Behind The Advisor

We’re thrilled to have Lucy Robeson, the Managing Director of AdvicePay, a compliant payment processor for financial advisors, on the show today. Like many others on the show before her, Lucy took a meandering path to where she is today. She started her career as a retirement actuary, spent some time as a non-profit coordinator in Fiji, then moved into the RIA space and pursued her CFP® designation.  Now several years later, Lucy lives in Bozeman, MT, where she leads a 14-member team. Lucy discusses how she was able to successfully make those career pivots (hint: it involved a lot of hustle and leaning in) and how those pivots have brought her to where she is today—a place and position she really loves. She shares when she questioned her “why” and how she continued to imagine and work towards a better, more fitting position for herself. Lucy’s tips aren’t just limited to those in the financial services industry; they’re universal. Listen in as she shares how to carve out a place for yourself, how to hone your mental resilience, and how to manage a high-performing team. As someone who was always used to executing, Lucy also offers sage advice about how to transition from a doer to a manager of doers.  If you’re struggling to find a position that’s the right fit for you, then you won’t want to miss this episode. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/279      

We’re excited to have XYPN member Morgen Rochard, owner of Origin Wealth Advisors, a fee-only firm out of Austin, TX, on the show today. Morgen joined us on episode 178 to share her journey transitioning from a trader to a firm owner. Today, Morgen joins the show to share what she’s been up to over the past few years, specifically how she continues to run a high revenue business with just 25 clients, working 8-10 hours a week. Morgen discusses what it was like to delegate some of the major responsibilities to one of her teammates, why she limits the number of clients she takes, and how she has incorporated life planning into her firm for a more authentic relationship. Most importantly, she gives great advice to any working parent out there who dreams of one day starting a firm. If you’re interested in what it’s like being a parent and business owner, then this show is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/278       

We’re excited to have Emily Purdon, Director of XY Tax Solutions (XYTS), and Sara Williams, Operations Specialist at XYTS, on the show today. We dive into what it’s like to roll outsourced tax prep under an RIA - specifically how to leverage experts to deliver great client experience, and how outsourcing can help you stay sane as you continue to scale your firm.  Today, Emily and Sara talk to listeners about compliance concerns related to offering outsourced tax prep, the pricing considerations when offering the service, and advice on how to generally ensure that you’re outsourcing at the right time. Be sure to explore the three new options for engaging with XYTS, because this year, XYTS is preparing to complete over 2000 tax returns, and they already have 700 secured.   If you’re interested in what it’s like to outsource tax preparation in your RIA, then this show is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/277         

We’re excited to have XYPN member Cady North, owner of North Financial Advisors, a fee-only firm in San Diego, California, on the show today. Cady joined us on #XYPNRadio nearly four years ago, during Episode 79, to share her journey transitioning from the corporate world into that of an entrepreneur.  Today, she talks about what she has been up to since then: establishing a great work-life balance, moving across the country, and most impressively and recently, writing a book. Writing a book was always one of Cady’s goals, but one she never made any progress towards achieving. With some soul searching and an author’s program at her alma mater, Cady was able to write the book of her dreams in just 8 months. Cady talks today about why she chose the topic she did (surprise, it’s not about financial planning!), the actual process she went through to write and publish it, and most importantly she shares some of her tips that she uses with her financial planning clients who want to achieve goals but haven’t yet been able to move towards them. If you’re interested in what it’s like to actually go after your dream, whether it’s launching a firm or writing a book, or both, this show is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/276 

We’re excited to have student loan expert, Heather Jarvis, and college funding expert, Joe Messinger, on the show today. This year for #XYPNLIVE(ish), XYPN’s annual national conference turned virtual, Heather and Joe are offering a combined Post-Con for advisors interested in learning about the dynamic landscape of college planning and student loans. Today, Joe and Heather highlight the issue of students and parents making unprepared and uneducated decisions around these nuanced and evolving topics of college planning and student loans due to a lack of clear and concise information. Joe and Heather challenge advisors to raise the bar of advice in this space by equipping themselves with the tools and resources that their clients deserve. Most importantly, Heather and Joe remind us that clients need advisors who can listen, sympathize, and shine light on the potential long term impact of decisions around paying for college. If you want to be prepared to discuss college and student loan planning with your clients, then this show is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/275 

We’re honored to have George Kinder, who many know as the founder of life planning, and Lora Woodward, Communications Director at the Kinder Institute, on the show today to discuss the Seven Stages of Money Maturity Post-Conference they have planned for XYPN LIVE. On today’s episode, we hear from George and Lora about what advisors can expect during the two-day training and what they can expect out of incorporating life planning into their firm. Lora and George discuss how life planning has the power to transform the standard client/advisor relationship and turn a financial planning engagement into a long-term, meaningful relationship. George and Lora remind us that listening and mindfulness are fundamentals of the client/advisor relationship.  You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/274 

We’re excited to have Candice Carlton, a digital marketing expert, on the show today to talk about her upcoming #XYPNLIVE(ish) Post-Con, a workshop titled: A Blueprint for Kickass Video. Candice is a pioneer of video in this industry and has begun to share her passion for it with other advisors. Today, you’ll hear Candice talk about how advisors use video as a way to effectively communicate with their prospective clients, as well as their ongoing clients. She discusses how pivoting to video communication can help advisors establish deep credibility, save time, and expand their reach. Candice talks a lot about how video is all about authenticity, not the gear. If you’re interested in how to incorporate video into your practice and learn it in a workshop fashion at a steeply discounted price, then you’ll want to attend her Post-Con, and tune into today’s episode. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/273

We’re excited to have XYPN member Wendy Marsden, owner of ProsperiTea Planning, out of Greenfield MA, on the show today.  Wendy is currently in what XYPN calls the “scaling phase,” she has hit capacity to serve her clients on her own and is facing a whole slew of different challenges ranging from hiring to processes.  Today, Wendy talks to us about how she’s built two businesses, a robust tax planning firm and an RIA. She talks about the history of both businesses and how unlike other planners, she uses tax planning as a ramp down from her comprehensive planning. Wendy shares with us some of the mistakes she made and what she has mastered in her practice since starting out. If you’re interested in what it’s like to hit the scaling phase, this show is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/272

We’re excited to welcome our one-thousandth XYPN member, Luis Rosa, owner of Build a Better Financial Future, a fee-only firm in Las Vegas, Nevada on the show today. Due to the state of Nevada’s registration process, it took Luis 7 ½ months to launch his own firm and transition two dozen clients.  Listen as Luis talks about what it’s been like to make that transition while dealing with a global pandemic. Luis speaks to the underrepresentation that the financial planning industry has and he hypothesizes that as advisors continue to break out on their own and develop specific niches, this industry will continue to grow and reach more and more diverse populations. Although Luis feels he is only making a small impact, he has developed a podcast and service model to help make his firm more accessible to people without assets that need financial help. Luis also talks about what it’s like to be an entrepreneur running a firm as a solo-advisor, and how already, he feels the pressure to hire despite only being 6 months in. If you’re interested in what it’s like to start your firm and transition clients during a global pandemic, this episode is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/271

We’re honored to welcome Scott Gill, XYPN Senior Compliance Consultant, and Abby Morton, an XYPN member and partner of Goldman Financial Planning, a fee-only firm out of Maine, on the show today. Through XYPN’s Compliance Coaching Program, Scott and Abby have been able to work together to help Abby scale her compliance program as she continues to grow as a firm owner. Join us as we talk about Abby’s specific compliance needs as she’s grown over the years, but most specifically, her looming SEC registration. We discuss how Scott and Abby have been able to implement a culture of compliance within her firm that has her focusing on compliance for only certain days and times each month. Along with helping Abby gain confidence and experience with her processes, Scott has helped her not fear an audit. If you're interested in how you can scale a compliance program within your growing firm, this episode is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/270