to their lives
He also explores the difference between simplistic and elegantly simple, why visual communication is so powerful, and how one-page sketches can unlock more meaningful conversations. Looking ahead, Carl discusses the rise of artificial intelligence and why the future value of financial planners lies not in calculations but in human wisdom, presence, and empathy.
Guest Links
Website: https://behaviorgap.com
Podcast: Behavior Gap Radio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlrichards
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________________________________________________________________________________ The Smarter Planner Podcast is produced by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes only. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse specific individuals or services mentioned.
