The Flexible Advisor

While divorce rates have decreased over the last 20 years according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the rates of divorce among baby boomers are increasing. Because family wealth tends to be much higher at this age, these divorces may present complex problems for clients. In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain speak with Steph Wagner, Director of Women and Wealth at Northern Trust. They explore...

“ Assess before you make a mess ,” is what Kemy Joseph, CEO and DEI Strategist at F.E.A.R.S. Advantage tells Laura Gregg and David Partain in this episode of The Flexible Advisor. Kemy talks about the stress that firm leaders face when it comes to the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and why it’s critical that firm leaders understand the current culture that exists within their firm...

What’s most important when choosing a financial planner?  Does race and gender outweigh other characteristics like age, years of experience or levels of trust? Dr. Miranda Reiter, CFP®, from Texas Tech University, is studying this topic and shares her findings on what’s most important to consumers. Listen as Laura Gregg and David Partain compare and contrast data with Dr. Reiter’s about her work a...

How do conversations with your prospects start? Is it about their needs or about your firm? Samuel Deane, CEO of Deane Financial Partners, talks about his experience as an immigrant seeking the American dream and why taking a traditional wealth management path wasn’t a fit for him. At 25 he started his own firm focused on addressing the unique needs of Millennial tech executives. Samuel talks with...

FlexShares research continues to confirm that high-net-worth clients prefer advisors with a similar culture and gender and whom they feel will understand their unique needs. In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain speak about the growing importance of women advisors with Jana Gregorek, Chief Growth Officer at Visionary Wealth Advisors. They discuss how firms can attract and better retain wo...

As vaccinations ramp up and offices are re-open, many firms are facing a dilemma:  Bring the entire staff back, create a hybrid team model or go fully virtual? In this fourth episode of our Advisor Wellness series, Laura Gregg and David Partain speak with Lauren Oschman, CFP ®, Partner, Chief Experience Officer and producing Advisor at Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors. They discuss the power of bui...

Is work getting the best of you? Do you wish you had more control over your life and time? In this third episode of our advisor wellness series, Laura Gregg and David Partain talk with Productivity Coach, Patty Kreamer. Patty helps financial advisors develop personalized systems to get more done in less time while clearing the brain clutter that blocks success through her firm Productivity Uncorke...

The Financial Planning Association (FPA) is taking action to drive change in our industry through both its NexGen and Pride Planners programs.  In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain speak with FPA NexGen President Joey Stemmle about his new leadership role and what he hopes to accomplish. He also talks about the growth of the FPA’s Pride Planners and how it is helping advisory firms creat...

Advisors are stressed, and female advisors report the higher levels of stress. But is that necessarily bad? This is the second in a series of episodes focused on Advisor Wellness where we talk with experts who provide tips to help you manage your health and wellbeing. In this episode we speak with Dr. Chloe Carmichael, a clinical psychologist whose private practice in New York City focuses on stre...

As an advisor, you work hard to lessen your clients’ financial stress. But, how can you reduce and manage your own stress to prevent burnout?  This is the first in a series of episodes focused on Advisor Wellness where we talk with experts who provide tips to help you manage your health and wellbeing. In this episode we speak with Dr. Jack Singer, PhD., a clinical/sports and organizational psychol...

Build the business of your dreams while serving clients with integrity, creativity, and compassion! In this exciting episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain sit down with Rita Robbins, Founder of Affiliated Advisors. As one of the first women to launch an Super OSJ (Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction) and a consultant who leads more than 85 advisors across the country, Rita shares how she’s helping...

Advisors, how are you collaborating and partnering with your outsourced solutions partners? In this episode Laura Gregg and David Partain are joined by Paul Binnion of Hanlon Investment Management. They discuss today’s advisory landscape and take a deeper look into FlexShares’ Race to Scalability study and the power of collaboration between advisors and their external investment managers. In this...

In 2019, women in the U.S. controlled more than $10 trillion with expectations of that tripling over the next decade according to McKinsey & Co. Many advisors, however, are missing the mark in building relationships with women. In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain welcome Heather Ettinger, Founder and CEO of Luma Wealth – an advisory firm designed around serving and empowering women....

The culture of a firm directly impacts it’s bottom line. It affects how employees engage with clients and how your firm is viewed within the community. In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain welcome Marie Dzanis, Head of Asset Management, EMEA and Chief Executive Officer of Northern Trust Global Investments . Marie is passionate about the power of nurturing a sustainable culture and talks...

It’s time for advisors to let go of some deeply held stereotypes about women investors. Investment preferences may have less to do with gender or more with levels of wealth and roles in the household. In this episode, David Partain talks with Co-Host Laura Gregg, AnnMarie Pino Director of Financial Research at Greenwald Research and Susan Czochara, Head of Retirement Solutions from Northern...

Over the last decade, FlexShares has been researching how and where advisors are seeking to better scale and grow their businesses, all while building a better client experience. In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain welcome Noreen Beaman, President of Orion Advisors Solutions. Noreen has been a supporter of Flexshares’ Race to Scalability research for many years and in this episode she s...

Take your practice to the next level by taking small actions that can lead to big changes over time. In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain welcome advisor coach and author, Matt Anderson. Over the last 20 years, Matt has helped thousands of financial advisors power their practices by implementing a series of tiny habits that have led to better business results. In this episode Matt will h...

What are the secrets to building a diverse, high-functioning team?  To find out, Laura Gregg and David Partain welcome back Fran Skinner to The Flexible Advisor.  As a Co-Founder of AUM Partners, a leadership and talent assessment consulting firm for the financial services industry, Fran explains why moving away from old systems can help you to cultivate a more forward-thinking firm with high-func...

As an advisor, your work with clients often goes well beyond their financial portfolio – especially when their story changes.   In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain talk with Ambient Financial Advisors’ Christopher D. Hill, CFP®, CGRS. Christopher discusses why his firm decided to rebrand and focus specifically on helping clients manage through transition due to a meaningful loss of life...

Studies have shown that diversity of thought can lead to positive business results. Finding that type of diversity may, however, require new recruitment strategies. In this episode, Abdur Nimeri, PhD. joins Laura Gregg and David Partain to discuss why, how and where to look for diverse thought leaders for advisory teams. As the head of Northern Trust’s Institutional Multi-Asset Programs, Abdur sha...

It’s no secret that the financial industry lacks diversity.  But how do we move the needle? In this episode, Laurie Barry, Senior Vice President at UBS and principal of The Barry Wealth Consulting Group joins Laura Gregg and David Partain to explore how we can start making real progress towards more gender diversity. Laurie shares her passion for educating women about entering the financial adviso...

Many people feel nervous or uncomfortable when talking about money. Negotiating a raise or letting clients know about an increase in fees can be even more intimidating, even for financial professionals.  In this episode, discover how advisors and clients alike can break their money silence with money-taboo shattering tips from wealth psychology expert Kathleen Burns Kingsbury.  With a passion for...

Most operations leaders are alone at their advisory firm. But you don’t have to be alone in your career. Whether you’re an operations professional, an advisor or even a compliance officer at a small or large firm, there are opportunities to find your tribe through a study group.  In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain talk with Shaun Kapusinski, Founder of HIFON, a private independent stud...

How we think, act and work has been overhauled in 2020. This has meant major shifts for news and media professionals that advisors rely on for the latest advice news and in how they engage and meet their peers at industry events. Are these media professionals hitting the mark and what do they see ahead? To find out, Laura Gregg is joined by InvestmentNews’ CEO, Christine Shaw in this episode. Chri...

During uncertain times, it’s critical that advisors remind and reinforce the value that they are providing to their clients. In this episode, Laura Gregg welcomes Corey Hoffstein, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Newfound Research, a quantitative asset manager offering a suite of separately managed accounts and mutual funds to advisor firms and institutional investors. Corey talks about how...