The Out and About Podcast

Jake DeKinder is the head of Client Communication at Dimensional Fund Advisors, where he oversees a broad range of initiatives designed to foster deeper connections with clients. His role encompasses managing conferences, webcasts, industry events, study groups, and communities, ensuring these interactions are both impactful and aligned with client needs. Jake transitioned into this role after yea...

Natalie Bergsma is a seasoned consultant and executive coach with over 20 years of experience working in the financial services industry. Her journey began unexpectedly, shifting from academia in physical chemistry to financial services, where she became a key player in helping advisory firms implement best practices. After realizing her career path was being driven by external expectations, she p...

Looking to make an impact in the thought leadership space? Want to become an in-demand speaker? Tune in! Mary Carlson is a financial expert with a passion for integrating financial education and human behavior. After earning a financial planning degree from Texas Tech University, she worked as a lobbyist for the Financial Planning Association, focusing on retirement, taxes, and financial education...

Catherine Tindall, CPA, is the founder and head tax strategist at Dominion Enterprise Services and host of the podcast “Financial Advisors Want to Know.” Specializing in helping RIAs, independent broker-dealers, and other 1099 financial advisors, Catherine goes beyond routine income tax return filing to offer proactive planning that supports growth and expansion. Observing a gap in strategic tax a...

Brandon Lovingier, ChFC®, MQFP® aka The Enlisted Money Guy™, served over 18 years in the Army — including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. After navigating his own financial challenges, he became committed to helping other service members avoid similar mistakes he made and achieve financial freedom. Through his Enlisted Money website, blog, and educational videos, Brandon shares practical reso...

At Out & About Communications, Ellie Alexander and Josefina Terrera are integral parts of a team dedicated to guiding clients to achieve their brand and digital goals. As design director, Ellie collaborates closely with clients to refine their brands and showcase what makes them unique. Her background spans traditional ad agencies, in-house branding, and boutique marketing, all of which have s...

Brendan Frazier is a former financial services consultant with over a decade of experience helping financial advisors across the country. Through his interactions with thousands of advisors, he recognized a recurring theme: many felt they were acting more like therapists than financial planners. This insight led Brendan to explore the often-overlooked human side of finance, prompting him to launch...

Tiffany and Lauren sit down to discuss frequently asked questions about outsourcing marketing in financial services. They explore indicators that suggest it’s time to bring in external support, factors that contribute to successful partnerships, and how to align broader business goals to secure leadership buy-in.  Stream the episode for valuable insights to elevate your outsourced marketing effort...

In this episode, Out & About’s Content Director, Tiffany Silverberg, joins Lauren to break down the ripple effects of the recent CFP Board recruiting campaign that missed the mark and stirred up unintended reactions. They share valuable takeaways as to why aligning marketing efforts with your brand’s voice, personality, and values is crucial in providing necessary guardrails to avoid similar m...

Broc Buckles is the co-founder of BC Brokerage, a company dedicated to serving financial planners across all 50 states. BC Brokerage focuses on providing honest, efficient, and transparent insurance solutions exclusively for financial advisors and their clients. Recognizing the challenges financial planners face with traditional insurance brokers who often push products for commission, Broc and hi...

Gretchen Pisano’s journey reflects the idea that no experience is wasted, as she believes her early career in graphic facilitation laid the foundation for her expertise. For seven years, she traveled globally, illustrating live conversations during high-level corporate meetings. This experience honed her ability to listen deeply—not just to what was said but also to what was left unsaid, across va...

Seth David, Chief Nerd at Nerd Enterprises, Inc., has a unique journey that combines creativity with analytical expertise. After majoring in computer science and dabbling in theater, Seth shifted his focus to finance, working as a stockbroker on Wall Street. He later earned an accounting degree and built a successful career as a senior revenue accountant. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, Seth...

Mary Wisniewski is the editor-at-large at Cornerstone Advisors, where she shapes content strategy. In journalism since 2008, covering banking innovation and fintech with brands such as Bankrate and American Banker, Mary offers unique insights into the evolving financial services landscape. Her most recent work focuses on how companies are adapting their strategies to connect with the next generati...

Angela York and Elyse Stoner are the dynamic co-founders of Event Advisors, a company dedicated to transforming event strategy within the financial services ecosystem. Angela brings decades of experience in advisor and marketing implementation, as well as event planning. Her journey spans over a decade of in-house roles and another decade as a consultant. During the pandemic, she met Elyse Stoner,...

Caleb Brown is the CEO and co-founder of New Planner Recruiting, LLC. He graduated from Texas Tech's financial planning program in the early 2000s after initially majoring in finance. Encouraged by his father to pursue business, Caleb discovered his passion for financial planning a few years into his studies and made a pivotal shift in his academic journey. Upon graduation, he returned to Dallas a...

As president of Unleashed Productions, Inc. and director at Finish Line Features, LLC, Robin is renowned for producing cause-based documentaries that inspire and educate. After beginning her career in the stock market, Robin's passion for photography and visual storytelling led her to documentary filmmaking. Her journey began in 2010 with a project about a high school cross-country coach diagnosed...

Stephanie McCullough is a veteran financial advisor with 27 years of experience. Inspired by her father, a long-time financial advisor, she transitioned into the financial sector at age 30. Recognizing the value of his work, she decided to join his business. A pivotal moment in 1998, when she met a coach at a chamber of commerce event, significantly shaped her professional journey. Stephanie found...

Cole Craven is the co-founder of Move Health Partners, based in Evansville, Indiana. Initially an advertising major with dreams of working at a big ad firm in a major city, his career path took an unexpected turn when a close friend introduced him to the health insurance industry. Starting at a large agency, Cole played a key role in scaling the team from 80 to nearly 400 members before his succes...

Ian J. Gates, former ESL teacher turned Army intel officer turned aspiring fee-only financial planner, brings a wealth of experience and unique insights into the financial challenges service members face. His military service and background in teaching refugees as well as affluent families have given him a rich and diverse perspective on financial literacy and planning. As host of the #BLUFFbooks...

Melissa Joy is a seasoned financial planner with over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Her career began with a strong focus on investment research and due diligence, eventually leading her to become a partner at a larger firm where she also played a pivotal role in shaping marketing strategies and branding efforts. In 2018, Melissa embarked on a new journey by founding Pe...

Spencer Lowe, CEO of SOLVD.cloud, was interested in entrepreneurship from a young age, starting with mowing lawns and door-to-door sales. Inspired by his father's late-career business venture, Spencer pursued his ambition to start his own business, earning a master's degree in information systems management. He began his career at a firm, where he honed his skills as a Salesforce consultant. Recog...

Barbara Micheletti is the founder and CEO of Interrupting Aging, using her gerontology (the study of aging) expertise and financial services background to transform how financial professionals engage with their aging clients. Starting as an insurance agent in 2006, she built a successful business but faced significant challenges two years later when Brooke Corporation went bankrupt while she was a...

Kate Guillen is a seasoned operations professional with over a decade of experience in the investment management industry. Her journey began as a client service associate for a broker-dealer and she later became the operations manager at a registered investment advisor, where she was given the freedom to solve operational issues with technology and discovered her passion for AdvisorTech. In 2020,...

Nick Richtsmeier is the principal at CultureCraft, an innovative firm dedicated to providing tools that unlock critical questions for wealth management professionals and firms. With a career deeply rooted in the wealth management industry, Nick spent nearly a decade as an advisor before transitioning into executive roles. His experience includes serving as CMO and COO for small to mid-sized regist...

Bridget Venus Grimes is president and founder of WealthChoice. She launched her family firm in 2016 in response to the financial challenges faced by breadwinner women across the nation. Recognizing the need to expand her capacity to serve her growing clientele of over 65 families, she made the decision to bring her daughter Marnie on board. Through this strategic move, Bridget aims to ensure conti...