WealthTech on Deck

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Randy Morris, Founder & CEO of Summit Wealth Group, a boutique financial planning firm with 10 offices nationwide. With a career spanning more than three decades, Randy brings deep experience in entrepreneurial leadership, holistic planning, and building a stakeholder-driven culture. Jack and Randy explore Summit’s path to independence and how a focus on culture, ownership, and intentional growth fueled the transition. Randy also shares the key reasons they chose SEI as a strategic partner—from cultural alignment to proactive tax strategies for high-net-worth clients—and what it takes to future-proof a boutique firm in today’s evolving wealth management landscape. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:16) - Summit’s history and foundational philosophy (05:05) - Why Summit selected SEI as a strategic partner (09:05) - Leveraging SEI’s proactive tax strategies (10:23) - Building and protecting Summit’s company culture (14:58) - Summit's organic growth and intentional M&A approach (17:34) - Randy's key takeaways (19:12) - Randy's interests outside of work Quotes "We wanted to continue growing. We felt that growth was paramount, not only to take care of our client's needs in the future, but also the team members that we would add." ~ Randy Morris "Finding this partner to put on our platform and help us launch Summit 2.0, we found that in SEI." ~ Randy Morris "What we're about is building a better business, and what better way to do that than to bring in partners who have already been doing this in their location? But we want them to be willing to come in and share best practices and share what's working for you and build a better practice." ~ Randy Morris Links  Randy Morris on LinkedIn Summit Wealth Group Good to Great SEI Commonwealth Financial Network Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Kellan Brown, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Development Officer at 100 Women in Finance. With an impressive resume that includes leadership roles at Income Lab, PrimeCo, and Finance of America’s Retirement Strategies Division, Kellan has also earned accolades like the Disruptor Award and Ascension Award from WealthManagement.com and was named one of InvestmentNews’ Women to Watch. In their conversation, Kellan shares the remarkable story of her career journey—from her early days in sports marketing and commercial construction to discovering her passion for championing women in finance. She offers insight into how 100 Women in Finance supports women at every stage of their careers and why mentorship is essential to changing the face of finance, fintech, and investment leadership. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:53) - The mission and impact of 100 Women in Finance (04:32) - Kellan's career journey (07:34) - How the organization’s mentorship program is making a difference (10:39) - Kellan's keynote at SEI (13:28) - Programs and initiatives empowering women in finance (19:25) - Advancing women in the finance industry (23:30) - The transformative power of mentorship for women (24:55) - Kellan's interests outside of work Quotes "I was awarded the Disruptor Award for a very clear reason. I believe in all of the work that we're doing, and we are not breaking any laws. Our partners are so committed to us, and we are not alienating anyone." ~ Kellan Brown  "Women elevate every single level of any organization when there's equality." ~ Kellan Brown "In a male-dominated industry, we have to find someone that's going to break that barrier down, give us access, and have allyship." ~ Kellan Brown Links  Kellan Brown on LinkedIn 100 Women in Finance Finance of America Income Lab Michael Lane Allie Carey SEI Sneha Shah Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Allie Carey, Chief Strategy Officer, SEI Private Banking and Wealth Management. Allie focuses on strategic planning, global wealth management industry assessment, global go-to-market strategies, channel partnerships, and M&A opportunities. Jack and Allie talk about the role of bank trusts and private banks in wealth management. Allie shares how banks can harness their vast client base to drive organic growth, the opportunities in private banking, and how technology and data transform how banks serve their clients.  In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:51) - Allie's role at SEI (03:10) - The need for evolving skill sets in the industry (04:19) - How SEI serves clients (08:03) - Opportunities for wealth management in the bank channel (13:00) - SEI's growth strategies (16:45) - Allie's thoughts on UMH (18:14) - The future of private banks (24:25) - Allie's key takeaways (25:08) - Allie's interests outside of work Quotes "Banks have a massive client base across their different business lines. A wealth management business inside a bank can work with its commercial colleagues. They can work with their retail colleagues and their lending colleagues." ~ Allie Carey "We're getting to the point where we could have some real advice across the lifecycle of someone delivered via technology, where humans are curating that, not creating it." ~ Allie Carey  "Banks are well-positioned to win in wealth management. They have that near-end client base. They have the breadth of services to really serve the whole client." ~ Allie Carey Links  Allie Carey on LinkedIn SEI Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Justin Singer, a Partner at EY, shares his insights on the transformative concept of Wealth as a Service (WaaS) in financial services. He discusses how WaaS offers integrated, scalable solutions that enhance efficiency and client outcomes. Justin highlights the challenges wealth management firms face in adapting to this shift, including the need for technology integration and competition. He also touches on the expected consolidation trends among broker-dealers and RIAs, shedding light on the exciting opportunities and industry implications of this evolving landscape.

Alternative investments are surging in popularity, but how do distributors, asset managers, and advisors adapt? While the appetite for alternatives continues to rise, education remains one of the biggest hurdles to widespread adoption. Managing alternatives requires more than just a basic understanding. It demands deep, specialized expertise. Despite significant investments in training and educational initiatives, the need for deeper expertise remains critical. In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Neil Bathon, Managing Partner at FUSE Research Network, about the latest trends in alternative investments. Neil shares insights from FUSE's recent study on alternative distribution, diving into key findings on education gaps, sales strategies, and the importance of partnerships in alts adoption. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:47) - About FUSE Research Network (04:54) - FUSE's alts distribution research findings (06:09) - The importance of education in alts adoption (07:38) - Neil's advice for firms entering the alts market (09:04) - Why partnerships are critical (11:33) - How alts can be incorporated into asset allocation (12:58) - Managing client expectations (16:48) - Neil's recommendations for investing in alts (19:18) - How alternative assets benefit distributors, advisors, and asset managers (20:00) - Neil's key takeaways (21:13) - Neil's interests outside of work Quotes "Distributors are making clear that despite many educational initiatives for years, some of these traditional firms have big institutes or universities specifically to help bring advisors along, but there's still an enormous need for additional education." ~ Neil Bathon "Some of these alternatives can get very complicated. You need to make a significant investment in educating your sales team and your marketing team. You really have to back them up with specialists who can go this third, fourth, or fifth level deep." ~ Neil Bathon "Partnership of some form is the way to go for most firms if they're not already firmly in the alternative business." ~ Neil Bathon Links  Neil Bathon on LinkedIn FUSE Research Network Apollo Global Management KKR Ares Management Blackstone Franklin Templeton Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Arnulf Hsu, CEO of GReminders and a seasoned entrepreneur with two decades in B2B software, shares his insights on AI-driven meeting management. He explains how GReminders enhances efficiency for financial advisors by integrating with CRM systems. Arnulf emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and provides a peek into the future of AI in client interactions. He also reflects on his journey, contrasting current strategies with his past ventures, and explores how technology can revolutionize the wealth management landscape.

In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Mike Capelle, Co-founder & Co-CEO of Modern Wealth Management. From his decades-long career in wealth management, Mike has experience building advisor-client platforms that drive continuous growth. He was part of the team that co-founded, scaled, and sold United Capital, a $25 billion RIA with 90 locations, to Goldman Sachs for $750 million.Jack and Mike discuss how Modern Wealth Management provides a full-service wealth management platform, including tax planning, estate planning, and insurance. They address the challenges and opportunities of integrating legacy systems and the importance of creating a replicable model for national expansion.In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:06) - How Modern Wealth Management reshaped financial planning (06:02) - How to serve clients (10:10) - The challenges and opportunities in acquisitions (16:17) - The future of the wealth management industry (18:56) - Mike's key takeaways (22:00) - Mike's interests outside of work Quotes"We saw the need in the market and the opportunity because we felt there was a shift from going to investment to planning, where there was much more alignment between the advisors and the client." ~ Mike Capelle"It's a great opportunity to really impact people's lives. They don't have all the resources to do everything they want. You have to help them understand what they want their future to look like, what things are important, and what trade-offs make sense to them." ~ Mike Capelle"We certainly recognize the opportunity with the industry, and not only do you have an underserved market of people across the country who are developing wealth, but needing help in how they manage it and how they use it as the engine to get to the outcome they want to." ~ Mike CapelleLinks  Mike Capelle on LinkedIn Joe Duran United Capital Modern Wealth Management Salesforce eMoney Advisor Doug Fritz Randy Lambert Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Randy Lambert, EVP and Head of RIA Solutions at Intention.ly. Randy shares how his experience scaling Orion informs his work helping FinTech and RIA firms streamline operations, align marketing, and enhance client engagement. He highlights the importance of eliminating silos, implementing intelligent automation, and transforming operations from a cost center to a strategic growth engine.In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:39) - Randy’s journey at Orion  (07:10) - The transition to Intention.ly (11:54) - Integrating marketing, sales, and operations (14:41) - Growing and scaling RIAs (18:43) - Bridging the gap between the marketing and operations (19:57) - Building a customer success model (22:40) - Randy's final thoughts (24:02) - Randy's interests outside of work Quotes"One of the weakest links in the technology chain is the advisor using the technology." ~ Randy Lambert"The better that an advisory team is able to systematize its operations, the better chance they have of being successful in scaling up." ~ Randy Lambert"When a firm's data is clean, structured, and fully integrated, technology stops being a barrier. It starts to become an enabler." ~ Randy LambertLinks  Randy Lambert on LinkedIn Intention.ly Orion Advisor Solutions Eric Clarke Kelly Waltrich Tina Powell Joe Steuter Doug Fritz Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Ryan VanGorder, CEO at Opto Investments, about revolutionizing private markets for wealth managers. Ryan highlights how Opto’s technology simplifies complex private market strategies, helping advisors deliver tailored, scalable solutions to their clients. They discuss the shift from institutional to retail access in private investments and the importance of guided intelligence, customization, and automation. Ryan also shares his passion for adventure racing, drawing parallels between endurance sports and business, emphasizing discipline, adaptability, and teamwork as core values shaping Opto’s culture and approach to client success.In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:18) - Exploring Opto’s mission and purpose (02:09) - Ryan's career journey and the founding of Opto Investments (06:33) - Building a business in the retail marketplace (11:14) - Transitioning from institutional to retail private markets (13:32) - Opto's approach to full portfolio analysis (17:35) - Future trends and innovations shaping private markets (18:48) - Ryan's key takeaways (20:13) - Ryan's passion for adventure racing and interests outside of work Quotes"At Opto, we're engineering the future of private markets with a focus on client outcomes and driving capital to the best ideas." ~ Ryan VanGorder"Opto is built and backed by operators who understand the potential in the private markets, not by AUM-focused mega funds or product pushers." ~ Ryan VanGorder"The winners in our space, particularly our market, will heavily invest in technology-based solutions and solving for transparency, scale efficiency, and flexibility. And you're going to do all that while delivering on your client's demands." ~ Ryan VanGorderLinks  Ryan VanGorder on LinkedIn Opto Investments BlackRock Joe Lonsdale Addepar Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry is joined by Ryan Eisenman, Co-Founder and CEO of Arch—a platform built to streamline and standardize private investment operations. With a strong background in private markets, Ryan shares how Arch is leveraging technology to make alternative investing more secure, efficient, and accessible. Ryan breaks down the key trends fueling mainstream adoption and explains how Arch is helping family offices, RIAs, and institutional investors overcome the operational hurdles that come with managing alts. He also shares his perspective on where the market is headed—and how platforms like Arch are unlocking access to a broader range of investorsIn this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:13) – What Arch does and who it serves (03:29) – Ryan’s journey: from Wall Street to startup founder (05:29) – Why alternative investments are booming (11:10) – The story behind Arch’s growth (12:26) – What’s fueling Arch’s momentum (17:42) – Building with feedback: how Arch develops its product (19:22) – What’s next for Arch and the alts market (23:20) - Ryan's interests outside of work Quotes"We want to unlock the ability to make, manage, and track alternative investments without the pain people are used to when they do make those investments." ~ Ryan Eisenman"To work at Arch, you have to love clients and love learning. We want to be doing this for decades, and the way you do this for decades is you invest in customers because customers can be the best advocates for you." ~ Ryan Eisenman"We're continuing to build the operations management automation tools that help people scale their alts businesses. And we're doing it increasingly in partnership with larger firms to support their offerings." ~ Ryan EisenmanLinks  Ryan Eisenman on LinkedIn Arch Fidelity Investments Goldman Sachs Morgan Stanley Charles Schwab Carta Stripes SpaceX Blackstone KKR Sequoia Capital SEI iCapital Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook