The Human Side of Money

Trust is the foundation of success in financial advice. Research has found that trust is the #1 characteristic clients look for in a financial advisor. But how can you quickly instill trust into the conversation with a prospective client? How can you consistently build trust throughout your relationship with a current client so they refer more and follow your advice? Mary Schmid will explain how t...

Every single advisor and planner recognizes the importance of the human side when working with people and their money. And every single advisor and planner wants practical, tangible ways to embed it in their practice. After exploring the human side of money with 50 of the brightest minds on behavior, psychology, communication, and money, I wanted to help make it as practical as possible. Consider...

Most financial advisors do a great job focusing on WHAT clients want to achieve (Goals) and HOW to achieve it (Financial Planning). But the best advice focuses first and foremost on WHY. It focuses on the client’s values, purpose, intentions (what’s truly most important in their lives). And everything flows from there. A financial plan without a “Why” is merely data on a pa...

What’s the point of tripling your net worth if you still dread getting out of bed every morning? That’s why financial advice at the highest level focuses on more than the accumulation of money. It focuses on the alignment of money with what’s most important in the client’s life. It’s what Dr. Preston Cherry calls “Life Money Balance.” It’s at the cor...

It’s the most storied rivalry in finance. The current self versus the future self. The very nature of financial planning work with clients is heavily focused on the future. Yet, the current self often calls the shots when it comes to financial decisions. In a profession so heavily focused on the future, the key to improving client’s behaviors, decisions, and outcomes starts by addressi...

You’ve likely heard of emotional intelligence (EQ). Intellectual intelligence (IQ) is important. But, EQ is crucial. Especially when you work with emotional human beings on the emotionally charged topic of money. But, how can advisors and planners seamlessly incorporate EQ principles into their practice? Beverly Flaxington, Human Behavior Coach®, best-selling author, and international speaker join...

Most trainings, certifications, and designations financial advisors receive fail to teach the difference between crunching numbers and working with emotional human beings on the emotionally charged topic of money. Working with human beings requires a completely different skill set centered on building trust, uncovering values and emotions around money, and changing behavior. A skill set that sits...

This is Part II of the conversation. It’s a continuation of the previous episode (Episode 49). I highly recommend listening to Part I before diving into this one! Dr. Meghaan Lurtz joined the show to explain the keys to unlocking the superpower of questions with prospects and clients. We discuss: The secrets to asking great questions that get great responses Two types of questions designed t...

For financial advisors and planners to do their job at the highest level requires the ability to do two things: Uncover someone’s personal, intimate financial details Unearth someone’s values, emotions, hopes, dreams, and fears about their money and their life Most people don’t talk about one of those things with anyone else in their life. And almost NO ONE talks about both with...

This is Part II of a two-part conversation. It’s a continuation of Episode 47. I would highly recommend listening to that episode before diving into this one!* When Bill Bachrach started his career as a financial advisor, he was in his mid-20s trying to convince wealthy people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s to leave their current advisor and entrust him with their life savings. He knew he needed...

When Bill Bachrach started his career as a financial advisor, he was in his mid-20s trying to convince wealthy people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s to leave their current advisor and entrust him with their life savings. He knew he needed to do something different that would stand out and inspire his prospective clients. So, he spent countless hours refining and developing a process that eventually be...

In an industry that praises the relentless pursuit of growth, Jeremy Walter chose to pursue “enough.” He chose to optimize for satisfaction rather than revenue. But, as Jeremy learned, even crafting a business with intention has its own set of challenges when you’ve been preached “grow, grow, grow” your whole career. Jeremy shares his journey to building his current a...

The best conversations with clients and prospective clients have two things in common: 1) They create trust and connection that allows the person to open up and share information with you that they’ve likely never shared before 2) They unearth valuable information and stories about the person that provides insights to help them align their money with the life they want to live. Ultimately, t...

How many times have you created a goal and vision for your advisory business only to fall short? You came up with the plan to make it happen, but you miss your growth goals while still working too many hours to fully enjoy your life outside of the business. That’s because most people focus first on the plan (the strategy and tactics) instead of their mindset. Stephanie Bogan works with advis...

How many times have you created a goal and vision for your advisory business only to fall short? You came up with the plan to make it happen, but you miss your growth goals while still working too many hours to fully enjoy your life outside of the business. That’s because most people focus first on the plan (the strategy and tactics) instead of their mindset. Stephanie Bogan works with advis...

Meetings are the single most important component of your entire business. Whether it’s a client or a prospective client, it’s the meetings where things actually happen. Meetings are where prospects become clients (or don’t). Dan Smaida, a “Meeting Execution Specialist”, has consulted with over 10,000 advisors on how to use behavioral science and a consultative process...

Ever wondered why your clients and prospective clients have failed to take action on your advice despite the fact you’ve shown them exactly how to accomplish their financial goals? This episode is all about developing the skills and techniques to deliver advice that clients actually follow through on. Financial coaching “works to narrow the gap between what people know and what they do...

With the future of our profession continuing to shift towards the human side of advice and the CFP Board’s announcement earlier this year that they added “The Psychology of Financial Planning” as a principal knowledge topic, it’s becoming crucial for advisors to start familiarizing themselves with this aspect of the business. At the same time, it’s too much to think t...

Change and transition are a constant and pivotal part of our clients’ lives. And it’s these moments that can shape both the future of their life and their money. However, successfully guiding clients through the changes and transitions of life requires more than sound technical knowledge and advice.  Susan Bradley coaches advisors around the world on how to navigate change and joined t...

Carl Richards has a mantra for financial advisors that he says changes everything once you can fully internalize it: “Financial advisors are guides in a changing landscape. Not the defenders of an outdated map.” It’s no longer enough for advisors to build a detailed financial plan or construct a portfolio. It’s about building trust and connection with clients, unearthing th...

When financial advisors work with couples, it’s more than just navigating their finances. It means navigating an emotional and complex relationship dynamic. It’s not just a matter of aligning the numbers. It’s a matter of aligning two completely different belief systems. When you combine two different upbringings and two different sets of belief systems around money, naturally te...

When was the last time you thought about: What your office or Zoom background is “signaling” to prospective clients? What minor detail or design on your website could drastically improve conversions? How to package your services in a way that feels less overwhelming and provides clarity around exactly what the client receives? What things could be causing your clients to perceive your...

Imagine guiding your clients through a process of discovering what a meaningful, fulfilled life would look like and then providing them with the financial strategies to fuel that vision. You help your clients clarify and fund their best life. That is life planning. But, what does life planning actually look like in practice? When do I have these heartfelt conversations? What do these conversations...

Imagine going into a meeting with a complete picture of your client’s money mindset. You know exactly how they like to communicate about money, that they have a tendency to “keep up with the Joneses”, and that they are likely to panic when the market plummets. Armed with that information, you would know exactly which behaviors to focus on changing to improve their financial outco...

After five years of frustratingly inconsistent prospecting meetings, Dan Solin decided there had to be a better way. So, he spent a year researching and learning everything he could about the neuroscience and psychology of what it took to seamlessly convert a prospect into a client. From that, he built an evidence-based process that flipped everything he knew on its head. And, in his first year pr...