Optimized Advisor Podcast

Scott welcomed Ruth Raftery in the studio for a discussion about the importance of education in estate and tax planning, the role of financial advisors in collaborating with estate planning attorneys, and shares insights on effective tax planning strategies. Ruth Raftery, JD, CPA, AEP® is a licensed attorney and a Certified Public Accountant with over 20 years of experience. As President and co-fo...

Scott welcomed Steve Prew to the virtual studio for this week’s episode where they discuss discussing the evolution of financial advising, the importance of lifelong learning, and how The American College is adapting its educational offerings to meet the changing needs of both advisors and the financial industry at large. Steve Prew is the Vice President and National Sales Manager at The American...

Scott was joined by Walter Young in the virtual studio for a discussion on retirement income strategies, focusing on Young's book "The Fifth Option," which explores innovative approaches to retirement planning that go beyond traditional methods, such as utilizing actuarial science and investments to create a predictable and efficient income stream. Walter C. Young ,MBA, RICP, is a dynamic financia...

Scott welcomed Roger Cantu, Regional Sales Director at One America, in studio for a discussion on the importance of long-term care planning for the aging population, highlighting the financial and familial impacts of unaddressed chronic health care expenses and advocating for advisors to proactively include long-term care solutions in their client discussions. Roger works with insurance profession...

Scott welcomed Travis Ivanoff to the studio along with Nick Bernatowicz for a discussion on seminar marketing and Ivanoff Advisors.  Travis has been licensed in the insurance industry for over 16 years. Following in his father’s footsteps, Travis grew up in the retirement planning industry learning his father's best practices. These years proved to him the importance of client relationships. Travi...

Scott welcomed Blayne Andersen in studio for a discussion his firm's expansion and strategic approach to financial planning, tax-smart investment strategies, and client relations across multiple states, emphasizing the importance of technology and collaboration with CPAs. Blayne Andersen, CFP® is the President and Chief Investment Officer of Bander Wealth Management and a Registered Financial Advi...

Scott welcomed Nick Bernatowicz in studio to discuss finances, annuities, and wellness.  Nick started his insurance career in 2015, dedicating his time to assisting insurance and Financial Advisors and their Clients within the three facets of Protective Portfolio Planning – annuities, life insurance, and long-term care insurance. Nick took his passion for coaching and transitioned it from the fitn...

Scott Heinila welcomed Sean Humeston to the studio to discuss Sean's unconventional journey from a punk rock band musician to a successful career in the insurance industry. The conversation highlights Sean's innovative approach to marketing annuities, including leveraging newspaper ads and community papers, as well as his experiences with seminars and events. Sean Humeston was born and raised in O...

In this episode, Scott Heinila welcomed Michael Stapleton in studio for a discussion about AI and insuretech. Michael is the CEO & Co-Founder of Leopard, an AI-powered B2B insurtech startup that helps life & annuities distributors identify revenue opportunities in their existing books of business. Prior to Leopard, Michael was VP & General Manager at Policygenius, overseeing the company's B2B offe...

Scott was joined in studio by Katelyn Kucharo, Founder & CEO of The Admin Effect. They discuss how The Admin Effect optimizes financial advisors and insurance professionals' practices. Katelyn Kucharo is the founder of The Admin Effect™, a company dedicated to empowering operations professionals in the financial services industry. With a background in competitive gymnastics and coaching, Katelyn's...

Scott was joined by Dr. Naomi Win virtually for a discussion on behavioral finance and how psychology plays into financial decision making. Dr. Win draws on clinical practice and current research to clarify the psychological factors that shape decision-making. By mapping the cognitive and emotional drivers that define financial behaviors, she upskills those seeking adaptive strategies to enhance w...

Scott was joined by Brad Shepard for a virtual episode about Long-Term Care. Fall and the Holidays will be here before you know it and November is LTC Awareness Month. For the past 24 years, Brad has enjoyed an area of focus in selling, training and marketing Long-Term Care and Linked Benefit solutions. His current role, Regional Sales Director, with OneAmerica is to help distribution partners, ad...

Scott Heinila welcomed Jason Labrum back to the studio for a discussion on Intelligence Driven Advisers (IDA) holistic and integrated approach to financial planning, which includes in-house CPAs for tax planning, the complexities of annuities, and they share their personal philosophies and lifestyle choices that contribute to a fulfilling life. Jason has been helping individuals, families, and bus...

Scott invited David Buck to join the virtual studio for the latest episode to discuss David’s philosophy on time management, emphasizing the proactive nature of "time optimization" over the reactive concept of "time management." In 35+ years of business development, David developed a strong awareness of what it took for people to be productive and efficient, not just busy. He also personally sough...

Scott welcomed Jay Rosencrance, RICP, WMCPin studio for a discussion on annuities and the history of Athene. Jay is the VP/Relationship Manager at Athene.  Jay the VP/Relationship Manager for Athene covering accounts across the country. He has spent bulk of his 32 year career involved in retirement income planning. Prior to Athene, he worked at Genworth Financial as VP, Sports and Entertainment, w...

Scott welcomed Brian Ott to the studio along with Nick Bernatowicz to discuss the importance and intricacies of long-term care (LTC) planning.  Brian Ott, RICP, CLTC, is founder and president of 525 Advisors LLC, an independent insurance agency that specializes in asset-based long-term care insurance planning. He is also the host of Long-Term Care Radio which is aired in multiple markets and produ...

In this episode, Scott welcomed Paul Garofoli to the studio to discuss annuities. Paul Garofoli, Annuity Regional Sales Director for the Standard, has a 40-year career touching upon all aspects of our industry, especially independent distribution. Nicknamed the “Annuity King,” his enthusiasm is legendary. A nationally recognized speaker, Paul is known for his entertaining presentations. Most recen...

Part 2 with Lara Galloway:  In this episode Scott was joined by Lara Galloway virtually to discuss building trust and emotional connection in the seminar marketing world.  At the time of recording, Lara was the SVP of Channel Management at White Glove, where she leveraged her expertise in Business Development, Marketing, Product and Sales to build enterprise partnerships that offer financial advis...

In this episode Scott was joined by Lara Galloway, virtually, to discuss seminar marketing and estate planning. At the time of recording, Lara was the SVP of Channel Management at White Glove, where she leverages her expertise in Business Development, Marketing, Product and Sales to build enterprise partnerships that offer financial advisors lead-generating workshops and nurturing programs to keep...

Scott welcomed back Anthony Nizzi to the podcast studio to discuss behavioral finance. The conversation delved into various biases that can impact decision-making in financial planning and highlighted the importance of understanding these biases to better serve our clients. In this episode you will learn the following: Biases such as anchor bias, ambiguity aversion, myopic loss aversion, and herdi...

Podcast collaboration episode with The Zandbergen Report: Host Bart Zandbergen was joined in the podcast studio by Scott Heinila to discuss the art and power of discipline. The duo discussed how discipline plays a factor in their personal and professional lives as they navigate business, relationships, family matters, fitness and beyond. They began by unpacking people’s willingness to, “Do what ot...

Scott was joined in the virtual podcast studio by Dwight Eberts, founder of Coaching 122, to discuss how small business owners and executives gain clarity, confidence, and control over their decisions to live a more fulfilling life. Dwight Eberts is a dynamic and passionate speaker on the power of transformation. Following a successful 20-year career in business as a partner of a large insurance m...

Scott welcomed Anthony Nizzi in the studio for a little shop talk. Anthony Nizzi is the Director of Sales Development at Guaranty Income Life Insurance Company. They dive into the simplicity, transparency, and varying options within Guarantee Income Life's product suite, catering to different client needs and ages.  Anthony is responsible for developing and executing sales strategies with Guaranty...

Scott welcomed Brad Shepard back to the Optimized Advisor studio for a third time to discuss the emphasis on creating an emotional connection, engaging in meaningful conversations, utilizing probing questions to explore clients' thoughts, and initiating discussions on long-term care planning to address clients' concerns effectively. For the past 24 years, Brad has enjoyed an area of focus in selli...

Scott was invited as a guest to be on The Zandbergen Report’s 6th annual Holiday Wine Pairing Podcast episode with host, Bart Zandbergen.  Host Bart Zandbergen was joined in the podcast studio by co-host Letitia Berbaum, Paula Steurer of Sterling Public Relations, Scott Heinila of Producers Choice Network, and featured guest Landon Patterson, CEO of Hundred Acre. Landon shared tasting insights, pa...