Only Fee-Only

How does a fee-only firm grow without losing its purpose? In this episode, we talk with Sean Gillespie, president of Redeployment Wealth Strategies, about the lessons behind raising fees, building the right team, and serving military families with care and consistency.Sean explains why their first-year planning fee reflects the real work of sorting through insurance, TSP choices, and transition planning, and how they keep ongoing service affordable for younger service members.One story sums it up well: a client calls mid-PCS, asking if they can buy a beach house near family. Within a minute, Sean knows the answer and the funding source. That’s the value of clear planning—fast decisions, managed risks, and confidence in the next step.We also discuss why “hire us for returns” is a losing pitch, how RWS uses a passive, factor-based approach, and what it takes to hire and train through SkillBridge. Sean shares how their firm grew by focusing on character over titles and why their biggest competitor isn’t another advisor—it’s Google.Finally, he explains how they simplified compliance by co-founding Apforia, an SEC-registered umbrella that helps independent firms keep their brand while easing regulatory headaches.If you care about fair pricing, meaningful planning, and building a business that lasts, this conversation is full of practical lessons you can use.Episode #44 with Sean:https://www.buzzsprout.com/1943910/episodes/12637266Website: https://www.redeploymentwealth.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-gillespie-1801316/

Prudence Zhu (pronounced "zoo"), CPA, CFP®, CFT™, is the founder and CEO of Enso Financial, a fee-only financial planning firm dedicated to helping couples, families, and entrepreneurs thrive through open communication and values-driven money management. Born in rural China, Prudence moved to the U.S. in 2012 alone with few belongings and achieved financial freedom nine years after through conscious spending and smart investment decisions. She transitioned from a successful corporate finance career to entrepreneurship, focusing on serving cross-cultural couples, small business owners, and foreign-born professionals. Prudence is the author of A Couple’s Guide to Money: Grow Closer, Dream Bigger, Thrive Together, which blends financial planning with communication coaching to build lasting financial success. Prudence is passionate about transparent, fiduciary advice and believes that love and money together can be a true superpower.Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FS58FXFGBook website: www.InvestWithPrudence.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prudencezhu/

Austin Preece went from selling insurance to building a thriving fee-only financial planning firm—by doing things differently. He rejected the traditional AUM model in favor of charging 0.5% of net worth, aligning his fees with client outcomes. When he realized a 100% prospect close rate meant his pricing was too low, he raised his fees and built a sustainable practice around clients who truly value his expertise.Rather than broad marketing, Austin carved out a niche with real estate professionals, using his expertise in 1031 exchanges and Delaware Statutory Trusts to help agents manage feast-or-famine income cycles. From zero clients to now overseeing $40–50 million in assets, his journey is a blueprint for building a values-driven firm—and a must-listen for anyone navigating the future of financial planning.Austin's Social:https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinpreece/Music in this episode was obtained from Bensound.

What happens when someone who used to sell financial technology decides to become a financial advisor? Clark Jeffries, founder of Jeffries Wealth Management, takes us inside his transition from FinTech sales to running his own independent practice.After five years at Hidden Levers (later acquired by Orion Advisor Tech), Clark worked closely with hundreds of advisory firms and noticed a major gap. High-earning professionals weren’t being well served—many were managing money on their own, sticking with family advisors, or fielding product pitches from old acquaintances. Clark saw an opportunity to create something different.Making the switch wasn’t without surprises. He quickly realized that while technology is helpful, clients don’t actually care about your tech stack—they care about how you can genuinely help them. Integrations fail, updates cause issues, and advisors often use only a fraction of their tools. What really matters, Clark says, is the human connection.Instead of adopting a polished, corporate image, Clark chose authenticity. By being himself, he attracts the clients who align with his style and values. He views financial planning as an ongoing process, not a static plan, and believes long-term trust is built on real relationships.Social and Websitehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/clark-jeffries-11366112a/jeffrieswealth.com

How do you build a financial planning practice that succeeds without losing your values?Fran Walsh, co-founder of Opulus LLC and one of Investopedia’s Top 100 Advisors, believes the key is authenticity. From a football award that unexpectedly introduced him to his future business partner to launching his firm just before COVID hit, Fran’s path has been anything but straight. His mindset has stayed the same: “The people who never quit and just keep going are going to be inevitably successful.”At first, Fran didn’t rush to pick a niche. Instead, he worked with a range of clients while building momentum, eventually focusing on high-earning millennials, athletes, and business owners who share his drive for constant improvement. He also made a conscious choice to skip the traditional corporate image: “We wear t-shirts every day. We want clients to see we’re normal people just like them.”His approach shows that being yourself can strengthen client relationships while building a business you actually enjoy running.Fran's Social:https://www.linkedin.com/in/fran-walsh-b12775a3/X: @FranWalsh73Newsletter: https://www.opulusmethod.com/

Meet Dev Thompson – the newest addition to the BC Brokerage team.Dev’s journey to insurance is a unique one—from college football player to strength coach at Purdue and Kentucky, to fee-only financial planner, and now a trusted resource for advisors across the country.His background blends a passion for personal finance with the discipline of athletic coaching, giving him a thoughtful and client-focused approach to planning. Dev brings a deep understanding of how insurance fits into the bigger picture, especially when it comes to bridging property & casualty gaps for clients in multiple states.At BC Brokerage, Dev helps advisors keep insurance implementation in-house, so recommendations turn into action—without handing clients off to outside agents.He’s passionate about making the complex feel simple, and helping advisors feel confident navigating insurance alongside their clients.Want to connect? Come meet Dev and the BC Brokerage team at XYPN Live—we’ll be there as a green sponsor and hosting a happy hour on the Corinne Patio.Dev’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devthompsonbrk 

What does it take to build a successful financial planning firm—while living off the grid in a cabin-caboose hybrid?Ryan Sullivan of Off the Beaten Path Financial did just that. After leaving a career in engineering that lacked the flexibility and impact he wanted, a chance meeting led him to financial planning. Despite industry warnings, he launched his RIA while still working full-time.He and his wife bought 20 acres in remote Montana, where their home—half log cabin, half 1890s train caboose—is only accessible by snowmobile in winter. Ryan commuted up to four hours a day while building his firm on nights and weekends.Early growth was slow—until he hired a coach, shifted away from rigid service models, and focused on project-based planning for architects and engineers. His technical mindset became his advantage, and the business took off.In January 2025, he earned more than in the previous two years combined. Now, he runs his firm fully off-grid, embracing the lifestyle and clients that make it truly off the beaten path.Ryan Socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-sullivan-pe/

Matt Zeigler and Ben Tuscai of Sunpoint Investments take a different approach to wealth management. Instead of just managing money, they combine deep financial planning with investment consulting to build real relationships and help clients make smarter decisions.Their paths into the industry were unique—Matt was a music major, and Ben worked for the Phillies before spending eight years at Vanguard. That experience helps them think more broadly about client needs. At Sunpoint, they helped redesign the firm’s service model to go beyond portfolios and address the full picture of a client’s life.They work with everyone from young professionals to billion-dollar families, applying the same core principles: track cash flow, build strong balance sheets, plan for life events, and manage risk. For ultra-wealthy families, they focus on education—teaching kids as early as sixth grade to understand money and avoid entitlement.They call it “garden glove service”—hands-on, practical, and focused on building something meaningful. They also emphasize five types of capital: financial, human, intellectual, social, and wisdom.Their planning helps clients avoid tax mistakes, close insurance gaps, and navigate big life transitions. As Matt says, they often just “stand between clients and stupid.”You can follow Ben on LinkedIn or The Advisor Dads YouTube channel, and Matt on Linkedin and Twitter @cultishcreative.Music in this episode was obtained from Bensound.

A lot of financial planners don’t actually want to run a business. They just want to help people.But when the only way to do that is to launch your own firm… you end up becoming an accidental entrepreneur—juggling compliance, operations, tech, and marketing instead of focusing on clients.Stephen Fox saw that problem firsthand.Marine Corps veteran. Financial planner. Firm builder.And now, the founder of Advice Only—a platform built for planners who want to offer advice without managing assets or selling products.Instead of taking a percentage of revenue, Advice Only charges a flat fee.Instead of leaving you to build everything from scratch, it handles the RIA, compliance, and infrastructure.Instead of forcing you into a traditional model, it gives you space to just be a planner.It’s not just idealistic—it’s practical.✅ Lower overhead ✅ Faster path to revenue ✅ Easier compliance ✅ Access to a broader client baseStephen believes advice-only planning is the future—and after hearing his story, you might agree.Catch the full conversation on the latest episode.Then visit adviceonly.com or connect with Stephen to learn more.Stephen's Social:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenfox3/

Choosing the right tech for your advisory firm can feel overwhelming. In this episode, we talk with Joe Moss, COO at January Capital Advisors and founder of Connector, about how to build a tech stack that actually improves your client experience.Joe shares his story from mowing lawns to helping advisors cut through the noise of outdated and overpriced software. He explains how to evaluate tools based on ease of use, real value, and what people actually use—not just name recognition.Joe also talks about why your technology choices shape your client experience and why human connection still matters in an AI-driven world. As someone who is building community and creating content consistently, Joe brings a mix of practical tips and big-picture thinking.Whether you are just starting out or looking to improve your current setup, this episode will help you make smarter tech decisions and stay focused on what matters most: serving clients well.Connect with Joe on LinkedIn (Joe Moss 🔥) or check out advisortechbook.com for his top picks.Joe's Social:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemoss-xyz/Music in this episode is brought to you by Bensound.