AFO|Wealth Management Forward

In this episode, Rory speaks with Arthur Bonner, producer, writer, and showrunner of The Union Development Company, about the making of Playbook Finance, an unscripted television series and the deeper mission behind the project. Arthur shares his journey from growing up in Watts to building a career in Hollywood, producing content that tells authentic, character-driven stories. Together, they expl...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Bill Walton, founder of Bill Walton Sales Training, about how professionals can grow their businesses by embracing a more human-centered approach to sales in the age of AI. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies and professional service firms, Bill explains why emotional intelligence, curiosity, and authentic conversations a...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Blake Christian, tax partner at HCVT, about Opportunity Zones 2.0 and why renewed legislation is creating fresh momentum around tax-advantaged investing, rural development, operating businesses, and infrastructure projects. Blake breaks down how the Opportunity Zone program works, including tax deferral, basis step-ups, and the potential for tax-free appreciation...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Ohan Kayikchyan, PhD in Economics, CFP®, Registered Life Planner®, Enrolled Agent, and founder of Alohana Financial, about the deeper relationship between money, meaning, and purposeful living. Ohan shares his journey from immigrating to the United States from Armenia with limited English to building a life planning focused advisory practice centered on helping cl...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Mark Martukovich, Executive Director and Managing Partner of Business Advisory and Accounting Partners powered by Harness, about how CPA firms can shift from compliance-driven practices to high-value advisory services. Mark shares how he evolved his own firm over 12 years using the Practice Forward model, moving from a highly transactional tax practice to an advis...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Michael Kay, former CPA, CFP®, certified life planner, and author of How to Craft Your Chapter X, about why the most important retirement planning has nothing to do with money and everything to do with identity, purpose, and joy. Michael shares how decades of advising high-performing professionals revealed a consistent pattern: most people have no plan for who the...

In this episode, Rory sits down with Denise LeDuc Froemming, President and CEO of CalCPA, to explore how the accounting profession can modernize without losing the core foundation that makes it trusted. Discover why trust remains the non-negotiable center of the CPA profession even as private equity, AI, and evolving business models reshape the landscape. Denise shares a powerful call to action ar...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Sameer Munshi, America’s Behavioral Science and Simulation Leader at EY, about how behavioral science and AI-powered simulation are transforming the way financial firms test ideas, understand client behavior, and make strategic decisions. Sameer shares his journey from product development at Merrill Lynch to building applied behavioral science teams at EY, where h...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Nick Pasquarosa, Founder and CEO of Bookkeeper360, about building a modern accounting firm from the ground up and why innovation starts with listening to small business owners. Nick shares how a door-to-door side hustle in high school evolved into a nationwide cloud accounting firm serving nearly 1,000 clients with a fully remote team across 26 states. He explains...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Joe Pine, co-author of The Experience Economy and author of the new book The Transformation Economy , about the progression of economic value and why financial professionals are uniquely positioned to guide lasting change. Joe explains how we’ve moved from commodities to goods, services, and experiences and now into the Transformation Economy, where the true value...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Carl Richards , creator of the Sketch Guy column and author of Your Money: Reimagining Wealth in 101 Simple Sketches , about why the real work of financial planning starts with better conversations, not better spreadsheets. Carl shares how his simple sketches became tools for clarity, helping clients rethink money through the lenses of attention, time, energy, and...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Alan Whitman, former CEO and Chairman of Baker Tilly, new CEO of Nichols Cauley, and author of Break the Mold: How to Achieve Transformational Change, Scale, and Growth Simultaneously . Discover how Alan led Baker Tilly through 3x revenue growth and over 20 acquisitions—not by chasing numbers, but by changing mindsets. Learn why strategy isn’t about activity, but...

In this Best of 2025 episode, Rory brings together standout moments from conversations across accounting, wealth management, behavioral finance, and technology that all point to one theme: real progress happens when advisors focus on people, not just numbers. From reframing retirement as a question of identity and purpose, to understanding why money decisions are deeply emotional, guests explore h...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Erika Wasserman , Certified Financial Therapist, keynote speaker, and author of Conversations With Your Financial Therapist , about how our earliest money experiences shape financial decisions throughout life. Discover what financial therapy really is and why money challenges are rarely about the numbers alone. Erika shares her MONEY framework for improving money...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Phil Whitman , President and CEO of Whitman Advisory , one of the leading advisory organizations serving CPA firms nationwide. Phil shares how his firm evolved from succession and M&A consulting into a multi-service advisory platform helping firms improve profitability, recruit talent, and prepare for the what comes next in the world of accounting. He explains...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Dr. Sean Stein Smith, CPA, professor at Lehman College, Forbes contributor, and advisory board member of the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance, to explore how artificial intelligence and blockchain are transforming the accounting and advisory profession. Discover how blockchain delivers trust and transparency while AI drives speed, pattern recognition, and efficienc...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Dan Haylett, author of The Retirement You Didn’t See Coming and host of the Humans vs. Retirement podcast, about the psychological and emotional side of life after work. Dan explains why retirement is less of a math problem and more of a human transition, one that requires redefining purpose, identity, and structure. They discuss how couples can plan for “yours, m...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Alex Bottom, CEO of Finology Sofware, and Ryan Galiotto, CFP®, CSLP®, founder of the Student Loan Help Network, about how advisors and CPAs can prepare for the sweeping changes coming to student loan planning. They discuss the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) and how it will reshape repayment plans, extend terms, and impose new borrowing caps beginning in 2026. Alex...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Keith Friedman, CEO and founder of FBO Strategies and creator of the Carbyne Allocation®, about why life insurance deserves a fresh look as part of holistic planning. Keith addresses common concerns that permanent insurance is too costly, rigid, or underperforming, and explains how policy design and communication can change those perceptions. He notes that when st...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Will Hill , founder of Will Hill Consults, and John Fenton , CEO of John J. Fenton Executive Coaching, about their contributions to The Holistic Guide to Wealth Management and how firms can strengthen culture, manage change, and support their people. Will shares why firms need a repeatable process for change management, how to avoid shiny object syndrome, and the...

In this episode, Rory sits down with Christine Simone, founder of Caribou Wealth (now part of Move Health), to explore why healthcare planning is the missing piece in holistic advice for CPAs and advisors. Christine shares her journey of building a platform that helps firms support clients with Medicare, marketplace coverage, and employer plans—areas that are often overlooked despite being one of...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Loren Fogelman, founder of Business Success Solutions, and Mike Maksymiw, Executive Director of Aprio Firm Alliance, about how firms can adapt and thrive in a fast-moving profession. Loren explains why so many accountants undervalue their services and how shifting from hourly billing to value pricing can align firms more closely with client outcomes while boosting...

In this episode, Rory speaks with BatSheva Goldstein, investment advisor, financial planner, and creator of Financial Date Discussion Cards, about how couples can have easier and more meaningful conversations around money. BatSheva shares how the cards help partners uncover their unique money stories, align values, and build common ground—even when they approach finances differently. She explains...

In this episode, Rory sits down with Ben Taylor, CPA and CEO of SoftLedger, to explore how real-time accounting, automation, and an API-driven platform are transforming the finance function. Ben shares his journey from public accounting to co-founding a software company designed to solve the pain points he experienced firsthand. Discover how real-time data access and seamless integrations are elim...

In this episode, Rory speaks with Kris Lenz, founder of Kailos Marketing Lab and former creative leader at firms like Grant Thornton and MGO, to explore how AI is reshaping marketing for professional services. Kris shares how firms can use generative tools to brainstorm more efficiently, scale content creation, and streamline proposal and outreach workflows. He explains how voice and tone remain c...