Financial Advisor Success

Tessa Felix is the HR and Operations Lead for PWL Capital, an advisory firm that oversees nearly $3.6 billion in assets under management. Tessa has focused on developing the culture of her advisory firm and has put systems in place to make everyone accountable for their work, while still making it a fun environment. Today she joins the show to discuss how she is making her firm an enjoyable place to work in, as well as the leadership system she has incorporated into her management approach. Listen in as we talk about the weekly team meetings, internal podcast, and monthly one-on-ones Tessa uses to maintain the culture of the firm. She shares how she transitioned from being a peer of her co-workers to their manager and how she came to be the culture lead for her firm. If you’re ready to cultivate a growth mindset within your own business, this is the episode for you! For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/161      

Gabriel Shahin is the founder of Falcon Wealth, an independent RIA that oversees nearly $200 million in assets under management for 370 clients. Today Gabriel joins the show to share how he has built such a successful firm from scratch in just five years by spending a significant amount on marketing. In this episode, we discuss how he allocates his proactive marketing dollars from outsourced SEO experts to Google ads, as well as a weekly radio show. You’ll learn how Gabriel handles the sales process, why he decided to hire a stand-alone business development associate, and what it takes to rapidly grow your firm. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/160      

Kelly Shikany is a financial advisor and Director of Wealth Management for Lakeside Wealth, a hybrid RIA where she manages a base of nearly $90 million in client assets. Deciding to not hang her hat as a solo advisor, Kelly instead navigates existing advisory firms so she can focus more on her clients. She joins the show to discuss her career path and how she has worked her way to the successful position she is in today. In this episode, we talk about how Kelly grew her client base in her younger years by conducting “women’s circles” so she could establish relationships in her small-town community. Listen in to learn how she differentiated herself from other advisors in the area, how she structures her week to maximize personal productivity, and what helped her overcome feelings of failure so they wouldn’t hold her back. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/159      

Steph Bruno is the founder of Sea to Peak Financial Advisors, an independent RIA that oversees nearly $70 million in assets under management for 45 affluent clients. Today Steph joins the show to discuss the process of branching out and starting her own independent firm after spending 15 years as an employee for another firm.   Listen in as she explains why she decided to take the leap from a stable paycheck to building her own business from scratch, as well as how she rebooted her marketing in the process. You’ll learn what made her decide to hire a personal coach to help her work through the difficult first few years of running her own business, how she integrates life planning conversations into her planning process, and what she’s choosing to focus on now that she is running her own firm. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/158      

Peter Lazaroff is a shareholder and the Co-Chief Investment Officer of Plancorp, an independent RIA that oversees nearly $4.4 billion of assets under management for 1,300 affluent clients. Today he joins the show to discuss how he has been able to build his own personal brand, both as a mechanism to grow his client base and to help him navigate career opportunities. Listen in as Peter describes the way he has “niched down” by creating content for his target audience through a blog, emails, and a book. You’ll learn why he encourages his team to create personal brands, the importance of staying focused on the clients you want to reach, and more. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/157     

DeLynn Zell is the founder and CEO of Bridgeworth Financial, a hybrid RIA that oversees nearly $1.6 billion of assets under management for almost 2,000 clients. Today DeLynn joins the show to discuss how Bridgeworth was built from the start to sustain past the founders and how they have taken steps to attract next-generation talent to ensure the firm remains a success in the long run. Listen in as we talk about the difficulties DeLynn faced in the early years of her career, as well as how the gender split of CFP professionals may shift in the future. You’ll learn the four-tier career path her firm has created, how they structure their compensation for partners, and why they are reinvesting into business development and training for next-generation partners. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/156   

Derek Notman is the founder of Intrepid Wealth Partners, operating as an agent for New York Life and overseeing nearly $50 million in assets under management for almost 200 clients. Today Derek joins the show to share how he evolved his advisory firm from a high-volume, bricks-and-mortar office into an entirely virtual practice. Listen in as he shares how he built up his virtual practice and team, as well as how he has been able to grow his business and income. You’ll learn what made him decide to transfer 80% of his clients to other advisors, why he has chosen to create a narrower niche focus, and more. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/155    

Mary Beth Storjohann is the Chief Marketing Officer for Abacus Wealth Partners, an independent RIA that oversees nearly $2.6 billion in assets under management for almost 1,700 clients. After joining us for episode 61 nearly two years ago, today she is back for a second time to discuss the major changes she has made since then. Listen in as we discuss why Mary Beth decided to sell her own firm to take on a marketing leadership role in an even larger firm, as well as what this new role entails. You’ll learn how Mary Beth determined avatars for the firm's marketing, how she allocates her marketing budget, and what she believes every firm can do to better their marketing. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/154   

Dan Allison is the founder of Feedback Marketing Group, a marketing and sales consulting firm that helps financial advisors to increase their growth by teaching methods to generate referrals from existing clients. Today Dan joins the show to discuss how he uses his background in behavioral psychology to help his clients to find more referrals by reducing their mental barriers, allowing them to be more open to the possibility of new clients.  Listen in as Dan shares the five key points that he focuses on when helping generate more referrals, including being educated on the services your firm provides. You’ll learn the importance of showing that you actually care about your clients, what your introduction strategy should be, and more. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/153 

Beverly Flaxington is the founder of The Collaborative, which provides sales training and organizational development support for financial service firms. A firm believer that it’s not just about knowing what to do, it’s about knowing how to change your behavior to actually do it, Beverly joins the show to share the human behavioral coaching approach she takes to teach sales and how to get more comfortable selling your services.  In this episode, we discuss how to determine if a prospect is a qualifying client, as well as the right questions to ask a client to get to know them better. Listen in to hear Beverly’s advice on how to conduct a meeting with a client, the importance of getting specific about who you serve, and more. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/152