Financial Advisor Success

Jason Wenk, CEO of Altruist and former wealth management owner, discusses the development of a groundbreaking all-in-one custodian platform that enhances financial advisory services. He shares insights from his journey, including impactful business decisions and technology integration to streamline investment management. Wenk emphasizes the need for transparency in custodial fees and advocates for the fiduciary standard in all vendor relationships. His passion for improving accessibility in financial advice and the evolution of the industry is truly inspiring.

Olivia Luper, Founder of Lexicon Advisor Marketing, shares her three-step marketing strategy for financial advisors. She discusses the power of social media ads, crafting a 7-email sequence, and authentic storytelling. The podcast also covers topics like using paid social media ads, sales emails, engagement rates, building a marketing system, unique challenges faced by financial advisors, and defining success.

Jeff Jones, owner and founder of Cypress Financial Planning, talks about creating custom financial planning spreadsheets in Excel, the decision not to partner with a FinTech company, valuing his firm with help from FP Transitions, and his aspirations for pro bono financial planning.

Cary Carbonaro, Senior VP and Director of Women and Wealth Services at Advisor Capital Management, shares her incredible journey after selling her practice to United Capital and navigating its acquisition by Goldman Sachs. She discusses how corporate changes challenged her marketing strategies and personal fulfillment. Cary emphasizes the importance of resilience during her career reinvention, particularly for women in finance, and highlights her efforts to provide emotional support and mentorship while reshaping her definition of success beyond mere business growth.

Jim Ludwick, founder of MainStreet Financial Planning and Procrastination Junction, guides aspiring fee-only advisors in overcoming imposter syndrome. He reveals transformative strategies for turning procrastinating clients into loyal customers without resorting to hard sales. Jim shares insights on refining sales funnels, embracing work-life balance, and adapting business models to boost client engagement. He also discusses the value of mentorship and evolving fee structures to enhance client relationships, all while emphasizing continuous growth and accountability.

Lori Van Dusen, CEO of LVW Advisors, shares her journey of building investment expertise and the challenges of transitioning to independence. She discusses stress testing portfolios, differentiating her RIA with institutions and ultra-high-net-worth investors, and the significance of due diligence when selecting an advisor platform. Lori also reflects on rebuilding her business, managing investment portfolios, and defining success in the advisory industry.

Brad Barrett is the Managing Director and Partner of One Capital Management, an independent RIA based in Westlake Village, California, that oversees $5.3 billion in assets under management for more than 2,000 client households. Brad's unique approach to business development has helped his firm scale and grow organically by creating multiple niche specializations, or business segments, each led by a dedicated advisor team. Listen in as Brad discusses the firm's unique approach to growth through the development of specialized business segments and the strategic acquisition of niche practices. You'll learn about their innovative media strategy, the importance of regular evaluation of business segments, and the lessons learned from a challenging partnership experience. Finally, Brad shares his insights on the benefits of specialization, the importance of setting realistic career expectations, and the pursuit of long-term advisor happiness and financial success. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/344

Rita Robbins is the Founder and President of Affiliated Advisors, a Super-OSJ with Royal Alliance that supports 90 financial advisors and collectively manages $3.5 billion in assets under advisement. Rita stands out for her pioneering role in establishing one of the first woman-owned Super-OSJs nearly three decades ago. She has observed the transformation of the super-OSJ model from providing local oversight of brokers selling proprietary products to becoming back-office platforms that offer an increasingly open-architecture product shelf along with compliance, technology, marketing, business management, and other support to independent financial advisors. Listen in as Rita shares her journey through the evolution of broker-dealer platforms, her strategies for growing her platform, and how her firm thrived during the pandemic due to its robust technological support. Drawing from her decade-long experience as a wholesaler, Rita discusses the launch of her own OSJ, the expansion of her platform's leadership, and her deep understanding of the advisor community's needs. She also opens up about early-career pressures, a traumatic embezzlement incident, and her ongoing struggle with focusing on uncontrollable factors while navigating business challenges and cycles. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/343

Nancy Hetrick is the Founder and CEO of Smarter Divorce Solutions, a consulting firm based out of Arizona that provides financial expertise to individuals and couples going through the divorce process. Nancy's unique journey from a do-it-yourself divorce to becoming a divorce expert was driven by her personal experience of non-enforceability, leading her to help other women avoid similar situations. She successfully scaled her divorce practice to 8 team members and $1M in annual revenue, while also growing her RIA to $65M AUM by assisting clients with rollovers and investment implementation post-divorce. Listen in as Nancy shares how she overcame imposter syndrome by recognizing the value of her own life experiences, why she chose to expand her technical expertise to earn her CDFA credential and become a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics and a Certified Divorce Coach, and the strategies she used to grow her network in the divorce niche. We also discuss how she effectively communicates the value of her divorce planning work to prospects, how she earns fees on a divorce case, and what led her to sell her RIA and focus on being a solo practitioner in the divorce field. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/342

Thor McIlrath is the Owner of McIlrath & Eck, an independent RIA based out of Arlington, Washington, that oversees more than $610-million in assets under management for 970 households. The unique aspect of Thor's business model lies in the way he has organized his firm. Instead of subscribing to the conventional industry practice of fostering deep relationships between clients and a single advisor, Thor has innovated a system where clients interact with a variety of advisors each time they visit, which offers clients a diversity of insights on their situation over time, moving away from reliance on a singular perspective. Listen in as Thor shares his successful transition to a rotating advisor system in his firm, an innovative approach that centralizes client notes and enriches both clients and advisors with diverse insights, earning approval from 80% of his clientele. We also discuss why Thor's hiring philosophy is centered on compassion and empathy, how he ensures a good fit between clients and the firm, and how he uses an adult education class on retirement to give back to the community and drive a steady stream of new clients. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/341