You're a Financial Planner, Now What?: Recent Episodes
Financial Planning Association
Andrew Barninger, CFP®, CDFA®, is a financial planner and partner at Personal Wealth Advisory LLC. He’s also the founder of Next Phase Business Planning, where he helps business owners manage the unique aspects of exit planning.
Andrew spoke with Hannah about how he became a partner so young, what partnership in a small firm is really like, and what he credits with his happiness and success.
Galen Herbst de Cortina, CFP®, is the founder and lead planner of Buff Your Finances, a financial planning firm tailored toward millennials with a focus on Twitch streamers. Quite the niche, right? In the latest episode of YAFPNW, Galen and Hannah Moore, CFP®, talk about the unique challenges of planning for streamers, his experience running his own business, work-life balance, and more.
Stephanie Bogan is a high-performance business coach at Limitless Advisor Coaching, where she helps advisors, leaders, and founders align their career with their ideal lifestyle. She spoke with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about how you can tweak your mindset to achieve more wealth and wellbeing in your practice and how you can mindfully craft your work life, even if you’re an employee.
Scott McKenna is the Vice President of Osprey Funds, a digital asset investment firm that offers secure, cost-effective access to select crypto. In this new episode of YAFPNW, Scott and Matt Fizell, CFP®, discuss why crypto funds are so important to the profession and why financial planners should learn as much as they can about crypto and blockchain technology.
Justin Green, CFP®, MSPFP, is a financial planner and founder of Assist Financial Planning, a firm that caters to millennials and fitness entrepreneurs. In the latest episode of YAFPNW, Justin and Hannah Moore, CFP®, discuss the launch of his firm, important skills like networking, how Assist FP caters to a younger clientele, and more.
Maggie KIokkenga, CPA, CFP®, is the founder, financial coach, and planner at Make a Money Mindshift, LLC. She sat down with Hannah Moore, CFP®, to talk about the differences between advising and coaching, helping clients clarify and shift bad habits, and the impact of behavior on our clients’ success.
Greg Goin CFP®, CIMA®, CLU®,CRPC®, is the Regional Vice President of RIA Markets at Allianz Life. Schyler Adams, CFP®, is the Director of Advanced Strategies and Planning Platforms at Allianz Life. Alongside Hannah Moore, CFP®, they dive into how their CFP® training brought them to unexpected roles and how professionals can look for their dream work in unexpected places.
Simon Tryzna is the Chief Investment Officer at ClearPath Capital Partners, a $300 million RIA, and a CFA® Charterholder. In the latest episode of YAFPNW, Matt Fizell, CFP®, and Simon discuss his passion for numbers, understanding your strengths as a financial planner, and new trends in the financial planning space.
Tremaine Wills is the Chief Operating Officer of Mind Over Money, an RIA firm. Tremaine and Hannah Moore, CFP®, discuss how she discovered financial planning, the challenges of being an entrepreneur, and how she serves the public through comprehensive financial planning and financial literacy.
Mariana Llamas, AIF®, is an associate planner at Xena Financial Planning, where she helps young professionals manage their money and life on their own terms. With Hannah Moore, CFP®, she talks about what it’s like to be at the early stages of crafting her career and the path she took through professional designations. They also discuss how nurturing your networks can help you express your values and grow your capabilities as a financial planner.
Today’s guest is Barry Streit, CLU, ChFC®, senior vice president at United Healthcare. Barry focuses on the practical information that financial planners need today in order to serve clients who are approaching … or are in retirement. If you don’t work with older clients just yet, don’t worry, there’s a lot of good information that will help you and your clients plan for the future.
In today’s episode Dr. Michael Kothakota joins Hannah Moore to discuss Michael’s previous military career and background that led him to become a planner. Once working with clients, Michael’s curiosity and desire for data driven decisions led him to challenge the assumptions financial planners make.
Danika Waddell, CFP®, RLP®, CSLP®, is a career-changer who went from accounting to founding her own firm. She sat down with Hannah Moore, CFP®, to talk about how you can start the journey, what steps you must not skip, and what it means to thrive after the transition.
Ed Rodbro, CAP®, is the senior advisor in charge of charitable estate planning at the American Heart Association. He helps wealth advisors, estate planning attorneys, and other financial professionals develop charitable giving solutions for their clients. Ed spoke with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about how philanthropy can help you manage your clients’ tax liabilities, fulfil their values, and engage millennial clients on issues that matter to them.
Mike Harris, MPASSM, CFP®, CRPC®, is the chair of retirement studies and a professor at the College for Financial Planning. He’s been in the profession for over forty years and has watched it evolve. He spoke with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about how the life of a financial advisor has changed, how professional designations will impact your career, and what it will take for you to thrive through the changes ahead.
Jasen Wallace, CFP® is a financial planner at Weinheimer Wealth Management and the Career Development Director for the FPA chapter in Austin. He sat down with Hannah Moore, CFP®, to talk about how new planners can navigate increasingly complex career decisions.
Spenser Liszt, CFP®, is a financial planner at Paradigm Advisors. These days, he helps young families make informed decisions about their money. His journey to this work wasn’t linear, as you’ll hear. Spenser sat down with Hannah Moore, CFP®, to talk about how he worked his way out of his previous musician lifestyle to become a champion of financial literacy.
Steven Jarvis, CPA, is the co-founder, CEO, and head CPA at Retirement Tax Services. He also hosts their podcast, where he aims to bridge the gap between tax professionals and financial planners to better serve mutual clients. He sat down with Matt Fizzell, CFP®, to talk about how collaboration can provide enhanced value to both professions. They also discuss why collaboration has been a struggle in the past and how you can build a mutually beneficial partnership with your client’s tax planner.
Joy Lere, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and a co-founder of Shaping Wealth, a learning platform that helps advising professionals and corporate organizations navigate the emotional work required to achieve financial plans. She spoke with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about three key strategies that every planner should use to meet their client’s psychological needs. They also discuss how to avoid burnout caused by the intense emotional demands of our profession.
CJ Miller, CFP®, RMA®, is a financial planner at Sensible Money LLC and a board member of the Greater Phoenix chapter of the FPA. He sat down with Matt Fizell, CFP®, to talk about how he found a career in a small firm where he can see himself growing happily for the rest of his working life. He shares about the essential values, habits, and supports that you can cultivate to build your own big dreams in small businesses.
Thomas Kopelman is the founder of The Long Game blog and podcast, and a financial advisor at RLS Wealth. Named one of Business Insider’s Top 23 Financial Advisors for Millennials in 2020, he speaks with Matt Fizell, CFP®, about why he left a wirehouse role to take a chance on building his own brand. In this episode, you’ll hear what Thomas has learned about content marketing that can help you build the career you really want.
Garrett Philbin AFC®, CMC® is the founder of Be Awesome, Not Broke. He provides financial coaching, which is a distinct service from traditional advising that focuses on helping people get out of debt and start the journey toward mastering their money. He sat down with Hannah Moore, CFP®, to talk about how coaching differs from advising, why it matters in the profession, and how the skills and model of financial coaching can benefit any practice.
The Foundation for Financial Planning has been expanding access to pro bono planning for over 25 years, helping people in need benefit from quality financial advice. Through their Pro Bono for Cancer Campaign, they’ve partnered with the FPA National and Family Reach to provide free financial planning to help families cope with the extraordinary financial burdens that come with a cancer diagnosis.
In this episode, Hannah Moore, CFP®, spoke to Raven, a client of Family Reach, Robert Sharer, the volunteer advisor who worked with her, and members of all three of the collaborating agencies about their mission, outcomes, and how you can get involved to give back through pro bono work.
Ric Edelman is the co-founder of Edelman Financial Engines, the host of Ric Edelman Radio, and co-founder of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals. He sat down with Hannah Moore, CFP®, to discuss what advisors need to know about the game-changing impacts of bitcoin and blockchain technology.
Matthew Ricks, MBA, CFP®, is the founder of Haystack Financial Planning, a firm that serves people with disabilities and special needs. Matthew spoke with Matt Fizell, CFP®, about how he took control of his career, started his own firm, and niched down in an area where his interests and experience met with great demand.
Maddi Napier, CFP®, MBA, FSRI, QKA, knows how hard it is for many of us to hone our leadership skills. Hannah Moore, CFP®, sat down with Maddi to find out where she gets her confidence in managing people, what makes a great leader, and how the rest of us can be more comfortable and effective when we’re at the helm.
Pam Capalad, CFP®, AFC®, is the founder and CEO of Brunch and Budget, a virtual financial planning firm. At Budget and Brunch, Pam provides affordable, high quality financial advice and works to break down financial barriers for people of color. She spoke with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about how her team provided powerful outreach during the COVID pandemic, and how showing up and paying attention can help change lives and right wrongs in the financial system.
Subscription fees are intended to make financial planning more accessible to clients while creating more predictable and scalable income for a firm. But how do they play out in real life? To find out, Hannah Moore, CFP®, sat down with three planners from around the country who provide different types of subscription services through their firms.
Brendan Frazier is the founder of Wired Planning and The Human Side of Money Podcast. He sat down with Hannah Moore, CFP®, to discuss the controversy around behavioral finance and the unavoidable role it plays in every client interaction. They also discuss how we can all develop better behavioral coaching skills for mutually satisfying client relationships.
Jared Machen, CFP®, co-founded Brownlee Wealth Management after building a successful practice as a virtual paraplanner. He spoke with Matt Fizell, CFP®, about the surprising opportunities available on the paraplanning career path and how it gave him the breadth of knowledge to eventually open his own RIA with confidence.
Natalie Taylor, CFP®, BFA™, runs an RIA and consults with fintech companies through her own business, Natalie Taylor Consulting. She spoke with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about what finance apps do better for the average customer, what human advisors provide that can’t be replaced, and what the profession can learn from fintech to make financial planning services more client-centric and impactful.
Succession planning within a firm is complicated, with a lot riding on it for both generations. To give us a glimpse into what makes or breaks a succession plan, Hannah Moore, CFP®, sat down with two young planners who are in the thick of it. Kevin Cassidy, CFP®, is the Next Gen director at FPA Houston and is in the midst of succession at Veritas Wealth Management. Brooklyn Brock, CFP®, CEPA®, ChFC®, CKA®, is the founder of Ellevate, a financial planning firm for advisors that specializes in exit coaching. Together, Kevin and Brooklyn share what they’ve learned about the pitfalls that crop up and approaches that work when you’re taking the reins of an established company.
Every new planner wants to move up quickly through the ranks, but it can be hard to do so when they don’t get the attention or experience they need. Matt Granksi, CFA®, is an example of what’s possible, though, rising from analyst to President at Miracle Mile Advisors before his 28th birthday.
Up next, Matt tells Hannah Moore, CFP®, how he got noticed and how his approach to his career helped him solve problems for his clients and team. Find out what it took for Matt to grow his firm to a multi-billion dollar business by focusing on premium client service, innovative systems, and empowering NextGen talent.
Jeremy Walter, CFP®, CKA®, is the founder of Fident Financial, where he specializes in value-led financial planning. He sat down with Matt Fizell, CFP®, to talk about how his family and Christian values led the way for his business. He shares how this unique business approach has allowed him to help people in a way that feels meaningful, without compromising on his faith or life.
Hannah Moore, CFP®, sat down with three up-and-coming planners who are growing their careers in different ways. Christopher Stroup, MBA, is a career changer who went from oilfield engineering to wealth advising at Abacus Wealth Partners. Kurtis Rohlf found financial planning after piloting several service industry start-ups, and Riley Saunders, CFP®, crafted his own role as an internal processes expert at Cassaday and Company. These three share how they explored new opportunities and leveraged their strengths to forge a career just for them.
Hannah Moore, CFP®, is the owner of Guiding Wealth and an active force in the FPA’s work to educate, empower, and inspire new financial planners. Hannah spoke with Stephanie Trexler, CFP®, in an Ask Me Anything session at the FPA Michigan Student Success Summit. She shared the secret sauce behind FPA’s Virtual Externship Program and her excitement about the next generation of planners. You’ll also hear Hannah’s thoughts on the one indispensable skill she believes that up-and-coming financial professionals should cultivate for success.
Marina Hernández, EA, CFP®, CEPA™, is the co-founder of Swiss American Wealth Advisors. She also works through The Crossborder Planner and Crossborder Academy to provide U.S. expats and immigrants with free financial education and planning. Marina spoke with Matt Fizell, CFP®, about forging your career path in an unpredictable world, and the interesting tax and financial planning needs of Americans living overseas. Hear more of Marina’s thoughts by listening to the episode — including how planners, firms, and the next generation can create meaningful diversity and inclusion in the profession.
Pamela Rodriguez, CFP®, is the founder of Fulfilled Finances. She spoke with Alexandria Davis about the fulfilling (and exhausting) journey of building a business while raising a baby and how a specialized university program paved the way for her firm. They also discuss what the profession can do better to support women and families.
Chad Chubb is a CFP®, CSLP®, and the lead advisor and founder of Wealth Keel. His firm specializes in simplifying the complex financial lives of Gen X and Gen Y physicians. Chad talked with Matt Fizell, CFP®, about starting his own firm at an astonishingly early point in his career, the privileges that made it possible, and his advice to young advisors wondering how to find their own path.
Stephanie McCullough is the founder and CEO of Sofia Financial and co-host of the Take Back Retirement Podcast. She talked with Matt Fizell, CFP®, about building confidence in your work when you’re not a traditional advisor, what the financial planning conversation is lacking for women, and how to find and connect to the parts of the industry that excite you.
Julia Carreon is a digital executive, helping finance companies adapt to tech innovation. She spoke with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about the lessons learned from the GameStop rush, why the crisis was inevitable, and how the profession can better prepare for the next generation of investors.
Zaneilia Harris, CFP®, is the president of H&H Wealth Management and author of Finance 'and Stilettos: Money Matters for the Well-Heeled Woman. She speaks with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about inner and outer signals that have helped her find her way in her career, and her vision of the legacy she wants to leave.
Ashby Daniels, CFP®, is a financial advisor and COO at Shorebridge Wealth Management. He is also the author of Medicare Simplified. In this episode, Ashby and Matt Fizell, CFP®, discuss the impact you can create on your business and your audience’s goals when you’re committed to creating genuinely helpful content.
Angela Moore, MSPFP, CFP®, MPAS®, CRPC®, CFEI, is the founder of Modern Money Advisor. In this episode, Angela discusses her firm’s unique online service model and how they use automation to streamline everything. She also shares how self-acceptance has helped her thrive in every aspect of her business.
Samantha Lamas is a behavioral researcher at Morningstar Investment Management, and Ryan Murphy, Ph.D., is Morningstar’s head of Decision Sciences. They spoke with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about their award-winning research and the tool they developed to help financial planning professionals create a clear plan for their clients’ goals, so they can make advised and rational decisions. Be sure to earn .5 hours of CFP Board CE Credit with this episode!
Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, is the founder and CEO of Illumint, a firm dedicated to financial planning for millennial couples. He spoke with Matt Fizell, CFP®, about why the profession needs a variety of fee models, how he found a profitable way to serve a non-traditional market, and how you can build a successful business helping the clients you care about.
JD Bruce, CPA, PFS™, is Chief of Innovation at Abacus Wealth Partners. He spoke with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about the unique business model that allows Abacus to serve large and small clients at scale and how their rigorous training program produces advisors who can handle the complex interpersonal challenges of talking to people about their money.
Patrick Mahoney is the new CEO of the Financial Planning Association, and Skip Schweiss, CFP®, AIF®, is the President of the Board. They chatted with Hannah Moore, CFP®, about the future of financial planning, the importance of professionalizing the profession, and how being active in your local chapter will change your life.
Jacqueline Schadeck, CFP®, AWMA®, is a financial planner, author, and speaker who is passionate about improving the profession. She spoke with Alexandria about how she thinks the financial planning profession can do better, and how her dedication to growth built her career.
Chelsea Ransom-Cooper, CFP®, is the founder of Women with Equity and a partner at Zenith Wealth Partners. During this episode, she shares how her childhood experiences and drive to serve led her to where she is today. Her goal is to empower women and people of color through accessible financial education and wealth planning. Listen as she shares the mentors and moments that helped guide her through the world of finance, from lack of experience and work that didn’t resonate to connections, expertise, and ownership of her true calling.
Kay Pfleghardt, CFP®, is a Private Wealth Service Advisor and NextGen Leadership Consultant at Family Wealth and Legacy. In this new episode of YAFPNW, Kay and Hannah discuss how she got her start in the profession, who Family Wealth and Legacy serves, and her firm’s team approach to clients.
Dasarte Yarnway is the Founder and Managing Director of Berknell Financial Group, a fee-only and fiduciary firm that serves a broad range of clients, as well as professional athletes and entertainers. In this new episode of YAFPNW, Hannah and Dasarte discuss who Berknell serves and how, the books Dasarte has authored, his approach to clients, and what “onward to greatness” means.
Jamie Hopkins ESQ., MBA, CFP®, LLM, CLU®, CHFC®, RICP®, is the Managing Director of Carson Coaching and Director of Retirement Research at Carson Group. Prior to his work at Carson, Jamie was an attorney and worked as an academic and educator with the American College of Financial Services.
In our latest episode of YAFPNW, Jamie talked to Hannah about his roles as attorney, researcher, teacher, and coach in the profession. They also discussed the importance of culture at a firm, why firm owners need to invest in their people, and how to become a better financial planner.
Erin Lowry, financial translator, author, and speaker, is the founder of Broke Millennial, a popular financial advising brand that helps millennials “get your financial life together (#GYFLT). In our newest episode of YAFPNW, Hannah and Erin discuss how Erin got the idea for Broke Millennial, what’s unique about serving this particular generation, what it’s like to write books, and much more.
Cody Garrett, CFP®, is a financial planner at Legacy Asset Management and a financial independence educator at Measure Twice Money. As a career musician first, Cody has traveled quite an interesting path to the profession.
In our newest episode of YAFPNW, Hannah and Cody discuss his education and background in music, his passion for honest financial education, and how a music background influenced his approach to financial planning.
Jamie Bosse, CFP®, RFC is a financial planner, author, and financial educator at Aspyre Wealth Partners. She’s been featured in several publications, like Investment Advisor Magazine and The Journal of Financial Planning. Jamie has also published a children’s book called Milton the Money Savvy Pup.
On our new episode of YAFPNW, Jamie and Hannah talk about her career path, her passion for early financial education, and how her family’s adorable Welsh Corgi inspired a children’s book about finance.
Shannon McLay is the founder and CEO of The Financial Gym, a national personal financial services company that takes a “fitness-inspired” approach to finances. Shannon has been featured on numerous news outlets, and she’s been named a woman to watch in Shapes “Women Changing the World” issue in 2019.
On our new episode of YAFPNW, Matt and Shannon talk about what makes The Financial Gym different from traditional financial firms, the psychology of working with clients, and the one skill that every advisor needs.
Dominique Henderson, CFP®, is the founder of DJH Capital Management, a fee-only wealth management firm based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Dominique is also the founder of the Jumpstart Coaching Lab, a community that empowers and supports new financial professionals.
In our latest episode of YAFPNW, Hannah talks to Dominique about helping career changers find their footing, his YouTube channel, and creating your own career path.
Diana Yanez is a CFP® and Associate Financial Planner at RTD Financial. Her career path to RTD Financial has been long and diverse: running the numbers at a nonprofit, volunteering in Costa Rica, and studying for the CFP exam.
On our new episode of YAFPNW, Hannah and Diana discuss how Diana got into the profession, how culture and upbringing affect money decisions, and what advice she’d give to other new professionals in the same situation.
Michelle Wong, FPQP™, is the founder of and virtual assistant for Nifty Advisor Support, a support solution for independent Registered Investment Advisors. Nifty provides back office services and VAs for RIAs in D.C., Pennsylvania, Arizona, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, and soon to be more.
On our latest YAFPNW episode, Michelle talks to Hannah about how Nifty serves financial advisors, adapting to a virtual work environment, and how new planners can explore operations as a career path.
Tim Maurer, CFP®️, speaker, and author, is the Director of Advisor Development for Buckingham Wealth Partners. His motto, “personal finance is more personal than finance,” drives his writing, speaking, and of course, his financial planning work.
In our new episode of YAFPNW, Tim and Hannah discuss the meaning of that motto, as well as the skills planners need to excel and the impact we can make on our clients’ lives.
Alexandra Armstrong was the first woman to earn the CFP®️ certification in Washington, D.C. in 1977. As the chairman and founder of Armstrong, Fleming & Moore, Inc., Alex has put her vast experience to work providing financial planning services to single women, couples, and retirees.
We were thrilled to have Alex as a guest on our latest episode of YAFPNW. She and Hannah discuss the differences in how men and women approach retirement, how to understand the retirement mindset, and what inspired Alex to write her new book.
You may know Julia Lorenz-Olson and Philip Olson for their quirky, fun web series Two Cents, a weekly personal finance show on PBS aimed at millennials and Gen Z. Philip and Julia also founded The Art of Finance, an Austin-based financial services firm that helps clients in the creative industry.
How did the Olsons create Two Cents? What led them to launch The Art of Finance? Julia, Philip, and Matt discuss that and more on our newest episode of YAFPNW.
Mothers in the profession are often asked, “How do you balance work and motherhood? Can we have it all?” Christy Raines, CFP®, AIF®, and President of Azimuth Wealth Management, Inc. had an excellent response to that question: “There is no kind of secret to it. There is no balance...this is real life and this is real planning.”
In our new episode of YAFPNW, Christy and Hannah dive into that work-life balance dream. They also discuss how Christy grew Azimuth Wealth Management, moving around as a military spouse, relating to clients, and more.
Don St. Clair, CFP®, AIF®, ChSNC®, is the president of St. Clair Financial, a firm that specializes in self-employed professionals and educators in California. Don is also the owner of MortgageNudge, a tool that helps users figure out how to pay off their mortgage within their budget and in respect to their goals.
In our new episode of YAFPNW, Hannah and Don discuss how MortgageNudge came to be, why developing skills is just as important as gaining knowledge, and the importance of embracing uncertainty.
Colin Overweg, CFP®, is the founder of financial planning firm Advize Wealth. Colin’s firm is unique, not because it’s primarily virtual or that he doesn’t have a traditional niche, which are traits a few other firms share. Colin uses video reviews of financial plans to help his clients.
In this new episode of YAFPNW, Hannah and Colin talk about his use of video, what pushed him to start his own firm, and giving back to his alma mater.
Walter Booker is the Chief Operating Officer of MarketCounsel. Prior to that role, he helped financial advisors be better business owners. Walter has had an impressive history working in the profession, and shared a lot of interesting advice with Hannah in this newest episode.
Tune in to the full episode to listen to Walter and Hannah discuss serving diverse clients, the financial literacy gap, different career pathways in the profession, and much more.
Cathy Curtis, CFP®, specializes in financial planning for independent women. She’s also the author and creator of The Happiness Spreadsheet, a budgeting system that helps you build a budget around your values.
In our newest episode of YAFPNW, Hannah and Cathy dive into the history of The Happiness Spreadsheet, finding your niche, and how online marketing helped Cathy grow her brand.
Anna N'Jie-Konte, CFP®, is the founder of Dare to Dream Financial Planning, a fee-only, virtual planning firm that primarily serves women of color. Anna also hosts the podcast First-Gen Realness, where she shares stories with fellow first-generation Americans.
In this episode of YAFPNW, Anna and Ian discuss her passion for financial planning, the importance of financial literacy, why and how the profession needs to be shaken up, and much more
Time is precious, and we’ve never been busier. Host Matt Fizell, CFP® talked to Adam Cmejla, CFP®, about workflows and processes in our latest YAFPNW episode. They discussed the benefits of integrating processes, challenges he faces in his work, and Adam’s advice for new planners interested in that area of the profession.
How much does psychology impact money and investing? Quite a bit, actually. Matt sat down with author and former finance columnist, Morgan Housel, to discuss how our experiences and thoughts affect our financial decisions. Matt and Morgan also talk about writing, risk tolerance, and his new upcoming book.
Zacc Call, CFP®, is a partner and wealth advisor at Utah-based Capital Financial Network. In this episode, Matt and Zacc talk about the unique structure of Capita’s compensation model, how he joined the profession, and what new financial planners should do when job hunting.
Dr. Mary Bell Carlson is a Certified Financial Planner™, founder of personal finance blog Chief Financial Mom, and a “full-time mom, part-time professor,” as she calls it. Here, she joins Hannah to talk about the umbrella of professions under financial planning and how to define success for each planner.
How has the profession changed over time? Quite a bit, but what hasn’t changed is the heart of everything: building relationships with your clients. In this episode, Hannah talked to Lawrence Sprung, CFP® and founder/ President of Mitlin Financial, about just that. They also discuss his firm’s work, professional niches, social media strategy, and more.
Tyler Aubrey, CFP® and financial planner at Define Financial in San Diego, had an unconventional career path that led him to the profession. In our newest YAFPNW episode, Tyler and Matt discuss his early work with a large government contractor, his first financial planning role, and his advice for new planners.
What does content have to do with being a financial planner? How can it help a new financial planner make their mark? According to Justin Castelli, CFP®, founder and owner of RLS Wealth Management, blogger, and podcast host, content can develop your personal brand, tell your story, and grow your business.
What does it take to be a successful new planner? Finding your audience and connecting with them is part of it. Haley Rosa from PR firm Gregory FCA talks with Hannah about developing your personal brand and media strategy in our latest episode of YAFPNW.
Hannah Moore, CFP®, hosts a “giving back” panel with Kurt Kaczor, Director of Pro Bono at FPA; Robinson Crawford, CFP®; Alex Wilson, CFP®, FPA of GA NexGen Director; and Kyle Eaton, CFP®. They discuss how they got involved in pro bono work, what they’ve learned, and how you can start giving back.
The financial planner’s career path is often thought of as very linear: go to school, get your CFP certification, begin working for a firm and work your way up, or start your own. However, you can’t plan for everything, and sometimes you’re introduced to opportunities you don’t expect.
Like many of our other guests on YAFPNW, Katie Seay, CFP®, proves that life as a financial planner so often takes you in a different direction. In our latest episode, Katie talked to Hannah about what makes The Trust Company unique, how her career has evolved, the importance of firm culture, and more. From Atlanta to Manhattan Katie went to the University of Georgia, initially as an international affairs major. When she came across family financial planning, her curiosity was piqued. She fell in love with the program and the work, and began working at Ayco in Atlanta, a Goldman Sachs company. After marrying her husband, Katie moved to Manhattan, Kansas, which was a big cultural change from Atlanta. However, it brought her to The Trust Company.
A trust company shares similarities with normal financial planning firms, but a few things set it apart. An independent trust company is not owned by a bank, and it’s regulated a bit differently. Trust officers and financial planners are “hands-on as well as multigenerational,” as Katie put it, working with grandparents, parents, and kids throughout their lifetimes. What you do at a trust is not that different from what you do at a firm.
“We really are part life coach...and part financial advisor,” said Katie. “I don't think the role is necessarily unsimilar to what a lot of financial advisors are doing with their clients, our just happens to be a more structured role.” The Trust Company’s unique structure Part of what Katie loves about working at The Trust Company is how she’s helped it grow. The Trust Company has been around since the early 90s, so when Katie joined in 2012, the business was already established. What wasn’t established, however, was the financial planning services part of it all.
“I've really gotten to create my own business within a business, if that makes sense,” said Katie. “And so it's been the best of both worlds for me. I've gotten to do my own thing, but have all the support and resources of an established business.”
What has helped Katie grow her business within a business? Maybe part of it is the unique way The Trust Company is structured. The Trust Company has been majority employee-owned since its inception; every employee at The Trust Company has the opportunity to buy in. This allows everyone to have a seat at the table, and feel valued and proud of the company. Katie explained that The Trust Company’s structure adds to conversations with clients, too.
“Being still a small business, a lot of times we get questions about, ‘What are your plans? How do I know you're not just going to leave?’ Things like that,” said Katie. “And so it's a very easy conversation to say, ‘Well, I'm an owner of the trust company and here's how that works and here's why that's important to me.’” The importance of a firm’s culture Unique structure aside, Katie also believes strongly in The Trust Company’s culture. When your firm’s culture resonates with you, you believe in what you’re doing. It’s much easier to “sell” your services when you have confidence in where you’re working and the services that you’re providing, Katie explained.
That’s why it’s so important for new financial planners to find a firm that aligns with who you are. It’s something Katie wishes she had paid more attention to when she entered the profession.
“These are people that you're spending most of your day with,” said Katie.”You've just gotta make sure that you really believe in your company because that's ultimately how you are going to be a successful professi...
What does the future of financial planning look like? In our latest YAFPNW episode, Nathan Gehring, CFP®, talks about it with Hannah — as well as “slow financial planning,” providing value to clients, and how we’ll have to keep up with a rapidly evolving world.
Louis Barajas, CFP®, has 30+ years of experience in the profession. As a business and wealth manager, author, and a national speaker to boot, he had lots of insight to share in our newest episode of YAFPNW. Alexandria and Louis discuss his background, the profession, his pro bono work, and much more.
Diane Bourdo, CFP®, is the president of The Humphreys Group, a women-owned and women-operated wealth management firm. A proud feminist, as she states in her Twitter bio, Diane is passionate about the role of women in the profession, as well as the perception of women and money.
In our latest episode of YAFPNW, Matt speaks to Diane about why those perceptions of women and money in our society need to change, the power of listening, how her firm serves clients, and much more. The myth of women and money “I've always considered myself a feminist even when I was a very young girl,” said Diane. “And so being the head of a firm that has always had a focus on women has been a bit of a no-brainer.”
Diane’s firm has always targeted women who were recently divorced or inherited, “the whole women-in-transition before it was really a thing,” as she put it. Why? Our culture’s ideas of what it means to be good with money, successful with money, are tired and outdated. They’re also not accurate, and they need to change.
“The idea of women not having confidence or knowledge about money doesn't sync up with my experience with women....generally I've found that women are much better at money than they've been led to believe,” said Diane. “And of course it's also true that men are generally not as good at money than they have been led to believe. And so we're all suffering by this narrative. It's not good for anybody.”
How do we start reversing this stereotype? As financial planners, we can start by listening. Why listening is essential for success It sounds obvious, but anyone in the profession knows that we’ve been trained to fix things. Find solutions. Focus on the technical side of things to make our clients happy. But there’s more to being successful as a financial planner than the numbers.
The details, the calculations, the specialized stuff that financial planners do is still very important, Diane says. However, that expertise has to be balanced with empathy. You could have the best plan in the world for a client, but if you don’t know their motivations, emotions, or even struggles behind their decisions, it’s not going to work.
That’s why listening to your clients from the get-go is essential. Asking broad, open-ended questions to get an idea of their relationship with money will give you valuable insight. Letting them talk without responding too much. That gives you the context of any problems you’re trying to solve, and you’ll be better equipped to help your client.
“We always want to have a solution,” said Diane. “But at least at the beginning, the idea of listening without fixing is something to think about.” Cultivate change...starting with yourself Matt says in this episode that the way the financial planning environment was built sometimes isn’t the best fit for helping our clients. It’s also ill-equipped to allow for gender equality. However, we can start changing the system by committing to that change, especially from the top-down.
“In some ways you want to throw the whole thing out and start anew. And that's not really practical or possible and it's not going to happen,” said Diane. “It takes leadership from the top. It takes people to recognize that these things are important and they're actually good for everybody.”
If you’re a new financial planner, how can you be the best at your job? How can you be a champion of change for the profession? Diane says that curiosity, self-inquiry, is the most important thing to cultivate to find success.
“We can't change anything in the outside world until we take a look at ourselves,” said Diane. “I think one of the most important things to cultivate to be successful is curiosity, true curiosity, and to have a curious mindset. And you have to just keep practicing that curiosity.”
Roger Ma is a CFP®, revenue intelligence analyst at Google, and author. He’s also worked as an investment banker and dabbled in real estate. In our latest episode of YAFPNW, Hannah and Roger discuss blending personal finances and careers, the inspiration for his book, working multiple jobs, and more.
Are you a good listener? If your answer is “yes,” our latest guest on YAFPNW can help you become an even better one. Sandi Bragar, CFP®, discusses how deep listening and asking the right questions are some of the most important skills you’ll use in the profession.
Sonya Dreizler is a financial services consultant, author, and impact investing speaker. In our latest episode of YAFPNW, Sonya discusses how she got into sustainable and impact investing, what they mean, and what inspired her Do Better series in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
What do you do when the job opportunities out there aren’t quite right for you? If you’re investment advisor Nina O’Neal, it’s simple: create your own. In this latest episode of YAFPNW, Nina shares how she got into financial planning, what makes a successful partnership, the reality of work/life balance, and more.
Carl Richards of New York Times Sketch Guy fame needs no introduction. As a former financial planner and current columnist, author, and speaker, Carl had lots to share with Hannah about what the “real work” in our profession, the beauty of simplicity, and why we need to focus on understanding problems rather than offering solutions.
We get to regularly speak with diverse financial planners who hail from all corners of the United States. This week, we were lucky to talk with Kate Holmes, global advocate, CFP®, international speaker, and podcast host about what financial planning looks like worldwide.
This week, we welcomed back Roger Whitney, award-winning podcaster and CFP® who serves retirees. We talked about the three phases of his retirement planning experience, as well as the Retirement Answer Man podcast and his membership community, Rock Retirement Club.
The doctor is in! We welcomed financial psychologist and CFP® Dr. Brad Klontz back for another episode of YAFPNW. This time, we discussed the power of communication and emotion, money scripts, and using social media to spread the truth about money.
Less than 1% of financial advisors are both CFA Charterholders and Certified Financial Planners. Keith Beverly, managing partner and CIO of Grid 202 Partners, is part of that 1%. Tune in to this episode as Keith shares his professional journey, insight into his firm, and his initiative to support advisors entering the profession.
What does it take to be a standout job candidate? Cooper Grady, CFP®, Director of Financial Planning at Apollon Wealth Management, had tons of practical advice to share with new planners navigating the hiring process.
Go big or go home. Dream big. But what if you’re not the “dreamer” type? Good news: you can still reach your goals. We talk to Meg Bartelt, CFP® and president of Flow Financial Planning, about how she built her firm through hard work, self-care, an awesome online presence, and more.
FPA Fall Residency is a week-long program that takes place in Denver In this episode of YAFPNW, I caught up with my teammates from Residency to discuss our individual experiences and the big takeaways from the program.
The financial planning profession is vast and deep. How can you find the right firm for you? This week on YAFPNW, we talked to a group of panelists about how understanding the unique cultures and traditions in each financial planning “tribe” will benefit your career search.
Could you take 100 days off a year and still meet your career and financial goals? Benjamin Brandt, CFP®, podcast host, and president/founder of Capital City Wealth Management, is living that dream. In this episode of YAFPNW, Benjamin discusses his successful podcast, marketing tactics, and how running a lifestyle practice works.
Ready to be inspired? This week on YAFPNW, we talk to Soraya Morris, lead trainer at financial planning software firm Envestnet MoneyGuide and jill-of-all-trades. Soraya and I talked about what she does at Envestnet MoneyGuide, her education and career journey, and what you can usually find her doing when she’s not working.
How can we better the profession through fintech without losing our human selves in the process? This week we talk to Jason Wenk, founder and CEO of digital brokerage platform Altruist, about doing just that.
What’s the secret to a great financial advisor and client relationship? Like any other relationship, it’s communication. Learn how Sean Brown’s company, YCharts, is helping financial advisors discover that.
Emily Purdon, CFP®, EA. is a Financial Planning and Process Coach at XY Planning Network. In this episode, Emily discussed the importance of advocating for yourself in your career, the many paths of financial planning, and how to elevate a firm through onboarding. She also shares insights on trends in the profession and their impacts.
Kevin Clark, CFP®, Central Ohio NexGen Director, is currently working for Ameriprise as a Certified Financial Planner™. In this episode, he shares how he “fell backwards” into a career in financial planning, how he started his career at a call center, and why different personality types in the financial planning profession are so important.
This episode features Mark Tibergien, Chief Executive Officer of Advisor Solutions at BNY Mellon | Pershing. In this episode, we chat about career paths in financial planning, how we can elevate the profession, and the importance of reverse mentoring. Mark also shares insightful information on making the most of your career as a NexGen planner.
In this episode, we were lucky enough to host financial management consultant Tyrone Ross, Jr. He talks about the current state of the profession in terms of diversity and education, as well as the changes we can make for a successful future.
Paul Greenwood is an experienced Licensed Financial Adviser and a registered Tax Financial Adviser. In this episode, he shares the impact that a royal inquiry is having on the financial services industry in Australia, and what all of us can learn from it.
In this episode, recorded at the FPA Annual Conference, we talked to Brent Weiss, CFP®, Kayla Kennelly, CFP®, Bryan Hasling, CFP®, Dan Yerger, CFP®, and Christine Sjolin, CFP®, about their take on the profession, the challenges it faces, and what needs to happen to prepare future generations for success.
Is financial planning a profession or an industry? What’s the difference between the two, and where is the future of financial planning headed? That’s exactly what we talk about on this week’s episode with Evelyn Zohlen, CFP® and Martin Seay, Ph.D., CFP®. Tune in to hear what they have to say!
Preston Cherry, MS, CFP®, is the founder and president of Concurrent Financial Planning Center, LLC, as well as mentor and soon-to-be author. In this episode, he talks about his career goals, starting his virtual firm, mentoring NexGen financial planners, and the winding road that has been his career.
Trudy Turner, CFP® brings over a decade of experience in wealth management, tax planning, insurance underwriting, and public accounting. Here, she shared her insights on careers within the profession, the impact of diversity inclusion, where she sees the profession going, and her mantras for success.
Alex Armstrong, CFP® is the founder and chairman of Armstrong, Fleming & Moore, Inc. She sits on the board of the Foundation for Financial Planning and is the very first recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award. Jon Dauphine, CEO of the Foundation for Financial Planning, also joined us for this discussion on pro bono planning.
On this episode, Marguerita Chang, CFP® talks about how she’s built a business and reputation in the profession by embracing her story and what makes her different. She shares her background and what led her to financial planning, as well as how to give back within the profession and thank those who’ve come before us.
Arlene Cogen, CFP®, is a philanthropic leadership consultant and author of Give to Live: Make a Charitable Gift You Never Imagined. During this episode, she shares how she made the transition into philanthropy, what she’s doing to engage the next generation, and why it’s important to make charitable gifts that embody your core values.
Brent Weiss, CFP®, ChFC®, is the Chief Evangelist and one of the founding members of Facet Wealth. During this episode, he shares his passion for increasing access to financial planning, the importance of finding your niche as a CFP® professional, and how we can work together to redefine wealth management.
This week on YAFPNW, Tom L. Potts, Ph.D., CFP®, talks about how far the profession has come, peer learning, biases and the direction Dr. Potts sees the profession heading. Dr. Potts has played a vital role in the growth of the profession, so don’t miss out on this great chat!
Ian Bloom, CFP®, is a nerdy financial planner and proud of it. In this episode, he talks about his path to financial planning, how he’s developed his own “niche” based on his interests, and the importance of sharing content with your audience from Day One.
Dayana Kupisk, PhD, is the author of The Practical Guide to Making Wise Financial Decisions. She's also an employee development consultant and coach with a research focus on practical wisdom in the workplace. In this episode, she talks about her research, her book, and how financial planners can engage clients and develop practical wisdom.
In this episode, Dan Yerger, MBA, CFP®, AIF®, CDFA®, talks about his extensive work in the financial planning profession, pro bono work, compensation calculations, and why he’s removing transactions from his fee model.
In this episode, we talk to Kara Beth Vance, CFP®, who works as an advisor at hourly planning firm, Timothy Financial Counsel, in Wheaton, IL. She shares in the ins and outs of the hourly financial planning model, as well as how it benefits the firm, the advisors, and of course the clients.
Whether you work for a firm, own your own, or are part of a succession plan, this compensation model discussion covers a lot of ground. The hosts talk about deciding on a fee model, how models guide your client base and business, and why innovation in the profession may affect your decision.
Marina Rodriguez, CFP®, shares her career path from banking and insurance to investments and back to banking. Her story reminds all of us that it doesn’t matter if your financial planning career is a straight path or a winding one — all roads lead to Rome.
Charles Adi is a financial advisor who owns and operates his own firm, Blueprint 360, in Houston, TX. In this conversation, Charles opens up about his background, the path that brought him to financial planning, and how he’s grown a thriving firm from the ground up.
René Nourse is the founder and Managing Director of Urban Wealth Management, a guest commentator on CNBC Closing Bell, and President of the Association of African American Financial Advisors. Listen to René’s insights on the progress of the profession, the role of inclusion, and how to find your place in it on this week’s episode.
John Hayes, the Senior Vice President of Charitable Estate Planning at the American Heart Association, shared his insights on charitable giving. John talks about how planning professionals and larger organizations like the American Heart Association are working together more and more to make an impact on the state of charitable giving.
Tiffany Aliche, AKA The Budgetnista, is an award-winning financial educator, blogger, podcast host, speaker, and the founder of the Live Richer Academy. On this episode, Tiffany shares her story, how she grew her business into an enterprise, and why service and education are critical in the financial planning profession.
Michael Kitces, MSFS, MTAX, CFP, CLU, ChFC, RHU, REBC, CASL, talks to Hannah Moore about managing 65 - 70 hour workweeks, how he’s embraced his visionary strengths, and why the multiplier effect plays a role in everything he does. He also talks about motivation, the balance between effort and workaholism, and how strengths develop over time.
This discussion touches on Bob’s expert insights into the current (and past) state of affairs in the profession, and we even ask him to share some of the trends and potential updates he sees coming down the pike. If you want to see how far we’ve come as financial planning professionals in Bob’s lifetime, and what the future holds for next generation planners, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.
From his unconventional start in financial planning to his current “title” as the Student Loan & Craft Beer Nerd of Pittsburgh, Ryan Galiotto, CFP®, walks us through his story and shares the role that personal branding has played in his work and life.
Christine Damico, CFP®, EA, is a teacher of the profession and trailblazer of her firm. In her many years teaching at Virginia Tech, and now through her residency program at Olio Financial Planning, Christine has developed a clear idea of how focused education and residency programs can impact NexGen planners - and the profession as a whole.
In this episode, Luis F. Rosa, CFP®, EA, covers the importance of mentorship, how to define your place within the profession as a new planner, and how everyone can find a home within financial planning.
In this episode, Molly Balunek gives action items for financial planners to take when they’re looking to be the best CFP® professional - whether they want to develop a career track at their firm or eventually start their own business.
This episode is perfect for financial planners who are working on improving their marketing strategy for their practice. Whether you love marketing, or you think it’s totally intimidating, Taylor Schulte, CFP®, has some fantastic tips for you!
In this episode with Jocelyn D. Wright, CFP®, you’ll learn how you can start to develop your own personal vision for your career as a financial planner, how to outline your core values as a NexGen planner, and the best ways to communicate your identity in this profession. Ready to dive in? Tune in now!
Adam Werner, CFP®, CPWA®, is a wealth advisor and Vice President of EP Wealth Advisors. In this episode, Adam joins Ian Harvey, CFP® to discuss the best ways to pursue leadership opportunities both inside and outside of the office. They also explore how to approach firm owners about ownership conversations and what to expect when you become a partner.
Nathan Harness from Texas A&M and Kate Healy from TD Ameritrade Institutional join us at this year’s NexGen Gathering. Together, they explore a wide range of topics about the next generation of financial planners, and how they plug into the financial planning profession’s landscape.
Valerie Adelman is a career changer at heart. In this episode, she guides fellow career changers through how to navigate the switch to financial planning. She walks us through her experience with prospecting, networking, growing two different financial service businesses, and how to leverage your past experiences to succeed in the financial planning profession.
When Shawn Tydlaska founded Ballast Point Financial Planning, he didn’t have plans of expanding and having to hire. However, as his business grew, it quickly became apparent that he needed help! In this episode, Shawn and his associate planner, Liz Plot, discuss hiring and getting hired at a small financial planning practice.
In this episode, Autumn and Jude go over their own experience with the hiring process, and how other advisors can successfully grow their teams in their own practices. They cover the tips and tricks that made their working relationship successful from the get-go, and the mistakes that many advisors fall into when hiring that can hurt the career progression of their new hire as well as the success of their firm.
Debbie Grose, CFP®, Chief Operating Officer of Lake Tahoe Wealth Management, is a dynamic woman in the world of financial planning. She’s passionate about mentorship, and has often led the charge when it comes to guiding new planners through successful careers. In this episode, Debbie is going over how her experience with succession planning went, what she would have done differently, and how new planners can start conversations around ownership in their own firm.
Vanessa Oligino, the Director of RIA Practice Management at TD Ameritrade challenges new planners with succession planning research. She challenges them to really consider what is best for them personally and critically evaluate whether or a firm is one you should buy into. Knowing what’s most important to you as well as what your non-negotiables would be related to firm ownership are critical to identify before considering potential succession opportunities.
In this episode, you’ll hear about what spurred Jean and Eric Mote to pursue a merger and build out a succession plan with fellow advisor Quinn Arnold, and how these three advisors combined their practices while still providing exceptional client servi...
In this episode, Kayla Kennelly shares her experience launching a reverse mentoring program, adopting schools to teach financial literacy, and joining an innovative business model to challenge the way financial planning is being delivered to the masses!
In this conversation, Kathy Longo and Michele Lenz each bring an incredibly unique perspective to #YAFPNW listeners. This is a fantastic episode for anyone interested in building a career path, who wants to scale a firm,
Yusuf Abugideiri, CFP®, is a Partner and Senior Financial Planner at Yeske Buie®. In this episode, he explores his own career growth, how he has both managed up, and managed employees, and how he’s grown as a financial planner through intentional mento...
Jarrod Upton joins Hannah Moore to discuss his passion for operations within the financial planning profession. From his previous experience, and current role as an operations consultant, Jarrod dives deep into what new planners need to know about oper...
In this episode, Suzie Eyrich, CFP®, is shares her experiences at both an RIA and a bank that leads with financial planning. She also shows us how to grow your experience as a new planner and the best ways to confidently (and respectfully) advocate for...
As the founder of Simply Paraplanner, Alex Hopkin, AFC®, CFP®, has created a home for paraplanners and financial planning firms to connect. Simply Paraplanner offers a space for paraplanners to grow their skillsets and find virtual work,
In this round table, our group of four paraplanners share their insights and what they have learned about financial planning having worked with multiple different firms. Don’t miss their fantastic insights into financial planning firms!
If you’ve ever considered buying a financial planning practice, want to know more about growing a multi-location practice, or wondered how a national, virtual team works together to serve clients on hourly and project-based financial planning cases - t...
Brent Beene, CFP®, MS and Matt Masterson, CFP®, CPWA®, are both wealth advisors at Regent Atlantic - a financial planning practice in New York. Whether you’re a new planner who is looking to learn more about how to find a firm with cultivated career tr...
It can be challenging as a new financial planner to step into a managing role. In this #YAFPNW round table, we’re sitting down with four amazing financial planners to talk about what they’ve learned about being a manager within their financial planning...
Camille Bouvet’s story is perfect for anyone who has ever felt that the traditional career of an advisor doesn’t quite meet the type of client relationships they want to have, or the kind of financial guidance they want to be giving.
Today we’re introducing our three new #YAFPNW hosts! Ian Harvey, Alexandria Davis, and Matt Fizell, all bring unique perspectives to the table - and we’re thrilled to have them with us this year.
Finding a balance between work, growing a brand, and living a life you love is key for Brittney Castro, CFP®, and in this episode she encourages all planners to do the same. Brittney has some fantastic insights both on being a planner and on being a bu...
This episode is a moving testament to everything that a mentor can do for you. Allison Masoero goes into detail about how her relationship with Jeanne Robinson, CFP®, impacted and changed her life, how her relationship with her other firm members are ...
Ian Harvey, CFP(R) shares how important it is to find a firm culture that fits who you are and what you value. He shares his career journey through excellent firms to find the one that was the right fit for him.
Eugenié George is intentionally entering the financial planning profession. After a career in teaching and technology, she is pursuing the CFP® designation and looking at how to best break into the profession as a career changer.
Eddie Kramer, CFP®, works with Abacus Planning Group to build out their team and encourage everyone to bring their best self to work. He firmly believes that large financial planning firms aren’t dependent on a few rainmakers,
Ashley Murphy, CFP®, is a financial planner who works with Australian expats. He’s built his business on one key idea: working with expatriates from Australia isn’t just a “niche” - it’s a specialization.
Ginnie Baker fell into financial planning after choosing to take a related elective course in college. She immediately fell in love with the profession, and started pursuing financial planning jobs after graduation.
Harold Evensky, sometimes called The “Dean” of Financial Planning, loves this profession. This year, he was awarded with the P. Kemp Fain, Jr. Award - which is often equated to the lifetime achievement award for financial planners.
This episode is a must-listen to for financial planners who relate to Larry’s statement that the current model of wealth management is outdated. Larry tackles how to adopt revolutionary planning practices for your business,
Bryan Hasling, CFP ®, is passionate about building a network of financial planners who lift one another up. He’s focused on helping other financial planners learn how to foster community in their practices and with one another to thrive throughout his ...
Breanna believes in being yourself, and owning your knowledge and expertise as a business owner. She has so many fantastic insights on showing up, moving through difficult business decisions, and growing the practice you’ve always dreamed about.
In this episode Jonathon Cameron and Glenn Downing of Cameron-Downing show us how they are living their lives in “beta.” They believe this phrase means always being willing to grow, improve, and learn - never the “final” version of themselves as busine...
Emily Purdon started her career in 2016. She quickly realized that her CFP® certification and financial planning degree through Virginia Tech hadn’t really prepared her for the realities of being a planner - and she felt that the comprehensive planning...
Ben Coombs, CFP®, CLU, was part of the first class of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™. When he got started, nobody had jobs for financial planners. Now, he’s thrilled to see career paths developing. Tune in as Ben walks us through the evolution of financ...
In this episode with Stephen Rischall, CFP®, we’re focusing on what it means to run your own financial planning practice with a team. We’re discussing the ups and downs, the big wins and the challenges. Stephen’s story is incredibly inspiring,
Lauren Stansell of Yeske Buie gets interviewed by our guest host, Alexandria Cole. Lauren wasn’t sure she wanted to be in financial planning and just several years later is on track to be partner at her firm.
Christine is the VP of Operations at FP Transitions, a business that focuses on helping advisors build a seamless succession plan that benefits founders and successors. We’re covering succession planning from the point of view of a lead advisor or foun...
Today your host, Hannah Moore, sits down with Susan Bradley, Elizabeth Jetton, Carol Anderson, and Rick Kahler to talk about the evolution of financial life planning, and why each of them views this “Financial Planning 2.0” as this profession’s future.
Scott MacKillop, CEO of First Ascent Asset Management, never thought of himself as a disruptor in financial planning until he became one. As a career changer, Scott began working in the investment management space. Several years ago,
In the world of financial regulation, it’s easy for the voices of fiduciary financial planners to get drowned out. One of Skip Schweiss’s many jobs is to give financial planners the microphone, and raise awareness about the fiduciary movement both in W...
George Kinder, CFP® of The Kinder Institute of Life Planning has had an incredible impact on the development of financial life planning. To hear him speak about the human element within financial planning is inspiring, and absolutely necessary for all planners – whether you’re new to the field, or you’ve been a planner for decades. In the early 1990s, George Kinder and Dick Wagner partnered together to discuss:
The skillset advisors needed to hone to in order to engage in financial life planning The philosophy behind financial life planning The ways that the human component of money can positively impact financial planning as a profession, the lives of financial planning clients, and our world as a whole
In this episode, George covers a lot of ground. He discusses the beginning of the financial life planning movement within the FPA – from the founding of Nazarudin, to the growth of the movement, to how the initial financial life planning community worked to get the message out to the masses.
What You’ll Learn:
What the beginning of the financial life planning movement looked like Who was involved at the onset of this movement How the Nazarudin movement began, and how it still exists today What the three phases of the financial life planning movement has looked like, and how it’s grown over time The “why” behind financial life planning The importance of developing a “one hour” life plan for everyone – not just those privileged enough to have access to advisors The different exercises that financial life planning moves through What questions are the “right” questions to wrestle with with your clients – questions like “What is it to be human?” or “What is it to be human in this world?”
FPA Retreat
In today’s episode Charesse J Hagan, Kelli Cruz, and Heather Fortner join Kate Healy from TD Ameritrade for a panel discussion at LINC 2018. They offer fascinating insight on how non-advisor roles in the financial planning profession are evolving – and why they’re important! So many people within the financial planning profession are hyper-focused on becoming an advisor. When working toward being a revenue-generating advisor is the only career path available, many people who are happy performing their current non-advisor role feel lost within the profession, and struggle to find their place. Everyone is able to take ownership of their role within an advisory firm, and building out career paths in operations, investments, or compliance can help everyone find their stride. People each have a unique skill set, and helping people find their sweet spot where their skill set and their passions overlap can motivate non-advisors to build and grow their own career path within a firm. This panel covers so much fantastic information, from how to build non-advisor career paths as a profession, to the best way to motivate non-revenue-generating employees within your firm to scale, grow, and find success as a team. Whether you have back office employees at your firm, or you’re new to this profession and aren’t sure whether or not being a client-facing advisor is right for you – this podcast episode is a must-listen!
What You’ll Learn:
How to navigate a career path when there is no career path at your firm How to free up time for your advisory team by delegating, outsourcing, or finding a technology solution The best ways to motivate team members, even if they aren’t firm owners or on track to be firm owners Why it takes people with different skill sets and passions to scale a firm successfully How to stretch yourself to think beyond your revenue to see value in everyone’s role How to give non-advisors the resources they need to lower cost and be successful How to work virtually with either contractor or full time employees who aren’t client-facing How firms can know what their next hire should be How to organize your back office with exceptional processes Questions firms should ask before hiring a non-advisor role
Charesse J Hagan Cruz Consulting Group Signature FD TDA4Advisors
So many advisors are frustrated by the fact that their clients fail to implement the advice they give them. What they don’t realize, today’s guest suggests, is that often the advisor may be making predictable mistakes in giving that advice, or clients may simply not be ready for change. Dr. Moira Somers joins us for today’s episode and she wears many hats! She’s a clinical neuropsychologist, professor, and executive coach whose work focuses on financial psychology and mental health. Dr. Somers’ book, Advice That Sticks, is currently being read by the FPA Activate Book Club – and we were honored to sit down with her today to discuss all things money and the mind. Dr. Somers shares what type of advice is inherently sticker and how planners can give advice in a way that is easier to follow. Through examples, Dr. Somers shares the what makes advice stick, or the motivators behind many of these messages (and they aren’t what you think!). Additionally, planners need to realize that their advice is going against everything that North American society is telling consumers. Financial planners often feel as though they’re competing against one another when giving advice to clients, when in reality they’re competing against:
The messaging in the media The certainty that comes with spending over saving (or the immediate gratification and reward that comes with spending now rather than saving for later) The predictability of falling back to what’s comfortable, even if it’s not a financially wise decision
Dr. Somers does a fantastic job of exploring how to motivate clients, how to listen actively, and how to follow-through to help your clients continue to make progress in their financial lives.
What You’ll Learn:
The importance of listening to your clients The right questions to ask your clients to gain the information you need to help motivate them What are the “stickiest” motivators for people Why clients may not take your advice What you’re truly “competing” against when you give financial advice Why financial advice is uncomfortable for some clients How to navigate around a client’s emotional capacity to understand and follow your advice What elements make advice sticky or easier to follow
Money, Mind, and Meaning
Andi Wrenn’s mission is to reach as many service members and their families as possible to help coach them through their finances to achieve their biggest life goals. As a military spouse, she’s truly walked the walk, and works to help people understand the unique financial challenges they might face while involved with the military. More than that, she approaches each conversation with a mind to marriage and family counseling, which allows her to view financial coaching in a more comprehensive way. Andi has an educational background rooted in both financial planning and counseling, which is unusual within the financial planning profession. Listening to this episode, you’ll be blown away by Andi’s approach to financial planning and how she incorporates counseling and coaching into her work with clients. There’s so much that financial planners from all walks of life can learn from her, from how to balance dissenting opinions between a couple during a financial planning meeting to how to listen in a way that builds trust and creates a positive client relationship.
What You’ll Learn:
What unique financial dilemmas military members and their families face How to listen and build trust with clients How family and marriage counseling can tie into financial planning Why getting a variety of experience is beneficial How to balance a couple’s differing financial views The best way to incorporate coaching into your financial planning How to encourage a couple who are a financial planning client to listen to one another and find middle ground
Zeiders Enterprises
Steven Fox, CFP®, founded his fee-only financial planning firm, Next Gen Financial Planning, in 2016. As a business owner, Steven has learned to serve a wide range of millennial clients. He practices on a unique model of wealth management that focuses on managing student loans, getting started with investing, making employee benefit selections, negotiating salaries, combining finances with a new spouse, and more financial planning topics that resonate with his millennial audience. Steven uses a simple, flat-fee monthly retainer for financial planning with additional investment management (at no additional charge). Many millennial-facing advisors have walked away from the traditional AUM method of charging – and Steven is here to attest to the benefits of flat-fee financial planning. In this episode, Steven is going to cover everything from the mindset shift that took place when he became a business owner, how he markets a millennial-facing practice, and what he values as a financial planner.
What You’ll Learn:
What books to read as a new RIA owner How to market your millennial-facing RIA The difference between charging a flat-fee for financial planning, and how that looks in practice How to “sell” through honest communication How financial planning impacts younger clients
Volunteer with Financial Independence Training Conversations That Sell The Ultimate Sales Machine
Many young professionals will one day be offered a succession plan as part of their career path as more established planners plan for their own futures and put a succession plan in place. Only some of these succession plans are successful and many aren’t. Connor Koppa, CFP®, was incredibly fortunate that the financial planner who he worked with at Focus Financial, Kyle Watkins, CFP®, wanted to encourage his dream of owning a financial planning practice. Together, Kyle and Connor worked through a unique ownership agreement that worked for them. Right now, Kyle is still the Executive Officer and a financial advisor at Focus Financial. Connor now owns 15% of the practice, and takes the lead on client relationships, business structure, and building a practice culture. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have an open, honest line of communication with with the lead advisor and owner of the financial planning practice where they work. In this episode, Connor walks #YAFPNW listeners through what it’s like to be part of a succession plan, what his ownership arrangement looks like at Focus Financial, and more. We hear about succession plans often in this profession, but we so rarely get to peek behind the curtain to see how an individual plan pans out – and this episode gives you that opportunity!
What You’ll Learn:
How to set up a succession plan The best ways to communicate with a firm owner about your desire to own part of the firm How financing works when you buy into a financial planning practice How ownership of clients, business decisions, and more work when there are more than one owner in a practice How to potentially work in future owners into your plan What being a part owner of a financial planning practice looks like in the day-to-day The importance of creating a communicative culture and fostering innovation in your financial planning practice How you can get involved and find fulfillment as a financial planner even if you aren’t interested in becoming an owner
How To Think Like An Owner
On March 30, 2007, the Financial Planning Association made history by winning a lawsuit that vacated SEC Rule 202(a)(11)-1. This forced brokers to become SEC-regulated advisors, and helped to create a division of the two hats in the financial services industry: fiduciary and suitability. This was the one of the first times that the American public was exposed to a discussion that had long been brewing in the financial planning profession, and the fight to improve the fiduciary standard in the financial services industry continues on today. In this episode, we hear from Elizabeth Jeton, Dave Yeske, and Nick Nickolette about the importance of FPA’s lawsuit against the SEC, how FPA is continuing to push for regulation, and why all of this is truly at the heart of our profession. FPA’s lawsuit against the SEC baffled many on Wall Street because there was little financial gain for FPA and its members. The lawsuit was backed by FPA because it directly protected and impacted the American public, and the organization’s leadership knew that having the best interest of consumers in mind was always their number one priority. Nobody knew, when FPA first started to pursue the SEC lawsuit, how people would react. So many questions bubbled to the surface. How will the media respond? Do we need additional partners and resources to make this happen? Where will we get the support we need? The lawsuit was undoubtedly a push to protect financial planning clients across the country, and FPA members felt strongly that their organization was taking a true stand for their core values. The lawsuit itself was often likened to a case of David and Goliath. FPA was fighting against corporate giants to force regulation for fee-based wealth managers – and it was an uphill battle. But the lawsuit had a much larger impact than simply increasing regulation. It was the first time the debate between suitability and fiduciary had a public forum. The FPA was in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times making the case for a fiduciary standard. They were taking a stand against brokers giving advice without abiding by the fiduciary standard as outlined by the Investment Act of 1940. To this day, the FPA pushes for public education and their advocacy positions center around the fiduciary standard because the fight isn’t over. Every member is courageously fighting to provide a place for clients to come where they know they’ll be taken care of, and where they never doubt that their financial planner puts their interests above his or her own.
What You’ll Learn:
How the FPA’s lawsuit against the SEC came about The full history of the SEC lawsuit, and what happened to cause FPA to win Who was at the heart of the movement How the FPA got involved Ways that the FPA pushed for a more clear fiduciary standard, and promoted direct regulation of fee-based financial advice What financial planners are still doing today to fight for the fiduciary standard, public education, and better SEC regulation
FINANCIAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION v. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Saundra Davis believes that financial coaching skills and financial planning go hand in hand. As a financial planner, you may be completely confident in the guidance you give to clients – but feel frustrated and lost time and again when they fail to follow your advice. This, according to Saundra, is where coaching comes in. Coaching clients through financial decisions can inspire them to take action and pursue the financial life they desire. Evaluating how clients make decisions, and what could potentially stand in their way from making financial choices that serve them, can help financial planners to have a larger impact on the lives of their clients – and extend their impact for generations to come. This conversation with Saundra will absolutely move you. As financial planners, we often focus on how we want to serve younger generations that often don’t fit the mold of “ideal client” for larger, established firms. Saundra’s take on financial coaching will inspire you to serve your existing clients better, extend yourself to be able to serve everyone, and grow the financial planning practice you’ve always dreamed about.
What You’ll Learn:
Core financial coaching elements, such as how to get clear about what a client wants, the gap between what they want and where they are, and how to create a financial plan that can help them achieve their goals, regardless of their income or wealth The importance of how we view our clients and the consequences if we don’t view them correctly How financial coaching intersects with financial planning (hint: if you want to be a better financial planner, financial coaching skills are critical) How to serve low income individuals through financial coaching in a way that focuses on asset building How financial coaching connects us as financial planners to our deeper fiduciary duty Where to “plug in” to conversations about financial coaching within the financial planning profession The importance of bringing financial expertise to financial coaching How to start coaching-based financial planning conversations with clients How the financial planning profession can move forward into serving demographics that aren’t currently being served How coaching can help you guide your clients to live the life they want Motivation and inspiration – knowing what you provide and what the client provides The power of motivational interviewing and how you can improve your client skill set
After experiencing dysfunctional workplaces throughout their career, Krista Sheets and Sarah Dale partnered to build Performance Insights. Together, they focus on helping financial planners increase results through practice management and people-focused decisions. There are so many unhealthy work environments within the financial planning profession, and both Krista and Sarah agree that this largely is a result of poor communication. As a result, they help the planners they work with on developing well-structured team communication plans, amplifying everyone’s voice on a financial planning team, and creating an environment that fosters positive communication. Krista and Sarah discuss the importance of understanding team members and using various personality tests to identify strengths and what motivates each person on a team. In this episode, Krista and Sarah are going to be discussing how to spot warning signs of a dysfunctional workplace, the best way to communicate efficiently, and how focusing on team development can lead to a more successful career in the financial planning profession.
What You’ll Learn:
What creates workplace dysfunction How to make people-focused workplace decisions The best way that young planners can help their practice build a functional, healthy work space How to effectively communicate to avoid dysfunction Why words matter How to communicate questions, challenges, and frustrations Best practices to identify warning signs of a dysfunctional team Why much of our dysfunction never gets addressed How each individual can focus on their strengths and personality traits to contribute to their team effectively Why team building matters for financial planners in our “people focused” profession How to create a healthy succession plan The best way to define roles in your practice and amongst your team Why focusing on people is often a better investment than focusing on the numbers
This episode is brought to you by the many incredible voices of NexGen Gathering 2018 attendees. Ian Harvey, the FPA NexGen President, also joins us to share about the theme of NexGen Gathering and how we can together,
Patrick Brewer, CFA, CPA, founder of SurePath Wealth Management and Brewer Consulting, has found his passion in helping other planners learn to market themselves. Patrick helps other planners to find their voice, connect with their ideal clients,
There are many technical terms flying around in the financial planning profession. This week, we’re decoding these technical terms - and going over why new planners need to know them.
Stephanie Bogan thinks it’s time for a breakthrough. Through Educe Inc., Stephanie works with countless successful advisors on elevating their career, focusing on their personal fulfillment, and changing the way they approach financial planning.
Your host, Hannah Moore CFP®, steps into the hot seat this week to be interviewed by Rianka Dorsainvil, CFP®! Hannah is incredibly passionate about the financial planning profession. In this exclusive interview, Hannah is talking about her struggles early on in her career, how she discovered the difference between financial advice and financial planning, and how she found her tribe within the financial planning profession. Hannah’s career launched in an incredibly unique way. She bought a financial planning practice when she was 26 years old, and was effectively thrown into the deep end of the financial planning world. She learned in the most hands-on way possible, and she quickly realized that isolation as a young planner was not only detrimental to her career, but to her clients. When Hannah attended her first FPA NexGen Gathering, she quickly realized she had found her people. She was sitting next to pioneers of the profession, and new planners alike – and they were all there for one reason: to spread the gospel of financial planning and to focus on making themselves into the best planners they could be. This was game changing for Hannah, and inspired her involvement in the financial planning profession with the #YAFPNW podcast and, ultimately, the launch of the FPA Activate community.
What You’ll Learn:
What makes an exceptional planner How to “show up” in the financial planning profession How to find your people in this profession Where to connect with other planners How to power through insecurities when you’re a new planner Revelations Hannah has had as a planner, entrepreneur, and business owner How you can combine your creative side with a career in financial planning
The 2050 TrailBlazers Podcast NexGen Gathering FPA Activate on Facebook
Alex is a great example of what it means to step outside of your comfort zone, get involved and see the benefits of being involved within the financial planning profession. From networking, mentors, peers and finding job opportunities,
Join us for a story based podcast where we go back in time to the late 90s when the financial planning profession was abuzz with the possibility of something great (and at times unthinkable) that was about to happen.
Do you have a strategy for growing your practice based on human connections? Humans want to work with humans. That’s why Mike Byrnes promotes the idea of building a business growth strategy on a foundation of rock-solid relationships both with clients ...
How would we be better off if we addressed the gender equality in our profession? In this episode, we’ll be exploring this, and many other questions about how we can address the gender gap in financial planning together.
LIVE at FPA Retreat 2018, we’re sitting down with a few of the industry’s most influential leaders to talk about the past, present, and future of the financial planning profession.
Kate Healy is a wonder woman whose life’s work has furthered the financial planning profession and served advisors in countless ways. It’s safe to say - she’s one of the leading voices in the world of finance,
Dr. Brad Klontz and Derek Lawson have worked together to integrate behavioral finance, financial therapy, and financial psychology into the world of financial planning. Their research is guiding advisors everywhere to add a deeper level of value to the...
Anne McCabe Triana, CFP®, CRPC®, has been in the financial services industry for over ten years. Her experience as a financial planner in a larger firm, as well as with starting her own financial planning firm,
Adam Kornegay, of Pathfinder Strategic Solutions and one of the people behind FPA’s new Coaches Corner, wants to help advisors communicate their value and move past the financial “lingo” to tell their story and actually connect with their ideal clients.
Rianka Dorsainvil, CFP®, believes that everybody needs to be thinking about what they want their greatest contribution to this world to be. This idea is the cornerstone of her financial planning practice - Your Greatest Contribution - and everything sh...
Taylor Schulte has a refreshing take on financial planning, living life as a business owner, and being a young financial planner in today’s world. This episode is a must-listen for any financial planner looking for advice on starting their own RIA,
Stephen Brody, CFP®, believes that financial planning is about digging deeper to move beyond the numbers and help clients put forward the lives they want to live. Through intentional leadership, he’s built a financial life planning practice - and wants...
Many young financial planners are nervous when first sitting down with clients. Jeffrey Levine takes time in this episode to outline how researching your niche, studying financial planning, and embodying what it means to be an expert can eliminate your...
Dan digs deep to find the real marketing issues that financial planners are facing and how they can solve them. We’re going to go over how to set up marketing initiatives that matter to your clients and prospects,
Many clients call Mary Beth their very own rent-a-CFO. There’s no doubt that she’s an innovator in the space of business financial planning for creative entrepreneurs. Get ready to be inspired, because Mary Beth is here to talk about pushing past fear ...
Charesse Hagan believes it’s time to challenge the narrative that the only career path within financial planning is working toward being a lead advisor. Through her experience as a paraplanner and operations consultant,
Rick Kahler believes that financial planners, like himself, can facilitate financial health with their clients by embracing their behavior, helping them uncover their money mindsets, and listening to their stories and goals.
Andrew Sivertsen offers insight to young planners on how they can develop a career path, and how to consistently better themselves and focus on adding value to the lives of their clients.
Jen Pritchard had no idea that virtual paraplanning work was an option until she graduated college. Now, three years later, she works as a successful, full-time virtual paraplanner and operations consultant - and is thriving in her role!
Chloé Moore has an amazing career within the financial planning profession and always known that planning was where she wanted to be. She launched her own RIA, Financial Staples, to start putting more of a focus on providing financial planning for people her own age who need financial planning. Chloé describes her clients as young professionals who are doing amazing things in their careers, getting out of debt, and growing their wealth. Chloé understands that her clients are going through many changes in their young lives, and she prides herself in meeting them where they are and working with them every step of the way through her high touch service model. In her first year, Chloé grew her RIA to 18 clients – which is incredible. Unlike many new advisors, Chloé has built her practice to fit her lifestyle. She enjoys travelling, cooking, spending time with her family and friends and volunteering. To meet her ideal work/life balance, she’s decided to monitor and limit her firm’s growth to ensure she’s growing in ways that fit her definition of success. This concept isn’t one you hear planners talking about, but it’s so important! Chloé isn’t only a rockstar financial planner with a successful firm, she also runs a consulting business in tandem with her planning practice. She knows that operations is her strong suit, and because she’s passionate about it, she founded C-Level Consultants. This consulting firm serves financial planners exclusively, and helps guide them to a more organized, streamlined operation of their firm. It’s no doubt that Chloé has found exactly where she fits in the financial planning community and is thriving there. This episode will provide many valuable insights, both into launching your own RIA and tailoring it to fit the life you want, and into creating a successful side hustle that helps to give back to the profession.
“With what we do, we’re really able to help someone. Really change the path of their life.”
What You’ll Learn:
What a year of financial planning services looks like for younger clients How to decide what growth means to you. How to define success as a business owner. Different ways to approach your marketing. How you can run a successful secondary business alongside your RIA. When to take a deeper look at the services you provide, and whether or not you’re happy with your business.
C-Level Consultants Financial Staples NAPFA – The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors XY Planning Network The Financial Planning Association® CFP Board 40 Under 40 Investment News
Studies have shown that working with a niche is an excellent way for financial planners to narrow their focus, define their specialty, and become an expert in helping their unique client base. Josh Patrick, CFP®, has had first hand experience with this as a financial planner whose firm focuses on working with business owners. In this episode, Josh discusses he combines business coaching with financial planning for a successful practice. He has a simple but effective approach to inspire clients to act and work toward financial freedom. He believes that honesty is key, and helping business owners work toward retirement (rather than perpetually saying they’ll retire without taking action) is a necessary goal. Josh discusses business owners who are in the “permafive” stage continuously, which plagues many financial planning succession plans. This means that business owners are always thinking how they’ll retire in five years – but don’t actually take the steps needed to make that transition. Josh knows this applies to financial planners looking to retire, as well. Financial planners who are in a “permafive” situation have often already lined up a buyer for their practice – and it’s usually a junior level financial planner. Josh walks us through how young planners can benefit from buying a practice, and how a planner in that “permafive” cycle can finally break free and act on their ideal succession plan. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, and anybody who works with business owners, is a financial planning practice owner (or is aspiring to be one) will get a lot out of it!
“It’s much safer selling to a junior planner…Because you’re doing an internal transaction, you can set the deal up so that a) it’s tax friendly to the buyer and b) you can stay in control of the firm until you sell it off.”
What You’ll Learn:
How to work with business owners How to buy in as a junior level planner How senior advisors can set themselves up for retirement success How succession planning can help both the buyer and the seller How to get business owner clients to act on their financial plans and retirement plans
The Purposeful Planning Institute Business Enterprise Institute Exit Planning Institute https://twitter.com/askjoshpatrick The Sustainable Business Stage 2 Planning Partners https://www.sustainablethebook.com/
Cheryl Holland discusses the foundation of her firm, Abacus Financial Planning - developing career paths and growing leadership skills in herself and her team members. She explores how new planners can define and follow a career path within their curre...
This idea of selling people on the value of financial planning is critical as a young planner - and it will completely change your outlook on your approach to your practice!
Technology is undoubtedly an ongoing challenge for financial planners. In this episode, we look at how to audit technology, how to continue your training, and what advisors can expect for the future of tech.
When Douglas moved to New York City he knew he wanted to work with millennials. Tune in to this episode to hear how he started, how he marketed his practice, and how you can do the same!
In this episode we go over how to incorporate positive psychology into your planning with Dr. Martin Seay. Learning how to incorporate positive psychology into you practice can help to improve your planning, communication,
This week on the #YAFPNW podcast we re-air Caleb Brown's interview about how new planners can launch their career! Because Caleb has experience in the financial planning world, he understands what the new planners are going through when job hunting.
This week Matt Fizell joins us from Middleton, Wisconsin. Matt is only a few years into the profession and working with a CFP® there in Wisconsin. Together, we walk through Matt’s career decisions, and how he sees his path as a financial planner unfold...
This week we go with Hannah Moore to Texas A&M University. Hannah had the opportunity to speak with financial planning students at Texas A&M about financial planning, her career journey, and how new planners can engage with financial planning clients. Hannah explores fears often faced by new planners, how to own your value and she even shares part of an interview she did with a client! “It’s not about how complicated it is, it’s about how easy you can make it…They [clients] trust the fact that you know what you’re doing.” What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- How to overcome your fears as a new planner.
- How to manage uncertainty in your career.
- How to engage with clients as a new planner.
- How listening can change your approach to planning altogether.
A Concise History of Financial Planning Texas A&M Financial Planning Program FPA Activate Facebook Group Guiding Wealth Management CFP Board
Leighann Miko launched her firm, Equalis Financial, about a year ago. Since then, she’s had tremendous success. Leighann has been named one of Investment News’s 40 Under 40, and works to promote diversity within the financial planning industry through her role as an FPA member. In the final part of this two-part series, we talk about some of the struggles that Leighann has encountered more recently in her career. In spite of the challenges she’s faced, they ultimately led to her launching Equalis Financial. We love that Leighann is totally open about her experiences – she has so much wisdom to offer new CFP®s! “There’s no easy fix to some of these problems – sometimes you’ve just got to go through it.” What You’ll Learn:
The struggles Leighann faced when starting her own RIA. How to care for yourself as an entrepreneur. How to embrace the roller coaster that is owning your own practice. *
This Is My Dream Job: Part One
Equalis Financial Leighann Miko, CFP ® Twitter 40 Under 40 Investment News
Leighann Miko launched her firm, Equalis Financial, about a year ago. Since then, she’s had tremendous success. Leighann has been named one of Investment News’s 40 Under 40, and works to promote diversity within the financial planning industry through ...
We had so much fun sitting down with Kali Hawlk of Creative Advisor Marketing at FINCON17. Kali focuses on marketing strategies for financial advisors and helping them communicate their value to clients and prospects. Tune in to learn Kali’s top marketing tips for financial planners, who in the industry is doing a phenomenal job with their marketing, and how trial-and-error isn’t something to be afraid of!
“Know your audience – and try everything yourself first…When you have that experience you can make better judgement calls on how to do your marketing and who can help you.” Creative Advisor Marketing FINCON Workable Wealth Define Financial
We are so excited to have Amy Irvine on the #YAFPNW podcast this week. We discuss how financial planning is about more than investment advice and number-tracking. Financial planners are helping people build lives that are meaningful to them and that feed their soul. Amy opens up about what her ideal client looks like, how she found her way to her current role as a financial planner, and what we can do to promote an environment of learning in the profession.
“What in your life doesn’t have to do with your financial life?” Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- How different roles in the financial planning profession can impact your career.
- How to have meaningful conversations with your clients about their lives – and how to use that information to help them plan their financial lives.
- Why education is so important – for you and your financial planning clients.
- How to approach your target market.
Irvine Wealth Planning Strategies
In this week’s Voices of FPA episode, we had the pleasure of hearing from so many wonderful planners attending the 2017 FPA Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Hearing their stories, asking their advice,
This week we had the pleasure of sitting down with Ben Granjé, a behavioral psychologist. Ben has worked for Morningstar in the past, and is now the managing director at Beconomics, a consulting firm in Belgium.
Today we are incredibly excited to have Dr. Dave Yeske, CFP® back with us on #YAFPNW. He is one of the giants in our profession and was recently selected as the 2017 P. Kemp Fain, Jr., Award recipient. The P. Kemp Fain, Jr.,
In this week’s #YAFPNW we’ll be working with FPA’s Journal in the Round podcast to discuss changes in the financial planning industry for planners and clients alike. We sit in with Yusuf Abugideiri, Russel Kroeger, Lisa Kirchenbauer,
Eric Roberge, owner and founder of Beyond Your Hammock, had a long journey in the financial planning profession. He shares his story and how he doesn’t regret testing out several different roles before finding the one that fit his lifestyle best.
In this week’s episode we get to talk with Blair duQuesnay, CFA, CFP®, who has transitioned several times in her career. Blair highlights the wealth of opportunity that is in financial planning, whether you are interested in being a Chief Investment O...
Amy Hubble stumbled into financial planning accidentally – and she’s never looked back. In this episode, Amy shares how she got started in financial planning as a trust officer, and what her path to founding her own RIA looked like.
Casey Kupper, CFP® and Hannah Moore, CFP® are back with another in-person FPA DFW #YAFPNW series session recording. This time they discuss The Future of Financial Planning. Be sure to join us for the next You’re a Financial Planner, Now What?
We are excited to have Bill, Katie, and Dave back to continue our conversation we started in last week’s episode. This week we discuss what we learned starting over at a new firm and even starting out on our own.
Today’s episode is one of the most important topics we’ve had on the podcast. I hear stories all the time from planners about mistakes they’ve made when they’ve left their firm that have huge negative impacts on their career.
Lauryn Williams, MBA shares her journey as an athlete and three-time Olympic medalist including the advice she wishes she received when she started out when she was 20 and had endorsement deals to starting her own firm. Using her personal experience, Lauryn knew there had to be a better way to provide financial advice. After getting her MBA and passing the CFP® exam, Lauryn was able to find people who were willing to approach financial planning differently and build on those experiences. Using her personal experience, Lauryn knew there had to be a way to provide services to people who were like her, both in terms of being an athlete and not growing up in an affluent home. She started her own financial coaching program and is exploring what it means to serve the mass market and those who don’t have the income or assets to pay for a traditional financial planner. The work Lauryn is doing is so important to financial planning and I am excited for you to hear this episode!
“If you find that rebel, lets say a college student fresh out of school, who has zero experience… don’t shame them when you bump into them. Instead, be the person to take them under your wing. We’re better when everyone in this industry is better.” Worth Winning The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors Briaud Financial Advisors Katie Brewer, CFP® Financial Planning Association of Dallas/Fort Worth XYPN Conference WeWork Coworking and Office Space PUBLIC SCHOOL 972
We’re excited to have Jon Luskin, CFP® of Define Financial on #YAFPNW. From his Master’s Thesis (years ago) to his practice today, Jon is passionate about sound investing with lower costs and he’s willing to support that passion with his own research. Jon’s passion around investments and research is contagious and I’m excited for you to hear his story. His latest submission was inspired by a twitter exchange so be sure to follow him @JonLuskin!
“It was consistent results across all eight case studies. Better risk adjusted returns for the lower cost model. So after that experience it was pretty clear to me that cost was the number one indicator of returns.” Uncle D Money
XYPNRadio
Unconventional Success: A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment, Fully Revised and Updated The Little Book of Common Sense Investing Journal of Financial Planning
FinCon17
FPA of Minnesota JonLuskin.com Michael Kitces Jack Bogle
I’m so excited to have Bill Simonet, CFP® of Simonet Financial Group on the podcast with us today. Bill shares his career path from a captive insurance agent to an independent broker dealer to now a fee-only RIA.
Today we are joined by Chad Smith, CFP®, a financial planner and part owner of Financial Symmetry. Chad shares his career journey of starting as an intern and now part owner of his company. He’s been with the same company that full time and shares what...
We’re back with another in-person FPA DFW You’re a Financial Planner, Now What series session recording. In the June session, Lynn McIntire from Cadent Capital joined Hannah Moore to discuss The Business of Financial Planning.
Joe Pitzl, CFP® is the founder of Pitzl Financial. Joe shares with us his career story and how “job hopping” helped his career and clarified his vision for the firm he now runs. Joe shares tips on how he got his first job out of college,
Today is the last of a three-part series with Carol Craigie and Catalina Franco-Cicero of Fiscal Fitness Clubs. Carol and Cat were introduced through the FPA Mentor Match program several years ago and have since become business partners. Both Carol and Cat believe in the power of mentoring and are a great example of what it looks like to learn from each other. On this episode, they share what their mentoring meetings looked like, tips on how to find and build a successful mentoring relationship, and why it is important to find a mentor. Personally, having a mentor has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my career and I know my firm and career wouldn’t be what it is today without it. I have to thank Carol and all of those who mentor other planners. Their willingness to give back is inspiring and their work matters.
“You’re there for each other through thick and thin. It takes time to build that… and it takes time to get to that point.”
FPA Mentor Match program
For episode two of our our three part series we are joined by Carol S. Craigie, CFP®, ChFC, MA, the founder of Fiscal Fitness Clubs of America. Carol is a “psychologist turned financial planner” and has had a long and impressive career in financial planning. Carol’s passion to improve individual’s financial lives keeps pulling her out of retirement and re-imagining how to bring financial planning advice to the masses. Carol’s passion for financial planning is inspiring and I’m so excited to share part of her story with you today.
“We want to be Weight Watchers of money… [to] get people in clubs and bring money out of the closet. And You get people, just like dieting, to do budgeting so they accomplish their goals!” The FPA Board of Directors Dick Wagner Tribute
FPA NexGen started in 2004 and has quite a story to tell already. With NexGen Gathering happening next weekend, our hope is that those attending will be able to see how special NexGen is, and more importantly, how impactful NexGen Gathering can be. As with any telling of history like this, there are slightly differing accounts of specific events and we did our best to remain true to the stories we collected. What excited us was the consistent themes of the importance of NexGen and what is the essence, or the soul of NexGen. We hope you enjoy and look forward to seeing you at NexGen Gathering 2017!
A very special thanks to Aaron Coates, Michael Kitces, Sabrina Lowell, Amy Mullen, Joe Pitzl, Jude Boudreaux, and of course… the Rat Pack!
I’m excited to have Catalina M. Franco-Cicero, MS, CFP® of Fiscal Fitness Clubs on the podcast. This episode will be the first of a three part series with Cat and her business partner Carol Craige. Carol will join us for the second episode and later the two will share their story together. So today, Cat shares her incredible personal story from immigrating to the United States as a child to using her fitness and education background as the Director of Financial Wellness at Fiscal Fitness Clubs of America. Early in her career she had a vision for what it would look like to provide financial planning to the general public and she using background and life story to do just that.
“We want to take money out of the closet. Let’s talk about it already. Come on. It’s stressing people out and talking about it can help you.” XY Planning Network The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®)
Amy Mullen, CFP® is Vice President at Money Quotient®, a non-profit focused on education and research. Money Quotient® provides practical ways to consistently bring life planning into financial planning firms. Their research has bettered the lives of many clients and continues to propel the financial planning profession forward. Amy shares her journey to financial planning and how family ties brought her to financial planning, even though she isn’t a financial planner. Amy walks through the basic process that Money Quotient uses to help create an exceptional experience with clients.
“The advisors who work with us at Money Quotient® none of them fear robo-advisors… There are multiple parts of the process that are necessary for a human for an individual to raise their level of self awareness.” Sudden Money EVOKE® CFP® Certification UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA – Financial Therapy Kansas State University – Financial Therapy Clinic Money Quotient® Recommended Reading
Todays’ guest is Jude Boudreaux, CFP® from Upperline Financial Planning and I’m excited to share his story with everyone on the podcast. I first met Jude at a NexGen Gathering right around the time he was starting his firm. Jude is six years in and shares several of the ways he has found success in his practice and is now running a $400,000+ firm. He is a great example of what it looks like to leverage your experience to build a successful practice from the ground up.
“People can work fine with conflicts. I just think we should all acknowledge that every model has a conflict.” the Four Kolbe Action Modes® 3 Questions That Will Get Your Finances — and Life — on Track
This week’s guest is Dr. Nathan Harness, the TD Ameritrade Director of Financial Planning at Texas A&M University. I’m excited to talk with Nathan about the past, present and future of financial planning. It is exciting to have an impact on the future of our profession and I hope young professionals continue moving our profession forward towards what it should be. When we as practitioners partner with academia we can help each other build a stronger profession and ultimately help provide better outcomes for our clients.
“If students can’t see that this is an opportunity for them then they are never going to be a part of it.” 40 Under 40 2016: Nathan Harness – InvestmentNews Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Texas Tech University Financial Planning Academy About Michael E. Kitces Sudden Money The Financial Planning Association® The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) Junior Achievement USA
We’re back with the recording of the in-person FPA DFW You’re a Financial Planner, Now What series session on Processes. In this session, Lynn McIntire from Cadent Capital joins Hannah Moore to discuss processes and share what works with clients in their practices. Thanks to everyone that came out and many thanks to the kind folks at The Milestone Group and Bank of Texas Private Bank for hosting us!
“It’s color coded!” The Path to Discovery by John Bowen, founder and CEO of CEG Worldwide
Thanks for joining us for part 2 of my interview with Dave Grant from Retirement Matters. Once again, Dave’s willingness to open up and honestly share his experiences as an RIA owner is a breath of fresh air to young planners striving to carve out their place in the profession. As planners we should build honest, real, and refreshing relationships with our clients and very few “success stories” are as honest, real, and refreshing as Dave’s. Today we pick the interview right where we left off and if you enjoy these episodes be sure to check out Dave Grant’s writing in Financial Planning Magazine and his book!
“One of the things I’ve learned over the last 18 months is… I have to be very self aware with things that I’m doing. And I continually have to check myself. To say is what I’m doing now, and what it’s going to be… is this something that’s a strength of mine? And should I be focusing on it?” The First Year: The Diary of a New RIA Owner NexGen NAPFA Genesis The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM) The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs: Elevate Your SELF to Elevate Your BUSINESS Our first episode with Dave: Episode 9 – Listener Letter “Feeling Stuck”
Dave Grant returns for another episode… or two? Dave is one of my good friends and founder of Retirement Matters. One of the things I most appreciate about Dave is his willingness to open up and share all sides of his experience as an RIA owner. Today we’ll dive into his backstory and “the numbers” so I hope you enjoy the episode. We had a really good discussion and had to break it into two episodes. There was so much good stuff that we didn’t want to leave anything out. If “ownership” is something you’ve grown tired of or it’s something you’re tired of wanting… don’t miss this episode!
“I was very much on cloud nine at that point and it gradually got down to cloud three and cloud minus nine. It did not stay up there. Client acquisition was hard. I was still trying to get my foot in the door of this niche…. I knew the market was there and I knew they needed help.” The First Year: The Diary of a New RIA Owner FPA NexGen NAPFA Genesis Our previous episode with Dave: Episode 9 – Listener Letter “Feeling Stuck”
Ken Donaldson, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and author of the book Marry YourSelf First, joins Hannah on YAFPNW to talk about what financial planners can learn from counselors. Ken shares what advisors need to understand about their clients and themselves to be better advisors to their clients. Some of the best insights I have about financial planning come from outside the profession, which is why I am excited to be sharing Ken with you.
“People resist change because people like what’s comfortable, predictable, and what’s certain. Even if “comfortable, predictable, and certain” are unhealthy and dysfunctional.”
Holly P. Thomas, a CFP® and author of The Mindful Money Mentality, joins us this week to discuss her career path and financial planning practice. Holly has successfully built a fee-only financial planning firm that is paid purely on advice as she does not manage any investments or sell any products. Holly has been an inspiration to me with her regular content, whether that be her blog, her newsletter or videos. Her newsletter is one of the best financial advisor newsletters I’ve seen and in this episode, she gives practical tips on how to create engaging content.
“Sometimes financial planners are in the honored position of hearing things from clients they have never shared with anyone before. If I can create that safe space… I’ve done the best job I could do.” Wired for Wealth The Financial Wisdom of Ebenezer Scrooge Constant Contact: Email Marketing Software
Today on the podcast Hannah interviews James Matthews, CFP®, the Managing Director of Blueprint, a next generation financial planning firm in Charlotte, NC. James is on the front lines designing the financial planning firm of the future on a large scale and providing financial planning advice to younger clients who need it. James shares his unique background, from working at a bank and then a call center, and how each step taught him skills that he is using now to create a new model of financial planning. I am excited to share this episode with you and can’t wait to see what the future holds for James and Blueprint. I hope you enjoy this episode!
“A lot of times people don’t know what financial planning is until you show it to them. They just have this idea that they have a bunch of stuff going on and it’s confusing to them… We’re trying to make this as accessible and least threatening as possible.” The Monthly Retainer Model in Financial Planning XY Planning Network Dimensional Fund Advisors George Kinder Financial Therapy Carl Richards
We’re excited to welcome Dr. Daniel Crosby, the self described Behavioral finance enthusiast, to YAFPNW. @danielcrosby has a PHD in Psychology and has authored several books on psychology and investing. His latest, The Laws of Wealth: Psychology and the secret to investing success, is winning awards and well worth a read. If you’ve wondered how you can best help your clients… or how you can best articulate your value to them.. You’re going to love this interview. “Most people are programmed to be overconfident. And the ones that aren’t are depressed.” Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
Casey Kupper, CFP® joins Hannah Moore, CFP® for the February FPA DFW You’re a Financial Planner Now What Seminar Series. Casey and Hannah discuss how Virtual Planning is being used now and how it will impact the profession. “The emotional intelligence.. I haven’t been to any conference where that has been talked about in the virtual world. Certainly that is a place that will get attention in the coming years.” Thanks to everyone that came out and many thanks to the kind folks at Cadent Capital for hosting us! Katie Brewer, CFP® Good Financial Cents Brittney Castro, CFP® Lauren Greutman | Helping you enjoy life on a budget THE VIRTUAL ADVISOR By XY Planning Network Bob Veres – Inside Information The CFP Board Spring 2017 Public Awareness Campaign Ads RightCapital: Financial Planning Software Sophia Bera, CFP® Kitces.com – Advancing Knowledge in Financial Planning FPA Retreat 2017 FPA NexGen Gathering YAFPNW – Behind the Scenes Look at the DOL Fiduciary Ruling with Ed Gjertsen II FinCon: Where Money and Media Meet
Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial sits down with Hannah to discuss the difficulties of working with your family. Stephanie was a career changer almost 20 years ago (before that she worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC!) and today she works at the firm she founded. Her goal is to empower women to make wise financial decisions because everyone deserves quality, objective advice and excellent service. “I can’t promise you any returns. I’m not a mutual fund family.” The Kinder Institute of Life Planning MoneyGuidePro: Financial Planning Software Sudden Money Fox Financial Planning Network
For this week’s episode I sat down with Richard B. Wagner, JD, CFP® to discuss financial planning as a noble profession. I should note: Dick has been a thought leader since the 1980s – when financial planning looked quite differently than it does today. He has served in leadership roles in the IAFP and the Institute of Certified Financial Planners and he has also served on countless committees and task forces including the CFP Board of Standards. Dick has been one of the most influential voices throughout the decades and in 2003 he received the P. Kemp Fain Award. He has written several books on our profession (most recently Financial Planning 3.0) and one of his most influential pieces has challenged and inspired us for almost three decades. Dick wrote “To Think Like a CFP” for the Journal of Financial Planning back in 1989 and today I’m excited to share my conversation with him about that pivotal moment with you.
“I think it’s a shame that financial services companies believe [financial planning] is a great sales tool… rather than seeing it for all the spectacular abilities that it has and the spectacular needs that it must fill.” Financial Planning 3.0: Evolving Our Relationships with Money George Kinder of The Kinder Institute of Life Planning Sudden Money Institute
Bill Winterberg, the founder of FPPad and one of the leading voices on technology in the financial planning profession, joins us today to discuss his career path, the life of an entrepreneur and the latest trends in technology. Bill shares openly about his journey, what he’s learned and why he has paused his weekly videos. We also talk about how technology is changing the profession and what new advisors can do now to take advantage of those changes. Don’t miss it!
“There are more and more technology solutions that advisors and planners can use in their businesses. The downside is, with more choices comes confusion about which is “best”. That often leads to paralysis by analysis.” How to be Happy, Rich, and Save the World by Mr. Money Mustache CaseyNeistat – YouTube XYPlanning Network Garrett Planning Network
Today’s episode we are doing something a bit differently. Instead of the normal format, we have our first case study to share with you. Rick Kagawa from Capital Resources joins us to share with you a real client situation he dealt with and his insights from working the emotional case with his elderly clients. Elder abuse is an important topic for professional financial planners to be aware of and not afraid of.
“There’s more than the money involved. There’s a lot of emotions… Life is what it is and you shouldn’t judge it.” The Number: What Do You Need … by Lee Eisenberg Susan Bradley, CFP®
We are excited to have Elissa Buie join us to discuss what is financial planning. She owns one-half of the Yeske Buie firm which is on the front lines of pushing our profession forward. Elissa sits on the Board of Trustees for the Foundation for Financial Planning, is a past Chair of the national Financial Planning Association and is a Dean for the FPA’s Residency Program. She has published multiple papers in the Journal of Financial Planning and in 2013 she was awarded the P. Kemp Fain, Jr. Award. If that’s not enough, she has quite literally wrote the book (or at least 17 chapters) of the CFP Board’s Financial Planning Competency Handbook. Understanding and practicing financial planning is what separates us from being an industry and being a true profession. I believe there is no one better to have talk to us about this than Elissa Buie!
“Financial planning is something different and it’s actually magical. It takes a process, the relationship that’s built, and number crunching… and turns it into more than the sum of its parts.”
Some of my most valuable learning opportunities have come from people outside the financial planning profession and Laura Youngkin is no exception. Laura is the founder of The Brave Millennial, which is an organization dedicated to supporting and promoting Millennial women in the American workforce. In 2016, Laura hosted 11 forums for Millennial women in 9 cities across the US. She has surveyed and interviewed hundreds of women in an effort to learn more about this generation and will be telling this story at the upcoming South by Southwest Conference in Austin. In addition to this work, Laura is a theatrical producer and creative consultant. Laura spent five years at Walt Disney Imagineering and has done numerous projects in the entertainment industry. Laura shares what she’s learned about Millennials as well as how to approach negotiations well as young professionals.
“It’s great that many Millennials have a healthy disrespect for the way things have always been done because the world is relying on us for progress.”
Hannah Moore, CFP® and owner of Guiding Wealth Management goes from the interviewer to the interviewee. Charlie Moore, the person responsible for the weekly editing steps out and is the one to interview me. Hear how I got started as a financial planner, my tips on becoming a professional and thoughts on succession planning. We enjoyed making this episode and hope you really enjoy it too!
“YAFPNW (under Patrick and Trudy) was a place to hear why financial planning was so amazing. It created that thing that I aspired to be. It was one of the things that impacted my career the most.” An Expert’s Guide To Starting 2017 On Solid Financial Footing
Dan Mauck is a Senior Financial Advisor and Director of Operations at Clintsman Financial Planning. Dan shares with us how working at Arthur Anderson early in his career helped shape him as a financial planner and gaining a much larger perspective than he had beforehand. When Dan moved from the big accounting firms to an RIA, he was the first hire and has helped the firm grow to 10 employees. Dan also shares some of his best career advice for planners who are looking to excel. I hope you enjoy this episode!
“Your value is determined by the size of problems you can solve. If you want to be paid like the big dog, then you need to learn how to solve big problems. And If you’re only going to solve small problems then you have to realize there’s only so much market value in that and you’re going to see it in your pay scale.”
Deborah Fox, the CEO of Fox College Funding and the Fox Financial Planning Network joins us to share the importance of processes and how it can impact you, whether you are in a firm or have your own firm. Deborah’s approach allows you to work on your business rather than just in your business and helps financial planners develop a systematized approach to working with clients. As someone who is not naturally process driven, I have come to realize the significant value that processes have, both for clients and the business! I hope you enjoy!
“It was very important that I didn’t dictate how one needs to do business. I wanted to give possibilities.” Resources: FPA DFW Career Day Fox College Funding Fox Financial Planning Network E-Myth Revised The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right
Kirsten Ismail, Vice President of The Taylor Group, joins us for an interview where she discusses the challenges of being a career changer and entering the profession as a woman. She attributes much of her success to her study group thanks to the diversity and support of its members.
“Do you want to be a part of something that exists or something that you want to create?” DFW FPA Career Day FPA Retreat
“Sales” is viewed as a dirty word, but Glenn Mattson wants to change that. Glenn has been a coach for financial advisors for many years and shares his experience in working with advisors. So much of the time, advisors, especially young advisors, avoid “sales” roles because they don’t want to sell. Glenn debunks that myth and shares how important it is, even if you’re not in a sales role, to hone those skills (hint: it involves managing your boss or owner of the firm!) Join us as we look at what sales really is and what we can do today to better our careers.
Goals are not something you just write down and forget about… You need that 2 degrees of tipping point on why you’re doing this. You need that little push of motivation when it is time. Sandler Training
Sophia Bera joins us today to share her story on becoming the financial planner for millennials. Sophia saw the need to bring financial planning to her generation and was one of the first to create her own firm to do so. She is one of the most recognizable financial planners on social media, in the news and shaking up what it means to do financial planning. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!
“Financial planning is both an art and a science and more of an art than a science. People think what I do is math all day and what I really do is have great conversations with people.” GenY Planning NexGen Betterment FinCon Unmistakable: Why Only Is Better Than Best Advizr
I am excited to have Dr. Dave Yeske on today’s podcast! Dave is the current Practioner Editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, past President of the national Financial Planning Association and runs Yeske Buie, a financial planning firm that is a national leader for best practices. To say his resume is impressive is an understatement! Today Dave shares the importance of research for financial advisors. We discuss the research he did on Policy-Based Financial Planning, which has been implemented by many firms as well as how financial planners, especially young planners, can incorporate research into their firms. If we want to truly move forward as a profession, we have to be engaged with the research and let that help guide our work with clients. I hope you enjoy this episode!
If we can take some researched based approaches to helping our clients affect healthy changes in their lives and in their financial lives… why would we not want to be using the most powerful tools for that. Nudge Policy-Based Financial Planning in the Journal of Financial Planning Transtheoretical Model (or Stages of Change) – Health Behavior Change Golden Gate University The Financial Wisdom of Ebenezer Scrooge by Rick Kahler Money Quotient The Journal of Financial Planning (archive) Academy of Financial Services (AFS) – The Journal of Individual Financial Management The Evidence Based Financial Planning by Dave Yeske and Elissa Buie Evaluating Research Course Dimensional Fund Advisors
Ed Gjertsen II joins us for an in-depth look at the new fiduciary rule and provides crucial insight the upcoming changes to our profession. Ed is currently the Chairman of Financial Planning Association and has been working on the fiduciary ruling both from his time being on the national Financial Planning Association board and serving in their leadership role. He has been on the ground floor of these legislative changes as a champion for planners and clients alike.
“I can tell you since being involved as I have in the last 6 years… FPA has really become a known entity on Capitol Hill. There’s a lot going on that may not be necessarily visible to members but we are advocating on behalf of our members day in and day out.” Mack Investment Securities, Inc. Financial Planning Coalition Financial Planning Association The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors 3rd Annual FPA Advocacy Day U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission DOL – Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
So often when I hear people talk about financial planning careers, they assume you want to be a lead advisor. Today we have Dennis Moore, who shares his career progression and how he transitioned from a financial planner track to an operations track within his firm. Dennis also shares great insights on how to approach firm owners pragmatically, like he did to open a separate financial planning arm five hours away so he could pursue his MBA. There is nothing more valuable to a firm than someone who is wired to be an operations manager or support role be in that position. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes. I think coming out of college and for my first few years in the profession, you really don’t see just all the moving pieces and what all goes into doing this. Quest Capital Management Personal Financial Planning – Texas Tech FPA® Annual FPA® Conference Bob Vere’s Insider’s Forum
Today we have another recorded #YAFPNW meetup with Lynn McIntire from Cadent Capital. Our topic this meeting was Networking. Networking is one of the most advantageous skills to learn, both from a personal and professional standpoint. I can tell you from personal experience, it has been one of the things that has propelled my career the furthest. I hope you enjoy this episode and would love to hear any feedback or ideas for future meetups! We would like to thank The Milestone Group here in Dallas hosting us again!
“There’s a lot of value in cheering your peers on… and I don’t think we do that enough.”
The Milestone Group Cadent Capital NexGen XY Planning Network Michael Kitces NAPFA Genesis NexGen Gathering FinCon XYPN Radio VIP Digital Marketer Your Money or Your Life
Starting a second career is never an easy task. Today we share with you Ron Turner, a career changer who started his own RIA. After five years in the business and hiring his own financial planner, he decided to sell his practice.
On today’s episode, we are sharing Scott Kahan’s story with you. Scott’s story is pretty incredible on several levels. Scott started his RIA 30 years ago when he was in his 20s, which also happened to be the same year he purchased his first computer. While it may seem he has little in common with young advisors now, that is anything but true. His story mirrors so many stories I hear everyday from young advisors starting out. From day one, Scott was committed to providing the best service to his clients, regardless of their net worth. He started by helping his peers and continues to help those who don’t have the asset minimums that are required by so many. His retainer model was one of the first of its kind in the early 2000s and still offers couples financial planning at a little over $100 per month, if they don’t have the assets. He started the CFP program at NYU when he was 27(!) and has been an advocate for young planners ever since then. As Scott said, he feels like he’s been where the young planners are now and can relate to the struggles we face.
“It’s a different fee structure than most advisors out there – no matter where they’re working. So we have a story to tell… We are truly acting as a fiduciary on your behalf and here is our fee structure to back that up.” FPA Retreat 2017 (April 24 -27, 2017) Financial Asset Management Corporation Foundation for Financial Planning Adviser explains why and how to move to a retainer model Personal Financial Planning – Texas Tech Financial Planning – Virginia Tech
On today’s episode we have Mike Mills who is 18 years into his financial planning career and started out on his own when he was in his mid-20s. He has great insight for those who are starting their firm and shares his personal story of how experiencing a disability shaped how he approaches financial planning differently than others.
Mike also shares his beliefs about the “best is best” standard versus the “fee-only” standard. Don’t miss it!
“If we’re out there providing our best advice, I don’t really care what kind of product I’m selling. At the end of the day, I’m solving problems.”
Caleb Brown, MBA, CFP®, started his career working for a small RIA and volunteering for local financial planning groups. Through that experience, he started New Planner Recruiting, which pairs financial planners with employers.
He has great insights into what you can do to set yourself apart from other applicants or excel at your job. If you want to get to the elite status, this is definitely a must-listen podcast!
“You’ve got to find ways to demonstrate value… [Bosses] don’t care what the salary surveys say. If you feel like you deserve more money, you need to write up a plan.” The E-Myth Revisited Find your local FPA chapter and connect! Noted job boards: NAPFA, CFP, FPA, & AICPA.
This week we have Brad Baldridge, the face and voice behind Taming the High Cost of College. Brad has his own financial planning firm and shares his story on how he started out. He also shares with us about niching down into college planning and some of the pitfalls financial advisors can find themselves in if they aren’t prepared for it. Brad is a great example of how you can find a niche and really make it work for you.
“A lot of financial planners think of college planning as college saving… but if you’re a advisor and you don’t understand how financial aid works and college works… say ‘I don’t know if you’re going to qualify or not’… don’t tell people misinformation.” Taming the High Cost of College Podcast Baldridge College Solutions
We are back and today’s guest is Katie Brewer, CFP®. She started Your Richest Life as a Fee-Only financial advisory firm to provide “honest and independent” financial advice to X and Y Gen clients. Katie is an proud member of the XY Planning Network, the FPA, and NAPFA. She has over 10 years of financial planning and she’s been quoted more times than any other young planner that I know. Who else would be so crazy awesome to study for the CFP® and an MBA at the same time? I’m excited that she gets to share her tenacity with you today and I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!
“The more that you know about where your strengths lie.. the more that you’re able to know if it makes sense for you to start a firm…or partner with somebody else… or be a junior planner… or something else.”
This week we continue our discussion with firm owners to help young planners navigate their career paths. Our guest started his own financial planning firm and sold it, all well before his 40s. He is a XY Planning Network co-founder and champion of fee-only RIA practices that serve young people. That’s right, our guest this week is none other than Alan Moore (no relation!) and in this episode he’ll share his story. If you’ve felt like a “square peg in a round hole” or just couldn’t sit still because you wanted to make your mark in our profession – this is an episode you wont want to miss!
“Just because you’re working with clients doesn’t mean that money is flowing in… the one thing you can’t rush is time.” Also, be sure to check out XYPN Radio for lots of great episodes for young planners!
This week’s guest is Thomas E. Murphy, CFP®, AIF®, the Chief Executive Officer at Murphy & Sylvest. He has kindly shared with us his insight into the financial aspects of running a firm and what young planners need to know from his perspective. Tom is an industry veteran of almost thirty years and active member of the FPA® – He’s a FPADFW regular and many of you have probably already met him. The best way to prepare to become a firm owner is to start thinking like a firm owner today and Tom’s insight will definitely give you a jump start on that!
“There’s a lot of difference between information on the internet and wisdom. Wisdom applies to that particular client and that particular client’s situation.” XY Planning Network FA Insight Mark Tibergien
Welcome back to another episode of You’re A Financial Planner; Now What? I recently gave a presentation titled “Blogging for Financial Advisors” to the Dallas FPA NexGen group and we are excited to share that with you. You will also hear a little more about my story and how I use what I’ve written to connect with clients. Blogging can be one of the best ways to market and promote yourself, but you have to know what your end goal is and some of the challenges you may face while blogging in this profession. I hope you enjoy this episode and are encouraged to explore blogging for financial advisors.
“I am not a natural writer at all but I wanted to learn… I know how important my voice coming out in writing is.” A very special thanks to True North Advisors for hosting the NexGen meetup! Blogs and resources from the presentation: Money Saving Mom triphackr Tracy’s New York Life Young House Love COBB Tuning Stage 2 Planning Mom and Dad Money Good Financial Cents Your Richest Life Financial Life Focus FinCon Financial Blogging (book) by Susan B Weiner CFA
This episode features the June meetup in Dallas where I am once again joined by Casey Kupper, a CFP® and CFA® from Cadent Capital. We discuss business models in the financial planning profession. These models will continue to change and I expect new mo...
For this episode, we take you inside the 2016 FPA Retreat to share a great conversation on Moving the Profession Forward through Young Advisors. This conversation touches on examples of how young planners have been successful, what their firms have done to help them and an honest conversation between the younger and older generations about the struggles each faces. Ever wonder what goes through a firm owner’s mind when a young advisor asks for ownership? Be sure to listen to the end as one firm owner shares her internal struggle when young advisors immediately ask for ownership. I want to thank everyone who was involved in this conversation who so openly shared their struggles and perspectives. Conversations like this are what will help move the profession forward.
“There’s a lot of humility that’s required in this… on both sides.” Cassandra A. Humphreys, MS, CFP® Andrew Sivertsen, CFP®, CAP® FPA Retreat 2017 FinCon
For this episode we have a treat. Dr. Dave Yeske, CFP® was kind enough to send us a recorded speech by one of the founders of our profession – P. Kemp Fain, Jr. P. Kemp Fain, Jr. gave this speech at Texas Tech almost thirty years ago and it will be our starting point as we explore the history of financial planning. Also, as we explore the history of our great profession, I hope other young professionals take up the challenge to find ways to show gratitude to those we know who have paved the way for us.
“We truly are standing on the shoulders of giants. FPA NexGen FPA Awards Texas Tech Personal Financial Planning
Dave Grant is an internationally known planner from the Chicago-land area and in this episode he helps us to respond to an e-mail from Kristen, a financial advisor and listener. She shared with us her story and struggles with feeling lost in the industry. I know there are far more people in financial planning that can relate to her, and her questions, than we might think. This is a hard profession to break into, but it is worth it. Thank you, Kristen, for the e-mail. I hope you know that you are not alone and that you find your place in the profession.
“In our day and age.. you see everyone’s good parts. You don’t see the struggle that people have gone through.” “The dark side of becoming an RIA owner” Finance for Teachers Finance for Teachers Network Fox Financial Planning Network
This episode features a round table discussion about career paths held on April 14th, 2016. The discussion is led by Hannah Moore, CFP® and Casey Kupper, CFP®, CFA®, a Wealth Advisor at Cadent Capital. As part of the discussion,
In this episode, Rett Dean and Sean Kelleher share insights from their partnership at Riverchase Financial Planning. What does a picture from the Grand Canyon have to do with their partnership? Join us as we discuss everything from their approach to sharing an office and servicing clients to how competition between 50/50 partners benefits the clients. After hearing Rett and Sean’s podcast, I think young financial planners should seriously consider partnering with others when they start their own firms.
“We don’t just sit around and talk to each other all day.”
This episode is based on a roundtable discussion about designations held on February 18th, 2016. The discussion is led by Hannah Moore, CFP® and Lynn McIntire, CFP®, CAP®, CLU, AIF, registered principal with Cadent Capital.
Ben Briggs, CPA, CFP® is a Senior Financial Planner at RGT Wealth Advisors. On this episode, Hannah continues the discussion of designations.
Ben discusses his non-traditional route to financial planner by way of becoming a CPA first. He shares how having a CPA certification has helped him as a financial planner and offers advice to those new to the profession. Hear the details on the importance of building a network and gaining an understanding of the fundamentals of financial planning.
Links to references in this week’s podcast: RGT Wealth Advisors FPADFW Career Day AICPA
Sameer S. Somal, CFA, CFP® is a speaker, educator, and Chief Financial Officer with Blue Ocean Global Wealth and Blue Ocean Global Technology. On this episode, Sameer discusses the CFA designation, including the requirements, advantages, resources and career paths it opens up. Hear why Sameer believes there’s never been a greater opportunity to join the […]
Susan Bradley, CFP®, CeFT™ is the founder of the Sudden Money® Institute and author of Sudden Money: Managing a Financial Windfall. The Institute trains financial advisors and other professionals in Financial Transitions Planning, a unique set of process and tools for managing the human dynamics of financial change. Susan created the institute because she realized that […]
In this podcast we continue our discussion about financial planning designations with Roger Whitney, CFP®, CIMA®, CPWA®, AIF®. Roger is a partner at WWK Wealth Advisors and publishes the Retirement Answer Man Blog and Podcast. Roger’s pursuit of his designations was born of a desire to be the smartest person in the room when advising clients. […]
Confused about the importance of added designations? Some may say they are unnecessary and do little to bring in clients. On this episode I discuss professional designations in the financial planning industry with Neil Maxwell CFP®, EA. Neil is the founder and CEO of Maxwell Wealth Planning, Inc. Based out of Colorado, Neil provides financial […]