XYPN Radio: Recent Episodes

Alan Moore and Michael Kitces

XYPN Radio is dedicated to building a community of fee-only financial planners who are ready to make the dream of serving next-generation clients into a profitable and successful reality. With an honest and forward-thinking perspective, host Alan Moore, various guests, and occasional co-host Michael Kitces deliver insights and knowledge to advisors in the financial planning industry who want to build better businesses that serve Gen X and Gen Y clients. Through the expertise of leaders in the field and case studies from financial planners like you, the discovery of how you can serve your own generation to help them achieve their financial goals starts today.

Featured Co-Host: Michael Kitces | Co-Founder of the XY Planning Network, and author of the popular blog www.Kitces.com joins in on occasion to bring his unique perspective to the show

In this special episode of Behind The Advisor, Alan Moore interviews Maddy Roche, XYPN's first employee and longtime podcast host, as she prepares to depart after nearly 11 years. From her start as the "Director of Getting Sh!t Done" to becoming an executive business coach, Maddy reflects on her journey with XYPN, discussing the challenges of growing with a company, the importance of sabbaticals, and her next chapter developing services for people without children at Child-Free Legacy. This bittersweet conversation offers valuable insights for advisors on team building, organizational growth, and embracing professional transitions with grace.

Going independent doesn’t mean doing it alone. In this episode, Brian Muller, founder of Momentous Wealth Advisors, shares his journey through the RIA transition and how XYPN Sapphire helped him navigate compliance, operations, and client transfers—without sacrificing his brand or autonomy. He opens up about building a lifestyle practice, overcoming challenges, and finding the right support to create the business (and life) he wanted.

On this episode of Behind the Advisor, I'm thrilled to chat with Libby Greiwe, founder of The Efficient Advisor, about the power of a well-designed and automated client onboarding process.

During our conversation, Libby breaks down her three-phase onboarding approach: the first 30 days focused on professionalism, days 30-60 on surprising and delighting clients, and days 60+ dedicated to "shocking and awing" clients. She shares practical examples from her own practice, including providing termination scripts for previous advisors, sending personalized thank-you notes, and conducting formal onboarding meetings.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/405

XYPN Radio is excited to welcome Rob Brown, founder of Truest Fan Coaching, for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation. Rob is an expert coach for RIA owners, helping them uncover their purpose and build businesses that align with their deepest values and goals.

In this episode, Rob dives into his process for guiding advisors to define both their business and life purposes. He shares strategies for overcoming burnout, the risks of operating without a clear purpose, and how to identify and break bad habits. Rob also discusses time audits and why hiring isn’t always the solution advisors think it is.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/404

On this episode of XYPN Radio I’m thrilled to chat with Nate Hoskin and Nick Meyer, two CFP® professionals based in Denver and co-founders of the N2 Content Marketing Group. Together we unpack the power of short-form video marketing for advisors. We dive into the why and how of creating digestible, engaging videos that not only resonate with your audience but also rank well for maximum discoverability.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/403

In this episode of XYPN Radio, we sit down with Kristin Harad—coach, former financial advisor, and marketing expert—for an inspiring conversation about personal and professional growth.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/402

XYPN Radio is thrilled to welcome back George Kinder, founder of the Kinder Institute of Life Planning, and Lora Woodward, the Institute's COO, for an inspiring conversation. It’s been a few years since they last joined us in 2020, and this time, we’re diving into some truly transformative topics: mindfulness, freedom, and how to change our civilization—yes, we’re going big and bold today.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/401

What’s the real trajectory of an RIA? How early should you start hiring, and is a niche worth it?

Co-Founders Alan Moore and Michael Kitces hit the stage at XYPN LIVE 2024 to discuss insights from the seventh-annual Benchmarking Study on episode 400 of XYPN Radio. Each year, the study gathers information from XYPN member participants to get an accurate picture of how advisors are doing in their firms.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/400

In this episode of XYPN Radio, we welcome Brenna Baucum, founder of Collective Wealth Planning. Just 21 months after launching her firm in Salem, Oregon, Brenna has already reached significant milestones, with 21 clients and $21 million in assets under management.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/399

In this episode of XYPN Radio, we sit down with Jay Zigmont, founder of Childfree Wealth®, and Bri Conn, the firm's Chief Experience Officer, to dive into the unique financial planning needs of childfree individuals.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/398

In this episode, we sit down with Jane Mepham, CFP®, Founder and CEO of Elgon Financial Advisors, a fee-only firm based in Austin, Texas that specializes in serving foreign-born individuals. Originally from Kenya, Jane shares her journey of coming to the U.S. to study computer science and how a lack of cultural competence in financial advising inspired her to shift careers and launch her own firm.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/397

In this episode of XYPN Radio, I chat with Nathan Donohue, co-founder and partner at Consilio Wealth Advisors, a fee-only firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Nathan shares his experience transitioning his team from a broker-dealer to an RIA and what it takes to successfully run a growing advisory firm today.

You can find show notes and more information by visiting this link: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/396

In this episode of XYPN Radio, we welcome back Caleb Brown, the founder and CEO of New Planner Recruiting. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Caleb brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective on what it takes to attract and retain top talent in advisory practices across the country.

We dive deep into the entrepreneurial journey, discussing the realities of training and mentoring talent, and the inevitable challenge of team members moving on. We explore how perfecting your firm's story, values and mission not only draws in clients but also helps you attract the best talent. Caleb shares valuable insights, including key stats on compensation and hiring timelines, as well as practical tips for vetting applicants through interviews and work samples.

Whether you're a firm owner or an aspiring financial planner, this episode offers a motivating and informative discussion on navigating the shifting landscape of talent in the financial planning industry. Tune in for actionable advice and the inside scoop on what top talent is looking for today.

On this episode of XYPN Radio, we welcome Jason Speciner, founder and CEO of Financial Planning Fort Collins, or FPFoCo, a comprehensive financial planning and tax preparation firm based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Jason, who last appeared on the show in 2019, returns to share exciting updates on his firm’s growth, the evolution of his team, and the challenges they’ve overcome along the way.

FPFoCo now serves over 120 clients, and Jason credits their success to the specialized expertise of his team and their commitment to continually improving processes and systems. In this episode, Jason dives into his personal journey of becoming a people leader, fostering an ensemble culture where each team member’s unique strengths contribute to creating exceptional financial plans for clients.

With a strong abundance mentality and a confident approach, Jason reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, offering valuable insights for anyone looking to build a passionate, process-oriented team while maintaining a fulfilling work-life balance. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation with Jason Speciner as he shares his experiences in growing FPFoCo into the thriving firm that it is today.

Tune in for an insightful interview that’s packed with actionable advice for financial planners and entrepreneurs alike.

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

Embracing different iterations and fee structures for your firm as you change and grow as a business while scaling those models to serve more clients
Entrepreneurship as a lifestyle and how to find a balance in home and family life
Investing in professional development and continuing education for your team
Celebrating small accomplishments and wins and tying those milestones into the bonus structure for your team
Incorporating tax prep into your service model and the benefits and drawbacks that are involved in doing so
Having clear goals at the outset and advice for those starting their firms
Trusting that your ensemble team is in place to handle the tasks that are best suited to them while zeroing in on your strengths

In this episode of XYPN Radio, we welcome back Ashley Foster, CFP®, founder of NXT:GEN Financial Planning. You might remember Ashley from Episode 321 in 2021, where he shared his journey transitioning from the insurance industry to the fee-only financial planning world. Today, Ashley gives us an inside look at the firm he built, which now serves over 50 clients, focusing primarily on young to mid-career veterinarians.

Ashley’s passion for helping people shines through as he discusses the unique benefits he provides to his clients, from securing higher-paying positions to achieving personal alignment through life planning. His energy is infectious, and listeners will be inspired to think about demonstrating value to their prospects through thoughtful website design, engaging conversations, and a deep understanding of their client's financial situations and careers.

Ashley also shares a personal glimpse into his life as a proud pet parent to his beloved cat, Frank. He talks about how building his firm and helping others live their best lives has enabled him and his veterinarian wife to do the same. Don’t miss this episode, packed with insights and inspiration for financial professionals and anyone looking to create meaningful impact in their careers and lives.

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

Approaching financial planning from a life planning standpoint to help align your clients with their long-term goals.
Charging what you are worth at the outset and when to raise your fees.
Enjoying your niche and the clients you are working with will keep you inspired and avoid burnout.
Focusing on asset accumulation for the client in the early stages can eventually lead to an AUM fee structure and generate more income for you and the client.
The advantages of niching down while also considering the necessary steps to continue to attract leads from the smaller pool of potential clients.
Building a lifestyle and business you enjoy will inspire your clients to live their desired lifestyle.
Owning your own business will allow you to be there for the people and things that matter most to you.

In this episode of XYPN Radio, we sit down with Jamie Lima, CFP®, CDFA®, MBA, an XYPN Ambassador, and the founder of Woodson Wealth Management and Allegiant Divorce Solutions, two virtual firms. Jamie's journey is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit, having transitioned from managing 450 households at large wirehouses to founding his firm amid the COVID pandemic of 2020.

Jamie shares his unconventional path to gain marketing momentum, including how posting a profile on Thumbtack outperformed multiple marketing agencies. He also delves into his strategic hiring decisions, from bringing on an Operations Manager as a W2 employee to scaling his firm with 1099 advisors.

Jamie Lima's insights are invaluable for anyone looking to start a firm. Get ready to take notes as we explore Jamie's innovative approach to wealth management and business growth. Tune in for a wealth of knowledge and practical advice in this insightful interview with Jamie Lima.

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

Making quarterly calls with clients to keep your clients engaged and on track with their plan
Finding and marketing yourself in spaces where other advisors aren’t as present to generate leads and new business
How being a virtual firm can broaden your potential client base nationally
How growing your firm with 1099 advisors provides flexibility and ownership to your advisors
Hiring early before your business is overwhelmed to find the best candidate for your firm
How hiring employees who don’t have previous financial planning experience can be beneficial and trainable
Advice on making the transition from a large broker-dealer to launching your RIA

In today’s episode of XYPN Radio I am thrilled to have Ed Smith and Amanda Lique of Valor Wealth Partners on the show. Valor Wealth Partners specializes in serving civilian federal employees and handling their complex financial situations. Ed and Amanda are here to share their journey of building their firm from the ground up.

We dive into the origins of their partnership, their strategic collaboration with ProFed to host workshops for their ideal clients, and the early investments that paved the way for their success. Despite the inherent risks, Ed and Amanda have no regrets in the venture and have grown their client base to over 100 satisfied clients.

They also provide valuable insights on scaling a business, the importance of hiring the right team, and the significance of building efficient systems and processes. One of the highlights is their experience making their first hire—choosing someone with strong business acumen over industry experience—and fostering a supportive community within their client base.

Tune in to be inspired by Ed and Amanda’s story, learn from their experiences, and get motivated to take risks and build meaningful relationships in your own financial planning journey.

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

How Valor produces educational workshops for lead generation and also provides a valuable service for people in their niche
The benefits of working alongside your competitors to grow your niche and elevate both firms in the process
Working remotely with your firm’s team using CRMs and other tech tools
Qualities to look for in new hires when expanding your firm’s team that go beyond industry experience
Navigating the challenges of the first 5 years of being in business
Creating meaningful relationships with your clients and creating a community in your niche
Leaping into the unknown when first venturing out on your own with a new business

In today’s episode of XYPN Radio we are joined by John Bovard, CFP®, founder and CEO of Incline Wealth Advisors, a thriving wealth management firm based in Cincinnati. John launched his firm in 2020, just before the pandemic, and has impressively grown it to serve over 75 clients with a dedicated two person team supporting him and the firm’s continued growth.

In this episode, we delve into John's unique "barbell" approach to client management, focusing primarily on his niche work with business owners. John shares his insights on how he successfully guides these clients through the complex financial decisions involved in running their businesses.

With the experience of owning and managing not just Incline Wealth Advisors but also another business, John is exceptionally well-equipped to provide valuable advice. He discusses his flat fee pricing model and comprehensive service approach, offering listeners a transparent view of his strategies. Additionally, John shares a selection of book recommendations that have influenced his journey.

Whether you’re considering starting your own business or looking for ways to improve your financial management firm, this episode is packed with actionable insights. Join us for a compelling conversation with John Bovard that is inspiring and motivating!

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

The importance of clear goals and daily consistency
How becoming a business owner can provide invaluable experience and knowledge when relating to other business owners as clients
The benefits and challenges of using your natural network to build your client base
The proper messaging and approach to use when asking prospective clients for their business
How getting to know your clients’ CPAs can lead to collaborations that will help meet the goals of your clients
Evaluating the long term potential in prospective clients and building upon opportunities that can arise in the future with them
How joining a business owner roundtable group can provide insights to better run your business and support your team
A list of books recommendations that can serve as foundational reading material for listeners that are considering starting their own firm

In this special episode of XYPN Radio, we are thrilled to welcome back Linden Cornett, the founder of Seagrass Financial. Linden holds the honor of being the first guest to return three times over our eight-year journey at XYPN Radio. Many recent guests have mentioned Linden as a role model within our community, and for good reason.

Since her last appearance, Linden has made the bold move to dedicate herself fully to her firm, leaving behind a long-standing career at Intel in the wake of the pandemic. In today's discussion, she shares her insights on the evolving needs of her clients, with a particular focus on the increasing importance of tax planning. Linden also delves into how she has meticulously structured her firm to align with her lifestyle, ensuring she meets clients where they are.

As a proud solopreneur, Linden has masterfully built systems and processes that allow her to scale and take well-deserved vacations. She gives us an inside look at how she leverages tools like Asana and introduces her innovative 15-hour intro planning package for new clients. Transparency is key as Linden openly shares her revenue and client numbers and offers invaluable advice for new advisors considering a shift into this space.

We're honored to have Linden back on the show, and we hope you gain as much from her wisdom as we have. Tune in for an inspiring and informative conversation that underscores the power of passion, planning, and perseverance. Enjoy the episode!

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

Making the transition from full-time employment to becoming a full-time solopreneur
How to set expectations with your clients as a solopreneur to maintain autonomy
Guiding clients through tax season and demystifying their taxes as an added value of your solo firm
How tailoring your approach to each individual client can lead to stronger relationships in the long run
Using multiple service models for clients while still maintaining a fixed fee-only pay structure
The benefits of starting clients on an initial limited planning package before moving to an ongoing agreement
How handling your own bookkeeping and compliance keeps expenses low in a solo practice

In this episode of XYPN Radio, we are thrilled to welcome back Jack Arnold, CFP®, and David Harpool, AAMS®, founders of AVID Planning in St. Petersburg, Florida. Having first joined us in January 2022 on XYPN Radio Episode 326, Jack and David return to share the significant changes and challenges they’ve faced while continuing to build and grow their firm.

They discuss the considerations required when moving from a large financial advisory firm to an independent RIA, navigating non-compete clauses, and handling compliance when first striking out on their own. We delve into their unique partnership dynamics, exploring how they manage disagreements and how their friendship and shared passion for their work strengthen their professional relationship.

Listeners will be particularly intrigued by the bold decision to reduce their client base by nearly 50% and how the shift enabled them to provide the deep, meaningful planning they and their clients desire. Join us for an insightful conversation about evolving a financial planning practice with intention and integrity.

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

How working independently outside of a large financial advisory firm as an RIA provides career flexibility and autonomy
Reconciling non-compete agreements when transitioning to an RIA from a more prominent firm
How clients perceive their relationships with you, their advisor, as a personal connection rather than being loyal to any particular firm
Why pairing down your client base as your firm grows and evolves can benefit your changing professional and personal goals
How surge meetings can be used to keep clients up to date and streamline your workload during the rest of the year
The proper way to approach financial advising as a means of truly helping people
Working with a partner in your firm and the best way to handle disagreements and differing visions

In this episode of XYPN Radio, we welcome back Rebecca Conner, CFP®, founder of SeedSafe Financial. Since launching her firm in 2016, Rebecca has navigated the complexities of growing and scaling a successful business while also embracing the joys and challenges of parenthood.

Rebecca shares how she has evolved SeedSafe from a lifestyle practice into a firm that now serves over 90 ongoing clients with a team of five. She provides insights into her management philosophy, including how she inspires and empowers her team while also maintaining a manageable work-life balance. We also dive into her strategies for sustaining a 25-30 hour work week, and giving her team the same flexibility.

Join us as we discuss Rebecca’s approach to building a niche practice, conceptualizing time, and her mindfulness routine that plays a key role in her professional and personal success. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to gain actionable insights into juggling a thriving business, a team, and family life. Grab your notepad and prepare to be inspired!

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

Managing employees in a firm and providing them with opportunities to grow within the firm
How prioritizing sleep and personal health will promote a healthy business
When and how to niche your clientele
Mindfulness and best practices for planning your work week
How to thrive on a 25-30 hour work
How to approach interviews with potential employees when expanding your firm
How growing your firm can help fuel your passion of helping more people

On today's episode, we are thrilled to welcome XYPN member, Reese Harper, CFP ®, and Carl Richards, CFP ®, to XYPN Radio. These innovative minds are behind the cutting-edge technology called Elements, XYPN’s newest technology partner. We'll dive deep into the origins of Elements, the technology itself, and the ideas that inspired its creation.

Reese shares how his frustrations with the lack of realistic, standardized measurements for a client's financial health led him to define what he calls the client's 11 vital signs—an essential aspect that eventually led to the development of Elements. These vital signs don't just transform the delivery of financial planning services by advisors, but they also redefine the client's experience and the overall value of financial planning.

What struck me most during this conversation was the emphasis on the client’s’ present situation, referred to by Carl as the "presenting problem." Elements, through its standardized set of measurements, defines a new language of advice and guides the client towards making the next right decision with their advisor. It’s the ultimate engagement tool to help financial planners connect with their clients in an easy, fast, digestible way and provide visible ongoing value to their clients.

If you’re interested in learning more about a beautifully designed conversion tool that will attract, engage and demonstrate ongoing vaule to prospects and clients, this is a can’t miss episode!

Today’s episode is a special edition of XYPN Radio as we celebrate 10 years at XYPN with co-founders Alan Moore and Michael Kitces who join me on today's episode. We reminisce about the early days of XYPN, how Alan and Michael first met, and the initial emails exchanged about the untapped opportunities that existed for both financial planners and the underserved NextGen market.

We delve into the early growth and strategic decisions they made— including their first hire, which brought me into the mix. Michael and Alan discuss their complementary strengths and how XYPN and their partnership have both grown and evolved over the years. Unchanged at the core of XYPN's success lies an unwavering commitment to identifying challenges and delivering innovative solutions so that financial planners can live their great lives.

Share our vision for the future as we explore the reasons for our pilot program, XYPN Sapphire, a corporate RIA set to empower a wider spectrum of advisors navigating ever-changing goals and dreams. And join us in celebrating XYPN’s remarkable journey from industry disruptor to proven leader and all that lies ahead.

Tune in for this special episode as we celebrate the last—and next—10 years of making it possible for fee-for-service advisors to build the financial planning firm of their dreams.

I am honored to have Cathy Curtis, CFP ®, founder of Curtis Financial Planning, return to XYPN Radio. It’s been almost three years since Cathy last joined me on Episode 313, (linked below) where she delved into her passion for running a solo practice tailored primarily to women who are single, heads of household, and breadwinners.

We dive into the technological enhancements Cathy has implemented since her last visit, from embracing Holistiplan to integrating Kwanti into her tech arsenal and other software tools that she uses daily. We touch on the importance of using a TAMP for those entering the industry and how many tools are now available to advisors considering opening their own firm.

One of the most compelling parts of our conversation centers around Cathy’s AUM fee model where she describes how simplifying your fee structure is key over the long term. She eloquently discusses setting time boundaries with clients, which both assist your service model and build relationships that can last a lifetime. Cathy's confidence is contagious, and by the end of this episode, you'll feel more equipped to sell your own value.

We are incredibly lucky to have Cathy as part of the XYPN community and to have her return for a second conversation on XYPN Radio to share her sage advice with our members.

Today I am thrilled to welcome Mike Zung, CFP®, founder of Java Wealth Planning, an RIA based in Kansas City, Missouri to XYPN Radio. Mike's path is a testament to the power of perseverance and strategic planning in the financial advising industry. His background in tech architecture influenced his approach to financial planning and led to his creation of Beautiful Financial Plan—a separate online storefront that offers advisors visually appealing plan templates.

Mike shares insights into his journey from launching his firm part-time while still working in software development, to eventually transitioning to a full-time role serving over 30 tech industry clients. He describes the considerations and challenges of balancing home life while changing careers. He emphasizes the importance of networking and how attending XYPN LIVE has shaped his career and created lasting connections in the industry that have sparked new ideas and strategies for his businesses.

Mike and I cover marketing strategies, successfully transitioning from project-based to ongoing planning, and how he defines value for his clients. This episode provides valuable wisdom for advisors who change careers and the opportunities that can be leveraged by leaning into their previous expertise and personality strengths.

We uncover the challenges and triumphs of Mike Zung's journey, underscoring the role of innovation and community in the ever-evolving landscape of financial advising. I am privileged to count Mike among XYPN’s valued members, and we're honored to feature his expertise on today's episode.

What You’ll Learn From this Episode:

● Transitioning clients from project-based planning to an ongoing engagement

● Designing and implementing a tier-based, flat-fee structure

● How and when to raise fees for your clients while providing great value

● Niching down your client base to match your ideal clients with your own values

● The importance of attending in-person networking events and conferences such as XYPN Live

● Using YouTube to create evergreen content that will continue to attract clients

● Leveraging your personality strengths and career background to launch your own firm

● The considerations and challenges of balancing home life while changing careers.

In this episode, Maddy Roche returns as the full-time host of XYPN Radio. Joining her is XYPN member Jennifer Kang, CFP®, founder of JWK Financial, a thriving RIA based out of New York. Jennifer shares her incredible journey and how she leveraged two decades’ worth of experience in a large wirehouse to shape the foundation of her fee-only, flat-fee approach at JWK Financial.

Jennifer gets real about hitting the ground running and the expectations and pace she experienced in her initial months. What sets this interview apart is Jennifer's unwavering confidence in the value she delivers to her clients, a trait that shines through as she fearlessly encourages prospects to interview other advisors. She discusses the art of transitioning clients from an initial engagement fee to an ongoing relationship at an annual flat rate.

Jennifer encourages building a new business at a cadence that allows flexibility, reinvesting time into existing clients, and creating referability. This episode is a goldmine of advice, aligning seamlessly with the principles taught at XYPN. Don't miss out on the insights that make Jennifer's journey and expertise a can’t-miss for financial professionals. Listeners, get ready for an informative show!

This special episode of XYPN Radio will be Alan’s last episode before turning the podcast over to Maddy Roche! Alan talks about the transition before diving into a special episode with Patrick King, founder of Prana Wealth Management in Atlanta, Georgia. Patrick's journey began as an engineer designing machinery, but a realization about his financial advisor's priorities sparked his transition into financial planning. After earning his MBA, he gained experience at various large RIAs before deciding to start his own firm. Despite initial challenges, Patrick embraced YouTube to reach his ideal clientele, pivoting from targeting dual-income households to focusing on pre-retirees. Join us as Patrick shares insights into his entrepreneurial journey and the role of YouTube in building his successful fee-only practice.

Join us for an insightful episode as we delve into the journey of Tara Tussing Unverzagt, founder of South Bay Financial Partners, and explore her innovative approach to financial planning. This is Tara’s second time on the podcast. You can check out her first appearance on episode 210 at xyplanningnetwork.com/210. It was fantastic touching base and learning how things have changed since we last talked in 2019! Tara's path to success involves leveraging her expertise as a certified financial therapist and prioritizing accessibility in her services.

In this conversation, Tara shares how she has evolved her firm's offerings over the years to make financial planning accessible to diverse client populations. From hourly consultations to community-building initiatives, Tara's firm ensures fairness and affordability through a sliding scale fee structure based on income and assets. We also discuss Tara's focus on scaling her operations while maintaining personalized guidance for clients. With specialized services tailored to specific needs, such as retirement planning and student loan consultations, Tara emphasizes the importance of empathy and cultural awareness in fostering meaningful financial conversations.

If you find yourself focusing on a holistic approach to serving your clients and want to see it being done successfully, you won’t want to miss this!

Embracing your authentic self can be terrifying, but our guest today took the leap and built an amazingly successful RIA by connecting with her niche. Our guest today, Lindsey Young, CFP®, and founder of Quiet wealth, shares shares her journey, and how she found success. Lindsey navigated diverse career terrains, from strategy consulting to the Peace Corps, tech in San Francisco, venture capital, and investment banking. Her decision to transition before starting the firm, driven by authenticity moving forward, resonated with her clients.

On this episode, Lindsey shares her unique sales process, targeting successful LGBTQ professionals with a focus on clients with a net worth of one to five million. The conversation delves into her marketing strategies, emphasizing the significant return on investment from Google Ads and overall SEO efforts. Lindsey's experience offers a nuanced perspective on building trust within the LGBTQ community and highlights the broader appeal of her approach, serving both LGBTQ and straight clients. Join us for a deep dive into Lindsey's flat-fee model, her compensation structure, and the challenges and opportunities she encounters as a financial planner. If you want a real world example of successful niche marketing, be sure to tune in!

Join us this week as we explore Prosp(a)rity, a non-profit dedicated to nurturing, uplifting, and advancing Black women, and ultimately positioning them to pay it forward to their communities and next generations. Bri Franklin, Co-Founder of Prosp(a)rity, shares her journey — from post-Ivy League student debt to catalyzing change.

This episode, Bri emphasizes the urgency of addressing predatory lending and student debt, spotlighting the systemic changes required. She details the programs Prosp(a)rity, champions. If you're a financial advisor seeking meaningful involvement, Bri outlines avenues for your impactful contribution. It's more than personal finance; it's about fostering resilience, community, and pursuing financial empowerment for all.

What you’ll learn from this episode

Bri founded The Prosperity Project in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter movement.
The initiative was sparked by the recognition of the disproportionate financial struggles faced by black women.
She conducted a survey on LinkedIn involving 18,000 people, highlighting the severe financial impact on black women.
Initial corporate support in 2020 waned, prompting the organization to explore revenue-generating activities such as speaking engagements, the "UnDEBTfeated" show, and are working on an app.
The organization operates on three pillars: interception (HIRE for students), intervention (35 to free for debt relief), and interference (systemic disruption through corporate engagements).
Encourages financial planners to participate in preventative work, especially in high schools, and seek partnerships for increased outreach.
The organization is adapting its models based on insights from financial practitioners.
Bri is exploring collaborations, live shows at conferences, and continuous learning to ensure sustainability and scalability.

XYPN member, Matt Miner, founder of Miner Wealth Management, joins us on the show today. Matt started his career on the corporate finance side of business. After a few years, he took a break and went to B school to get his MBA, then worked with John Deere in several capacities before his career was impacted by a layoff related to a merger.

His running partner was a fee only advisor and Matt became an intern at that firm. He was responsible for growing his own client base from scratch and shared how he found success getting those early clients. In 2021, after three years, Matt and the firm owner agreed to a buyout structure so that Matt could take his clients with him and ultimately start his own RIA.

Matt was kind enough to share the details of that buyout and how it worked for him and the prior firm owner. Matt has been growing a really awesome firm as he is looking to do more than 350, 000 of revenue in his third year in business. He shared his approach to fees and how he sees the fighting amongst advisors on the best or right fee structure as unnecessary. And also how he uses his fee as a client segmentation tool to ensure he's working with his ideal clients.

From company management position to booming RIA in the first 3 years, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

What you’ll learn from this episode

How informational interviewing techniques have helped him in both working up the corporate ladder and in securing clients.
How going into advising with a fully fledged philosophy of wealth management helped him attract a large client base quickly in the first few years.
Alan and Matt discuss the details of what a buyout looks like and how it can compare to building out a business in other ways.
How to approach fee structures and the benefits of keeping things simple both for the client and the advisor.
The benefit of starting a podcast and how it has impacted Matt’s business.
While working for John Deere, Matt moved from trade to business school, graduating in 2013 with a business degree and a job with Intel.
After the business was sold, Matt took on a financial advising job with Bridgeline Wealth Management in 2018.
In August of 2021, Matt bought out his boss’s share in the business, changing the business to Miner Wealth Management.
Alan and Matt discuss the benefit of attending management training programs through companies like John Deere.

Featured Links

Matthew Miner: Website | LinkedIn | Advisor Page
Certified Financial Planner™
Series 65
Informational Interviewing
AdvicePay
Work Pants Finance podcast
XYPN LIVE

In this episode of XYPN Radio, we’re joined by XYPN member Maggie Klokkenga, the founder of Make A Money MindShift. Maggie's journey is a testament to the transformative power of financial coaching. Starting her career as a CPA, she eventually transitioned to a large firm in St. Louis, where she worked on various teams.

Maggie noticed a disconnect between her passion for helping clients lay their financial foundations and the higher net-worth clients she was serving. In 2021, she took the leap to start her own firm, focusing on providing financial coaching services. Maggie shares insights into her client engagement process, which involves 8 to 10 one-hour-long meetings over several weeks, and the positive outcomes she's witnessed.

What you’ll learn from this episode

Maggie worked in public accounting (CPA) for 15 years
Wanting to support clients in a broader way than she had been as a CPA, she decided to join an investment advisory firm as an advisor.
Seeing a split in how fees were being charged to clients, Maggie and a group of others set up their own firm.
Her family expanded rapidly, getting married in 2011, then adopting her first and having her second child in 2013. Followed by adopting a third child the following year.
This family dynamic pushed Maggie to become a remote worker in 2016
Wanting to provide real financial planning to her clients, she engaged with other financial planning curricula, only to find that she saw threads she could do something about.
After working at the advisory firm for 7 years, she started working as a financial coach on the side. After learning that this constituted a conflict of interest, Maggie turned in her resignation and became an XYPN member the next day.
Diversifying her revenue by coaching has kept Maggie able to balance her work and family life.
As a financial coach, Maggie meets every week with clients to really learn where their money is going and helps them build better habits by providing awareness to the emotional connections we associate with money.
How making changes to her fee structure opened up the floodgates for new clients.
Some examples of the incredible outcomes that she has seen through her work with clients.
Her experience going to XYPN LIVE this year

Many of our recent guests have discussed how things are 2,3, 4 years after starting. But what about when you’re in the thick of it? Our guest today, Nycole Freer, founder of Eden Financial is only 8 months into her solo RIA journey and tells us what it’s like!

After navigating the corporate landscape, including a role at JPMorgan Chase, Nycole faced a pivotal choice – stay within the constraints of corporate structures or embark on her own entrepreneurial path. Motivated by her dream to write a children's book, provide more dynamic support for clients, and stretch her wings, Nycole launched her RIA in 2022.

Eight months into this journey, Nycole candidly shares the hurdles and unexpected twists she's encountered. From marketing strategies, to finding help through coaches, to what’s working in client acquisition, Nycole's story offers a real-time account of building a thriving practice from the ground up.

Whether you're an aspiring business owner, a new entrepreneur navigating challenges, or an established owner reflecting on your progress, Nycole's story is a great touchstone for so many of us. Be sure to tune in and join us as we see another new advisor building towards their very own best life.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/375

Join us on this episode of XYPN Radio as we introduce you to Tim and Alexis Woodward, co-founders of Blend Wealth. These financial planners decided to blend not just their lives but also their financial expertise, serving blended families and business owners.

Discover how they've diversified their services, embraced their Christian faith in financial planning, and managed a thriving business while nurturing a harmonious marriage. This is an episode you won't want to miss.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/374

What does it look like to scale your RIA and how long does it take? How big of an impact does it really make to have a niche? When should you start hiring, and who should it be when you do?

Co-Founders Alan Moore and Michael Kitces met onstage this year to review the highlights of the seventh-annual Member Benchmarking Study in this episode of XYPN Radio. Every year, the study gathers information from XYPN member participants to get an accurate picture of how advisors are doing in their firms.

This episode tells the story of how XYPN firms are scaling and what to look out for in your own journey. Whether you’re getting ready to launch, are in your first years, or are already established, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Notes:

(1:04) What the benchmarking study is and how it is conducted.

(2:33) Chart 1 - The median annual growth rate of client relationships since 2018. Unlike other figures that largely are talking about AUM, this gives a real snapshot of growth rates of fee for service models. Alan and Michael discuss how fee for service models stand up to economic cycles and interest rates as seen over the last seven years

(16:37) Chart 2 - Average annual revenue for those who join with few to no clients. We want to be realistic when we tell you what to expect as you start your firm and have the data to back it up! Alan and Michael discuss what the data means and how it shapes those pivotal early years.

(23:46) Chart 3 - Revenue growth by niche vs no niche.

Broken up by Implementation (0-20 clients), Building (20-75 clients), and Scaling (75 client households and/or 150K revenue) phases.

(37:55) Chart 4 - Percentage of Advisors leveraging in-house or outsourced staff and number of clients. For someone looking to hire, this is an important one!

(49:15) Chart 5 - Staff productivity by business type.

Whether you have a solo, boutique, or enterprise practice, we take a look revenue per advisor as staff gets added to the business.

Doing the right thing in the financial world often involves speaking up and knowing when to go your own way. This is in no way an easy thing, but has time and time again been a source of joy for advisors. Our guest today, Mike Kelly, CFA®, CFP®, and founder of Switchback Financial has pursued doing right by his clients, himself, and his family. Along the way, he has built a successful business and has exciting new ventures on the way!

Starting as a fresh graduate in 2008, Mike ventured into financial and risk management for banks before realizing that his true calling lay elsewhere. He joined an established RIA, gaining valuable insights into the industry. However, due to strategic disagreements, he embarked on his own entrepreneurial journey in 2020, founding Switchback Financial. Inspired by his wife’s experience, he found his niche working with younger clients in the tech industry.

Mike shares his experiences, from the impact Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse had on clients in the tech industry, to the importance of sales skills and effective marketing on platforms like LinkedIn. All the while, striving to be present for his family, friends, and personal well-being.

What makes this episode truly exciting is Mike's revelation about merging with another XYPN member, combining their complementary skills and vision. From ethics in action to what to look for in a new partnership, you won't want to miss this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/372

Your RIA journey isn’t just an upwards climb from where you are to where you want to be. It can include things like a family, embracing other opportunities, and teaming up with a friend. In today’s episode, we reconnect with Natalie Taylor CFP®. Since we spoke to her 3 years ago, she has taken an unexpected path to a growth-filled, confident today.

In this conversation, we delve into Natalie's journey over the last two and a half, nearly three, years of running her own RIA. While she originally planned on going full-time in 2021, she found an awesome opportunity with a FinTech startup she wanted to support. All the while, growing her personal business, particularly her business partner.

Natalie's strategic approach to work-life balance, both for herself and her team, is a highlight of this episode. She openly shares the intricacies of compensation management for lead planners, emphasizing transparency in her business model. Additionally, we explore her dedication to maintaining a robust family life alongside her professional endeavors.

Natalie's insights extend to her RIA's future as well. With plans to hire another lead advisor in the upcoming year, she's positioning her firm for further growth and impact. We also delve into her utilization of new software like Trayecto.io, tailored to their niche, and how they maintain an impressive 85-90% close rate.

Tune in for a candid and insightful conversation as Natalie shares her journey of juggling entrepreneurship, fintech, family, and the exciting future that awaits her RIA. This is an episode we can all learn something from.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/371

Our guest today moved up the corporate ladder to become CIO at 2 different large RIA’s. Even from the top, there is just no replacing the freedom and flexibility that owning your own business can provide for both you and your clients. Terri Spath, CFA®, CFP®, founder of Zuma Wealth shares some fantastic stories and insights that you won’t want to miss!

Terri spent the majority of her career climbing the corporate ladder as an investment expert. She served as the Deputy CIO, Chief Investment Officer for Mercer, and went on to be the Chief Investment Officer for another large RIA as well.

As the CIO, she had the ability to work with advisors and saw the value they were providing their clients. She decided to get her CFP®, which she said was a wonderful educational program, even though she already had the MBA and CFA® designation. Despite achieving what many of us would consider the pinnacle of success in her career, entrepreneurship was calling to her, and she decided in 2021, just over two years ago, to launch her own RIA.

She has grown quickly, grossing over $300,000 in revenue this year. She shared an amazing launch program that she did, which involved a market research firm, ultimately led her to her target market, and has been wildly successful in helping her grow quickly. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/370

Join us for an insightful episode as we extend a warm welcome to XYPN member Jeff Clark CFP®, founder of Redwood Money. From youth ministry to personal finance, Jeff’s journey wasn’t simple. In his church, Jeff offered to help his peers with their finances, but soon had the attention of a congregation also in need!

Following this path, he found himself in FinTech, able to learn from experts in the field. This stepping stone gave him the knowledge and confidence to strike out on his own. In 2021, he did just that.

Cataloging his growth 2 years later, he has exceeded all expectations. With Jeff's practice expanding at an impressive pace, culminating in a hiatus from new client engagements for the latter half of 2023. He credits much of his success to the support of friends, family, and peers much like those in his XYPN Mastermind Group. Jeff and his wife are on the brink of welcoming their second child.

For those looking into how their current support systems can bolster their practice, this episode is for you!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/369

Our guest today shares how not only are students of all ages needing financial guidance, the solutions available to them can completely change the way we look at student loan repayment and consolidation.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Erik Kroll, CFP®, the founder of Hilltop Financial Advisors and Student Loans Over 50.

Erik's journey in the financial advisory world began in 2015 when he set out to create a business that could afford him the opportunity to blend work with the rest of his active lifestyle. Originally a versatile advisor, Erik's expertise naturally evolved over time, leading him to identify a crucial need in the market—helping older clients nearing retirement navigate their substantial student loan burdens. He tells stories about how he has changed the financial landscape for his clients, including helping one client eliminate over $250,000 in student loan debt practically overnight!

We discussed how he manages the two brands of the company, as well as what he's hoping to accomplish with his business. One really unique thing that Erik has built is a tiered service model that allows him to work with clients at different stages of their financial journey—something that many financial advisors have trouble navigating. For those looking at a great example of how to do this successfully, be sure to tune in!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/368

We often hear how the network of support and connection that XYPN offers is a strong component of success. In today's episode, we learn that for our guest, Leland Gross, CFP®, the founder of PeaceLink Financial Planning, "community" wasn't just a benefit, it was essential after a life-changing event pulled his focus from building his business.

Leland discovered financial planning after meeting some advisors through a volunteer program he was part of just after college. He noticed that the advisors were able to work hard while also coaching kids' sports teams and having time to volunteer. Appreciating the flexibility he saw, he decided it was a fit for him. He started his career on the sales side of the business, but over time discovered fee-only planning and the opportunities it presented to him.

In September 2021, Leland launched his firm and discovered that same month that his wife was pregnant! Three months later, they received the devastating news that their baby would need open heart surgery just after birth. Leland shares how his XYPN study group jumped in to help him keep his business from failing. While he focused on his family, they got set up so they could call Schwab on the client's behalf, helped craft emails and communications to clients, and basically did anything else they could do to support him while he cared for his family.

With their assistance during that critical time, and Leland's strategic social media and podcast leveraging, he is now serving 45 client households (in less than 18 months!) in the self-employed niche—all while experiencing major changes and hardships to his growing family. Leland’s story really shows how perseverance and support can get us through unimaginably difficult times and help us still find success. This is a story you won’t want to miss!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/367

If you’re wondering whether taking custody of client accounts and a virtual assistant is right for your independent advisory firm, this episode’s for you!

Taking custody can be a scary decision, but sometimes it's the right one. Just ask XYPN member Kate Yearwood Young, CFA, CFP®, founder of Yearwood Young Advisors. From engineering to Wall Street to founding a successful business, she acquired the skills and services to meet her client’s needs where they are. And their needs dictated that she take custody.

Born into the advisor role despite her family’s best efforts—her father, aunt, and cousin are in the industry—Kate was encouraged to explore other avenues of interest, but sometimes it’s in your blood! After getting a degree in engineering, Kate pivoted back to finance and soon found herself on the Wall Street Trading Floor.

She developed her knowledge and expertise in evaluating hedge fund managers for large pension funds and ultra-high-net-worth clients. In 2019, she made the decision to leave her last firm and start her own business. She launched in May 2020 with a six-month-old baby but found a way to persevere and began to grow her firm.

Kate has a really unique service offering. In addition to comprehensive financial planning and investment management, she also has a family office service. She needed to take custody of client accounts because she has bill pay authority for her office service.

A deeper dive into the topic reveals her experience with the audit process and the documentation required when you have full control of a client's bank account.

We also dive into what she's building and how she plans to get more control of her calendar, the number of hours she works, and how she's leveraging a virtual assistant and soon-to-be outsourced paraplanner.

From being in touch with her clients’ needs to growing her business in the most sane and productive ways, Kate’s story is one that we need to hear.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/366

If you are interested in learning highly effective, yet simple ways to use data-driven market research to find and maximize your niche, this episode is for you!

In this candid and informative conversation with XYPN member Marlon Wesh, MBA, founder of Wesh Financial, we learn how Marlon’s early experience in HR for the Marine Corps helped formulate his firm’s operational systems. We also hear how earning his undergraduate degree and MBA in business administration was tremendously helpful in structuring the business side of his firm—especially his marketing classes which informed his approach to finding his niche.

While completing his MBA, he did an internship with Merrill Lynch and decided that his path would be better served as an entrepreneur where he owned 100% of his business and where someone else wasn’t testing out their inclusivity on him.

He launched his firm in late 2019 with minimal planning experience, but a whole lot of grit and self-confidence. He tried a few niches and quickly established that just because there’s a gap in the market, it doesn’t mean there’s a market in the gap. So, he turned to methods informed by both his marketing classes and what came most naturally to him: data-driven market research.

His strategic approach proved to be both satisfying and profitable. A Google search that started with “What are professions that have complicated taxes?” ultimately led him to his niche: traveling nurses. He didn’t stop there though, he studied multiple online forums where traveling nurses shared what he determined were pain points. He then turned those pain points into his selling points—which directly fueled his success.

Marlon was super open about the challenges of starting a firm, especially with young kids, and how he and his wife ultimately navigated it. He also shared that the next phase of his business will focus on helping advisors with their marketing. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/365

If you’re interested in the impact being a student of your own art can have on your priorities and business, this episode is for you!

Terry Bradford-Crane MBA, CFP® of Bradford-Crane Company went to the Naval Academy for college with a dream of becoming a pilot and an astronaut. Just as she was finishing her training program, the US repealed a law prohibiting women from serving in combat zones, and she was one of the first women to receive orders to serve on an aircraft in a combat zone.

Her first job out of the military was with Merrill Lynch, and she talked about how valuable the four years she spent there were for her career, mainly based on their amazing training program. After the birth of her second child, she decided to be a stay-at-home mom. And during that time she got her MBA in financial planning, her CFP® designation, and was providing financial education and literacy programs, and was an adjunct professor and more.

In 2019, she decided to focus more on her financial planning business and started to scale. Most recently, she's been focused on her planning practice and become super intentional about her time and priorities to ensure the right work gets done. I was really impressed with her intentionality and she shared her goals for the business and how it will ultimately support her and her husband as they transition into the next phase of their lives.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/364

If you’re interested in how finding your fit can change everything and how well the equity compensation niche has worked for XYPN member Christine Amill Centeno, CFP®, MS, founder of Simplicity Wealth Management, this episode is for you!

Christine started her career in financial services at Ameriprise in 2007 and worked in a variety of broker's side roles until she ultimately decided to launch her own firm in 2019. Having just celebrated her firm's fourth birthday, she has grown quickly with over 40 client households and 400,000 of recurring revenue.

How has she had so much success? You probably guessed it, she has a really well defined niche. Christine specializes in equity compensation, and almost all of her growth from the last two years have been from client referrals. She also shared about her experience hitting the ceiling, realizing that she was working way too many hours and had let the business really take over her life.

She hit the reset button, defined her financial mission statement, and has been really intentional about building the business to support her life moving forward. This was a really great conversation that you are not going to want to miss.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/363

If you’re interested in learning how employment contract restrictions can seriously disrupt your plans to take clients with you should you decide to break away from your broker, as well working through growth and fee structuring decisions, this episode is for you!

XYPN member John Underhill, CFP®, founder of Acorn and Oak Wealth Management, based in Raleigh, North Carolina shares how his journey from ski bum to managing parts of a ski resort, and then several Starbucks helped bolster his business acumen as well as humility—in the best ways. After having their first child, John and his wife moved back to the East Coast to be near family. He found a job on Indeed in financial services with a national firm. And he said without a plan B, he just committed to following their recipe for success. He knocked on a lot of doors and ultimately built a successful practice.

In 2020, after listening to the Financial Advisors Success Podcast, he decided to launch his own firm. We talked about his experience with a difficult employment contract and how he navigated it to let his prior clients know that he had gone independent. John is at a really cool point in his business where now that he has three years of experience under his belt, he's trying to figure out his fee structure if he's going to hire another advisor and more. It was fun to catch him in the middle of these big decisions as they are choices that all advisors eventually have to make as they start to approach capacity.

-Alan

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/362

In this fun conversation with XYPN member Brian O'Neill, CFP®, founder of Winged Wealth Management and Financial Planning, we hear how niching not only what you know, but who you know can radically grow your business—even in the first year! Brian spent the first 20 years of his career as an Air Force pilot, during which time he developed a passion for personal finance. After considering what to do after retirement from the military, he decided to launch a firm dedicated to working with fighter pilots like himself.

Brian launched his firm in January 2021 and came out of the starting gates hot, working with 30 clients in his first year, 23 of which were retainer clients. He's grown quickly and shared that he'll gross over $200,000 in 2023, just his third year in business. He shared his marketing secret sauces that helped him grow quickly as well as build upon the equity of trust his fellow fighter pilots feel towards each other.

Finally, we talked about his view of the future of the business and how that's changed from a plan to stay solo to a desire to grow, not only to serve more clients in need of his services but also his family—in the form of a succession plan for his business. Every entrepreneur has to make a similar decision, and I think you’ll find his thoughts on the subject illuminating if you’re near that junction in your journey.

-Alan

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/361

If you are interested in what it takes to transition from a long-term wirehouse position to solo RIA ownership, what it means to truly answer a calling, and how to sustainably serve others without being self-sacrificing, this episode is for you!

XYPN member Kaysian Gordon, MBA, CFP®, CPA, CKA®, founder of Kaysi Gordon Financial Planning, started her career at UBS where her team grew over her tenure and ultimately focused on doing financial planning for ultra-high net worth clients. She spent 14 years there learning the ins and outs of serving those clients and was the first on her team to get her CFP® designation.

Seven years ago she was able to start a weekly devotional blog that was not finance-related, so she had the freedom to share her thoughts and insights. It later helped lay the foundation for her current niche of working with women of faith that are in transition.

When she felt called to leave UBS, she joined another organization that not only provided a unique “practice run” at RIA entrepreneurship, it allowed her to build a client base she could take with her when she decided to go independent—a rare opportunity.

In late 2021, she left that RIA and launched her own firm with the help of XY Planning Network. She's been growing quickly (60 households in less than a year!) and her clear niche has not only helped build her base, it’s kept her feeling fulfilled.

We also talked about how important time of life is—as she is a single mom with a ten-year-old daughter (who, by the way, co-authored a book with her!). Her life stage has impacted the design of her business and how she ultimately wants her life to look. There is so much to connect with in Kaysi’s story, I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

-Alan

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/360

If you’re interested in learning about the advantages of growing your firm with like-minded advisors, the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant, and how none of it would be possible without a supportive spouse, this episode’s for you!

XYPN member Mike Troxell, CPA, founder of Modern Financial Planning knew he wanted to be a financial planner, but his career started off on the tech side of the business as an accountant. After being steeped in tax education for two and a half years, he made the move into financial planning and started working at an RIA. While he thought at that time he might want to start a firm one day, he loved that job and the people he was working with and thought he'd be there a long time.

The stars unexpectedly aligned for him, however, and he decided to launch his own RIA. We talked about how he and his wife ultimately made that decision and made it work as they had just had their first child and had their second just 12 months after he launched. Modern Financial Planning works with clients with RSUs or stock options so many of his clients are in tech and we talked about how he helps clients navigate the financial decisions that come with that industry.

While he thought he would stay solo, he ended up bringing on another advisor and is in the process of onboarding a virtual assistant. We discussed that decision and how he's been focused on growing his business. This is a really fun interview that I'm certain you'll enjoy.

Alan

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/359

If you’ve ever found yourself questioning what “having it all” looks like for you, how to pull focus on those visions and find balance as you start and run your business, this episode is for you.

In this reflective and empowering conversation, XYPN member Betty Wang, CFP®, founder of BW Financial Planning, shares a very real look into her journey from a career in financial services on the buy side, to taking time off to care for her children with medical issues to returning to the industry in private equity and ultimately deciding to do her own thing as a firm owner.

While she doesn’t describe herself as an entrepreneur—because she doesn't fit the image that she had of what it means to be an entrepreneur—she has built a very successful firm.

She launched in 2018, but struggled to put herself out into the world, so she didn't see much traction early on.

That all changed in 2020 when she made the decision to lean into the uncomfortable parts of the business, primarily selling financial planning and the relationship with her as the product of her business—and it has grown rapidly since.

She shares how she has been able to be intentional with her time—focusing on working 25 hours a week so she can spend time with her kids (something she hadn’t envisioned being a priority in the beginning of her career). She also shares tools she uses to help with what she calls life planning—a way for her to focus on living from a fulcrum of integrity, according to her values.

There are many aspects of Betty’s story that you may find familiar, but mostly I think you’ll appreciate her ability to turn the unexpected into an intentional and meaningful life. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

Alan

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/358

If you’re interested in learning how to grow your initial firm investment five-fold in 3 ½ years in a dual-entrepreneurial household, this episode’s for you!

Join in the conversation with XYPN member Jake Northrup, CFP®, CFA, CSLP®, founder of Experience Your Wealth and hear about how he started his firm journey in late 2019, with no clients, at the ripe age of 27. As if that wasn’t challenging enough, his wife started her own wedding planning business at the same time.

Jake always knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur, and after working in an RIA that served mostly older clients, he wanted to build a firm that focused on younger families that did a lot of traveling and wanted to experience more of life during their younger years versus just saving for retirement and hoping to have fun in their 60s.

Jake spent a lot of his upfront money building a website focused on telling the story of who he wanted to work with and how he was different from other advisors. It has clearly worked as he made just over $80,000 in his first 12 months and he has now crossed the $500,000 of recurring revenue mark, just three and a half years into the business.

We had a wide ranging conversation about how he has found success finding clients, his service model, what makes his business unique, how he and his wife have balanced being entrepreneurs at the same time, and how his views on building the business have changed from building a solo practice to hiring another lead advisor and other team members. Check out his interesting journey!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/357

If you’re interested in learning how niching what you know and starting a group focused around your niche can grow your fee-only revenue to $250k in 5 years, this episode is for you!

We're excited to welcome XYPN member Andie Clark, founder of The Table Financial Planning, a virtual firm serving military members and their families on the show. Andie married her high school sweetheart, who was an Air Force pilot and started moving all over the world every two years. She found work as a math teacher at community colleges, and over time, that ended up shifting into the realm of financial planning.

She took part in a joint program between FINRA and the DOD that helped her get her AFC designation. That led her to getting her CFP® and, as her husband was retiring from the military and they were deciding where they wanted to end up, she started her financial planning firm.

She talked briefly about a couple of big planning opportunities that service members can take advantage of this year. And it is clear how important having in-depth knowledge of what all service members have access to is when working with them. She's also part of a group that she helped found called the Military Financial Advisors Association, which is a group of XYPN members that serve military members and their families. They host regular meetups and provide education to members and have a pretty awesome lead gen program that's set up for members to take advantage of. Another great example of the power of being better together!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/356

If you’re interested in hearing about building a unique firm that's more focused on helping people and having an impact versus just being focused on making money due to personal financial circumstances, this episode is for you!

This inspiring and really interesting conversation with XYPN member, Frank Austin, CFA, ChFC®, founder of Sustainable Financial Planning, was a little different from many other conversations we’ve had on XYPN Radio in that he is technically retired after a long career in financial services, mainly on the institutional side.

Frank achieved his FIRE goal of retiring at 50 and starting his own financial planning firm. His goal in starting the firm wasn't to make a lot of money as he was already set up for retirement, but instead to impact the lives of as many clients as possible.

We talked about some of the things he thought he would focus on early in the business, such as ESG investing and how those plans evolved over time as he found the clients he enjoyed working with and learned the challenges of running his own solo practice. He's made a recent pivot to moving into more advice packages and away from ongoing planning, and he shared why he made that move and the clients he hopes to help with that new program.

I hope you enjoy hearing about Frank’s journey as much as I did!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/355

This episode’s for anyone who:

Has made or is considering making the transition from tax prep to financial planning
Understands the impact every financial decision has on taxes
Is looking for conversation starters with your clients about the value add tax-optimized financial planning offers them
Wants to shift tax prep from being reactive to proactive
Wonders how to structure fees when you offer tax services, financial planning, and investment solutions
Is looking for inspiration to pursue their passion at any age

In this informative conversation with XYPN member Joanne Burke, CFP®, CPA/PFS, founder of Birch Street Financial Advisors, we learn why Joanne left a big four firm to join a partner who’d split off to go independent and help start their accounting practice.

After a few years and the birth of her second child, she decided to launch her own tax practice to give herself the flexibility to spend more time with her family than public accounting would have provided.

Fast forward after her youngest left for college, she decided to pursue her passion for financial planning and made the leap in 2020 to start her own RIA. We talked about her original plans to convert tax clients over to ongoing financial planning clients and the challenges she faced as she tried to move from being seen as their tax preparer to being seen as their financial advisor. Her deep tax knowledge has proven to be a real asset as she’s shifted tax prep conversations from reactive solutions to proactive planning. We talked about the upcoming decision she'll get to make as she decides if she wants to stay solo or hire and begin to grow the firm.

This is a really fun interview that covers a lot of bases you don't want to miss.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/354

Whether you live in a single or dual-entrepreneurial household, have children you’re balancing in that equation, or are just looking for effective tips to convert prospects into clients, this episode is for you!

In this fun and informative conversation with XYPN member Sarah Ponder, CFP®, MBA, founder of Real Estate Wealth Planning, Sarah joked that she's 37 and on her fifth and hopefully final career.

She started out in the Enterprise Car Rental Management Training program, then ended up in a financial literacy software startup before getting her MBA. She was then recruited to Dimensional Fund Advisors, or DFA, where she moved up into a regional director role, during which time she got her CFP®.

She always knew she would launch her own firm one day and decided that the fall of 2020 right in the middle of COVID was the right time. We talked about her decision to become an entrepreneur as she had two kids under four and another on the way, and she had historically been the breadwinner for her family as her husband is a realtor. She said she drank the niche Kool-Aid from this podcast, and after doing a round of interviews with real estate professionals, she decided to specialize in working with realtors.

We talked about her fee structure, successful marketing programs, her new course for realtors, and also how her family has leveraged an Au Pair to be able to support them with childcare so they can build their respective businesses.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/353

We’re excited to welcome back XYPN member Kay Dee Cole, CFP®, founder of Clarity Wealth Development, on the show today. Kay Dee was on the show back in 2017 and we wanted to bring her back on now, to give us an update on her firm and how things have progressed and changed. I have to say it was hard to find anything that was similar to the business she was running five years ago, aside from her being there and her niche.

Kay Dee shared the various transitions that have happened from splitting with a business partner, finding her integrator, which is something we talked a lot about, building up the team, selling a portion of the company to her employees, and ultimately setting herself on a path to spend more time on passion projects.

If you’re interested in being really intentional about building the business that makes sense for you and where you're at in life, this episode is for you!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/352

At XYPN we talk a lot about community. This holiday season feels like a great time to celebrate what a powerful gift being independent, but never alone can be. So, we invited three members of an XYPN Mastermind Group, Dillon Cobb, CPA, CFP®, Andrew Gray, CFP®, and Allen Mueller, CFA, MBA, to share how their group has become a gift that “keeps giving” toward their personal and professional successes. We’ll hear about how the group has become a place of shared strengths and divided weaknesses – kind of like a family. A family whose support betters themselves, their firms, and their clients. It’s impact acceleration at its absolute best.

Their varied backgrounds and unique paths to launching their own firms enrich and inform their conversations as do their commonalities – like facing the challenges of raising young kids and building solo practices. We had a wide-ranging discussion about the value of a mastermind group – from helping navigate family dynamics playing out in their firms to imposter syndrome. You can feel the difference their support of one another has made in their lives and practices. If you are already in an XYPN Mastermind Group, you’ll recognize the positive impact and feelings our guests share. And if you aren’t – you may find yourself seeking the powerful gift of community by the time you're done listening to this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/351

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member, Daniel Yerger, MBA, CFP®, ChFC, AIF, CDFA, founder of MY Wealth Planners, a fee-only firm based in Colorado on the show today. Today’s podcast follows Daniel’s career path from joining the Army and specializing in PSYOPS to becoming an IT manager for IBM before deciding to pursue financial planning.

He effectively started his own firm at a broker-dealer because he didn't have a salary to build his own client base from scratch. Looking back, if he found a salary position in financial planning, he would have taken it and maybe would have never started his own firm.

In this show we talk about the importance of meeting like-minded financial planners and his decision to launch his own RIA after attending an FPA NexGen conference. We cover a variety of other topics, including fee structure and using net worth in fee calculations as well as leveraging interns in his practice - one of whom ultimately became his associate advisor. He discusses the importance of firms hiring and paying interns in order to expose more young people to the work we do as financial planners. We closed our discussion on his PhD research on financial advisory fees, advisor compensation, and ultimately how the fight on Twitter regarding fees is really missing the point.

If you’re interested in the importance of finding a passion that fits and exposing next generations to financial planning, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/350

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member Jessica Goedtel, founder of Pavilion Financial Planning, on the show today. Jessica started her career thinking she wanted to be an archeologist. After a few jobs and a few different industries, her love of personal finance brought her to her first job in financial planning. She worked for a couple of different firms, including an online startup RIA, and learned as much as she could about doing financial planning and the types of clients she wanted to work with before ultimately launching her own firm in September of 2021.

Jessica has two niches listed on her website’s home page: tech workers and online sex workers. We talked about the decision to have two niches, which she admits can be difficult at times, but also wouldn't go back and change it if she could. We dove into the service model and fee structure of both niche markets and how she's ultimately bringing value to her clients, including how she has incorporated tax preparation and tax planning into her business just over a year in, and she's doing amazingly well. This is an interview you don't want to miss.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/349

Today we welcome XYPN member Andy Panko, CFP®, RICP®, EA, founder of Tenon Financial, to XYPN Radio.

Andy always knew he wanted to be a financial advisor—but the harsh reality of financial planning opportunities (or the lack of them) for a fresh college graduate was discouraging. So, Andy spent the first 19 years of his career working in insurance, banking, and brokerage firms. It was in 2016 that Andy discovered XYPN Radio and realized that his dream of helping others with their finances could be a reality.

Andy spent the next three years preparing to launch—and that preparation really paid off. COVID soon followed Teton Financial’s 2019 launch. Rather than seeing this as a roadblock, Andy took it as a sign to double down on his marketing efforts, and it paid off handsomely. He got his first client in June 2020 and quickly reached capacity at the beginning of 2022. Andy is truly passionate and candidly talks with us about his growth and how he has worked to intentionally build a high-efficiency solo practice.

If you’re interested in working with clients to and through retirement and building a great firm in the process, this is the episode for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/348

Co-Founders Alan Moore and Michael Kitces review the highlights of the sixth-annual Member Benchmarking Study in this episode of XYPN Radio. Each year, the study gathers information from XYPN member participants to get an accurate picture of how advisors are doing in their firms.

This episode tells the data-backed story of an XYPN firm's journey, from the average growth in revenue, client profitability, and client relationships, to the value of community. Alan and Michael pull graphs from the study to paint a clear picture of what’s working and not working for member firms. And yes, the survey includes insights from XYPN members who started with the Network from scratch that yields incredibly impactful for those considering starting an independent fee-for-service RIA.

If you’re interested in learning what really works for fee-for-service advisors, then this is the episode for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/347

We’re excited for today’s episode with Nancy Hetrick, AWMA, CDFA, founder of Smarter Divorce Solutions—serving clients through collaborative divorce. Today, Nancy represents both a financial neutral and mediator for her clients and remains committed to a kinder, gentler divorce process for all involved.

After her own divorce in 2007, Nancy realized just how few resources were out there for people getting a divorce. Traditional divorce proceedings include clients each bringing their own financial advocates to the table. Nancy wanted to play a role in offering better choices to people facing this unfortunate reality and became a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. The Smarter Divorce Solutions tagline captures her passion: No lawyers. No judges. No courtrooms. That’s how Nancy has reimagined the role of financial advocacy during divorce proceedings.

Nancy is truly dynamic and shares with us some of her most fulfilling experiences as an advisor—from serving clients through collaborative divorce to creating a CDFA training. Last year, Nancy made the decision to sell the wealth management side of her business to focus exclusively on building her divorce planning practice, which is growing like crazy. The divorce planning practice side of her business will do over $1,000,000 in revenue this year alone. Nancy has a lot of great advice to share with you today—from finding your groove within the divorce niche to marketing FYI’s.

If you're interested in working with divorcing clients or just want to learn the power of a niche, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/346

Today we talk to Maggie Beach, CFP®, CPA/PFS, and XYPN Member who is the founder of NexJenn Financial Services—a fee-only firm servicing the real estate niche—and NexJenn CPA—an accounting firm that specializes in individual and trust taxation. Today’s podcast is full of information as Maggie shares her expertise in real estate, and how her early career path gave her the ability to provide advice on a personal level.

In this show, we talk about everything in the real estate niche, from prospecting to outsourcing. For Maggie, real estate isn’t just a niche, it’s a family business. Maggie uses her personal experience in real estate investing to provide a holistic approach to advice to her clients. She also talks candidly about what it’s like to offload aspects of her business. Bottom line? Trusting your instincts is one of the most important skills advisors should hone while building their firm.

If you’re interested in real estate as a niche, and finding better ways to serve your existing clients, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/345

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member Cody Garrett, CFP®, founder of Measure Twice Financial—an advice-only firm based in Houston, TX. After 10 years in the music industry, Cody jumped into a career in financial planning. As Cody learned about financial planning, he shared blogs to teach others at the same time. His generosity changed the trajectory of his career.

Cody lasted two and a half years at an RIA before the floodgates opened. Dozens of clients started reaching out wanting planning advice—without investment management. After two months, he generated more revenue than an entire year. So, he made the decision to go solo.

In this episode, Alan and Cody discuss the importance of empowering clients to get involved with their finances. Measure Twice Financial leads by example—simplifying financial topics to help DIY investors to align their money with their values. Cody built his firm from the ground up, finding his ideal client before choosing a service model and fee structure. His goal is to change the perception of a financial planner's role by increasing the transparency of planning.

If you’re interested in advice-only planning or are looking to align your professional goals and values, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/344

Today, we talk to XYPN member Ethan Miller, CFP®, founder of Planning for Progress—a fee-only firm based in Washington D.C.

Ethan started his career in labor and union organizing which gave him the passion for working with individuals one-on-one to empower them to make the world a better place. Financial planning seemed to be the perfect way to help clients lead socially responsible lives while building financial stability. He launched Planning for Progress in 2016 part-time to build slowly (and remain an active part of movements for social and economic justice). After 4 years, his network and niche aligned. Ethan relaunched in 2022 as a full-time advisor and now serves 70 clients in a calendar year.

This episode is fun—and brutally honest. Ethan shares his experience of transitioning between service models to fit his ideal client by embracing both comprehensive and project-based service models and getting his existing clients on board.

If you’re thinking about starting a firm part-time or looking for ways to incorporate your values into your business, this episode is full of advice for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/343

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member, Rachael Burns, CFP®, CDFA®, founder of True Earth Financial Planning, on the show today. Rachael’s start in financial services and life experience have allowed her to build a practice based on empathy and education.

The day after learning she was pregnant with twins, her family faced the news that no one should have to hear: her husband had a brain tumor. Shortly after the birth of their twins, the COVID pandemic hit. The next year was challenging—to say the least. In this interview, Rachael talks candidly about finding #XYPNRadio during the pandemic and the role that it played in taking the leap to start her own firm. She soon realized that opening her own fee-only firm was a real possibility and found the courage to launch. Rachel’s leap of faith paid off—after two years, she now has found her niche helping women manage money stress to deal with what really matters.

Rachael's story is incredible, as is her commitment to advising with empathy. You don't want to miss this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/342

We’re excited to welcome Colton Etherton CFP®, XYPN Member, and owner of Out of the Office Planning to the show today. On this episode, Colton talks us through his professional background, which includes starting his career in the banking side of financial services, transitioning to Merrill Edge, Schwab, then an independent RIA, all before launching his fee-only firm with a tattoo artist niche.

Colton shares the impact of his unexpected unemployment in the launch of his firm in January of 2021 and how his banking background gave him the confidence to build his own firm from scratch. After 9 months of business, Colton scrapped his niche nine months in to be the go-to resource for tattoo artists on his schedule. His firm is now growing incredibly fast, bringing in 10 clients in 6 months, on a schedule that prioritizes his personal and business goals.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/341

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member Sharon Weaver, CFP®, the founder of Mission Financial Planning, on the show today. Sharon has been a CFP® for over 25 years but had never actually done a financial plan until she launched her firm 11 years ago.

Some early dentist clients from a center of influence referral eventually led her to go all in on working with dentists. She's been growing her network of dentistry practice consultants, bankers, and insurance folks who work with dentists and is also networking with investment managers who refer clients to her because she is advice-only, meaning she doesn't manage investments. She's been growing her firm and has started hiring for support. Sharon talked about the decision to hire and what she's looking for in a second planner. If you're interested in learning more about what it’s like to work with dentists and hire on a second lead planner, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/340

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member Chad Holmes, founder of Formula Wealth, on the show today. Chad always knew he would be an entrepreneur and discovered financial planning in high school when his grandparents invited him to sit in on a meeting with their financial advisor. He started his career in public accounting as an auditor, thinking it would help prepare him to be an advisor because accounting and finance were basically the same things, right? Not really, and Chad is glad to be on a different path now.

Before ending up at an RIA actually doing financial planning, an unexpected pregnancy, and his wife getting a fellowship across the country led him to decide to launch his own firm. This was in 2020, in the middle of COVID, in a new state. Chad shared how they made it work as a family for him to be able to pursue his dream of entrepreneurship while also supporting his wife's career. Now he works part-time and has taken on the household responsibilities, and is building a great firm focused on helping clients that our industry has historically underserved.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/339

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member Ryan Greiser, founder of the Pennsylvania-based financial planning firm Opulus, to the show. Ryan started his professional career as an athletic trainer before a client recruited him into a financial planning firm, where “financial planning” was actually just cold calling and selling insurance. Ryan lasted three years before moving to a broker-dealer, and while he was able to do more planning there, he was still expected to sell insurance—and a lot of it at that.

Ryan ultimately launched his own firm in 2019, and has been on a rapid growth trajectory ever since. Most recently, Ryan has been building out a cryptocurrency offering to support his clients, which has become a big driver of new business for his firm. In this episode, we talk extensively about Ryan’s cryptocurrency offering, going into the details of how he designed it and his vision for the future.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/338

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member Patrick Clark to the show today. Patrick is the founder of Neshaminy Creek Advisors, a fee-only firm specializing in volunteer firefighting companies and their firefighters in Bucks County, PA.

Patrick has been in the industry for almost 30 years, starting out on the investment side of the business before getting introduced to financial planning through a friend and eventual business partner. He launched his own firm four years ago with just one volunteer firefighting company, but has quickly grown. Patrick shared how his niche is starting to compound with referrals from existing clients, and referrals from an accounting firm that also exclusively specializes in the same niche and the firefighters themselves. His story is a great example of why having a niche truly is so powerful.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/337

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member Reese Harper to the show today. Reese is the founder of Dentist Advisors, a virtual firm based in Salt Lake City, UT., focused on serving (you guessed it) dentists. Reese started his firm in 2007 after working at Northwestern Mutual, and he had one dentist client as part of a book of business that he left with.

After experiencing 2008 and his first year of running his firm, he decided to go all-in and focus exclusively on dentists—and this is at a time when having a niche wasn't the cool thing to do. As the firm grew, he saw the need to provide more ongoing monitoring of clients' financial situations and started building some highly-functional spreadsheets to provide value to his clients. Then he shared a few of those spreadsheets with other advisors to get their feedback and input and has now built out a tech company named Elements to provide all advisors with the ability to monitor and provide proactive recommendations to their clients.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/336

We’re excited to welcome XYPN member Danielle Harrison MBA, CFP®, CFT-I™, the founder of Harrison Financial Planning, a fee-only firm based in Columbia, Missouri, on the show today. Danielle was destined to be a financial planner, starting all the way back in middle school as a kid fascinated by finance. The only problem? Her perception of financial planning as product pushing and sales-based—until she learned about fee-only firms.

She entered financial services as a bank teller at age 16 and eventually moved into the wealth management side of the bank. After going on maternity leave with her second child, she came back to a less than ideal situation that ultimately led her to launch her own firm in January 2021, well ahead of her schedule for doing so and in the midst of COVID. In this interview, Danielle is open and honest as she tells her story about the difficulties and challenges of her first year in business. But she’s persevered and is building an inspiring firm that supports her family and their goals.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/335

Today’s episode is a shift from our typical one. Alan Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of XYPN, joins Maddy for a conversation about some changes that are happening—good ones—with the leadership structure at XYPN, their roles, and this podcast. As you’ll hear, over the past ten months since Alan was on last, XYPN has continued to grow and formalize, which means Alan and Maddy’s roles are shifting.

Alan discusses his move back as the host of #XYPNRadio, and Maddy’s shift away from being the host. For over 100 episodes, Maddy has interviewed XYPN members, allies, and teammates about a range of topics—listeners have been through COVID and more together with Maddy, and she shares how thankful she is for the support of each and every listener. She has found so much joy in being able to bring stories of success to each of you, and inspire some of you to go out on your own.

If you want to hear more about the future of #XYPNRadio and how you can shape it by filling out a listener survey telling us what you love about the show and want to hear more about, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/334

Today, we talk to Cynthia Meyer, a CFP®, CFA, and XYPN Member, who is the owner and founder of Real Life Planning—a fee-for-service firm dedicated to supporting real estate investors. Today’s podcast is full of information as Cynthia shares her expertise with real estate, and how she’s been able to create a service model that has allowed her to scale to 50 clients in her first three years.

We talk about everything from the real estate bubble to how she is able to leverage her campaign management experience. Cynthia exudes enthusiasm for her work, her clients, and her niche—and it’s contagious. Cynthia is also a power user of the XYPN Network and has effectively launched the highly-productive Real Estate Investment study group within the XYPN membership community, and she speaks about how giving back has given her so much value in return.

If you’re interested in real estate as an asset class, and how to serve clients who are too, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/333

Today’s interview is with Leo Marte, CFP®, the owner of Abundant Advisors, a virtual fee-only firm that specializes in serving Christian professionals. Leo joined XYPN and launched his firm in 2020 after spending a dozen years at Vanguard, managing a large team, and working with thousands of clients.

We talk about what it was like for Leo to leave a meaningful institution and career to chase a different dream of serving clients that better aligned with his personal goals. He discusses what it means to be a great advisor to his high-net-worth clients, how transparency is what draws folks in, and he talks about the intentionality he has around his growth. Leo charges a flat fee and AUM, which provides him access points to work with folks he may not be able to otherwise. We discuss a second business he’s developing, and he reminds us that there’s never a right time to do things.

If you're ready to transition out of your institutional career, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/332

Today, we talk with two advisors who launched their firms in the past six months. This is a different kind of podcast that gives folks an inside perspective on what it’s really like in the first year. Instead of talking to people about how their first year was in hindsight, Elaine King and Scott Alan Turner, fee-only RIA owners from Florida and Texas respectively, share what it’s like to figure things out right now—as they’re doing it.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/331

We’re excited to interview XYPN’s very own Director of Advisor Education, Kori Lennon. Kori pulls the strings for all of the educational programming for XYPN members—from our coaching offerings to our webinars. They are the ears and eyes of our community, always learning about what advisors need to stay up to speed.

Today, she talks about her team's work to support advisors on their entrepreneurial journey and shares excellent wisdom about what it takes to prepare for and start your own firm successfully. Kori tells us about the emotional and mental struggles she senses in some of our new members and what advisors can do to combat some of the inevitable challenges of being an entrepreneur. She gives us three things every future entrepreneur should focus on and shares her perspective on burnout and how to avoid it. Kori and her team are gearing up for the biggest year yet within the Advisor Education department, and you’ll hear all about how you can expect to be supported by their team when you launch your firm.

If you want to know how to prepare for your first year in business holistically, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/330

Today we’re talking with advisors at a different stage of their business development than those we normally feature⁠: two XYPN members who are in their first six months of launching their firm. Chao Zhang and Stefanie Pickard⁠ are in the midst of figuring things out as their firms get off the ground.

This podcast is fun—and brutally honest. Despite both Chao and Stefanie having a 10-year financial runaway as they started their firms, the conversation is transparent around imposter syndrome and how they wished they had done things differently. We talk about how many hours they really spend working on their firms, and what has slowed them down. Both Stefanie and Chao approach their firms with different perspectives and have different goals for themselves, but they share so many commonalities about how they feel about launching their firms and what it’s done for them personally.

If you’re interested in what the first six months are really like, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/329

Today I talk with Cameo Roberson, the owner and founder of Atlas Park Consulting—a consulting firm for RIAs. Cameo isn’t an XYPN member, nor is she an RIA owner, but she’s deeply familiar with the space and the experiences of advisors who are running their firms. Today, we dive into Cameo's expertise; from her comprehensive background in the industry to her current work with advisors. I’m able to ask her questions about what advisors tend to overlook when approaching their launch, what slows them down, what advisors should be focusing on in the 12 months before they launch, and six months after they launch.

Cameo has some incredible advice about imposter syndrome, how to navigate the industry as a professional, and gives sage advice about how advisors can stay motivated as they navigate the world of entrepreneurship. Cameo shares her experience looking for and seeking mentors in this industry, and what she’s done to ensure there are more people like her in this industry.

If you’re interested in an expert's perspective on preparing for your launch, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/328

Today’s interview is with XYPN member Heather Townsend, owner and founder of Townsend Financial, a virtual fee-only firm based out of Scottsdale, AZ. Heather is in her fourth year of business and is hitting her stride working with over 40 of her most ideal clients: business owners and professionals with stock compensation.

Today’s episode covers a lot—Heather shares her wisdom from, as she describes it, her messy first few years, and she talks about why it was important for her to raise her fees a number of times as her confidence gained. Heather has multiple designations and an impressive amount of technical understanding of her niche, and she shares how today she is able to deliver massive value to her clients on an ongoing basis by working with a coach and being true to her goals. Heather is also a new mom of twins and talks about what it was like to prepare for and enjoy her well-deserved maternity leave, which meant setting up boundaries. She also talks candidly about what it’s like to be a perfectionist and what her confidence curve was like after starting her firm—something more advisors should consider when building their firm.

If you’re interested in building a firm that aligns with your goals—from the amount of money you want to make to who you want to work with—then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/327

Today we hear from the three founders and owners of AVID Planning—a fee-only firm out of St. Petersburg, FL, that opened its doors in 2016. Right out of the gate, Jack, David, and Kevin experienced how much fun running a business can be when you do it alongside friends. The three of them met when they were all working at Edward Jones, had a stint at an independent broker-dealer, and eventually broke out on their own to do things differently.

Today, Jack, David, and Kevin talk about what the math looked like as they decided to become truly independent, what it meant to leave the broker-dealer world, and why they are now more fulfilled working as co-owners. They talk about how they structure their business and equity, break down their accountabilities, and how implementing the Money Quotient process has changed the way they work with their clients long term and in what they believe is the fiduciary way.

If you’re interested in what it’s like to start your dream firm with a friend or colleague, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/326

Today, Jennipher Lommen, founder of Wildflower Financial, a fee-only firm out of Santa Cruz, California, is on the show. Jennipher is a career changer and entered this industry only a few years before she launched Wildflower four years ago. Jennipher homeschooled all three of her children and explained what it was like to begin looking to enter a new industry in her 40s.

With age comes maturity and experience, and quickly Jennipher found financial planning to be a perfect fit. Today she talks about her first few years in business: she worked with over 50 clients on a project basis in her first year and now serves a number of them on an ongoing basis. She talks about how the industry is in dire need of more women and how this profession is so accessible to anyone who is interested in being a listener, supporter, and advocate for their clients. She shares her perspective on the CFP® curriculum and how the Registered Life Planning process has been transformative for both herself and her practice.

If you’re interested in entering this profession later in life, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/325

We’re joined today by XYPN member and founder of SJK Financial Planning, Wes Shannon. Wes has been running his Fort Worth, TX firm for six years and, despite feeling admittedly swamped, has reached the point where he feels like he’s built his ideal firm.

In this episode, Wes discusses the numerous business plans he wrote before starting his own fee-only firm and how to handle transitioning clients. Wes reflects on how hard the first three years were and how, at 64 clients, he’s benefiting from his preparation and endurance. Wes gives advice around the nuances associated with serving both individuals and 401(k)s for small businesses and how he established a buy-sell agreement with a like-minded advisor. Additionally, Wes talks about why networking has been so beneficial to him and how he strives to serve his clients as best as he can.

If you want to know what it’s like to be six years into building a firm that you love, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/324

XYPN has conducted an Annual Benchmarking Study for the past four years. The comprehensive annual survey gathers core performance indicators of member participant firms and ultimately draws data-backed conclusions about the success of different business models, fee structures, and niches.

Today, Alan Moore and Michael Kitces, XYPN Co-Founders, discuss the study’s fifth annual results. As you’ll see, with our maturing network and member firms, the 2021 study shows a much clearer understanding of what’s working and not working in fee-only RIAs. This episode is particularly interesting and helpful for those considering starting the long play of the entrepreneurial journey. We encourage you to listen closely and go back to the previous conversations about the past surveys and use them as resources to build your ideal firm.

If you’re interested in what really works (yes, meaning proven with data) when building your firm, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/323

We’re excited to interview Kathleen Boyd, a CFP®, former financial planner, and now, XYPN’s Financial Planning & Process Coach. Kathleen is joining us for a second time, as she was on Episode 131 with Alan Moore four years ago talking about Diversity and Inclusion.

Today, Kathleen discusses the challenges advisors face when building their processes, how they can get overcome with analysis paralysis as they try to systematize, and she offers sage advice on how to avoid these pitfalls. She gives a lot of credit and love to the advisors who choose to start businesses, encouraging them to think outside the box on who and how they serve. Kathleen is a black, queer woman and has had a diverse and broad career in this industry—she’s been on Investment New’s 40 under 40 list—and she shares what it’s been like to find her place in this industry with the help of mentors, and what it’s been like to work at XYPN, a place she says embraces progressive thinking in a real way.

If you’re interested in how to leverage your financial planning experience in dynamic ways, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/322

We’re excited for today’s episode with Ashley Foster, a Latino advisor and owner of Nxt:Gen Financial, a fee-only firm out of Houston, TX. Ashley started his career in the captive insurance space, learning how to sell and acquire clients. As many of our guests have experienced, Ashley started to feel drawn to the fee-only space and serving the community he wanted to and had a discussion with his former employer about changing his career trajectory to being a business owner.

Three years into it, Ashley is serving over 30 clients, primarily veterinarians. He’s making six figures and is loving life more than he could imagine. Ashley has a lot of great advice to share with you today—from how to navigate the exit from a company to leaning into the painful moments of the experience as opportunities for growth. Ashley is candid today and shares with us some of his most fulfilling experiences as an advisor.

If you’re interested in how to navigate out of the insurance world and into the fee-only space, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/321

Today, we’re excited to interview River Nice, XYPN member and founder of Be Intentional Financial, a fee-only firm focused on serving LGBTQ community members. River, whose pronouns are they/them, started their firm just over two years ago and has effectively served over 100 clients since opening.

River serves clients how they want to be served: through education and short-term relationships. River brings up a number of compelling points throughout the interview—questions of whether gender is a necessary consideration in planning, how our technology is set up to serve, or not serve, different communities, and reminding us how important it is to have representation within this industry. Their own personal journey is highlighted in this episode and how interestingly, through raising their own prices, they were able to have an even bigger impact on the communities they wanted to serve.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/320

XYPNRadio’s very own host, Maddy Roche, is interviewed on the podcast today. Maddy is XYPN’s Senior Director of Member Success, a role in which she’s entirely dedicated to helping XYPN members be successful.

As the first employee, Maddy has been part of XYPN since the very beginning, and today, she shares her experience navigating change and the growth that comes along with it. She discusses how she inspires an “embrace change” mentality within her own team and offers advice on fostering a positive company culture and preserving that culture within a rapidly growing company. Maddy shares what it’s like to manage a team of managers—which she admits had a steep learning curve. We also spend some time reflecting on the fee-only movement, and the powerful role introspection plays in bettering yourself both personally and professionally. Having connected with thousands of fee-only advisors over the past seven and a half years, Maddy offers a unique perspective on what it really means to be a part of the XYPN movement, what exactly REAL financial planning entails, and the impact XYPN advisors have on the lives of others and on the industry at large. Maddy also shares her own experience working with a financial advisor and how recently engaging advisors who are also life planners has changed her outlook and shaped her trajectory.

If you’re interested in learning more about the story of #XYPNRadio’s host, Maddy Roche, what her seven and half year journey with XYPN has looked like, and how her introspective mindset and approach have helped her continuously better herself both as a team member and as a person, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/319

We’re excited to talk with Danika Waddell today, owner of Xena Financial Planning, a long-time follower of XYPN, and a relatively new entrepreneur. As you’ll hear, Danika has experienced rapid growth in her newly-launched firm and now serves over 60 clients just 13 months in. So, what’s her secret?

As we explore today, you’ll hear that it comes down to knowing your strengths and weaknesses and creating a dream team to help you stay sane and serve your clients. Danika discusses how she relies on and leverages her community, centers of influence, and coaches to help her stay on track. She talks about the nuances of pricing in Washington state and how she expects to change her firm in the future. Danika shares the softer side of how she approaches her firm, takes care of herself, embraces the abundance mentality, and is motivated by making financial planning accessible to more people.

If you’re interested in how to hit the ground running and find success when you launch your firm, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/318

We’re excited to welcome Tom Lo, XYPN Member and founder of Vested Financial Planning, on the show today. As his firm name alludes to, Tom works with Silicon Valley tech professionals and has a particular focus on helping clients through a liquidity event at their company.

Tom shares that he, too, went through a liquidity event at a tech startup and found it to be so complicated of an experience that it became one of his motivations to change careers and help others with his expertise. As Tom discusses today, a liquidity event at a tech startup is a great opportunity for sophisticated and technical planning from a third party, like himself, to provide unbiased perspective to those who are emotionally invested in the process. Tom dives into how he serves his clients effectively by outsourcing major components of his business—from asset management to bookkeeping. He discusses the softer side of being a business owner, too, like what it means to have control of your destiny, complete control of your business, and of course, flexibility.

If you’re interested in working with this niche or gaining any of what was just mentioned, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/317

Today we’re excited to have Jerry Kauffman, a Certified EOS Implementer on the show. EOS is the Entrepreneurial Operating System—a system designed to help entrepreneurs get more of what they want out of their businesses. XYPN integrated the EOS model into our organization just about three years ago, with the help of Jerry, and today we’ll discuss the core components of the system and how it can level up your business.

Jerry talks through the major components of the EOS model—from setting rocks, to the meeting rhythm, to deciding measurables of your scorecard. He discusses the difference between the visionary role and the integrator role and even gives us some behind-the-scenes takeaways from working with Alan Moore and Michael Kitces, both visionaries.

Jerry will be hosting an interactive Pre-Conference workshop at #XYPNLIVE 2021, where he will share the benefits of implementing this system for your company. Check out more details and register for that event here.

EOS is a core component of how XYPN runs its business, and today's episode will give you some ideas on how to get more out of your business using EOS principles.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/316

We’re excited to welcome Daniel Kopp to the show today. Daniel is the owner and founder of Wise Stewardship Financial Planning—a two-year-old, 100% virtual fee-only firm that serves over 25 widows and military personnel.

Today, Daniel talks about what it was like starting his firm while navigating some difficult personal circumstances. While he waited for approval to start his firm, he conducted 100 informational interviews, prepared for his CFP®, and got clear on who he wanted to serve and how. Despite pricing himself a little low out of the gate, today, Daniel has a backlog of clients reaching out and credits a lot of his accelerated growth to the investments he made in GoogleAds early on and targeting his niche in Facebook Groups. Daniel shares the importance of a supportive advisor community as he continues to grow his firm and how he would have never started on this journey if he didn't know what was possible thanks to some of the original stories shared on #XYPNRadio.

If you’re interested in what it’s like to build a niche-focused intentional firm, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/315

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to starting or scaling a practice, and today, we sit down for a conversation with XYPN member Spencer Stephens who has taken his own path starting and scaling his firm. Stephen, like many folks, is interested in building a lifestyle practice vs. an enterprise practice. He founded Rooted Interest, a fee-only firm in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2017, and today, he discusses why he serves a smaller client base than other comparable firms.

He discusses why he continued to stay employed at his father’s CPA practice full time while building his firm. Spencer is a dad of five, and it was important for him to get into the giving profession to help his clients in the ways that work best for them while not sacrificing what is best for himself and his family. Spencer talks about his intentionality in building slowly, his annual expenses (hint, it's still under the 10k mark), and what his plans are for ramping his business up.

If you’re considering starting a practice at a slower rate or on a part-time basis, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/314

We’re excited to introduce you to Cathy Curtis, founder of Curtis Financial Planning, a fee-only firm out of Oakland, CA. Cathy has run her firm for over 20 years and shares just a sliver of her experience on the show today.

Cathy is a solo advisor—and always has been. She serves women, specifically breadwinning women, and to this day, finds 1:1 client work her favorite part of running her firm. Cathy discusses flow and how to find it, the kind of insecurities women face as they try to understand their finances, and what it’s like to vision board your future. She reminds listeners that outsourcing should be considered an investment, and there’s no reason to try to do everything on your own, whether you hire or not. Cathy shares that her imposter syndrome went away when she finally niched, and since then, has found major success and fulfillment.

Cathy has some incredible advice to share with you today, and if you’re interested in what it’s like as a solo advisor 20 years in, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/313

We’re excited to welcome Vinicius “V” Hiratuka, founder of Elevated Retirement Financial Services, on the show today. V serves just over 50 client households on an AUM basis, folding his financial planning and investment management into a single comprehensive fee. Despite being relatively young, V serves almost exclusively pre-retirees—and loves doing it. He talks about the oh-so-familiar feeling of wanting to do things differently and why breaking out on his own was so important to him. He reminds listeners to pay themselves first, from his own experience to not to be in a rush to venture out on your own. He talks about why his previous experience was integral in his decision to focus on this niche, how he’s been able to leverage his youth as a value to his clients, and why he continues to work for a different business owner on the side. V’s simplicity to his approach, along with his dedicated focus on the things that matter, is truly inspiring.

If you’re interested in the pre-retirement and retirement space but want to do it your way, then this episode will be for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/312

We’re excited to have Alan Moore, the CEO and Co-Founder of XYPN, on the show today. XYPN just celebrated its 7th year, and it’s been about a year and a half since Alan hosted his last #XYPNRadio episode.

Today, he joins us to discuss what this whole journey has been like—from starting the business to managing a team through COVID, all while being a dad (now with three kids). Alan opens up about nerves, some worries that have lingered over the years, and reminisces on some of his favorite times at XYPN. He talks about the importance of hiring a team that complements his strengths and weaknesses and what it’s been like to work alongside Michael Kitces as a co-founder. Alan gives valuable advice to our listeners through telling his stories—from which books helped him change his perspective to how to think of entrepreneurship as a creative outlet.

If you want to know how XYPN and Alan Moore have evolved over the years, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/311

We’re excited to welcome back Shane Mason and AJ Ayers, co-founders of Brooklyn FI, for a check-in on their growth trajectory since we last spoke with them on episode #221. Brooklyn FI now has 10 fully remote employees, serves over 200 client households, and is pushing the two million dollar mark in revenue.

On the show today, we discuss what that growth has been like—from identifying great new talent for their team to handling the crazy demands of this year’s tax season. They talk about why hiring an operations teammate was vital for their scalability and how their fee calculator helps with transparency. Shane and AJ share their take on their impact, why they got into this business, and how they’ve managed to keep up with the demands of their growing firm. You can sense their authenticity and their passion for what they do in this interview, and it’s hard not to want to be part of their superstar team.

If you’re looking for some advice about growing and scaling your business, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/310

We’re excited to have four XYPN members and firm owners on the show today. Becky Meats, Bonnie Arnold, Molly Laughter, and Adrienne Ross were introduced to each other during their XYPN Launcher program in 2019 and have met every week since then as a mastermind group.

We dig in and discuss what makes this group work—from the framework to the attitudes, and how they ensure the meetings and group are helpful for each of them. We talk about imposter syndrome, pivotal points in the group's history, and how being part of a group of others at the same level is helpful instead of being competitive. You’ll hear them share stories of how the group has been a lifeline (in every sense) and how they couldn’t imagine running solo firms without the support of a group like theirs. The laughter and energy this group shares is contagious and motivating.

If you’re not yet part of a study group or worry about the challenges that come along with running a firm on your own, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/309

We’re honored to welcome Vince Hockett, XYPN’s Chief Revenue Officer, to the show today. Vince joined the XYPN team just about one year ago and has brought decades of experience working at rapidly growing companies along with him.

Today, Vince shares what it’s like working with Alan and Michael as a fellow executive and what it’s been like to manage the group of young leaders that ultimately deliver the promise of XYPN membership (and then some). Vince pulls the curtain back on his management style, which is unique and powerfully productive. We draw some similarities between the XYPN Network and the member firms that make up our community—specifically related to the building and scaling phases of the firm owner’s journey. He talks about what it’s like to work with the EOS model, what he sees as some of XYPN’s business challenges, but most importantly, what it’s been like to work at a progressive, disruptive company that lives and breathes its core values.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/308

Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Kelly Klingaman, Vice President and Regional Director of Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA). Kelly has worked in the RIA space for the past 12 years, helping advisors around the country understand and communicate investment management strategies to their clients.

Kelly explains that DFA partners with advisors to educate them on the academic research that DFA builds its principal theories around and how this credibility can be infused within their planning processes. Kelly discusses the decisions advisors face regarding their investment management programs and whether to outsource or manage them on their own. Because advisors are often limited in the amount of time they have to focus on the investment management aspect of their business, as well as the fact that many feel insecure about offering investment advice to their clients, she explains that the way advisors frame their investment services—the story they tell surrounding them—is often the most important aspect of how they approach investment management. Kelly points out that using anecdotes to explain why time in the market is better than timing the market can help a diverse crowd of investors understand the value of investing and the services you offer.

If you’re interested in learning how to better tell the story of your investment management philosophy, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/307

In today’s episode, we’re honored to speak with Cindu Thomas-George, a professor and the owner of Shakthi Diversity and Equity Training. Last year, Cindu shared some of her lifetime of experience and expertise with the XYPN Team. Later this year, you’ll have a chance to learn from her, too—Cindu will be delivering a three-hour interactive workshop as an add-on Pre-Conference event at #XYPNLIVE 2021, so don’t miss out.

Today, Cindu joins us to discuss what diversity, equity, and inclusion each mean and lays out a persuasive argument for DEI initiatives as a growth strategy within a business. She discusses the concepts of power and social capital and presents the moral case for considering these concepts within your work. She gives answers to tough questions like, “Is this conversation a political one?” and “What can advisors do to move the needle forward in the DEI space?” Today’s conversation highlights the power of the work being done by financial advisors who are bringing financial planning and literacy to communities who have not had access to it before. If you weren’t previously convinced that financial planning is an inherently impactful, helping profession, Cindu sets the record straight.

If you’re interested in learning about how DEI makes businesses thrive, then this interview is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/306

Today, we have the privilege of talking to Terria Heng and Shelby Brown, two of XYPN’s Compliance Coaches who together have nearly two decades of experience as examiners and compliance consultants.

Terria and Shelby discuss with us their recommended approach to compliance, the time commitment required to ensure you’re creating a culture of compliance within your firm, and several other compliance considerations that keep RIA owners up at night. They give great advice like how to trust your instincts, and they deliver valuable insight into how regulators and examiners approach their jobs. They discuss the required compliance changes involved when you add a teammate, approach SEC registration, or make a considerable mistake. Terria and Shelby’s perspective on compliance is refreshing, and you can’t help but absorb some of their energy and passion for all things compliance.

If you’re interested in how your compliance responsibilities will evolve as your scale your firm, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/305

Today we have the honor of speaking with Chris Dale and Julie Quick, two XYPN members and RIA owners who make a tremendous impact in their clients’ lives as they focus on the complex niche of people in transition, specifically those dealing with grief.

To begin our conversation, Julie and Chris define grief and explain the complexities and emotions of the grieving process. They discuss how essential it is to humanize the experience of grief and to understand the longevity and vulnerability associated with processing grief—a perspective that is necessary when working with someone in transition. You'll hear Chris and Julie discuss the unique aspects of their firm and service model that allow them to be much more than just financial planners to their clients—they often introduce their families to their clients and share their own stories of grief. Given the time commitment of this type of advising relationship, questions arise about scalability. You’ll hear their tips for continuing to build a practice while maintaining a meaningful relationship with each one of their clients founded on support, friendship, and empathy.

If you’re interested in supporting and guiding clients through transition, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/304

Today, we have an exciting conversation with Ryan Mohr and Eric Thomas, owners of Clarity Capital Management, a fee-only firm out of Portland, OR, where we talk about all things partnering—how to do it, when to do it, and all of the potential benefits. Three and a half years ago, Ryan started his firm as the sole owner and built it to serve over 45 client households. As the pressures of growth continued, the desire to bring on a partner was at the forefront of his mind.

On today’s show, Eric and Ryan talk about their decision to partner together, how they established equity buy-in for Eric, and the process they followed to finalize their agreements. Eric discusses why the timing was right for him to transition into the fee-only space now vs. when Ryan originally opened the firm. Ryan shares what it was like to offer equity into the company that he built from the ground up. This discussion provides a great example of how to partner with intentionality after a strong foundation has been built.

If you’re interested in what it’s like to bring a partner into an established firm, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/303

Today we’re excited to welcome Pearl Michalson, XYPN’s Internship Coordinator, to the show. Pearl has built XYPN’s internship program from the ground up and has a wealth of expertise when it comes to all things interns and internships. From identifying top talent to training managers on how to best utilize interns, a lot goes into making an internship a successful and rewarding experience for all.

Pearl shares her unique theory around internship programs with us and the wide variety of work that interns can accomplish, which will be of interest to many of our listeners. Her experience in organizational leadership allows her to speak to the importance of communication within organizations and why new and diverse talent elevates a company. As opposed to thinking of interns as another person to manage, she invites our listeners to seek out what an intern can teach them, how they can improve the organization, and see the world through a different lens. Pearl has advice regarding what to look for in interns, how to train them, and how to consider what they can do within a company if given the opportunity.If you’re interested in hiring an intern, then you’re not going to want to miss this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/302

We’re incredibly excited to have Ashlee deSteiger and David Rae—two XYPN advisors and RIA owners—on the show today to talk about everything that comes along with working having your spouse as a coworker. Ashlee’s husband joined her firm, Gunder, after seeing the momentum and freedom she enjoyed while running the firm, while David hired his husband at his firm strategically to support not just his firm, but his lifestyle as well.

In this episode, you’ll hear Ashlee and David discuss the good, bad, and the ugly of working with your spouse—from how they take walks (alone) to tag-teaming duties. They also talk about the decision to hire a spouse generally and what it’s like to market your firm with your spouse and serve clients as a team. Ashlee shares what it was like growing her firm during COVID and with three small kids at home. David reminds us of how good things can be when we define our ideal life and work towards it each day while embracing the inevitable challenges.

Whether you’re starting your firm with your partner or just starting your firm, you won’t want to miss this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/301

Today, we have two remarkable XYPN members—Tremaine Wills and Charles Ho—on the show. Tremaine and Charles both left the broker-dealer space knowing they were destined to do more meaningful work. Both ended up finding major fulfillment in being owners of their very own independent RIAs.

We speak with both Tremaine and Charles about their previous professional backgrounds, including the tears that were shed, the pressure that was applied, and the emptiness they both felt around the work they were doing. We discuss the ideas of time freedom, mission-driven work, and what it feels like to burn out. Tremaine and Charles talk very transparently about what it took in terms of support, mental stamina, and confidence to make the leap and become their own bosses. They highlight what success means to each of them and how, despite the pressure they felt from their employers, it wasn’t about making money. Instead, success to them is all about making an impact.

If you’re feeling dissatisfied or unfulfilled in your current position, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/300

We’re thrilled to have four incredible XYPN members on the show with us today: Alexandra Baig, Neil Mahoney, Todd Sensing, and Matthew Ricks. Each advisor has built a practice that either focuses entirely on or incorporates special needs planning—a unique niche that brings its own challenges, and of course, rewards.

From soft skills like trust and sensitivity to having deep technical expertise, specific requirements are needed to serve the special needs community. Alex, Neil, Todd, and Matthew share their individual approaches to working within this niche. Some adjust their payment structures and service models to serve their clients better, while others have developed particular marketing techniques that resonate with this community. They also touch on the importance of staying up to date on the ever-evolving nuances within the special needs space and how you should be ready to speak the language of your clients, meeting them where they are.

If you’re interested in working with the special needs community, or just hearing what it’s all about, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/299

Today, we’re excited to talk with three extraordinary people—Aaron Agte, Michael Reynolds, and Trishul Patel—with three remarkable things in common: they are all RIA owners, XYPN members, and, to top it off, podcasters.

In today's episode, we discuss the intricacies of hosting a podcast as a primary component of a content marketing strategy. You’ll learn that each of these advisors approaches their podcasts a little differently in terms of structure, format, and purpose. Aaron and Trishul team up to host their podcast together, while Michael hosts a live show and finds this to be the format that is best suited for him. These three share their experiences leveraging this intimate medium, how listeners desire insights, not information, and how podcasting has allowed them to establish credibility among their listeners and within the industry. They also offer their expertise about which platforms and technology to utilize and tips for keeping a cadence that works for you while maintaining a passion that’s contagious.

If you’re interested in exploring what podcasting can do for your firm, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/298

We’re excited to have Cathy Morgan and James Hindes on the show today to talk about their respective firms, Assess Financial Freedom and ENOW Financial. While Cathy and James own two separate RIAs, they share many similarities, both having entered the industry from other careers (and both being XYPN members, of course!). Cathy was and is a CPA, while James spent most of his career in the tech industry.

Today we talk about what it's like to change careers, including the good, the bad, and the scary. Cathy and James share their experience when it comes to leveraging a community, what it takes to run a business, and what kind of preparation you need to enter this industry. We talk about how career changers often feel like they need to work extra hard to stay up to date with education and compliance, how the pandemic-driven switch to virtual advising has enabled them to serve their clients better, and how to make such a people-centric role work for “high-functioning introverts.”

Cathy and James have a lot to offer our listeners today, so if you’re contemplating a career change or have been there and done that, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/297

We’re excited to have John Mason and Tommy Blackburn on the show today. John and Tommy are partners at Mason & Associates, a fee-only firm out of Newport News, Virginia. Tommy and John are friends, first and foremost, but also business partners, both working at a firm that John’s uncle and father started together in the early 80s.

Today, the firm serves over 400 clients, a majority of whom are federal employees. John and Tommy talk about what it was like to transition the business from a broker-dealer into an independent firm, a transition they spearheaded just last year. John and Tommy reflect on what they gave up but, more importantly, what they gained by moving away from the broker-dealer structure. They share some sage advice about how preparation can be your best friend in a transition like this. John and Tommy also have a radio show together on their local radio station, and they discuss how radio marketing is a primary lead source for them and how it enables them to further their mission by expanding their reach and impact.

If you’re interested in what it’s like to transition an existing firm into the fee-only space and to do it with a dear friend, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/296

We’re honored to have XYPN Director of Brand Communications, Kelly Moorman, on the show today to talk about all things brand. Kelly is a trained chemist, but married her experience with large data sets and analytical writing with her passion for storytelling to carve out a career in marketing. Today, she shares some of her best advice as a professional marketer and brand builder.

You’ll hear Kelly talk about developing a tone and voice that is real, and how that helps define your brand architecture and ultimately allows you to tell an authentic story that resonates with your audience. She explains the importance of knowing not just who you want to attract, but why, and talks about the power of repelling audiences, and why you should embrace that as much as you embrace attracting them. Throughout this episode, Kelly reiterates the importance of always knowing who you’re speaking to and meeting your target audience where they are. Kelly will leave you feeling motivated to evolve, iterate, and play with your marketing strategy—even if you aren’t a marketing guru. She’ll inspire you to be yourself, stay true to what you want to build, and most importantly, not waste your time on things that aren’t working.

If you’re interested in hearing from a professional brand expert, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/295

We’re excited to have XYPN member Anna N’Jie Konte, the founder of the fee-only firm Dare to Dream Financial Planning out of Kensington, MD, on the show today. Anna started her firm in August of 2019 and now serves 27 clients, most of whom are business-owning women of color—clients who are just like Anna.

Anna tells us about her journey to going out on her own and how it took learning the stories of others to inspire her and paint a picture of what success may look like if she broke out on her own. She shares how being authentic is a magnet for her clients, and how her approach allows her clients to feel safe with her, and see the value of a long-term financial planning engagement. Anna’s three young girls can be heard in the background of the episode, but Anna is unfazed. Anna talks about what it’s been like to start a business from scratch as a mom and a first-generation American, the intentionality with which she’s built Dare to Dream, and how she uses a barometer of satisfaction to determine if something is working or not. Anna’s commitment to changing the reputation and face of this industry is clear, and her love for her work is even more so. Of her career Anna reflects, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this.”

If you’re interested in what it would be like to build a business as a mom and as a woman of color, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/294

We’re excited to have XYPN member Ben Wacek, founder of Guide Financial Planning, and his firm’s Operations Manager, Amy Artiga, on the show today.

A few years ago, Amy was a stay-at-home mom, looking to pivot into the financial planning industry, and she merged her interests of writing and helping pastors when she started a blog called the Pastor’s Wallet. After hearing Ben’s original interview on #XYPNRadio about targeting people who embodied biblical principles, pastors being some of those clients, Amy reached out to Ben about potentially working for him in a part-time capacity. The rest is, as they say, history.

Today, Amy continues to work part-time for Guide in a virtual capacity as an Operations Manager, but also helps build the actual business. Her blog has only gotten more popular and continues to send prospects to Guide. Ben discusses what it was like to hire when he wasn’t necessarily looking to, and discusses how Amy is an integral part of the firm. We discuss the EOS model, client surges, and what their future plans are for themselves and their business.

If you want to learn about what it’s like to go from a stay-at-home mom, to helping run a financial planning firm targeting your ideal clients, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/293

We’re excited to have XYPN member Todd Pouliot, owner of Gateway Financial, a fee-only firm out of Northfield, OH, on the show today. Todd started his career spending time as a captive insurance agent and a long-time rep at a broker-dealer.

In this episode, Todd talks about his evolution to understanding the responsibilities of being a fee-only fiduciary advisor, and how that drove his ultimate decision to open his own firm. He walks us through his experience firing clients, transitioning them over, and eventually acting as a fully independent RIA. Todd speaks to the movement within our industry as being an evolution—not a revolution—and how he feels more deeply committed to his duty as an advisor than ever before. Todd serves nearly 60 clients and utilizes the support of virtual assistants to maintain balance and efficiency within his firm, but plans to hire virtually as he continues to grow. Todd shares his experience of finally finding a community of like-minded advisors, and how giving back, learning, and growing stay at the forefront of his purpose. Todd’s fee-only and fiduciary commitment to his clients drives all aspects of his business.

If you want to learn about what it’s like to transition from a broker-dealer to an independent RIA, and the fiduciary and fee-only commitments that come along with it, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/292

We’re excited to have XYPN members Dan and Natalie Slagle, owners of Minnesota-based fee-only firm, Fyooz Financial Planning, on the show today. Dan and Natalie are partners in life and business, and together have nearly 20 years of industry experience.

Today, they talk about how they built Fyooz intentionally to reach their target market: successful, fun, and authentic couples. They discuss what sparked the fire to launch their firm, the sacrifices they made along the way, and how their relationship has allowed them to serve their ideal client base. Together, they serve 30 clients—and have the capacity to serve 50-70 more. Dan and Natalie walk us through how they delineate roles and responsibilities, and the inherent challenges of working with your spouse. They share their candid thoughts about the pressures of the fiduciary oath they’ve taken, how they manage anxiety, and, on a lighter note, discuss what they’ve loved most about building Fyooz.

If you want to learn about what it’s like to go into business with your partner, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/291

We’re excited to have XYPN teammate, Taylor Deardorff, on the show today. Taylor currently manages XYPN’s Tech Team as the Product Owner, a role that allows her to leverage her deep understanding of member needs to design and create cutting-edge technology solutions for the Network.

Taylor pivoted into this industry when she joined Team XYPN back in 2018 as one of the original team members. We cover a lot of ground in this episode as we talk about the tech tools Taylor recommends for all advisors, insights into the role technology can play in scaling large business, and, how as someone who has managed anxiety her whole life, she’s been able to make decisions and move projects forward even when she’s not 100% confident. As an avid reader and efficiency whiz, Taylor shares her words of wisdom about uncovering your “why” and leaves listeners with some great book recommendations.

If you’re interested in how to leverage a technology mindset in this industry or your practice, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/290

We’re ‌excited‌ ‌to‌ ‌have‌ ‌XYPN‌ ‌member‌ ‌Lamar‌ ‌Watson,‌ ‌owner‌ ‌of‌ ‌Dream‌ ‌Financial‌ ‌planning,‌ ‌a‌ ‌fee-only‌ ‌firm‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌Reston,‌ ‌VA,‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌show‌ ‌today.‌ ‌

Lamar‌ ‌started‌ ‌his‌ ‌career‌ ‌in‌ ‌this‌ ‌industry‌ ‌before‌ ‌he‌ ‌even‌ ‌went‌ ‌to‌ ‌college‌! ‌He‌ ‌was‌ ‌an‌ ‌avid‌ ‌follower‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌stock ‌market‌ ‌and‌ ‌reader‌ ‌of‌ ‌Warren‌ ‌Buffet.‌ ‌While‌ ‌he‌ ‌was‌ ‌in‌ ‌college,‌ ‌he‌ ‌secured‌ ‌an‌ ‌internship‌ ‌at‌ ‌a‌ ‌diverse‌ ‌Scottrade‌ ‌branch‌ ‌where‌ ‌he‌ ‌received‌ ‌valuable‌ ‌insight,‌ ‌training‌, ‌and‌ ‌mentorship‌ ‌in‌ the ‌financial services industry.‌ ‌Lamar‌ ‌walks‌ ‌us‌ ‌through‌ ‌his‌ ‌career‌ from ‌how‌ ‌he‌ ‌pitched‌ ‌himself‌ ‌in‌ ‌an‌ ‌interview‌ ‌before‌ ‌he‌ ‌even‌ ‌graduated‌ ‌from‌ ‌college to how‌ ‌he‌ ‌climbed‌ ‌the‌ ‌ranks‌ and finally to ‌how and why‌ he‌ ‌decided‌ ‌to‌ ‌open‌ ‌his‌ ‌own‌ ‌RIA.‌ ‌Lamar‌ ‌talks‌ ‌about‌ ‌what‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌like‌ ‌to‌ ‌move‌ ‌from‌ ‌a‌ ‌steady‌ high-paying ‌job‌ ‌to‌ ‌working‌ ‌one-on-one‌ ‌with‌ ‌his‌ ‌ideal‌ ‌types‌ ‌of‌ ‌clients‌—the newbies ‌who‌ ‌have‌ ‌never‌ ‌worked‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌financial‌ ‌planner before.‌ ‌

If‌ ‌you‌ ‌want‌ ‌to‌ ‌learn‌ ‌about‌ ‌what‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌like‌ ‌to‌ ‌work‌ ‌your‌ ‌way‌ ‌up‌ ‌through‌ ‌this‌ ‌industry‌ ‌and‌ ‌then‌ ‌launch‌ ‌your‌ ‌dream‌ ‌firm,‌ ‌this‌ ‌show‌ ‌is‌ ‌for‌ ‌you.‌ ‌

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/289

Today, XYPN co-founders, Alan Moore and Michael Kitces, join us for a special episode to discuss the findings of XYPN’s 2020 Benchmarking Survey. Each year, XYPN members participate in a comprehensive survey about their businesses, and each year, Alan and Michael discuss the trends they see, the themes that emerged, and their perspective on where the industry is headed. If you’re interested in hearing about what XYPN member firms are experiencing this year, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/288

We’re excited to have XYPN member Natalie Taylor, owner of Natalie Taylor Consulting Services, on the show today. Natalie is only 10 months into building a fee-only RIA business, but she has already served nearly forty clients since opening her doors in early 2020.

Natalie walks us through her professional background, which includes substantial experience in the financial industry, both on the private side and in the fintech space. Natalie credits her ability to scale her firm so quickly to the scrappiness she garnered while at a startup paired with the intentionality she places around how she executes her meetings and financial plan delivery with clients. Natalie talks about why she had to put potential clients on waitlists, and why she always prioritizes her family time and her client experience and will sacrifice neither to earn more money.

If you’re interested in how you can grow your business organically while remaining true to your goals, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/287

We’re excited to have XYPN member Helen Ngo, Founder of the Atlanta-based RIA, Capital Benchmark Partners, on the show today. A lot has changed for Helen since she was last on the show in 2017; she got married, had a baby, and has transitioned her firm to 100% virtual. What hasn’t changed at all is her passion for growing her business.

Today she serves over 70 client households, the majority of whom are attorneys. She’s settled into a pricing structure that is niched to the needs of her attorney clients, and finds the conversation around pricing to be (surprisingly) simple. Helen reminisces on what it was like to start her firm, and how her priorities have shifted from being the planner to being a real business owner: managing people issues, learning how to communicate more softly, and graduating clients, all while giving her new baby some love in between calls. Listeners will be particularly interested in Helen’s discussion about the pushback she continues to receive around being in the driver's seat of her own career. As a young woman in this industry, people still ask her who she works for when the real question is not who Helen works for, but who works for Helen.

Helen’s commitment to her business and this space remains strong, and she’s a fabulous example of what life looks like when you chase your dreams.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/286

We’re excited to have XYPN member Ashley Murphy, Founder of Areté Wealth and the Global Financial Planning Institute (GFP), on the show today. This is Ashley’s second time sharing his career journey and expertise in the expat space on #XYPNRadio.

Today, he joins us to give us an update on how a niche can turn into a full-blown industry-shaking initiative. After recognizing a gap in technical training for cross-border and international planning, Ashley spearheaded an initiative to create content, training, and a designation around the expertise. As Ashley discusses on the podcast, advising in this space is complicated and, like other niches, demands a specific level of competence. Ashley shares how the GFP, which once was a passion project, is now changing the direction of his firm and encourages anyone who wants to get into this space to do so. According to Ashley, the number of clients in dire need of cross-border planning from an advisor who has done their research is unlimited, to be exact.

If you’re interested in turning your passion project into a successful second business, this is the episode for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/285

We’re excited to have XYPN member Brooklyn Brock, Founder of Ellevate Advisors, a fee-only firm in Tulsa, OK, on the show today.

Brooklyn is a third-generation CFP® and after several years of working at her family Ameriprise office, Brooklyn got the itch to start her own firm. But Brooklyn took an unconventional route when she launched a part-time firm. That’s because she’s still working for fee-only advisors as a paraplanner, a position that allows her to gain deep experience working for her ideal clientele, financial advisors, and exit coaching, a passion of hers. In efforts to combat imposter syndrome as she builds her business, Brooklyn hones her skills and has sought and achieved four different designations. Although building a part-time firm is a slow process, Brooklyn is thrilled with the way her part-time firm fits into her life in the COVID era, and has offered her opportunities she never knew existed.

If you’re interested in launching your firm in an unconventional way, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/284

We’re excited to have XYPN member Pierre-Emmanual Jovue, owner of InsuraWealth, a fee-only firm out of Tampa, FL, on the show today. Pierre started his firm in 2016, and today, serves 85 clients, most of whom are young professionals.

Pierre talks about how and why he “niched” his client base to focus on a specific employer and explains how a narrow niche and use of LinkedIn and referrals have allowed him to grow his firm rapidly. We also dive into Parkbo, the app Pierre recently created to help his clients with cash flow, and how he plans to build out that business to better serve the masses. We dig into his pricing structure, and what Pierre has to say to advisors who challenge his low fees. Pierre doesn’t hesitate to discuss the things that have been challenging: compliance, working alone, and balancing essentially two businesses, but as he says, he loves his work so it doesn’t feel like work.

If you’re interested in what it’s like to start not one but two businesses while continuing to serve a large client base, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/283

We’re excited to have XYPN teammate, Dan Keslin, on the show today. Dan is the Director of FA Bean Counters and he joins us today to shine light on the responsibilities of an RIA owner when it comes to keeping books and financial records accurate and updated—a task many advisors underestimate when starting out.

Dan talks about how having a deep understanding of your accounting allows you to make strategic decisions about your firm, compare yourself to benchmarks, seek credit, and even know when it’s the right time to hire. He walks through best practices for reconciling books and creating a chart of accounts, and breaks down what FABC can offer advisors—and what to consider when outsourcing certain aspects of your business.

If you’re interested in what it may be like to balance your own books, or outsource it to the pros, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/282

We’re excited to have XYPN member Britton Gregory, owner of Austin-based fee-only firm, Seaborn Financial, on the show today. Britton had a long career as an engineer before catching the personal finance bug and deciding to chase his encore career. Today, he stays connected to his career roots by serving engineers.

Britton describes the mental and emotional process he went through as he switched his careers, and explains how being a former engineer has been helpful in building a business that serves them so effectively. Britton spends time talking through his decisions about how he prices and delivers his services, and why and how he’s tailored both to the needs of his unique clients. He also talks about the KPIs he tracks, and how the rhythm of the Entrepreneurial Operating System has helped elevate and structure his year. Britton also provides his take on where he envisions the financial services industry heading in the years ahead.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as an advisor but wonder if the leap is worth it, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/281

We’re excited to have XYPN member Justin Brownlee, owner of the Houston-based fee-only firm Brownlee Wealth Management, on the show. Justin started his own firm last year after spending nearly a decade in the insurance and brokerage world.

Today, he’s building the premier firm serving oil and gas retirees and has experienced impressive growth by focusing exclusively on this niche. Justin explains how creating targeted content that speaks directly to the needs and pain points of his ideal clients works wonders for traction. He also breaks down his decision to bring on an equity partner much earlier than expected, and how that decision helped nearly double his revenue. Throughout the episode, Justin opens up about what it was like to start his firm, how a cancer diagnosis changed his life, and how he thinks the industry is more prime for advisors to enter than ever before. As a former minister, Justin brings a unique intentionality and a clear passion for serving others to his business.

If you’re wondering what it really takes to build an intentional and niched firm, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/280

We’re thrilled to have Lucy Robeson, the Managing Director of AdvicePay, a compliant payment processor for financial advisors, on the show today. Like many others on the show before her, Lucy took a meandering path to where she is today. She started her career as a retirement actuary, spent some time as a non-profit coordinator in Fiji, then moved into the RIA space and pursued her CFP® designation.

Now several years later, Lucy lives in Bozeman, MT, where she leads a 14-member team. Lucy discusses how she was able to successfully make those career pivots (hint: it involved a lot of hustle and leaning in) and how those pivots have brought her to where she is today—a place and position she really loves. She shares when she questioned her “why” and how she continued to imagine and work towards a better, more fitting position for herself. Lucy’s tips aren’t just limited to those in the financial services industry; they’re universal. Listen in as she shares how to carve out a place for yourself, how to hone your mental resilience, and how to manage a high-performing team. As someone who was always used to executing, Lucy also offers sage advice about how to transition from a doer to a manager of doers.

If you’re struggling to find a position that’s the right fit for you, then you won’t want to miss this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/279

We’re excited to have XYPN member Morgen Rochard, owner of Origin Wealth Advisors, a fee-only firm out of Austin, TX, on the show today. Morgen joined us on episode 178 to share her journey transitioning from a trader to a firm owner.

Today, Morgen joins the show to share what she’s been up to over the past few years, specifically how she continues to run a high revenue business with just 25 clients, working 8-10 hours a week. Morgen discusses what it was like to delegate some of the major responsibilities to one of her teammates, why she limits the number of clients she takes, and how she has incorporated life planning into her firm for a more authentic relationship. Most importantly, she gives great advice to any working parent out there who dreams of one day starting a firm.

If you’re interested in what it’s like being a parent and business owner, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/278

We’re excited to have Emily Purdon, Director of XY Tax Solutions (XYTS), and Sara Williams, Operations Specialist at XYTS, on the show today. We dive into what it’s like to roll outsourced tax prep under an RIA - specifically how to leverage experts to deliver great client experience, and how outsourcing can help you stay sane as you continue to scale your firm.

Today, Emily and Sara talk to listeners about compliance concerns related to offering outsourced tax prep, the pricing considerations when offering the service, and advice on how to generally ensure that you’re outsourcing at the right time. Be sure to explore the three new options for engaging with XYTS, because this year, XYTS is preparing to complete over 2000 tax returns, and they already have 700 secured.

If you’re interested in what it’s like to outsource tax preparation in your RIA, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/277

We’re excited to have XYPN member Cady North, owner of North Financial Advisors, a fee-only firm in San Diego, California, on the show today. Cady joined us on #XYPNRadio nearly four years ago, during Episode 79, to share her journey transitioning from the corporate world into that of an entrepreneur.

Today, she talks about what she has been up to since then: establishing a great work-life balance, moving across the country, and most impressively and recently, writing a book. Writing a book was always one of Cady’s goals, but one she never made any progress towards achieving. With some soul searching and an author’s program at her alma mater, Cady was able to write the book of her dreams in just 8 months. Cady talks today about why she chose the topic she did (surprise, it’s not about financial planning!), the actual process she went through to write and publish it, and most importantly she shares some of her tips that she uses with her financial planning clients who want to achieve goals but haven’t yet been able to move towards them.

If you’re interested in what it’s like to actually go after your dream, whether it’s launching a firm or writing a book, or both, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/276

We’re excited to have student loan expert, Heather Jarvis, and college funding expert, Joe Messinger, on the show today. This year for #XYPNLIVE(ish), XYPN’s annual national conference turned virtual, Heather and Joe are offering a combined Post-Con for advisors interested in learning about the dynamic landscape of college planning and student loans.

Today, Joe and Heather highlight the issue of students and parents making unprepared and uneducated decisions around these nuanced and evolving topics of college planning and student loans due to a lack of clear and concise information. Joe and Heather challenge advisors to raise the bar of advice in this space by equipping themselves with the tools and resources that their clients deserve. Most importantly, Heather and Joe remind us that clients need advisors who can listen, sympathize, and shine light on the potential long term impact of decisions around paying for college.

If you want to be prepared to discuss college and student loan planning with your clients, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/275

We’re honored to have George Kinder, who many know as the founder of life planning, and Lora Woodward, Communications Director at the Kinder Institute, on the show today to discuss the Seven Stages of Money Maturity Post-Conference they have planned for #XYPNLIVE(ish).

On today’s episode, we hear from George and Lora about what advisors can expect during the two-day training and what they can expect out of incorporating life planning into their firm. Lora and George discuss how life planning has the power to transform the standard client/advisor relationship and turn a financial planning engagement into a long-term, meaningful relationship. George and Lora remind us that listening and mindfulness are fundamentals of the client/advisor relationship.

We’re excited to welcome George as a Keynote at XYPNLIVE(ish), as well as provide access to this two-day life planning training. If you’re interested in how to incorporate life planning into your firm and how to create genuine and authentic relationships with your clients, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/274

We’re excited to have Candice Carlton, a digital marketing expert, on the show today to talk about her upcoming #XYPNLIVE(ish) Post-Con, a workshop titled: A Blueprint for Kickass Video. Candice is a pioneer of video in this industry and has begun to share her passion for it with other advisors.

Today, you’ll hear Candice talk about how advisors use video as a way to effectively communicate with their prospective clients, as well as their ongoing clients. She discusses how pivoting to video communication can help advisors establish deep credibility, save time, and expand their reach. Candice talks a lot about how video is all about authenticity, not the gear.

If you’re interested in how to incorporate video into your practice and learn it in a workshop fashion at a steeply discounted price, then you’ll want to attend her Post-Con, and tune into today’s episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/273

We’re excited to have XYPN member Wendy Marsden, owner of ProsperiTea Planning, out of Greenfield MA, on the show today. Wendy is currently in what XYPN calls the “scaling phase,” she has hit capacity to serve her clients on her own and is facing a whole slew of different challenges ranging from hiring to processes.

Today, Wendy talks to us about how she’s built two businesses, a robust tax planning firm and an RIA. She talks about the history of both businesses and how unlike other planners, she uses tax planning as a ramp down from her comprehensive planning. Wendy shares with us some of the mistakes she made and what she has mastered in her practice since starting out.

If you’re interested in what it’s like to hit the scaling phase, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/272

We’re excited to welcome our one-thousandth XYPN member, Luis Rosa, owner of Build a Better Financial Future, a fee-only firm in Las Vegas, Nevada on the show today. Due to the state of Nevada’s registration process, it took Luis 7 ½ months to launch his own firm and transition two dozen clients.

Listen as Luis talks about what it’s been like to make that transition while dealing with a global pandemic. Luis speaks to the underrepresentation that the financial planning industry has and he hypothesizes that as advisors continue to break out on their own and develop specific niches, this industry will continue to grow and reach more and more diverse populations. Although Luis feels he is only making a small impact, he has developed a podcast and service model to help make his firm more accessible to people without assets that need financial help. Luis also talks about what it’s like to be an entrepreneur running a firm as a solo-advisor, and how already, he feels the pressure to hire despite only being 6 months in.

If you’re interested in what it’s like to start your firm and transition clients during a global pandemic, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/271

We’re honored to welcome Scott Gill, XYPN Senior Compliance Consultant, and Abby Morton, an XYPN member and partner of Goldman Financial Planning, a fee-only firm out of Maine, on the show today. Through XYPN’s Compliance Coaching Program, Scott and Abby have been able to work together to help Abby scale her compliance program as she continues to grow as a firm owner.

Join us as we talk about Abby’s specific compliance needs as she’s grown over the years, but most specifically, her looming SEC registration. We discuss how Scott and Abby have been able to implement a culture of compliance within her firm that has her focusing on compliance for only certain days and times each month. Along with helping Abby gain confidence and experience with her processes, Scott has helped her not fear an audit.

If you're interested in how you can scale a compliance program within your growing firm, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/270

We’re excited to have both Travis Johnson, XYPN's Director of Compliance, and Kendra Rehm-Dehn, an XYPN Compliance Specialist, on the show today.

Simply put, starting your journey towards running your own RIA can be stressful, and one of the most stressful parts of it is just getting started with compliance. There's so many unknowns: how you will charge, what services you're going to offer, and there's so many to do’s.

Join us as Kendra and Travis walk through XYPN's Initial Registration process and remind us how the goal of the process isn't just to get someone registered at the state level, but to help them feel confident and comfortable with their compliance program. Listen as they share how to prepare for the compliance process, what to expect during it, and what to do afterwards. And finally, learn from Travis and Kendra, who have registered hundreds of firms around the country, as they ensure advisors that they have the support they need to feel prepared and confident with their compliance program.

If you're interested in what it takes to have a successful initial registration process, then this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/269

We’re honored to interview Emily Purdon, XYPN's former Financial Planning and Process Coach (transitioning to Director of XY Tax Solutions), on the show today. Having just finished her first year at XYPN, Emily has been the mind behind our XYPN Financial Planning & Process.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/268

We’re honored to interview the leaders of the XYPN Diversity Committee - Shehara Wooten, Miguel Gomez, Ryan Frailich, and Abel Soares - on the show today. These wonderful XYPN members have all served on our Diversity Committee over the past 12 months and are on the show today to discuss: the value of the CFP® designation; their own personal journey pursuing it; and ultimately the scholarships and opportunities the XYPN Diversity Committee offers to advisors both in and out of the Network to make the CFP® more accessible, achievable, and utilized within our industry.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/267

We’re honored to have XYPN members Jan Schalkwijk and Erica Blake on the show today to talk about how they've incorporated Socially Responsible Investing (SRI/ESG) into their firms. While Erica and Jan run their own RIAs, they met each other when Jan put a call out in the XYPN Member Forums about forming a study group around this investment focus.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/266

Join us as we discuss Jocelyn Wright’s experiences being the first and only Black person in many rooms over the years in her industry, and how she has viewed it as an opportunity to lean in by networking. Learn from Jocelyn's passion for her work and the importance of our current environment for making real change in our industry. Finally, listen to her message around diversifying the industry and how if we don't act now, we may lose this opportunity forever.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/265

We’re thrilled to welcome back XYPN co-founder and Industry Guru, Michael Kitces, to the show today to talk through XYPN’s lawsuit against the SEC. As you may be aware, in September 2019, XYPN challenged the Regulation Best Interest rule in federal court. After months of litigation, we officially received a ruling against us in late June 2020. Today, Michael shares what that ruling means and how XYPN plans to respond to it.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/264

We’re excited to have XYPN member Levi Sanchez, founder of Millennial Wealth, a fee-only firm in Seattle, Washington on the show today. Like many advisors, Levi got his start in this industry immediately after college at Merrill Lynch and went through their advisor training program. Although he only spent about three years there, he speaks highly of the experience and credits it for training him on establishing real personal rapport with clients. After starting his CFP® curriculum and leaving Merrill, he decided to open up his own RIA with a then-business partner, both when they were just in their mid 20s. Although the partnership only lasted for about a year, Levi serves over 60 clients today on his own.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/263

We’re excited to have XYPN member Therese Nicklas, owner of Wealth Coach for Women, a fee-only firm in Rockland, MA, on the show today. With 40 years of experience in this industry, Therese has spent time working in the insurance business with employee benefits as well as a substantial stint at LPL. However, it wasn't until 2016 when Therese decided to sell her commission business and open up her own fee-only firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/262

We’re excited to have XYPN member Leslie Ransom, owner of Indie Financial Planning, a fee-only firm in Chicago, IL, on the show today. Having spent nearly two decades on the sale and distribution side of the music industry, working with bands and music labels all across the nation, Leslie was first introduced to the concept of managing money and providing advice when the music economy began to move to digital and the U.S. economy headed into the 2008 recession, and found herself without a job.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/261

We’re excited to have XYPN member Tyler Landes, owner of Tandem Financial Guidance, a fee-only firm in Kansas City, Missouri, on the show today. Tyler has a really unique experience building his firm. In 2014, Tyler became a founding member of XY Planning Network and joined the then-group of 30 financial advisors and discovered how he wanted to build his own firm. Being a planner, however, Tyler wanted to launch and run his firm while remaining cash flow positive, so unlike a lot of advisors, Tyler took a part-time job to make the dollars work.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/260

We’re excited to have XYPN member Dave Rowan, owner of Rowan Financial, a fee-only firm in Bethlehem, PA, on the show today. Dave is a career changer; he spent a majority of his professional life at Crayola - yes, the Crayola - as the Director of Research and Development, and though he loved his work, he found that he was drawn to financial planning and decided in 2010 to start his own firm on the side.

While Dave remained employed full time at Crayola for seven years while he ran his firm part time, he found that he was having trouble balancing all of his personal and professional responsibilities, and ultimately, his mental health declined. Dave became restless, anxiety-ridden and depressed, which ultimately led to his decision to leave Crayola and focus on a career that gives him the most fulfillment.

Join us as we discuss the mental health stigma and Dave’s career-path, from having a high-level position in a corporate environment to running his own firm. Learn how he has prioritized happiness and ways to practice self-care through meditating, eating right, and more. Finally, listen as we talk about embracing what he calls an “experimental attitude” and having fun discovering what serves you in order to ultimately serve your clients more authentically.

If you're interested in hearing about how to take care of yourself personally during these turbulent times, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/259

We are thrilled to have XYPN member, Angie Furubotten-LaRosee, owner of Avea Financial Planning, a fee-only firm in Richland, WA, on the show today. Angie shares her unique experience in the world of entrepreneurship, having launched her firm once in 2011 and then again in 2018 and she expresses the challenges she and others have faced when starting a business, particularly in those first few years.

Join us as we talk extensively about niches: from 2018 when Angie’s niche was college planning to today, where she now serves women in the STEM industries. Listen as she discusses how she leverages the support of coaches, training, and her network to help her not only stay motivated, but to hone her message and her niche.

If you're interested in understanding how to pivot a niche, then this podcast is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/258

We’re excited to have XYPN members Diana Bacon with FSG out of Dallas, TX, and Scott Bell with GDP Inc out of Manhattan Beach, CA on today's show. Both Diana and Scott started and grew their own RIAs during the 2008 recession.

During this episode, we reminisce about their experiences getting started in the industry and their decision to go out on their own during such a tumultuous time in our history. You’ll also hear Diana and Scott share their advice about what to consider when starting a business during a recession for those of you who are hoping to break into the industry. Finally, you’ll learn about the changes that they've witnessed throughout their careers: the entrance of more women into the industry, the impact of technology, the ability to reach diverse clients, and finally, how the industry has become more and more focused and in demand of real client relationships.

Although our world has changed as we're each faced with so much uncertainty around COVID-19, not much has changed for Diana or Scott; their strategies remain the same and their passion continues to drive their work. If you're interested in what it's like to launch and grow a business during a recession, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/257

This week, we’re changing things up and are excited to have XYPN coaches Emily Purdon, Arlene Moss, Carolyn Dalle-Molle and BB Webb on the podcast today. Once COVID-19 became recognized as a global pandemic, the XYPN team recognized that advisors were going to be facing new experiences, opportunities, and hardships. As we braced for a new reality, the XYPN Advisor Success team rolled out "The Way Forward", an initiative that leans on the expertise of all of these coaches to provide advisors with the tools they need to handle the 2020 market disruption and beyond.

Today, Emily, Arlene, Carolyn and BB share what they've built for our advisor community, including the resources and programs that comprise “The Way Forward.” From providing open coaching opportunities to webinars and educational courses around how to market in our new world. Emily and Arlene speak directly about actionable steps advisors can take to plan for and build a business in today's environment while Carolyn and BB discuss changes to your marketing/sales processes. What they do all agree on is keeping the human component of the advisor client relationship front and center.

There's no denying that we're in a shared crisis with our clients for the first time ever. This provides a meaningful opportunity for advisors to be seen as solution providers to their clients, but more importantly, a real human that understands what it's like to wake up every day right now with uncertainty. If you're interested in what XYPN has done and continues to do to support advisors in a time of crisis, this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/256

We’re thrilled to share the story of XYPN member, Chuck Donalies, on the show today. Chuck is the owner of Donalies Financial Planning, a fee-only firm in Washington DC. Chuck started his career in the biotech space, but while pursuing his MBA, he was drawn to financial planning. Shortly after graduating, Chuck changed careers by taking a position at a fee-only RIA—what he describes as the perfect entry point into this space.

In today's episode, Chuck details his six-year journey developing the skills and tools needed to run an RIA while pursuing his CFP designation. As a self-described introvert, Chuck has leaned into a community of like-minded financial advisors with the belief that the more willing you are to put yourself out there, the more you'll get back in return.

Through his journey, Chuck felt the itch to go out on his own—to serve clients he wanted, on his terms—which led to his decision to open up his own RIA. Launching a firm provided Chuck the flexibility to focus on his priorities—spending time with family and staying mentally and physically healthy—and to ramp up his firm now that his kids are getting older.

Whether you're an introvert wondering if you can create a path in financial planning or a career changer looking to make the switch, this episode has something for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/255

We’re excited to have XYPN member Kenneth Klabunde, founder of Precedent Asset Management, a fee-only firm in Indianapolis, IN, on the show today. Having previously been on #XYPNRadio nearly four years ago, when his firm was only three years old, Kenneth talks about his experience - specifically in today’s environment - how his company has been able to maintain strong revenue numbers through the recent market volatility, and finally how he and his team have been able to take on and serve new clients during this time.

During this episode, you’ll hear Kenneth highlight the similarities he's seeing in terms of client responses to COVID as he saw during the market downturns of 2001 and 2008 and his rigid communication strategy, which he credits as the reason he and his team haven't received a single panicked phone call or email. Learn as we talk about the future of our industry and the importance of leaning on others both in and out of this industry for inspiration and new ideas.

If you're interested in how to run a hyper-efficient team while giving your clients an unprecedented level of comfort, you won't want to miss this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/254

We’re honored to have XYPN members Ian Bloom, Meg Bartelt, Brian Thompson and Leighann Miko on the show today as they talk about communicating authentically with clients during a time of crisis. This group of members have invested heavily into themselves, their business and their clients by engaging in the George Kinder’s “EVOKE® 5-Day Life Planning Training” program, where they learned the tenants and foundational principles of life planning, a process that has fundamentally changed the way each of them works with their clients.

As we continue to navigate through life during the COVID-19 pandemic, you’ll hear us cover: the importance of showing empathy, compassion and patience to your clients; how Meg, Ian, Brian and Leighann have facilitated conversations with current clients and potential clients that have created deep and lasting meaningful connections and trust; and Kinder’s “turnaround” approach as a means to refocus the conversation on how the client really feels. You’ll hear the passion in each of their voices, become inspired by their commitment to serving clients wholeheartedly, and learn how you too can improve the discourse between you and your clients long into the future and hopefully keep our profession moving in the right direction.

If you're interested in improving your ability to connect meaningfully and authentically with your clients during this time of COVID and into the future, then you won't want to miss this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/253

We are excited to have XYPN members Sean Gillespie and Paul Allen - founders of the fee-only firm Redeployment Wealth Strategies, located in Virginia Beach, VA - on the show today. Both Sean and Paul served in the Navy for over 20 years, and chose financial planning as their encore careers.

We discuss at length how Sean and Paul teamed up to rebrand Paul’s RIA into their own three years ago after meeting by chance through a Facebook Group and how they began to serve their people: former and active military members. We also talk about the benefits of the monthly retainer model and how charging their clients on a monthly fee has insulated them from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With COVID-19 changing many aspects of our lives, learn how Sean and Paul have managed to stay successful because of their choice in niche (military personnel), their active participation within their online communities, and their partnership.

If you’re interested in how to build a business that protects you, your business, and clients during turbulent and uncertain times, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/252

On this special episode centered around COVID-19 and XYPN's pro bono effort, we are joined by long-time XYPN members Kevin Mahoney, founder and CEO of Illumint, and Dana Menard, founder and CEO of Twin Cities Wealth Strategies. Kevin and Dana, who have been running separate fee-only firms for several years, discuss how they have made their advice available on a pro bono basis for consumers around the country who have been impacted by the coronavirus global pandemic.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/251

Scott Weiss is the owner of Weiss Financial Group, a fee only firm in Mahopac, NY. In today’s episode, we discuss Scott’s previous career as an art director in the magazine world, as well as why he decided to leave that industry and enter into the financial planning profession.

Listen in as we delve into Scott’s story: what it was like joining a family firm, how they broke the business into a tax firm and a financial planning firm, the experience of earning his CFP®, and what he’s doing to stay relevant to his ideal client base.

We recorded this episode March 20, 2020, when the world started to spiral into this state of uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Scott talks about where we are today as a country and as an industry, and he shines light on how he's been able to leverage a community, his network, and his education to ensure that he can show up for his clients, himself, and his family. If you're interested in how to grow a family business or how to just keep your head above water during these wild times, this show is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/250

Martha Williams is the owner of Williams Wealth Services, a fee-only firm in Ann Arbor, MI. Like many advisors, Martha began her career in this industry, from the bank channel to broker-dealers and independent BDs to eventually running her own firm.

Martha shares her journey with us and how the underlying desire to help people followed her with every career move she made. In 2017, she finally broke out on her own and was able to transition and continue to serve over 40 client households from her previous firms, preserving the long-term relationships that she had built over those years.

Listen in as she delves into the flexibility that owning her own firm affords her and how she dealt with the imposter syndrome, as well as the role of women in this profession and where she thinks the industry is heading.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/249

Trent Porter is the owner of Priority Financial Partners, a fee-only firm in Durango, CO. Trent began his career in this industry and, after graduating with a financial planning major, started his first RIA while still in his 20s. Trent provides an especially interesting perspective on the show today about having built not just one firm over the years, but two.

Join us as we talk about his investment in networking and how it paid off big time as he progressed through his career, as well as Trent’s sage advice around goal setting, being okay with goals not working out, and creating a firm that allows you to live your best life.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/248

Cliff Downie is the owner of Downie Financial Group, a fee-only firm in Orange County, California. Cliff has spent his career in this industry, going from Merrill Lynch to an independent big broker-dealer, and then ultimately becoming the owner of his own RIA. He joins the show today to discuss his unique perspective on running a firm that serves over 100 clients while still maintaining valuable time to spend with his wife and family.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/247

Kelly Luethje is the owner of Willow Planning Group, a fee-only firm in Holderness, New Hampshire. Kelly spent most of her early career working in investor relations at a bio-tech company and after getting her own financial house in order she was drawn into Financial Planning industry. After working at another fee-only firm, she decided to start her own RIA and today she runs a completely virtual business with over 50 clients of her own.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/246

Joe Morgan is the owner of Best Financial Life, a fee-only firm in Danville, California. Joe has spent his career on the corporate side of this industry and after nearly 20 years, he is experiencing the most joy he ever has - joy he credits to his firm. Today Joe joins the show to share his advice for advisors breaking out on their own and reminds us how great it can be when you push through the hardships of getting started.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/245

Rooted Planning Group is a firm started by XYPN member Amy Irvine, and it consists of financial planners Kate Welker, Kerrie Beene, and Becky Partridge-Eason. Amy found herself hitting capacity a few years ago—both in terms of sanity and time—so she decided to start laying the foundation for what is now a four-person company. Today Amy and her team join the show to discuss their unique experiences joining a rapidly growing practice.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/244

Denise Downey is the owner of Financial Trex, a fee-only firm located in Spokane, Washington. One of the first 50 women to join XYPN, Denise has worked on the trading floors of the Chicago Stock Exchange, pursued her CFP, and gained a deep understanding of financial planning. Today she joins the show to discuss why she decided to move on from her 9-5 job to make time for her family and the lifestyle she wants to lead.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/243

Today XYPN member Rob Brown, owner of Brownsboro Financial, joins the show. After starting his career in the film industry as a production manager, he craved something new and decided to start a career path as a financial advisor. In this episode, he describes the challenges of starting a new business, as well as what it's like running a business while being a first-time father.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/242

Erik Klumpp is the owner of Chessie Advisors, a fee-only firm in Rochester Hills, Michigan. After gaining invaluable experience at four different firms straight out of college, Erik built his practice from the ground up in 2014. Today he joins the show to talk about what pushed him to start his own firm and the sacrifices he had to make to be a stay-at-home dad while growing his business.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/241

Relationships, trust, and follow-through with clients are all incredibly important in the financial advising field. XYPN member Hillel Katzeff joins us on this episode to share how he has truly taken the importance of meaningful relationships to heart and integrated it into his practice and how he works every day. Originally from South Africa, Hillel opens up about his journey to the U.S. for schooling, as well as how he eventually how he found his way into finance and discovered his passion for serving engineers and families.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/240

Scott Arnold is the owner of Impact Folio, a fee-only firm in Denver, Colorado. After starting his career in this industry—working both at Schwab and an RIA—he realized he wanted to offer impact investing to clients on a broader scale, in a personalized way. Today he joins the show to discuss how the ESG investment model impacts his business and why he decided to go from a solopreneur to a partnership structure.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/239

Leighann Miko is the owner of Equalis Financial, a fee-only firm in Los Angeles, California. Although she began her career in this industry, her money scripts that led her into this career were formed much earlier. Leighann grew up poor and was the first member of her family to graduate from high school. Because of this, she has a deep understanding of the stress that finances can have on someone at an early age.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/238

BB Webb is XYPN’s sales coach, having joined the team with the unique experience of being an entrepreneur herself. Today she joins the show to discuss the challenges she faced as a business owner before becoming a part of the XYPN team and how she is helping XYPN members perfect their sales process.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/237

Kingston Hollman is one of XYPN’s compliance consultants and a former regulator with the state of Minnesota. Having been a financial advisor and firm owner himself in the past, Kingston now provides firm owners with expert advice on how to embrace a culture of compliance and what to expect when it comes to audits.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/236

Today we are joined by the team from Financial Design Studio (FDS), a fee-only firm in Deer Park, Illinois. Husband and wife duo Michelle and Stephen Smalenberger started FDS three years ago with the intention of eventually growing their team, while Trevore Meyer and Rob Stoll each started their firms at approximately the same time with the intention of always being their own bosses. After knowing each other for years, the four could no longer deny their synergy and finally decided to merge into one firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/235

Today we have XYPN member David Shotwell on the show! Now the owner of Shotwell Rutter Baer, David says he feels like he is just getting started—despite beginning his career in the brokerage world over 20 years ago. He is a great example of a successful succession plan and how you never stop learning in this industry.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/234

Alex Yeager started his career out of college at Vanguard, gaining valuable experience working with clients and their investments. After feeling as though he would like to work more intimately with clients in a comprehensive way, Alex moved to Texas and started working at an independent RIA. Now the owner of Everlong Financial, he specializes in the personal relationship side of the services.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/233

Today XYPN member Craig Joncas and his partner, Jim Bradley, join the show to share their experience building Penobscot Financial Advisors. As Jim reveals how the practice originally got started and Craig discusses what it was like beginning his career interning for Jim, you'll hear about the ups and downs they faced along the way and the difficulties they've navigated over the years as they've built their business.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/232

Lorri DeFoor started her career as a math teacher, and though she loved it, she became restless just a few years ago. Realizing her skills were transferable and that she had a passion for helping people with their money, Lorri decided to open up her own fee-only firm and founded Sustain Financial Inc. She joins the show today to discuss the challenges of starting a firm after only one year of experience in the business and how she navigated her way through a life-changing career change.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/231

Every year, we collect data from our members to track where they are in their business so we can better understand their journeys and what new members can do to supercharge their businesses. So today, I have Michael Kitces joining me on the show to go over this year’s benchmarking survey and share the results.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/230

Today we have the founder of Holistiplan—and winner of this year’s XYPNLIVE FinTech competition—Roger Pine on the show! After starting out as an energy consultant, Roger discovered financial planning through his wife and embarked on a whole new venture that he's here to tell us all about.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/229

This year, we announced that we would be suing the SEC over Regulation Best Interests, better known as Reg BI, and many people have asked some great questions about this process and what it entails. So today Michael Kitces joins the show to help answer those questions, discuss how this came about, and explain why this is so important for financial planners everywhere.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/228

Today XYPN member Miguel Gomez joins the show to share how his marketing career turned into a financial planning career. Originally from Mexico, Miguel came to the United States to work for a firm as a marketing expert before moving to a different firm and ultimately transitioning into working as a financial advisor. He now works as lead advisor for his firm, and he gives us a glimpse into how he made the switch in his career, as well why he has no plans to start a firm of his own.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/227

Hui-chin Chen specializes in working with U.S. citizens around the world, as well as visa holders in the United States. Using her own experience living all over the world, she helps globally mobile clients make smart financial decisions. Now the owner of Pavlov Financial Planning, Hui-chin joins the show today to share what has changed since we spoke two years ago, back when she only owned 20% of her firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/226

After working in corporate banking for 11 years, Megan Donnelly saw a need arise as she witnessed firsthand the fear and mistakes people made during the financial downturn in 2009. That need made her decide to start her own firm, Quabbin Advisors, and she joins the show today to share why she became so passionate about who she serves and how she serves them.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/225

You have the chance to gain or lose mana with everything you do. What is mana? Today you’ll find out the importance of this word, as well as the value of life planning and building a meaningful business from Mana Financial Life Design co-founders, Stephanie Bucko and Cristina Livadary.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/224

From broker-dealer to independent broker-dealer to building his own independent RIA, Adam Cmejla has had quite the journey to creating a business and lifestyle to fit his needs and the needs of his family. He joins the show today to discusses how achieved such an impressive rate of growth for his firm and how finding a niche helped along the way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/223

Starting and running a business takes intentionality, but it's easy for that intention to fizzle in the chaos of entrepreneurship. Today Eric Roberge, successful practice owner and contributor to Business Insider and Forbes, joins the show to weigh in on the importance of keeping intentionality alive and using it to build a business that exceeds expectations.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/222

Today we have XYPN members and founders of Brooklyn FI, AJ Ayers and Shane Mason, on the show! The pair has achieved explosive growth, and they join us to share how they did it, as well as how their unique career paths ultimately led them to financial planning.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/221

Today I've got XYPN member and founder of Hyland Financial Planning, Ryan Bayonnet, on the show to share his experience moving into owning his own practice. Having had his firm up and running for about two years now, Ryan opens up about the major hurdles he's faced and his victories along the way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/220

Daniel Hannoush is an excellent example of how well niches can work. After spending years trying to build his business, it wasn’t until he met his partner and found his niche in Chick-fil-A franchises and corporate staff that he saw the rapid growth he had been searching for. Daniel is now the co-founder of One & Done Financial, serving around 300 clients and on track to reach $45 - 50 million in AUM this year.

In this episode, we discuss what helped Daniel get to where he is today, including his financial sacrifices and the relationships he prioritized along the way. His amazing story encompasses both the challenges of the first several years in business and the experience of extreme growth.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/219

Today's guest has found impressive success working with retirees and soon-to-be retirees in the oil and gas industry, and by employing a unique fee structure that he has found suits his niche. Michael Rahn is the founder of The Sum, a financial planning firm he has grown phenomenally fast, and now serves 21 ongoing clients with a $4,500 annual fee minimum.

In this episode, Michael shares why he decided to leave a large retail-focused firm—where he worked for over 10 years—to start his own RIA, as well as how he achieved such massive growth for his business. Listen in as he shares his best tips for growing a firm, his hiring plans for the future, and more.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/218

Ed Coambs has had a unique journey into the financial planning field. After starting his career as a firefighter, he transitioned into financial planning before eventually completing his training in marriage and family therapy. He then decided to combine his last two careers into one to become a financial therapist. Today he joins the show to share the softer side of financial planning and why financial therapy is important.

Listen in as we discuss money scripts—what they are and how they affect your clients' financial decisions—as well as the value of financial planners having their own therapists and planners. We can all benefit from Ed’s background and perspective on this subject, so don't miss this one-of-a-kind episode!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/217

Kevin Mahoney started his career in sports business, working for the NFL. After years of pursuing that occupation—as well as a career in real estate—Kevin decided to transition into entrepreneurship, and is now the founder and CEO of the virtual financial planning firm Illumint.

Listen in as he opens up about the challenges he faced starting his own firm, having never worked in a firm before. We discuss what he did to up his conversion rate to 75% over the past year, the biggest successes and failures he experienced while starting up his own business, and what you can learn from his wins and losses.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/216

In financial planning, you can’t be all people, and you can’t be all numbers. This is also true when it comes to marketing, and today you will get to hear from XYPN’s Marketing Coach, Carolyn Dalle-Molle, who is fantastic at helping XYPN clients find the right marketing strategy for their practice and goals.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/215

Shawn Tydlaska is the founder of Ballast Point Financial Planning, an independent fee-only practice dedicated to helping young professionals and families set and achieve their financial goals. Shawn was on this podcast two years ago to talk about his first year in business, and he joins the show again today to share how he is progressing at the end of year three. This episode is not to be missed, as it demonstrates how businesses progress over time and how decisions that you make today are not forever.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/214

How financial advisors are charging for services and what should be considered fair and reasonable for the consumer have become quite the hot button issues. Today Michael Kitces and Scott Gill join the show to dive into these topics and clarify the areas that are under scrutiny. Both men bring valuable information and advice to the issues presented and shed some light on how we can move forward as a community.

Listen in to hear Michael and Scott discuss how regulators see financial services differently, as well as how we can communicate better and more clearly to them. You will learn what specific areas and action items to work on regarding consistency and communication, what regulators are trying to evaluate, and why these regulators are being triggered in the first place.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/213

Antowoine Winters spent 10 years working for the Internal Revenue Service, and after seeing so many individuals fall victim to poor or even fraudulent financial guidance, he decided to leave the Service to run a practice where he could be an advocate for the average American citizen. Today, Antowoine joins the show to discuss the process of starting his own RIA and what led him to working with so many creatives.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/212

Grant Bledsoe is the founder of Three Oaks Capital Management, and he joins the show to discuss what gave him the confidence to make the move from institutional trading to starting his own RIA. After realizing that his business was not growing as fast as he wanted it to, Grant decided to get his CFP and has seen his company growing rapidly ever since.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/211

Today we have XYPN Member and South Bay Financial Partners founder Tara Unverzagt on the show! Inspired by her mother—who was one of financial planning’s early pioneers—Tara knew from an early age that she wanted to be a financial planner. She joins us in this episode to share her experience growing up in the field, the valuable lessons she learned from having an advisor as a parent, and how she put her own twist on financial planning to do things differently.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/210

After working for his previous firm for 19 years and then being unexpectedly fired, Mark Wilson was forced to reset his life. Now the owner and only employee of Making It Look Easy (MILE) Wealth Management, Mark joins the show today to discuss what pushed him to start his own firm and how he is focusing on the successes ahead.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/209

After coming on the show two years ago to talk about her first year in business, Meg Bartelt has agreed to come back to share her journey and progress since then. In this episode, Meg gives a raw and authentic look at the life of an entrepreneur and opens up about how she handles the many different stressors that come along with that. You'll hear about her process, methods, mistakes, and triumphs over her first three years in business.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/208

After attending Colorado State University on a football scholarship, Jason Speciner graduated with a degree in business administration in 2004 and has been a practicing registered financial advisor ever since. Today he joins the show to discuss how his firm has implemented a comprehensive services model, which he says is helping to shift the value conversation to the planning side while charging the client a simple and transparent fee.

Listen in to learn what Jason is doing to lay the foundation for growth and hear about his experience with finding, hiring, and managing his first employee. You'll discover what it took to find the right person to help grow his firm, get his hiring tips based on what he learned, and see how his persistence has paid off.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/207

Michelle Smalenberger has over 12 years of experience working at a nationally-recognized firm and has been mentioned in publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Financial Advisor IQ. Today she joins the show to discuss the benefits of owning a business with your spouse and how she and her husband manage the relationship stress that comes along with that.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/206

Today XYPN member Sara Stanich, founder of Cultivating Wealth, joins the show to discuss her unique journey to finding her place in financial planning. We will discuss why she made a career change out of marketing after 12 years and how having experience in multiple industries has led to her success as a financial advisor and business owner. Sara will share what pushed her to launch her own SEC-Registered firm in 2016 and why she sought out full independence.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/205

Sidney Divine, founder of Divine Wealth Strategies, joins the show to share how he climbed his way to the top and ended up being voted Financial Planner of the Year in 2017. He explains how he is fulfilling his dream of helping good people live better lives and how that passion has helped him build strong, lasting relationships with his clients.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/204

How did a teacher with a wanderlust inclination and a therapist interested in business and helping people come together to create Trail Financial Planning? In this episode, we dig into how John Chesbrough and Liz Weinstein crafted their unique career paths into a fantastic partnership that is growing quickly. You will hear about the challenges they have faced, who they serve, and the beneficial relationship between therapy and financial advising.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/203

Today XYPN member Sue Peck, founder of Evolution Financial, recounts the compelling story of how she discovered she was ready to start her own business after nearly 12 years of working for an investment management firm. She discusses the struggles of starting off on your own, where she has seen the most luck in finding clients, and more.

You’ll learn what Sue envisions for her business and why she wants to remain by herself, exclusively working with a manageable number of clients. It’s important to remember what you are doing will pay off eventually, and Sue’s unique story will remind you of that and keep you inspired along your own journey to building the business of your dreams.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/202

From corporate finance to financial planning with almost no experience as a planner, Quinn Arnold went from not being able to find a financial planner for himself to fostering a relationship that pushed him into the field and ultimately led to him owning a firm. In this episode, he discusses the ups and downs of his journey and shares the major lessons he learned along the way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/201

Over the past 200 episodes, we’ve sat down with hundreds of entrepreneurs to show you the ups and downs of building a practice and the lessons learned along the way. Our goal is to help you see a wider perspective of what it means to be a financial planner and own a business, and one of the best ways to do that is by asking all of our guests what advice they would give their younger selves. So to celebrate this milestone episode, we've taken those valuable tips and put them together for today's show.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/200

Jamie Rice joins the show today to describe how he made the career jump from engineering for the U.S. Navy to investment management. The chief investment officer for his firm, JQR Capital, Jamie specializes in serving individual investors, adventurers, and small businesses. You’ll learn how he earned the right to use the CFA designation and the importance he places on truly caring for his clients.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/199

Today, Emlen Miles-Mattingly joins the show to describe how he took his career from bank teller to president and CEO of the successful firm, Gen Next Wealth. We’ll discuss Emlen’s unique niche in providing multi-generational financial planning to minority families and what he is doing to bring diversity to the industry.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/198

Today, Julie Ford joins the show to share how she started her successful financial planning career and how XY Planning Network helped her along the way. Specializing in serving city-dwelling couples, Julie prioritizes empowering her clients with the tools they need to create order in their financial world and reduce stress around money.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/197

My guest today is XYPN member Lauryn Williams, founder of Worth Winning and the only American to have medaled in both the summer and winter Olympics. She joins the show to share her experience starting a financial planning firm as her athletic career came to a close and the major challenges she faced along the way.

Listen in to hear Lauryn open up about what it was like transitioning into the financial planning industry, as well as what made her want to join the field in the first place. You'll learn why she decided to start her own advisory business after working at a couple of other firms, how she's targeting three different niches, and how she has managed to keep going after plenty of setbacks along her road to success.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/196

Today's episode is going to be a bit different. Dan Moisand has been in business for almost 20 years, so our conversation will focus on how he runs his firm and does so with a remarkably low turnover. Dan has worked in most environments, including commissioned insurance, broker-dealer, independent broker-dealer, fee-only RIA and more, and he's here to cover a wide range of important information that will be helpful for any planner.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/195

If you're interested in what’s going on in the world of student loans and want to find the best ways to help your clients who have them, then this episode is for you. Two of the leading student loans experts, Heather Jarvis and Jantz Hoffman, join the show today to discuss the latest news and tips regarding student loans and how to best serve clients within this niche.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/194

Ryan Galiotto’s interest in finance and investing began in a unique way. Today, he joins the show to share how he found his love for finance so early on and his journey into the corporate world. Ryan has some great information and tips on how to transition investment-centric clients to full financial planning, as well as how he is transitioning into taking over the firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/193

When it comes to starting a firm, there’s so much to know about implementation and getting started. After experiencing this firsthand, Arielle Minicozzi found a way to help other advisors with their processes to give them the ability to serve more clients and run their business more successfully. In this episode, she sits down to chat about her career transition, passion for helping millennial home buyers, partnering up with another financial planner, and more.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/192

From a Kentucky monastery to paying off over $100,000 in debt by co-driving a truck with his wife, Ben Martinek has had an unusual journey to starting his own financial planning firm. In this episode, he shares how the unconventional nature of his career path, his passion for philosophy, and discovering Dave Ramsey got him started in the financial world.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/191

From tax planning to owning a growing RIA, Shannon Moenkhaus has had an interesting path to finding her place in financial planning. With her firm successfully reaching $360,000 in just 2 years, we can all learn a lot from Shannon's journey through partnerships, transitions, planning, and implementation. In this episode, we dig into how she built her career and the pivotal moments and important people that made all the difference.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/190

In this episode, you'll get to hear what it's like being the owner of a large RIA firm. Chip Munn of Signature Wealth Strategies joins us to share his journey and transition from teaching to building a fast-growing firm with multiple locations and thousands of clients. He has a lot of great insight when it comes to building a strong structure, developing a solid team, and having a powerful acquisition strategy.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/189

Jeremy Walter had a unique experience breaking into the financial advising world. In this episode, he shares his uncommon career path, including his transition from working at a firm he enjoyed to starting his own firm—and how he cordially navigated the change with his boss. He also gives some great insight into how to grow steadily from the start and the importance of adjusting your vision along the way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/188

The lack of financial literacy is astounding, even for those who have college educations. Angela Moore lived through the frustration of not easily being able to find a good advisor, but once she found one that helped her change her life, she decided she wanted to do that too. She joins the show today to share her story of shifting careers and growing in the financial advising field to pursue her passion.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/187

Having a flexible schedule is valuable, especially when you’re starting a family and want to spend more time at home. Alyssa Lum shares her journey going from a financial projection team to learning her way around financial planning and eventually starting her own firm at home. She discusses the ups and downs of the experience and lets us in on what she learned throughout the process.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/186

Making the shift from serving in the Marines to navigating the financial services world is not the easiest transition, but Steven Fox managed it and ended up owning his own successful firm. In this episode, he shares how he initially learned about the financial planning field and decided it was what he really wanted to do, as well as the steps he took to build his career.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/185

Malcolm Thomas became XYPN’s Director of Advisor Success about six months ago, and he brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience. Having had the unique experience of being on both the buy-side and sell-side of mergers, as well as various roles throughout his career, Malcolm has seen almost every corner of the industry.

In this episode, he shares his insight on the various business models out there, as well as the struggles each are facing. Listen in to hear the lessons he’s learned over the years, his mission in working with XYPN’s Advisor Success Department, and his outlook on the future of the industry.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/184

Today’s episode is great for all financial planners, but especially those wanting to incorporate more in-depth tax planning—and even tax preparation—into their service model. XYPN member Dave Zaegel is here to share his journey from public accounting to financial planning to starting not one, but two firms of his own. Now a partner at both an accounting firm called CPAs for Hire and a financial planning firm called CWOs for Hire, Dave provides comprehensive financial planning services, including tax work, for his clients.

In this episode, Dave discusses how his two businesses are structured and how they work together within his service model. He also talks in depth about the way his financial planning process works, why he decided to focus on a niche of small business owners, and his plans for the future as both of his businesses continue to grow.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/183

Although he didn’t expect to become a financial advisor, Evan Loomis is now a successful owner of a firm that has gained 22 clients in just one year. How did he get there? In this episode, we’ll hear about his start in collections, as well as how he excelled in his financial career due to his work ethic and ability to ask the right questions and listen.

Evan discusses how he strives to improve people's lives through his unique philosophy that unites his passion for soccer and finances, and opens up about the issues he had working at different levels of the financial sector that pushed him to move to a smaller firm before eventually starting his own. He also shares why he still coaches on the side, how he leverages his soccer network and what his plans are for the future of his firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/182

Today I’m excited to have XYPN’s Chief Operating Officer, Raul Dominguez, on the show! After spending the first part of his career as a Navy helicopter pilot, Raul decided to transition to civilian life and ultimately joined our team back in 2015. He joins this episode to share what his day-to-day looks like as COO in order to give listeners some insight into what operations-focused team members do—and why they are so valuable.

We talk in depth about the concept of the visionary and integrator roles that we’ve been exploring lately on the podcast, and we discuss helpful tools for clarifying roles and responsibilities, goal setting, and developing staff. Whether you’re an entrepreneur thinking about hiring an operations manager or someone who wants to be on the operations side of things, this is an episode you don't want to miss.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/181

XYPN co-founder Michael Kitces is back on the show! For the second year now, we have collected data from our member firms to help us better understand their businesses and how they’re operating, and Michael joins me today to talk about what we found.

We dive into our 2018 Benchmarking Study's primary charts and cover key data points that will help advisors thinking about launching a firm set realistic expectations about growth. How much revenue should you expect for your first years in business? Is it really necessary to find a niche? Does the CFP even matter? Listen in to get those answers and more!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/180

XYPN member Michelle Gass has had quite a unique path into the financial planning world. After starting her career as a tax accountant, Michelle transitioned into a family office, and then ended up launching and running a successful hedge fund for over twenty years. It wasn’t until after she retired that she decided to get her CFP and launch her own financial planning firm.

Now the founder of Paradigm Advisors, a fee-only financial advisory practice that focuses on guidance and support, Michelle joins this episode to share her professional journey. She opens up about what it was like starting a firm from scratch, what her business looks like today, and the important lessons she learned along the way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/179

Morgen Rochard started out trading but eventually ended up owner her own RIA firm. In this episode we will learn how her trading experience has affected how she does business and actually guided her into financial planning. She shares her journey with us and tips from her experience in breaking into the financial planning world, growing a firm and even advice for women who want to start a firm AND a family.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/178

Danna Jacobs and Rob Colon are an impressive brother and sister duo that went from launching a firm in 2013 with just one client—who happened to be their grandfather—to running not just one, but *two* successful businesses. The founders of Legacy Care Wealth and Inspired Vision Accounting, Danna and Rob have figured out how to balance their particular strengths and weaknesses to form a strong partnership.

In this episode, they share how their brother/sister dynamic works for their business, as well as how they divide up responsibilities between Danna’s role as the integrator and Rob’s role as the big-thinking visionary. Listen in to hear what they did to grow their businesses to where they are today, the technology tools they use to help manage their assets and to-do lists, and advice they’d give themselves if they could go back and do it all over again.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/177

Todays' guest decided to start his own firm just six months after buying into a partnership to become the succession plan for a retirement-age advisor. Now the founder of Greater Than Financial, Wakefield Hare began his journey to starting his own firm after he learned about XYPN in 2015 and realized that he wanted to serve clients his way.

Three years later, Wakefield runs a successful practice serving just over 100 client households, and he has started to focus more on his niche of working with homeschool families. But now that he has achieved all that he initially set out to achieve, he admits that contentment has kept him from actively pursuing more opportunities. Listen in to hear our discussion about what made him decide to take the leap and start his own firm, how he built it to the success it is today, and what drives you in your entrepreneurial journey when you realize you have enough.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/176

My guest today is a great example of how powerful it can be to nail down a niche. David Barson is the founder of Barson Financial Planning, and nearly two years after starting his firm, he has really started focusing on his ideal client profile: Genentech employees. Having started his own career in biotech and worked at the company himself, David is able to connect with current employees in ways most other advisors can’t, making his client relationships that much stronger.

In this episode, David shares his experience transitioning into the financial planning world and ultimately making the leap to starting his own firm. Listen in to hear how he built his firm from the ground up, as well as key advice for other advisors hoping to do the same.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/175

When it comes to balancing work and life, Linden Cornett seems to have found a really interesting way to do that. Last time we spoke with her she had promised her family to not work as much by taking on only 5 new clients per year. In this episode we catch up with her to see how this plan has gone and how she is balancing family life, her practice and a part-time job.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/174

Balancing two careers, Police sergeant Mike Bronson brings us some serious motivation and inspiration with his whirlwind life and career. He has some great insight and advice to share on time management, niche marketing, resilience and much more. Mike talks in depth about where he found his passion for finance and noticed an important need for financial help in the field he is so passionate about.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/173

Many people start a business as a side-hustle with the goal to take that full time but Leo Nunez and James Estep of Everest Financial Advisors have two full time jobs. On this episode you’ll learn how two firefighters fell into finance and decided to follow their passion for helping firefighters manage money while remaining with their original careers. They have some great insight into managing two careers, letting passion lead the way and ensuring work/life balance.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/172

Rebecca Connor took the leap and started her own financial planning firm. Her early success is something she credits to having a specific niche from the start and implementing processes that nurtured growth. She discusses the risks she took on, her unique niche in tech and the various experiments she made to figure out the right path for her firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/171

Most people are very careful to keep politics out of their business in order to not offend or alienate potential clients. Zach Teutsch has found that his unapologetic political stance has actually helped his business. He discusses why he thinks his practice has grown due to his political views and why he decided to choose the controversial niche that he did.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/170

Entrepreneurs view risk differently and Martin Lundgren is the perfect example of this. We’ll chat about his career journey into financial consulting and eventually his own successful business. He talks about the unique challenges and risks involved as an immigrant and shares many tips on what to do (and not to do) when it comes to starting your own firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/169

Today I’m excited to have XYPN member Deb Meyer on the show. The founder of both WorthyNest and SV CPA Services, Deb started her career on the tax side of the business before eventually finding her way into financial planning. After working for a large family office firm, she realized that her passion wasn’t in working with super wealthy families and decided to switch gears.

Deb launched WorthyNest two years ago, and her focus is now on working with Christian parents who share her values. She continues to run her tax practice in addition to the RIA, and managed to do so while living in Spain for three months with her husband and three young sons. In this episode, she shares how she balanced her work and family time throughout her entrepreneurial journey, why she felt compelled to launch her RIA, and advice for listeners who are considering starting a business of their own.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/168

Steve Crawford is a financial advisor, a coach to other financial advisors, and the founder of both Experience Wealth and XY Adviser in Australia. After working in the industry and realizing he wasn’t serving the client base he wanted to focus on, Steve started his own financial planning firm at what was probably the worst possible time to start a firm: 2008.

Despite the timing—and despite committing four major don’ts with his own firm—Steve has been steadily growing his business and helping his clients become financially independent. Since bringing on a couple of other advisors, he’s shifted his focus to providing cash flow planning services, and also training other advisors on how to provide this service. Listen in to hear how Steve integrated cash flow planning into his service model, where the majority of his clients come from, and what to expect from the cash flow presentation he'll be giving at the XYPN LIVE 2018 Conference.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/167

Today I'm excited to have XYPN Member Eric Gabor on the show! Eric has spent his entire career as a financial advisor, but he realized early on that he wanted to work with a different client base than the one most firms serve. After making the decision to leave a high-paying job to follow that desire, he ultimately launched his own firm, Eagle Grove Advisors, in 2016.

In this episode, he shares the struggles he went through in his first year as an entrepreneur, dealing with very little interest from prospects and limited revenue. Now averaging one prospect meeting per week, Eric has built a successful firm that allowed him to spend 5 months out of the country over the last two years. Listen in to hear how he did it, as well as his advice for other financial planners hoping to start their own businesses one day.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/166

The financial planning industry has mostly targeted the higher earners and often been less accessible for those that really need financial planning and advising services. Michael Anderson joins us to talk about how he is working on providing options for the lower income clients. He also discusses the importance of having a relationship with his clients and why he works so hard on communicating effectively in order to understand his clients’ needs and serve them in the best way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/165

Breanna Reish is the founder of Wealth of Confidence, a women's wealth firm that aims to transform the financial planning experience for women. After starting her career on the tax side of the business (and having to plan pregnancies around tax season), Breanna decided to leave and work for an RIA doing financial planning.

Still finding herself unsettled, she ended up meeting a coach who helped her really understand the clients she wanted to serve and rediscover why she was in this business. Breanna ultimately chose to start her own firm, making the decision with her husband to become a two-entrepreneur household—while having two young children.

In this episode, she shares her journey to finding her place in the industry, as well as encouragement for women who want to start a firm, but also want to start a family. Listen in to hear how Breanna managed her own firm launch, how she determined her service model, and how she balances it all so well that she's hit her revenue goals for her first twelve months and first full calendar year in business.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/164

My guest today has seen his firm through some of the most explosive growth we’ve seen on the podcast. Kyle Moore is the founder of the fee-only financial planning firm Quarry Hill Advisors, and his path into and through the industry is as surprising as it is inspiring.

In this episode, Kyle shares how he went from traveling the country as a professional golfer to working as a financial advisor at a firm that saw its partners split up just nine months after he joined. Listen in to hear how he got through his rocky start in the industry with a young child at home, why at one point he accepted a $25,000 salary, and what ultimately made him decide to leave what he calls “the best associate planner position in the country” to start his own firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/163

Today’s guest is a thought leader in the financial industry who has been published in Black Enterprise, CNBC, Financial Advisor, ThinkAdvisor, MarketWatch, US News & World Report, Women’s Health, and many more. Rianka Dorsainvil is the founder of Your Greatest Contribution, as well as the creator and host of the 2050 Trailblazers podcast, which directly addresses the lack of diversity in the financial planning profession.

A young minority female, Rianka offers a unique voice in the industry, and she is using it to promote inclusion of all kinds. Listen in to hear her inspiring story of following through with what she was meant to do—even when she sometimes didn’t want to embrace it—how she's working to make the industry more inclusive, and what she says all entrepreneurs need to remember in order to keep going even when the going gets rough.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/162

Brad Sherman is the founder of Sherman Wealth Management, an independent fee-only financial planning and wealth management firm with $38 million in AUM. While Brad started his career on the mortgage side of the business and went through several job changes, he slowly made his way over to financial planning and ultimately made the decision to launch his own practice—while his wife was 36 weeks pregnant.

In this episode, Brad shares how he built up his firm with a young baby at home, as well as what made him decide to break away from his broker-dealer and form his own RIA. Listen in to hear what he did to grow his client base as a new business owner, what he’s learned over the last five years of running his own firm, and what he envisions for the future.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/161

Many listeners have requested that we bring back some of the interviews and see where their businesses are after a year. Today we get the chance to catch up with Ryan Frailich who has now been in business for about 18 months. He opens up about the changes, challenges and successes that he and his business has gone through over the past year since we last got a chance to chat.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/160

When it comes to interesting stories, Chris Jackson certainly has one of those. He also has some great advice on how to use theatre skills to serve your clients better and have confidence in your meetings. Chris shares the crazy story about how he got into financial planning with almost no experience and why he stuck with it.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/159

Dealing with clients who are grieving or going through a great loss requires a great deal of courage, compassion and wisdom. Chris Dale is an advisor and planner who has gone through significant loss and channeled that into a practice of his own that caters specifically to people going through a hard time. He has some extremely valuable advice and information for us that will shed some light on how to truly be what our clients need during their hard times.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/158

Many people are in search of a career that supports their lifestyle and feeds their passions. Debbie Gallant has done just that and is here on the show to share her journey with entrepreneurship and the various careers that brought her to the sweet spot where she is today. She offers some valuable advice on how to get started in financial planning, who to reach out to, where she would have done things differently and much more.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/157

There’s no right way to structure a partnership and this can make things confusing when building a business relationship between partners. Jirayr Kembikian and Ryan Cole have successfully navigated a 50/50 partnership and they’re here to share how they did it. This episode will be all about how they are building their growing business and how they use their different skills to benefit each other.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/156

You might know Stephanie Sammons as the founder of Wired Advisors, but as of last year, she’s also the founder of Sammons Wealth Management, a fee-only firm handling $7.5 million in assets. Now focused on high net worth clients in the LGBTQ community, Stephanie has overcome more than her fair share of struggles in the industry.

In this episode, she opens up about the difficulties she faced being a gay woman in the advisory world, and ultimately how she has prevailed and continues to grow her practice to support her ideal life. Listen in to hear about her inspiring journey, as well as the major lessons she learned along the way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/155

Today’s guest is XYPN member and founder of Mellen Money Management, Scott Snider. After starting his career on the sales side, briefly working at a bank, and finding his way to a wealth management firm, Scott ultimately decided to start his own firm—and did so while also dealing with moving across the country, his wife starting a new job, and having his first child.

Though this path certainly isn’t for the faint of heart, it has worked out well for Scott and taught him some very important lessons. In this episode, he shares his unique journey, as well as key things he learned along the way and advice that anyone hoping to start a firm should take to heart.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/154

Have you ever wondered about or considered teaming up with another advisor? If so, this episode is for you. Both Gabe Anderson and Scott Bell started their own practices and ended up merging their financial planning and investment businesses to create a business that provides a quality experience for all clients. They discuss the process of merging and where they want to go with their partnership.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/153

Today I’m excited to have siblings and XYPN members Courtney and Morgan Randstrom on the show! Co-founders of Trailhead Planners, the two have an interesting niche in working with clients who have a passion for their environmental footprint and want to build carbon-neutral portfolios.

With complimenting skill sets—Morgan is more of the big-picture idea person and Courtney is the realist who focuses on the operations of the firm—the pair really works well together to provide real financial planning for their clients. Offering an awesome blend of comprehensive financial advice with investment expertise, they are incredibly dynamic and doing some really interesting things in their business. Listen in to hear all about it.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/152

Kyle Mast joins us on the show to talk about his career journey that started in a family business through a succession plan and ended up with him owning his own RIA. He discusses the details of his business and the strategies he has used to build it successfully. Kyle talks about how he has hit a place he’s happy with and ready to pull back and spend more time with family.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/151

Most people know there are risks and sacrifices involved with entrepreneurship. Raquel Hinman shares her journey through different finance jobs and how she ended up starting her own successful business and having to deal with the downside to business ownership. She gets real with us and talks about what went wrong, what went right and how she would or wouldn’t have done things differently along the way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/150

My guest today is a great example of why having a niche is so powerful. XYPN member Ryan Inman is the founder of Physician Wealth Services, a firm that specializes in working with (you guessed it) physicians. In fact, one hundred percent of his clients are doctors.

Completely focused on his niche, Ryan provides tons of awesome content for physicians through his blog, podcast, different Facebook groups, and more—all of which continue to drive him leads. Two years into starting his firm, he’s over halfway to his way to his goal of reaching 70 clients. In this episode, Ryan shares his experience building his own firm, what he's done to make it such a success, and more.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/149

Julia Lorenz-Olsen and Philip Olsen join us on the show to share some golden nuggets about their unique careers and the unexpected benefits their creative background has brought on. They discuss how they got started and how they settled on the business model they’re currently in. Philip and Julia both lay out the difficulties involved in their careers and how they navigated the various hurdles presented to them.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/148

Today I’m excited to have XYPN member Xavier Maldonado on the show. The founder of Global Vantage Wealth Management in San Diego, Xavier specializes in working with dual-citizen clients with assets in multiple countries, with his primary focus on clients that are citizens of the United States and Mexico.

At one point, he came to the surprising realization that he was the only Spanish-speaking CFP in San Diego, as well as the only advisor that truly understood cultural norms for his target clients. This allowed him to establish trust with his clients, and bring them along with him as he moved among several different RIAs before ultimately starting his own firm. Listen in to hear how Xavier has managed to build a successful firm, his plans for growing it in the future, and more.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/147

Today XYPN members Taylor and Kailie join the podcast to share the non-traditional paths into financial planning that led to them buying their father’s practice. Sisters—and now business partners—Taylor and Kailie are going through a ton of change and evolution at the firm, and we’ve caught up with them to hear all about how they're figuring out what they want the business to be as it matures.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/146

From books to planning practices, the financial planning world can tend to be a bit boring and stale. Catie Hogan realized this early on and channeled her humor and fun-loving nature into her book as well as her practice. She has successfully found a way to get people interested in financial planning by using storytelling and finding creative ways to catch peoples’ attention.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/145

Life gets messy and whether it’s a new tax law or a looming divorce settlement, the value of a financial planner who has expertise in these areas is truly valuable. Diana Bacon joins us on the show today to discuss her career from working with multiple different firms to eventually moving to the fee-only model and starting her own firm. She discusses the struggles and issues she faced and shares some valuable insight into how she did it and how she would have done it differently.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/144

XYPN co-founder Michael Kitces is back on the show for another episode dedicated to answering listener questions! Today he and Alan Moore share how to communicate the value of financial planning, why it isn’t always a good idea for advisors to take on every new client they can, and more. Listen in to hear advice for new advisors and seasoned advisors alike. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/143

As a tri-citizen of the UK, Australia and the US, Ashley Murphy has found a niche in the expat market. When it comes to multi citizenships, financial planning can get much more complicated. Ashley shares the dangers, difficulties and benefits that are involved with working with expat clients.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/142

The role of a supportive partner or spouse is extremely valuable to an entrepreneur and the success of their business and family. Mary Beth and Brian Storjohann join us on the show to share their inspiring journey through building a business, career changes, children and more. The pair have some really great tips on communication, optimism, work ethic and the various things that have helped them along the way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/141

Finding a fulfilling and effective niche can take quite a bit of time and stress. If you take the time to truly figure out what fits your skills and passions, massive success is almost guaranteed. David Rae came into the financial advisor field with a theatre background and a passion for the LGBT community. He shares his unique niche and how his passions have helped his business take off in an incredible way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/140

XYPN's very own Jen Mastrud joins us on todays episode to share the exciting career path that's built her expertise and brought her to the point of thriving as XYPN's Director of Content Marketing. Jen's history working as a public speaker for a small university, a PR Director for a Poker company and now as the person in charge of XYPN's marketing has stretched and developed her skillset as an effective marketer.

In this episode, Jen shares the insights she's gained to help financial advisors take their marketing from non-existent or mediocre to a highly effective but efficient operation. You'll here her experience as Director of Marketing for XYPN, the specific marketing strategies that have been highly effective, the areas where advisors are best suited to start if they haven't done much marketing and how they can go about it. Don't miss this incredibly helpful and instructive episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/139

Tim Baker’s career is a testament to the true power of having a niche focus for your business. After his time working in a hybrid firm, he decided to launch his own firm with a focus on working with pharmacists. He founded Script Financial in April of 2016, and his concentration on this niche has helped him add almost 50 new clients to his business in the last 18 months.

In this episode, Tim shares his unique path to success that included several different career changes after leaving the military before finding financial planning. He also goes into why he is a proponent of charging based on income and net worth, clever tactics he uses to seek out potential clients, and more.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/138

From fee only planning to tax planning, Scott Haley has found an interesting and successful business model for his firm. He joins us on the show to talk about how he got started in financial planning and what it was like getting a rough start initially and then finally finding the right fit in the industry. Scott shares his career ups and downs along with great advice on how to learn from others in the industry.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/137

Alan Moore and Michael Kitces join forces on this episode to address a topic that they have been getting a lot of questions about recently. They address the challenges that have been present when working with TAMPs and why they decided to launch XY Investment Solutions with the specific needs of XYPN members in mind.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/136

The process of transitioning from working within a firm to transitioning into a more independent hybrid RIA model and finally to owning his own RIA has given Taylor Schulte some great insight and experience. He joins us on the show to talk about these transitions, the ups and downs and how he ended up where he is today. From the details of working under an umbrella RIA to the details of owning his own RIA, Taylor has a lot of insight to share.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/134

Today we have two guests on the show to talk about how they made their rarely practiced firm-within-a-firm service model a success. Andy Brincefield and James Matthews, CEO of Consolidated Planning and Managing Director of Consolidated Planning’s wholly owned subsidiary Blueprint, respectively, teamed up about a year ago to launch Blueprint as a new service model dedicated to NextGen clients. Given that Blueprint has its own advisors, marketing, recruiting, website, and office space, they have truly allowed the company to operate independently to reshape the planning process to the ideal fit for their target clients.

In this episode, we talk about how Andy and James approached branding this service model for success from the very beginning, how they got their broker-dealer on board with the idea, and so much more. If you work for a larger firm or are looking to build an XYPN style service model but aren’t interested in being an entrepreneur and owning your own firm, then this episode is for you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/133

Building a business that really fits your life and passions is a dream for many and Kay Dee Cole made it a reality. Kay Dee joins the show today to share her experience with discovering her passion for financial advising and building her own practice. She has some great advice and inspiration for those who want to start their own business even in the midst of a chaotic life.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/132

The financial planning field has been historically dominated by white males and focused on the same. This discussion is to bring a better understanding of the difficulties that the ethnic minorities and females have when trying to break into and become established in the field. This important and exciting discussion is being co-hosted by Kathleen Boyd and Bill Simonet who both have unique and valuable experiences and views that will help us see things from different perspectives.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/131

What does it take to start and grow a successful financial planning firm? Today’s guest is here to share how he managed to do just that. Patrick Brewer is the founder of SurePath Wealth Management, a fee-only financial planning firm based in Austin, Texas that grew from $0 to over $250,000 in annual revenue in just 13 months. In this episode, Patrick discusses what led to him launching his own firm, the lessons he learned along the way, and more.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/130

Deciding on your fee structure can be a challenge depending on the type of firm you want to have and the clients you serve. PJ Wallin joins us on this episode and fills us in on his reasoning for using this method and gives some great insight on how to make it work and why it works so well for his clients. He also shares the ups and downs of his career and the process of building a successful and unique financial planning business.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/129

Today XYPN founding member Ben Wacek is here! Now also the founder of Wacek Financial Planning, Ben has been building his own business since 2014. He is slowly turning it into the ideal firm for him and his family, as he is able to work from home and prioritize time with his wife and three young children, but what makes Ben’s business stand out the most is that he has incorporated his faith into it.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/128

XYPN co-founder Michael Kitces is back on the show! Today he’s here to answer some of the most common questions we get regarding what it means to be fee-only and why being a fiduciary is so important to us.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/127

It’s easy to get stuck doing things the same way as everyone else but Bill Simonet shows us the value of doing things a bit differently. He joins us on this episode to share some wisdom and lessons he has learned on his path to becoming a successful practice owner. In just 15 months, Bill’s business has grown to 3 employees and advises 58 clients. It’s obvious that he’s doing something (or many things) right.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/126

Michael Kitces joins us on the show to talk about XYPN's Inaugural Benchmarking Survey and we talk through some of the highlights from the survey.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/125

Elizabeth Jetton is on the show to share the incredible new programs and educational opportunities being developed to help financial planners start strong. She also shares the importance of finding your ‘Why’ and gives tips on when and how to do it. Her experience in almost every area of the financial planning industry has given her some great insight that we can all learn from.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/124

What would you be able to do if you continued to persevere in order to achieve your dreams? Learn how Alex Hopkin took advantage of opportunities in order to grow her career.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/123

Becoming a financial planner wasn’t at the top of Jason Howell’s list but through working in finance and politics he made his way to a career he is passionate about. He joins us on the show today to share his career and the growing process he went through. From running for political office to getting his CFP, the road has been challenging but rewarding.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/122

Learn how Glen specializes in helping clients with student loan analysis and how it is an easy low hanging fruit for advisors who are just starting out.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:

http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/121

Brian Thompson, founder of Brian Thompson Financial, is committed to helping the LGBTQ community with their financial planning. He started out as a tax attorney, but his interest in personal finance grew after he watched his mom get sold inappropriate annuities and saw more opportunity to help people in this area.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/120

In this episode, Amy Irvine shares how she managed to acquire a total of 100 clients in under two years without leveraging her strong client relationships for more financial growth.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/119

Justin Castelli certainly knows how to think outside the box. The owner of RL Wealth Management and a member of the XYPN Advisory Board, he developed a unique model that allows him to serve two different niches in the financial planning space. This so-called “barbell model” allows him to work with two types of clients: older clients that have wealth and younger clients that don’t.

In today’s episode, Justin shares his experience starting his own firm and explains why asset minimums can result in turning away good clients. He has found a way to serve those who have accumulated substantial wealth, as well as those who are just starting to grow their net worth, and he shares his system with us today.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/118

Melissa Ellis joins us this episode to share her story and some of the lessons she learned along the way to where she is now. Despite putting off her dream due to being told financial planning wasn’t appropriate for women and that the timing wasn’t right, she finally went for it and never looked back. She shares the steps she took along the way and all the jobs and experiences that fed her knowledge and put her on the path to owning her own practice.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/117

Building a new business is always a lot of work. This didn’t deter Andrew Damcevski and Devon Klumb from starting their practice and quickly adjusting and putting it in the perfect position to succeed. By become part of a bigger firm, their business has been able to see a large amount of growth and they are able to reach the type of customers they are passionate about working with.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/116

Anna Segunina knows the difference between a business and a practice - which she's proved with her fantastic work helping to develop Main Street Planning into what it is today. On this episode, Anna shares the story of her career, from how she got started in the business to how she became the owner of a highly successful planning practice. Anna shares many valuable takeaways from her experiences developing an hourly-based business with a focus on planning rather than asset management.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/115

Sound business decisions are made when you have accurate and helpful data to back them up. Unfortunately, it seems that many advisors and especially the smaller businesses are not tracking their metrics or gathering important data. Shawn Tydlaska joins us again to shed some light on some simple methods he uses to track data and how this data has helped his business thrive in such a short time period.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/114

Every member of XYPN has a unique take on what we teach, and it's always fun to hear how each advisor is building a unique and valuable practice. Tony Madsen is building an RIA in rural Minnesota, after taking a leap out of the world of broker-dealers so he could have more fun with planning.

In this interview, Tony shares his first-year revenue and expenses and talks openly about where he spent more money than he should. One of the most interesting things Tony explains is the cashflow management strategy he uses with clients, which allows them to donate to charity, save for the future, and pay down their debt, all while enjoying their lives.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/113

We often talk about the utility of the retainer model here at XYPN. One of our earliest members, Cristina Guglielmetti, is cleverly combining retainer clients with a lot of project work to craft an uber-flexible schedule that you'll find interesting.

Cristina shares how she's created a business and schedule that work for her life as she raises a son and invests in a local bar with her husband and a group of friends from her MBA days. While she only has about ten retainer clients, she leverages interesting and productive project work to create the practice she wants.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/112

Mike Solari started his own independent firm in 2012 without a single client. He joined us here at XYPN in 2014, and we've gotten to witness his business grow as he's built a practice that serves about 26 people - two-thirds of which are on retainer.

In this interview, Mike talks about his biggest struggles and successes running the business, and how he's made up for his own shortcomings with grit and education. We talk retainer fees, networking to find clients, and hitting that 5-year business milestone.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/111

We know our mailbag is overflowing, so we're back with another Alan & Kitces Unhinged episode to answer as many of your questions as possible!

We've also received questions about how to talk to clients about transitioning from an AUM only model to a retainer + AUM model. Often it seems trickier than it is, and we've got some guidance on how to make it easy. And we'll talk about the relevance of performance reviews, and whether or not you should be providing them to your clients - especially the younger ones.

This episode is chock-full of answers to your questions from the XYPN Radio VIP Community. Don't miss out, and join today so you can hear your question answered next round!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/110

Farnoosh Torabi is one of our keynote speakers at #XYPN17 this year, and on this episode she gives a little sneak preview of what she'll be talking about.

Farnoosh kicks things off by telling us how she became one of the country's most popular financial experts. After studying finance in college, she decided she wanted to marry her expertise with money to her fascination with journalism so she could spread her knowledge to people of all walks of life.

We also talk about why and how she wrote her first book, You're So Money,and how she capitalized on its success to build her media career. Then she shares a little about what she'll dive into at #XYPN17 - the challenges of planning for couples when a woman in a partnership is the primary breadwinner.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/109

Helen Ngo is here today to share her experience working her way into the financial planning world and starting her own successful business by the age of twenty-six. There’s a whole lot to take away and apply to your own business plan, whether you want to start a business or you're already in the process.

Starting out in a male-dominated field definitely didn’t make Helen shy away from business; it actually gave given her the motivation to quit an aging practice and start her own unique, passion driven firm. She talks about everything from getting her CFP certification to the beginnings of her business. She started out by getting clients through knocking on doors, and now she is starting to face scaling issues that demand she re-work her pricing and marketing.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/108

Nannette Kamien took a long and winding road to becoming an entrepreneur in the world of financial services, but her previous career continues to improve her offering as a financial services professional.

To build a modern practice, she's drawn on her background in information technology. This technical expertise has allowed her to serve clients and move fast toward establishing her own firm.

In this interview, we discuss breaking into a new market, executing a career change, and capitalizing on a diverse background and network for success. Nannette also had to move her firm from Chicago to San Diego to accommodate her husband’s career, and she shares what that experience was like.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/107

When Bill Nelson realized that working on Capitol Hill wasn't for him, he joined Price Waterhouse Cooper and became an expert on compliance. But when he and his future wife decided to move so she could attend medical school, Bill considered opening his own firm.

In this interview, Bill shares why he took the safe route when he first moved rather than start his own RIA. He talks about what he learned working for a big broker dealer, why working in the industry was so helpful before starting his own business, and what his business looks like today as he finally niches down.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/106

Oftentimes we're so excited about financial planning around here that we can gloss over some of the tougher, less glamorous aspects of running your own business.

After a 12-year career in tech herself, today's guest, XYPN member Meg Bartelt decided to get a Masters in financial planning and switch careers entirely.

Meg shares candidly about the obstacles that she's confronted in her first year of business. The unique challenges of having an entirely virtual firm, learning to practice self care, and hiring a business coach are just a few of the topics Meg generously covers in this interview!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/105

We're super excited to be hosting today's guest, Mitch Anthony, because he's also going to be our keynote speaker at #XYPN17 this year! Mitch is a communication guru and longtime advisor of financial advisors - and he's got a great system for getting to the root of clients' needs.

In this interview, Mitch shares how he stumbled into the financial planning industry and how he applies storytelling principles to working with advisors and clients alike. He also details the importance of understanding a client's history, transitions, principles, and goals (though he prefers the term possibilities).

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/104

It's no secret the first year of running your own RIA is no walk in the park. But this week's guest and XYPN member Shawn Tydlaska has had some unique and impressive success in his first year as an independent advisor.

Shawn talks about how his long and winding path through the financial services industry led him to practicing true financial planning. He walks through the obstacles he's overcome and many false starts he experienced before establishing his firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/103

You've undoubtedly heard about FMeX if you're a regular listener and lover of finding innovative ways to connect with your clients. We're lucky enough to have Ric McConkey, Managing Partner at FMeX, with us today to talk about how his service helps advisors provide clients with valuable, relevant content and improve your marketing.

Ric shares how the rapid rise of technology has forced advisors to adapt their practices, and how targeted content marketing is perfect for landing new clients, maintaining relationships with current ones, and building your overall brand.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/102

It's been a while since we dug into our mailbag, so we're back with another Alan & Kitces Unhinged episode. On this edition: the differences between prospecting and marketing, varying service models, how to educate yourself on financial planning, and E&O insurance.

We start off by digging into prospecting and marketing and explaining why we generally focus more on the latter here at XYPN. We also discuss the best CRMs for firms of different sizes and how your service model should change based on who you're serving and what they need to hear from you. Then we run through a list of our best recommendations for advisors hoping to get educated on true financial planning, and wrap up with a speedy overview of E&O insurance.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/101

It's hard to believe we've already made it to episode 100, but here we are! We're so thrilled you've been with us this long, whether you've listened to every single episode or you only recently discovered the podcast. We're doing something a bit different for this episode to celebrate!

From tips on entrepreneurship and persistence to those on having fun and being positive, tune in to our one-hundredth episode for some excellent insights from standout guests. There are many ways to define and find success - and these guests all have their own. Thank you again for being a part of the XYPN community, and join us for the next 100!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/100

Many of you listeners will be familiar with (and undoubtedly excited to hear from) our very own Director of Getting Shit Done, Maddy Roche. She's shifted from being our first hire and a jack-of-all-trades member of XYPN, to a manager, leader, and member engagement expert within the company.

In this interview, Maddy shares how she's grown along with XYPN and some of the key things she's learned along the way. She talks about the challenges of learning to be a leader and a manager, and the critical role mentorship has played in her journey. She caps off the episode by sharing her Personal Leadership Philosophy, which will undoubtedly get you thinking about your own.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/99

Arlene Moss re-entered the workforce after raising children, and became a coach for the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners. After realizing there were some shortcomings to the one-off coaching model, she decided to go it alone and begin her own coaching business.

In this episode, Arlene and I talk about how coaching can take your advisory to the next level. Arlene shares her highly personalized style of coaching and how she found her own business coach. We also talk about why planning one, five, and ten years out is essential to designing the life and business that you want.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/98

Just a few years ago, Dan Andrews was working as an investment manager for a broker dealer and running a side blog about personal and professional development. After attending the 2015 FPA Conference in Boston, Dan realized that there was a path in the financial services industry that was more aligned with his interests, expertise and values.

In this interview, Dan and I talk about his journey to becoming an independent financial planner at his firm Well Rounded Success. He shares his experience as an investment manager and the blog that helped him realize being a financial planner was the right move for him. Dan also opens up about his very intentional practice of self-reflection, and how you can integrate it into your work, too.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/97

Seth Johnson of Redi2 Technologies was working for an enterprise software company where his team focused on building an excellent billing software for big broker dealers. The burst of the dot-com bubble and strain on the company gave he and his co-founder-to-be a unique opportunity. They pitched an all-new company, exclusively dedicated to billing software, to their CEO - and got the green light.

In this interview, Seth talks about the growth of Redi2 and its softwares, including the independent-RIA crafted BillFin. He shares how Redi2 grew into a major player in the software space by applying the all-important entrepreneurial principle of solving problems for your customer. We talk about what it's really like bringing a product to market, and why bringing advisors in on the Billfin design process was such a critical part of its success.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/96

It's always fun to catch up with longtime members of XYPN because we've witnessed eachothers' struggles and triumphs alike. Today's guest, Jason Mirabella, has been with us from nearly the beginning. Jason started his first RIA just before the 2008 financial downturn, and had to return to other financial jobs before embarking on his next entrepreneurial venture.

Jason talks about his new firm Henfruit and his emphasis on helping clients practice wealth-building behaviors. We walk through the process of prepping and launching his second RIA, what he learned from his first attempt, and why he always keeps scale in mind when he makes business decisions.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/95

Usually when we talk to new advisors on the show, they're a couple of years into the process and have figured out the pacing of their practice. But today's guest, Ryan Frailich, is still right at the beginning of establishing his own firm, and has generously agreed to share the ups and downs of his daily experience.

Ryan talks about why he decided to get into financial planning, why he started his business while still completing CFP training, and how the launch of Deliberate Finances has been so far. He perfectly articulates the impostor syndrome feeling that many of us deal with, and shares his struggles with finding a balance between crafting a niche and getting his business of the ground.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/94

Being an independent advisor is often the second, third, or even fourth stop in many advisors' careers. Sean Kernan, independent RIA owner and host of the How to Go Independent podcast, joins us today to talk about what the transition from employee advisor to independent business owner looks and feels like.

Sean talks about his time as a broker dealer for Edward Jones at the beginning of his career and how he slowly built a more independent business model over time. We also dive into some of the nitty gritty details of broker dealers and debate the best way of dealing with trails and moving your book of business as you become more independent.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/93

We're very excited to have Chris Rodriguez of the National Disability Institute with us to teach us about ABLE accounts, a relatively new benefit for people with disabilities and their families.

Chris talks about the core mission of the National Disability Institute, and how he and his colleagues collaborate with other organizations to craft progressive policies that help people with disabilities become more financially independent.

Then we talk in depth about ABLE accounts themselves and what you as an advisor should know about them. We compare ABLE accounts with the Special Needs Trust and discuss the importance of financial literacy, while also touching on how you can get involved with the NDI's great work.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/92

Scott and First Ascent are blowing up industry norms on the asset management side of financial planning, freeing the firm from the legacy data that holds others back.

Scott talks about what pushed him to start his own firm after helping get several other small firms off the ground. He shares his thought process about the flat-fee model that First Ascent uses and why there's less incentive today to use an AUM fee structure.

We also dig how technology is streamlining so much of the back office work in financial planning. Since Scott's firm can outsource much of the administrative work, they have more time to focus on excellent client service.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/91

Fee compression might sound like a strange or complicated term, but it's basically the idea that as the financial planning/asset management space becomes more crowded, advisors with smaller firms will have to reduce their fees and eventually go out of business.

Kitces and Alan break down the different versions of fee compression that they do and don't see in the financial advisory marketplace, and they talk about why they think niched advisors are going to continue to succeed. They also touch on the legitimacy that big companies like Vanguard and Schwab are bringing to our profession, making financial advising more familiar and accessible to more people.

Alan highlights the benefits these big moves will have for younger advisors, who will be able to get legitimate financial planning experience much earlier in their careers. Long story short: we'll be just fine, and a niche is (almost) always a good idea.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/90

Nancy Bleeke is the founder of Sales Pro Insider and the developer of the Genuine Sales Process. Nancy is a goldmine of great information and has an exciting announcement about her sales course which explores distractions that present as obstacles to our ability to generate sales.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/89

Chloé graduated from the University of Alabama and immediately started studying to become a CFP. After several jobs as an associate planner and manager at various firms throughout the southern U.S., Chloé decided to start her own consulting and advising businesses.

Chloé and I talk about the brilliant path she's taken as a financial planner, starting her career by advising high net-worth clients with complex needs. She also talks about some of the challenges she's faced as a young woman of color in a predominantly older and white male industry, how organizations like the Association of African American Financial Advisors are working to support each other, and how we can all contribute to making the industry more diverse.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: www.xyplanningnetwork.com/88

On today's episode we hear from André Novaes, founder and CEO of Life FP. Life FP is a monthly retainer firm in Brazil with about 3,000 clients, 45 advisors, and a grand vision. If André had his way, 95% (or more) of Brazil's population would have the opportunity to design their lives with great financial planning.

In this interview, André talks about his journey to establish Life FP and build the financial planning landscape in Brazil. He discusses why they don't have assets under management at Life FP, just dreams under management, and the tools he uses to build strong rapport with clients. André also shares how he makes the monthly retainer model work for him and his advisors, and how he gets clients to pay 5% of their income for financial planning services.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/87

Virtual paraplanning is probably the most requested interview topic from listeners. Jennifer Pritchard has one of the most unique and awesome jobs in financial planning. She's a financial planner who's been mentioned on the podcast before because she's built a virtual paraplanning business working with a number of our XYPN members.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/86

Brian is the owner of Face 2 Face Financial Planning, a fee-only RIA in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He's a second generation planner who was introduced to the industry by his father. In 2007, he started his career in a wirehouse, but found the work unsatisfying after two years.

He ultimately learned that he could serve customers in a way that provides value and while he earned a living. His experience is a wonderful case study describing how to establish a new firm, convince clients to join you, and transition from an existing RIA without burning bridges.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/85

Today we're talking about some topics that don't often get discussed in the financial planning space: how your mental health and business are related, and what happens when you struggle with them both. Dave Grant, now the head of Retirement Matters, shares his journey as a financial planner and entrepreneur, and opens up about his recent experience with depression.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/84

Rick Frisbie, the newly minted CEO of Robust Wealth, offers a thoughtful take on the state of technology in the financial services industry and what we can expect in the next 18 - 24 months. Robo-advisors, or automated wealth platforms, are here to stay. However, advisors will appreciate the suggestions Rick to best incorporate these tools in a way that drives growth.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/83

This week, J.D. Bruce - President of Abacus Wealth Partners - shares his experience of growing a firm from a solo practice to an established business with a professional management, a board of directors, and a governance structure. J.D., a CPA with management experience across a variety of industries, was hired at Abacus to help merge two solo firms into the successful operation that exists today.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/82

We closed 2016 out with 350 members; hitting our 20-year goal in just two years. Whoa! As accidental entrepreneurs who sought the freedom to build a lifestyle on their own terms, we discuss the pros and cons of pursuing an aggressive growth strategy in business.

In this episode, we reflect on how we were able to meet this challenge and the tools that made delegating much simpler.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/81

Inga Chira is the President and Founder of Attainable Wealth, a fee-only RIA based in Los Angeles. She specializes in financial planning services for college professors and teachers. Inga has an awesome story and a very cool career path.

During her first year, she has started working with 23 new clients while maintaining her full-time position as an Assistant Professor of Finance. On this episode, we discuss her time management strategies and a simple, yet effective technique to connect with her ideal client.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/80

Cady North, like most of our guests on the #XYPNRadio podcast, didn't begin her career as a financial planner. She was a political science major and became the leading expert on the Dodd-Frank bill as it was being written. After getting her MBA, she decided to make the leap into fee-only financial planning. She started her firm, North Financial Advisors, to bring independent and affordable financial advice to young professionals with an emphasis on women.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/79

Jim is the President of Financial Planners Assistance Corp. FPAC is a compliance firm that works with independent RIAs and financial planning firms. We talk about quite a few topics from what to expect when being audited to how giving gifts can create unintended consequences. Obviously, all information offered today should be considered general advice. Follow up with your state regulators for more specific information.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/78

Kristin Harad followed a very non-traditional route before landing in the financial planning industry. She initially dreamed of becoming an advertising executive on Madison Avenue in New York City and began her career as a direct marketer. This is where she honed her expertise building brand awareness for various firms and developing customer loyalty programs.

Her success led to new opportunities helping financial advisors develop their marketing campaigns. She’s become a noted speaker and sought-after consultant in the financial planning industry. The increased notoriety ultimately led her to choose between running her financial planning firm and nurturing this burgeoning advisor-facing practice. She talks about which path she chose and why selecting one is essential for consistent growth and a balanced lifestyle.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/77

In the hustle of this always-busy time of year, we thought it'd be a great idea to answer several of the mailbag questions from our private XYPN network. We start off with an announcement about the wide release of Advice Pay, our payment processor for advisors that follows the rules of all 51 states.

Alan and Michael then spend a couple questions discussing the effects of the Department of Labor's new fiduciary laws, and which firms will have to change the most to accommodate them. We also dig into compliance regulations and how to limit risk when you're advising on 401Ks.

The co-hosts also cover going solo as an advisor, how you need to market yourself, and how other advisors have transferred clients from a commission-based model to a net-worth retainer model.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/76

This week, we're excited to welcome Hui-chin Chen, a Certified Financial Planner and co-owner of Pavlov Financial Planning, a fee-only firm based in Washington D.C. This Taiwanese native received an undergraduate degree in business before relocating to the United States to pursue her master's degree at Carnegie Mellon.

Specializing in financial planning for digital nomads, Hui-chin has created a location independent practice that caters to expats with assets in both Taiwan and the United States. As a digital nomad herself, she's been able to build her practice while relocating between various countries with her husband - a professional in the Foreign Service.

Hui-chin's experience will shed new light on a world of possibilities for financial planners with a sense of adventure. She lays out the benefits and challenges of operating as an advisor in a global environment. After learning about Hui-chin's location independent lifestyle, you may never look at financial planning the same way again.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/75

Adele Martin may just be one of the most famous guests ever interviewed on the XYPN Radio podcast. She's a recent recipient of the prestigious Independent Financial Advisor Excellence Award based on the innovative strategies she's using to expand her firm's reach while keeping costs low. This Australian planner is disrupting the industry down under with her fee-only firm, Experience Wealth.

Adele provides an international perspective on the evolution of fee-only planning. Australian financial planners have transitioned to a business climate that is heavily regulated by the government. She shares a fascinating glimpse into the business environment as we discuss the impact of the new laws on firms and their customers.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/74

Steve Dunlap is our guest on the XYPN Radio podcast this week. He is the President and COO of FolioDynamix, a firm that employs technology to help advisors improve their business processes.

This interview is a break from the norm. Instead of learning directly from a firm owner, Steve provides a unique take on the financial planning industry from a business development and software solutions perspective. He's at the forefront of changes in technology and lends his expertise to help us understand how those changes will impact the financial planning industry.

Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2eBJQZ7

Linden Cornett is working on an encore career by starting a financial planning firm, Seagrass Financial. At 40, she's pursuing a new entrepreneurial venture in an entirely new industry. And she can make it happen thanks to the years of dedication it took her to reach financial independence.

his is an extremely interesting example of how to create a successful foundation for a profitable endeavor. Creating an RIA without financial planning experience is never easy, but Linden's story shows it is possible to pursue an encore career while helping others achieve financial success.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/72

Catalina Franco-Cicero joins #XYPN Radio to share one of the most unusual journies any financial planner has taken into the profession. She's currently a partner working to build the Fiscal Fitness Clubs brand, which offers a holistic financial planning service to clients that are often overlooked by traditional money managers.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/71

Daniel Wrenne revisits the podcast to provide an update on the progress he's having with his firm - Wrenne Financial Planning. Daniel is nearing client capacity after two years in business and he's doing so by successfully employing niche marketing. We last spoke with Daniel in episode #14 as he was just establishing the new firm. Today, we look back at his year of growth and dig into the processes he's developing to realize his growth goals.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/70

This week, John McCarthy joins us for a discussion about leveraging lessons learned after a failed attempt at running his previous business - an RIA.

His experience should be a hopeful source of motivation for anyone facing a challenge with their current business model.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/69

This week our guest is Megan Carpenter, Co-Founder of FiComm Partners, a public relations firm specializing in creating custom marketing campaigns for independent advisory firms.

Listen in as we discuss her decision to break from working with insurance and broker-dealer firms to focusing exclusively on marketing campaigns for RIAs.

This episode is loaded with valuable tips on why advisors should consider working with a public relations firm and how the exposure can grow their businesses. While you can work on gaining exposure for your firm independently, working with an expert can help you target the right media sources that will be most effective in establishing you as a subject matter expert.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/68

Michael and Alan are back for another Unhinged episode after wrapping up #XYPN16 in San Diego. We had a blast at the conference and loved the opportunity to spend some quality one-on-one time talking with members of the XYPN community.

This mailbag episode covers the major questions received as well as highlights from the conference.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/67

Jake Kuebler is a 30-year-old planner at the helm of the very successful, fee-only firm, Bluestem Financial Advisors. He joins the podcast this week to discuss succession plans, the future of the retainer model, and how to seamlessly manage a firm's transition in ownership.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/66

We routinely receive requests for more shows with established planners who've found success implementing the strategies we champion, especially around defining your niche.

Joe Messinger of Capstone Wealth Partners is the perfect example of an advisor running a firm doing just that. He specializes in helping families create a comprehensive college funding plan to maximize financial aid, minimize taxes, and effectively save for retirement at the same time.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/65

Trace Tisler walked away from a comfortable job in a successful, fee-only RIA to strike out on his own. He's now building his own fee-only firm... with one of our favorite financial planning firm names in the industry (listen to the podcast to find out what it is!).

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/64

Your cohosts address questions from the XYPN community on whether spamming potential clients is a reasonable marketing technique, why selling insurance doesn't vibe with the fee-only structure, when and why advisors should register an RIA, and more.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/63

The path to success requires entrepreneurs to weather many storms, and Andrew's story and his advice for other financial professionals considering launching their own RIAs make for a must-listen-to podcast. He dives into the realities -- both good and bad -- about self-employment and owning your own business.

In addition, you'll learn how Andrew pushed passed the reluctance to narrowly define a target audience and how that's generated opportunities that he would have otherwise missed.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/62

Our guest today, Hannah Moore, bought and now runs a firm after she worked out a succession plan -- but that was only the start of her path as an RIA owner.

Hannah Moore is a Certified Financial Planner and the owner of Guiding Wealth Management. She purchased the firm from a retiring financial planner while in her early 20s. After the sale, she took extra steps to revamp and rebrand the business.

On this episode, we talk in detail about how she revamped her firm and transitioned to a RIA from the broker-dealer relationship and how she was able to drastically reduce her client roster from 300 to 18 without impacting her revenue.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/61

Garrett launched Be Awesome Not Broke, a financial coaching firm that helps clients identify their goals while establishing a firm financial foundation based on building cash flow and debt management skills.

Garrett's business model is one that financial planners will find intriguing. There's tremendous potential to improve the client pool of those seeking comprehensive financial planning services from efforts like Be Awesome Not Broke.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/60”

If you're having a difficult time valuing your time or lining the services you provide up with an appropriate pricing structure, tune into this episode. And make sure you take plenty of notes on this great information that will surely help you build a profitable practice that serves your ideal clients at the highest level.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/59

Do you want to start your own fee-only RIA, but aren't sure how to break away from a current employer or stay profitable without selling products? This week's conversation with Kenneth Klabunde is loaded with valuable information that you don't want to miss.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/58

Stephen Alred is the founder of Ignite Financial, a financial planning firm that uses philosophies and tools borrowed from tech-savvy startups.

This week, Stephen shares his thoughts on the newest trends currently developing in the industry and poised to make a big impact. He also provides advice on how fellow advisors can best prepare for them.

Stephen also details his career path, including how he started his own financial consulting business in college and what he did to make sure that the business became successful.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/57

This week, we address questions about how to value your time, price your services, and develop new, niche pricing models. Michael and Alan also share tips on how to jump start your career and make progress in your work.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/56

On today's episode, Alan answers some of your listener questions from Episode 50 and speaks in detail about how he transitioned his business from in-person to virtual. He also goes in depth with the decisions and mistakes he made along the way, what he learned, and his recommendations for advisors looking to make the transition into a virtual business.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/55

This week, we’re excited to welcome Jennifer Harper to XYPN Radio. She's a CFP and the founder of Bridge Financial Planning, a fee-only financial planning firm that caters to business professionals.

Tune in for Jennifer's insights, advice, and thoughts on her career path, starting her own RIA, and managing an organization dedicated to making financial knowledge accessible to everyone.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/54

Anjali shares her work experience as a CPA and explains what motivated her to create her own financial planning firm. She gives an inside look into how she operates her RIA, including the details of her fee structure and why she uses the model she chose. We also cover the enormous benefits inherent in running a virtual practice.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/53

Chris joins us today to detail the marketing strategies he used to drive early growth and success in his business.

If you're considering making the leap to starting your own firm but you are uncertain of how to balance digital marketing with more familiar strategies, tune in: Chris has some incredibly valuable in-person networking tips that you can start using today to go from struggling to bring in clients to having the clients come to you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/52

Michael Kitces joins Alan for a mailbag episode, where we answer your questions from the #XYPN Radio VIP community, email, and social media.

We look at tools that promise to simplify your life and determine whether or not they actually live up to that promise, and dive into the exact tasks computers should be in charge of doing and which tasks you should keep on your own to-do list.

You can find show notes and other information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/51

Today, Alan shares his career experiences, time in the financial planning industry, and all the obstacles he overcame to help in founding XY Planning Network. He discusses getting his college education in financial planning, starting XYPN, and everything in between.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/50

This week, we're hearing about the career of a financial advisor who started a firm from scratch and is now excited to share his experiences and insight with you. Scott Frank, the founder and owner of Stone Steps Financial, joins us to give a realistic look at what it takes to succeed in creating your own business.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/49

If you serve Gen X and Gen Y clients in your firm, you need to listen to this episode and bring yourself up to speed on everything you need to know about one of the biggest financial burdens many of your clients will face.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/48

On this episode, Pam shares her career path, her service model, and how she charges for financial planning. She also shares her tips for parents who struggle to find balance between family and career.

If you have a family or are thinking of starting one, then this is one episode you cannot afford to miss.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/47

On this episode, we're diving into behavioral finance and how you can start helping clients make good decisions. Daniel’s message is incredibly powerful and he explains how you can better help clients understand the financial effects their choices have on their lives.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/46

If you're new to the industry or considering financial planning (to make it official, since your friends all come to you for financial advice already!) and want to take a non-traditional, completely unique path to success, Pam's career story and experience will leave you inspired. And if you're an established pro, Pam's perspective can help you see your own business in a whole new, fun, and creative light.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/45

Today, Michael Kitces joins me, not as a co-host but as an interviewee, to pick his brain on some recent changes in the area of financial planning. I am sure a lot of you are like me -- you know something is going on with the recent announcement that the Department of Labor Fiduciary made, but you are not entirely sure what it all means and just how these rule changes affect you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/44

We also talk about how to encrypt your data and the ways you access your data, such as cell phones, laptops, and desktops. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, but on every topic we cover, Blane has actionable advice that can be easily adopted by any Financial Planner this week.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/43

Today, we have another mailbag episode of Alan and Kitces Unhinged for you. Michael Kitces joins us to answer your questions that came in from the XYPN VIP community, email, and social media.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/42

Today, Nancy Bleeke explains why even if you don't sell financial products in your business, you still need to master this craft and understand that sales isn't a dirty word.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/41

In this episode, we talk about the different types of imposter syndrome and how to recognize when you start to fall into this mindset trap. Carl also shares how to move past imposter syndrome so you can learn to enjoy and accept your success.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/40

Mary Beth gives an informative overview of just what it takes to bring a book from an idea to launch. She shares how to form a team of experts to help with the process, and why it is so important to hold yourself accountable in your writing to stay on schedule. Mary Beth then dives into how long it took her to write Work Your Wealth and exactly how much she spent to get it published.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/39

On this episode of #XYPNRadio, I am excited to finally bring on a very special guest that I've been working on for months, Andrea Eaton. Andrea is a financial planner and financial planning mentor with Cornerstone Wealth Advisors.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/38

This episode is full of insight into a situation that a lot of planners face. Before building his successful firm, Will was part of a firm whose partnership fell apart. He joins us to share his unique, first-hand perspective on how a partnership fallout can happen.

Will goes into why he started Halcyon after his failed partnership and shares his ideas on how to buy a firm from an older planner who is getting ready to retire.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/37

Matt’s experience is an awesome example of a firm within a firm concept that Kitces and I have alluded to in past episodes. If you are interested in building out a nexgen service model inside your existing firm but are unsure of where to start, then you need to listen in. This interview is full of actionable advice and one I am excited to finally bring you.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/36

How is it possible to build a career you love, own your own RIA, and be there for your family? This interview gives insight into how one financial advisor does it -- and how you can apply her ideas, thoughts, and tips to your own life.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/35

This week on #XYPNRadio, I’m excited to bring you an interview with Wealthbox CRM’s co-founders, John Rourke and Dan Ferranti. I have known these guys for several years, and every time we talk, I learn something new about technology. Typically when you speak with tech vendors, you don’t get to talk to the lead developer, but today you will.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/34

This week, we are back with another mailbag issue. Kitces and I really enjoy these episodes because it really helps us to identify and address your biggest problems.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/33

This week, J.D. Bruce joins me on #XYPNRadio. J.D. is the president of Abacus Wealth Partners, based out of Santa Monica. J.D.’s firm manages over $1.5 billion. Abacus is the firm that bought my RIA, Serenity Financial Consulting, in 2015.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/32

Today, we are talking about what expectations are realistic to have in your first year of business, regarding income, and why a side hustle is vital to your success. We then dive into the four areas that we believe you need to focus your marketing efforts on in your first year. If you are in your first year of business, feeling the pressure, or you want to start a business and want to know what to expect, you need to listen to this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/31

This week, we’re talking with Brent Carnduff, an SEO expert and the owner of Advisor Web Marketing. I initially met Brent when he worked with me on the creation of the Serenity Financial Consulting website a few years ago; he completely blew my mind.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/30

Eric has found some truly incredible ways of integrating the traditional financial planners' face-to-face methodology with today’s technology. He's had a career that many financial planners could only dream of, and today, he shares how you too can bring the same level of success into your practice.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/29

On this episode, we cover your questions about robo-advisors and how to transition from one career to financial planning, and how to best serve your niche community. We end our conversation with how large advisory firms can adopt a monthly retainer model and keep their younger advisors from leaving. While we break our record for answering the least amount of questions in an episode, this is one episode you can’t afford to miss.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/28

We get a lot of questions from our community centered around marketing, and to start answering them, we invited our very own marketing guru to the show. I'm excited to bring Kali Hawlk, XYPN's Director of Marketing, to #XYPNRadio today!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/27

Jude is gifted at being incredibly authentic and has an inspiring story of what you can go through and still become a success. We discuss how he transitioned from being an employee to founding his firm, as well as the personal setbacks he experienced that shaped his journey to success.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/26

Turn up and the volume and listen in as Jim and I chat about his career path and how to get into the compliance market before diving into tips and tools for RIA compliance that all advisors need to know about.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/25

This week we aren’t talking about how to help your small clients grow into big clients this week, but about how to provide financial planning to a whole new generation. With changing the way you approach financial planning, you are finding a whole new set of clients that have never been reached with traditional financial planning.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/24

Whether you are already part of the XYPN Network or are looking to join, creating your model for monthly retainers can be a daunting task if you don’t understand the importance. Listen in as Kitces and I share how the monthly retainer model started and how to ensure your firm is set up to grow with your customers for years to come.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/23

Today, we tackle your burning questions on the topics ranging from compliance and regulations of bringing in an investor or advisor to monthly retainers and how to sell to younger clients. You don’t want to miss this episode; we just may be answering the question that you’ve been dying to get an answer to.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/22

This week, I am excited to welcome Justin Rush, the founder for JGR Financial Solutions, to #XYPNRadio.

I knew this interview would be great because Justin has such an awesome story, but it was even better than I had expected because there were a lot of things about Justin’s career that I honestly wasn’t aware of.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/21

If you're interested in variations of the retainer model, how firms like The Planning Center are changing the way planning is done, and how leaders like Andrew are carving new career paths in the industry, you won't want to miss this insightful interview!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/20

Katie has some pretty unique methods for getting clients, which include speaking to consumer facing groups. So if you are a speaker that is interested in using your speaking to drive leads and prospective clients to your firm, you are going to want to listen up. Katie’s story will resonate with a lot of people. Her message is great inspiration for people who are taking a different path or are not sure what their next step is.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/19

This week, I am pumped to bring you this interview with Brittney Castro. Brittney is the founder of Financially Wise Women, a Los Angeles-based firm. I’ve actually been following Brittney ever since I first started my firm back in 2012. I only had social media interactions with her until I finally caught up with her at FinCon, down in Charlotte, where she was speaking on how to build courses to leverage your brand and increase the number of clients that you can help.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/18

Today, we get to 5 different questions from our XYPN VIP community. Starting with niche marketing to a psychographic instead of a demographic focus, we move on to how your relationships can affect your entrepreneurial plans, and end with how to calculate fees and complexities. If any of these questions are an area of interest for you, or if you have questions yourself surrounding these topics, you don’t want to miss out on this episode!

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/17

Steve joins us today to share an insider's perspective on technology in the financial planning space that you are not going to want to miss.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/16

Today, Michael and I just couldn’t restrain ourselves and decided to come together to talk about the Financial Advisors article as well as the rebuttal article that we wrote in response. Listen in as we share our views on why financial planning is important to the next generation of clients. If you want to serve younger clients, you must entirely reconstruction your service model. So turn up the volume and get ready to take notes, because you are not going to want to miss this episode.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/15

Today’s interview is with Daniel Wrenne, the founder of Wrenne Financial Planning. Daniel has an interesting story; he was building a pretty solid book of business at Northwestern Mutual before ultimately deciding to branch off and start his own firm. Daniel has built his firm over the last ten months working primarily with physicians and business owners that are striving to save for the future.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/14

This week we are back to our regular interview schedule with Matt Becker’s inspirational and exciting story. Matt is the founder of Mom and Dad Money, as well as the best writer and brand builder I know in financial planning. Matt has built his entire brand and firm around Mom and Dad Money, focused primarily on the very obvious target market - new parents.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/13

Today, we were able to answer four listener questions from our XYPN VIP group, centered mostly around niche marketing and growing your practice. So, if this is an area of interest for you, and if you have questions surrounding these topics, then you are going to want to listen in. Michael and I dive into your questions and help you get the answers you need to grow your firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/12

If you are one of those financial planners that believe having a niche doesn’t matter, you need to listen to this episode. I think this episode might just convince you to take a hard look at that belief and, with our predictions for the world of financial planning, actually start looking at your business. Michael and I share our sometimes-conflicting views on why having a niche is so important and how to set up your business to cater to a niche that will make you THE adviser to work with.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/11

Today’s guest is at the top of the short list of people we knew we had to talk to when starting XYPN Radio. Mary Beth Storjohann is the founder of Workable Wealth, a financial planning firm based out of San Diego, CA. Mary Beth is a total rock star. She has had a really fast-paced career and she is a business owner who actually just had a baby. On this episode, we go through her incredible journey of starting out as a receptionist in a financial planning firm in college and less than ten years later founding her firm, before she turned 30.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/10

This week on XYPN Radio, I am honored to welcome the man that helped me start in the financial planning world, Caleb Brown. Caleb is the co-founder and CEO of New Planner Recruiting, the leading recruiting firm for financial planners nationwide. They find and interview candidates in college programs, as well as those who are changing careers and are breaking into financial planning and pair them with financial planning firms that are hiring.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/9

Bill joins us today to dive into the massive changes that we are seeing for advisors in the financial planning profession when it comes to technology. We delve into Bill's outlook on the current state of financial planning, what’s new, what’s coming, and where the money is flowing from. We also address the topic of RoboAdvisors and (as you'll find out) how he is actually partially responsible for the proliferation of the word, RoboAdvisor.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/8

Today's interview is one that we've been looking forward to ever since we first starting planning this show. Jake Kuebler is our guest today, and he has an awesome story that not many people have heard. Jake is the president and managing partner of Bluestem Financial Advisors, LLC. His story embodies one that many of us have always aspired to be a part of.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/7

Eric joins us to share his journey of building a business that has helped him and his clients create the lives that they’ve always wanted. After several transitions, where Eric went through insurance sales, hybrid advisory firm, and ended up partnering with a family investment advisor, he ultimately made the leap to starting his own firm. This episode goes through his career progression and how he finally built a business to support his incredible life.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/6

Join us as Mark shares why it is impossible for a single advisor or even single insurance agent to keep up with all of the different insurance companies and products available on the market today. You won’t want to miss this inside look at how LLIS is set-up and how they work with advisors to ensure their clients get the best service possible.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/5

Are you struggling to figure out how to build and grow your own financial practice firm? Not sure which media platform to start off with? The good news is that Jeff isn’t shy when it comes to sharing what’s working for his business. Wondering what’s the bad news? There is none, just press "play" to learn how he uses social media & blogging to support and build his business and how you can do then same for your company.

For complete show notes and more information click here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/4

If you’re struggling with the decision on whether or not to launch your own firm and what it’s going to take, Sophia drops some serious knowledge and guidance bombs to help you make up your mind. For someone who has started her career with a degree in theater, how did she manage to go from an artist to a virtual RIA? Find out how that became her secret weapon by pressing the "play" button...

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/3

Join us as Carl shares his journey of becoming a financial planner, and later, an author and an artist with absolutely no art background. In this wide-ranging conversation, we spend a good bit of time focusing on Carl’s unique financial planning process, from introductory meeting all the way through plan delivery. You don’t want to miss this exclusive look under the hood of how Carl provides financial planning as well as his solid advice that that will surely positively impact your business.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/2

On this episode, your host, Alan Moore, interviews a brilliant educator to many financial advisors and XYPN’s very own occasional co-host, Michael Kitces. If you have been around financial planning for a while, you’ve probably heard of Michael. And today, you’re going to get an awesome introduction to him and hear his amazing story that very few people have actually heard.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/1