AFO|Wealth Management Forward

John Garrett, a people-centric leadership speaker, discusses the importance of personal interests in the workplace. He shares his journey from CPA to comedian and emphasizes the impact of genuine human interaction. The challenges of retirement and nurturing personal interests are also explored. Strategies for fostering human connections in remote work environments are provided. The significance of interpersonal skills in career success and the benefits of embracing personal passions in the workplace are highlighted.

Philipp Hecker, CEO of Bento Engine, provides age-appropriate guidance for children to learn about money. They discuss the importance of assisting clients through life events, predictable and unexpected ones. A study reveals that while most American workers want to wait to file for Social Security benefits, only a small percentage do. Learn about scaling moments that matter and the growing category of Advice Engagement in the Fintech ecosystem in this episode.

In this episode, Rory is joined again by guest co-host Julie Johnson to discuss the world of impact investing with special guest Toussaint Bailey, the CEO of Uplifting Capital. They dive into the role of values-based investing in both public and private markets, highlighting the growing demand for aligning investments with personal values. Toussaint shares his journey and the inspiration behind starting Uplifting Capital, emphasizing the importance of purpose and fulfillment in investment decisions. Discover why there is an increased focus and shift for families, foundations, and institutions to incorporate mission-aligned investing into their portfolios. Find out the process behind identifying impact companies and why Toussaint uses a 3 bucket breakdown of People, Planet, and Economy. Are you looking to find out more about how to make an impact as an investor? Are you looking for a greater Return on Fulfillment? Don’t miss this Impact Investing episode with Toussaint Baily of Uplifting Capital!

In this episode, Rory interviews Chase Birky, the CEO and co-founder of Dark Horse CPAs, to discuss the changing nature of the accounting profession. Discover how Chase is challenging the traditional accounting firm model and why he is on a mission to revolutionize public accounting. Chase shares insights into their unique approach as the "anti CPA firm" and how he motivates employees through a distinctive culture and ownership incentives. Listen as Chase explores the advantages and disadvantages of structuring Dark Horse as a corporation and a CPA firm. Find out the benefits of integrating accounting and wealth management to become the Global CFO in your clients' business and personal lives. Listen as they discuss the role of private equity in the accounting profession and various alternative practice structures that firms are creating. Are you curious about ways in which we can solve the CPA pipeline problem? Want to learn how to create better employment experiences to attract and retain top talent? Find the answers to these questions and more in this Dark Horse CPA episode with Chase Birky.

Danny Lohrfink, co-founder of wealth.com, discusses the innovative technology behind modernizing estate planning. The conversation includes topics such as holistic financial planning, the benefits of using a trust, and how wealth.com's machine learning technology streamlines the updating of estate planning documents. They also touch on the importance of financial advisors in overseeing various aspects of wealth management, including tax planning and estate planning.

In our latest episode, Rory interviews keynote speaker and customer experience thought leader Dennis Mosley-Williams, the founder of Dennis Moseley-Williams Strategic Consulting, and co-founder of the Serious Shift Community. Discover insights from their discussion on the McKinsey study regarding the future of advice, and learn how advisors can evolve beyond traditional financial planning to become advocates for their clients by considering their overall well-being. This episode explores the shift from providing services focused on saving time and money, to creating experiences centered around meaningful time well spent. It emphasizes the importance of changing one's mindset from “What I want my client to do” to “How do I want my client to feel.” Are you curious about the three questions that can help create a memorable experience? Or what the “Hatchback Effect” is? Uncover the answers to these questions and more in this Experience Economy Episode with Dennis Moseley-Williams.

In this engaging episode, Rory is joined by Al Blakeborough, a military veteran and Olympic fencer who founded Tax Titans, an innovative platform aiming to become the Amazon marketplace for tax and accounting services. Al shares his intriguing journey, from military service to competing in Olympic fencing trials and ultimately venturing into entrepreneurship. He highlights the pressing challenges accountants face and how Tax Titans leverages AI to efficiently match taxpayers with practitioners, ultimately addressing the profession's capacity issues. Moreover, Al passionately discusses his dedication to supporting veterans through a specialized program, providing training and job opportunities for military veterans and their spouses. Can an Amazon-type marketplace solve the accounting profession's capacity problem? Find out the answer to this and more on this episode with Al Blakeborough from Tax Titans.

In this episode, Rory has a thought-provoking conversation with Andrew Lassise, the founder of Tech 4 Accountants. They provide a Bridging the Gap Conference round-up and dive into Intuit's Tax AI Assitant release. Andrew sheds light on the emergence of artificial intelligence and the impacts it could have on the accounting profession. Listen to Andrew do an AI Nasdaq rap and the different ways he is using ChatGPT as a sounding board for work. Rory and Andrew discuss how the role of accountants is continually evolving due to rapid technological advancements, resulting in enhanced efficiency and a shift towards high-value activities like strategic planning and nurturing client relationships. Andrew emphasizes the critical domain of cybersecurity and its growing significance in safeguarding sensitive financial data. If you're curious about the future of accounting and the innovative tools reshaping the profession, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss with Accounting Tech leader Andrew Lassise!

Rory talks to Michael DiJoseph, a senior strategist at Vanguard, about decision-making in investing. They discuss the limitations of using common decision-making strategies in the financial markets. They delve into the value of advisors and behavioral coaching in navigating the emotional rollercoaster of investing. The concept of advisor's alpha is introduced, highlighting the added value a financial advisor can provide. They also explore maximizing value in a portfolio through tax efficiency and behavioral coaching. The importance of advisors in helping clients during market downturns is emphasized, along with the concept of creating alternate histories for understanding investment impact.

Mark Akeroyd, Head of Product at Lumiant, discusses the art of aligning client's values with financial goals, infusing purpose into planning. He emphasizes the role of non-financial spouses and the importance of delivering memorable client experiences. They explore the power of storytelling and integrating health and wellness into a life plan.