The Evolving Advisor Podcast

Today’s conversation is with the team at Bill Good Marketing, Frantz Widmaier, CEO, Matt Hicken, AAMS®, Senior VP of Client Success, and Stephanie Peterson, Head of Growth. Bill Good Marketing helps advisors systematically grow their practice while reducing the complexity of practice management. In this episode, we’ll learn about how client communications have evolved over time, top advisor best p...

Today’s conversation is with Stratos Partners, Charles Shapiro, Chief Development Officer, and Chris Walling, Founding Partner. In this episode, Jeff, Charles, and Chris, discuss the current Advisor landscape and their experience working with wirehouse and bank model advisors transitioning to the independent model.

Today’s conversation is with Dr. Travis Parry, founder of Make Time Institute, Speaker, Coach, and #1 Bestselling Author of "Achieving Balance: Make Time to Reach Your Business and Personal Goals in an Overworked World.” Travis teaches overworked financial professionals and business owners how to get 20% of their time back so they can invest it in achieving their goals and living their life o...

Today’s conversation is with Jeff Dobyns, President of Southwestern Investment Group. Jeff has enjoyed extraordinary success providing comprehensive financial planning to retirees, entrepreneurs, entertainers and executives by taking the time to truly know his clients, understand their goals and develop and execute their ongoing, strategic, financial plans. In this episode, Jeff talks about the im...

In this episode, Jeff and Jeff discuss:  • The evolution of the brokerage space. • Key motivations and drivers for advisors when looking to independence.  • Succession planning and transitions.  • What advisors value by way of support.     Key Takeaways:  • By far, the reason W-2 advisors leave their firm is quality of life.  • The great advisors say what the client needs to hear, not what they wa...

In this episode, Jeff and Kirk discuss:  • Kirk’s early desire to go into wealth management, even after a poor first internship experience. • Why you may want to use alternative custodians. • Finding where your audience is and meeting them there consistently. • Focusing on the areas that you know.    Key Takeaways:  • Novelty is about getting something different. It's about getting somebody intere...

In this episode, Jeff and Daniel discuss:  • The three things you need to know about working in the financial industry. • Thinking ahead to the next step to make seamless transitions. • The process of transitioning. • Reinvesting in talent and technology.    Key Takeaways:  • As part of the Latino community, becoming part of the family is absolutely critical. • Latino clients will work with you be...

In this episode, Jeff and Randy discuss:  • Randy’s background in accounting and how he transitioned to wealth management. • The ingredients of a partnership that can endure. • Promoting your firm to specialty markets. • Growth and future goals at Randy’s firm.    Key Takeaways:  • Seminars can be a great form of business development - but you have to be presenting what people are really looking f...

In this episode, Jeff and Chandon discuss:  • Chandon’s passion for the financial industry from a young age and his exposure to high and ultra-high net worth clients from early in his career. • Being intimate and available for your clients with your service in your niche. • Leveraging your team to increase your bandwidth. • How Stratos was able to help with the transition to an individual firm.   ...

In this episode, Jeff, Lou, and Nancy discuss:  Deal Structures: Cash is King Thinking straight and not just falling in love with an opportunity.  Incorporating the risk of breakage.  What stands out when you look at a firm’s financials.  Why people buy and sell and looking at it as a process.     Key Takeaways:  There is a risk in both ways - there is a risk if the owner is too involved in the bu...

In this episode, Jeff, Mindy, and Louis discuss:  • The bedroom floor days of Diamond Consulting and its evolution to the strong advising company they are today. • What teams and advisors are finding attractive as they explore independence. • Freedom, flexibility, and control in advising. • Building a family-based business.    Key Takeaways:  • Jettisoning the tried and true transactional recruiti...

In this episode, Jeff and John discuss:  • Fundamental principles to acquire clients and grow your business. • The strategy to success, both organic and inorganic. • Investing in your business at the expense of current cash flow. • Key goals to execute and move forward in your business.    Key Takeaways:  • Activity and discipline is at the core of whatever you are striving to achieve. • Put busin...

In this episode, Jeff and Dan discuss:  • Dan’s evolution from entry into the financial world to his current role as CEO at LPL Financial. • The importance of culture, not just strategy. • Being purposeful about spending your time with quality. • Imaging a modernized independent model and creating additional models.    Key Takeaways:  • Not only do you have to have a good strategy, but you also ha...

In this episode, Jeff and Dan discuss:  • Approaching life as if it is a jigsaw puzzle to be built. • Accessing the business owner market initially and how it has grown. • Coordinating with other professional advisors to best care for your client. • How M&A factors into growth of the business.    Key Takeaways:  • Intention and attention will get you where you are trying to get. • Elevate your gam...

In this episode, Jeff and Karl discuss:  • Karl’s experience and lessons learned along the way to his current role as President and CEO of Emigrant Partners. • Thinking about forms of liquidity and its relationship to private equity. • The last ten years and what is coming up in the next ten years. • Making your business more attractive to potential suitors.    Key Takeaways:  • The vast majority...

In this episode, Jeff and Alisa discuss:  • How WisdomTree has differentiated themselves on asset management and value adds. • Remaining curious and taking on new tasks to help you expand your own career. • Client requirements and customizations. • Reaching minority advisors and finding new great talent.    Key Takeaways:  • A good product is no longer enough to build solid relationships with clie...

In this episode, Jeff and Amelia discuss:  • The story of CityWire and how it has expanded into the USA. • The rapidly growing RIA community and their growth in the industry. • What the Best-In-Class RIAs are doing that makes them stand out. • Those things that may be holding a firm back from thriving.    Key Takeaways:  • The independent RIAs are the future, this is where the growth is. • For you...

In this episode, Jeff and Ron discuss:  • Ron’s impressive career journey from wanting to quit the business to his innovating and pioneering path in financial advising. • The dimensions of trust and how to move up the dimensions. • The evolution of digital connection to the future of the financial advising industry. • Putting yourself, your physical health, and your mental health as a priority.   ...

This Episode was recorded before the Covid-19 Pandemic. In this episode, Jeff, Lou, and Tricia discuss:  • What the best firms are doing to keep pace with technology in the industry. • The evolution of technology in the financial industry from tools, to solutions, to experience. • Access to tools and technologies versus human contact to understand and interact with the technologies. • When to brin...

In this episode, Jeff, Liz, and Peter discuss:  How Peter and Liz made their way into the financial industry and into their current roles at Raymond James and Silver Lane Advisors. Recognizing business ownership in the advising industry. Traits and characteristics of the best run firms. Understanding the value proposition between buyer and seller.    Key Takeaways:  Succession planning is at a cri...

In this episode, Jeff & Brent discuss:  • Thoughts on the Corona Virus situation regarding your employees, clients, and community. • How Brent went from Intern to a gun-slinging entrepreneur to a successful CEO. • Different stages of business development evolution. • Be a pro-active thought leader. • Combining Organic and Inorganic Growth.    Key Takeaways:   • What we do now, during this crisis,...

In this episode, Jeff and Sanjiv discuss:  • Sanjiv’s career evolution with Fidelity to his current position as President of Fidelity Clearing and Custody Solutions. • Meeting the end investor in creative ways. • Types of investors and how they work with advisors. • Growing through a great customer experience, not just acquisition.    Key Takeaways:  • When you are close to the customer and dealin...