Advisor Revelations

This week, David Lau talks with Sara Baker, Executive Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions at Allworth Financial, about partnership models, RIA growth, and what it takes to build a modern advisory firm. Sara discusses what separates firms that just grow from those that grow with purpose and how partnerships are reshaping advisor growth. From talent development to the growing need for compr...

This week, David Lau talks with Bryce Skaff, Co-Head of the Global Client Group at Dimensional Fund Advisors. Since 1998, Bryce has played a key role in shaping Dimensional’s client experience, leading teams and initiatives that support advisors, intermediaries, and institutional investors worldwide. Bryce talks with David about evidence-based investing and how financial science defines modern inv...

This week, Kameron McRay talks with George Svagera, Senior Vice President of Institutional Sales at Orion Advisor Solutions. George leads a talented team of sales professionals to deliver Orion's industry-leading technology and wealth management solutions to broker-dealers, banks, trust companies, and custodians. George talks with Kameron about how Orion meets the growing demand for fee-based annu...

This week, David Lau talks with Galen Shaffer, Principal at Eos Venture Partners, about the macro forces reshaping retirement. Galen offers a rare inside view into how insurers think about annuities, innovation, and the future of wealth management. From solving the income challenge for 70 million Americans retiring this decade and the rise of the fiduciary RIA model to the AI gold rush and long-te...

This week, David Lau talks with Brian Saunders, Managing Director and Head of Private Equity at Atlas Merchant Capital, about how private equity investors are adopting innovation across financial services and why infrastructure, technology, and better client outcomes are driving the next wave of growth. They also discuss the evolving RIA landscape, the shift toward holistic advice, and how technol...

This week, David Lau talks with Tom Smith, Chief Growth Officer at DPL Financial Partners, about the evolution of the 401(k) market and the current shift toward commission-free, advisory insurance. From deconstructing outdated commission structures to modernizing technology, workflows, and advisor experience, they discuss how DPL is bridging the gap for RIAs and hybrid advisors, turning insurance...

This week, Amy Arnett talks with Brad Mendenhall, Executive Vice President for Insurance Solutions at DPL. They discuss why insurance matters in holistic financial planning and how modern RIAs can integrate it into the planning process without becoming insurance experts. They also share how technology, product innovation, and a partnership with DPL can serve as a roadmap for leaders looking to enh...

This week, David Lau talks with Tom McCarthy, Chief Distribution Officer at DPL Financial Partners, about the evolution of the advice model, industry stigmas, and how commission-free annuities can be powerful income differentiators for RIAs. From his early fight to shift from a commission-based to a fee-only model, Tom shares his journey from fee-based startups to the explosion of the RIA channel....

In this “Best of 2025” episode, David Lau brings together Daniel Crosby, Matt Regan, and John Thiel to explore how annuities fit into modern financial planning—bridging behavioral finance, retirement income, and risk management to help advisors build plans clients can actually stick with. Learn more at https://www.dplfp.com/series/advisor-revelations-podcast

In this special “Best of 2025” episode, David Lau David Lau revisits powerful insights from John Thiel, Matt Regan, and Megan Carpenter on the evolving RIA landscape. Together, they unpack consolidation, succession challenges, organic growth strategies, and why modern advisory firms must treat marketing as a measurable engine—not just brand awareness. Learn more at https://www.dplfp.com/series/adv...

This week, Patrick Perry, Regional Vice President of Member Success at DPL, talks with Sam Marrella, Regional Director at Apella Wealth. Sam shares the story of how his family firm successfully transitioned from a broker-dealer to an independent RIA. He discusses the significant role that DPL's technology and commission-free annuity platform played in streamlining their process, enhancing the clie...

This week, Amy Arnett, VP of Insurance Solutions at DPL, talks with Carma McCallie, VP of Advanced Sales at Crump Life Insurance, about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and its tax implications for individuals, businesses, and estates. Carma breaks down the key provisions, what has changed, what has stayed the same, and how to turn this new tax landscape into planning opportunities. From cha...

This week, Michael Carmody, VP of National Accounts at DPL Financial Partners, talks with Raymond Gettins, Director at United Advisor Group (UAG), about what true independence really looks like for financial advisors. Learn more at https://www.dplfp.com/series/advisor-revelations-podcast.

This week, DPL Founder & CEO David Lau talks with Megan Carpenter, CEO & Co-Founder of Ficomm Partners. They discuss why marketing is no longer a "nice to have" but a core business function. Meg also explores the importance of intentional marketing as a commitment and long-term investment, how repeatable and scalable organic growth is a significant factor in maximizing enterprise valuation...

This week, Patrick Perry, RVP of Member Success at DPL, talks with Joseph (Jody) Goss, Managing Partner and Private Wealth Advisor at William Joseph Capital Management. Jody shares about how partnering with DPL helps their clients better understand the value of annuities, delivers holistic planning solutions, and supports advisors in the transition to independence. He highlights how DPL provides t...

This week, Ross McGoodwin talks with Andrew Gearhart, Partner and Wealth Advisor at Waverly Advisors. Together, they discuss Waverly’s explosive growth, its M&A strategy, and how partnerships with DPL enhance holistic financial planning. They explore integrating annuities and insurance into a fiduciary model, the role of technology, and why culture is central to building sustainable advisor pl...

This week, Jonathan Barth, VP of Member Success, talks with Daylin Huff, RIA Consultant at DPL about what member success truly means to us. Daylin highlights how DPL helps advisors transition from a broker-dealer arrangement to an advisory model and provides solutions to seamlessly integrate legacy annuity books. He also shares common pain points of breakaway advisors and how DPL's innovative solu...

This week, Blake Phillips talks with Jackson Bradley, RVP of Member Success at DPL. Together, they discuss why Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) are increasingly embracing annuities. They explore what's driving this shift and how firms like DPL are helping to rewrite the annuity narrative. Jackson also shares real-world insights on RILAs and how DPL provides the support, resources, and technol...

This week, Logan Cheatham talks with Matt Robinson, Internal Consultant at DPL Financial Partners. They unpack how fiduciaries can optimize annuities, reduce costs, and leverage DPL’s tools to deliver greater value for clients.. Learn more at https://www.dplfp.com/series/advisor-revelations-podcast.

This week, Willie Jones talks with Ross McGoodwin, Regional Vice President of Member Success at DPL Financial Partners. They discuss how MYGAs provide competitive and guaranteed returns for retirement savers. Ross also highlights how these straightforward, fixed annuities provide a stable anchor in retirement and complement other fixed-income strategies. Learn more at https://www.dplfp.com/series/...

This week, David Lau talks with John Thiel, Founder and Executive Chairman of Indivisible Partners. They explore the evolution of financial advising, client-centric service, risk management, and building an innovative, advisor-owned RIA platform designed for growth, customization, and long-term client impact. Learn more at https://www.dplfp.com/series/advisor-revelations-podcast.

This week, Kameron McRay talks with Sam Johnson, Vice President of Business Development at DPL. They explore how the advisory annuity space has evolved—shifting from commission-based products to fee-friendly, fiduciary-aligned solutions. They break down key innovations in product design, process digitization, and post-issue support, highlighting how RIAs are increasingly embracing annuities as val...

This week, Ross McGoodwin talks with Brennan Decima, Managing Director of Decima Wealth Consulting. They discuss how breakaway advisors can leverage advisory annuities for principal protection and retirement income planning, especially in today's volatile markets and uncertain tax environment. Brennan highlights how DPL's innovative tools and technology have streamlined his transition to a fiducia...

In this episode, DPL Founder and CEO, David Lau, talks with Daniel Crosby, Chief Behavioral Officer at Orion Advisor Solutions. They discuss the psychological drivers behind investor behavior, common mental pitfalls that can lead to costly mistakes, and the practical framework advisors can use to build resilient client portfolios. From Orion's popular Protect, Live, Dream platform to the four meta...

Episode Summary In this episode of Advisor Revelations, Amy Arnett, VP of Insurance Solutions at DPL Financial Partners, talks with Angel Melgoza, Director of Financial Planning at Your Financial Pharmacist, about asset and income protection. They cover the importance of disability income insurance in financial planning, the ideal client for such coverage, the rule of thumb on disability income in...