The Customer Wins

Chuck Failla is the Founder and CEO of Sovereign Financial Group, an independent and family-owned RIA firm that delivers integrated and unbiased advice for their clients. He is a financial planner with over 25 years of experience. Chuck is also the Director of Sovereign Advisors Solutions and serves on the Board of Directors for the Financial Planning Association of Connecticut. He is the Host of the goRIA Podcast with Investment News.  In this episode… Building wealth, safeguarding your family, and securing your assets is critical for your financial future. Yet with so many unknowns, it can be challenging to know where to start. Hiring an RIA firm might be the solution.  With your financial future, you deserve more than someone picking out investments for you. Chuck Failla recommends working with an RIA firm, experts who can offer unbiased advice for your financial needs and create integrated plans tailored to your unique goals. He shares his journey building an RIA firm to work with people, coordinate their investments, help with taxes and liabilities, and even plan for their estate or legacy.  In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Chuck Failla, Founder and CEO of Sovereign Financial Group, to discuss tips for wealth management. Chuck shares his journey of growing a financial planning and investment management firm, Sovereign’s business model, and why people should go RIA.

Gabe Rissman is the Co-founder and President of YourStake, a firm that provides technology solutions that power personalization for advisors. He holds a BS in computational astrophysics from Yale, where he also led Yale's fossil fuel divestment movement and managed the Socially Responsible Investing Fund. Under his leadership. Gabe is a board member of the Intentional Endowments Network and a member of the Adasina Social Justice Index Committee. He was named 30 under 30 in Socially Responsible Investing and is a WealthManagement.com 2022 Ten to Watch. In this episode… As a financial advisor, growing your practice can be a challenging endeavor. With ever-changing market conditions, shifting client needs, and the pressure to stay on top of regulatory requirements, it can be hard to focus on growing your business. However, leveraging AI can be a game-changer.  With the right tools and technology, you can streamline your client prospecting, reporting, and portfolio analytics, freeing up more time to focus on providing personalized service to clients. However, finding the right tools can be a hassle. Gabe Rissman recommends working with a firm that offers a suite of tools designed for advisors. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Gabe Rissman, Co-founder and President of YourStake, to discuss how advisors can thrive through AI. Gabe shares the benefits of using YourStake AI-powered software as an advisor, creating an environmental and social governance impact, and how YourStake improves customer experience and satisfaction.

Alane Boyd is the Co-founder and President of BGBO Co., an operations and growth strategy agency utilizing AI and automation to improve efficiency for their clients. She is also the CEO of Arvo, an AI-powered sales tool. As a serial entrepreneur, Alane has been featured in Entrepreneur, HuffPost, South by Southwest, PBS, Today in Nashville, and many more. In this episode… In today's fast-paced and competitive business landscape, simplifying workflows and reducing employee burnout are fundamental for business success. Using AI to automate your business processes can help solve these issues for your organization. According to Alane Boyd, work automation has been around for quite some time now, yet many organizations still hesitate to embrace it. People fear losing their jobs, and entrepreneurs face the perceived complexity of implementing automation. She says automation can help individuals focus on more creative and meaningful goals while reducing the burden of repetitive and mundane tasks. That's why she recommends hiring an agency that utilizes AI and automation, allowing you to focus on growing your business and achieving your goals.  In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Alane Boyd, Co-founder and President of BGBO Co., to discuss how businesses can thrive through work automation. Alane talks about the perceived obstacles, the importance of automating your business processes, and leveraging AI in work automation. 

Ryan Shanks is the Co-founder and CEO of FA Match, the industry’s only data-driven solution for advisor recruiting. Previously, he was the Founder and CEO of Finetooth Consulting, which provided transition consulting, outsourced recruiting, and succession planning to financial advisors within the United States. With over 22 years of experience in financial services, Ryan began his career by establishing The Swivel Group, a boutique consulting firm geared toward recruiting services. In this episode… How you serve your clients as an advisor determines how successful you become. Being in the right environment is crucial for better service, as it helps you and your clients feel comfortable and can take your advisory career to the next level. However, most advisors feel they don't have the freedom to put their expertise to work, which increases their desire to transition to other firms or become independent. The transition process itself can pose a unique set of challenges. Ryan Shanks recommends hiring a firm that offers career management planning services to build more meaningful and more profitable connections.  In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Ryan Shanks, Co-founder and CEO of FA Match, to discuss how to successfully transition firms or become an independent advisor. Ryan talks about the key metrics advisors look for during firm selection, the FA Match business model, and success tips for a transitioning advisor.

Frank Cowell is the Chief Revenue Officer of Revenue Ranch, a coaching and training organization for professional service firms. With 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, he works closely with founders to help them achieve predictable revenue, more profit, and personal freedom.  Before Revenue Ranch, Frank was the CEO of Digitopia Agency. He is also the best-selling author of "Building Your Digital Utopia," where he introduced a concept that helps brands create digital experiences to accelerate growth systematically. In this episode… Growing a business as an agency owner can be challenging but achievable. Seeking support from experts in this field can help you do this effectively and efficiently.  However, it's essential to realize that growth barriers are common. Frank Cowell recommends working with a coaching and training organization to help you implement a strategy and management methodology. This will enable you to overcome unexpected obstacles and achieve consistent growth, predictable revenue, more profit, and personal freedom. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Frank Cowell, Chief Revenue Officer of Revenue Ranch, to discuss how agency owners can achieve sustainable growth. Frank explains how to delegate tasks as an entrepreneur, the seven core functions of the business, tips for achieving mental freedom as a business owner, and brand-building strategies.

Kara McKeage is the CEO of Pepper’s Personal Assistants, a brand that serves busy executive households by outsourcing their errands, chores, and projects. As founder, she firmly believes that receiving support is not a luxury but a necessity for successful people. She is the Accelerator Communications Lead Board Member at Entrepreneur’s Organization and has volunteered her time at several non-profits over the years. In this episode… Balancing work and household responsibilities can be overwhelming for a busy executive. The constant juggling can leave professionals feeling drained and overworked. Hiring a household assistant can be a much-needed solution to the problem. Kara McKeage believes that receiving support is not a luxury but a necessity for successful people. With the help of a household assistant, you can delegate some of the household tasks and responsibilities to them, leaving you with more time to focus on your work and personal life. However, it's essential to go through an agency that provides extensive training and ongoing support to their assistants to ensure they are properly equipped and reliable. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Kara McKeage, CEO of Pepper’s Personal Assistants, to discuss running an agency to provide ongoing household management for busy professionals. Kara explains how Pepper’s Personal Assistants helps people, its business model, how she builds a team highly specialized to their client’s needs, and the communication tips they use for better service.

Ben Pidgeon is the Executive Director of VisionTech Partners, an angel investing group where inventors, entrepreneurs, investors, and universities converge to develop innovative technologies. He focuses on recruiting qualified investors, screening investment opportunities, hosting pitch events, and overseeing the group’s stringent due diligence process.  Before joining VisionTech, Ben spent 15 years in the banking industry. He was also the former President and current board member of the Venture Club of Indiana. In this episode… Angel investing is a great way to support innovative ideas and help entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. As an investor, joining a network of like-minded people is essential to make a lasting impact and achieve your financial goals.  The risk of losing money, however, is a serious and rightful concern. Ben Pidgeon recommends joining an angel investing group to learn from and collaborate with experienced investors and entrepreneurs. Whether you are a seasoned investor or just starting, having a network can allow for pooling resources, sharing collective experience, and help identify promising startups. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Ben Pidgeon, Executive Director of VisionTech Partners, to discuss his journey running an angel investing group. Ben explains how VisionTech finds investors to join the group, the investment strategies, and shares advice for entrepreneurs seeking angel funding.

Mike Jalonen is the Founder and CEO of Habit Driven, a cutting-edge mobile app currently in development and set to revolutionize how people form habits and reach their goals. He is an entrepreneur with over two decades of experience building marketing and technology companies. Mike is also the Co-founder and Partner of AI Wizdom, an AI education and innovation school that helps people become proficient in AI. In this episode… At the end of the day, people are the sum of their daily practices. So revolutionizing how we approach habit-building is fundamental to achieving our goals. According to Mike Jalonen, it's essential for people to eliminate guesswork or inconsistency in their habit-tracking routine. However, there are many habit-tracking apps available that are unhelpful. He recommends finding an app with AI integration designed to help identify, track, and improve habits for a happier and more productive life. With AI-powered assistance, the app can adapt to people's unique needs and goals, providing tailored recommendations and reminders to keep them on track.  In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Mike Jalonen, Founder and CEO of Habit Driven, to discuss how people can thrive by improving their habits. Mike explains how Habit Driven helps people, how it differentiates itself with AI integration, its business model, and tips for building a successful app.

Caity Cronkhite is the CEO and Founder of Good Words, a technical communications consulting firm based in Seattle, Washington and remotely around the globe. She attended Carnegie Mellon University and moved west to work as a technical writer and eventually as an entrepreneur. She also serves as Communication Chair for Seattle’s Entrepreneurs’ Organization and is on the Leadership Council for the National Small Business Association. Caity is passionate about using her personal and professional experience to uplift others, which includes advocating for rural policy change, increased labor protections for freelance workers, and empowering employees with meaningful career opportunities. In this episode… Technical documentation plays a crucial role in any organization. It can make life far simpler for your customers, developers, and employees while also contributing to the success of your organization. With technical documentation, Caity Cronkhite recommends hiring experts who can deliver world-class API, product, and internal documentation. They ensure that your documentation is quality and is easy to understand at each stage of the process. If you haven't already, it's time to invest in world-class technical documentation and see the difference it can make for your organization. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Caity Cronkhite, CEO and Founder of Good Words, to discuss how companies can thrive through good technical documentation. Caity shares the keys to documentation, the best practices for writing for customers, and the impacts of AI on technical writing and documentation. 

Jonathan Miller is the CEO of Parsonex Enterprises, a group of companies that provide financial products, services, and solutions to investors. He is a passionate entrepreneur and executive, specializing in creating and developing businesses as well as establishing effective marketing systems. His 20+ years of experience and visionary approach helps him to recruit and train financial advisers. He was also the executive producer of Publish or Perish, an award-winning dark comedy film. In this episode… When managing your finances, it's crucial to have a trusted advisor who can provide the products, services, and solutions you need to build and protect wealth. With the help of a financial advisor, you can develop a comprehensive plan that considers your goals, risk tolerance, and financial situation. Jonathan Miller believes the overwhelming number of financial products can make it challenging to know which ones are right for you. He shares his journey of establishing a firm that provides financial advice and assistance to people, as well as helping advisors build strong client-advisor relationships. In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Jonathan Miller, CEO of Parsonex Enterprises, to discuss how to thrive in the wealth management industry. Jonathan explains how Parsonex helps people in the financial services industry, how to build a successful financial services firm through partnerships, tips for creating company culture, and advice for achieving success as an entrepreneur.