Kitces and Carl - Real Talk for Real Financial Advisors

For our 12th episode of Kitces & Carl, Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication expert Carl Richards sit down to discuss if sending market commentary to clients actually helps solve any problems (or if it's just a relic of a product-centric industry), what sorts of clients benefit the most from proactive communication (and why), and ultimately, why sending investment market commentary to clients may be a good thing to do… even if the majority of your clients never even read it!

In our eleventh episode of "Kitces & Carl", Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication expert Carl Richards sit down to discuss the roots of various industry titles, why you might want to break the mold and call yourself something completely different (or not), and why the choice ultimately boils down to whether or not what you call yourself resonates with your target clientele.

In our tenth episode of "Kitces & Carl", Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication expert Carl Richards sit down to discuss some reasons you may need to start transitioning long-standing clients (some of whom may have given you a shot early on when no one else would, but consequently pay you far less than what it takes to service them) to make room so you can help others, some practical steps for communicating such a transition to those clients, and why arguably it's your duty to do so… in order to ensure that all of your clients are getting the level of service they deserve.

In our ninth episode of "Kitces & Carl", Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication guru Carl Richards sit down to discuss why some advisors wind up being unhappy in an otherwise "successful" practice, how some advisors have maximized their happiness by being intentional about building their business the way they want - or even "right-sizing" the advisory practice if necessary – and a few actionable ideas for advisors to do the same.

In our eighth episode of "Kitces & Carl", Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication guru Carl Richards sit down to discuss how financial advisors are spending their time, strategies that can help advisors focus more on what they're best at… and what might be accomplished by increasing your business (and personal) efficiency in the first place.

In our seventh episode of "Kitces & Carl", Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication guru Carl Richards sit down to debunk some long-standing myths around what it really means to be a "credible" financial advisor, why authentically owning up to your personal financial mistakes actually helps build trust and credibility (and might even end up helping you gain new clients), and why being relatable as a human being (who makes mistakes from time to time) may be one of the more important traits you can bring to the table as a financial advisor.

In our sixth episode of "Kitces & Carl", Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication guru Carl Richards sit down to discuss proactive steps advisors can take to prepare themselves to deal with and manage the stresses inherent in being a financial planning professional, some common but less-well-known sources of advisor stress, and how a subtle shift in mindset can help advisors make self-care a priority.

In our fifth episode of "Kitces & Carl", Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication guru Carl Richards sit down to discuss the question of whether advisors should even bother trying to communicate the value they provide when helping clients manage their "behavior gap", why attempting to convince prospects that you can help them manage their behaviors is perhaps an uphill battle, and how maybe the best way to overcome the behavior gap (and the perceived value of getting help with the behavior gap) is by shifting a client's perspective altogether.

In our fourth episode of "Kitces & Carl", Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication guru Carl Richards sit down to discuss the question of the extent to which financial advisors should or "have to" participate in social media (or not), why it might be a worthwhile endeavor if done correctly, some ideas that advisors can use immediately to get more out of their social media efforts, and why, ultimately, using social media successfully is ultimately about a series of "micro interactions" to better connect with other individuals.

In our third episode of "Kitces & Carl", Michael Kitces and financial advisor communication guru Carl Richards sit down to discuss the question of how important it is to be "likeable" as a financial advisor, why being your "authentic self" when it comes to communicating and interacting with clients might matter more, and why it's important for newer advisors to avoid sending mixed signals to clients when trying to differentiate themselves.