The Customer Wins: Recent Episodes
Richard Walker
This is The Customer Wins podcast where business leaders discuss their secrets and techniques for helping their customers succeed and in turn grow their company.
Dennis J. Moore is the CEO of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the leading membership organization and trade association for CFP professionals and others involved in the financial planning process. Under his leadership, FPA helps financial planners grow through practice support, education, advocacy, and professional networking while advancing the profession. Dennis brings more than two decades of service to the FPA, including roles as Chief Operating Officer, Interim CEO, National President, and local chapter leader. A CFP professional and former wealth management executive, he has gained recognition in publications such as InvestmentNews 40 Under 40 and FA Magazine's 10 Young Advisors to Watch.
In this episode… Financial planning continues to be widely misunderstood as little more than investment management. Meanwhile, financial professionals are navigating increasing disruption from artificial intelligence, social media, and evolving client expectations. To remain relevant and competitive, the profession must attract and develop a new generation of advisors while clearly demonstrating the enduring value of trusted, human-centered relationships. How can financial planning continue to evolve while keeping trust and personal connection at its core?
Dennis Moore, a certified financial planner and association executive, explains that strengthening the profession begins with supporting advisors through education, advocacy, networking, and practical business resources. He encourages firms to focus on behavioral skills alongside technical expertise, embrace AI as a tool to improve efficiency rather than replace advisors, promote financial literacy, and create stronger pathways for students and career changers to enter the profession. Dennis also emphasizes staying disciplined around organizational priorities, building meaningful professional communities, and continually reinforcing the human value financial planners bring to clients.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Dennis J. Moore, CEO of the Financial Planning Association, about strengthening the financial planning profession through leadership, education, and human connection. Dennis discusses attracting the next generation of financial planners, using AI to enhance advisor-client relationships, and maintaining strategic focus while growing a mission-driven organization.
Sasha Strauss is the Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Innovation Protocol, a brand strategy consultancy that helps organizations define, strengthen, and communicate their identities with clarity and purpose. Since founding the firm in 2006, he has advised leading organizations, including Google, Disney, LEGO, PayPal, and Nestlé, on brand strategy and leadership communications. Sasha is also a longtime graduate professor of brand strategy at UCLA, USC, and UC Irvine, where he teaches the next generation of business leaders. An internationally recognized speaker, he shares insights on branding, leadership, and AI-driven strategy with organizations and conferences worldwide.
In this episode… Successful businesses often struggle to clearly communicate what sets them apart, leading to inconsistent customer experiences, reduced trust, and missed opportunities. As AI reshapes how people discover and evaluate companies, organizations also face the challenge of maintaining authenticity as they adopt new technology. How can businesses build a brand that customers trust without losing their human identity?
Sasha Strauss, a brand strategy expert and educator, explains that a strong brand is built on a consistent promise that is reflected in company culture, employee behavior, and every customer interaction. He recommends defining a clear brand identity through research and competitive analysis rather than guesswork, ensuring employees understand and embody the brand, and training AI tools to communicate in ways that align with an organization's values and voice. Sasha also shares how AI can accelerate research, personalize content, and improve customer experiences while reinforcing — not replacing — human expertise and creativity.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Sasha Strauss, Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Innovation Protocol, about building trusted brands in the age of AI. Sasha discusses why company culture and brand are inseparable, how businesses can use AI to strengthen customer trust, and why authentic human creativity remains a competitive advantage.
Gareth Lewis is the Chief Business Officer at Helm, a fintech company providing unified infrastructure and workflow technology for capital raising, investor management, and private markets operations. He co-founded Delio in 2015, growing it into a leading private markets platform used by financial institutions across multiple countries before its acquisition by iAltA Holdings and integration into Helm. A qualified Chartered Accountant, Gareth previously held corporate finance and M&A roles at IBM, Ernst & Young, and Convex Capital. Today, he helps financial firms modernize private markets infrastructure with scalable, AI-enabled technology that improves advisor and investor experiences.
In this episode… The rapid growth of private markets has exposed outdated systems, fragmented workflows, and inefficient client experiences, making it difficult for financial firms to scale. Many organizations struggle to balance flexibility, compliance, and operational efficiency while also adapting to the growing influence of AI. How can firms modernize their infrastructure without sacrificing the unique needs of their advisors and clients?
Gareth Lewis, a private markets technology and financial infrastructure expert, explains how building configurable operating systems instead of rigid software enables firms to create better advisor and investor experiences. He shares why maintaining a customer-first mindset, embracing continuous collaboration through an always-on implementation approach, and staying focused on core strengths lead to stronger long-term partnerships. Gareth also discusses using AI to accelerate product development, improve internal efficiency, and enhance advisor workflows while allowing firms to maintain control of their customer experience.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Gareth Lewis, Chief Business Officer at Helm, about transforming private markets infrastructure through customer-focused technology. Gareth discusses the benefits of configurable software platforms, the impact of AI on product development, and the leadership lessons that shaped his entrepreneurial journey.
Mikhail Ruchkin is the CEO of Innovative Digital Transformation, an AWS Advanced Tier Services Partner that helps organizations modernize their technology through cloud migration, cybersecurity, AI, and digital transformation solutions. He has more than 15 years of experience leading cloud strategy and security initiatives for startups, mid-sized businesses, and Fortune 500 companies. Before founding Innovative Digital Transformation, Mikhail held leadership roles in cloud security and IT, including serving as Director of Information Technology and Security at AWS consulting partner ClearScale. He is passionate about building long-term customer relationships, helping organizations innovate securely, and developing high-performing teams.
In this episode… Many organizations invest heavily in cloud technology and AI but still struggle to deliver the business outcomes they expect because they focus on tools instead of people, trust, and long-term partnerships. As AI accelerates innovation, balancing rapid development with strong cybersecurity practices has become even more challenging. How can business leaders embrace new technology while building lasting customer relationships and maintaining security?
Mikhail Ruchkin, a cloud strategy, cybersecurity, and digital transformation expert, explains that successful technology projects begin by understanding what customers truly need rather than simply delivering what they request. He shares why investing in people, mentoring future leaders, and treating every customer as a long-term partner creates stronger business outcomes. Mikhail also discusses practical ways organizations can adopt AI responsibly by implementing security guardrails, continuously reviewing their security posture, and educating employees to innovate safely without slowing progress.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Mikhail Ruchkin, CEO of Innovative Digital Transformation, about building customer trust through cloud technology, AI, and cybersecurity. Mikhail discusses developing high-performing teams, knowing when to walk away from the wrong customers, and creating security-first AI practices that enable innovation without sacrificing long-term success.
Tonya Turrell is the Founder and CEO of TechnologyMatch, a buyer-first platform that connects IT leaders with technology providers through AI-powered matchmaking and demand generation. A three-time founder with two successful exits, she is known for challenging traditional lead-generation models and creating trust-based alternatives that prioritize buyer intent. Tonya has earned Inc. recognition on both the Inc. 5000 and Female Founders 250 for leadership and innovation. She also hosts the Between Fires and Futures podcast, where she explores IT leaders' changing role amid AI's growing influence.
In this episode… Technology buyers today are inundated with sales outreach, making it harder to identify the vendors and solutions best suited for their business needs. At the same time, technology providers struggle to reach qualified prospects, and many sales teams miss opportunities by prioritizing the pitch over a deeper understanding of customer challenges. How can buyers and sellers create more meaningful connections that lead to better outcomes for everyone involved?
Tonya Turrell, a technology marketplace innovator and demand-generation expert, explains how buyer-driven matchmaking can eliminate noise and streamline the technology purchasing process. She shares why authentic alignment between buyer needs and vendor solutions leads to higher conversion rates, how analyzing thousands of sales conversations revealed critical gaps in sales execution, and why customer experience should remain the priority throughout the buying journey. Tonya also discusses using AI-powered pre-sales intelligence, personalized research, and sales coaching tools to help representatives better understand prospects, build trust, and create long-term customer relationships.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Tonya Turrell, Founder and CEO of TechnologyMatch, about transforming B2B technology buying through buyer-driven connections and AI. Tonya discusses building an IT buyer community, lessons learned from analyzing more than 30,000 sales calls, and leadership insights on transitioning from founder to CEO while scaling a growing business.
Brian Hyman is the Founder and CEO of High Meadow Solutions, a wealthtech advisory and consulting firm that helps wealth management organizations modernize their technology, optimize operations, and drive successful business outcomes. He founded the company to bridge the gap between strategy and execution, helping firms make better technology decisions and implement them effectively. Brian has deep expertise in digital transformation, CRM strategy, Salesforce, data management, and AI adoption within the financial services industry. Under his leadership, High Meadow Solutions has become a trusted partner for wealth management firms seeking to improve advisor experiences, streamline workflows, and accelerate growth.
In this episode… Many organizations face challenges in delivering customer experiences as they scale their operations, especially when technology, processes, and people are misaligned. Leaders often invest heavily in software platforms but still face fragmented workflows, poor user adoption, and difficulty building lasting trust with customers. How can businesses create a culture and technology strategy that consistently drives customer success and long-term growth?
Brian Hyman, a wealth technology consultant and business leader, explains that successful outcomes begin with trust, transparency, and strong company culture. He emphasizes hiring people who share the organization's values, empowering employees to take ownership, and creating clear growth opportunities that foster engagement and accountability. Brian also discusses the importance of building unified technology experiences, leveraging AI as a tool to enhance human capabilities rather than replace them, and maintaining structured systems that support both operational efficiency and meaningful client relationships.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Brian Hyman, Founder and CEO of High Meadow Solutions, about building trust-driven customer experiences through culture and technology. Brian discusses creating a unified advisor experience, implementing AI responsibly to improve productivity, and why CRM platforms remain critical for maintaining data quality, operational structure, and long-term business growth.
Bob Serling is the Founder of Licensing Lab, a consulting firm that helps companies understand why customers buy and how to create marketing that drives more sales. He is a buying behavior specialist known for uncovering the real motivations behind customer purchasing decisions. Bob pioneered the Customer Created Framework, a customer-driven approach to developing products, offers, and marketing strategies. He has spent more than 35 years helping businesses improve customer experience, increase conversions, and accelerate growth.
In this episode… Many businesses struggle to understand what truly motivates customers to buy. As a result, they create products, services, and marketing messages based on assumptions rather than real customer insights, leading to missed opportunities and underperforming campaigns. How can companies uncover what customers actually value and use that knowledge to drive growth?
Bob Serling, a buying behavior specialist and founder, explains that the key is regularly speaking with customers to understand their experiences, frustrations, goals, and buying motivations. He recommends asking what challenges led customers to seek a solution, what alternatives they tried that failed, and which aspect of a product or service they would never want to lose. Bob emphasizes that businesses should focus on customer experiences rather than features, incorporate customer feedback into marketing and product development, and use AI as a research tool to supplement — not replace — direct customer conversations.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Bob Serling, Founder of Licensing Lab, about uncovering the real reasons customers buy and using those insights to improve marketing and customer experience. Bob discusses why most marketing offers fail, how customer feedback can dramatically increase revenue, and the role AI can play in supporting customer research and market analysis.
David Reeve is the Founder and CEO of InvestorCOM, a compliance technology company that helps wealth management firms streamline regulatory requirements, investor disclosures, and retirement rollover processes. He has led the company for more than three decades, building long-term partnerships with leading financial institutions across North America. David leads InvestorCOM in delivering simple, advisor-friendly technology that improves compliance and enhances the client experience. He is recognized for his expertise in wealth management technology, regulatory innovation, and helping financial advisors become more productive and effective.
In this episode… Financial advisors and wealth management firms face mounting pressure to balance regulatory compliance, investor protection, and operational efficiency. At the same time, emerging technologies like AI are rapidly changing how firms deliver services, manage risk, and support advisors. How can organizations simplify complex compliance processes while improving productivity and maintaining a high-quality client experience?
David Reeve, a wealth management technology and compliance expert, shares how firms can address these challenges by focusing on simplicity, usability, and automation. He explains the importance of reducing friction in advisor workflows, creating clearer investor disclosures, and using AI to enhance productivity without compromising data security or regulatory requirements. David also discusses how firms can capitalize on retirement rollover opportunities, support advisor growth, and leverage technology to drive more effective client outcomes.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews David Reeve, Founder and CEO of InvestorCOM, about simplifying compliance and driving growth in wealth management. David discusses the impact of AI on advisor productivity, the importance of retirement rollover compliance, and strategies for achieving organic growth. He also explores advisor demographics, investor disclosures, and the future of technology-enabled financial advice.
Artem Koren is the Co-Founder and CPO at Sembly AI, an AI-powered meeting intelligence platform that helps teams capture, organize, and act on insights from conversations and meetings. He leads the company's product vision, building AI tools that improve collaboration, productivity, and decision-making for modern organizations. With a background in systems engineering, enterprise consulting, and product leadership, Artem specializes in creating human-centered AI solutions for the workplace. Since co-founding Sembly AI in 2019, he has helped pioneer innovations in meeting intelligence, AI teammates, and agentic workflows.
In this episode… Businesses today are overwhelmed by meetings, information overload, and rapidly evolving AI technology. Many leaders struggle to understand how AI agents, automation, and large language models can improve productivity rather than add complexity. As AI transforms the way people work, how can organizations adapt quickly without losing the human element?
Artem Koren, an expert in AI-powered productivity and meeting intelligence, explains how businesses can simplify workflows by using AI to capture, organize, and activate knowledge from conversations. He shares how organizations can embrace AI-first thinking, adopt agentic workflows, and redesign software experiences around collaboration between humans and AI agents. Artem also discusses the importance of building reliable AI systems, helping teams transition into new ways of working, and preparing for a future where agents communicate and solve problems autonomously.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Artem Koren, Co-Founder and CPO at Sembly AI, about the rise of AI agents and the future of work. Artem discusses overcoming resistance to AI adoption, differences between frontier and open-source AI models, and how agent-to-agent collaboration will reshape enterprise software and productivity.
Paranj Patel is the Founder and CEO of ClearLines Group, LLC, a boutique regulatory and compliance advisory firm that helps broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and fintech firms navigate complex regulatory environments. He brings more than 20 years of experience in financial services, including senior operational and compliance leadership roles at Prudential. Paranj previously served as Chief Compliance Officer for both a FINRA-registered broker-dealer and an SEC-registered investment adviser, where he led regulatory oversight, examinations, and compliance strategy. Today, he focuses on helping firms strengthen compliance programs, reduce regulatory risk, and align compliance with business growth.
In this episode… Financial firms face growing pressure to balance regulatory compliance with customer experience, operational efficiency, and emerging AI risks. Many firms still rely on outdated forms, manual reviews, and reactive compliance processes that create friction for customers and increase business costs. How can firms modernize compliance while improving trust, reducing risk, and enabling growth?
Paranj Patel, a compliance and regulatory leadership expert with more than 20 years in financial services, explains how firms can rethink compliance as a business enabler instead of a barrier. He shares why companies should simplify customer onboarding, remove unnecessary form fields, and focus on verified data at the point of collection to improve both compliance and customer experience. Paranj also discusses the future of AI-driven compliance, including real-time behavioral monitoring, automated oversight, fraud prevention, and AI governance frameworks that help firms minimize costs while strengthening regulatory controls.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Paranj Patel, Founder and CEO of ClearLines Group, LLC, about using AI and smarter compliance strategies to improve customer experience and reduce regulatory risk. Paranj discusses data lineage and governance, preventing fraud in digital onboarding and e-signatures, and using real-time AI oversight to replace outdated compliance review processes.
Trunal Bhanse is the CEO of Clazar, a platform that helps software companies sell and grow revenue through cloud marketplaces like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. He previously held engineering leadership roles at Confluent, Airbnb, LinkedIn, and Yahoo, where he specialized in marketplaces, billing systems, and product growth. At Confluent, Trunal led teams focused on cloud marketplaces and monetization infrastructure, which inspired the creation of Clazar. Today, he helps SaaS companies simplify cloud marketplace operations, accelerate go-to-market execution, and improve customer experience.
In this episode… Selling software through cloud marketplaces can create unexpected operational and technical challenges for growing SaaS companies. Many businesses struggle not only with getting listed on platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, but also with turning those listings into scalable revenue channels while maintaining strong customer experiences. How can companies simplify marketplace operations while staying customer-focused in an increasingly AI-driven world?
Trunal Bhanse, an expert in cloud marketplaces, SaaS growth, and customer experience design, shares practical insights for building scalable go-to-market systems and customer-first company cultures. Drawing from his experience at major technology companies, he explains the importance of educating customers, creating operational efficiency, and obsessing over user experience at every stage of the customer journey. Trunal also discusses how leaders can use AI to improve efficiency without losing the human connection that builds trust and long-term customer relationships.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Trunal Bhanse, CEO of Clazar, about scaling SaaS growth through cloud marketplaces and customer experience. Trunal discusses lessons learned from Airbnb's company culture, the balance between AI automation and human interaction, and how AI will reshape the future of software businesses and entrepreneurship.
Dan Lievens is the Founder and CEO of Share One, a platform that helps businesses capture authentic customer stories through scalable video testimonials. He is a serial entrepreneur who has founded more than a dozen companies across technology, marketing, and other industries. With decades of experience, Dan focuses on helping businesses build trust, increase conversions, and grow through real customer experiences rather than traditional marketing. He is also known for his work in trust-based or testimonial-driven marketing, emphasizing human connection in an AI-driven world.
In this episode… Businesses are drowning in AI-generated content, making it harder than ever to stand out and build trust with customers. Traditional marketing methods are losing effectiveness as audiences grow skeptical of polished messaging and fake reviews. In a world where anyone can create content at scale, how can companies differentiate themselves and prove real value?
Dan Lievens, a marketing innovator focused on authentic storytelling and customer experience, explains that the answer lies in capturing genuine human experiences. He emphasizes using video testimonials to showcase real customer transformations, prioritizing human-to-human interviews over automation. Dan also highlights structuring content for AI discoverability, such as adding FAQs and clear answers, while focusing on what AI cannot replicate — real stories. Additionally, he shares how strategically leveraging AI tools can streamline operations, reduce costs, and enable rapid innovation without sacrificing authenticity.
In this episode of The Customer Wins podcast, Richard Walker interviews Dan Lievens, Founder and CEO of Share One, about building trust through authentic customer storytelling in an AI-driven world. Dan discusses AI's impact on marketing, scalable video testimonials, and rapid software development, along with insights on customer loyalty, human connection, and future digital experiences.
Jagdeesh Prakasam is the Founder and CEO of Qdeck, an AI-powered fintech platform that helps financial advisors automate workflows, analyze data, and deliver personalized client insights. He leads the company's vision and operations, building technology that modernizes how wealth managers serve clients and make investment decisions. Jagdeesh has a background in quantitative finance and previously served as CEO and Co-Chief Investment Officer at a hedge fund before launching Qdeck. Through Qdeck, he focuses on combining AI with financial expertise to improve client communication, efficiency, and outcomes in wealth management.
In this episode… Financial advisors are overwhelmed by fragmented tools, manual workflows, and rising client expectations for fast, personalized communication. Many struggle to keep up with client inquiries, leading to poor engagement and even lost business. With client retention increasingly tied to responsiveness and experience, how can advisors scale communication and deliver better outcomes without adding more complexity?
Jagdeesh Prakasam, an expert in AI-driven financial technology and workflow automation, explains how advisors can shift from traditional software models to outcome-focused solutions. He emphasizes layering intelligent systems on top of existing tools rather than replacing them, enabling faster adoption and less disruption. Jagdeesh highlights the use of AI agents to handle routine client inquiries, reduce email volume, and provide real-time, personalized responses. By implementing clear guardrails, audit trails, and human checkpoints, advisors can safely automate workflows while improving efficiency, accuracy, and client satisfaction.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Jagdeesh Prakasam, Founder and CEO of Qdeck, about using AI to transform wealth management workflows and client experience. Jagdeesh discusses outcome-based pricing models, reducing client churn through better communication, and building trust with AI guardrails and transparency.
Suvrat Bansal is the Founder and CEO of Clarista, a platform that connects fragmented enterprise data and delivers real-time, AI-powered insights for faster decision-making. He is a seasoned data leader with over 25 years of experience transforming data into business growth across global financial institutions. Before founding Clarista, Suvrat held senior roles, including Chief Data Officer at UBS, as well as leadership positions at Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley. He is known for building scalable data strategies and pioneering approaches that simplify complex data environments into actionable intelligence.
In this episode… Organizations struggle to make sense of fragmented data spread across multiple systems, slowing decision-making and increasing operational costs. Traditional approaches rely on copying and restructuring data, which creates inefficiencies and risks around accuracy and security. With the rapid rise of AI, many leaders are left wondering, how can they unlock real-time insights without adding more complexity?
Suvrat Bansal, a data and AI expert with decades of experience in global financial institutions, explains that the key is to rethink how data is accessed and used rather than how it is stored. He emphasizes a data-first mindset, where organizations connect and process data in real time instead of duplicating it across systems. Suvrat highlights the value of simplifying data access through business-friendly structures, automating workflows with AI, and aligning innovation with enterprise constraints like security and compliance. He also advises leaders to focus on outcomes and user experience, while gradually introducing change at a pace organizations can realistically adopt.
In this episode of The Customer Wins podcast, Richard Walker interviews Suvrat Bansal, Founder and CEO of Clarista, about transforming enterprise data with AI. Suvrat discusses real-time data processing, eliminating data duplication, and balancing innovation with compliance.
Liz Fritz is the Co-Founder of F2 Strategy, a leading wealthtech consulting firm that helps wealth and asset management companies make better technology and business decisions. She is a seasoned marketing executive with nearly two decades of experience in the financial services industry, including leadership roles at prominent firms such as Wells Fargo, US Bank, and BNP Paribas. Liz specializes in brand strategy, marketing, and culture development, helping organizations translate strategy into growth and enterprise value. She is also a frequent industry speaker and advocate for advancing women in the wealthtech space.
In this episode… Many firms struggle to balance technology adoption with maintaining strong human relationships and a clear brand identity. As tools evolve rapidly, especially with AI, businesses risk implementing technology for its own sake rather than enhancing customer experience and trust. How can organizations use technology strategically while staying authentic and customer-focused?
Liz Fritz, a marketing executive and wealth management expert, explains that success starts with clarity of purpose and a deep understanding of the customer. She emphasizes defining a core mission to guide decisions, focusing on a specific target audience, and building an authentic brand that reflects both internal culture and external experience. Liz highlights that technology should streamline operations and free teams to build relationships, while consistent thought leadership, content, and credibility signals help businesses stand out — especially in an AI-driven search environment.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Liz Fritz, Co-Founder of F2 Strategy, about building authentic brands and leveraging technology for growth. Liz discusses defining a clear purpose, aligning culture with brand, and using AI-driven marketing. She also shares insights on niche targeting, thought leadership, and creating trust-driven customer experiences.
Dr. Kara Hartl is the Founder and CEO of Troy Medical and Creator of the Rural Health Hub, which uses a hybrid telehealth model to connect rural communities with high-quality medical specialists and keep care local. She is a Harvard-educated physician and entrepreneur dedicated to improving access to care in underserved areas. After building a multi-specialty medical center in Alaska, Dr. Hartl saw firsthand the challenges rural patients face and set out to solve them. Today, she leads innovative efforts to expand specialty care, integrate technology, and improve health outcomes for millions of rural patients.
In this episode… Millions of people living in rural communities face significantly worse health outcomes simply due to a lack of access to specialized care. Long travel distances, limited providers, and delayed treatment create a system where preventable conditions become life-threatening. As medical knowledge advances rapidly, how can high-quality care be delivered to underserved populations in a timely and sustainable manner?
Dr. Kara Hartl, a physician and healthcare innovator specializing in rural care delivery, shares a model for bridging this gap by integrating telehealth with local clinical infrastructure. She explains how bringing remote specialists into existing rural clinics improves patient access while keeping care within the community. Dr. Hartl highlights the importance of aligning incentives across hospitals, providers, and payers to create a mutually beneficial ecosystem. She also emphasizes leveraging AI to support diagnosis and decision-making, enabling frontline providers to deliver higher-quality care without needing to master every specialty.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Dr. Kara Hartl, Founder and CEO of Troy Medical, about transforming access to rural healthcare. Dr. Hartl discusses building a scalable healthcare marketplace, aligning financial incentives across stakeholders, and leveraging AI to enhance clinical decision-making.
Shawn Bowen is the CTO of Quik!, a company specializing in enterprise forms processing solutions that empower financial advisors and businesses to digitize workflows and automate complex form submissions. He brings over two decades of experience building high-performance software systems and leading engineering teams. Before joining Quik!, Shawn held leadership roles, including VP of Software Development and CTO at other technology organizations, where he developed advanced data and analytics platforms. At Quik!, he focuses on improving reliability, scalability, and customer experience through API-driven architecture, automation, and AI innovation.
In this episode… Modern businesses rely heavily on complex software systems, yet even small disruptions can halt operations and frustrate customers. Maintaining reliability while continuously improving and scaling technology is a constant challenge. How can companies innovate rapidly without breaking the systems their customers depend on?
Shawn Bowen, a seasoned technology leader and software architect, explains that the key lies in building strong feedback loops and resilient processes. He emphasizes conducting root-cause analysis after failures, implementing CI/CD pipelines with safeguards like contract and playbook testing, and deeply understanding how customers actually use products. Shawn also highlights AI's role as a force multiplier — helping teams improve code quality, accelerate development, and reduce errors — while stressing the importance of treating AI as a tool that still requires human oversight and context.
In this episode of The Customer Wins podcast, Richard Walker interviews Shawn Bowen, CTO of Quik!, about improving customer experience through reliable software and AI innovation. Shawn discusses incident response culture, API consistency, and proactive testing. He also explores AI-driven development, developer productivity, and balancing innovation with stability.
Eden Ovadia is the Co-Founder and CEO of FINNY, an AI-powered platform helping financial advisors identify prospects, automate outreach, and grow their client base more efficiently. She leads the company's mission to solve the organic growth challenge in wealth management through data, machine learning, and automation. Eden has a background in software engineering and machine learning, and previously worked at Boston Consulting Group, focusing on financial institutions and private equity.
In this episode… Financial advisors often struggle to grow their businesses efficiently, relying on outdated methods like referrals, manual prospecting, and fragmented data systems. This makes it difficult to consistently find high-quality clients and build meaningful relationships at scale. With increasing competition and rising expectations, how can advisors modernize their approach to growth and client engagement?
Eden Ovadia, an expert in AI, data, and financial services, explains that solving this challenge starts with leveraging large-scale data and automation to identify high-potential prospects. She highlights the importance of combining public and proprietary data sources, continuously updating client insights, and using AI to surface timely opportunities. Eden also emphasizes automating repetitive tasks like outreach and follow-ups, while preserving human connection for relationship-building. Additionally, she encourages teams to adopt AI tools internally, break complex workflows into smaller tasks, and rethink growth strategies with a data-driven mindset.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Eden Ovadia, Co-Founder and CEO of FINNY, about using AI to transform client acquisition and growth. Eden also discusses agentic workflows, the future of user interfaces, and how AI enables leaner teams.
Dr. Jon Randall is the Founder of XFA Coach, a coaching and consulting firm that helps financial advisors scale their practices and achieve extraordinary growth and profitability. He has been coaching and consulting top-performing advisors since 2004 and is recognized for helping firms overcome growth plateaus. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly two decades as a successful financial advisor, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges that advisors face. Dr. Randall is also a published author and holds a doctorate in performance psychology, which informs his approach to leadership and business growth.
In this episode… Many financial advisors want to grow faster, attract better clients, and deliver a stronger client experience, but they often encounter hidden capacity limits. When teams are stretched too thin, growth stalls, service quality declines, and the wrong clients can consume excessive time. How can advisory firms scale without sacrificing the experience that drives referrals and long-term success?
Dr. Jon Randall, a coach and consultant to financial advisors, explains that the first step involves identifying the real business constraint instead of chasing growth tactics too early. He recommends improving capacity before adding more clients, using segmentation to match service levels to client value, tracking revenue per client to spot unprofitable relationships, and narrowing into specific niches that make referrals and delivery easier. Dr. Randall also emphasizes consistent communication, thoughtful follow-up, and leveraging technology and AI to streamline admin work so advisors can focus more on meaningful client conversations.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Dr. Jon Randall, Founder of XFA Coach, about scaling advisory firms through better capacity management and client experience. Dr. Randall also discusses niching down for stronger referrals, using CRM systems to create thoughtful client touches, and how AI can increase efficiency without replacing human relationships.
George Swetlitz is the Co-Founder and CEO of RightResponse AI, a reputation management platform that helps location-based businesses win more customers by improving their visibility and credibility through strategic responses to online reviews. He previously served as CEO of Alpaca Audiology, a private equity-backed healthcare business that grew to over 200 locations nationwide. Earlier in his career, George worked at McKinsey & Company and held leadership roles at Sara Lee before advising CEOs and private equity firms on operational strategy and profitability improvement. He currently focuses on helping businesses turn customer feedback into actionable insights that drive growth and better customer experiences.
In this episode… Online reviews can quietly undermine marketing spend, customer acquisition, and local search visibility, especially for businesses with multiple locations. When responses are generic or missing, strong operations may still lose prospects to competitors with better reputations. How can businesses turn reviews from a reactive chore into a real growth strategy?
George Swetlitz, an expert in AI-driven reputation management for location-based businesses, discusses practical ways to fix the problem. He emphasizes treating reviews as public marketing assets — encouraging positive feedback, responding in ways that highlight differentiators, learning from negative reviews, and using AI with guardrails to generate varied, accurate responses. George also highlights the value of combining response automation with human review for lower ratings, leveraging voice-of-customer analysis to spot patterns, and making review generation easier through text, email, and QR codes.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews George Swetlitz, Co-Founder and CEO of RightResponse AI, about using AI and customer reviews to drive growth. George also discusses why reputation affects conversion rates, how to keep AI responses accurate without sounding robotic, and what he learned as a non-technical founder building an AI-first business.
Andy Schwartz is the CEO and Managing Partner of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, a national wealth management and financial planning firm that provides personalized, goals-based fiduciary services to help individuals, families, and business owners manage and grow their finances. He co-founded the firm and brings over 40 years of experience as a CFP, focusing on helping clients build wealth, plan for retirement, and preserve their legacy. Under his leadership, the firm rebranded from Bleakley Financial Group to OnePoint BFG and has continued to expand its national presence and enhance its advisory capabilities. Andy is widely recognized in the industry for his client-centered approach and commitment to long-term financial partnerships.
In this episode… In the financial services industry, leaders face mounting pressure to grow, adopt new technologies, and scale their firms without compromising client trust or company culture. Many advisors struggle with succession planning, enterprise value, and the fear that AI could replace rather than elevate their teams. How can firms expand responsibly while staying true to a client-first philosophy?
Andy Schwartz, a veteran financial advisor and industry leader with over four decades of experience in wealth management, shares that growth must begin with mindset. He believes serving clients is a privilege and that deep listening builds lasting trust. Andy outlines three criteria for successful partnerships, including cultural alignment, measurable growth opportunity, and long-term economic upside. He emphasizes succession planning as a responsibility to clients, encourages leaders to share equity and reward teams generously, and views AI as a force multiplier that enhances service rather than replaces people.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Andy Schwartz, CEO and Managing Partner of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, about scaling a wealth management firm without losing culture. Andy also discusses choosing the right private equity partner, building enterprise value through succession planning, and leveraging AI to elevate client service.
Adrian Johnstone is the Co-founder and CEO of Practifi, a performance optimization platform that transforms data into insights, action, and excellence at scale. Practifi helps wealth management firms go beyond traditional CRMs and redefine what's possible. With over 20 years of experience in wealth management, Adrian has an extensive background as a consultant and tech company founder, advising businesses on their technology, client experience, and regulation. He is also a renowned speaker at industry events in Australia and the United States.
In this episode… AI is everywhere, and financial advisory firms feel intense pressure to adopt it fast. From note-taking bots to automated client communications, the promise of efficiency is seductive. But when technology moves faster than strategy, how do firms ensure AI enhances client relationships instead of eroding trust?
Adrian Johnstone, a fintech executive and CRM innovator, explains that the key is starting with client outcomes, not shiny tools. He emphasizes listening closely to customers before building anything and focusing AI on high-impact areas like workflow automation and process standardization. Adrian advises firms to prioritize data integrity, use tight governance to prevent hallucinations, and require clear citations for AI-generated insights. He also encourages leaders to measure ROI rigorously, shut down tools that don't deliver value, and resist layering AI over broken systems.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Adrian Johnstone, CEO of Practifi, about using AI responsibly in wealth management technology. Adrian discusses workflow automation, preventing AI hallucinations, and why fixing your data model matters more than chasing the latest AI trend.
Ian Karnell is the Co-founder and CEO of VastAdvisor, an AI-powered growth platform that helps RIAs and wealth management firms build scalable, compliant client acquisition systems. He has over 25 years of experience at the intersection of FinTech, SaaS, and digital marketing, leading innovations that combine technology with financial services growth strategies. Before founding VastAdvisor, Ian built one of the largest independent digital agencies in the US and held senior roles driving strategic initiatives at firms like Envestnet. He is focused on replacing traditional lead generation with AI-driven systems that lower acquisition costs and accelerate organic growth for advisory firms.
In this episode… Many financial advisors rely heavily on referrals, but that strategy may not be enough in a rapidly changing market. With trillions of dollars shifting to digital-first generations, traditional growth tactics are becoming less predictable and harder to scale. How can advisory firms build a repeatable, data-driven growth engine that compounds over time instead of starting from scratch each year?
Ian Karnell, an entrepreneur and AI strategist specializing in wealth management growth systems, explains that firms must move beyond lead brokers and manual marketing workflows. He emphasizes defining and refining ideal client profiles using data, activating emerging digital channels, and embedding governance into AI systems to ensure compliance and reliability. Ian also highlights the importance of human-in-the-loop controls, measurable learning loops, and compounding institutional knowledge to create a sustainable competitive advantage. By focusing on learning speed rather than just marketing output, firms can reduce acquisition costs and improve long-term growth outcomes.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Ian Karnell, the Co-founder and CEO of VastAdvisor, about building AI-powered growth systems for financial advisors. Ian discusses governance-first AI design, orchestrating multiple agents instead of single tools, and turning marketing spend into compounding institutional knowledge.
Katie DeFeo is the Vice President and Chief Experience Officer of SunWest Federal Credit Union, a community-focused financial institution offering banking services such as loans, savings, and digital banking solutions. She leads efforts to enhance member experience by blending digital innovation with genuine human connection and clear communication. Katie champions authentic branding and customer-centric strategies to help SunWest stand out in a competitive financial landscape. Her leadership also drives the credit union's digital transformation initiatives, which aim to deliver personalized and efficient services to members.
In this episode… Many financial institutions pride themselves on strong service and long-standing member relationships. But in today's digital, fast-moving world, good service is no longer a differentiator. When technology, culture, and processes lag behind member expectations, friction builds and growth stalls. How can organizations evolve without losing the human connection that made them successful in the first place?
Katie DeFeo, a financial services executive specializing in member experience, culture transformation, and digital innovation, explains that real change starts internally. She emphasizes that culture must come before strategy, aligning every employee's role to a clear purpose and member impact. Katie advocates for regularly ripping apart processes to uncover friction, mapping the full customer journey, and fixing breakdowns before they cost revenue. She also shares how humanizing AI, owning mistakes publicly, and inviting direct member feedback can rebuild trust and drive smarter innovation. By blending transparency, accountability, and intentional leadership, she shows how organizations can modernize without sacrificing authenticity.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Katie DeFeo, Vice President and Chief Experience Officer of SunWest Federal Credit Union, about transforming member experience through culture and innovation. Katie discusses humanizing AI with transparency, eliminating friction in lending processes, and building purpose-driven teams that fuel sustainable growth.
Bill Cates is the Founder of Referral Coach International, a company that helps professionals grow their business by generating referrals and personal introductions through proven relationship marketing systems. He is a bestselling author of several books on referrals and business growth, including Get More Referrals Now and Radical Relevance. Bill has spent over 25 years helping thousands of financial professionals and business owners move from incremental to exponential growth by improving client engagement and communication. He also hosts the Top Advisor Podcast and founded The Cates Academy for Relationship Marketing.
In this episode… Many professionals struggle to grow through referrals without feeling awkward, pushy, or inauthentic. At the same time, deeply held money beliefs — often shaped by fear or scarcity — can quietly sabotage both personal finances and client relationships. How can leaders overcome these hidden barriers to build trust, growth, and lasting wealth?
Bill Cates, a referral expert, bestselling author, and coach to financial advisors, explains that referrals still dominate how people choose advisors — but only when handled with empathy and intention. He emphasizes shifting from asking to creating natural introductions, planting referral seeds through service, and aligning growth strategies with how clients want to connect. Bill also highlights the importance of understanding money mindsets, recognizing the emotional stories behind financial decisions, and transforming fear-driven behaviors into confident actions through education and awareness.
In this episode of The Customer Wins podcast, Richard Walker interviews Bill Cates, Founder of Referral Coach International, about growth through referrals, money mindset, and client trust. Bill discusses why introductions outperform leads, how scarcity thinking affects advisors, and how storytelling can reshape beliefs about money.
Chirag Gandhi is the Co-founder and CEO of Mili, an AI-powered platform that automates administrative workflows for financial advisors, helping them save time and focus on client relationships. Under his leadership, Mili has raised funding and expanded its enterprise AI platform in the wealth management space. Chirag previously worked in venture capital and growth equity, where he helped raise and manage significant investment funds, gaining deep experience in financial services. Before founding Mili, he held roles in investment firms and served as an angel investor supporting early-stage startups.
In this episode… Financial advisors are overwhelmed by administrative work, fragmented systems, and rising expectations to adopt AI — without compromising compliance or client trust. Many teams experiment with AI tools, only to find they don't fit real workflows or create new risks. How can firms use AI to save time and scale impact without losing control?
Chirag Gandhi, a fintech entrepreneur and AI systems expert, explains how advisory firms can apply AI in practical, compliant ways by focusing on workflow-specific automation. He emphasizes starting with meetings as a data source, using real-time note structuring, and integrating deeply with existing systems rather than layering generic tools. Chirag also shares why safe design choices, human-in-the-loop oversight, and clarity on build-versus-buy decisions are critical to making AI actually work in regulated environments.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Chirag Gandhi, Co-founder and CEO of Mili, about applying agentic AI in financial services. Chirag discusses designing compliant AI systems, deciding when to build versus buy AI tools, and how agents can automate tasks while preserving human relationships.
Ellen Rogin is a CPA, CFP, and financial intuitive at Create Great, a company dedicated to helping people transform their relationship with money and build lasting prosperity. She combines decades of experience as a traditional financial advisor with her intuitive insights to guide clients toward greater financial confidence and abundance. Ellen is a New York Times bestselling author and sought-after speaker whose work has been featured on major media outlets and helps individuals and entrepreneurs reshape their money mindset. Her approach focuses on easing money stress, expanding wealth potential, and empowering people to use money as a force for good.
In this episode… Many people believe that earning more money will automatically reduce stress and create happiness, yet financial anxiety often persists no matter how much income grows. Deep-rooted money beliefs formed early in life can quietly drive worry, overwork, and dissatisfaction. How can individuals change their relationship with money so that it feels supportive and empowering rather than stressful?
Ellen Rogin, a CPA, CFP, and financial intuitive, explains that lasting financial well-being starts with awareness of money beliefs and emotional patterns, not just numbers. She encourages noticing the language people use around money, replacing worry with clarity, and questioning beliefs like money must be hard to earn. Ellen also highlights practical steps such as journaling for insight, balancing generosity with self-care, and using intuition alongside logic to make aligned financial decisions.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Ellen Rogin, financial intuitive at Create Great, about transforming one's relationship with money. Ellen discusses financial intuition, reshaping money beliefs, and the impact of generosity, while also exploring ancestral money patterns, mindful language, and her four-step prosperity framework.
Jason Early is the Founder and CEO of RISR, a wealthtech platform that helps financial advisors support business owners with business valuation, succession, exit planning, and risk clarity. With extensive experience in financial services, he has dedicated his career to building innovative tools and solutions for advisors and the clients they serve. RISR was recognized by Investment News as Best New Technology, and Jason was named to the publication's 40 Under 40. Before founding RISR, he held advisory leadership roles and served as President of a wealth technology firm specializing in private company valuation services.
In this episode… Business owners often have most of their wealth tied up in their company — but many don't know what their business is really worth or how it fits into their retirement, estate, and legacy plans. Advisors frequently treat the business like a plug-in number, which can lead to misguided planning and missed opportunities. How can advisors bring real clarity, reduce risk, and help business owners plan for a successful exit?
Jason Early, a wealthtech founder and longtime financial services leader, explains that effective advice starts with true business clarity: establishing the current value of the business and the value it needs to reach to support goals like retirement and philanthropy. He recommends guiding owners to identify and mitigate both equity risk and operational risk. Jason also emphasizes planning early, operating the business as if it's always ready to sell, and building a succession or exit plan since most businesses don't successfully transact.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Jason Early, Founder and CEO of RISR, about helping advisors deliver better outcomes for business owners. Jason shares insights on business valuation clarity, risk reduction, and exit planning. He also discusses tax planning trends, how AI is changing software building, and the mentors who shaped his leadership.
Dan Zitting is the CEO of Nitrogen, a platform that empowers advisors by creating more engaging, confidence-building client conversations. He is a longtime SaaS entrepreneur and operator with a background in building software in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC). Before Nitrogen, Dan founded Workpapers.com and later led Galvanize through significant growth, culminating in its $1 billion acquisition by Diligent. At Nitrogen, he focuses on using modern technology to help advisors deliver more personalized guidance so clients can invest and live fearlessly.
In this episode… Financial advice can feel overwhelming and emotional, especially when clients are unsure whether they're making the right decisions or if their long-term plans are truly secure. Advisors, in turn, often struggle to translate complex topics like risk, taxes, and income planning into conversations that feel clear, personalized, and confidence-building. How can advisors strengthen client trust while scaling those high-impact moments across a growing book of business?
Dan Zitting, a SaaS executive and enterprise software leader with deep expertise in governance, risk, and compliance platforms, shares how advisors can elevate client outcomes through better engagement and communication. He emphasizes meeting clients where they are emotionally, using structured talk tracks to prepare for meaningful conversations, and presenting recommendations in a professional, visual format that clients can actually absorb. Dan also highlights how modern AI can reduce prep time by automating data ingestion, uncovering hidden planning insights from documents like brokerage statements and tax returns, and helping advisors focus more on guidance and trust rather than manual workflow.
In this episode of The Customer Wins podcast, Richard Walker interviews Dan Zitting, CEO of Nitrogen, about helping advisors create fearless client moments through better engagement and AI-powered tools. Dan discusses rebranding beyond risk tolerance, building an AI-first platform, and using tax insights to deepen planning conversations.
Richart Ruddie is the Founder of Captain Compliance, a data privacy and compliance software platform that helps organizations navigate complex data protection laws and automate compliance. He is a serial founder and entrepreneur with a track record of building and exiting successful online businesses. Richart is recognized as a privacy expert and often speaks on data privacy and regulatory risk at industry events. His work focuses on empowering companies to build trust with customers and avoid costly legal issues related to privacy.
In this episode… Many organizations inadvertently expose themselves to legal risk through data privacy oversights, often despite their best efforts to comply. With regulations evolving at breakneck speed, a single misstep — such as an outdated policy or a faulty consent tool — can lead to costly lawsuits. How can your organization stay compliant and protected while continuing to scale and prioritize the customer experience?
Richart Ruddie, a passionate advocate for data privacy, tackles these very issues by offering a comprehensive software solution designed to help businesses navigate data privacy laws and prevent costly litigation. He explains how even B2B and financial services firms are at risk, emphasizing that privacy requirements aren't just about marketing — they're about protecting employee and customer data from breaches and misuse. Richart dives into real-world examples where a lack of compliance led to massive fines and job losses, illustrating the high stakes involved.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Richart Ruddie, Founder of Captain Compliance, about building trust and protecting businesses through innovative privacy compliance. Richart discusses not only the technical challenges of privacy but also the immense value of a customer-obsessed culture, scaling personalized service, and the importance of staying ahead of ever-evolving regulations.
Mark Ovaska is the Co-founder and CEO of Precept, an AI-driven integration platform that helps fintech companies connect to any API quickly and simplify complex data integrations. He co-founded the company to eliminate lengthy and costly integration projects, enabling teams to scale without engineering bottlenecks. Before Precept, Mark led software platform revitalization and other ventures, blending technical leadership with product strategy. His background also includes creative work in photojournalism, with work featured in major publications.
In this episode… Many organizations struggle with fragmented data, sluggish integrations, and disconnected systems that create friction for both teams and customers. These challenges hinder the ability to deliver timely, personalized, and reliable customer experiences at scale. How can businesses overcome data complexity without adding more cost, time, or technical debt?
Mark Ovaska, a technology and product executive with deep experience in data platforms, integrations, and AI-driven systems, explores these issues. He explains why great customer experiences depend on connected, portable data and how standardization reduces friction and unlocks scale. Mark shares how AI can map and connect systems in real time, eliminate redundant integration work, and shift focus away from "how many integrations exist" toward readiness and flexibility. His guidance centers on treating data infrastructure as foundational plumbing that enables faster innovation, agentic workflows, and long-term growth.
In this episode of The Customer Wins podcast, Richard Walker interviews Mark Ovaska, Co-founder and CEO of Precept, about simplifying data integrations to power better customer experiences. Mark discusses AI-powered integration speed, the role of data standardization, and how modern infrastructure enables agentic workflows and scalable growth.
Molly Pierce is the CEO of Track That Advisor, a firm that helps independent financial advisors turn complex business data into clear, actionable insights to grow and scale effectively. She joined Track That Advisor in 2017 and is passionate about helping advisory teams track their metrics and reach their full potential. Molly holds a Bachelor's degree in finance and economics from Grand Canyon University.
In this episode… Many advisory firms invest heavily in marketing and lead generation, yet still struggle to convert prospects or understand why their growth stalls. Without clear visibility into which processes work and which break down, teams often rely on guesswork instead of data-driven action. How can advisors simplify their metrics, cut through analysis paralysis, and focus on the numbers that actually drive growth?
Data expert Molly Pierce breaks down the core metrics that every advisor should track and explains why these leading indicators matter more than lagging ones, such as ROI. She explains how to measure stick rate, close rate, average case size, and cost per client while emphasizing the importance of serving existing clients to generate organic growth. Molly also encourages firms to compare their results with industry benchmarks, leverage pending leads, and use data as a spotlight to reveal hidden business opportunities.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Molly Pierce, CEO of Track That Advisor, about leveraging data to drive growth for advisory firms. Molly discusses the value of benchmark comparisons, the power of focusing on current clients, and why human connection still matters in an AI-driven world.
Colleen Bowler is the Co-founder of C&J Innovations, a firm that provides tools and assessments to help financial advisors build deeper, life-centered relationships with clients beyond just the numbers. She is the Co-creator of The Passport Package, a mindset-based assessment system bridging the human and financial sides of planning. As a Certified Financial Planner with nearly 30 years of experience, Colleen previously built a top-one-percent advisory firm managing over $500 million in assets and completed a succession plan in 2020. Outside of her business ventures, she has co-authored a book and remains committed to mentorship, generosity, and helping others achieve balance in business and life.
In this episode… Many financial advisors excel at the technical side of planning but struggle to deeply understand what clients truly value. Traditional discovery meetings can feel clinical, rushed, or incomplete, leaving advisors without the human insights needed to build stronger relationships. How can advisors uncover what matters most to clients in a fast, scalable, and meaningful way?
Colleen Bowler, an expert in mindset-based financial planning and client engagement, explains how helping clients reflect on their own readiness, wellness, longevity, and partnership mindsets leads to richer conversations and deeper trust. She illustrates how five-minute assessments give advisors immediate clarity on client priorities, reduce meeting time spent on basic data gathering, and spark constructive dialogue that might not happen otherwise. Colleen encourages advisors to use these insights to celebrate client progress, strengthen household communication, and shift from purely financial conversations to holistic guidance.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Colleen Bowler, Co-founder of C&J Innovations, about using mindset assessments to humanize financial planning. Colleen also discusses improving advisor–client conversations, uncovering emotional patterns around money, and using AI to free up time for a deeper connection.
Josh DeTar is the EVP of Evangelism at Tyfone, Inc., a company that builds omnichannel digital banking and payments solutions for credit unions and community banks. He champions the use of technology to empower financial institutions to deepen member relationships and deliver seamless digital experiences. Josh's personal credit union journey inspired his advocacy, having experienced the impact of community financial services firsthand before transitioning to the fintech industry.
In this episode… Many financial institutions promise personalized service, yet customers often feel disconnected when outdated digital tools undermine that experience. Community banks and credit unions, despite strong relationship-driven missions, struggle to compete with the speed and polish of big-bank technology. How can smaller institutions overcome technical gaps while staying true to their human-centered values?
Josh DeTar, an expert in digital banking strategy and customer experience, explains how community institutions can bridge this divide through transparency, empathy, and deliberate relationship-building. He emphasizes the importance of listening closely to customer needs, building only what adds real value, and maintaining open communication — especially when mistakes occur. Josh's approach encourages leaders to sit on the same side of the table with customers, foster trust early in the relationship, and create internal cultures where honesty and accountability thrive.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Josh DeTar, EVP of Evangelism at Tyfone, about elevating digital experiences for community financial institutions. Josh discusses the power of transparency, the role of culture in customer success, and why "breaking bread" — literally — helps strengthen relationships. He also explores long sales cycles, building features that matter, and leading with humility.
Brian Portnoy is the Founder of Shaping Wealth, a company that delivers human-first, applied behavioral-finance learning and engagement for financial advisors, corporations, and educational institutions. A CFA charterholder with a PhD from the University of Chicago, Brian has over two decades of experience in hedge-fund and mutual-fund investing. He now focuses on helping people make better money decisions and align finance with a meaningful life. Brian is also the best-selling author of The Geometry of Wealth and The Investor's Paradox.
In this episode… Financial advisors excel at technical guidance but struggle with the deeper human challenges their clients face. Money triggers stress, fear, and uncertainty, yet most advisors aren't trained to navigate those emotional dynamics. How can advisors improve their conversations, build trust, and truly guide clients toward better financial decisions?
Brian Portnoy, an expert in behavioral finance and the psychology of money, explains how advisors can strengthen their emotional intelligence, clarify their own money stories, and adopt a human-first mindset. Highlighting the value of skills such as self-awareness, empathy, and better listening, Brian emphasizes practical tools for improving client conversations across prospecting, discovery, onboarding, and reviews. He also shares the importance of well-being science and how understanding happiness and purpose can meaningfully reshape financial guidance.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Brian Portnoy, Founder of Shaping Wealth, about human-centered financial advice. Brian discusses the psychology of money, improving client conversations, and the role of emotional intelligence. He also explores advisor wellbeing, communication strategies, and the impact of AI-powered coaching tools.
Diana Cabrices is the Founder and Fractional Chief Evangelist of Diana Cabrices Consulting, a growth-focused firm that energizes B2B wealthtech and financial services brands by amplifying their stories and building emotional connection with financial advisors. She has a track record of driving significant revenue growth, having helped a martech platform grow its recurring revenue by 10x in three years. Diana partners with CEOs and leadership teams to serve as their outsourced brand evangelist, speaker, and growth ambassador. A frequent industry speaker and contributor, she leverages her experience across sales, marketing, technology, and advisor engagement to help companies scale.
In this episode… Many fintech and advisory firms struggle to stand out, explain their value, and consistently get in front of the right audiences. Marketing feels fragmented, sales conversations start too zoomed in on product features, and social content falls flat. How can these firms turn their story into an engine for demand and trust?
Diana Cabrices, a brand evangelist specializing in fintech and financial services, recommends starting with deep listening — reviewing sales and customer calls to uncover real pain points and language that resonates. She then builds messaging around the problem, not the product, and amplifies it through stages, webinars, podcasts, video, and especially LinkedIn to meet advisors where they are. Diana stresses partnering with leadership while confidently challenging assumptions, using social content that feels human and bold, and leaning on AI only as a "second brain" to repurpose content, not to replace authentic, on-stage performance.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Diana Cabrices, Founder and Fractional Chief Evangelist of Diana Cabrices Consulting, about using brand evangelism to drive growth. Diana also talks about crafting customer-led messaging, leveraging LinkedIn, and using AI tools without losing authenticity.
Ben Wiener is the Managing Partner at Jumpspeed Ventures, a venture-capital firm focusing on early-stage, Jerusalem-founded tech startups. Since founding the firm in 2014, he has served as the lead investor in dozens of startups and often provided their very first capital. Before his VC work, Ben co-founded his first startup in 1999 and gained experience as both a corporate lawyer and clerk at Israel's Supreme Court. He is also the author of Fever Pitch and holds a BA in economics from Yeshiva University and a JD with honours from Columbia Law School.
In this episode… Communicating the true value of an idea is a common hurdle for entrepreneurs — investor interest often fades not from weak concepts but from unclear or uninspired pitches. Even the most innovative founders can stumble when translating passion into persuasion. How can startups tell their story in a way that connects deeply with investors and customers alike?
Venture capitalist and author Ben Wiener shares how storytelling can transform the way founders present their businesses. Drawing from his experience and his book Fever Pitch, he introduces the HEART framework — a five-part structure that helps entrepreneurs communicate their purpose, stakes, alternatives, differentiation, and team strengths. He emphasizes truth over performance, encouraging founders to make their product — not themselves — the hero of the story. By focusing on clarity, authenticity, and emotional connection, Ben's approach helps entrepreneurs pitch with confidence and integrity.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Ben Wiener, Managing Partner at Jumpspeed Ventures, about the art of storytelling for entrepreneurs. Ben discusses his HEART framework for crafting compelling startup pitches, why truthfulness matters more than flash, and how to shift the focus from the founder to the product. He also shares insights on the role of AI in storytelling and lessons from his own entrepreneurial journey.
Thomas Clawson is the Co-founder of Slant, a next-generation AI-powered CRM built to help financial advisors streamline workflows and deepen client relationships. He co-launched the platform to replace traditional CRM systems by integrating AI agents that manage meetings, follow-ups, and client interactions. Under his leadership, Slant has raised $3.3 million in seed funding and scaled to serve over a thousand advisors. Prior to this venture, Thomas held leadership roles in marketing and demand generation at tech unicorns, including Whatnot and Podium.
In this episode… Financial advisors face growing pressure to deliver personalized service while managing an ever-expanding workload. Traditional CRMs, however, often add complexity instead of reducing it — creating more manual tasks and slowing growth. With AI transforming the way professionals work, how can financial advisors adopt technology that actually simplifies their day-to-day operations while improving client outcomes?
Thomas Clawson, an expert in advisor technology and automation, shares how embracing AI-first design principles can completely redefine the CRM experience. He emphasizes simplifying workflows, reducing manual data entry, and allowing advisors to focus on people instead of processes. Thomas discusses how chat-based interfaces and AI-powered insights can make managing client relationships seamless. By building adaptable systems that learn from user behavior, Thomas highlights how advisors can serve more clients efficiently while maintaining a personal touch.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Thomas Clawson, Co-founder of Slant, about reimagining CRM for financial advisors through AI and automation. Thomas also discusses the need for simplicity in advisor technology, the rise of chat-driven user interfaces, and how his team built a secure CRM in just six months.
Michelle Feinstein is the General Manager and Vice President, Global Financial Services at Salesforce, a company that provides cloud-based CRM and enterprise software to help businesses connect with customers. She leads global solutions and strategy for the financial services sector, focusing on wealth and asset management. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Michelle guides firms in digital transformation, data usage, and advisor-client engagement. She works across product, partner, and client teams to modernize the technology and operations of financial firms.
In this episode… Financial services firms face challenges in unifying technology, streamlining advisor workflows, and adopting AI to improve experiences. Legacy systems, fragmented data, and slow governance often block innovation. How can firms modernize, improve adoption, and leverage AI while maintaining trust?
Michelle Feinstein, an expert in digital transformation and client experience, explains that success begins with a clear strategic purpose — identifying the specific business outcomes technology should achieve. She shares how leading firms streamline advisor experiences by integrating data, simplifying workflows, and leveraging AI to automate repetitive tasks such as meeting prep and client summaries. Michelle also emphasizes adopting open, flexible systems that allow firms to plug in specialized AI tools while keeping human oversight central to innovation.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Michelle Feinstein, General Manager and VP of Global Financial Services at Salesforce, about transforming financial services with AI and customer-centric design. Michelle discusses how firms can build unified experiences, leverage AI agents for automation, and transition to consumption-based pricing models that drive efficiency. She also shares insights on advisor retention, data integration, and the future of AI adoption.
Greg Bennick is the Founder and Executive Director of One Hundred For Haiti, an international humanitarian initiative focused on rural Haiti's development, community leadership, and human empowerment. He is also a keynote speaker, documentary producer, and author of Reclaim The Moment. Greg has delivered transformative presentations in 27 countries, spoken to audiences ranging from private groups to thousands at major corporate events, and has been recognized as a TEDx speaker. His work centers on building better teams, fostering authentic human interactions, and helping organizations and individuals reclaim focus amidst daily distractions.
In this episode… Many professionals struggle to connect authentically with their audiences — whether in sales, leadership, or public speaking. They focus too much on outcomes like applause, recognition, or profit, and lose sight of the people they're meant to serve. How can leaders, speakers, and entrepreneurs shift their focus from themselves to creating genuine, lasting impact for others?
Greg Bennick, keynote speaker, author, and humanitarian, offers actionable insights on how to engage people through authenticity, empathy, and listening. He explains that effective communication starts before the first word is spoken — by observing, preparing with intention, and reading the room. Greg encourages listeners to check their egos, focus on shared human experience, and remain adaptable in every interaction. Drawing on decades of stage experience, he emphasizes that success comes from service, not self-promotion.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Greg Bennick, keynote speaker and author at gregbennick.com, about the power of authenticity in communication and leadership. Greg shares how to listen deeply to audiences, build trust through vulnerability, and adapt quickly when plans change. He also discusses public speaking fears, the role of AI in creativity, and lessons from his book Reclaim the Moment.
Max Klein is the Co-Founder and CEO of LEA, a company that automates client data workflows for wealth management firms using AI and APIs. He previously spent seven years at Amazon working on products like Alexa, Kindle, and Prime. Earlier in his career, Max lived in China for eight years, working in international business and public policy. He is also fluent in Mandarin and has founded prior ventures in education and global placement.
In this episode… Wealth management firms often struggle to efficiently organize and manage client data. From PDFs and statements to client conversations, data arrives in countless formats, making it both time-consuming and error-prone to manage. If advisors are overwhelmed with manual data handling, how can they scale their businesses while still delivering exceptional client experiences?
Max Klein, an expert in AI workflow automation with years of experience at Amazon, sheds light on how firms can overcome this challenge. He emphasizes the importance of automating data recognition and classification, turning unstructured documents into usable information that drives business processes. Max highlights the role of embedding AI into existing platforms rather than creating new systems, meeting firms where they already work. He also shares lessons from his career, including Amazon's customer-centric approach and the value of written communication and active listening.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Max Klein, Co-Founder and CEO of LEA, about leveraging AI to solve data challenges in wealth management. Max explains how firms can eliminate repetitive manual work with smarter automation. He also discusses embedding technology into existing platforms, centralizing operations in systems like Salesforce, and the importance of customer listening and feedback loops.
Michael Jeanfreau is the Director of Advisor Enablement at Mariner Wealth Advisors, a firm that provides wealth planning, investment management, tax, and estate-planning services to individuals and businesses. He leads strategies and tools to make financial advisors more effective and client-centric. Michael holds Series 63 and 65 licenses and has over 25 years of experience in financial services, spanning roles in wealth management and product development. He joined Mariner in 2021 and works to strengthen the advisor experience and support firmwide growth.
In this episode… Many financial advisors are hindered by inefficiencies — from last-minute paperwork and disconnected tech tools to corporate-centered processes. These obstacles waste valuable time and limit the ability to deliver personalized service. How can firms better equip advisors with the tools and processes they need to thrive?
Michael Jeanfreau, an expert in advisor enablement, demystifies how streamlining workflows and adopting practical technology boost efficiency. He emphasizes that freeing advisors from manual tasks, such as filling forms or gathering scattered client data, is essential. He urges firms to implement AI-powered tools, such as digital agents and note-taking companions, and to establish stronger feedback loops between advisors and operational teams. For Michael, success means giving advisors more time to strengthen relationships and serve clients.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Michael Jeanfreau, Director of Advisor Enablement at Mariner Wealth Advisors, about creating better advisor and client experiences. Michael explains how AI and digital tools can reduce inefficiencies, why empowering advisors with time drives growth, and how fostering communication between the field and the home office leads to better outcomes.
Brian Edelman is the CEO of FCI, a firm that provides NIST-based endpoint and network cybersecurity and compliance solutions for heavily regulated industries. He founded the company in 1995 and has grown it into a managed security service provider specializing in cyber-regulated organizations. Brian is widely recognized as a cybersecurity expert and frequently speaks at industry conferences on topics like regulatory compliance and incident response. He holds a certificate in cybersecurity risk management from Harvard and serves as a Cybersecurity Technology Expert on the Forbes NY Council.
In this episode… Cybercriminals are evolving, and the threats facing financial services have never been more severe. From stolen data sold on the dark web to AI-driven email scams that can drain accounts in days, the risks are escalating. How can firms protect sensitive client information while meeting strict regulatory requirements?
Brian Edelman, a cybersecurity expert in the financial services industry, explains how firms can strengthen their defenses. He emphasizes the importance of building trust with clients, adopting a zero-trust security model, and preparing with incident response drills. Brian highlights automation as a means to protect endpoints without overwhelming advisors, while warning that AI is making cyberattacks both faster and more sophisticated. His insights provide practical steps for organizations to safeguard data, finances, and reputation.
In this episode of The Customer Wins Podcast, Richard Walker interviews Brian Edelman, CEO of FCI, to discuss cybersecurity in financial services. Brian shares how automation simplifies compliance, why zero trust matters for firms, and how AI is reshaping cybercrime. He explores incident response preparedness, the role of regulators, and the growing responsibility of financial advisors to educate their clients about cyber risks.
Ty Peck is the Co-Founder and CEO of Business Draft, a career acquisition platform that helps companies hire faster through smart matchmaking, video tools, and streamlined applicant tracking. He drives the company’s growth, fundraising, and product strategy, with a focus on cutting time-to-hire and enhancing the candidate experience. Under his leadership, Business Draft has secured seed funding and launched tools designed to simplify the hiring process for both candidates and employers. With over a decade of experience in corporate strategy and a candidate-first approach, Ty is passionate about leveraging technology and AI to eliminate hiring busywork.
In this episode… Many job seekers today face a frustratingly opaque application process. Candidates often submit resumes and never hear back, while companies drown in unqualified applications and struggle to communicate effectively. With trust eroding on both sides, how can the hiring experience become faster, clearer, and more human?
Ty Peck, an experienced entrepreneur in talent acquisition, discusses solutions that make hiring easier for both candidates and employers. He emphasizes designing the process around the candidate first, with tools that bring transparency, automate repetitive tasks, and standardize profiles for easier review. Ty also highlights the value of clear communication, trust scores that reinforce accountability, and AI-driven efficiency that preserves the human touch.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Ty Peck, Co-Founder and CEO of Business Draft, about transforming the hiring process with candidate-first innovation. Ty shares how automation and AI simplify applications, why transparency builds trust, and how cultural fit matters just as much as skills. He also dives into candidate tracking systems, customer-driven product features, and the evolving role of videos in showcasing talent.
Rabih Ramadi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Avantos, an AI-native operating system that streamlines customer onboarding and servicing for financial institutions. Rabih previously served as a founding team member and Chief Revenue Officer at Unqork and was a Senior Partner at KPMG, where he led the Capital Markets sector. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School and an ME in engineering from Cornell University. Rabih also sits on the board of Leathwaite as a non-executive director.
In this episode… Many financial institutions struggle with slow, manual onboarding and servicing processes that hamper efficiency. Advisors and operations teams spend significant time re-entering data and managing compliance, creating obstacles to optimal client service. How can financial firms leverage AI to streamline these workflows and elevate client experiences?
Rabih Ramadi, an expert in financial technology and artificial intelligence, shares how his team built an AI-driven operating system to address these challenges. He explains how linking clients, products, and advisors through AI agents helps automate tasks, prefill data, and trigger compliant workflows. Rabih emphasizes building flexible systems, embedding human approvals, and prioritizing the right recommendations so advisors can focus on high-value client relationships while still maintaining trust and compliance.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Rabih Ramadi, Co-Founder and CEO of Avantos, about using AI to transform client onboarding and servicing. Rabih discusses the rise of AI agents, how to prefill data from trusted integrations, and why compliance must remain central to innovation. He also explores the risks of too many recommendations, the future of chat-based interfaces, and the importance of pairing business knowledge with technical vision.
Paul Osterberg is the CEO and Managing Director of Security Basecamp, a company that helps financial services firms simplify cybersecurity and compliance while reducing risk. He has over 15,000 hours of experience building and leading information security programs and has completed more than 300 cybersecurity risk assessments. Previously, Paul held senior roles at AFAM Capital, National Financial Partners, and NFP Securities. He holds a degree in finance from the University of Minnesota and has completed further studies at Columbia University and the Wharton School.
In this episode… Many businesses struggle with growing cybersecurity risks, from weak passwords and unpatched systems to sophisticated AI-driven scams. These threats not only endanger company data but also erode customer trust when breaches occur. How can organizations strengthen defenses and safeguard their clients while staying ahead of evolving attacks?
Paul Osterberg, a cybersecurity leader with decades of experience, explains how companies can take practical steps to reduce vulnerabilities. He highlights the value of risk assessments, the value of multifactor authentication, and the dangers of reusing credentials. Paul also emphasizes the human side of security, showing how training employees to think critically and “trust but verify” can prevent costly mistakes. His insights stress that technology and culture must work together to create resilient organizations.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Paul Osterberg, CEO and Managing Director of Security Basecamp, about building trust through cybersecurity. Paul shares how companies can reduce fear after breaches, why AI presents both risks and opportunities, and how cultivating better human behavior is as important as technical safeguards. He also delves into ransomware, client trust recovery, and the personal side of raising security-aware families.
Shannon Rosic is the Director of Content and Solutions for the Wealth Management Group at Informa Connect, a global provider of events, media, and research for financial professionals. In her role, she leads the omni-channel growth and development of WealthStack, one of the leading events focused on wealth management technology. Shannon regularly represents the group through webinars, podcasts, and video series. Known industrywide as the Gadget Girl, she brings a passion for creative brand storytelling and innovative marketing.
In this episode… Financial professionals face the challenge of keeping up with rapid technological change while still nurturing strong client relationships. With AI tools, compliance demands, and shifting client expectations, it can feel overwhelming to decide where to focus. How can advisors and firms adapt quickly while staying human-centered in an increasingly digital world?
Shannon Rosic, an expert in content strategy and wealth management media, shares how embracing technology as a co-pilot rather than a replacement helps advisors stay relevant. She highlights the importance of adopting simple AI tools like note takers, building a strong digital presence, and showing up consistently at industry events. Shannon emphasizes the need for authenticity in branding and communication, encouraging professionals to showcase their human side while using technology to streamline workflows, improve compliance, and enhance the client experience.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Shannon Rosic, Director of Content and Solutions for the Wealth Management Group at Informa Connect, about the future of wealth management and technology. Shannon discusses how AI can empower advisors, why authentic storytelling matters, and the importance of consistency in digital and in-person presence. She also shares insights on client-centered experiences and her favorite AI tools for compliance and engagement.
Joshua B. Lee is the Founder and CEO of StandOut Authority, a company dedicated to humanizing marketing by helping entrepreneurs and executives grow their brands through the power of LinkedIn. Known as “The Dopamine Dealer of LinkedIn,” Joshua has managed nearly $1 billion in ad spend and driven over 35 trillion online impressions, building influence for high-powered professionals in a noisy digital world. With over 20 years of experience, he has founded 16 companies, worked with platforms such as MySpace and Google, and continues to transform how professionals create genuine human connections online.
In this episode… In today’s digital world, it’s harder than ever to stand out authentically online. Social media is saturated with overproduced content, shallow connections, and constant sales pitches, leaving people feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. How can professionals break through the noise, build real trust, and create opportunities rooted in human connection rather than empty metrics?
Joshua B. Lee, a digital marketing leader known as the Dopamine Dealer of LinkedIn, shares how professionals can cut through digital clutter by humanizing their brand. He explains why vulnerability is more powerful than polished promises, how to use personal stories to spark genuine engagement, and why quality always outweighs quantity in content creation. Joshua also introduces his 10-20-70 method for balancing personal insights, company achievements, and value-driven thought leadership, while encouraging gratitude and meaningful conversations as the foundation of growth.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Joshua B. Lee, Founder and CEO of StandOut Authority, about building authentic influence on LinkedIn. Joshua emphasizes the importance of vulnerability in content, explains the human algorithm versus platform algorithms, and outlines his 10-20-70 content framework. He also discusses relationship-based networking, the value of gratitude, and how to humanize even large organizations through employee-driven stories.
Brandon Castaneda is the Founder and CEO of EZ Bombs, a Hispanic food brand known for its seasoned meat bombs that turned traditional Mexican recipes into a viral sensation on TikTok Shop. The company achieved over $20 million in sales within its first year by leveraging creator-driven engagement and viral social strategy. Brandon scaled operations rapidly — transitioning from fulfillment out of his mom’s kitchen to co-packing and outsourcing logistics to 3PL partner ShipBob — saving around 1,600 labor hours per month. His leadership reflects a family-first ethos and keen digital growth acumen that transformed a homegrown idea into a breakout CPG success.
In this episode… Cooking traditional meals at home can feel overwhelming for busy families. Many lack the time, skills, or even access to the right ingredients, leading them to rely on fast food or packaged options instead. How can people reconnect with authentic flavors while keeping meal preparation simple and enjoyable?
Brandon Castaneda, a seasoned entrepreneur and business leader, shares how his family transformed cultural recipes into convenient seasoning bombs that make cooking easy and flavorful. He explains the trial-and-error process of developing a product that dissolves seamlessly, the viral strategy that turned a kitchen experiment into a social media phenomenon, and the importance of building a brand rooted in authenticity. Brandon also highlights how customer feedback, international demand, and smart use of AI have guided decisions, showing that rapid growth is possible when innovation meets customer experience.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Brandon Castaneda, Founder and CEO of EZ Bombs, about creating a viral food brand from family recipes. Brandon discusses building trust with customers, scaling into thousands of retail stores, and expanding into international markets. He also explores lessons in customer satisfaction, the role of AI in operations, and future plans to diversify flavors and reach new audiences.
Richard Walker is the CEO of Quik!, a provider of forms automation and management solutions for companies looking to maximize efficiency and productivity. He started Quik! in 2002 to help people spend less time on paperwork and more time on what they do best. Before Quik!, Richard was a business consultant with Arthur Andersen. He is also a published author of two books and a father of three boys.
In this episode… Many businesses struggle to consistently deliver exceptional customer experiences, often missing the subtle but crucial elements that foster lasting loyalty. From poor listening to unclear expectations, these gaps erode trust and satisfaction. How can companies build experiences that not only meet but exceed customer expectations every time?
Rocky Chugani, a custom clothing expert, stresses the importance of genuinely loving your customer and tailoring services to their unique needs. Building on the theme of empathy, David Steele, a hospitality and financial services leader, advises becoming your own first customer to anticipate pain points better. Golf pro Bobby Steiner offers a different perspective, highlighting the value of joining your customer’s team, focusing fully on their goals. Shelli Taylor, a cinema executive, emphasizes the importance of setting clear boundaries to protect the experience, proving that well-defined rules can significantly enhance satisfaction.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker reviews previous episodes on building meaningful customer relationships. These guests share insights on valuing your customer, being your own first customer, joining your customer’s team, and setting boundaries. They also explore tailoring details, hospitality best practices, and creating distraction-free experiences.
Matt Goebel is the Founder and CEO of Woven, an all‑in‑one workplace management platform created in 2017 to help multiunit franchises streamline operations, manage people, facilities, and locations from a single system. With over 15 years of experience as a franchisor, consultant, and multiunit franchisee, Matt has gained firsthand insight into the operational gaps that challenge modern operators. Before Woven, he founded several tech ventures, including a wedding‑planning startup and a software agency specializing in franchising needs. A 2005 Purdue University graduate in computer information technology, Matt also holds Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) credentials.
In this episode… Managing a business with multiple locations and frontline employees comes with a unique set of challenges. Communication silos, inconsistent operations, and disengaged deskless workers can quickly erode a brand’s consistency and customer experience. How can business leaders create streamlined systems that keep all teams aligned while supporting long-term growth?
Matt Goebel, a seasoned expert in franchising and operations strategy, shares actionable insights for solving these common pain points. He emphasizes the importance of consolidating tools and systems so that frontline teams — especially those without corporate emails or consistent access to technology — can stay informed and engaged. He advocates for designing mobile-first solutions that are simple, intuitive, and tailored to support workers. Matt also highlights the power of listening to feedback from multiple user groups and iteratively improving systems to reduce burnout and increase accountability, particularly for frontline leadership.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Matt Goebel, Founder and CEO of Woven, about streamlining operations for multilocation businesses. Matt shares how simplifying technology for deskless teams improves consistency and scalability. He also discusses prioritizing product features, balancing innovation with real needs, and why proactive customer listening is a key part of long-term success.
Jeffrey Rusin is the Co‑founder and CMO of Advisor Tech Partners, where he specializes in helping financial advisors optimize their operations through CRM tools, email marketing, and social media strategies. He grew up in Massachusetts, attending Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and earned a business degree from Whittier College, where mentors like Dr. Gary Gold shaped his professional drive. Jeffrey’s early career included hands-on work with residents of retirement homes, which helped him develop empathy and a deep understanding of client relationships. A lifelong Nickelback and Boston Celtics fan, he balances his tech and marketing expertise with a love for hiking, weightlifting, and binge‑watching shows.
In this episode… Many financial advisory firms struggle with inefficient workflows, disorganized CRMs, and a lack of accountability across teams. Without the right systems in place, tasks get missed, client experiences suffer, and firm growth stalls. How can firms transform their operations to streamline processes, improve data reporting, and enhance client engagement — all without overwhelming their teams?
Jeffrey Rusin, a CRM automation expert for advisory firms, shares how he helps streamline operations by customizing and automating workflows inside platforms like Redtail and Wealthbox. He emphasizes the importance of properly configuring foundational CRM elements, such as contact sources, event types, and user-defined fields, before layering in automation. Additionally, Jeffrey explains how workflows can be designed by observing team dynamics, identifying process bottlenecks, and automating task assignments based on meeting types. He also offers tips on using Zapier to automate common actions, such as drafting follow-up emails, and advocates for using the simplest tech stack possible to avoid unnecessary complexity.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Jeffrey Rusin, Co-founder of Advisor Tech Partners, about automation and workflow design for financial advisory firms. Jeffrey shares how to optimize CRMs to improve reporting and accountability. He also discusses the benefits of Zapier, tips for teaching clients automation, and his thoughts on the future of AI notetakers.
David Steele is the Co‑founder and CEO of One Wealth Advisors, a San Francisco–based, fee‑only RIA managing over $1 billion in assets that helps clients simplify their financial lives through comprehensive planning. He brings nearly 30 years of experience in finance and entrepreneurship, having launched his career at JP Morgan before building One Wealth into a fiduciary‑driven firm focused on holistic client well‑being.
Beyond wealth management, David is the Co‑founder and Executive Chairman of Flour + Water Hospitality Group and Great Gold Hospitality, leading acclaimed restaurant brands committed to culinary excellence and sustainability. A passionate supporter of the arts and community initiatives, he serves on the boards of Playground and Zero Food Print, while also promoting cultural programs through ventures like Noise Pop Industries.
In this episode… Many professionals struggle to find a balance between achieving financial success and living a peaceful, fulfilling life. In a world that often equates wealth accumulation with personal worth, how can individuals prioritize harmony without sacrificing ambition?
David Steele, a financial advisor and hospitality entrepreneur, shares how he helps clients align financial decisions with their core values. He emphasizes the importance of intentionally stepping back from relentless wealth-building in favor of a more balanced life. David also advises using money as a tool to reduce friction and enrich experiences, rather than as a measure of achievement. Drawing on his career, David explains how focusing on leadership, delegating responsibilities, and staying true to customer-centric principles can create businesses that are both successful and personally sustainable.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews David Steele, Co-founder and CEO of One Wealth Advisors, about creating harmony in wealth and life. David discusses why dying with less money can mean living more fully, how customer-first thinking shaped his restaurant ventures, and how AI enhances — not replaces — human service. He also touches on leadership lessons from his mother, the psychology of risk, and blending tech with touch in both finance and hospitality.
Vickie Lewin is the Chief Growth Officer at Amplify, a leading wealthtech platform designed to streamline operations for RIAs and enterprise firms. With over 30 years of experience in financial services, fintech, and asset management, she previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Success Officer at AssetMark, where she played a pivotal role in scaling the firm from a $1 billion TAMP to an industry leader managing over $100 billion in assets. At Amplify, Vickie leads sales and marketing efforts, driving strategic growth and aligning product development with market needs. She is also a passionate advocate for increasing the representation of women in the financial services industry and actively mentors the next generation of female leaders.
In this episode… In a rapidly evolving financial technology ecosystem, RIAs are overwhelmed by the complexity of choosing the right tech stack to support their growth and streamline operations. With hundreds of tools on the market and many offering overlapping functionality, how can advisory firms confidently select solutions that deliver long-term value without creating more operational headaches?
Vickie Lewin, an expert in sales strategy and customer success, highlights two key inflection points that drive advisors to seek new platforms, namely breaking away to start independent firms and growing frustrated with outdated systems. She shares that the solution lies in offering flexible, all-in-one systems that integrate with existing tools while still delivering best-in-class capabilities for functions like trading and risk scoring. She emphasizes the importance of innovation, thoughtful customer experience, and a roadmap that prioritizes meaningful feedback over sheer volume. Vickie advises firms to innovate proactively, value service over product, and always stay close to client needs.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Vickie Lewin, Chief Growth Officer at Amplify, about how financial advisors can make smarter tech choices. Vickie discusses the challenges of technology overload, how to balance innovation with client service, and the future role of AI in the wealthtech industry. She also explores integration strategies, the power of user experience, and navigating a crowded advisor tech market.
Richard Walker is the CEO of Quik!, a provider of forms automation and management solutions for companies looking to maximize efficiency and productivity. He started Quik! in 2002 to help people spend less time on paperwork and more time on what they do best. Before Quik!, Richard was a business consultant with Arthur Andersen. He is also a published author of two books and a father of three boys.
In this episode… Many businesses struggle with inefficient paperwork processes that waste time, frustrate customers, and introduce costly errors. Even as technology advances, companies often fail to streamline form handling, creating friction that can harm customer experiences and limit growth. How can businesses transform this outdated process into a seamless, value-driven customer interaction?
Richard Walker, an entrepreneur and process efficiency expert, shares how focusing on form automation can significantly improve both internal operations and customer satisfaction. He emphasizes the importance of eliminating redundant data entry by standardizing form fields across documents, reducing errors, and minimizing rework. He suggests that embracing technology, particularly digital solutions and AI, can expedite transactions and enhance the overall experience. Richard also highlights the importance of resilience, leveraging enterprise partnerships, and continuously improving solutions to meet evolving customer needs.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Chad Franzen of Rise25 interviews Richard Walker, CEO of Quik!, about creating smoother customer experiences through form automation. Richard shares his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of scaling a technology company, and the strategies that helped him persist. He also discusses building industry partnerships, launching his podcast, and the importance of embracing AI to stay competitive.
Tracy Lee is the Co-founder and CEO of This Dot Labs, a JavaScript consultancy that assists enterprises with digital transformation through staff augmentation and consulting services. She is recognized as a Google Developer Expert, Microsoft MVP, and GitHub Star and serves on the RxJS Core Team. Tracy is also a frequent keynote speaker at conferences, sharing her expertise in web development and open-source technologies. Her passion lies in building communities and fostering innovation within the tech industry.
In this episode… Many organizations face challenges in effectively integrating external engineers into their teams, often fearing resistance, miscommunication, and disruption to internal culture. Moreover, teams can become stuck in inefficient practices and struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies, particularly in AI. How can companies embrace external expertise and emerging tools without jeopardizing their workflows or culture?
Tracy Lee, an expert in software engineering and team enablement, shares strategies for overcoming these challenges by focusing on education, collaboration, and proactive communication. She emphasizes the importance of embedding engineers who contribute technically and uplift and empower existing teams. She encourages leaders to push for clarity on business value before development begins and to leverage cutting-edge AI tools to speed up product prototyping. Tracy also highlights the critical need for engineers and teams to adopt AI tools quickly to avoid falling behind and suggests that leaders must foster a culture of continuous learning and higher-level strategic thinking.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Tracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs, about empowering engineering teams and embracing AI-driven efficiencies. Tracy discusses how embedding engineers enhances collaboration, the transformative impact of AI on software development, and how to cultivate forward-thinking team cultures. She also delves into product prototyping, overcoming resistance to team augmentation, and shifting employee mindsets to leverage time-saving technologies.
Parker Ence is the CEO and Co-founder of Jump AI, the leading Advisor AI meeting assistant for financial advisors, designed to cut meeting admin time by 90% while elevating client and advisor experience by putting meeting prep, note taking, meeting compliance, CRM updates, and meeting follow-ups on AI autopilot. He works daily with RIA and broker-dealer teams to implement award-winning, safe, and compliant AI built for advisors, customizable to the advisor’s style, and deeply integrated with the advisor tech stack. Parker is a 4x technology CEO with experience in fintech, data, AI, and briefly at Google Cloud AI. He received an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a bachelor's in economics from the University of Utah.
In this episode… Financial advisors often spend 20 to 60 minutes on administrative work for every client meeting, from prepping beforehand to updating CRMs and task lists afterward. This time-consuming cycle detracts from what matters, such as being fully present with clients and building strong relationships. But with today’s technology, is there a better way to manage client meetings without losing valuable time and insights?
An expert in AI automation and customer experience, Parker Ence shares how advisors can reclaim hours of their workweek by offloading prep, note-taking, and follow-up tasks to AI tools. He explains that leveraging meeting-specific AI enables advisors to actively listen without distraction while ensuring all key data is recorded and follow-ups are promptly assigned. Parker emphasizes the importance of transparency when introducing AI to clients and the benefits of structured collaboration across advisor teams to improve responsiveness and trust.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Parker Ence, CEO and Co-founder of Jump AI, about using AI to streamline the client meeting cycle in financial advising. Parker discusses time-saving automation, improving client engagement through active listening, and real-time team collaboration. He also explores data-driven insights, compliance considerations, and the future of agent-based workflows.
Joseph Loria is the Founder and CEO of RetentionCX, a company dedicated to helping businesses boost revenue retention through structured customer experience strategies. With over 20 years of senior leadership experience, he has led customer-facing teams across high-growth companies backed by venture capital, private equity, and bootstrapped models. Known for designing a proprietary framework that ensures customer value realization, Joseph has played a pivotal role in driving 10x exits and long-term client success. His background as a chemical engineer and project manager in the medical device industry brings a disciplined, results-driven approach to the world of SaaS and CX.
In this episode… Customer retention is critical to business growth, yet many companies struggle to demonstrate value to their clients post-sale. Often, organizations assume customer success will follow once a product is implemented — overlooking the clients' complex, layered needs. How can businesses ensure that their solutions get adopted and lead to long-term customer loyalty and measurable business impact?
Seasoned customer experience strategist Joseph Loria shares a proven framework for ensuring customer value attainment. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the multi-dimensional environment in which customers operate, including each organization's varying goals and roles. Outlining nine essential factors contributing to successful customer relationships, he offers actionable tactics, such as using Likert scale assessments for proactive health scoring and mapping strategic relationships with stakeholders. Joseph argues that businesses can build trust, predict risk, and organically grow customer accounts over time by focusing on measurable outcomes and not overselling early on.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Rich Walker interviews Joseph Loria, Founder and CEO of RetentionCX, about building value-driven customer relationships. Joseph explains how to prevent churn by mapping stakeholder goals, the significance of a post-sale strategy, and the importance of aligning pricing with perceived value. He also discusses measuring subjective client outcomes, managing growth beyond early adopters, and selling through customer experience rather than pressure.
Cameron Howe is the Co-founder and CEO of Investipal, a Toronto-based fintech platform designed to empower individual investors and financial advisors through AI-driven portfolio management and onboarding tools. Under his leadership, Investipal remains a bootstrapped company focused on financial literacy and democratizing access to professional-grade investment tools. With a quantitative and ETF research analyst background at a global investment bank, Cameron recognized the need for more personalized and accessible investment solutions. This insight led to the creation of Investipal, which began as a DIY investing tool and has since evolved into a comprehensive platform serving advisors and investors.
In this episode… Financial advisors are currently facing the challenge of providing deeply personalized investment strategies while managing a large volume of manual tasks that can be time-consuming. As client expectations for customization increase, the complexity of portfolio construction and compliance processes also rises. How can financial advisors balance personalized service with scalable, efficient operations?
Cameron Howe, a quantitative research analyst turned fintech leader, shares insights into transforming the advisor-client relationship through AI and automation. He emphasizes why shifting from one-size-fits-all investment models to more tailored solutions based on individual client values and risk profiles is necessary. Outlining how AI tools can automate tasks like account statement analysis and portfolio optimization, Cameron demonstrates how it frees time for advisors to focus on relationship-building. He also highlights the importance of explainable AI to ensure compliance and build trust, suggesting deep learning as a powerful tool for managing complexity in modern portfolios.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Cameron Howe, Co-founder and CEO of Investipal, about using AI to modernize financial advising. Cameron discusses advisor inefficiencies, how automation enhances client onboarding, and the evolving advisor tech stack. He also delves into data extraction from investment documents, managing AI model complexity, and how deep learning improves portfolio design.
Mark Gilbert is the Co-founder and CEO of Zocks, an AI-powered platform helping financial advisors streamline workflows by automating tasks like meeting notes, CRM updates, and client communications. Under his leadership, Zocks has raised over $19 million in funding and is recognized as a leader in WealthTech innovation. Before launching Zocks, Mark held senior product leadership roles at Twilio, Hearsay Systems, and Microsoft. He earned a bachelor's degree in applied science in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo.
In this episode… Financial advisors are overwhelmed with administrative tasks that distract them from client engagement and strategic planning. From manual data entry to prepping and debriefing after meetings, these time-consuming workflows reduce their ability to scale personalized service. With AI advancing rapidly, how can advisors reclaim their time while ensuring accuracy and compliance?
Mark Gilbert, an expert in product development and artificial intelligence, shares how financial professionals can leverage AI to automate unstructured client interactions — like emails and phone calls — into structured, actionable data. He explains how his team uses multiple large language models in parallel to ensure accurate output and eliminate hallucinations. This approach, he notes, is most effective when guided by real advisor pain points rather than by chasing the latest AI trends. Mark also offers practical strategies for increasing internal trust and adoption of AI through transparency, audit logs, and a user-friendly interface.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Mark Gilbert, CEO of Zocks, about how AI is transforming the advisor-client relationship. Mark discusses building trust in AI systems, adapting to fast-changing models, and the differences between bootstrapping and venture-backed growth. He also shares thoughts on leading AI adoption, product design priorities, and his approach to building a scalable, secure solution.
John Corcoran is a recovering attorney, an author, and a former White House writer and speechwriter to the Governor of California. Throughout his career, John has worked in Hollywood, the heart of Silicon Valley, and ran his boutique law firm in the San Francisco Bay Area, catering to small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Since 2012, John has been the host of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, where he has interviewed hundreds of CEOs, founders, authors, and entrepreneurs, including Peter Diamandis, Adam Grant, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Marie Forleo.
John is also the Co-founder of Rise25, a company that connects B2B businesses with their ideal clients, referral partners, and strategic partners. They help their clients generate ROI through their done-for-you podcast service.
In this episode… Many professionals understand the value of building relationships to grow a business, but they often struggle with scalable methods that are both authentic and efficient. Podcasting appears attractive but feels overwhelming — time-consuming, technical, and often uncertain in its ROI. So, how can business owners harness podcasting to build meaningful connections and drive growth without getting lost in the details?
John Corcoran, a former White House writer and expert in lead generation, outlines how done-for-you podcasting provides a repeatable system for building strategic relationships. He emphasizes that the key lies in focusing on the conversations rather than obsessing over production. He highlights actionable strategies like creating a Top 100 guest blueprint, overcoming imposter syndrome by forming a podcaster identity, and leveraging each interview to foster genuine partnerships. John also underscores the importance of delegation and training your team to handle client communications effectively.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews John Corcoran, Co-founder of Rise25, about the power of podcasting to grow B2B businesses. John shares how podcasting accelerates relationship-building and strategies to overcome imposter syndrome, improve client communication, and incorporate AI for better customer service.
Arnulf Hsu is the CEO and Founder of GReminders, an AI-powered end-to-end meeting management platform tailored for financial advisors. With over two decades of experience in B2B enterprise software, he has held leadership roles including CEO, CTO, and board member, successfully guiding multiple startups from inception to acquisition. His previous ventures include SalesDirector.ai, Central Desktop, and Upgradebase, demonstrating a consistent track record of innovation and growth in the tech industry. An alumnus of the University of California, Irvine, where he studied electrical engineering, Arnulf is also an active advisor to early-stage technology companies.
In this episode… Managing client meetings, follow-ups, and CRM entries can consume hundreds of hours for financial advisors each year, taking them away from higher-value tasks. Even with existing tools, the lack of deep system integration and automation leads to inefficient workflows and missed opportunities. So, how can advisors truly leverage AI to streamline operations without sacrificing accuracy or compliance?
Arnulf Hsu, a seasoned product and technology leader in B2B software, shares how narrowing AI’s focus to specific use cases and deeply integrating with industry-specific systems can unlock massive efficiencies. He outlines how advisors can automate the full meeting lifecycle — from client outreach and scheduling to transcriptions and CRM updates — by implementing AI tools that align closely with existing workflows. He emphasizes the importance of interoperability, targeted data contexts to reduce AI hallucinations, and robust feedback loops to ensure quality outputs. His approach centers on solving advisor pain points rather than deploying generic AI for its own sake.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Arnulf Hsu, CEO of GReminders, about AI-driven meeting automation for financial advisors. Arnulf discusses how his platform helps advisors recover up to 600 hours per year, the evolution from simple reminders to intelligent automation, and why compliance and data accuracy matter. He also explores agent-to-agent communication, CRM integration depth, and the future of personalized AI assistants.
Marla Sofer is the Founder and CEO of Knomee, a fintech platform that empowers individuals to align their financial decisions with their personal values and goals. With over two decades of experience in financial services — including leadership roles at JP Morgan, BlackRock, Microsoft, and Carta — she has consistently championed client-centric innovation in the industry. Motivated by the industry's shortcomings in truly understanding clients, Marla launched Knomee to redefine client discovery through behavioral science and self-reflection. Beyond her professional endeavors, she is a renowned speaker on financial services evolution and a passionate advocate for women's empowerment.
In this episode… Financial advisors often believe they understand their clients well, yet many rely on shallow, one-size-fits-all planning strategies. The industry's product-driven incentives and limited client engagement usually prevent advisors from exploring what motivates their clients. How can financial professionals move beyond basic data points to foster deeper, more meaningful client relationships?
Marla Sofer, a seasoned financial services expert with over 20 years of experience across banking, asset management, and fintech, shares that most advisors lack the tools and frameworks to dig deeper into the values and goals of their clients. She emphasizes the importance of guided self-discovery and behavioral insight to replace outdated planning models. Marla explains how advisors can encourage clients to reflect on what brings them joy, articulate their goals in greater detail, and build trust by moving beyond conventional metrics like age or retirement numbers. These techniques differentiate an advisor’s practice, leading to stronger engagement and retention.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Marla Sofer, Founder and CEO of Knomee, about redefining financial planning through behavioral science. Marla discusses how self-reflection leads to smarter financial decisions, the challenges of legacy planning, advisor-client dynamics, and the need for scalable client segmentation. She also shares her entrepreneurial journey, leadership influences, and long-term vision for the industry.
Joshua D. Rogers is the Founder and CEO of Arete Wealth, a Chicago-based financial services firm specializing in alternative investments, venture capital, and private equity. Under his leadership, the firm has expanded to over 100 offices and more than 320 advisors nationwide, providing comprehensive wealth management for high-net-worth individuals and institutions. Before founding Arete Wealth, Joshua co-invented several patents at Walker Digital, including the “Name Your Own Price” e-commerce model behind Priceline.com. He is also an active member of the financial and cultural communities, having served on FINRA’s National Adjudicatory Council and as a trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.
In this episode… Many business leaders struggle to scale without sacrificing their company’s core culture. As firms grow, bureaucracy and investor pressure often dilute the original values that made them successful. Is it possible to expand a business while maintaining its sense of mission, ethics, and community?
Joshua D. Rogers, an expert in wealth management and leadership, offers a compelling answer rooted in intentionality and personal conviction. He emphasizes the importance of creating a company culture that attracts the right people — elite professionals who value autonomy, collaboration, and purpose. Joshua advocates for human-centered leadership, ethical decision-making, and a boutique mindset, even at a mid-size scale. Through face-to-face engagement and clear cultural values, Joshua maintains an environment where advisors and clients feel personally valued and professionally empowered.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Joshua D. Rogers, CEO of Arete Wealth, about preserving company culture while growing a financial services firm. Joshua shares his thoughts on leading without private equity backing, building trust through ethical practices, and humanizing technology. He also discusses advisor recruitment strategies, the impact of market cycles on firm growth, and the influence of classical philosophy on modern leadership.
Adi Klevit is the Founder and CEO of Business Success Consulting Group, which identifies, creates, and documents processes to help businesses scale. She has 25 years of experience as a trained industrial engineer, management consultant, and business executive. With this knowledge, Adi helps organizations and companies improve efficiency and performance.
In this episode… Running a business without clear systems can leave leaders feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and stuck in a cycle of inefficiency. As teams grow and operations expand, the lack of documented processes can lead to inconsistency, bottlenecks, and a poor customer experience. How can entrepreneurs gain more freedom and control without sacrificing growth?
Adi Klevit, an expert in business systems and process implementation, outlines a powerful framework for building scalable operations. She emphasizes that freedom comes not from delegation alone but from implementing documented processes that empower teams and improve consistency. She shares actionable strategies for creating buy-in from staff, cultivating a process-driven mindset, and using AI tools to streamline operations. From identifying bottlenecks to optimizing workflows, Adi offers a practical roadmap for founders looking to reclaim their time and scale sustainably.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Adi Klevit, Founder of Business Success Consulting Group, about how structured systems give entrepreneurs freedom. Adi explains how process documentation leads to better customer experiences, smoother operations, and empowered teams. She also discusses the importance of mindset, leveraging AI agents, and driving team engagement through ownership.
David A. Perez is the CEO of Tax Maverick, a company that empowers tax professionals by providing technology and AI solutions to enhance their tax advisory services. Under his leadership, Tax Maverick has significantly expanded its reach, transitioning from individual taxpayer services to assisting tax professionals nationwide with impactful tax strategies. David is a renowned tax strategist, bestselling author, and developer of the proprietary 3% Formula, which enables high-income earners to legally minimize their tax liabilities and invest in wealth-building assets like real estate. Through his book Building Your Own Economy and the BYOE Conference, he inspires individuals to take control of their financial futures and build lasting wealth.
In this episode… Building a scalable business while maintaining exceptional client service is a hurdle every entrepreneur faces. As demand grows, so do the cracks in fulfillment, time management, and team capacity. So, how do you grow your impact without burning out or sacrificing quality?
David A. Perez, a tax strategist and advisor, shares how he overcame these challenges by shifting from direct client service to empowering professionals with tools, training, and AI. He emphasizes the importance of documenting processes, understanding your customers deeply, and focusing relentlessly on one core product. David explains how leveraging AI can close the knowledge gap in professional services, enabling advisors to offer more value and stand out in a commoditized market.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews David A. Perez, CEO of Tax Maverick, about empowering tax professionals through AI-driven advisory tools. David discusses the value of strategic focus, how to productize expertise, and the shift from compliance work to high-value consulting. He also shares insights on attracting financial advisors, building tech without a tech background, and improving client experience through education.
Donald Morgan is the LPL Branch Manager and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary at Independent Wealth Connections, a firm offering a comprehensive range of investment planning products and services, focusing on assisting individuals and business owners with their financial, investment, and retirement needs. With over four decades of experience in the financial services industry, he holds multiple professional registrations and licenses, including FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 with LPL Financial. In 2023, Donald expanded his professional endeavors by founding iWealthTax LLC, reflecting his commitment to providing holistic financial services. His four-step consultative process ensures personalized solutions, from portfolio diversification to retirement planning and estate strategies.
In this episode… Many entrepreneurs struggle to balance their business success with their personal financial well-being. The fast-paced world of business ownership often leaves little room for intentional financial planning, especially when the lines between business and family are deeply intertwined. How can business owners build a meaningful financial strategy that supports their company and their loved ones?
Donald Morgan, a veteran financial consultant with decades of experience, shares how aligning business goals with personal values creates more fulfilling and successful outcomes. He emphasizes the importance of working only with clients who are a strong fit — those who are financially literate, responsible, and care about others. He shares a practical filtering process for onboarding new clients and discusses how leaning into technology, including AI-driven tools, helps improve efficiency and client service. Donald’s approach includes automating administrative tasks, outsourcing non-essential work, and focusing on lifelong customer relationships.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Donald Morgan, Financial Consultant and Managing Director at Independent Wealth Connections and iWealthTax, about designing a client-focused financial practice. Donald explores how integrating business with personal financial planning creates deeper value, discusses adopting AI to enhance service, identifying ideal clients, and creating systems that sustain long-term relationships.
Larry Shumbres is the Founder and CEO of Archive Intel, an AI-powered compliance solution designed to streamline the archiving of electronic communications for financial institutions. Under his leadership, Archive Intel secured $1.5 million in seed funding to enhance its AI-driven compliance solutions. Larry is a seasoned fintech entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the financial technology sector, having held positions at leading firms such as Charles Schwab, Morningstar, and New York Life Investments. He founded and successfully exited Totum Risk, a pioneering risk tolerance platform acquired by TIFIN Wealth in 2020.
In this episode… Legacy compliance software in the financial industry is outdated, expensive, and inefficient. Firms often struggle with manual processes, high rates of false positives, and a lack of visibility into their data — sometimes even being charged to retrieve it. Why are so many companies still stuck with tools that fail to meet the demands of today’s fast-paced, data-driven world?
Larry Shumbres, a fintech entrepreneur and expert in compliance and AI, offers a fresh take on modernizing the regulatory space. Drawing on decades of experience, he outlines how to replace tedious manual reviews with AI-powered agents that automate flagging, auditing, and proactive messaging. By focusing on intuitive design, customer feedback, and realistic AI implementation, Larry shares how firms can reduce false positives by up to 98% while cutting manual tasks by 85%. He also emphasizes the importance of staying personally involved with customers and regularly listening to their pain points to keep innovation alive.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Larry Shumbres, CEO of Archive Intel, about transforming compliance with AI in the fintech industry. Larry discusses building customer-first technology, challenges with legacy vendors, and why staying connected to users matters. He also covers the role of AI agents, proactive compliance, and the cost of outdated workflows.
Patrick Hannon is the Vice President of SaaS Commercialization at Fidelity Labs, where he develops and implements go-to-market strategies for innovative financial technology solutions. With over 12 years in the WealthTech industry, he has held significant roles at companies such as Nitrogen (formerly Riskalyze) and Advicent (now part of InvestCloud), gaining deep expertise in enterprise wealth management. Patrick is recognized for his commitment to mentorship, actively guiding young professionals in their career development. He is also a thought leader, focusing on integrating technology into financial planning and compliance to enhance advisor workflows and client experiences.
In this episode… Navigating innovation in the financial services industry can feel like a tightrope walk — balancing compliance, customer trust, and speed-to-market. Many fintech startups struggle to become enterprise-ready while serving advisors effectively and efficiently. How can emerging technologies gain traction in a highly regulated space while solving real problems for advisors and clients?
Patrick Hannon, a SaaS commercialization expert with over a decade in WealthTech, offers a blueprint for aligning startup agility with enterprise-grade expectations. He shares how leveraging proprietary data and maintaining a customer-centric mindset leads to stronger, more scalable solutions. By melding AI with the power of human relationships in advisor-client interactions, startups can solve compliance, marketing, and operational pain points. Patrick also dives into the importance of giving new talent room to fail safely as a method of cultivating leadership and innovation.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Rich Walker interviews Patrick Hannon, VP of SaaS Commercialization at Fidelity Labs, about accelerating innovation in financial services. Patrick explores how AI-driven solutions help solve real-world advisor challenges, discusses startup incubation, the value of proprietary data, and balancing speed with regulatory compliance.
Ryan Eisenman is the Co-founder and CEO of Arch, a fintech company that automates the administration and management of private investments. A Houston native, he graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Human and Organizational Development, along with minors in Corporate Strategy, Financial Economics, and Economics. Before founding Arch in 2018, Ryan gained experience in business development and analysis through roles at firms such as Deloitte and Techstars. Under his leadership, Arch has grown to serve over 270 clients, managing more than $100 billion in alternative investments.
In this episode… Managing private market investments is often a tedious, time-consuming process. Advisors and investors must sift through countless emails, log into multiple portals, and manually extract key information from financial documents. Is there a way to streamline this workflow and free up valuable time for more strategic decision-making?
Ryan Eisenman, an expert in investment management technology, recognized these inefficiencies and co-founded a solution to automate them. He explains how AI and automation can eliminate manual document processing, allowing investment professionals to access structured data and pre-built dashboards instantly. He shares how leveraging AI to summarize lengthy financial reports can drastically improve efficiency and decision-making. Ryan also discusses the importance of balancing automation with a managed service approach to ensure accuracy when dealing with unpredictable document formats.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Ryan Eisenman, CEO of Arch, about using AI to simplify private investment management. Ryan explains how automation helps investment professionals manage their portfolios more effectively. He also covers the evolution of his company’s technology, the importance of customer feedback in product development, and strategies for building a scalable, customer-focused business.
Bennett Maxwell is the Founder of Dirty Dough. Beginning his entrepreneurial journey in elementary school by selling candy bars, Bennett now leads a pioneering cookie-selling franchise. Dirty Dough's innovative centralized production introduces the first-ever three-layer cookie, streamlining franchise operations by addressing challenges like waste, quality control, and supply chain at the corporate level. This unique model allows franchises to operate with reduced costs and labor. With Dirty Dough, Bennett is looking to raise mental health awareness by encouraging authenticity and self-acceptance.
In this episode… Scaling a business is no easy feat, especially when you aim to expand from a single location to a nationwide brand within a few years. Entrepreneurs often struggle with simplifying operations, maintaining brand identity, and keeping a work-life balance while growing exponentially. How can business owners build a franchise model that is both scalable and fulfilling?
Bennett Maxwell, an experienced entrepreneur with a background in franchising and solar energy, shares his approach to overcoming these challenges. He emphasizes the importance of simplifying processes for franchisees by standardizing operations, centralizing production, and minimizing training time. He also highlights the role of branding in creating an emotional connection with customers, crafting a mission that extends beyond the product itself. By assembling an expert advisory board, leveraging AI for sales and marketing, and maintaining a strict work-life balance, Bennett found a way to rapidly scale his business while staying aligned with his personal values.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Bennett Maxwell, Founder of Dirty Dough Cookies, about scaling a franchise with simplicity and purpose. Bennett shares how he streamlined operations, built a strong brand, and maintained a work-life balance while growing rapidly. He also discusses using AI for efficiency, the power of mentorship, and his decision to sell the company for long-term success.
Sindhu Joseph is the Founder and CEO of CogniCor, an AI-driven digital assistant platform transforming customer engagement in financial services. She holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and has co-authored six US patents. Recognized among WealthManagement.com's Ten to Watch in 2023, Sindhu is a member of the Forbes Technology Council. Her global background spans India, Europe, and the USA, and she is passionate about democratizing access to wealth through AI.
In this episode… Many financial advisors struggle with time-consuming administrative tasks, leaving them with less time to focus on their clients and provide high-value advice. With only 30% of US households receiving financial guidance, how can technology help advisors scale their services and reach more people? Could artificial intelligence be the key to personalizing financial advice while improving efficiency?
Sindhu Joseph, an artificial intelligence expert and founder of a leading AI-driven financial technology company, believes AI can revolutionize wealth management. She explains how AI copilots help advisors by automating meeting preparation, summarizing client interactions, and providing proactive recommendations. These tools save advisors an average of 3.5 hours daily, allowing them to focus on building relationships rather than administrative tasks. Sindhu also discusses how AI enhances personalization by recalling essential client details and delivering real-time market insights, helping advisors stay ahead of client needs.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Sindhu Joseph, Founder and CEO of CogniCor, about how AI is transforming financial advising. Sindhu shares how AI reduces advisors’ workload, improves client relationships, and enhances operational efficiency. She also discusses compliance considerations, the future of AI in wealth management, and how AI’s rapid advancements are reshaping the industry.
Nickie Froiland is the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of Motus9, a professional services and impact firm dedicated to helping organizations overcome challenges and achieve their goals. With a passion for guiding individuals to remove blind spots and discover new approaches, she excels in fostering personal and professional growth. Nickie's expertise spans business consulting, executive coaching, and operational advising, enabling clients to clearly and confidently navigate complex situations. Her commitment to creating impactful change has made her a trusted partner for businesses seeking transformation and success.
In this episode… Running a business involves more than simply providing excellent products or services — it also requires strong leadership, a positive company culture, and alignment of operations with a clear purpose. However, challenges arise when misalignments, unaddressed issues, or unclear leadership create barriers to growth. So, how can companies identify these hidden obstacles and develop strategies for long-term success?
Nickie Froiland, an expert in executive coaching and operational advising, dives deep into the core challenges that hold businesses back. She highlights the importance of aligning personal growth with company growth and emphasizes the role of purpose in shaping leadership and company culture. She shares strategies for fostering transparency through partner meetings, tackling misalignment head-on, and implementing frameworks like “The Company Way” to strengthen cultural and operational foundations. Nickie also stresses the importance of addressing uncomfortable truths within teams and using accountability for meaningful change.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Nickie Froiland, Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of Motus9, about creating purpose-driven leadership and aligning company culture with operations. Nickie explains how businesses can overcome hidden obstacles, improve accountability, and foster growth by addressing the “elephants in the room.” She also shares strategies for personal development, the value of partner meetings, and the power of having a clear company purpose to drive success.
Michael Todasco is a Visiting Fellow at the James Silberrad Brown Center for Artificial Intelligence at San Diego State University. He previously served as Senior Director of Innovation at PayPal and holds over 100 US utility patents. Michael earned his MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and a Master of Fine Arts from Johns Hopkins University. His work focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, payments, identity, biometrics, and blockchain technologies.
In this episode… AI is transforming how businesses operate, but many leaders have yet to embrace its full potential. While companies acknowledge the need to adopt AI, many executives delegate exploration to their teams rather than using the technology themselves. How can leaders integrate AI into their workflows and empower their teams to do the same?
According to AI expert Michael Todasco, business leaders must actively engage with AI to understand its capabilities and limitations. He recommends that executives personally experiment with tools like ChatGPT, provide their teams with access, and encourage knowledge sharing through dedicated discussions. By incorporating AI into everyday workflows such as sales strategy, performance reviews, and personal productivity, leaders can drive innovation while fostering a culture of curiosity and collaboration.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Michael Todasco, Visiting Fellow at San Diego State University, about AI’s impact on business and leadership. Michael shares how AI can optimize workflows, improve decision-making, and revolutionize education through personalized learning. He also dispels common misconceptions about AI, offering practical advice for leaders looking to stay ahead in an AI-driven world.
Brian Thorp is the Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of Wealthtender, the industry's first SEC-compliant online review platform for financial advisors and a leading independent financial advisor directory. Under his leadership, the company has become a vital resource for half a million consumers annually, helping them connect with knowledgeable financial advisors. Before founding Wealthtender in 2019, Brian had a successful 22-year career with Invesco, where he led a team managing wealth management firm partnerships with over $100 billion in assets. He is also an active angel investor who enjoys working with entrepreneurs to help them grow.
In this episode… In a world filled with financial uncertainties, having a reliable source for guidance is crucial. With so many options available, how can you determine where to begin your search for a trustworthy financial advisor?
Brian Thorp, an experienced financial services professional, provides a solution to these questions by offering an SEC-complaint online review platform for financial advisors. He shares how he created his company to help Americans reduce money stress by connecting them with qualified financial advisors. He explains how he designed the platform like other trusted directories, such as those for doctors or lawyers, but uniquely focuses on financial advisors. Brian discusses how his firm is working to enhance transparency by allowing consumers to read verified reviews of financial advisors. The conversation also delves into the importance of matching specific client needs with advisors with the right expertise, whether handling equity compensation for tech professionals or offering hourly financial planning services.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Brian Thorp, Founder and CEO of Wealthtender, about creating transparency in the financial advisory industry. Brian discusses how Wealthtender reduces money stress for Americans, the spectrum of clients the firm serves, how it enhances advisors' online reputations, and the impact of AI on Wealthtender's content and search visibility.
Peter Dun is the Co-Founder and CEO of Feathery, a company specializing in developing form-building solutions for developers and product teams. At Feathery, he leverages cutting-edge AI and no-code technologies to provide wealth managers with flexible and personalized onboarding tools that seamlessly integrate with their tech stack. With a background that includes degrees in artificial intelligence from Stanford University and previous roles such as Growth Lead at Robinhood, Peter has been instrumental in driving innovation in form automation and client onboarding processes.
In this episode… As financial institutions seek to enhance their client onboarding processes, the integration of a flexible and customizable tool presents a compelling opportunity. Streamlining the customer experience without sacrificing unique branding and established workflows is essential for maintaining competitive advantage. Leveraging artificial intelligence, how can organizations innovate their account opening procedures, transforming them into a more efficient and personalized journey for customers?
Artificial intelligence expert, Peter Dun, uncovers how his no-code, low-code platform equips wealth managers with the agility and control needed to design a client onboarding experience from scratch or customize existing workflows. Drawing from his background in AI, he discusses how this platform streamlines account opening processes and intelligently processes documents, adding a new layer of efficiency for financial advisors. Peter brings insights into the power of no-code tools and the thoughtful application of AI in specific business contexts, providing a glimpse into the future of customer-focused platforms.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Peter Dun, Co-Founder and CEO of Feathery, about enhancing client onboarding through innovative technology. Peter discusses how Feathery automates wealth manager client onboarding, its unique flexibility in account opening solutions, the no-code versus low-code platforms, and Feathery's capabilities in document intelligence and AI utilization.
Kyle Gray is the CEO and Story Strategist of The Story Engine, a company specializing in helping coaches, startups, and executives use storytelling to improve communication and sales effectiveness. He has authored books and developed strategies that combine timeless storytelling with cutting-edge marketing techniques, ensuring that his clients can effectively present their unique value online and offline. Beyond his professional achievements, Kyle is passionate about empowering leaders to connect with their genius and make a significant impact in their respective fields. His work is a testament to the pivotal role stories play in human-centric business paradigms.
In this episode… In today's information-saturated landscape, storytelling has emerged as a powerful tool for businesses seeking to differentiate themselves and forge meaningful connections with their audience. By embracing the art of storytelling, brands can transform their communication strategies and deepen their relationship with their customers and mission. How can harnessing stories unlock the true potential of your business and create a lasting impact in a world increasingly dominated by technology?
Kyle Gray, a world-class presentation coach and story strategist, tackles these questions head-on by helping business leaders master the art of storytelling to better connect with their audiences. He believes that many talented individuals are not reaching their full potential due to an inability to communicate their unique values effectively. Through his Story Engine framework, Kyle aids entrepreneurs in crafting narratives that resonate with their audience's emotions, drawing them into a shared vision and enhancing trust. He demonstrates that storytelling is not merely about conveying facts but about creating an emotional journey that aligns with the listener's values and desires.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Kyle Gray, CEO of The Story Engine, about transforming communication through storytelling. Kyle discusses how The Story Engine helps businesses grow through storytelling, how storytelling builds stronger connections than credentials, and storytelling techniques to evoke emotions and engagement.
Rich Whalen is the Vice President of Technology Strategy and Execution at Equity Services Inc., a broker-dealer and registered investment adviser member company of National Life Group. Equity Services Inc. creates confidence in the financial future of its clients by supporting financial advisors with innovative technology solutions. Since joining the firm in 2018, Rich has been instrumental in enhancing its technology platform, contributing to improved efficiencies that allow advisors to focus more on client interactions. With a career that began in financial services as an advisor, he quickly became passionate about technology and its potential to improve financial planning processes. His unique perspective on using technology to give advisors the "gift of time" reflects his commitment to optimizing the customer experience and driving company growth.
In this episode… In today's fast-paced financial services industry, optimizing time management and technology is crucial for staying competitive. This saves valuable time for the business and empowers clients to achieve greater efficiency in their interactions. But how can advisors implement these innovative strategies in their firms to streamline operations and significantly enhance the customer experience?
Experienced financial services technology implementation and management professional Rich Whalen shares his journey and insights into solving these challenges by leveraging technology to create what he calls 'the gift of time' for advisors. By integrating automation and efficient workflows, he emphasizes the importance of freeing time for advisors to engage more deeply with their clients rather than being bogged down by data entry and administrative tasks. Rich details how his team evaluates new technologies, ensuring their compatibility with existing systems to enable seamless data flow and minimal disruption. He also delves into the evolving role of AI in enhancing operational efficiency, sharing his forward-looking views on how AI could eventually anticipate workflows and improve decision-making processes.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Rich Whalen, Vice President of Technology Strategy and Execution at Equity Services Inc., about utilizing technology to optimize time management and customer engagement. Rich discusses how Equity Services gifts advisors more valuable time, strategies for evaluating and integrating new technology into an existing ecosystem, the role of tech in transaction flow and customer interactions, and the role of AI in financial services.
Andrew J. Evans is the CEO of Rossby Financial, which offers advisors a platform for market accessibility, digital transformation, leadership, and acquisition opportunities. Under his leadership, Rossby Financial has streamlined operations, allowing advisors to achieve net incomes as high as 95% after expenses, significantly improving their financial flexibility. With a background that includes executive roles at Tag Advisors and Cambridge Investment Research, Andrew is a connector and advocate for leveraging technology to enhance advisory services. He is passionate about continuous improvement and innovation and is focused on utilizing AI and other tech tools to optimize compliance and operational efficiency in the financial services industry.
In this episode… In today's world, where customer expectations are at an all-time high, financial services firms face the challenge of balancing operational efficiency with exceptional service delivery. By utilizing innovative technologies and forming strategic partnerships, how can these firms streamline their processes while improving client experiences? The objective is to enable businesses to focus on what truly matters — the success of their customers.
Andrew J. Evans, an experienced financial advisor, tackles these challenges head-on by providing a unique solution through his company. He shares the importance of compliance, complexity, and competency and gives advisors more control over their capital, allowing them to reinvest in their businesses and improve client experiences. This approach saves advisors significant costs by offering services on a pay-as-you-use basis and empowers them with a flexible network of professionals. Andrew emphasizes the importance of removing unnecessary burdens from advisors, enabling them to thrive through strategic use of technology and human expertise.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Andrew J. Evans, CEO of Rossby Financial, about enhancing efficiency in financial services. Andrew discusses how Rossby Financial empowers advisors with control over their capital, the firm’s unique structure, how it offers flexibility and cost savings for advisors, the benefits and limitations of AI in the current landscape, and how Rossby maintains better customer experience and business outcomes.
Rob Sweas is a Certified Financial Planner at Arete Wealth, a financial advisor firm headquartered in Chicago. He began his financial planning career in 2007, working with his father until his untimely passing in 2012. Rob helps clients through significant life transitions, leveraging his personal and professional experience to offer guidance and build trust. He has led a major overhaul of his firm’s operations following a transition from TD Ameritrade to Schwab. Outside of work, Rob is a dedicated family man with five children, a baseball coach, and a passionate traveler who completed a bucket list journey of visiting every major league baseball stadium.
In this episode… Facing unforeseen changes in your professional and personal life can lead to financial uncertainties. So, when everything seems to fall apart, where do you find the strength to rebuild? What secrets can you learn from an expert who has faced similar life challenges to turn your financial anxiety into a confident future?
After his father's death, Rob Sweas, a Certified Financial Planner, took over the family business and implemented a significant overhaul of the firm's operations. This included navigating a merger and adapting to major industry changes, such as the TD Ameritrade to Schwab transition. Rob emphasizes the importance of embracing change, striving for operational efficiency, and delivering value through education and technology. He shares his experiences collaborating with various professionals, utilizing powerful financial tools, and enhancing customer experiences, all of which contribute to business growth.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Rob Sweas, a Certified Financial Planner at Arete Wealth, about leveraging customer experience in financial planning. Rob discusses how Arete Wealth helps clients dealing with anxiety from financial transitions, techniques and technologies for delivering a standout customer experience in finance, and how he managed the challenges of transitioning firms and adapting to a new environment.
Mike Betz is the General Manager at 11thEstate, a company specializing in processing securities class action recoveries for advisors and their clients. With over 20 years of experience in wealth management, he is a certified financial planner and has served on advisory boards for prominent financial firms like Morningstar and Orion. Known for his expertise in client relations, Mike is dedicated to simplifying the complex process of class action recoveries and delivering seamless customer experiences. He leverages cutting-edge AI and innovative solutions to ensure clients effortlessly receive the funds they are entitled to, turning what is often considered a cumbersome process into a straightforward service.
In this episode… In an industry where $8 billion in securities class action recoveries remain unclaimed, financial advisors and their clients miss out on significant opportunities. Most advisors are unaware of the opportunities within these settlements, and the intricate process of claims and manual documentation often deters them. Could there be a streamlined solution that educates and facilitates easy access to these recoveries?
Mike Betz, a certified financial planner, dives into the intricate world of securities class action recoveries. He sheds light on the vast, unclaimed financial recoveries from securities class actions, revealing how most investors and advisors are unaware of their slice of a multibillion-dollar pie. Mike discusses how he offers solutions to streamline the claims process with minimal friction by digitizing the process to make it as seamless as receiving dividends. His unique strategy utilizes AI technology and robust security protocols to seamlessly channel funds rightfully owed to investors directly into their accounts, streamlining the client experience.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Mike Betz, General Manager at 11thEstate, about transforming the securities class action recovery process. Mike discusses how 11thEstate aids advisors in claiming funds from securities class action recoveries, the workings of post-settlement distributions, the protective measures 11thEstate takes to guarantee data security, and the Future Proof conference.
Rocky Lalvani is a Profit First Professional and the Fractional Chief Probability Officer at Profit Comes First, where he helps entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their companies profitably. Certified in the Profit First method, Rocky develops the strategies and models his clients need to maximize their profit potential.
Rocky is also the host of the Richer Soul podcast and the Profit Answer Man podcast. He graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and earned his MBA from Penn State University.
In this episode… Many entrepreneurs dive into their ventures focused on their passion, often neglecting the critical aspect of financial management. This can lead to serious challenges in maintaining the profitability and sustainability of their businesses. So, what strategies can these business owners employ to ensure they prioritize profit while still pursuing their passion?
Rocky Lalvani, a Profit First professional, tackles this issue head-on by implementing the "Profit First" methodology. He explains that many business owners lack the financial acumen to manage their enterprises effectively, leading to decisions that can jeopardize their success. Rocky’s approach helps entrepreneurs establish a clear plan for extracting profit from their business operations. His strategy involves setting aside a portion of profits before addressing other expenses, ensuring business owners maintain financial discipline. He emphasizes the importance of building cash reserves to cover personal and business needs, adapting to changes, and making informed decisions to pivot when necessary.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Rocky Lalvani, the Fractional Chief Probability Officer at Profit Comes First, about prioritizing profit in business. Rocky talks about Profit Comes First, the common misconceptions business owners have about financial management, the importance of prioritizing profit from the start, and how to anticipate different business growth phases with profit in mind.
Cheryl Dillon is a pioneering technology entrepreneur and Co-founder of Quik!, a leader in forms automation and productivity solutions. Her journey began in the early 80s with a passion for computers and problem-solving, leading to the launch of Efficient Technology Inc. with her son Richard Walker in 1999. Cheryl helped grow Quik! by tackling paper form inefficiencies in the financial industry, reducing tasks that took hours to minutes. Although retired from daily operations since 2010, she remains strategically involved with Quik! as a board member, influencing its mission to make paperwork the easiest part of every transaction.
In this episode… The secrets to customer success are often hidden in plain sight, but what if the key component is as fundamental as family dynamics? Can the principles of motherhood translate to groundbreaking business acumen? When technology meets empathy, a powerful combination emerges to rewrite the rulebook on customer relations and business growth.
Cheryl Dillon, a pioneer in the tech industry, delves into her journey, harnessing her passion for computers and problem-solving to revolutionize how forms are processed in the financial sector. Alongside her son and podcast host Richard Walker, she shares her experience and the challenges of starting a tech company from the ground up, including her strategy for earning customers' trust and loyalty through transparency and service — a tactic that has led Quik! to achieve remarkably high customer satisfaction scores. She highlights her commitment to customer satisfaction, which became the cornerstone of their flourishing business.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Cheryl Dillon, Co-founder of Quik!, about transforming customer experiences through innovation. Cheryl discusses how Quik! revolutionized paperwork processes for financial experts, the sacrifices and behind-the-scenes work of starting a business, insights into providing empathetic and effective customer service, and how telling the tough truths can build long-term customer loyalty.
Spenser Segal is the Founder and CEO of ActiFi, a company that provides premier engagement solutions for advisors in the wealth management industry. He is recognized as one of the top 25 most influential people by Investment Advisor magazine and has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Before ActiFi, Spenser held management positions at American Express Financial Advisors, Dain Rauscher, Barrington Capital Management, and BigCharts. He is a Certified Financial Planner and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst.
In this episode… Are advisors fully leveraging the myriad of solutions in the wealth management industry? By harnessing the power of AI, from real-time customer insights to automation, you can catapult advisor efficiency and client satisfaction to the next level. How are personalization and strategic engagement key to the success of financial institutions?
Spenser Segal, a Certified Financial Planner, delves into how he revolutionizes the wealth management industry by providing a SaaS-based engagement platform that helps financial institutions and advisors deliver top-tier, integrated advice efficiently. By honing in on the top three solutions from potentially overwhelming options, his model ensures that firms can maximize their offerings and achieve organic growth. Spenser's approach focuses on creating a collaborative environment where advisors are understood and their goals met, fostering a symbiotic relationship between them and institutions. This, in turn, enhances advisor retention and overall client satisfaction.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Spenser Segal, Founder and CEO of ActiFi, about enhancing advisor engagement in wealth management. Spenser discusses how ActiFi assists financial institutions in improving advisor engagement and organic growth, how motivation, ability, and prompts can dramatically influence the adoption of new technologies and behaviors, and the challenges wealth management firms face when encouraging growth among their advisors.
Dr. Preston Cherry is the Founder and President of Concurrent Financial Planning, a company dedicated to aligning clients' wealth with their well-being. Recognized as one of the top financial advisors in the US by Investopedia, Dr. Cherry is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and a Certified Financial Therapist™ who has made significant contributions to his field. He serves as the Head of Financial Planning Program and Director of the Charles Schwab Center for Personal Financial Planning at UW-Green Bay and is a past president of The Financial Therapy Association. Passionate about advancing the human condition through financial education, Dr. Cherry holds a PhD in personal financial planning and is the author of Wealth in the Key of Life, which explores the interconnectedness of life and money.
In this episode… In today’s fast-paced world, achieving financial harmony has become essential for living a fulfilled life. However, the pursuit of financial success often overshadows our fundamental well-being, creating a tense relationship with money. So, how can we reshape our relationship with money to align it with our deepest aspirations?
Dr. Preston Cherry, a seasoned financial advisor and author, shares his unique approach to overcoming the barriers people face in achieving their desired life. He introduces the concept of financial harmony, emphasizing the importance of aligning one's financial decisions with personal values and life goals. Through insightful anecdotes and candid discussion, he challenges the notion that money is merely a tool, advocating instead for seeing it as a vital partner in life. By giving money a persona and recognizing its role in achieving life goals, individuals can find permission to pursue their dreams and aspirations without seeking external validation.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Dr. Preston Cherry, Founder and President of Concurrent Financial Planning, about creating financial harmony. Dr. Cherry discusses how Concurrent Financial Planning helps clients align their wealth with their well-being, the interconnectedness of life and money in achieving happiness, the power of permitting oneself to pursue wealth and well-being, and the challenges and solutions for couples navigating financial planning together.
Wim Van Lerberghe is the Founder of Advintro, which provides outsourced fractional sales services for fintechs, helping them scale and grow their businesses. Before founding Advintro in 2019, he spent two decades in enterprise sales with prominent firms such as Penson and Pershing. Originally from Belgium, Wim's diverse career includes graduating from law school and working as a tour guide in the USA before venturing into day trading. In his current role, he emphasizes building trust and genuine relationships, focusing on curating innovative fintech solutions for large organizations.
In this episode… Entering the competitive landscape of the financial technology market can be a daunting challenge for fintech companies. As they strive to establish a foothold, these firms often encounter significant obstacles, including the complexities of building a robust network, earning customer trust, and successfully introducing innovative products to potential buyers. So, how can these companies navigate these obstacles while ensuring a seamless customer experience?
Wim Van Lerberghe, an enterprise sales expert in fintech, delves into the innovative world of fractional sales, addressing these questions and outlining how his company transforms the fintech sales scene. Leveraging trust, expertise, and a unique vetting process, he explains how they connect innovative tech solutions with enterprises that benefit from them, creating win-win scenarios. Wim highlights the role of genuine relationships in business growth and how AI is reshaping the sales landscape without replacing the human element.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Wim Van Lerberghe, Founder of Advintro, about how fintech companies can effectively scale and enter new markets. Wim discusses how Advintro helps fintech companies expand successfully through tailored sales strategies, the symbiotic relationship between fintech innovators and their institutional clients, the crucial role of trust in the sales process, and what makes a sales relationship work or falter.
Brett Gilliland is the Co-founder and CEO of Visionary Wealth Advisors, an independent wealth management firm dedicated to providing world-class service to clients. He helps clients and financial advisors achieve their dreams with a unique focus on “F to the sixth power” principles. Additionally, Brett hosts the Circuit of Success podcast and serves on several boards, including the Saint Louis Sports Commission and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy. Passionate about making a difference, he and his wife Julie founded Swing Fore Hope, a charity that supports cancer research and provides financial assistance to cancer patients.
In this episode… In the fast-paced business world, how can companies ensure their clients survive and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape? Is there a universal formula to guarantee customer success while fostering company growth?
Experienced financial advisor Brett Gilliland delves into the ethos that powers his wealth management and life approach. He discusses the unique "F to the sixth power" concept — focusing on faith, family, fitness, firm, fun, and finances, and how these facets foster personal and professional growth. Brett showcases his commitment to helping clients achieve a future greater than their past and how his company culture aligns with these principles to strengthen team cohesion and client associations.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Brett Gilliland, Co-founder and CEO of Visionary Wealth Advisors, about integrating personal values into client relationships. Brett shares the philosophy behind Visionary Wealth Advisors' client-focused strategies, the 6F principle and how it guides personal and professional life, his vision for growing his firm with a balanced approach to work and life, and the mission and success stories behind Swing Fore Hope.
Check out "Achieving a Future Greater Than Your Past" by Brett Gilliland: https://amzn.to/4gkg1fK
Richard Weylman is the Founder of Richard Weylman, Inc., Weylman Consulting Group, and The Weylman Center. He delivers personalized, dynamic, and memorable presentations that educate, inspire, and help audience members elevate business performance. Richard is a keynote speaker inducted into the Professional Speaker Hall of Fame and a consultant and coach inducted into the Customer Experience Hall of Fame for helping organizations and individuals achieve outcomes and measurable results. He is the author of three books, two of which are international bestsellers, including his latest, 100 Proven Ways to Acquire and Keep Clients for Life.
In this episode… In a world where businesses constantly strive for customer loyalty, understanding how to connect with clients truly is more crucial than ever. What are the secrets behind making customers feel valued and ensuring they stay with you for life?
Richard Weylman, an international bestselling author and speaker, offers invaluable insights into these questions. He unveils top business leaders' strategies and mindset for attracting and retaining customers. Richard shares his remarkable story of overcoming early life adversities to become influential in luxury car sales and publishing, inspiring people to focus on what truly matters in customer interactions. He delves into the importance of personalizing connections, utilizing the right language, and how empathy is fundamental to winning and retaining customers.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Richard Weylman, Founder of Richard Weylman, Inc., about enhancing customer relationships and loyalty. Richard shares the secrets to building true customer loyalty, actionable tactics for achieving customer experience excellence, and language strategies that build empathy and improve sales conversations.
Check out "100 Proven Ways to Acquire and Keep Clients for Life: The Path to Permanent Business Success" by Richard Weylman: https://amzn.to/4cWyqwa
Matthew Connor, Founder and CEO of CyberLynx, began his programming career at 12 while working for his father’s company as a coder. His passion led him to develop his own company, which focuses on offering premium IT services — specializing in protecting growing businesses from ransomware. CyberLynx, previously known as Your IT Department, continues to provide cybersecurity and professional IT and support services for expanding companies. Matthew is on a mission to assist business leaders in increasing their profitability using cutting-edge technology.
Matthew served in the US Army for 17 years as a human intelligence officer and received his bachelor’s in business administration and management from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
In this episode… The complexity of technology and the rising cyberattack threats can leave many businesses vulnerable if not well-managed. Managing a company when the stakes are high, especially in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, can be challenging. What key strategies can you employ to protect and streamline your business operations?
Matthew Conner, a US Army cybersecurity veteran, shares his journey from a young programmer at 13 to a seasoned leader in IT and cybersecurity. By integrating IT management and cybersecurity, he illustrates how he grew his company from a small IT department to a key player in managing IT and cybersecurity for larger companies. Matthew emphasizes the synergy between IT and cybersecurity, suggesting that efficient IT design enhances security measures. He illustrates how he employs a team approach to customer service, ensuring personalized and comprehensive support, highlighting the importance of understanding one's limits, and building a robust team to compensate for personal weaknesses.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Matthew Conner, Founder and CEO of CyberLynx, about navigating the complex landscape of IT and cybersecurity. Matthew discusses how CyberLynx provides comprehensive IT and cybersecurity services, the importance of efficient system design for effective cybersecurity, the dangers posed by hackers, how modern security can mitigate these threats, and how to manage security for large and small businesses.
Lacey Shrum is the Founder and CEO of Smart Kx, a company dedicated to revolutionizing AUM fee billing for financial advisors through innovative technology solutions. With a background as an attorney and former Chief Compliance Officer, she has been featured in U.S. News & World Report for her insights on the growing responsibilities of financial advisors. Lacey is passionate about integrating technology to streamline operations and improve compliance, enabling advisors to focus more on client relationships. Her expertise in the financial sector makes her a sought-after leader in optimizing advisory firm processes.
In this episode… In a world where regulatory compliance and fee billing can overwhelm financial advisors, and despite the widespread adoption of tools like Excel and QuickBooks, manual processes still dominate, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors. How can advisory firms remain transparent, efficient, and compliant in their billing practices while maximizing their growth potential?
Lacey Shrum, an attorney and former CCO, delves into the complexities of AUM fee billing and how her company provides innovative solutions for financial advisors. She discusses the importance of aligning contract terms with accurate billing practices and its impact on maintaining client trust and fulfilling regulatory requirements. Lacey shares insights on common challenges advisors face, such as manual billing processes and unbilled assets, and how her technology simplifies revenue processes and enhances transparency. By bridging the gap between legal agreements, disclosure documentation, and fee calculations, advisors manage their revenue more effectively and position their firms for growth and potential mergers or acquisitions.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Lacey Shrum, Founder and CEO of Smart Kx, about revolutionizing fee billing for financial advisors. Lacey discusses how Smart Kx ensures financial advisors adhere to fiduciary duties with correct fee documentation and calculation, the common billing challenges advisors face, the compliance support Smart Kx offers, and how measuring blended rates can reveal surprising truths about an advisor's actual earnings.
Adam Dell is the Founder and CEO of Domain Money, a company dedicated to creating exceptional financial products that reshape the financial system and provide accessible, high-quality financial advice. Before establishing Domain Money, he was a partner at Goldman Sachs, where he served as the Head of Product for Marcus by Goldman Sachs. With a strong interest in leveraging technology to address economic inefficiencies, Adam founded four companies, including Clarity Money, MessageOne, Buzzsaw, and Civitas Learning. He is renowned for aligning customer needs with technological solutions and advocates for a flat-fee financial planning model to ensure transparency and value for clients.
In this episode… Financial planning can often feel overwhelming and complex. But what if we focused on simplicity, clarity, and customer satisfaction as the main principles of this service? How could this shift in approach impact your financial well-being and the industry?
Serial entrepreneur Adam Dell unpacks the game-changing approaches to financial planning that prioritize customer empowerment and transparent, actionable advice. He shares the philosophy of eliminating needless complexity by providing clients with a simple financial to-do list, exposing the misalignments in traditional financial advisory, and reinventing the customer experience. Adam is setting a new standard by offering high-quality advice through certified financial planners and a flat fee model, challenging the traditional percentage-of-assets fee model. He also discusses the importance of personalization and how AI assists the advisory process.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Adam Dell, Founder and CEO of Domain Money, about revolutionizing financial planning through technology and customer-centric models. Adam discusses how Domain Money helps clients achieve financial goals, the significance of providing customers with specific financial to-dos, how Domain Money uses technology to streamline data-gathering and plan formulation processes, and its adaptable financial plans for life's unexpected turns.
Jason P. Carroll is the Founder and CEO of Aptive Index, a company revolutionizing hiring and leadership through psychometric assessments and strategic advisory. As a seasoned entrepreneur, he successfully led Champion National Security from $24 million to $80 million in revenue and expanded its workforce from 800 to 2,500 employees in just seven years, culminating in a successful acquisition. Additionally, Jason is a trained leadership consultant, utilizing his expertise to enhance team performance and company culture. He focuses on people-centric strategies paired with technological innovation to help companies grow.
In this episode… In today's fast-paced business world, understanding the strengths and motivations of each team member can be the difference between success and stagnation. How can leaders place their employees in roles where they can excel and stay motivated? Additionally, how can companies leverage self-awareness to foster better communication and improved performance?
Jason P. Carroll, a visionary entrepreneur, delves into psychometric assessments and how they can revolutionize how people perceive hiring, leadership, and personal growth. He introduces the Aptive Index, a tool that measures innate drives and behaviors, facilitating optimal job placement and team dynamics. He shares his transformation and the crucial role of self-awareness in altering behaviors and the workplace atmosphere. By examining specific traits like pro-social behavior and sociability, Jason offers insights into how understanding these aspects can drastically help you minimize conflict and improve team performance.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Jason P. Carroll, Founder and CEO of Aptive Index, about revolutionizing hiring and leadership through psychometric assessments. Jason discusses how Aptive Index helps leaders gain valuable insights into their behavior and its impact on others, the three levers that unlock deeper self-awareness, and how Aptive Index can improve corporate hiring, leadership, and team dynamics.
Peter LePiane is the Founder of Idea Bridge, a consulting firm specializing in product transformation and customer experience enhancement across various industries. With over 25 years of experience, he integrates lean startup methodologies and change management to help clients, from mid-sized businesses to large multinational corporations. Peter's expertise extends to financial services, insurance, retail, telecommunications, consumer packaged goods, and fragrance manufacturing sectors. He is also a proponent of incorporating AI tools and data-driven strategies to refine customer insights and drive business growth.
In this episode… In today's dynamic business landscape, meeting customer expectations while driving operational efficiency is crucial for sustainable growth. Striking a balance between addressing present consumer needs and laying the groundwork for future innovation is the hallmark of successful organizations. How can businesses navigate this intricate dance between current satisfaction and future readiness?
Peter LePiane, an experienced management consultant and a lean startup enthusiast, delves into the nuances of customer discovery and experience. He shares his insights on differentiating between direct clients and end customers, incorporating their needs into strategic planning. Peter emphasizes the importance of directly getting customers' feedback and using that to inform significant business decisions rather than relying solely on internal perceptions. He shares his methodology, which incorporates the lean startup philosophy to the application of AI in customer service and marketing.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Peter LePiane, Founder of Idea Bridge, about enhancing customer and product experiences. Peter discusses how Idea Bridge helps people, the importance of considering the end customer in change management initiatives, tactics for obtaining customer feedback and integrating it into business solutions, and balancing innovation with real customer needs for future success.
Farbod Nowzad is the Co-founder and CEO of Cashmere AI, a company dedicated to enhancing client acquisition in the wealth management space through intelligent solutions. As the first-ever data science graduate from UC Berkeley, he leverages his deep understanding of machine learning and anti-fraud strategies to build and optimize business growth technologies. Before Cashmere AI, Farbod contributed his expertise to the anti-fraud machine-learning team at Lime. He is a progressive leader harnessing AI to transform traditional business practices, especially in the financial sector.
In this episode… Are you finding client acquisition challenging in the ever-evolving financial services industry? What if there was a way to seamlessly integrate luxury, efficiency, and intelligence into your customer acquisition strategy?
Data Scientist Farbod Nowzad delves into how his company uses AI to enhance client acquisition in the wealth management sphere. He stresses the significance of AI and how Cashmere AI’s three-part system — identification, enrichment, and engagement — enables advisors to efficiently pinpoint and nurture relationships with potential clientele through AI-driven insights and personalized outreach. He elaborates on the data-driven methodologies that can propel financial advisors toward incredible growth and client engagement.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Farbod Nowzad, Co-founder and CEO of Cashmere AI, about AI-powered client acquisition in wealth management. Farbod discusses how Cashmere AI is changing client acquisition for wealth managers, its three client acquisition modules, engagement strategies modern wealth management firms employ for successful outreach, and innovative solutions for AI hallucination.
Steve Miksta is the Founder and CEO of Oppty, a transformative company that helps organizations significantly enhance their productivity and profitability. With a robust background in finance and technology, he is an expert in the strategic use of automation to foster exponential business growth. Steve's breadth of experience spans over a decade in the mortgage and financial industry, where his innovative approaches have been instrumental in driving success. As a dynamic leader, he focuses on enabling clients to clarify their objectives, deploy strategic processes, and leverage technology to realize their business goals.
In this episode… Are you struggling to foster efficiency within your organization? How do you harness technology effectively without being overwhelmed by it? Could there be simple yet overlooked opportunities to spur your business growth?
A dynamic leader with deep roots in finance and technology, Steve Miksta delves into the integral role of people in driving technology's success in business. He shares personal stories and lessons from his journey, emphasizing the creation of clear objectives and leveraging employee insights instead of solely focusing on technology. Steve dismantles the notion that complex tech solutions are always the answer, advocating for a closer look at the human element behind the processes and identifying opportunities for improvements while scaling sustainably.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Steve Miksta, Founder and CEO of Oppty, about leveraging automation and strategic processes for business growth. Steve talks about Oppty and how focusing on people and processes can lead to increased productivity, why technology alone won't solve problems without proper input from team members, the significance of user feedback shaping technological advancements, and how to use human intelligence as a bridge to AI efficiency.
Tom Anderson is the Founder and CEO of Anasova, a platform dedicated to connecting individuals with financial advisors through innovative technology and free financial plans. As a visionary in the financial advisory space advocating for customer success, he is also an accomplished author, having published four books, including The Value of Debt. Before Anasova, Tom was an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and the Founder, former CEO, and Chairman of Supernova Technology. A former 5X Barron's Top Financial Advisor, he is a regular speaker at events countrywide.
In this episode… Many businesses struggle to guide their customers from start to finish and maintain momentum when consumer interest wanes. Are you in this category as a financial services brand? If so, are you curious about successful companies' strategies for keeping their customers engaged throughout complex processes?
Tom Anderson, an expert in the financial services world, describes the intertwined challenges of customer engagement and conversion in the financial services industry. He discusses the meticulous process of trial and error that led to the refinement of user experience and customer journey on freefinancialplan.com. Additionally, he emphasizes the need for advisory services to step in where automation ends, nurturing client relationships through personalized follow-up and leveraging AI to create a more tailored experience. Tom’s approach focuses on data-driven methods and customer feedback to continuously improve engagement and satisfaction.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Tom Anderson, Founder and CEO of Anasova, about creating effective customer engagement strategies in the financial services sector. Tom discusses how Anasova is redefining financial planning by connecting advisors with actionable data, how it identifies customer engagement patterns by analyzing sample data, and how advisors can nurture client relationships through continuous outreach.
Richard Walton is the Founder of Outsell Sales, a B2B marketing and sales company specializing in high-ticket item sales. With over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, he has built and scaled numerous multimillion-dollar ventures. Richard's expertise lies in outselling competitors, turning sales feedback into valuable insights, and developing sales teams across different industries, including remote management. In addition to his business acumen, he dedicates time to public speaking and content creation, focused on sales strategies for robust business growth. His approach emphasizes deep customer understanding, operational focus, and the courting of top talent to ensure organizational success.
In this episode… Are you tired of sifting through generic sales advice that doesn't fit your high-ticket B2B business model? Do you need a laser-focused strategy to connect with customers at a deeper level and drive your sales through the roof?
B2B sales expert Richard Walton delves into the secrets behind thriving in high-ticket B2B sales. He shares the significance of saying no and how a nuanced understanding of customer needs and a specialist's focus can help businesses attract A-players and command respect and attention in the marketplace. He emphasizes the critical role of patience and perseverance in nurturing potential client relationships over time, trusting the sales process rather than pushing for immediate results. Richard reveals how marketing is foundational in setting customer expectations and ensuring alignment from the first point of contact.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Richard Walton, Founder of Outsell Sales, about effective B2B marketing and sales strategies. Richard discusses how Outsell Sales helps companies with their B2B sales, why saying no can lead to increased revenue and organizational focus, patience and persistence as key components to shorten the B2B sales cycle, and the value of building trust with potential customers through non-sales interaction.
Geoff Woods is the Founder of AI Leadership, a company helping leaders harness AI to make faster, smarter strategic decisions. He is a true visionary in artificial intelligence and its applications for enhancing leadership. With prior experience as the Chief Growth Officer at Jindal Steel & Power, he was instrumental in the company's market capitalization growth from $750 million to over $12 billion in just four years. Geoff also co-founded a training and consulting company and has impacted businesses with revenues ranging from $10 million to $60 billion with his coaching and advice. As the author of The AI-Driven Leader, he aims to empower business leaders to think strategically and accelerate growth through AI.
In this episode… In the race to outpace competitors, artificial intelligence is the secret weapon that will redefine leadership and business strategy. AI could be more than a convenient tool, transforming average performers into strategic powerhouses. However, how does one navigate and harness this tidal wave of technological advancement?
Geoff Woods, a thought leader in AI, discusses harnessing AI to accelerate strategic thinking and company growth. He provides insights into the true potential of AI, sharing his expertise on using AI as a thought partner for leaders and how he leverages its immense knowledge database for strategic advantage. With a background in leading substantial growth for businesses, Geoff now directs his efforts toward showing leaders how to employ AI to streamline operations and foster disruptive results without disrupting their organizations.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Geoff Woods, Founder of AI Leadership, about utilizing AI for strategic leadership. Geoff discusses how AI Leadership transforms leaders into strategic thinkers, the necessity for leaders to enhance their AI literacy, the importance of detailed communication with AI for effective results, and AI model recommendations for making AI your thought partner.
Kate Guillen is the Founder of Simplicity Ops, a firm on a mission to help advisors grow and scale their businesses while delivering exceptional client service experience. She is an accomplished operations expert with over ten years in the investment management industry. Kate simplifies systems and standardizes operations to improve the service experience and support growth for financial advisors and their teams. With her deep passion for technology optimization in client service, she has partnered with over 50 firms, instilling efficient practices for increased profitability. Kate leverages powerful tools like CRMs to transform business operations and enhance scalability.
In this episode… In many businesses, operations and client service are interconnected in ways that can be easily overlooked. Is there a specific process to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction by making internal system adjustments?
Kate Guillen, an expert in refining operations and enhancing the client experience for financial advisory firms, delves deeply into CRM systems and how leveraging them properly can be a game-changer for businesses. She breaks down her approach, emphasizing the significance of standardizing operations, automating processes, and focusing on client service as the cornerstone of business growth. Kate also asserts that a well-designed CRM system can elevate a company's operations while fostering team confidence and client trust.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Kate Guillen, Founder of Simplicity Ops, about fine-tuning the operational heart of financial services. Kate talks about Simplicity Ops and the importance of CRM optimization in delivering exceptional client service, overcoming the challenges of adapting a CRM to meet specific business needs, and the stages of CRM evolution from a basic tool to a comprehensive workflow system.
Praveen Ghanta is the Co-founder and CEO of Fraction, which specializes in pairing businesses with top-notch fractional technical talent in the United States. He is a seasoned entrepreneur who founded four companies, with two successful exits, including the sale of HiddenLevers to Orion in 2021. Praveen is adept at leveraging senior expertise to enhance software development productivity and firmly believes in the potential of AI to transform the field. As an experienced bootstrap entrepreneur, he understands leveraging fractional workforces to accelerate business success.
In this episode… When navigating the choppy waters of startup growth, many founders find themselves grappling with talent acquisition. Skilled individuals often command high salaries or are already engaged elsewhere, posing a significant hurdle. But what if there was a way to tap into this talent pool without traditional constraints?
Serial entrepreneur Praveen Ghanta reveals how fractional hiring has become the lighthouse guiding businesses to safe harbor. He draws on his own experiences with his company, HiddenLevers, to illustrate the power and flexibility of working with fractional talent. Additionally, he discusses how Fraction connects businesses with senior-level experts for part-time work, enhancing productivity and saving costs. Praveen also dives into AI's exciting role in software development, sharing insights on its ability to accelerate the engineering process when paired with experienced minds.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Praveen Ghanta, Co-founder and CEO of Fraction, about revolutionizing team dynamics and productivity. Praveen discusses how Fraction is revolutionizing the hiring of fractional talent, myths and misconceived notions about fractional hiring, and the importance of integrating fractional talent into your team's culture.
Abby Morton is the Director of Customer Success at Elements, a fintech software company, where she's played various vital roles, including Chief of Staff and Marketing and Partner Manager. Starting her career as an analyst at Goldman Sachs, Abby earned her CFP and devoted herself to advocating for positive employee experiences as a pathway to customer satisfaction. At Elements, she champions the importance of financial health through innovative technology, turning complex financial data into digestible and actionable metrics for advisors and clients. With a strong foundation in financial advising at Dentist Advisors, Abby brings her extensive experience and proactive mindset to every client interaction, ensuring the success of Elements' mission and the well-being of its stakeholders.
In this episode… Want to know how financial health can be more than just an emergency fund and a pension plan? What if there was a way to measure financial vitality through simple, understandable metrics? How does a FinTech company operate on the fine line between innovation and established wisdom to promote client well-being?
Certified Financial Planner Abby Morton dives into how Elements equips financial advisors with novel tools to distill complex financial concepts into tangible, easy-to-grasp data for clients. She emphasizes the value of treating employees well to ensure they deliver the best customer experience. She also discusses the potential of AI in customer interactions and the continuous effort to improve customer experiences by staying attuned to their evolving needs.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Abby Morton, Director of Customer Success at Elements, about the innovative ways of transforming financial planning. Abby discusses how Elements helps clients assess their financial health, its 12 financial metrics to provide tailored financial advice, the potential of AI in enhancing customer experience, and the correlation between employee happiness and customer satisfaction.
Robert Sofia is the Co-founder and CEO of Snappy Kraken, an award-winning marketing platform for financial advisors. With two decades of experience, he has served thousands of companies across the financial services spectrum. A former marketing agency owner, Robert has since focused on empowering advisors with technology-driven marketing tools. He is the author of four books, including the bestseller Blend Out, and is passionate about helping consumers, advisors, and enterprises achieve their financial goals.
In this episode… Engaging prospects and converting leads can be complex, especially for financial advisors. With scattershot marketing strategies and a lack of clear guidance, many advisors struggle to grow organically. Where can they get powerful, technology-driven solutions that foster organic growth and stronger client connections?
Digital marketing expert in the financial services industry Robert Sofia discusses revolutionizing marketing for financial advisors. He dives deep into the success secrets behind the industry's best performers. Robert shares compelling data on how specific outreach methodologies like SEO strategies, targeted text messaging, and personalized video content can dramatically bolster a company's growth. He also delves into the future of marketing, discussing AI's role in crafting even more engaging, authentic content for consumers.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Robert Sofia, Co-founder and CEO of Snappy Kraken, about creating tailored marketing strategies as an advisor. Robert discusses the multilayered approach Snappy Kraken takes to support consumers and advisors, how it differentiates from traditional marketing agencies, prevents content saturation, and the future of AI in marketing.
Shaun Kapusinski is the Founder of HIFON, a premier community for RIA operations professionals, and the Senior Director of Technology at Sequoia Financial Group. With two decades of experience, he started HIFON as a modest study group and grew it into a thriving network of nearly 300 members. Shaun is also the co-author of The Financial Advisor M&A Guidebook, a trusted resource for technology integration. He is an innovator driven by providing valuable connections and education to elevate the RIA industry, always ensuring that customers win through enhanced operational practices.
In this episode… Beyond the successful facade of RIA firms lies a complex operational world, ensuring a seamless experience beyond just financial advice. But who are the people mastering this realm, and what secrets do they hold?
Shaun Kapusinski, the genius behind the operational powerhouse known as HIFON, dives deep into the world of RIA operations. He shares his journey from starting a modest study group to founding a community that now nears 300 members while also penning a comprehensive guidebook on M&A best practices. Shaun discusses the benefits of peer networking, the art of scaling niche-focused communities, and how he navigates the dynamics of subgroup formation. He also touches on the unexpected opportunities from his leadership, such as authoring a highly regarded industry book.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Shaun Kapusinski, Founder of HIFON, about creating a thriving RIA community. Shaun discusses HIFON and the value of networking in the RIA industry, the key to successfully managing an ever-expanding mastermind group, and the surprising benefits of open dialogue between industry peers.
Mark Friedenthal is the Founder and CEO of Tolerisk, a company revolutionizing risk tolerance assessment technology for investment advisors. With a rich background that includes risk management roles at Citigroup, Cendant, and GE Capital and experience as an analyst with the Federal Reserve, Mark has the perfect amalgamation of insights to lead in the financial technology space. He is the Founder and President of Friedenthal Financial, an RIA firm in Marlton, New Jersey. Mark has been published in numerous publications, including Reuters, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investment News, and many others.
In this episode… Balancing risk tolerance with investment decisions can often feel like a high-wire act in the financial world. But what if there was a way to reconcile the personality-driven aspects of risk with the challenging numbers of financial capacity? Could technology hold the key to understanding and effectively communicating this balance to ensure customer success?
Financial guru, math nerd, and entrepreneur Mark Friedenthal discuss the intersection of customer service, business growth, and risk management in the financial advisory sector. He shares the inspiration behind Tolerisk and how his platform empowers financial advisors, helping them to assess and articulate their clients' willingness and ability to take on investment risk, thereby driving better decision-making and business growth. Drawing from his rich background, including his early career role at the Federal Reserve, Mark stresses the importance of integrating financial data in risk assessment to create a tailored customer experience.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Mark Friedenthal, Founder and CEO of Tolerisk, about innovating financial risk assessment. Mark talks about the philosophy behind Tolerisk, the need for considering both willingness and ability when assessing risk tolerance, the challenges of matching clients’ needs with suitable risk levels, and the potential advances in customer experience with artificial intelligence.
Amy Riley is an international speaker, coach, author, and leader of The Courage of a Leader, with over two decades of experience developing leaders across various levels. Amy is a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA), a certified Tiara International LLC Coach, and certified in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® instruments. Her work with esteemed clients, which includes Cisco Systems, Deloitte, and Google Drive, focuses on helping leaders inspire and engage their teams toward extraordinary results. She holds a master’s degree in training and development with an emphasis in organizational development from Loyola University Chicago. Amy’s latest book, The Courage of a Leader, is a #1 international bestseller.
In this episode… Have you ever wondered why some teams flourish under pressure while others crumble? What's the difference between a good leader and a great one? Could courage be the elusive key to unlocking potential and driving results that are nothing short of extraordinary?
Amy Riley, an expert on cultivating courageous leaders, offers insightful solutions to these questions. She delves into her unique perspective on leadership, discussing the four pillars of courage she believes are essential for anyone looking to make a marked impact. With over two decades of experience, Amy clarifies how leaders can inspire and engage teams to meet and exceed their goals. By focusing on authenticity, intentional communication, and embracing a culture of continuous learning, she presents a pathway for leaders at all levels to redefine their approach to leadership and achieve incredible outcomes.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Amy Riley, coach and leader of The Courage of a Leader, about the courage inherent to effective leadership. Amy shares the role of leadership in inspiring teams and achieving outstanding outcomes, the value of uncovering and challenging hidden limiting beliefs in leadership, the importance of defining one's personal leadership legacy, and the different facets of leadership courage.
Mark Gatto is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of CION Investment Group, a leading manager of alternative investment solutions designed to redefine how individual investors build their portfolios and meet their long-term investment goals. CION manages CION Investment Corporation, a leading BDC listed on the NYSE (NYSE: CION), and sponsors, through CION Ares Management, CION Ares Diversified Credit Fund, a globally diversified interval fund. Mark's diverse experience ranges from executive roles at international companies to founding a specialty business consulting firm and practicing law. His leadership is characterized by a people-first mentality and a commitment to providing access to institutional-quality alternative investments for individual investors.
In this episode… Have you ever wondered how the elites' investment strategies can unlock new potentials for the everyday investor? What if there was a way to democratize access to these sophisticated opportunities? Are our traditional views on stock and bond investment holding us back from financial greatness?
Mark Gatto, an experienced professional in the investment industry, breaks down the barriers to institutional-quality investments for individual investors. He shares the philosophy that led CION to pioneer access to alternative investment solutions, overcoming challenges of affordability, transparency, and accessibility. His commitment to educating financial advisors and individual investors about the dynamic landscape of alternative investments is evident as he outlines the impact of these strategies on risk management and portfolio performance. Armed with deep industry knowledge, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a football coach's leadership lessons, Mark exemplifies how embracing adversity can foster growth and solidify customer trust.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Mark Gatto, Co-founder and Co-CEO of CION Investment Group, about democratizing alternative investments. Mark talks about alternative investments and why they are crucial for a diversified portfolio, the various asset classes within alternative investments, how they manage risk, and the business philosophies and strategies that have made CION Investments stand out in a competitive market.
Lauren Schreyer-Merdinger is the CEO and Founder of Contract2Close, a company specializing in transaction management software for the real estate industry. With over 40 years of experience, she has become an industry leader, leveraging her extensive insights to develop cutting-edge solutions for agents and brokers. Lauren's platform, Contract2Close, focuses on streamlining operations and enhancing productivity while ensuring none of the crucial transaction details fall through the cracks. Continually evolving her offerings, she is passionate about empowering users with an easy-to-use, compliance-focused system for handling real estate transactions.
In this episode… Are you tired of cumbersome, convoluted processes in real estate transactions? Do terms like mortgage contingencies and inspection reports make you cringe? And how can a software platform remedy these stress-inducing hurdles?
Lauren Schreyer-Merdinger, a seasoned real estate professional turned tech CEO, identified these pain points and created a solution with Contract2Close. She discusses her journey from buying and selling properties to crafting an indispensable tool that empowers real estate agents. Centralizing communication, automating deadlines, and making transactions Amazon-easy are just a few ways her company streamlines the complex dance of real estate deals. Reflecting on the critical role of AI and staying nimble in the face of industry changes, Lauren gives an intriguing glimpse into the software's impact on real estate transactions.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Lauren Schreyer-Merdinger, CEO and Founder of Contract2Close, about transforming the real estate industry through technology. Lauren talks about Contract2Close, the challenges in software development, the central hub that streamlines communication among all parties in a real estate transaction, and the potential impact of AI on compliance and the customer experience in real estate.
Cormac Murphy is the CEO of CacheTech Advisor Solutions, a pioneering company providing a single technology solution for RIAs. With a career that began at Charles Schwab in 2008, he earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and managed a $4 billion portfolio. Following his tenure as the Chief Investment Officer at Adams Wealth Advisor, Cormac now guides CacheTech in delivering scalable, quality investment and CRM technology solutions for independent financial advisors. He champions using AI to simplify data access and enhance client relationships for small to midsize RIAs.
In this episode… In the ever-competitive business landscape, achieving the perfect harmony between providing sophisticated services and maintaining a personalized touch is crucial, but is it attainable? What if artificial intelligence could be the linchpin in combining high-tech capabilities with that personal flair?
FinTech expert Cormac Murphy delves into the transformative power of AI in enabling independent financial advisors to thrive. He reveals how his company is making this possible, from the firm’s inception story to its revolutionary approach in delivering scalable, institutional-quality tools to independent RIAs — without losing the personal, local feel that's essential in the financial advisory landscape. Cormac emphasizes the importance of a fully integrated ecosystem, including CRM and operations, to prevent costly miscommunications.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Cormac Murphy, CEO of CacheTech Advisor Solutions, about leveraging AI for financial advisory solutions. Cormac talks about CacheTech, the vision behind CAIT, the importance of understanding AI’s impact on compliance in regulated industries, and the challenges and cost-saving benefits of AI in report generation and analysis.
Jerome Myers is the Founder of Exodus, a company helping entrepreneurs navigate the eight exits of a founder. A former engineer turned award-winning business strategist, Jerome has led multimillion-dollar operations and now focuses on advising across diverse sectors, guiding leaders from the corporate world to successful entrepreneurship. He is known for his deep understanding of human behavior and strategic approaches to business growth, work-life harmony, and charitable efforts.
Jerome is also a general partner in the multifamily real estate portfolio and lends his strategic acumen to the North Carolina Agricultural Technical State University entrepreneurship advisory board, driving entrepreneurial progress.
In this episode… What if you could plan a graceful exit from your business that ensures your legacy and opens up new horizons for personal fulfillment? How can you pivot from the identity of a successful business owner to a life of impact and meaning? And is it necessary for every entrepreneur to have an exit strategy?
Jerome Myers, a thought leader on the “founder’s exit paradox”, dives into crafting a thoughtful and successful exit strategy for entrepreneurs. He highlights the psychological and emotional layers of the exit process, emphasizing the importance of nourishing oneself post-exit, evaluating new avenues, exploring fresh opportunities, and ultimately transcending to the next milestone. His framework prepares entrepreneurs for potential liquidity events and fosters growth in personal identity outside the business.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Jerome Myers, Founder of Exodus, about exploring the right path to exit and transition. Jerome shares his unique approach to helping entrepreneurs transition from the corporate world, the eight-step journey for guiding founders toward fulfilling exits, the importance of self-image and relationships in achieving business success, and the four-step NEXT process for figuring out what comes after business success.
Dan Trommater is a captivating magician and keynote speaker renowned for his ability to challenge assumptions and inspire fresh perspectives. With over two decades of experience, he has graced over 1000 events, including a TEDx talk. Drawing on his 25 years as a magician, Dan seamlessly blends illusion with motivational messaging to empower clients to unlock their potential. He attributes his passion for magic to its power to invoke wonder, which he harnesses to facilitate change and creativity. His approaches have positively influenced executives and teams, propelling them toward unimagined possibilities.
In this episode… Imagine witnessing a feat you know is impossible, yet it unfolds right before your eyes. What if this moment of wonder could unlock the potential for innovation and growth? Could the sheer power of belief transform impossibility into a springboard for creativity?
Magician Dan Trommater shares his journey, illustrating how his passion for magic became an influential tool in business leadership and growth. Through the art of illusion, he challenges his audience's assumptions and sparks new ways of thinking. His ability to inspire wonder entertains and fosters an environment where out-of-the-box ideas thrive. Through his storytelling and a remarkable understanding of human cognition, Dan provokes thought and equips business leaders to find unprecedented solutions to their challenges.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Dan Trommater, a renowned magician and keynote speaker, about incorporating magic into professional development. Dan explains how he uses magic beyond entertainment to create a powerful communication tool, techniques for opening people's minds to new ideas and challenging preconceived notions, and innovative thinking approaches to discover multiple solutions to presumed insolvable problems.
Denis Konoplev is the CEO of Munin AI, a company at the forefront of using artificial intelligence to empower financial advisors. With over a decade of experience in entrepreneurial ventures, he has a track record of successful startups in various sectors. A non-technologist with a keen eye for applying innovative solutions to real-world business problems, Denis is on a mission to provide financial advisors with AI-powered tools that enhance client relationships and improve service quality. As a leader who values customer-centric approaches, he is known for his ability to adapt and evolve alongside emerging technologies.
In this episode… Have you ever wondered how the role of a financial advisor could evolve with the integration of cutting-edge technology? What if the typical advisor-client interaction was augmented by a layer of intelligent, real-time assistance that could recall every detail and opportunity from past conversations? Could this be the missing link that transforms financial advice from a service to an experience?
Serial entrepreneur Denis Konoplev delves into how his innovative AI-powered platform is helping financial advisors provide a supercharged experience to their clients. He shares insights on how these technologies can serve as augmented reality for client servicing, offering advisors a heads-up display filled with contextual and relevant information. He counteracts the fears of AI replacing human roles by reiterating the value of emotional and nuanced human guidance in client relationships. Denis also explores the future where AI personalizes client interactions beyond the current technologies.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Denis Konoplev, CEO of Munin AI, about transforming the everyday responsibilities of financial advisors through AI. Denis talks about the inspiration behind starting Munin AI and the problem it aims to solve, the superpowers of AI in the financial advising industry, how Munin AI captures client interactions in real-time without disrupting conversation flow, and the core concepts of applying AI to improve customer experience.
David Crow is the President of Axos Clearing, a full-service clearing firm focused on the success of broker-dealers and registered investment advisors. At Axos Clearing, he prioritizes understanding unique client challenges to tailor effective solutions, enabling business leaders to anticipate future challenges and opportunities. With a 25-year career spanning various financial service roles and his forward-looking guidance, David specializes in optimizing scale and transforming organizations. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and participates actively in SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association), the Financial Services Institute, and the Chicago Bond Club.
In this episode… Have you ever wondered what makes a successful business tick? What if the key lies in truly understanding your customers and anticipating their needs before even they are aware of them?
David Crow, an expert in the financial services industry, explores the intricacies of the financial services industry and the crucial role of customizing solutions for client success. He offers a glimpse into his leadership journey and the core strategies that have enabled Axos Clearing to stand out in the competitive landscape. With a heavy focus on listening to clients and crafting tailored solutions, David highlights the organization's efforts in integrating banking and securities for seamless financial experiences. His narrative also touches upon the importance of people and relationships in business — the very fabric that binds a company's internal culture to its external success.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews David Crow, President of Axos Clearing, about transforming the financial service experience. David delves into the significance of listening, cultural values, and technological adoption in driving growth and improving customer-centricity in the financial services industry.
Justin Bolmgren is the Chief Process Maestro at William Joseph Capital Management, an SEC-registered investment advisor. In his role, Justin specializes in streamlining operations for independent financial advisors. He is a seasoned financial planning professional with over two decades of experience in the financial services industry. His expertise lies in advice tech, automation, and the application of artificial intelligence, serving as a strategic adviser to fintech startups. With his deep understanding of the advisory business, Justin actively works towards enhancing efficiency and client engagement through innovative processes and technologies.
In this episode… Are you curious about the intersection of financial planning, customer success, and AI? How does an SEC-registered firm help its advisors and clients navigate the complexities of retirement planning with cutting-edge technology?
Financial planning expert Justin Bolmobgren dives into advisory efficiency, customer-centric strategies, and leveraging technological advancements. Reflecting on how AI is transforming the advisory landscape, Justin explores the significant risks of AI systems and technology's evolving role in enhancing customer relationship management efficiency. He shares his advocacy for technology-assisted processes and the human touch in financial planning, highlighting the current and future impact of AI and machine learning on wealth management.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Justin Bolmgren, Chief Process Maestro at William Joseph Capital Management, about enhancing advisory services with AI-driven tools. Justin talks about the impact of AI tools on efficiency in financial advisory services, the concerns and fears about adopting AI in finance, and how to mitigate liability with AI-driven technologies in the advisory industry.
Stephanie Dannebaum is the Founder and CRM Consultant of Stephanie Dannebaum Consulting, a firm specializing in elevating CRM systems for financial advisors and planners. With a decade of experience in operations, investment management, and financial planning, she has worked extensively with CRM platforms like Redtail and Wealthbox CRM. Stephanie's mission is to align CRM systems with business goals, ensuring high adoption levels and driving sustainable business growth. She's recognized for her ability to understand each firm's unique needs and tailor CRM functions to empower every team member's role.
In this episode… Are CRMs just overhyped digital Rolodexes, or do they hold untapped potential for financial advisors? What barriers are holding advisors back from leveraging these powerful tools, and how can a shift in perspective lead to groundbreaking efficiency and growth? How can CRM systems transform the day-to-day operations of a financial services business?
CRM consultant Stephanie Dannebaum tackles common misconceptions and reveals how properly implemented CRM systems can be at the heart of business success. She shares her expertise, from empowering advisors by aligning CRMs with their specific business goals to exploring key integrations, and the role of AI in revolutionizing client experiences. Her unique approach helps financial advisors harness the full potential of their CRM, turning it into a hub for proactive client management, workflow efficiency, and actionable insights.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Stephanie Dannebaum, Founder of Stephanie Dannebaum Consulting, about CRM strategies and integration. Stephanie discusses the transformative power of CRMs in financial services, techniques for overcoming resistance to CRM adoption, and the various benefits and integrations that make CRM essential tools for advisors.
Corey Westphal is the Founder and CEO of Mobile Assistant, a FinTech company specializing in professional dictation services. Mobile Assistance emphasizes the accuracy and security of dictated notes facilitated by a US-based team. With over 26 years in the transcription industry, Corey began his entrepreneurial journey with a medical transcription company and later pivoted to revolutionize dictation in the financial sector. As a forward-thinker, he continues to explore new technologies, including AI, to enhance the value of Mobile Assistant's services. His dedication to providing structured, reliable documentation has made Mobile Assistant a critical tool for financial professionals looking to streamline their work processes.
In this episode… Have you ever considered the intricate role of precise documentation in financial advising? Imagine having access to a solution that captures every detail and structures it in a way that powers growth and compliance. Would this transform your practice?
Corey Westphal, an expert in financial technology, dives deep into the world of professional dictation services tailored for financial advisors. He shares his insights on transitioning from medical transcription to the financial sector, emphasizing the significance of the human touch in ensuring high-quality, accurate data capture. He highlights how dictation templates have revolutionized note-taking for advisors, providing a structured, consistent, and efficient way to document client interactions. Corey also reveals his journey in building a dictation fintech company that seamlessly integrates with CRMs and other industry-specific tools to enhance workflows and data usage.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Corey Westphal, Founder and CEO of Mobile Assistant, about leveraging technology to streamline workflow and client documentation. Corey discusses how Mobile Assistant uses human expertise to ensure the precision of transcription, its onboarding processes, the importance of creating 'raving fans' instead of just customers, and how empathy for the customer's time and needs can lead to the development of revolutionary services.
Michael Halloran is the Head of Business Development at MaxMyInterest, a company revolutionizing how clients optimize their cash assets. With a history of launching banking solutions at Morgan Stanley and being part of the first online bank in the UK, he brings a wealth of experience to FinTech. Michael focuses on building relationships with wealth management firms, providing tools that enable clients to earn higher interest rates on FDIC-insured savings accounts. His innovative approach to banking technology and customer experience makes him a leading voice in the financial industry.
In this episode… Have you ever thought about how your cash could work harder for you, earning returns that could make a substantial difference in your financial well-being? What if you could enjoy the security of FDIC insurance with interest rates that keep up with inflation? Would you dare to venture beyond your traditional bank to discover the potential of online savings?
Business development leader Michael Halloran delves into the inner workings of intelligent cash management that uncouples high returns from the need to give up existing banking relationships. He dives deep into the advantages of online banking and how it contrasts with traditional brick-and-mortar institutions. He clarifies the misconceptions that often hold people back from optimizing their savings and shares insights on the use of artificial intelligence within finance to enhance customer communication and experience.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Michael Halloran, Head of Business Development at MaxMyInterest, about maximizing your cash assets. Michael shares how integration with financial advisors can significantly benefit clients. With a focus on simplicity, security, and maximizing returns without compromising on FDIC insurance, his expertise in the evolving world of FinTech paints a promising future for savers.
Tom Rieman is the CEO and Founding Partner of Practice Intel, a cutting-edge platform designed to enhance advisor-client relationships through AI-driven simulations, research deployment, and strategic data analysis. With over 25 years of expertise in wealth management, he offers a deep understanding of the asset management distribution and broker-dealer ecosystem. Before Practice Intel, Tom worked at JD Power, conducting industry-level research on advisor-client relationships. He is passionate about improving the quality of financial advice and firmly believes in the profound impact it can have on clients' lives.
In this episode… Have you ever wondered how some financial advisors stand out from the crowded wealth management market? What makes their services so valuable that clients stay satisfied and become enthusiastic advocates for them? Could there be a secret ingredient to creating such high-value relationships?
Tom Rieman, a relentless advocate for great financial advice, delves into a fascinating conversation about the intersection of AI technology, sales narratives, and establishing trust in the advisor-client relationship. He brings a fresh perspective on using AI to simulate sales scenarios, allowing advisors to hone their narratives and pitch methods without the risks associated with practicing on real clients. He emphasizes the importance of creating a compelling narrative and leveraging vulnerability to build rapport and trust with potential clients.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Tom Rieman, CEO and Founding Partner of Practice Intel, about creating value-driven financial advisory relationships. Tom shares the transformative potential of blending deep industry insight with cutting-edge technology, how client experience research can be brought to the practical level, and equipping advisors with data and tools to meet evolving investor expectations head-on.
Bobby Steiner is the Director of Golf Instruction at Horseshoe Bay Resort. He is a multifaceted golf professional, fitness instructor, motivational speaker, and author of four books. Renowned for his Bobby Steiner Golf YouTube channel, Bobby also manages channels dedicated to fitness, karate, and success paradigms. A proponent of the mental aspect of golf, he's passionate about helping his students find more enjoyment in the game.
In this episode… Have you ever wondered what makes exceptional athletes tick? What mindset separates the driven golf enthusiast who loses their nerve from those who keep their cool regardless of setbacks? Can the secrets of navigating a golf course also help us in life?
Bobby Steiner, a seasoned golf instructor, delves deep into these questions. His philosophy is as much about shaping a person's mental game as it is about their swing. He emphasizes the importance of self-competition and catering to each student's unique journey, recognizing the significance of patience and perseverance. His approach is not just about how to hit a golf ball — it's about cultivating the right attitude towards challenges, both on the fairway and beyond.
In this episode of The Customer Wins with Richard Walker featuring Bobby Steiner, they discuss the parallels between mastering golf and mastering life, Bobby shares key insights for personal and professional growth through golf analogies. They also touch on his dedication to his students' that exemplifies outstanding customer service and how businesses can emulate to build a loyal customer base.
Matt McCoy is the Co-founder and CEO of Jobby, a company that specializes in helping individuals build thought leadership content on LinkedIn. A serial entrepreneur, he started his entrepreneurial journey at 18 with a barbecue cleaning business, securing a half-million dollar investment deal on national TV while still in college. After selling that business, he successfully created a student services marketplace and swiftly moved towards a profitable exit. Today, Matt also hosts the 60 Second Podcast, focusing on streamlining dense information into bite-sized and value-wrapped passages.
In this episode… In an age where social media dominates the networking landscape, a common challenge is building trust without coming across as salesy or disingenuous. Many struggle with balancing personal and professional content, unsure of what will resonate with their audience.
Matt McCoy alleviates these concerns by sharing his strategies on fruitful networking and content creation. He emphasizes the importance of authentic engagement, providing value over selling, and expanding one's network genuinely on LinkedIn. His method prioritizes quality, time-efficient content creation once a month, and consistent community interaction.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker is joined by Matt McCoy of Jobby, about effectively utilizing LinkedIn to bolster customer success and business growth. They go through personal branding, the art of establishing trust online, and the nuanced approach to LinkedIn networking. They also touch on posting frequency, the power of personal content, and the true worth of authentic interaction.
Chrissy Myers is the CEO of Associated Underwriters Insurance (AUI) and Clarity HR, specializing in insurance benefits and HR services for small and medium-sized businesses. With over five years leading Clarity HR and helming AUI, she is an innovative leader in a third-generation family business.
As an advocate for community service, Chrissy champions employee participation in local initiatives and has designed programs like AUI Gives Back and Clarity Cares. She is the author of Reluctantly Resilient and is a member of the Entrepreneurs Organization.
In this episode… When faced with overwhelming complexity in business, is there a simpler path to peace of mind? What does it take to lead with resilience in your professional and personal life?
HR expert Chrissy Meyers delves into the strategies that have led to her companies' success and the philosophy behind them. She shares the importance of being coachable and open to change as core expectations of their clients. Reflecting on her leadership journey, Chrissy talks about steering clear of technology and outsourcing, embracing change, and why she decided to start another company amid the complexities of family business transitions.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Chrissy Meyers, CEO of AUI and Clarity HR. They talk about simplifying complex business services and community involvement, how growth and success come from focusing on what you excel at, and the power of resilience. Chrissy also emphasizes the role of companies in their communities.
Jason Mandel is the Founder and CEO of The Mandel Family Office with a rich history on Wall Street, having started at distinguished firms like Cantor Fitzgerald and D.E. Shaw. He possesses extensive experience in wealth management and insurance strategies, striving to add value and ensure transparency in client relationships. A passionate advocate for client education, Jason authored the book Demand Transparency and devotes time to teaching clients and institutions about financial strategies.
In this episode… In a financial landscape flooded with advice, how do you separate the gimmicks from the legitimate strategies? Is obtaining wealth within grasp or is it just a mirage shaped by our desires for a worry-free retirement?
Jason Mandel, a serial entrepreneur in the financial services industry, sheds light on these pressing questions by demystifying common misconceptions and revealing lesser-known financial tactics. He emphasizes the importance of transparency and education, illustrating how life insurance can be a leveraged asset rather than a mere expense. Jason's approach intertwines strategic banking partnerships and personalized financial planning to unlock a future of tax-free income.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Jason Mandel, Founder and CEO of The Mandel Family Office, to discuss the intersection of traditional wealth management and cutting-edge financial tools. Jason explores innovative methods like insurance premium financing and the role of AI in enhancing client experiences. He explains how leveraging various investment strategies can lead to financial empowerment, stability, and diversity in your portfolio.
Sam Wakefield is the Founder and CEO of Close It Now, a sales system designed to help individuals and businesses increase their closing rates. He is a celebrated luminary in HVAC, known for his innovative and unique approach to sales, training, and personal development. He has not only sold millions of dollars in equipment, but he has won multiple sales awards. Additionally, he hosts the podcast Close It Now, which primarily focuses on personal development and effective sales methodologies.
In this episode… The sales industry has undergone a rapid transformation in recent years, and simply promoting products or services is no longer sufficient to win over potential clients. Today, emotions and feelings are at the forefront of purchasing decisions, and businesses must adapt to increase their sales.
Sales expert Sam Wakefield advocates for a sales methodology that values understanding and empathy. By paying close attention to the emotional cues of potential clients during a sales pitch, you build trust, increase engagement, and create genuine human connections. When clients feel genuinely heard and understood, they are more likely to be receptive to your message, which translates into higher sales.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Sam Wakefield, Founder and CEO of Close It Now, to discuss techniques for increased sales. Sam explains how Close It Now helps people, sales challenges people face, sales techniques, and how to emotionally connect with potential clients and build trust with them.
Sid Yenamandra is the Founder and CEO of Surge Ventures, a privacy tech venture studio. Surge Ventures helps create data governance, privacy, and compliance management startups in regulated industries.
Sid is an accomplished entrepreneur and software executive with a proven track record of success in cybersecurity and information governance. He has founded and successfully exited three startups, including Entreda, and served as VP of Product and Marketing at Plato Networks and Founder of PacketFX.
In this episode… The financial services industry is highly complex and ever-evolving. Entrepreneurs face numerous challenges when establishing a tech firm in the industry, from obtaining funding to developing a product that caters to the constantly changing market demands.
To thrive in this fiercely competitive landscape, seasoned entrepreneur Sid Yenamandra emphasizes the importance of collaborating with experts. Whether you're just starting or seeking to scale your existing fintech business, these proficient professionals possess the know-how and proficiency to take your SaaS product to the next level. They offer valuable counsel and leverage their extensive network of connections to help you establish a foothold in the market.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Sid Yenamandra, Founder and CEO of Surge Ventures, to discuss his journey of building a RegTech, ComplyTech, and PrivacyTech-focused venture studio. Sid talks about Surge Ventures and how it helps people, investing in tech to solve compliance risks for wealth management firms, risk management, and AI adoption in the wealth management industry.
Jason Barber is the Founder and CEO of Uptick Partners, a firm that helps advisors break away to become fully independent. He is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS) with over 12 years of experience in the financial services industry. Jason is also the Founder and CEO of Holistic Planning, a fee-only RIA focused on delivering massive value to clients. Before Holistic Planning, he served as a financial advisor at Edward Jones.
In this episode… Many financial advisors working in broker-dealer firms often feel they are not fully utilizing their expertise to help their clients. They aspire to break free from the broker-dealer dynamic and embark on their independent journey. However, it is an arduous task requiring time, effort, and resources.
Jason Barber, a Certified Financial Planner, was no exception to this dilemma. After working as a financial advisor for Edward Jones for many years, he realized it was time to start his own RIA service. The primary aim of his venture was to deliver exceptional value to his clients while minimizing the conflict of interest. Through his experiences, he helps other advisors unleash their potential as breakaway advisors and achieve independence.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Jason Barber, Founder and CEO of Uptick Partners, to discuss how to become a fee-only RIA. Jason explains how Uptick Partners helps people, why advisors become independent, the value of becoming a fee-only RIA, and technological recommendations for breakaway advisors.
Clifton Schaller is the Chief Growth Officer at FutureVault, a market-leading provider of secure document exchange and digital vault solutions for the financial services and wealth management industry. With a background in corporate development, product management, and strategic partnerships, he is responsible for driving the intersection of top-line growth and product strategy.
Clifton holds an impressive professional background, having previously served at prominent organizations including Capital One, Morningstar, and Nitrogen Wealth (formerly Riskalyze). He is also an advisory board member for Smart KX, a rising startup.
In this episode… In today's fast-paced business environment, efficiency is fundamental. As institutions, firms, and professionals continue navigating the new norm, digital vaults have emerged as a must-have technology for streamlining document-driven processes. These secure virtual storage solutions offer structure and security that traditional document storage cannot match.
Clifton Schaller, a notable figure in the emerging industry, says that digital vault technology can automate document-driven processes, reduce costs, and enhance client satisfaction. With secure access to critical information at their fingertips, institutions and professionals can make informed decisions faster, enabling them to stay ahead of the curve. He shares how they've built solutions designed to help the financial services industry keep its edge.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Clifton Schaller, Chief Growth Officer at FutureVault, to discuss the value of the digital vault technology. Clifton shares how FutureVault helps people, the value of using a third-party vault for client documents and compliance, how they use AI for document analysis and insights in wealth management, and career growth through confidence.
Jen Goldman is the Founder of My Virtual COO, a firm helping businesses transform their operations with less stress, struggles, and missteps. She has over 30 years of experience as a business operations transformer, having helped over 1000 businesses thrive. She has taught her methods at national conferences, and her work has been published by Inc Magazine, Tech Tools for Today’s High-Margin Practice, Liberated CEO, and trade publications.
In this episode… Growing a business is rewarding but stressful. It entails juggling multiple business operations — expertise many leaders and teams might not possess. That's why many companies face stagnation after their initial growth spurt.
Jen Goldman, a business operations transformer, says that one of the biggest challenges businesses face is scaling their operations and teams to match their growth and deliver great customer experiences. It's not enough to add more staff or resources — cohesive and effective operations in the company are also crucial. You need a well-planned strategy that will help you grow and improve your business sustainably. She shares how she helps service businesses identify, implement, and accelerate their scalability and growth.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Jen Goldman, Founder of My Virtual COO, to discuss how businesses can grow by transforming their operations. Jen talks about My Virtual COO, improving customer experience through technology and communication, the value of treating your employees well, and the giver personality.
Murray Gray is the Co-founder of Xperiencify, a platform helping course creators get more people to complete their online courses. He is the developer of the “Experiencification” methodology: a powerful combination of techniques from the fields of games, adult learning psychology, and the gambling industries.
A self-taught marketer and entrepreneur, Murray has made a career out of building software platforms to make life easier for other business owners. He is also the Founder of Engagify, and has previously founded and co-founded numerous companies such as Live Your Message, HeroicNow.com, Adicted.io, Fansflood, and others.
In this episode… Courses are one of the best ways to improve someone's skills or train employees. However, research shows that only about 3% of people who purchase online courses ever complete them. Gamifying the course could be a game-changer for you.
Serial entrepreneur Murray Gray is a course creator who has been releasing courses for years to help people transform their lives through education. With time, he discovered that only a handful of people who bought his course would finish it and get the desired results. This propelled him to find an easy and fun way to get more people to complete his online courses. He shares how he increased the course completion rates by leveraging games and human psychology in the course creation process.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Murray Gray, Co-founder of Xperiencify, to discuss how course creators can improve course completion rates. Murray discusses how Xperiencify helps people, its metrics for online course completion rates and how they impact sales, key things to improve course completion rates, and its ideal clients and customer success stories.
Sherry Winn is the Founder and CEO of The Winning Leadership Company, a firm specializing in developing leaders who inspire their teams to work at championship levels. She is a two-time Olympian, National Championship Basketball Coach of the Year, and a three-time Amazon best-selling author. Sherry is also an internationally renowned speaker who frequently addresses audiences such as StubHub, AnyTime Fitness, New York Life, Edward Jones, and Technicolor.
In this episode… Leading a team is no small feat. It requires a unique set of skills and qualities that not everyone possesses such as finding top talent, maintaining high loyalty, and taking your team to the next level. This is where working with a coach can be helpful.
With over 34 years of experience as a national championship basketball coach and two-time Olympian, Sherry Winn acknowledges that coaching is not just for athletes or performers. It's for anyone who wants to improve their skills and reach their full potential. A coach can help you understand who you are, how you appear to others, and what you need to do to increase productivity. With a coach, you can become a better leader and build stronger relationships with your team.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Sherry Winn, Founder and CEO of The Winning Leadership Company, to discuss leadership strategies that create Olympic-level teams. Sherry explains how The Winning Leadership Company helps people, the correlation between sports and business, the qualities of a good leader, and her pivotal moments in becoming a better leader.
Daniel Yoo is the Founder of FinMate AI, an AI note-taking assistant designed by financial advisors, for financial advisors. He spent the first seven years of his career as a financial advisor for renowned firms such as Equitable, TD Ameritrade, and Schwab before transitioning to lead operations and fintech. Drawing on his experience in the advisory and tech spaces, he has created valuable tools for the financial community. In addition, he holds his FINRA series license.
In this episode… As a financial advisor, taking accurate and detailed notes during client meetings is a crucial part of the job. However, it is a time-consuming task. Using AI can be a game-changer.
Renowned FinTech entrepreneur Daniel Yoo recognized that note-taking in meetings helped him better serve his clients. He developed an AI-powered platform to help advisors concentrate on their clients during meetings without worrying about recording every detail. This allows them to build stronger relationships with clients by valuing their time and input.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Daniel Yoo, Founder of FinMate AI, to discuss how advisors can leverage AI for taking notes in client meetings. Daniel explains how FinMate AI helps financial advisors take notes, the advantages of taking notes during meetings, insights on security with AI products, and customer success stories.
Joe Moss is the Co-founder of Pro Advisor Suite, a group of independent RIAs brought together to save money, simplify tech selection, and provide discounts on innovative tech solutions. He is the curator of Conneqtor, a community for financial advisors.
As an RIA operator and industry expert, Joe is committed to positioning financial advisors and advisory tech companies for success in the digital world. He equips them with the tools, innovation, and community they require — enabling them to focus on delivering exceptional client care.
In this episode… As a financial advisor, consistently growing your business can be a challenge. It entails building a client base, juggling finances, staying up-to-date on industry trends, and maintaining profit. Fortunately, the community business model can help you overcome these challenges.
One of the biggest challenges of growing a business as a financial advisor is staying relevant in a rapidly changing industry. Joe Moss says that by joining an RIA community, you can stay on top of the latest trends and best practices. You can learn from other advisors who have successfully navigated the financial industry and tap into their knowledge and experience. By staying connected, you can position yourself as a trusted advisor and build a loyal client base.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Joe Moss, Co-founder of Pro Advisor Suite, to discuss how financial advisors can scale by joining a community. Joe discusses how Pro Advisor Suite helps people, the community business model, how to build and manage a community, and the Conneqtor.
Eric Bourget is the Founder and CEO of HalfSerious, a renowned product innovation studio known for its exceptional creativity and unrivaled technological expertise. The company specializes in designing and creating bespoke software solutions that enable businesses to achieve their growth.
With a strong background in the video game industry, Eric brings a unique blend of creativity and technical insights to his work at HalfSerious. He is a highly sought-after speaker who addresses topics such as the role of design in business, nurturing passion in the workplace,, and the impact of AI on business operations.
In this episode… The business space is rapidly evolving in the digital age and companies that fail to keep up risk falling behind their competitors. Digital transformation has crucial for long-term success, helping companies achieve greater growth and streamline their operations. By embracing transformation, businesses can potentially improve their agility, efficiency, and customer experience.
While technology can be complex, tech expert Eric Bourget suggests that the user experience should be intuitive and user-friendly.. As a tech developer company, involving clients in the development process is crucial. You can gain valuable insights that help you create customized solutions to address their unique challenges and opportunities. By tailoring the technology to each business’ specific requirements, you can ensure that it delivers the maximum value for all involved.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Eric Bourget, Founder and CEO of HalfSerious, to discuss digital transformation for businesses. Eric explains how HalfSerious helps people, how to get companies to adopt new tech, and shares his insights on using AI in businesses.
Valarie Vest is the Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer of Cambridge Investment Research, an internally-controlled financial solutions firm dedicated to serving independent financial advisors and their clients. The company offers a range of flexible solutions, including advising, growth, technology, independence, and more.
Valarie has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Additionally, she's a corporate innovator and leadership coach who works directly with financial professionals and associates to identify emerging trends and translate insights into actionable strategies.
In this episode… Building a successful practice as an independent financial advisor can be daunting. It's no longer enough to offer sound financial advice — clients expect more from their advisors. They want personalized service and seamless experiences.
Valarie Vest, an expert in the field, says that the key to success as a financial advisor is creating exceptional customer experiences. Through this, advisors can attract more clients, retain existing ones, and establish a base of loyal, satisfied customers. Unfortunately, not all financial advisors possess the expertise to create these lasting impressions. She recommends partnering with firms that offer advice, technology, and growth strategies to enable advisors to serve their clients better.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Valarie Vest, Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer of Cambridge Investment Research, to discuss how financial advisors can thrive through better customer experiences. Valarie talks about how Cambridge, the foundational tools for connecting with customers, and how to design better experiences as a financial advisor.
Jonathan Michael is the Founder and CEO of Wealth I/O, a firm helping independent RIAs capture new clients with AI-powered marketing technology. With over 10 years as a MarTech executive, he has a proven track record of building and growing successful AI and digital marketing companies.
Jonathan is a keynote speaker and a contributing writer for Entrepreneur Media and StartUs. He also holds the Transformation Entrepreneurship Award for his achievements and impact as a founder.
In this episode… As the financial industry evolves, clients are becoming more sophisticated and demanding when managing their wealth. Acquiring these clients as an advisor is becoming a challenge. Leveraging AI in your marketing as an RIA can be the missing piece..
Jonathan Michael, a tech guru in the financial services world, says that keeping up with the latest technologies positions you to attract and retain clients. One of the fastest-growing tech tools is AI. RIAs that embrace AI are well-positioned to differentiate themselves in a crowded market, attract more leads, and convert them into loyal clients.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Jonathan Michael, Founder and CEO of Wealth I/O, to discuss AI for wealth management marketing. Jonathan talks about Wealth I/O and how it helps people, how it uses AI to help generate leads, its business model, and ideal clients.
Whit Lanier is the Founder and CEO of Amplify Reviews, the market leader for collecting and publishing verified first-party and third-party reviews online. His previous startup was a healthcare review technology vendor that processed over 60 million patient reviews by 2021. Additionally, he has achieved a black belt in jujitsu and recorded music albums in two different bands.
In this episode… The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently updated its marketing regulations, and as a result, financial advisors can now incorporate testimonials and endorsements into their marketing strategies. Now the voice of your customers can do the marketing for you.
Nowadays, online reputations play a crucial role in shaping the prospects’ choices of firms. Marketing expert Whit Lanier says that by leveraging online reviews, you turn your clients into online promoters of your business. With a compliance-first approach, there is no easier or lower-risk way for advisors to embrace client testimonials and take advantage of the new opportunities.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Whit Lanier, Founder and CEO of Amplify Reviews, to discuss how financial advisors can harness the power of online ratings and reviews. Whit explains how Amplify Reviews helps people, why financial advisors fear customer reviews, the value of using customer reviews in financial advisor marketing, and the process for collecting reviews for advisors.
Reed Colley is the Co-founder and CEO of Summit Wealth Systems, a firm specializing in assisting advisors and their clients by utilizing innovative technology to cultivate mindsets and keep them on track. With over 20 years in the tech industry, he began his career with Black Diamond Performance Reporting in 2003 — the first cloud-based portfolio management system. Reed has also founded, invested in, and provided advisory services to multiple technology companies.
In this episode… The wealth management technology industry experiences constant evolution. If you want to take your practice to the next level, it's time to embrace the power of modern technology and explore its benefits.
According to Reed Colley, modern wealth management has transformed in recent years with the rise of new technologies and the changing demands of clients. Unfortunately, many of the legacy systems that have been in use for decades have not kept up with these changes, leaving advisors struggling to meet the needs of their clients. Discovering this challenge, Reed shares his journey of creating a platform to replace these outdated systems to offer greater efficiency and growth.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Reed Colley, Co-founder and CEO of Summit Wealth Systems, to discuss how advisors can leverage technology. Reed shares his journey of creating a human-centered platform, how financial advisors leverage Summit Wealth Systems, and the role of technology in financial advising.
Jeff Schwantz is the Chief Revenue Officer of Advisor360°, a holistic wealth management platform that helps enterprises and advisors accelerate their digital transformation. He is responsible for the company’s revenue generation strategy, execution, and go-to-market approach. With over 24 years of experience in the financial services industry, Jeff frequently presents at industry conferences, executive roundtables, workshops, and seminars. Previously, he has held executive roles at Morningstar, eMoney Advisor, BNY Mellon Pershing, and many more.
In this episode… In today's fast-paced and ever-changing financial landscape, wealth management has become increasingly more complex. As a result, financial advisors face numerous challenges when managing and growing their businesses. Burgeoning financial technology might be the solution.
Financial expert Jeff Schwantz says that by leveraging technology, financial advisors can increase revenue, streamline operations, and reduce costs. However, despite the benefits of technology, many financial advisors remain hesitant to adopt new tools and processes. Some fear that technology will replace the human touch while others worry about the cost and complexity. So how can technology be used wisely to meet the evolving needs of clients?
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Jeff Schwantz, Chief Revenue Officer of Advisor360°, to discuss how financial advisors can thrive through technology. Jeff talks about Advisor360° and how it helps people, simplifying how financial advisors onboard their clients, and the ideal clients for Advisor360°.
Babu Sivadasan is the Co-founder & CEO of JIFFY.ai, a full-stack platform that enables banks, financial services companies, and Fortune 500 organizations to solve their pressing operational and efficiency challenges. He has more than 20 years of experience working in engineering, including six years as Group President at Envestnet. Previously, Babu was the Co-founder of Stamps.com, which provided all the functions of the Post Office on a computer.
In this episode… In today's fast-paced business world, staying competitive demands swift adaptation to better technologies. However, not everyone has the technical know-how to execute innovative concepts. That's where an AI-powered assistant comes in.
The power of automation is undeniable, and AI is at the forefront of the revolution. Whether you are looking to improve customer experience or streamline operations, Babu Sivadasan recommends harnessing AI's advanced capabilities. With it, you can simplify complex processes, save time, boost productivity, and achieve more than you ever thought possible.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Babu Sivadasan, Co-founder & CEO of JIFFY.ai, to discuss how financial services companies can thrive by leveraging AI. Babu explains how JIFFY helps people, its connection with other FinTech products, AI-driven software development, and recommendations for choosing an AI-driven product.
Louis Retief is the Co-founder and CEO of Hubly, a process management system that provides efficiency and visibility to financial advisory firms. With five years of experience in the robo-advisory space, he developed a passion for helping advisors enhance the delivery of their services. As a leader, he guides his team through challenges and creates a culture of courage and integrity. He is also a venture mentor at entrepreneurship@UBC and an advisory board member at AMS of UBC Vancouver.
In this episode… As a financial advisor, providing the best service to your clients is your duty. However, sometimes it feels like there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. You need a tool that can streamline your business processes and give you the visibility to stay on top of things.
According to Louis Retief, financial advisors are juggling multiple tasks to achieve success. They are burning out and failing. However, having a process management system in place can help them. This way you can simplify your processes, improve your efficiency, and focus on what matters.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Louis Retief, Co-founder and CEO of Hubly, to discuss how to unleash the power of effortless financial technology. Louis talks about Hubly, how its product development aligns with the culture and habits of its clients, its business model, and its ideal client profile.
Rocky Chugani is the Owner and Designer of Rocky's Custom Clothes. He is an expert tailor specializing in custom-made, bespoke garments for the individual. Rocky's clients include renowned Hollywood celebrities such as Steve Harvey, Jay Leno, Jeff Probst, Maurice Chestnut, and many more. For the past 35 years, he has strived to maintain the highest standards in custom clothing, comparable to designers such as Zegna, Armani, and Karuna Khaitan.
In this episode… Your appearance speaks volumes about your professionalism and expertise. Whether you're meeting with clients, networking with industry peers, or presenting in front of a room full of people, you want to look your best. When you look good, you feel good, and this boost in confidence can help you deliver more value to your clients.
It's no secret that successful professionals always put their best foot forward, and looking sharp is a crucial part of that strategy. Rocky Chugani says that professionals always look their best by investing in custom-made, bespoke garments from expert tailors. These skilled experts specialize in creating unique pieces that fit their bodies perfectly and accentuate their best features. By investing in your appearance, you're investing in your ability to deliver more value to your clients.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Rocky Chugani, Owner and Designer of Rocky's Custom Clothes, to discuss how dressing translates to service. Rocky explains how Rocky's Custom Clothes helps people, why choose custom-made clothes, tricks and techniques for delivering affordable quality products, and the fashion trends in the financial industry.
Mamal Amini is the Co-founder and CEO of GovernGPT, an AI that understands financial sector regulations for the SEC and FINRA. It reviews marketing materials for sales communications and provides real-time feedback at the point of creation. Mamal is an AI scientist holding an MS in computer science from McGill University.
In this episode… Compliance in the financial services industry is essential. It's not just about following rules and regulations, it's also about protecting your clients and your business. With so many regulations to keep up with, it's essential to have a tool to help you stay compliant.
According to Mamal Amini, using an AI tool that reviews content as your team creates it can save time and reduce the risk of compliance issues. An AI tool can identify problems, suggest alternatives, and give consistent feedback to content creators. He shares his journey of creating an AI tool to do exactly that.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Mamal Amini, Co-founder and CEO of GovernGPT, to discuss how AI can help you stay compliant in the financial services industry. Mamal talks about AI-powered compliance review tools, GovernGPT, building an AI that acts like a Chief Compliance Officer, and advice for building a successful AI business.
Chuck Failla is the Founder and CEO of Sovereign Financial Group, an independent and family-owned RIA firm that delivers integrated and unbiased advice for their clients. He is a financial planner with over 25 years of experience. Chuck is also the Director of Sovereign Advisors Solutions and serves on the Board of Directors for the Financial Planning Association of Connecticut. He is the Host of the goRIA Podcast with Investment News.
In this episode… Building wealth, safeguarding your family, and securing your assets is critical for your financial future. Yet with so many unknowns, it can be challenging to know where to start. Hiring an RIA firm might be the solution.
With your financial future, you deserve more than someone picking out investments for you. Chuck Failla recommends working with an RIA firm, experts who can offer unbiased advice for your financial needs and create integrated plans tailored to your unique goals. He shares his journey building an RIA firm to work with people, coordinate their investments, help with taxes and liabilities, and even plan for their estate or legacy.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Chuck Failla, Founder and CEO of Sovereign Financial Group, to discuss tips for wealth management. Chuck shares his journey of growing a financial planning and investment management firm, Sovereign’s business model, and why people should go RIA.
Gabe Rissman is the Co-founder and President of YourStake, a firm that provides technology solutions that power personalization for advisors. He holds a BS in computational astrophysics from Yale, where he also led Yale's fossil fuel divestment movement and managed the Socially Responsible Investing Fund. Under his leadership.
Gabe is a board member of the Intentional Endowments Network and a member of the Adasina Social Justice Index Committee. He was named 30 under 30 in Socially Responsible Investing and is a WealthManagement.com 2022 Ten to Watch.
In this episode… As a financial advisor, growing your practice can be a challenging endeavor. With ever-changing market conditions, shifting client needs, and the pressure to stay on top of regulatory requirements, it can be hard to focus on growing your business. However, leveraging AI can be a game-changer.
With the right tools and technology, you can streamline your client prospecting, reporting, and portfolio analytics, freeing up more time to focus on providing personalized service to clients. However, finding the right tools can be a hassle. Gabe Rissman recommends working with a firm that offers a suite of tools designed for advisors.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Gabe Rissman, Co-founder and President of YourStake, to discuss how advisors can thrive through AI. Gabe shares the benefits of using YourStake AI-powered software as an advisor, creating an environmental and social governance impact, and how YourStake improves customer experience and satisfaction.
Alane Boyd is the Co-founder and President of BGBO Co., an operations and growth strategy agency utilizing AI and automation to improve efficiency for their clients. She is also the CEO of Arvo, an AI-powered sales tool. As a serial entrepreneur, Alane has been featured in Entrepreneur, HuffPost, South by Southwest, PBS, Today in Nashville, and many more.
In this episode… In today's fast-paced and competitive business landscape, simplifying workflows and reducing employee burnout are fundamental for business success. Using AI to automate your business processes can help solve these issues for your organization.
According to Alane Boyd, work automation has been around for quite some time now, yet many organizations still hesitate to embrace it. People fear losing their jobs, and entrepreneurs face the perceived complexity of implementing automation. She says automation can help individuals focus on more creative and meaningful goals while reducing the burden of repetitive and mundane tasks. That's why she recommends hiring an agency that utilizes AI and automation, allowing you to focus on growing your business and achieving your goals.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Alane Boyd, Co-founder and President of BGBO Co., to discuss how businesses can thrive through work automation. Alane talks about the perceived obstacles, the importance of automating your business processes, and leveraging AI in work automation.
Ryan Shanks is the Co-founder and CEO of FA Match, the industry’s only data-driven solution for advisor recruiting. Previously, he was the Founder and CEO of Finetooth Consulting, which provided transition consulting, outsourced recruiting, and succession planning to financial advisors within the United States.
With over 22 years of experience in financial services, Ryan began his career by establishing The Swivel Group, a boutique consulting firm geared toward recruiting services.
In this episode… How you serve your clients as an advisor determines how successful you become. Being in the right environment is crucial for better service, as it helps you and your clients feel comfortable and can take your advisory career to the next level.
However, most advisors feel they don't have the freedom to put their expertise to work, which increases their desire to transition to other firms or become independent. The transition process itself can pose a unique set of challenges. Ryan Shanks recommends hiring a firm that offers career management planning services to build more meaningful and more profitable connections.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Ryan Shanks, Co-founder and CEO of FA Match, to discuss how to successfully transition firms or become an independent advisor. Ryan talks about the key metrics advisors look for during firm selection, the FA Match business model, and success tips for a transitioning advisor.
Frank Cowell is the Chief Revenue Officer of Revenue Ranch, a coaching and training organization for professional service firms. With 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, he works closely with founders to help them achieve predictable revenue, more profit, and personal freedom.
Before Revenue Ranch, Frank was the CEO of Digitopia Agency. He is also the best-selling author of "Building Your Digital Utopia," where he introduced a concept that helps brands create digital experiences to accelerate growth systematically.
In this episode… Growing a business as an agency owner can be challenging but achievable. Seeking support from experts in this field can help you do this effectively and efficiently.
However, it's essential to realize that growth barriers are common. Frank Cowell recommends working with a coaching and training organization to help you implement a strategy and management methodology. This will enable you to overcome unexpected obstacles and achieve consistent growth, predictable revenue, more profit, and personal freedom.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Frank Cowell, Chief Revenue Officer of Revenue Ranch, to discuss how agency owners can achieve sustainable growth. Frank explains how to delegate tasks as an entrepreneur, the seven core functions of the business, tips for achieving mental freedom as a business owner, and brand-building strategies.
Kara McKeage is the CEO of Pepper’s Personal Assistants, a brand that serves busy executive households by outsourcing their errands, chores, and projects. As founder, she firmly believes that receiving support is not a luxury but a necessity for successful people. She is the Accelerator Communications Lead Board Member at Entrepreneur’s Organization and has volunteered her time at several non-profits over the years.
In this episode… Balancing work and household responsibilities can be overwhelming for a busy executive. The constant juggling can leave professionals feeling drained and overworked. Hiring a household assistant can be a much-needed solution to the problem.
Kara McKeage believes that receiving support is not a luxury but a necessity for successful people. With the help of a household assistant, you can delegate some of the household tasks and responsibilities to them, leaving you with more time to focus on your work and personal life. However, it's essential to go through an agency that provides extensive training and ongoing support to their assistants to ensure they are properly equipped and reliable.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Kara McKeage, CEO of Pepper’s Personal Assistants, to discuss running an agency to provide ongoing household management for busy professionals. Kara explains how Pepper’s Personal Assistants helps people, its business model, how she builds a team highly specialized to their client’s needs, and the communication tips they use for better service.
Ben Pidgeon is the Executive Director of VisionTech Partners, an angel investing group where inventors, entrepreneurs, investors, and universities converge to develop innovative technologies. He focuses on recruiting qualified investors, screening investment opportunities, hosting pitch events, and overseeing the group’s stringent due diligence process.
Before joining VisionTech, Ben spent 15 years in the banking industry. He was also the former President and current board member of the Venture Club of Indiana.
In this episode… Angel investing is a great way to support innovative ideas and help entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. As an investor, joining a network of like-minded people is essential to make a lasting impact and achieve your financial goals.
The risk of losing money, however, is a serious and rightful concern. Ben Pidgeon recommends joining an angel investing group to learn from and collaborate with experienced investors and entrepreneurs. Whether you are a seasoned investor or just starting, having a network can allow for pooling resources, sharing collective experience, and help identify promising startups.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Ben Pidgeon, Executive Director of VisionTech Partners, to discuss his journey running an angel investing group. Ben explains how VisionTech finds investors to join the group, the investment strategies, and shares advice for entrepreneurs seeking angel funding.
Mike Jalonen is the Founder and CEO of Habit Driven, a cutting-edge mobile app currently in development and set to revolutionize how people form habits and reach their goals. He is an entrepreneur with over two decades of experience building marketing and technology companies. Mike is also the Co-founder and Partner of AI Wizdom, an AI education and innovation school that helps people become proficient in AI.
In this episode… At the end of the day, people are the sum of their daily practices. So revolutionizing how we approach habit-building is fundamental to achieving our goals.
According to Mike Jalonen, it's essential for people to eliminate guesswork or inconsistency in their habit-tracking routine. However, there are many habit-tracking apps available that are unhelpful. He recommends finding an app with AI integration designed to help identify, track, and improve habits for a happier and more productive life. With AI-powered assistance, the app can adapt to people's unique needs and goals, providing tailored recommendations and reminders to keep them on track.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Mike Jalonen, Founder and CEO of Habit Driven, to discuss how people can thrive by improving their habits. Mike explains how Habit Driven helps people, how it differentiates itself with AI integration, its business model, and tips for building a successful app.
Caity Cronkhite is the CEO and Founder of Good Words, a technical communications consulting firm based in Seattle, Washington and remotely around the globe. She attended Carnegie Mellon University and moved west to work as a technical writer and eventually as an entrepreneur. She also serves as Communication Chair for Seattle’s Entrepreneurs’ Organization and is on the Leadership Council for the National Small Business Association.
Caity is passionate about using her personal and professional experience to uplift others, which includes advocating for rural policy change, increased labor protections for freelance workers, and empowering employees with meaningful career opportunities.
In this episode… Technical documentation plays a crucial role in any organization. It can make life far simpler for your customers, developers, and employees while also contributing to the success of your organization.
With technical documentation, Caity Cronkhite recommends hiring experts who can deliver world-class API, product, and internal documentation. They ensure that your documentation is quality and is easy to understand at each stage of the process. If you haven't already, it's time to invest in world-class technical documentation and see the difference it can make for your organization.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Caity Cronkhite, CEO and Founder of Good Words, to discuss how companies can thrive through good technical documentation. Caity shares the keys to documentation, the best practices for writing for customers, and the impacts of AI on technical writing and documentation.
Jonathan Miller is the CEO of Parsonex Enterprises, a group of companies that provide financial products, services, and solutions to investors. He is a passionate entrepreneur and executive, specializing in creating and developing businesses as well as establishing effective marketing systems. His 20+ years of experience and visionary approach helps him to recruit and train financial advisers. He was also the executive producer of Publish or Perish, an award-winning dark comedy film.
In this episode… When managing your finances, it's crucial to have a trusted advisor who can provide the products, services, and solutions you need to build and protect wealth. With the help of a financial advisor, you can develop a comprehensive plan that considers your goals, risk tolerance, and financial situation.
Jonathan Miller believes the overwhelming number of financial products can make it challenging to know which ones are right for you. He shares his journey of establishing a firm that provides financial advice and assistance to people, as well as helping advisors build strong client-advisor relationships.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Jonathan Miller, CEO of Parsonex Enterprises, to discuss how to thrive in the wealth management industry. Jonathan explains how Parsonex helps people in the financial services industry, how to build a successful financial services firm through partnerships, tips for creating company culture, and advice for achieving success as an entrepreneur.
Robert Kirk is the Founder and CEO of InterGen Data, a prediction and analysis company that uses AI to help financial professionals prepare clients for impactful life events. He is an accomplished technologist, leader, and industry expert in wealth management. With over 30 years of wealth management experience, Robert has led several firms in technology implementation and played a critical role in helping those firms grow.
In this episode… As we navigate life, significant events are bound to happen, including retirement, critical illness, or inheritance. While we cannot predict precisely when these events will occur, it is entirely possible to prepare for them. However, many are completely unprepared for their future.
This is what Robert Kirk discovered after his grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and had to move into a long-term care facility. To help others avoid this, he built a company that uses predictive analytics and machine learning to analyze data and provide insights into potential future events. The insights help individuals make informed decisions about their financial future. Financial advisors can also provide personalized advice and recommendations based on the predictions and their client's unique situation.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Robert Kirk, Founder and CEO of InterGen Data, to discuss the use of AI to predict the future and financially plan for it. Robert talks about InterGen Data and what it does, the challenges of running a software company, and its success stories.
Charlie Clark is the Chief Revenue Officer of FP Alpha, the first AI-driven wealth management tool for financial advisors. He kickstarted his career at eMoney Advisor, where he served as SVP of Sales and Business Development until its acquisition by Fidelity Investments. With over 20 years of experience in the fintech industry, Charlie has a proven track record of building and leading successful sales teams.
In this episode… Providing financial advice to clients is a time-consuming process. With so many documents to go through and varying client needs to consider, keeping up with everything can be daunting. Fortunately, the power of artificial intelligence technology can make this process much easier and more efficient.
According to Charlie Clark, leveraging AI technology as a financial advisor can help you advance to the next level. With its help, you can quickly sift through large amounts of data to identify the most relevant information for each client. It means you save time, stay relevant, and deliver advice tailored to each individual's needs. The possibilities of AI today are ever-growing, so here is what you need to know
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Charlie Clark, Chief Revenue Officer of FP Alpha, to discuss the value of leveraging AI technology in the wealth management industry. Charlie explains how FP Alpha uses AI to help financial advisors become better, the challenges of using AI, tips for measuring success as a FinTech firm, and advice for salespeople in the space.
George Salmas is the Managing Principal of The Food Lawyers, a law firm providing legal services to all businesses specializing in the food industry. He earned his law degree from UCLA and was a Navy Lieutenant JAG officer handling courts-martial in Greece, Spain, Morocco, and even ships at sea. George has over 25 years of experience in total representing US and multinational food companies.
In this episode… There is a lot of legal pressure on the people who manage or own a company in the food industry. So where can one get legal support to avoid the stress?
Food law is very complicated and confusing for the uninitiated. It entails dealing with many things, including FDA and USDA regulatory issues, class action defense, trademarks, contracts, litigation, and many more details. George Salmas recommends hiring law firms that work intimately with the food industry — experts that understand the sector to offer them full-service representation and help them flourish.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with George Salmas, Managing Principal of The Food Lawyers, to discuss his journey in food law. George explains the reasons for niching into the food industry, tips for gaining clients’ trust, The Food Lawyers’ customer success stories, and how to win more customers.
Tamara Williams is the Owner and Principal Transition Consultant of The Williams Consulting Group, where she assists financial advisors by managing the process of transitioning their current book of business to another firm. She started her career at Merrill Lynch, eventually becoming the Director of Transitions for an independent broker-dealer, where she learned and experienced the back office piece of how transitioning process works. Tamara received her formal education from Oakwood University in Huntsville, AL, graduating in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in finance with a minor in accounting.
In this episode… As a financial advisor, are you planning to transition your book of business to another broker-dealer? Where can you get the assistance required to make the shift experience faster, easier, and smoother?
Transferring a book of business to another firm is a very complex and multifaceted process. Tamara Williams recommends hiring transition consultants, experts who help advisors streamline the procedures, identify the challenges, and improve their pain points. She shares her journey developing a go-to resource for transitioning advisors while minimizing any business disruptions.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Tamara Williams, Owner and Principal Transition Consultant of The Williams Consulting Group, to discuss how advisors can seamlessly transition to another firm. Tamara explains the challenges advisors face when switching firms, advice for financial advisors thinking of transitioning, the value of creating strong relationships with clients as an advisor, and their process for simplifying the transition experience.
Mark Firmin is the President and COO of ACOM Solutions, a company with a long and successful history of developing, distributing, and supporting integrated B2B software solutions. He is also the CEO of eTreem, a firm that delivers integrated receivables and payment processing for US-based businesses.
Mark is a transformative and results-driven B2B tech leader known for his ability to drive short and long-term strategic goals. He has completed four successful exits, including a b2b FinTech acquired by American Express.
In this episode… Account receivables is a complex aspect of business that can easily become problematic. So how do you solve the issues that arise as a result?
There are many things to consider for a company to run its account receivables smoothly. They include accuracy, speed, cost, quality, and internal controls, which might be difficult for a team to handle. Mark Firm shares his journey building a SaaS-based platform that automates most steps to simplify the process.
Listen to this episode of The Customer Wins as host Rich Walker welcomes Mark Firmin, President and COO of ACOM Solutions, to discuss how companies can successfully run their account receivables. Mark explains how ACOM Solutions and eTreem help customers with their account receivables, their ideal customer profile, why they focus on accounts receivable, and the importance of listening to your customers.
Chip Kispert is the Founder and Managing Partner of Beacon Strategies, LLC, a consulting firm servicing broker-dealers, asset managers, and supporting vendors. He is a 20-year veteran of the broker-dealer and asset management marketplace. Chip specializes in data management-centric supply strategy and implementation expertise in the form of infrastructure evolution. Before Beacon, he was Vice-President of Sales for Trust Company of America and held senior sales and business development roles at Fidelity Investments for four years.
In this episode… The enterprise wealth management industry is constantly evolving, posing obstacles and opportunities. As an advisor, how can you identify and avoid these impediments and make your firm more profitable and productive?
According to Chip Kispert, it's fundamental for an advisor to collaborate with enterprise wealth firm leaders, marketplace solution providers, and other prominent industry experts. For this to happen, they need support, people who can coach them through disruptive times, aligning business strategy and vision. He shares his journey as the bridge between enterprise wealth firms and solution providers.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Chip Kispert, Founder and Managing Partner of Beacon Strategies, LLC, to discuss how to be relevant in the dynamic enterprise wealth management industry. Chip explains how Beacon Strategies help wealth management firms, the value of understanding your own processes, the challenges advisors want to solve, and the Beacon Strategies’ roundtables.
Adam Isrow is the President of Hotel Operations at Wolff Urban Management, a real estate acquisition, investment, development, and management firm. He is an experienced business leader with a proven background in software development, business operations, customer acquisition, and relationship management for global hospitality technology companies.
Adam co-founded GoConcierge and grew it to become the largest concierge software company in the world. It was later acquired by ALICE (an Expedia Company), the leading hospitality operations platform, to augment its technology and customer service offering in 2017.
In this episode… Do you find it challenging to excel in the hotel industry? How can you ensure guests receive the best possible service and experience?
Running a hotel or restaurant involves various aspects, such as guest services, front desk management, housekeeping, security, and task tracking. It can be overwhelming for the staff, particularly concierges. Adam Isrow, the President of Hotel Operations at Wolff Urban Management, shares his journey of creating a tool that focuses on guest response and task management.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Adam Isrow to discuss his entrepreneurial journey of creating GoConcierge, a tool that helps hotels thrive. Adam talks about how GoConcierge helps people, the significance of speaking your customers' language, the importance of a concierge, and tips for being a good leader and fostering a healthy company culture.
Parham Nasseri is the Vice President of Product and Regulatory Strategy for InvestorCOM, a leading provider of regulatory compliance software and communications solutions for the financial services industry. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with an MBA from the Schulich School of Business.
Parham has progressive experience in data-centric roles relating to technology and finance. He is involved in the Canadian RegTech Association, CFA Society Toronto, and was the Chair of The Canadian Advocacy Council.
In this episode… As an investor, are you hesitant to make financial decisions because of the complex regulatory requirements in the industry? How can you meet your regulatory obligations and drive better financial decisions?
The regulatory requirements in the financial services industry are constantly evolving. It calls for innovative solutions to be able to comply efficiently and intuitively. According to Parham Nasseri, you can take the guesswork out of making compliant product recommendations through technology. He shares how they help wealth and asset managers turn compliance into a strategic advantage.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Parham Nasseri, Vice President of Product and Regulatory Strategy for InvestorCOM, to discuss tips for addressing compliance requirements in the financial service industry. Parham talks about how to adopt regulatory requirements through tech, the value of client feedback on the product development cycle, and the impacts of AI on the regulatory and compliance environment.
Mike Row is the Chief Revenue Officer of Future Capital, a firm connecting anyone working toward retirement with the tools, services, and guidance they need to retire with confidence. Before Future Capital, Mike spent over three decades at Pershing, acting both as an advocate for clients within the company and as a trusted senior representative of the firm. Throughout his journey, he has gained a well-rounded perspective of wealth and institutional businesses in the financial services industry.
In this episode… As a financial advisor, are you looking for people preparing for retirement? How can you foster a good relationship and help them navigate their financial futures?
It's most people's dream to retire with confidence. They understand the value of saving for retirement but know little about planning. Through active listening and good communication skills, you can win their trust as an advisor, help them understand their current financial situation, and plan the next steps toward the retirement they want.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Mike Row, Chief Revenue Officer of Future Capital, to discuss the value of active listening and good communication in the financial services industry. Mike talks about Future Capital and his professional journey at Pershing, tips for having active listening skills as an advisor, the value of good communication in a business, and the impact of AI on communication.
Shabana Nathoo is a Wealth Management Advisor at Navigo Wealth Management, an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm based in Texas. She is a Certified Financial Planner, Certified Digital Asset Advisor, and a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst working with family law attorneys and individuals going through the divorce process. Shabana also teaches at Rice University through the CFP program with over 18 years of experience helping clients achieve their financial planning and investment goals.
In this episode… Are you confident in where you stand financially? What can you do to prepare for the future?
Shabana Nathoo recommends hiring a wealth management advisor, professionals that will help you understand and reach your financial objectives. She shares her journey of wealth management services tailored to individuals' needs.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, host Rich Walker welcomes Shabana Nathoo, a Wealth Management Advisor at Navigo Wealth Management, to discuss how people can better plan for their futures financially. Shabana explains how Navigo Wealth Management helps people, why she empowers women through wealth management, and how she helps her customers win.
Geoff Moore is the CIO of Valmark Financial Group, a financial services agency working exclusively with entrepreneurial wealth management firms to meet its clients' unique and ever-changing needs. He leads a team of experts who use technology to solve business challenges and manage the cybersecurity of Valmark and its member firms. Geoff has over 20 years of experience in technology and financial services and was selected to the Surge Ventures Industry Council for his expertise in cybersecurity for financial service firms in 2022.
In this episode… The financial service industry is constantly evolving. So what can you do as an independent financial advisor to keep up and serve your clients?
According to Geoff Moore, wealth management firms can partner with agencies to help them achieve operational excellence, mitigate risks, and grow. Since the whole industry is evolving, these agencies also need experts to help them better serve these advisors. As a technology and financial services guru, Geoff shares how he supports his company in maneuvering the tech world to grow and become a support service for the industry’s top tier of financial advisors.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Geoff Moore, CIO of Valmark Financial Group. Geoff explains how Valmark helps people and what it prioritizes internally to serve its clients better. He also shares how he got into technology, how he supports the growth of Valmark, and the correlation between building operational excellence and customer experience.
Aaron Klein is the Co-founder and CEO of Nitrogen, a growth platform for wealth management firms. He has led the company to twice being named one of the world’s top 10 most innovative companies in finance by Fast Company Magazine.
Aaron is also the Co-founder of Hope Takes Root, an initiative to use vocational training and life mentoring to change the future for orphans and at-risk kids in Ethiopia. He is an Investment News honoree of the industry’s top 40 Under 40 executives.
In this episode… Do you want to transform a hesitant investor into a capable one that makes remarkable decisions? How can you do so as a financial advisor?
The wealth management industry is one of the most challenging industries to be in. Optimal returns are held back from a fear of losing their money. According to Aaron Klein, great financial advisors need clients willing to make bold decisions to create long-term financial outcomes. Learn how to turn your clients into gutsy investors as a financial advisor.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Aaron Klein, Co-founder and CEO of Nitrogen, to discuss how he helps wealth management firms succeed. Aaron talks about Nitrogen and how it helps people, the challenges and mistakes financial advisors make and how to overcome them, and the journey of building Nitrogen and the rebrand.
Austin Netzley is the Founder and CEO of 2X, a firm that works with six and seven-figure entrepreneurs in one-on-one coaching programs to help them scale. In less than three years, he and the 2X team have helped clients generate over $255 million while in the 2X hands-on coaching programs. Austin is an entrepreneur, investor, and author of From 6 To 7 Figures. Before 2X, he was the Founder and CEO of Epic Book Launch and Game Changers.
In this episode… Are you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, and not making progress as a six or seven-figure business owner? How can you drive consistent growth, make an impact, and have the best business along the way?
Most small business owners tend to focus on the wrong things while trying to grow their brands. To scale with consistency and control, you should simplify your strategies and build and systemize your operational excellence. Austin Netzley shares his journey of helping entrepreneurs achieve sustainable business growth.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Austin Netzley, Founder and CEO of 2X, to discuss the better and simpler way to scale. Austin explains how 2X helps entrepreneurs scale, its customer success stories, how to delegate tasks, give up control, and still deliver on customer experience as entrepreneurs, and his thoughts on AI.
Justin Krane is the Founder of Krane Financial Solutions, a firm known for its strategic and holistic approach to financial planning. As a financial planner professional, he counsels clients on marrying their financial resources with their life goals and business ventures.
Before establishing Krane Financial Solutions, Justin spent 12 years as a Vice President of Investments and Sales Manager at UBS Financial Services Inc. His Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation further underscores his proficiency in financial management.
In this episode… Do you ever ponder how your personal principles align with your professional journey? Have you questioned how to seamlessly merge your passion and purpose with your business model?
Justin Krane, Founder of Krane Financial Solutions, exemplifies this balance perfectly. As a financial planner, he's built a reputation for blending financial savvy with an introspective, empathetic approach. This equilibrium between 'the numbers' and 'the human element' distinguishes Justin in a field often perceived as solely data-driven.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, host Richard Walker engages in an enlightening conversation with Justin Krane. They delve into a range of topics from Justin's unique methodology to his emphasis on 'Return on Life' as opposed to just return on investment. Justin discusses how he integrates his philosophy of life into his work with clients, fostering deep connections and helping them make informed decisions, and the importance of staying focused on the human connection.
Marc Butler is the Founder and Consultant of Marc Butler Consultancy, a consultancy firm that helps wealth management and wealth tech firms improve their growth and performance. He is a respected global business and financial services executive with demonstrated success in start-ups and financial technology companies.
Marc is also a contributing writer at Advisor Perspectives, the leading interactive publisher for wealth managers and financial advisors. He was previously the President of Skience and is an active board member at Future Capital, SIGNiX, and AdvisorBid.
In this episode… Do you wish to unlock your potential and make your wealth management firm more efficient and scalable? What can you do to improve your growth and performance?
Financial services professionals encounter challenges while fully helping their customers transform their finances. Due to evolution in the business space, many face technology and integration problems. Marc Butler recommends hiring consultants to take control of their data and start delivering proper solutions to their customers. He shares his journey in the fintech industry as a consultant.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Marc Butler, Founder and Consultant of Marc Butler Consultancy, to discuss how financial services firms can thrive through consultancy. Marc explains how he got into the fintech industry as a consultant, the problems Marc Butler Consultancy is solving, and his insights around data management and AI.
Ashtan Moore is the Co-Founder and Partner of Model B, an independent agency that drives growth by creating magnetic connections between companies and their customers. He is also the Co-Founder and Advisor of Blueprint, a brand on a mission to automate the advertising process.
Ashtan has achieved notable results and driven exponential growth for brands including Anheuser-Busch, Cognizant, Gilead Sciences, GN Store Nord, and many more. In his entrepreneurial career, he has founded, invested in, and operated over 10 businesses along with two successful exits.
In this episode… Have you started a company but are struggling to scale it? How can you better connect with your customers to fuel growth?
Ashtan Moore says that starting a company is already difficult, but growing can be even harder. As a serial entrepreneur that has founded more than ten companies, he has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience on how to scale a business. Ashtan shares his journey running an agency to help founders and executives who are genuinely committed to the growth of their organization.
Listen to this episode of The Customer Wins as host Rich Walker welcomes Ashtan Moore, Co-Founder and Partner of Model B, to discuss how companies can grow. Ashtan explains how Model B helps people, how to acquire product market fit by asking for what people want before creating a product, his journey as an entrepreneur, and how Model B helps companies create excellent customer experiences.
Thom Singer is the CEO of Austin Technology Council (ATC), the leading unifying voice of technology in Central Texas. ATC is an informed opinion leader, providing the Austin Tech community with the insights, resources, and connections they need to grow and thrive.
Thom is a keynote speaker with over 15 years of speaking to corporate and association audiences about cultivating meaningful connections. He has worked as a Director at Stanton Chase International, an executive search firm providing clients with consulting services. Thom has also authored many books on the power of business relationships and networking.
In this episode… Are you a tech leader in Austin struggling to grow and thrive? What is the secret sauce for your success in this area?
According to Thom Singer, community collaboration and conversations can solve all problems in any industry. He believes adding one person to your inner circle is more impactful than adding 1,000 people to social media. He realized this after a successful career in business development for law firms, banks, and consulting firms. He now shares how he's working with the best thought leaders and visionary entrepreneurs to promote and support the Austin Tech Community.
Listen to this episode of The Customer Wins as host Rich Walker welcomes Thom Singer, CEO of Austin Technology Council (ATC), to discuss how they help Austin tech leaders thrive through community. Thom explains how Austin has evolved over the years, ATC’s strategies for building connections, how building a network helps customers win, and shares his thoughts about building communities virtually.
Sanjeev Kumar is the Co-founder and CEO of Skience, a firm transforming financial services firms with innovative services and solutions. His passion for leveraging technology to solve business problems inspired him to found The Athene Group in 2001, which later transformed into Skience. With a mechanical engineering degree from Bangalore University, Sanjeev found the world of technology much more challenging and fun — starting a business that lets him build extensive relationships with financial services firms all across the world.
In this episode… With constant evolution in the business world, financial services firms are struggling to keep up. So where can they get the right technology and guidance to help them thrive?
According to Sanjeev Kumar, firms that are adopting technology in the financial services industry are the ones making a difference. The only problem is that tech is constantly evolving. Having worked in the industry for hundreds of firms, Sanjeev has developed a tool to help financial services firms streamline and automate their operational processes.
Listen to this episode of The Customer Wins as host Rich Walker welcomes Sanjeev Kumar, Co-founder and CEO of Skience, to discuss how to thrive in the financial services industry through digital transformation. Sanjeev explains how Skience helps people, its partnership with Salesforce, its techniques and processes for creating excellent customer experiences, and its customer success stories.
Jud Mackrill is the Co-founder of Milemarker, a specialized team of experts focused on solving the data and integration problems of leading financial services companies. He is also the General Partner of Mammoth and an Advisory Board Member at LifeYield.
Jud is passionate about connecting the future of financial advice through design, software integration, and investing in financial services companies. As a multi-award-winning marketer and designer, his work has contributed to the success of many leading financial services and advisory firms.
In this episode… Are you struggling to thrive in the financial service industry as an advisor? What can you do to unlock your potential and make your business more efficient and scalable?
Financial advisors nowadays are facing data and integration problems hindering their progress. Jud Mackrill recommends leveraging modern infrastructure and tools to become data-driven advisors. They simplify integration, automate processes, and create remarkable experiences for advisors and clients. Learn how to take control of your data and start delivering proper solutions to your internal and external customers as an advisor.
Listen to this episode of The Customer Wins as host Rich Walker welcomes Jud Mackrill, Co-founder of Milemarker, to discuss how financial advisory firms can thrive. Jud talks about Milemarker and its services, why he got into the financial services industry, his first role at Orion, and how Milemarker helps financial advisors become more present with their clients.
Shelli Taylor is the CEO of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, an entertainment company providing the best cinematic experience in the world through good food, good beer, and good film in one place. She is an accomplished Fortune 100 executive and also serves as a board member and public speaker. Before Alamo, Shelli spent her 25-year global career with brands like Starbucks Coffee Company, The Walt Disney Company, and Planet Fitness. She is well known for leading high-performance teams through rapid growth and transformation to achieve outsized results.
In this episode… Do you find yourself getting distracted in most theaters and being able to fully enjoy the movie? Are there theaters that still offer singular, refined theatrical experiences?
Shelli Taylor believes that a theatre should focus on offering the best guest experiences when setting its rules and culture. As for Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, it has gone an extra step to become a dining cinema where food, beer, and film can be enjoyed in one location with dedicated customers. Now Shelli Taylor shares how they deliver the best film experiences to their customers.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Shelli Taylor, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, to discuss tips for the best customer experience in the film industry. Shelli talks about Alamo rules and culture and how they were developed, the value of hiring the right talent that aligns with your values, how to drive customer experience, and advice for entrepreneurs on how to win more customers.
Blake Wood is the CEO of Lumiant US, an advice and client engagement platform where advisors connect with clients around their lives, values, and finances. Before Lumiant, he spent over 15 years at Envestnet, a financial service company transforming the deliverability of financial advice through an ecosystem of technology.
Blake has 20 years in the FinTech space working with advisors. He has a BGS in economics and an MBA in international management.
In this episode… Do you feel like you are not giving the best advice to your clients as a financial advisor? Would you like to acquire more customers? Where can you get the support you deserve to thrive in this space?
Nowadays, consumers wanting financial guidance are becoming more disengaged from financial services because of the poor deliverability of the advice. They are starting to prefer fintech apps over advisors. So what needs to be done? Blake Wood shares how he's enabling financial advisors to help their clients align their finances with their values.
Listen to this episode of The Customer Wins as host Rich Walker welcomes Blake Wood, CEO of Lumiant US, to discuss how they are helping financial advisors connect with clients. Blake talks about how Lumiant helps people, tips for shifting a customer’s mindset around money, customer success stories, and the future of Lumiant.
Rick Williamson is the Director Of Training at Redtail Technology, the leader in web-based client relationship management solutions for financial advisors. He develops and implements training and education initiatives and trains team management. Rick is an expert on all things CRM-related and has a background and experience in film production and public speaking. Before Redtail, he was an intern at Walt Disney World.
In this episode… As a financial advisor, do you desire to transform how you scale your business through technology and outsourced solutions? Where can you get a CRM that offers you the required tools to assist you in your efforts?
For over a decade, Rick Williamson has been in all things CRM related. He has discovered that financial advisors struggle with managing their client base and scaling their business because they lack the necessary tools for their work. Rick recommends CRM that integrates widely and deeply with other popular tools in the financial services industry.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, host Rich Walker welcomes Rick Williamson, Director Of Training at Redtail Technology, to discuss CRM that best serves financial advisors. Rick talks about Redtail and how it helps people, tips for creating and delivering great customer experience, how Redtail and Orion’s merger improves their clients' lives, and its customer success stories.
Chris Wallner is the Partner and Chief Marketing Officer of Chief Outsiders, the nation’s leading Executives-as-a-Service firm. Chief Outsiders helps organizations identify the fractional marketing and sales executives they need to accelerate growth.
Chris works with technology and financial service companies to drive revenue growth by converting insights into actionable, sustainable strategies and solutions. He is an accomplished marketing, product management, development, and e-commerce executive with an impressive track record in the technology and financial industry.
In this episode… Running all of the different departments in a company is challenging. A leader may be good at some but does not have the skills to lead them all. So where can they get the support they deserve to help them run efficiently?
Chris Wallner recommends hiring fractional executives to help them unlock and accelerate their growth. Many business leaders don't have the time or money to hire full-time CMOs or CSOs, but they need help growing their companies. This allows for leaders to grow without blowing the budget, and this is is how it works.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Chris Wallner, Partner and Chief Marketing Officer of Chief Outsiders, to discuss the importance of being a customer-centric leader and hiring fractional executives. Chris talks about Chief Outsiders and how it helps people, the top three challenges that Chief Outsiders solves, and tips for becoming a customer-centric leader.
Adam Holt is the Founder and CEO of Asset-Map, the leading advice engagement platform for financial professionals that offers financial planning reports. As a certified financial planner and financial consultant, his areas of expertise include estate and retirement planning, benefit programs for businesses, and business succession planning. His podcast, Rethink — The Financial Advisor Podcast, challenges financial professionals to evolve in the industry.
Adam considers himself both a student and a teacher, helping his clients understand the nuances of their finances.
In this episode… Learning how to manage your money is a responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Unless you’re educated in the financial advising industry, reading and understanding financial reports can be overwhelming. So is there a way to better visualize your financial plan?
After recognizing a lack of financial literacy among his clients, Adam Holt sought out a solution to help them understand their financial plans. Rather than constructing bulky reports, he changed his tactic by sketching visual representations of his clients’ financial profiles that included their unique financial instruments. His innovative approach helped his clients interpret their assets and gave them confidence in their financial decisions.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, host Rich Walker welcomes Adam Holt, Founder and CEO of Asset-Map, to discuss his unique approach to financial advising and how he tripled his company’s revenue three years in a row. Adam talks about his transition into the FinTech industry, how building his company has humbled him, and AI’s impact on the customer experience.
Derek Notman is the Founder and CEO of Couplr, a fintech company that offers lead generation solutions for financial companies and their advisors. He is a FinTech founder, dadpreneur, Certified Financial Planner, and co-host of the Rethink. The Financial Advisor Podcast. Derek is also the Founder of Conneqtor and Intrepid Wealth Partners. He was recognized as Wealthies Rising Star of the Year in 2022 by WealthManagement.com.
In this episode… People want help with their money. They want to get the most out of it. So, who's better to help them than a financial advisor? But where can they get the support they deserve to connect and create a mutually beneficial relationship?
Many financial advisors fail in their first three years of practice. Why? Because they don't know how to build relationships with their clients based on trust. Money is so personal that some people don't discuss it with their families. For them to open up about their finances to get help, financial advisors have to be able to connect with them on different human and monetary dimensions — and that's where Couplr comes in. Learn about Couplr as Derek Notman shares his journey in founding and running it.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Derek Notman, Founder and CEO of Couplr, to discuss how they help financial companies and advisors connect with their clients. Derek talks about the challenges financial advisors face, how Couplr helps people connect with financial advisors, why he became a financial advisor and achieve work-life balance, and how AI is impacting the customer experience.
Cody Foster is a Co-founder of Advisors Excel, a marketing organization that helps independent insurance agents and financial advisors become great business owners. Since its founding in 2005, Advisors Excel has grown from three founders to over 800 employees, making them one of the largest employers in Topeka, Kansas.
Cody joined the financial services arena as the director of marketing for a corporately owned, national field marketing organization.. He has been featured in Success, The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster, and Money Master the Game.
In this episode… Are you a good financial advisor that wants to have your own practice? To be a good business person, what do you need to know to get started?
According to Cody Foster, many financial advisors struggle to run a business. They get too focused on their practice that they forget the operational side of their businesses. With this realization, Cody started Advisors Excel to help financial advisors build a great business around their financial advisory practices.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Cody Foster, Co-founder of Advisors Excel, to discuss how financial advisors can become great business owners. Cody talks about Advisors Excel and how they operate, how they built the company's culture, the customer success stories of the company, and the impacts of AI on the customer experience.
Rick Burgess is the Founder and CEO of Forms Logic, a cloud-based system for companies looking to integrate single data entry across multiple forms. He is a veteran of the trading floor and an established entrepreneur who has started several companies, including Connect Lending. Rick works closely with clients to understand their needs and apply the right technology to solve them. In addition to running the operations, he conducts outbound sales calls, interacts with staff, and manages six offices remotely.
In this episode… Filling out multiple forms can be a tedious and monotonous process. Where can you get developed systems that automate and simplify the way you fill out forms?
According to Rick Burgess, many people are good at managing money but poor at managing their paperwork. After recognizing the challenges inherent in managing paperwork that requires inputting the same data among multiple forms, he founded Forms Logic. People can now learn simpler and better ways to handle their paperwork.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Rick Burgess, Founder and CEO of Forms Logic, to discuss how organizations can manage their paperwork better. Rick talks about Forms Logic and how it serves people, the business processes they specialize in, their customer success stories, and how they use AI.
Alan Giancaterino is the Co-founder of Finlocity, an online community that delivers high-quality presentations from the most innovative leaders in the industry and virtual solutions showcasing the latest financial technology. He is a seasoned sales and marketing professional with over 30 years in financial services.
Alan began his career as an advisor and became the youngest recipient of the CLU, RHU, and ChFC professional designations. Before Finlocity, Alan established several FinTech firms in the retail brokerage and wealth management marketplace.
In this episode… Would you like to be making well-informed financial decisions? Where can you learn about the latest and greatest solutions in the fintech world to make that a reality?
According to Alan Giancaterino, many people struggle with making strategic financial choices. He co-founded Finlocity to level the playing field for everybody via online summits and in-person forums. They believe in getting out best practices and exposing emerging solutions, be they financial products or technology, to the marketplace on an equal footing.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Alan Giancaterino, Co-founder of Finlocity, to discuss how they are helping people in the FinTech industry through conferences. Alan talks about Finlocity and how it helps people, the importance of creating high-quality experiences at conferences, their transition back to in-person events, and their secret to winning more customers.
David Knoch is the CEO of Docupace, the leading digital operations technology provider that simplifies how wealth management firms both process and digitize their data. Before joining Docupace, he served as President of 1st Global, a wealth management partner to CPA and tax planning firms. He was named to the ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Class of 2021 and was awarded CEO of the Year by WealthTech Americas in April 2022.
In this episode… Do you have a financial plan? How can you go through the process faster, more securely, and with fewer errors?
Financial planning can be a tedious and stressful process. Many financial services professionals are frustrated by the time-consuming process of fully helping their customers transform their finances. Thanks to Docupace, which has eliminated transactional paperwork and its associated costs, financial services firms can efficiently serve their clients and increase their profits.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with David Knoch, CEO of Docupace, to discuss how financial services firms can best serve their clients. David explains why Docupace’s process, working with clients in the early days, and how AI impacts the customer experience.
Richard Walker is the CEO of Quik!, a provider of forms automation and management solutions for companies looking to maximize efficiency and productivity. He started Quik! in 2002 to help people spend less time on paperwork and more time on what they do best. Before Quik!, Richard was a business consultant with Arthur Andersen. He is also a published author of two books and a father of three boys.
In this episode… Do you feel overwhelmed by the constant paperwork needed to run your company? Are you looking for a forms automation solution to handle the time and hassle of paperwork in your firm?
Serial entrepreneur Richard Walker says that paperwork takes up too much valuable time. That time can be used by entrepreneurs to focus on clients and increase the efficiency of their companies. Looking for a way to solve the issue and make his life easier, Richard founded Quik!. He shares how the tool provides forms automation solutions, empowering firms in the financial industry to improve their bottom line.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Chad Franzen of Rise25 sits down with Richard Walker, CEO of Quik!, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey in the forms automation space. Richard shares the backstory of how Quik! was formed, the challenges he faced, things that differentiate Quik! from other forms automation tools, and his new podcast and target audience.
Philipp Hecker is the Co-founder and CEO of Bento Engine, a B2B Fintech SaaS company at the intersection of technology and effective wealth management advice. He is passionate about wealth management advice that goes beyond investing and actually improves the lives of his clients. Before founding Bento Engine, Philipp spent 15 years on Wall Street at Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan. He is also a Procter and Gamble-trained brand manager.
In this episode… There are universal moments and experiences that require financial advice. Everything from marriage to retirement to death calls for robust financial counseling. So where can you get the wealth management support you deserve to navigate such events?
Philipp Hecker says that when major money-in-motion events occur, as a client-centric financial advisor, you want to be there and advise your clients through all of the implications. He noticed that it is what the advisors do for their main clients and drove him launch Bento. His idea behind Bento is to use technology to automate and scale the great work that advisors are doing to bring the magic to the woefully underserved.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Philipp Hecker, Co-founder and CEO of Bento Engine, to discuss the importance of financial advice. Philipp talks about Bento Engine and how it helps people, the catalyst that made him get into the wealth management industry, how Bento won its first customer, and how AI impacts the customer experience.
Gerry Murphy is the CEO and Partner of Arcus Partners; a forward-thinking, fintech, and service-focused company. Arcus Partners empowers wealth management companies and their clients by digitizing how they work. With over 30 years of leadership experience in the financial services industry, Gerry is an expert in global financial markets and IT. Before starting Arcus Partners, he was the President of International Operations for Fiserv and CEO of several divisions at SunGuard (now FIS).
In this episode… As a wealth management firm, are you struggling to do things manually? How can you innovate and digitize your process to accelerate your growth?
The financial industry is changing and growing over time in terms of technology. By leveraging it, processes become easier, minimizing the time to deliver to clients. Most companies in the industry have invested in technology but are wondering how they could get value out of their investments. Arcus Partners introduced the idea of Salesforce-as-a-hub, which enables companies' other applications to work within their Salesforce environment without requiring them to navigate away from the platform.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Gerry Murphy, CEO and Partner of Arcus Partners, to discuss how wealth management can leverage technology to win more customers. Gerry explains how Arcus Partners helps their clients, how they win customers, how artificial intelligence impacts customer experience, and shares advice for business leaders.
Pem Guerry is the Executive Vice President at SIGNiX, the largest provider of digital signatures in North America. He possesses a wide range of financial, marketing, and technology management experience in the private and public sectors. Previously, Pem served as Assistant Commissioner of finance and administration for Tennessee where he managed the state’s overall technology resources. Before starting his career, he played on a professional tennis tour and traveled the world.
In this episode… As a business, are you looking to adopt digital signatures as a method for signing documents? Where can you go to find simple, secure, and seamless digital signatures?
With the evolution of the business world, companies need effective and efficient ways of doing business. One effective solution includes e-signatures. By helping customers sign any document at any time, organizations increase their chances of success. For these reasons, Pem Guerry shares how they've created a secure, fast, and convenient cloud-based platform that allows digital signatures on any device.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Pem Guerry, Executive Vice President at SIGNiX, to discuss how to succeed through digital signatures. Pem talks about the early days of the company, factors that increase the adoption of e-signatures, the KPIs that demonstrate SIGNiX's impact on its customers, and the process of doing an online notarization.
Patrick Meyer is the Senior Manager of Solution Engineering at DocuSign, a platform that helps organizations connect and automate how they prepare, sign, act on, and manage agreements. As part of the DocuSign Agreement Cloud, DocuSign offers eSignature: the world's #1 way to sign electronically on practically any device.
Patrick is also a practitioner in wealth management as an executive director of a New York-based RIA. He has an extensive background in wealth management, having spent seven years in institutional client solutions at Northern Trust Asset Management and working with some of the US' largest pensions.
In this episode… Are you spending a lot of time and money managing your paperwork? Have you considered automating your processes?
The business world runs on agreements, and manually handling them takes time and money. Leveraging technology to simplify, connect, and automate agreement processes helps accelerate business growth. Learn how companies can digitally prepare, sign, and manage agreements through DocuSign.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Patrick Meyer, Senior Manager and Solution Engineering at DocuSign, to discuss how DocuSign accelerates business and simplifies the life of their customers. Patrick explains why he pivoted from finance to join a tech solution company, problems companies in wealth management face when growing, and how AI is improving customer experience.
Adrian Johnstone is the Co-founder and President of Practifi, a performance optimization platform that transforms data into insights, action, and excellence at scale. Practifi helps wealth management firms go beyond traditional CRMs and redefine what’s possible.
Adrian has over 20 years of experience in wealth management as a consultant and tech company founder, advising businesses on their technology, client experience, and regulation. He is a consistent presenter at industry events in Australia and the United States.
In this episode… As a wealth management firm, how can you get the visibility and oversight you need to drive your organization forward? How do you identify the drivers of your success and amplify them?
Achieving success in the wealth management industry can be challenging. For companies to thrive in this industry, they need someone who can offer a simple solution for their complex challenges to improve their client relationships and interactions. Adrian Johnstone shares how his company help firms go beyond traditional CRMs and redefine what’s possible.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Adrian Johnstone, Co-founder and President of Practifi, to discuss how wealth management firms can become market leaders in the industry. Adrian explains how Practifi they got their first customer, how AI will affect Practifi and the wealth management industry in the next two years, and advice for companies on how to win more customers.
Randy Cass is the Founder and CEO of Nest Wealth, Canada's largest independent digital wealth management platform, offering direct-to-investor and advanced business-to-business solutions. He is an experienced executive and entrepreneur with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry.
Randy has started and successfully exited several VC-backed companies, including a hedge fund and a technology company. He is skilled in entrepreneurship, fintech, securities, and asset management.
In this episode… Do you wish to have a better financial future? Where can you get sophisticated wealth management advice to help you succeed?
According to Randy Cass, most companies fail because they lack professional wealth management input. For this reason, he started Nest Wealth to empower investors by providing them with sophisticated and personalized wealth advice for their unique objectives. He now shares how he offers direct-to-investor wealth management solutions that make it easier for thousands of Canadians to reach their financial goals.
In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker sits down with Randy Cass, Founder and CEO of Nest Wealth, to discuss the impact of wealth management on the success of a business. Randy talks about his career background in wealth management, the reasons for Nest Wealth's rapid growth, their clients’ success stories, and the KPIs that demonstrate their impact.