Knowing Me, Knowing You

Emily Rassam has spent nearly two decades listening to people talk about their money, their fears, their dreams, and the hidden stories that shape their decisions. Over time, she began to notice something: the most transformative part of planning had nothing to do with the spreadsheets or the calculation, but with the moment someone felt understood. That moment changed their comfort, their clarity...

Peter Renton, fintech pioneer, founder of Fintech Nexus, and host of the industry’s longest-running fintech podcast, has seen the space grow from peer-to-peer lending experiments into a force reshaping financial lives. But it was a personal moment of uncertainty, not a business milestone, that revealed what most advisors still miss. In this episode, Peter shares why behavior remains at the core of...

Women walk into divorce with far more on their shoulders than the paperwork suggests. Many carry decades of family history, silent expectations, and an emotional weight that shapes the choices they make. Tatiana Sunik has spent nearly twenty years guiding women through some of their most vulnerable moments, and she understands how layered those decisions can be. She knows how easy it is for women...

Jackie Shoback has had a front-row seat to some of the biggest inflection points in financial services, from scaling during the explosive growth years at Staples to leading digital transformation at Fidelity and TIAA during moments that redefined how we build trust with clients. Now, as co-founder and managing director of 1414 Ventures, Jackie is investing in the next wave: technologies that use d...

Dr. Pat Boulogne has spent decades helping high-performing professionals realign their health with their purpose, because she knows it’s almost impossible to plan confidently while running on empty.  In this episode of Knowing Me, Knowing You , she and Marla explore the powerful link between physical well-being and financial clarity, including the habits that strengthen every decision-making proce...

When Patricia Lizarraga started her career on Wall Street, there were zero women CEOs in the Fortune 500. Today, there are fifty. Progress is happening, but Patricia’s mission is to make it accelerate. As the founder and Chief Investment Officer of Hypatia Capital, she built the WCEO ETF to prove what the data already shows: companies led by women outperform their peers. Her journey is focused on...

Phil Weiss never planned to become a life planner. He started his career in tax at Deloitte, helping corporations move money across borders, but after watching his own family struggle with financial hardship and loss, he realized that what most people need is support from someone who truly listens, rather than new strategies and products. Today, as founder of Apprise Wealth Management, Phil helps...

What if financial advisors approached their clients like doctors approach sick patients, with a goal of listening and understanding first, and only then moving on to diagnose and treat? It’s a movement that is catching on, and author Tony Steuer is here for it. In this episode, Tony shares why he started the Get Ready Movement, what advisors can learn from doctors, how the financial industry can b...

The perception that financial planning is “just for rich people” hurts both prospects and advisors. With the help of AI and fintech innovators like Knomee, Louis Barajas believes financial planning can help underserved communities now more than ever. Louis did his dad’s tax returns in pencil when he was 15 because his father could barely speak English and didn’t know he needed to file taxes. After...

ESG —Environmental, Social, and Governance— is a dirty word. “Socially Responsible Investing” never really caught on. It’s enough to cause socially minded advisors and investors to throw up their hands. What’s next for advisors who want to provide clients with a values-driven option?  In this episode, we sit down with Nick Flores, Partner at Capricorn Investment Group, as he explains how impact in...

“I’m not a therapist, how can I help my clients work through their issues with money?” With the rise of behavioral finance and younger generations seeking more emotional support, this question is becoming more and more common among advisors. Enter Nathan Astle, founder of the Financial Therapy Clinical Institute.  In this episode, we discuss Nate’s journey to becoming a financial therapist, why ad...

What do you get when you combine AI, the great wealth transfer, and more women controlling money than ever before? According to Molly Weiss, Group President of Wealth Management Platform at Envestnet, you get the perfect moment to transform how the financial industry operates and serves individuals.  Molly is the first to admit that the next few years may feel a little scary, but she sees plenty o...

What if larger financial firms sought to understand their advisors the way advisors seek to understand their clients? Steph Condra shares how this approach has landed Wellington-Altus the top spot on the “Top-Rated Investment Dealer in Canada” list six years in a row.  As the Chief Experience Officer at Wellington-Altus, Steph walks us through how their advisory discovery process mirrors their cli...

In 1993, Pat Sweeny decided he wanted to be a different type of advisor. Rather than focus on his commission and selling mutual funds, he founded an RIA that was focused on financial planning and helping clients understand how to be more successful investors. Little did he know that three decades later, his RIA would be managing more than $8 billion, and financial planning and behavioral finance w...

What if wealth management didn’t just serve the wealthy? Laura Combs is flipping the script on who gets access to high-quality financial advice. As Executive Managing Director at Mercer Advisors and co-founder of its Wealth Path Group and InvestHERS initiative, Laura is on a mission to make comprehensive, values-aligned financial planning accessible, whether you’re managing $10,000 or $10 million....

Tina Powell refuses to quit. Nearly three years after being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, she’s still in the fight for her health, and for the health of the industry she inspires. Today, as Chief of Community at Intention.ly, Tina leads by example, showing advisors how to tell authentic stories that power better lives. In this episode, Tina shares why she believes community and connection ar...

ETFs have leveled the playing field for advisors and investors alike. Funds that were once available only to the largest firms are now available to anyone. In this episode, we talk to Elisabeth Kashner, VP and Director of Global Funds Research and Analytics at FactSet. She led research at ETF.com, where she authored extensively on strategic beta, ETF classification, efficacy, and robo‑adviser port...

Grace Belangia believes in the power of entrepreneurs so deeply that she frequently refers to entrepreneurship as “the backbone of democracy.” That’s why she’s dedicated her life to helping entrepreneurs bring their visions to life through her company, Make Startups. In this episode, Grace shares her thoughts on catalytic philanthropy, why she wishes more women thought of themselves as investors a...

When Rich Walker founded Quik!, he set out to tackle one of the most frustrating inefficiencies in wealth management: endless paperwork. Twenty-three years later, he is still on that mission, now with AI as his ultimate tool to make paper forms a thing of the past. In this episode of Knowing Me, Knowing You , Rich shares how he went from IBM intern to financial advisor to tech founder, building a...

Capital Gives You Wings: Jennifer Povlitz on Wealth, Purpose & Generational Impact When UBS Global Wealth Management U.S. Vice Chair Jennifer Povlitz talks about money, she’s really talking about possibility . Drawing on wisdom from her grandmother, “Capital equates to influence, and you can use that influence for good,” Jennifer makes the case for a new era of wealth management that starts wi...

When it comes to leveraging AI to scale financial services, you’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger proponent than Sandeep Mangaraj, co-founder and managing partner of Aileron Group. The data problem of the financial world has always been a sticking point. The avalanche of disorganized data with no easy way to analyze and access it has left financial professionals scratching their heads for decades...

Harry Mamaysky gets the feeling that a lot of advisors aren’t keeping up with the latest research – or any research at all, for that matter. And he’s not here to blame advisors! The financial industry is incentivized to attract new clients, which is typically best accomplished by emotional appeals rather than academic research.  Is it possible to apply investment best practices and still meet the...

Some days, the mountain is Everest, and other days, it’s just keeping up with your mammogram appointment. No matter what it is, you need clarity to recognize it. And to climb it! Cokie Cox, our guest on this episode of Knowing Me, Knowing You , knows a bit about that. During the week, Cokie is a financial advisor who helps women navigate the challenges that come after divorce. On weekends, she cli...

In today’s fast-changing wealth landscape, differentiation is survival. Abby Salameh, Chief Growth Officer at RFG Advisory, believes that every advisor has a story worth telling and that it has nothing to do with the services they offer. To build a brand that drives growth, advisors should align their personal story with the feeling they want to evoke in clients and prospects.  With three decades...

“I remember meeting with a financial planner, and feeling talked down to, not feeling empowered.” When women feel heard, seen, and genuinely supported, they are capable of anything.  Caterina Rando is an expert community builder. She empowers women to reach their full potential. As an entrepreneur and trusted leader, she shares insights and tips to help wealth managers connect more meaningfully wi...