Today, we’re diving into an easy, powerful, but often overlooked way to elevate your client relationships and set the tone for a successful new year—the New Year’s letter.Really, Libby? A letter is going to make a difference? ABSOLUTELY, but the catch is you have to include the right things. It’s easy for clients to lose sight of all the work you do behind the scenes, but a well-crafted New Year’s letter can change that. In this episode, I’ll guide you through exactly what to include in a letter that not only recaps the services and support you provided over the past year, but also shows clients the value you bring to their lives.Plus, we’ll cover how to preview upcoming changes and improvements in a way that builds excitement and trust. We want your clients to ooze with appreciation over 2025 and excitement for working with you in 2025!In this episode we’ll cover: How to use an Impact Score to rate your Client Service Model. How to use this letter to reinforce the Behind-the-Scenes work that you do, reminding them of the value you bringSet expectations and build excitement for 2025 and the changes that come along with a new year in your businessAnd, SO MUCH MORE!Ready to take your client communications to the next level? I’ll share tips and resources to help you craft a New Year’s letter that’s personalized, impactful, and memorable. Scale 2 The Top with Dr. Lyman Montgomery Welcome to Scale 2 the Top," the essential podcast for business leaders and HR...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifyJoin the Group Coaching & Mastermind HERE! Download the Family Tree Template HereEnroll in The Perfect RIA Masterclass HereConnect with Libby on LinkedIn Here!Successful businesses don’t get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.Check out more FREE resources and our FREE video library at http://www.theefficientadvisor.comLooking for all the resources from this episode? Check out this episode’s webpage for show notes, transcripts, downloads and more!

Dive into the world of tax strategy with insights on how deeper client conversations reveal unique savings opportunities. Hear how a simple hobby can turn into a business, potentially unlocking substantial tax benefits. Discover the fascinating distinctions between tax strategy and basic preparation, along with mind-blowing examples that challenge conventional thinking. Plus, learn how innovative deductions for influencers and the complexities of global talent can shape effective financial plans. Get ready for an entertaining take on maximizing tax savings!

We’ve all had that day that you were SO BUSY, but at the end of the day looked back and realized that you didn’t actually do or complete any of the major things you needed to do. YET, you felt slammed all day! So here’s the questions we’re going to seek answers to today… How do you ACTUALLY get things done in your time blocks without getting distracted? What do you do if your energy is off and you just don’t feel like doing that thing you had scheduled? How do you manage your time when random tasks and crap just pop up in your business that you have to deal with? How do you not get sucked into the vortex that is random to dos, being all over the place, and juggling all the balls? I mention it all the time–that to scale your business you have got to scale yourself first…. These are the questions I hear from advisors in our coaching and these are certain questions I had for myself that I had to test, try, tweak, and seek out answers to for myself in my own business. In today’s episode, I am going to share EIGHT tips & tricks I uncovered over my nearly 2 decades in the business that worked for me when it came to actually getting done what I was supposed to… when I was supposed to do it. This includes a rapid-fire power hour, iron butt time, and the Pomodoro method. Intrigued? Let's go… ---------------Links from Today’s Episode:Grab the guided Brain Dump PDF here!Join the Group Coaching & Mastermind HERE! Download the Family Tree Template HereEnroll in The Perfect RIA Masterclass HereConnect with Libby on LinkedIn Here!Successful businesses don’t get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.Check out more FREE resources and our FREE video library at http://www.theefficientadvisor.comLooking for all the resources from this episode? Check out this episode’s webpage for show notes, transcripts, downloads and more!

Most advisors treat college planning as a straightforward math problem: calculate tuition, project savings, and move on. However, the reality is that *real* college funding planning is much more complex, and those advisors who recognize this complexity stand out in their field.In this episode we’ll share insights on: What To Do Beyond Basic Calculations: College planning involves strategies that extend far beyond simple tuition calculations.College Planning Fintech: What tools should advisors be using AND staying way fromExpertise: How does an advisor build expertise in this unique categoryTactical Ideas: Ross shares several tactical ideas and strategies that you can start sharing with clients todayValue Addition: Advisors can significantly enhance their value by engaging in more complex college planning. Join us as we welcome Ross Riskin, whom I am calling a college planning genius. Ross will guide us through advanced strategies to elevate your college planning game from ordinary to extraordinary.Links from this episode:AICCFC Main WebsiteLearn More About the CCFC Designation Program Learn More About the AICCFC | XYPN LIVE Pre-Con EventConnect with Ross Riskin Join the Group Coaching & Mastermind HERE! Download the Family Tree Template HereEnroll in The Perfect RIA Masterclass HereConnect with Libby on LinkedIn Here!Successful businesses don’t get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.Check out more FREE resources and our FREE video library at http://www.theefficientadvisor.comLooking for all the resources from this episode? Check out this episode’s webpage for show notes, transcripts, downloads and more!

The number one question I got from advisors for YEARS and still get today, is "Libby, HOW DID YOU GET IT ALL DONE IN 25-HRS a week? I’m over here drowning and i’m putting in double that!"I feel that on so many levels because that was me early on.  In today’s episode I’m going to drill down 16+ years of compressing a billion hours a week into just 25 and what I learned about designing the perfect schedule. This perfect schedule, or what I call a Model Week, is a schedule that you’ve designed, with intention, that suits your personality, for your business goals, with your energy levels, and your work/life balance objectives in mind. In this podcast Libby will cover:How to build and reiterate the perfect schedule for YOU!How to use your business goals and personal goals to drive your scheduleTips and tricks on how to build it around your energy levels and personality traitsUncovering what’s broken in your schedule and how to adjust it and play with it until it works just rightAnd, of course, I give you my template so that you can build your own model week! My goal is to help you not have to recreate the wheel… so use mine!Join the Group Coaching & Mastermind HERE! Download the Family Tree Template HereEnroll in The Perfect RIA Masterclass HereConnect with Libby on LinkedIn Here!Successful businesses don’t get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.Check out more FREE resources and our FREE video library at http://www.theefficientadvisor.comLooking for all the resources from this episode? Check out this episode’s webpage for show notes, transcripts, downloads and more!

Each week I recap the implementable ideas from this week's full-length podcast.  Consider me the accountability partner you didn't ask for, but always needed!Here are the Action Items to Tuesday's podcast: Complete a Time Study to Boost Productivity Now---------LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:Grab your time study template here! Episode with Michael Kitces on Time Tracking and Model WeekEpisode on 8 Productivity Hacks to Work More EfficientlyJoin the Group Coaching & Mastermind HERE! Download the Family Tree Template HereEnroll in The Perfect RIA Masterclass HereConnect with Libby on LinkedIn Here!Successful businesses don’t get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.Check out more FREE resources and our FREE video library at http://www.theefficientadvisor.comLooking for all the resources from this episode? Check out this episode’s webpage for show notes, transcripts, downloads and more!

On the podcast this week, we dive into the powerful tool of time studies and how they can help advisors optimize their most valuable resource: time.Ever feel like you’ve been busy all day but have little to show for it? Yep. Me too.Conducting a time study can help you identify where your time is going, eliminate inefficiencies, and create more balance. Join us as we explore the benefits of a time study and learn actionable steps you can take to streamline your workday and increase your productivity.But, there is a right way and a wrong way to do a time study.In This Episode, We Cover:How a time study helps identify time-wasting tasks and increase efficiency in your business.The best way to actually track your time. How to actually analyze time study results and do something about it.Practical tips on delegating tasks, setting boundaries, and maximizing your energy levels throughout the day.Tools, resources, and strategies to help you conduct a time study and optimize your schedule.Tune in to learn how to take back control of your time and make the most of every day!---------LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:Grab your time study template here!  Episode with Michael Kitces on Time Tracking and Model WeekEpisode on 8 Productivity Hacks to Work More EfficientlyJoin the Group Coaching & Mastermind HERE! Download the Family Tree Template HereEnroll in The Perfect RIA Masterclass HereConnect with Libby on LinkedIn Here!Successful businesses don’t get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.Check out more FREE resources and our FREE video library at http://www.theefficientadvisor.comLooking for all the resources from this episode? Check out this episode’s webpage for show notes, transcripts, downloads and more!

Join Paul McManus, a seasoned expert on overcoming writing challenges, as he reveals how to write a book in just six weeks! He tackles common fears, discusses how authorship transforms financial advisory marketing, and explores the role of writing for keynote speakers. Paul also emphasizes the importance of accountability and leveraging AI tools in the writing process. With practical strategies, he motivates aspiring authors to push past procrastination and share their stories with the world.

Each week I recap the implementable ideas from this week's full-length podcast.  Consider me the accountability partner you didn't ask for, but always needed!Here are the Action Items to Tuesday's podcast: Growing a National Niche Empire - Advisor Success Story with Guest Nick DaughertyLINK FROM THIS SHOWFind out more about Financial Cop HereConnect with Nick Here Join the Group Coaching & Mastermind HERE! Download the Family Tree Template HereEnroll in The Perfect RIA Masterclass HereConnect with Libby on LinkedIn Here!Successful businesses don’t get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.Check out more FREE resources and our FREE video library at http://www.theefficientadvisor.comLooking for all the resources from this episode? Check out this episode’s webpage for show notes, transcripts, downloads and more!

Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? Everyone loves to see good things happen to good people. Today’s episode is exactly that— but with a healthy dose of takeaways and practical ideas for you as you grow your financial planning business.In this episode, I interview an advisor who started off selling senior trips, became a police officer, and then built a financial planning empire by working with what he knows. Today’s episode is the ultimate power move in niche marketing and explores what it takes to grow, scale, and build a national brand.What I love about Nick is that he is so self-aware. Nick shares the hard parts about scaling and some of the struggles that come along with moving from advisor to CEO. He discusses how he’s brought in various coaches and mentors to help him avoid mistakes, build up his weaknesses, and strengthen his strengths.So, if you want to be inspired, convinced to narrow your market, and straight-up impressed, this is the episode for you!In this discussion, we dig into:- Transitioning from advisor to CEO- How to build a trustworthy team- Proactive hiring- The benefits of niching down- Building a national brand---LINK FROM THIS SHOWFind out more about Financial Cop Here Connect with Nick Here Join the Group Coaching & Mastermind HERE! Download the Family Tree Template HereEnroll in The Perfect RIA Masterclass HereConnect with Libby on LinkedIn Here!Successful businesses don’t get built alone. You need community! You need collaboration! Join us in The Efficient Advisor Community on Facebook.Check out more FREE resources and our FREE video library at http://www.theefficientadvisor.comLooking for all the resources from this episode? Check out this episode’s webpage for show notes, transcripts, downloads and more!