The Model FA

In this episode we are joined by Joe Moss to discuss leveraging online communities. Joe enjoys using the Skool platform to create simple yet effective communities for advisors. David suggests advisors could offer community-based courses to complement subscription services. Joe sees potential for advisors to work with multiple clients at once in a group setting. Overall, their discussion focuses on innovative ways for advisors to grow their businesses through community building.

“With a traditional funnel, you've got the top of the funnel, middle of funnel, bottom of funnel, and then the client out the bottom. But a group funnel is where all of your different platforms, all of the ways you're doing marketing, you funnel people towards a free community.” - Joe Moss

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Building a community for financial advisors and showcasing top tech platforms. (0:10)
• Leveraging a subscription model and downselling for financial advisors. (14:57)
• Using LinkedIn data to connect with industry peers and gain exposure. (21:05)
• Building an audience and network. (26:55)
• Tim Ferriss' book "Tribe of Mentors" and its insights on success and goal-setting. (34:21)

Connect with Joe:

• Website: https://www.skool.com/proadvisorsuite
• Email: joe@proadvisorsuite.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Arielle Minicozzi-Figueroa is the founder and co-owner of Sphynx Automation, a virtual CTO firm that helps financial advisors gain efficiency and maximize their client impact using technology and automation. In addition to her work with Sphynx, Arielle is a partner and financial planner at Modern Money Advisor, where she focuses on working with young, female professionals. Arielle resides in sunny Arizona with her husband (and business partner) Mark Figueroa, and their cat (the namesake of Sphynx), Nigel.

Arielle Minicozzi joins us to discuss how her company Sphynx Automation helps financial advisors automate tasks like onboarding new clients and gathering documentation. Automating routine work frees up time for advisors to focus on building relationships. Arielle discusses tools like AI transcription, Zapier automations, and pre-populating forms. Compliance considerations with AI were raised. David offered coaching and free automations through Sphynx for advisors who contact him. Overall the discussion focused on leveraging technology to improve efficiency and client experiences.

“There are some things that a human just does better than a computer. But there are a lot of things, data entry for example, that computers will do better and faster than a human.” - Arielle Minicozzi

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Leveraging technology for financial advisors with Ariel Mina. (0:10)
• Automating business tasks for financial advisors. (5:11)
• Automation's impact on business operations and employee roles. (10:21)
• Automation in financial planning and its impact on time and energy. (13:36)
• Improving client experience and onboarding process. (20:59)
• Streamlining onboarding process for financial planning clients. (25:04)
• AI integration in financial advisor practices. (30:25)
• AI note-taking, compliance, and time management in business meetings. (35:38)
• Automation and coaching for financial advisors. (44:53)

Connect with Arielle:

• Website: https://www.sphynxautomation.com
• Email: team@sphynxautomation.com

Shout out to YCharts!

Download your copy of their ETF research and don’t forget, get 15% off your initial YCharts Professional subscription when you start your free YCharts trial and tell them I sent you (new customers only).

White Paper Landing Page: https://go.ycharts.com/the-best-performing-etfs-of-2023?utm_source=Model+FA

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Eric Simonson is the CEO of Abundo and in charge of driving our mission of providing high-quality, conflict-free financial planning to everyone. In addition to managing the team, he works with a small but amazing group of clients and helps them work towards their financial and travel goals. Eric is a passionate foodie and enjoys meditation. He is also an avid traveler and loves exploring new destinations. Eric is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.

Eric Simonson joins us to share the story about starting his own firm, Abundo Wealth, after 12 years at another firm. He shares how in just 4 years, he grew his firm to over 650 clients through referrals and by providing affordable financial planning. Eric Discusses how he uses technology to scale while keeping costs low and providing a great client experience. Eric also shares how he helps clients maximize credit card rewards and travel benefits as part of their financial plans. 

“We really doubled our focus to figure out okay, how can tech support the adviser relationship and help us scale help us keep our costs low, to allow the advisors to really shine” - Eric Simonson

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Starting a financial planning firm and scaling it quickly.
• Growing a financial planning business through client referrals and advisor partnerships.
• Marketing and referrals for a financial advisor.
• Financial planning subscription model and client retention.
• Client communication and value addition.
• Leveraging credit card points in financial planning.
• Leveraging technology and entrepreneurial spirit in financial planning.
• Client reviews, scaling, and focus with a financial planning firm.
• Career opportunities in wealth management.

Connect with Eric:

• Website: https://www.abundowealth.com
• Email: Eric@abundowealth.com.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

MFA 144 - SN - Stop Living in Fear: 3 Ways Advisors Can Take Risks Without Failure with John Prendergast

John Prendergast, Founder & CEO of Blueleaf and Co-host of the Augmented Advisor Podcast joins us for episode 144 of the Model FA Podcast!

John Prendergast, founder and CEO of Blueleaf joins us to discuss how advisors can engage clients through 52 personalized touch points per year without being annoying. John explains how Blueleaf's technology helps automate interactions to free up time for human moments. We chat about striking a balance between service and experience models. John stresses facing fears like asking for feedback to innovate. David shares a story of getting 15 glowing reviews overnight. Throughout, they emphasize treating AI like an intern to enhance workflows without replacing human judgment. Overall, the episode provides insights into deepening client relationships through frequent personalized engagement.

"I think you're creating an opportunity for a lot of small touchpoints, with your clients that start to educate them about their money, and the way it changes over time.” - John Prendergast

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Introducing John Prendergast, founder and CEO fo Blueleaf
• Client engagement and AI in financial advising.
• The importance of experience in financial planning.
• Personalized financial updates and their impact on client trust.
• Personalized financial planning and automation.
• Personalizing client interactions for financial advisors.
• Client reviews and their impact on financial advisors.
• Overcoming fear and innovating in business and financial services.
• Taking bold actions, learning from failures, and deepening client relationships.
• AI use in financial advisor marketing and content generation.
• Storytelling and AI in advisor-client interactions.

This episode is sponsored by our friends at YCharts. Save the date for January 25th because YCharts will be hosting a must-attend webinar covering economic forecasts, key industry shifts, and potential market drivers that financial advisors should be aware of in 2024. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, you’ll leave this webinar with actionable strategies for leveraging YCharts tools to not only navigate but succeed in the changing market dynamics. Register now to secure your spot and get 15% off your initial YCharts Professional subscription when you start your free YCharts trial and tell them I sent you (new customers only).”

Webinar Registration Link: https://ycharts.zoom.us/webinar/register/7917042231712/WN_92f-BawaS428Cs9TlHYBvg

Connect with John:

• Website: https://www.blueleaf.com
• Email: john@blueleaf.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Today we are joined by Kristen Luke, the President of Kaleido Creative Studio and Author of "Uncomparable: The Financial Advisor's Guide to Standing Out Through Niche Marketing".

In this episode of the Model FA Podcast, we are joined by Kristen Luke to discuss effective marketing strategies for financial advisors. We emphasize the importance of finding a niche, understanding where clients spend their time, and creating content in multiple formats to meet client needs. Advisors are encouraged to start with one consistent marketing activity and build their expertise over time by regularly producing high-value content. We stress treating marketing as an ecosystem rather than a funnel, with the goal of becoming a trusted resource in one's industry niche.

“I put less emphasis on social media than I think a lot of people do. It is a good way to keep your name out there once you're connected to people. But you know, if I wanted to bring in clients quickly, I would focus on, how do I leverage other people's networks to get in front of them?” - Kristen Luke

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Marketing strategies for a specific niche.
• Marketing strategies for advisors with limited time.
• Content creation for financial advisors.
• Marketing strategies for financial advisors.
• Positioning oneself as an expert in a niche through content creation and marketing strategies.

Connect with Kristen:

• Website: https://onniche.com/
• Email: kristen@kaleidocreative.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Michael Lecours, CFP® is a Co-Founder of fpPathfinder. He is also a financial advisor and planner at the Wealth Strategies Team. Michael began his career in advertising where he worked to develop marketing strategies for insurance companies, banks, credit unions, RIAs and hedge funds. Now, he leverages his background in advertising to distill complex financial planning concepts into straightforward strategies, apply behavioral finance concepts to the planning process and injects a disciplined approach to all facets of the client experience.

In this episode of the Model FA Podcast, Michael Lecours joins us to discuss common client engagement challenges. We explore how to simplify the advice delivery process and keep clients engaged over time through check-ins. Michael describes how FP Pathfinder started as sketches he created and grew into a business helping thousands of advisors. Advisors learn different ways to segment clients and focus on one task at a time to avoid overwhelming them. Interactive checklists now allow advisors to gather client information digitally before meetings to better address their needs. This discussion provides advisors with ideas on maintaining relationships and continuously demonstrating value.

"It's one thing to come up with the financial plan. But how do you deliver the plan? How do you get that client to not just take the recommendation and agree to it, but then follow through and actually do it?" - Michael Lecours

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Engaging clients through FP Pathfinder.
• Creating a flowchart for financial advisors to streamline client conversations.
• Balancing financial planning and business growth.
• Improving client engagement in financial planning through four key areas.
• Simplifying financial planning for clients.
• Personalized financial planning and client engagement.
• Adding value to low-maintenance clients in financial planning.
• Using checklists for client reviews in financial planning.
• Creating financial planning checklists and flowcharts for various audiences.
• Business planning and book recommendations.
• The importance of think time for financial advisors.

This episode is sponsored by our friends at YCharts. YCharts has a special gift for you just in time for the holiday season – their final research piece of the year, "The Top 23 Charts of 2023”! Dive into a curated slide deck that captures the essence of the year gone by – from the highs to the lows that defined the financial landscape. With featured market and economic storylines and key visuals from industry thought leaders, consider this comprehensive tool as your ticket to elevating your year-end communication with clients and prospects. Make an impact and showcase your value by clicking the link in the show notes to secure a copy of "The Top 23 Charts of 2023" deck. Remember, get 15% off your initial YCharts Professional subscription when you start your free YCharts trial and tell them I sent you (new customers only).

Link: https://go.ycharts.com/the-top-23-charts-of-2023?utm_source=Model+FA

Connect with Michael:

• Website: https://fppathfinder.com/
• Email: mike@fpPathfinder.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Meet Josh Kosnick - provider, recruiter, teacher and leader. He is the Type-A alpha male that loves to compete, drink bourbon and smoke cigars; however, Josh never shies away from sharing his vulnerable side. He’s passionate about men’s mental health – healing, talking about emotions, supporting each other – and will continue to advocate for this. His faith drives him to persevere through pain and suffering because he knows, on the other side of those struggles is everything he has dreamed of and everything he was born to be.

Josh Kosnick shares how he prioritizes his schedule like a college athlete to lead a well-rounded life through fitness, relationships, mind, and soul. He discusses implementing EOS to scale his firm and how vulnerability is the ultimate display of strength for men. Josh also tells the story of dropping out of college and becoming a financial advisor after getting a call from his future mentor while working at Best Buy. He shares information about his new mastermind focused on breaking down walls between advisors and creating collaboration in the industry.

“You just hit on exactly why I always tried to recruit as many college athletes as possible, or former college athletes, because they had to prioritize their days so much more than the regular student“- Josh Kosnick

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Leadership, mental health, and personal growth.
• Vulnerability and masculinity.
• Leading a healthy lifestyle through fitness, relationships, mind, and body.
• Fitness journey and personal growth.
• Maintaining a well-rounded life while being a business owner and parent.
• Prioritizing fitness, relationships, mind, and body for a healthy lifestyle.
• Leadership and management in the financial services industry.
• Systems implementation in a business setting.
• Implementing EOS in businesses for growth and exit value.
• The impact of "Think and Grow Rich" and its chapters
• Career path, perseverance, and mentorship in the financial industry.

Our Favorite Quotes:

"I want to help others that I coached lead or influence or even in our conversation today, someone that I may never meet, is listening to you and I today, I want you to know, that being an alpha being vulnerability is the ultimate, the pinnacle of strength as a man." - Josh Kosnick

"I flipped the mindset, I have to be physically fit, I have to be mentally fit to show up to be my best for my wife, for my kids, for everyone, I coach for everyone, I influence, for every business owner that I go in to help." - Josh Kosnick

Connect with Josh:

• Website: https://www.joshkosnick.com
• Email: josh@joshkosnick.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Brooklyn Brock is a 3rd generation financial advisor and founder of Ellevate Advisors LLC, a fee-only RIA, specializing in Financial Planning and Exit Coaching for advisors themselves. Throughout her career, she found advisors rarely do retirement planning for themselves like they do for their clients, which drove her to launch her own RIA to serve advisors exclusively. Brooklyn travels across the nation as a speaker, sharing her passion for helping advisors themselves.

Brooklyn Brock joins David to discuss the importance of advisors getting their own financial planning help from an unbiased third party. She shares how she works with advisors through the exit planning and financial planning process, helping them craft a vision for their life after business ownership. David and Brooklyn also explore scenarios like acquiring another firm or buying into an existing firm, highlighting the value of having independent guidance. Listeners learn that getting advice from someone other than themselves can provide peace of mind for advisors making big financial and career decisions.

“There is something about retiring with something to give you meaning and purpose in your second half, I think a lot of advisors are afraid of that, of not having that.”
- Brooklyn Brock

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Leadership, entrepreneurship, and consulting experiences.
• Exit strategies for business owners with a focus on preparation and communication.
• Business planning and strategy.
• Leadership, collaboration, and succession planning in business.
• Exit planning for businesses and families.
• Business valuation and sale strategies.
• Financial planning and exit strategies for business owners.

Our Favorite Quotes:

"If someone's not okay with that they don't have to move forward and maybe there's a different solution out there because financial planning is one type of service that can help people through life transitions." - Brooklyn Brock

"I think my main takeaways from that story would be when you're exploring that option, and the firm says, okay, cool, here's how you do it. It's not black and white, and you have the opportunity to manufacture a deal." - David DeCelle

Connect with Brooklyn:

• Website: https://ellevateadvisors.com

• Email: brooklyn@ellevateadvisors.com

This episode is sponsored by our friends at YCharts. Numbers and data are one thing, but how you communicate and scale the delivery of these insights to clients is the real challenge. The reality is, people are more inclined to invest their attention and hard-earned dollars when presented with a captivating story and a skilled storyteller. YCharts empowers you by offering fully customizable tools for report and proposal generation, allowing you to expertly guide and control the narrative during client meetings. With all-in-one solutions like fundamental charts, stock and fund screeners, scenario capabilities, and more, YCharts equips you with the essential tools to showcase the strengths of your investment strategies and illustrate the value you bring to your clients. Click the link in the show notes to start your free YCharts trial, and get 15% off your initial subscription (new customers only).

Landing Page Link: https://go.ycharts.com/model-fa

Tara Tussing Unverzagt grew up with one of the first CFPs but started her career as a computer programmer, project manager at a software company. She turned to financial planning when she got married and wanted to work from home to raise children (just like her mom had.) She started South Bay Financial Partners in 2014 after working in her mom's business for 20 years. South Bay Financial Partners serve a diverse range of individuals, couples, and multigenerational families who yearn for financial independence, peace of mind, and success. Prospects often don't know how to get started or find their next steps. SBFP's mission is to empower both individuals and families alike by helping them become knowledgeable, confident, and brave to level up and reach their goals.

This episode featured Tara Tussing Unverzagt, a financial planner who incorporates financial therapy into her practice. She discussed how understanding clients' emotional relationships with money helps her better serve them. The conversation highlights Tara's background and how she came to focus on financial therapy. David and Tara also shared personal stories and examples of how examining underlying beliefs can transform clients' financial well-being.

"We understand that money is emotional. From day one, we understand that a lot of financial planners are like, ‘I don't want to talk about that part, I just want to talk about the numbers.’” - Tara Tussing Unverzagt

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Financial planning, bicycling, and personal experiences.
• Financial therapy and its role in personal finance.
• Using internal family systems for financial therapy.
• Client relationships, fees, and market volatility.
• Financial struggles and relationships with money.
• Financial literacy and personalized solutions.
• Financial well-being and relationships.
• Therapy books and their impact on personal growth.
• Sales training and marketing strategies.

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Well, there's also another saying that there's two kinds of bicyclists, those who have had accidents and those who will have accidents. There's no way to ride a bike without having accidents.” - Tara Tussing Unverzagt

“Number one, my parents, they ended up getting divorced, and the variety of issues but what it boiled down to is, anytime they fought, it was over money, or because they were stressed about money, and they'd fight about something meaningless. Because that was like the boiling point, the tipping point. And seeing that made me stress about money.” - David DeCelle

“ I used to think that vulnerability was weakness. Now I'm realizing no, you have to be friggin brave, to be vulnerable. And to put that out there. So be brave. And that's why in the intro, we tried to help people be brave and level up, be brave, have that conversation with your cohort.” - Tara Tussing Unverzagt

"I said earlier that money issues often come from safety, which often comes from connection with other people." - Tara Tussing Unverzagt

Connect with Tara:

• Interested in connecting with Tara? Click here: https://calendly.com/financial-coaching-team/podcast-priority-referral
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/south-bay-financial-partners/
• Website: https://southbayfinancialpartners.com/
• Email: tara@sbfinancialpartners.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Abby Morton is the Head of Community and Culture for Elements. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Abby brings an insider’s perspective on how marketing, sales, and financial advice should converge to drive optimal results in a modern RIA.

In this episode Abby Morton from Elements joins us to discuss how the platform can be used to provide prospects with a free, quick financial assessment to give them value and incentivize continuing the advisory relationship. Abby outlines how Elements integrates easily into an advisor's existing tech stack and allows them to serve more clients in less time by simplifying the financial planning process. David shares strategies for leveraging Elements within a give-get marketing framework and subscription model to formally engage younger clients and families earlier. They also explored how large firms could benefit from Elements to justify building advisory relationships with clients below the typical minimum asset thresholds.

“Elements is a way to help advisors, help clients really understand their money in ways that they never have before.” - Abby Morton

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Introducing Abby Morton
• Using AI to solve financial planning challenges.
• A financial planning tool for advisors and clients.
• Using free financial assessments to attract clients.
• Using technology to improve financial planning and client relationships.
• The impact of Simon Sinek's "Start With Why" book and its application in a financial services firm.

Our Favorite Quotes:

"Finances and money are the biggest stressor in American lives today." - Abby Morton

“When you think of clients, especially the new generation of clients, and with a lot of advisors now, engaging with those younger clients and more like a subscription model elements just beyond the functionality. It just looks cool." - David DeCelle

"We are that tool to give you the diagnostics, we’re kind of that initial financial checkup." - Abby Morton

"Advisors have a desktop version and a mobile interface, but in the users of it will only use the phone because we feel like that is the way that tech is going is clients want to sit down on the couch at the end of the day and interact with their advisor when they're tired, you know, they don't want to like necessarily have to go and sit down at their desktop." - Abby Morton

Connect with Abby:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/abbymorton/
• Website: https://getelements.com
• Email: abby.morton@getelements.com

Learn More About YCharts

“This episode is sponsored by our friends at YCharts. If you don’t already know, YCharts releases a Top 10 Visuals resource deck each quarter, packed with data and visuals to help advisors easily communicate complex investing topics with clients or prospects. YCharts is hosting a webinar on October 18th to deep dive into the deck, with topics ranging from the value of long-term investments to the art of crafting the right retirement portfolio allocation — all packaged in a convenient, editable slide deck you could easily leverage during any meeting or conversation. Click the link below to register for YCharts’ webinar and receive your own copy of the “Top 10 Visuals for Clients & Prospects” slide deck. Remember, you can get 15% off your initial subscription when you start your free YCharts trial and tell them I sent you (new customers only).

https://ycharts.zoom.us/webinar/register/8116962561853/WN_FbGphtSBRPmzoiIYPWiFgw

Michelle Atlas-Quinn, J.D. is the Vice President of RIA Operations for AdvisorLaw. She is an  Attorney licensed by the Colorado Supreme Court to practice law (active registration). She earned her Juris Doctorate from University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Michelle formerly held FINRA licenses Series 7, 63, and 24 and former Colorado life and health insurance license. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Colorado.

David and Michelle discuss the transition from working with a broker-dealer to becoming an independent registered investment advisor (RIA). Michelle shared her career journey which led her to founding the RIA division at AdvisorLaw. She discussed some of the benefits of being an RIA like lower fees, less regulatory oversight, and more freedom in marketing. However, she cautioned that as an independent advisor there is more responsibility to ensure compliance. Michelle provided tips on complying with regulations and working with a compliance partner like AdvisorLaw. Overall, the discussion focused on helping advisors understand the opportunities and responsibilities involved in making the shift to the RIA space.

"The SEC Rule is, am I doing what's in the client's best interest? Am I being careful with their money and making decisions that I think are careful." - Michelle Atlas

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Career journey and RIA services with Michelle Atlas.
• Transitioning from broker-dealer to RIA.
• Regulatory changes and compliance in the RIA space.
• Marketing in the financial industry with a focus on compliance.
• SEC compliance for financial advisors transitioning from broker-dealers to registered investment advisors.

Our Favorite Quotes:

"Anything that you collect a fee on, is Ria, anything you could collect a commission on, is a broker-dealer. And so you look at your book and you say, well, what else am I still collecting commissions on?" - Michelle Atlas

“From a marketing standpoint, in the RIA space, it's just nice that you can market your business more in alignment with the way that businesses are marketed today.” - David DeCelle

"So there are some challenges, but I think  85-90% of most people's books these days, if you look at them, are fee based, because they are using managed money." - Michelle Atlas

"FINRA derives their jurisdiction from the SEC. So instead of having three regulators, and if you're doing insurance, maybe four, you're down to three." - Michelle Atlas

Connect with Michelle:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleatlas/
• Website: https://advisorlawllc.com/
• Email: matlas@advisorlawyer.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Mark Willis, CFP® is a man on a mission to help you think differently about your money, your economy and your future. Mark is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, a three-time #1 Best Selling Author and the owner of Lake Growth Financial Services, a financial firm in Chicago, Illinois. As co-host of the Not Your Average Financial Podcast™, he shares some of his strategies for investing in real estate, paying for college without going broke, and creating an income in retirement you will not outlive.  Mark works with people who want to grow their wealth in ways that are safe and predictable, to become their own source of financing, and create tax-free income in retirement.

On episode 136 of the Model FA Podcast David and Mark emphasize the importance of treating oneself as a key investment and examine the one-size-fits-all approach of recommending generic investment options like target date funds to entrepreneurs. They discuss the pitfalls of "shiny object syndrome" as Mark introduces the idea of "iki-gai," a Japanese concept for finding one's reason for being, as a tool to align passion, skill, and market demand. 

“Conflict at its root is just unexpressed expectation. So go deep before you get into proposing and strategies and recommendations, figure out what their expectations are.” - Mark Willis

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

Mark's introduction.

Strategies to get to seven figures.

Mark’s philosophy on target market and how to position yourself.

Power of podcasting.

Leveraging the power of content.

How conflict can build relationships.

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Guesting on someone else's show is brain dead simple, because you just get on and you have a conversation with someone who loves to chat with you, and you hopefully enjoy chatting with him. The power there is, you're getting in front of your target audience, you're having a one on one long form discussion with people who might just do business with you.” - Mark Willis

Connect with Mark:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LakeGrowth/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklakegrowth/

Website: https://lakegrowth.com/

Email: thanks@lakegrowth.com

Learn More About YCharts

This episode is sponsored by our friends at YCharts. Exciting times at YCharts — they just announced their latest product enhancement called Proposals. YCharts Proposals is a game-changing capability, empowering wealth management professionals with the prowess to craft captivating narratives, effectively conveying their investment strategies that help win new business. But that's not all – mark your calendars for September 22nd because YCharts will be hosting a webinar to unveil Proposals and show off its full potential. You’ll learn how to whip up reports that don't just highlight the value of your investment strategies but also cater to your clients' unique financial needs. Click the this link to register for YCharts’ webinar if you want to learn more about Proposals, and get 15% off your initial subscription when you start your free YCharts trial (new customers only). 

Register: https://ycharts.zoom.us/webinar/register/5916933495668/WN_OD3x5xyzQ7qWTrtGDChLFA

About the Model FA Podcast:

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams.
 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

Eric Brotman is the CEO of BFG Financial Advisors, President of Brotman Consulting Group, LLC, Host of "Don't Retire...Graduate!" podcast, and author of three books on personal finance including "Don't Retire...Graduate! - Building a Path to Financial Freedom and Retirement at Any Age"

On episode 135 of the "MODEL FA PODCAST," the spotlight is on Eric, the CEO of BFG Financial Advisors and author of "Don't Retire Graduate." The episode delves deep into the crucial role of company culture, mission statements, and the power of advisory boards in shaping businesses. As the conversation progresses, Eric emphasizes the value of building authority and influence through authentic podcasting, robust networking, and mastermind groups. The episode further underscores the significance of early exit strategy planning, collaboration over competition in the financial industry, and the potential of strategic alliances. Wrapping up, Eric discusses the indispensable nature of reading, recommending seminal books that provide foundational knowledge for financial advisors.

“I think it's incredibly important to be authentic. The key to podcasting is to be yourself, to be vulnerable, to be authentic and to be fallible. And then if you're relatable in that way people will seek you out.” - Eric Brotman

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Culture Culture Culture Culture.

• How often should you review your mission statement?

• The importance of building authority and influence.

• Two paths to build influence.

• The power of being yourself.

• The importance of having a succession plan.

• The importance of having an exit strategy.

• Strategic alliances and how they work.

• The importance of having a reading list.

Our Favorite Quotes:

“One of the things I loved when I was an advisor is the culture of joint work. And being able to learn from other folks, either in my office or throughout the countr; people who had different specializations.” - David DeCelle

“I believe in collaboration over competition, I think our industry is one that's has the benefit of radical abundance. There are so many opportunities, so many people and families and businesses need our help. There's a shortage of financial advisors and an even bigger shortage of good ones.” - Eric Brotman

“Culture, culture, culture, if you add people to your organization, not just clients, but particularly employees, or other advisors, the Fit has to be really, really perfect.” - Eric Brotman

Connect with Eric:

• Connect on Twitter

• Connect on LinkedIn

• Website: https://www.brotmanconsultinggroup.com

• Email: ebrotman@bfgfa.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Trent Dudenhoeffer (Duden-hoff-er) is a CFP® practitioner. He started his career as a financial planner at LPL Financial but left in 2021 to join Watchdog Capital where he is focused on the convergence of bitcoin and traditional finance.

Isaiah Douglass is a MBA, CFP®, CEPA. He specializes in working with veterinarians and dentists due to a personal relationship that started with finding how I could help him be successful in his career.

In this episode David is joined by Trent and Isaiah to unravel the fascinating world of bitcoin and cryptocurrency, discussing everything from their personal journeys into the space, to the broader implications for the financial industry. This engaging conversation touches on the distinctions between bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the impact of regulation, and the potential future of digital assets.

“I do believe you have a fiduciary responsibility to, at the very least, educate yourself and form an educated opinion on crypto. And based on that opinion, decide whether or not to discuss crypto with your clients” - David DeCelle

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

The difference between crypto and bitcoin specifically.

What makes bitcoin unpredictable and crypto very unpredictable?

What makes bitcoin different from other cryptocurrencies?

Does regulation play a role?

Bitcoin is not an asset only for politicians.

The size of the total addressable market.

How does this fit into the financial plan?

Fiduciaries have been given the okay to largely ignore bitcoin.

Fiduciary responsibility to educate clients.

Books that have had an impact.

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Everyone is drinking from a firehose, with everything else,and then add crypto on top of that. We're just trying to cut through as much noise as humanly possible to give you exactly what you need in the most efficient way. So that you can actually be knowledgeable about Bitcoin.” - Trent Dudenhoeffer

“A little bit of Bitcoin goes a long way. And if they're already, okay, this can ensure that if we see an event happen that maybe you don't believe ever really happens. But it does help protect the purchasing power of those individuals. I think ultimately, that's what bitcoin does.” - Isaiah Douglass

“That's the only way financial plans ever work is if you have a long term time horizon. So go ahead and make your jokes now. Yes, bitcoins down. Yes, I was touting it at its high at 69,000. You got me. Let's talk again in 10 years, and we'll see who's laughing at that point?” - Trent Dudenhoeffer

Connect with Isaiah:

https://twitter.com/IDFinancial

Connect on LinkedIn

Website: https://www.vincerewealth.com

Email: isaiah@veterinariansuccesspodcast.com

Connect with Trent:

Connect on Twitter

Connect on LinkedIn

Website: https://www.adviceonbitcoin.com

Email: twdudenhoeffer@gmail.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Daleele Alison is a technology professional and entrepreneur. He is the CEO and co-founder of RooksDM, a technology consulting group that helps alleviate pain points for small to midsize companies by using the right technology. Daleele has worked as a consultant, business analyst, and project manager for Fortune 500 companies to SMBs.

In this episode, David interviews Daleele Alison, the President of RooksDM, a tech company that helps businesses streamline their processes using technology. They discuss how RooksDM assists financial advisors in improving their efficiency through automation. Daleele shares some examples of their automation solutions, such as using online forms to collect data from clients, automating scheduling of client meetings, and using AI to extract data from documents. They also talk about the importance of standardizing document management across firms and how implementing technology can significantly impact a business's value and growth. 

Broadly, we serve professional services, so any service based company, we can help service. And the main reason for that, and it kind of ties into one of our philosophies. We’re process first, technology second." - Daleele Alison

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Introductions and welcome.
• How Daleele got into the tech space
• Automate the non-client-facing aspects of your business.
• Automation of calendar links.
• Leveraging data from multiple sources.
• Leveraging workflow automation for onboarding.
• Automation of renaming files.
• How do you leverage intangible assets to drive value?
• The importance of ai and tech.
• Traction or rocket fuel.

Our Favorite Quotes:

• "So we can leverage some automations using email. So in that specific scenario, for example, is, hey, you're still collecting the documents and the data via email, we're just leveraging workflow behind the scenes to help route what happens once the email is received." - Daleele Alison

• "So sometimes what we see is, and we're all guilty of this of, hey, technology can help me solve this problem. And we just throw some tech at it, and it'll be magically solved. And that's not the case." - Daleele Alison

• "I know, at least for me, and some of the advisors I work with, the tech side of the business can be fairly overwhelming." - David DeCelle

• "Yeah, so few different things. One simple one is leveraging online forms to collect data. So a lot of data is still being captured, may we consider it manually through email." - Daleele Alison

• “Advisors want to impact folks. They want unlimited potential for their income, and they want independence in their calendar." - David DeCelle

Connect with Daleele Alison:

• RooksDM Website
• RooksDM on Facebook
• RooksDM on Instagram
• RooksDM on Twitter
• Daleele Alison on LinkedIn
• Email: daleele@rooksdm.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Joe Templin is the author of Every Day Excellence, a book that outlines the process of making daily investments toward personal improvement and development. Widely regarded as the Human Kaizen Expert, Joe is dedicated to making individuals and organizations better. He is the co-founder and President of The Intro Machine, a learning ecosystem and training environment that helps individuals build and grow an introduction-based business. Before co-founding The Intro Machine, Joe served as the Managing Director of The Unique Minds Consulting Group and was a director at Northwestern Mutual.

Joe joins me today to outline the components of the g-factor and how they determine the rate of success in life. He discusses examples of unconscious competence and the role of sleep and rest in developing the g-factor. He explains how grit, resilience, and work ethic can take any person far in life. Joe also highlights the importance of making the most out of your time, describes how people can develop their threshold for discomfort, and underscores the value of new ideas and experiences.

“The g-factor is the greatest determinant of long-range success—more important than your IQ, education, social skills, or social status.” - Joe Templin

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• The g-factor and its difference from IQ
• Fluid intelligence
• Verbal acuity
• The importance of sleep
• Synthetic thought and our capability to draw correlations
• Making the most of your time and the value of reading or listening to a book
• Helping clients beyond expectations
• Intimacy’s role in the trust factor
• Building grit and resilience in your life

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “To truly add value to the people you serve—to really elevate the client experience—you need to focus on helping them with things outside what you’re compensated to do.” - David DeCelle
• “Having a broad spectrum of knowledge allows you to truly impact someone’s life.” - David DeCelle
• “People who don’t expose themselves to new concepts and ideas limit their g-factor and their growth because they don’t feed their mind with new experiences they can apply in different areas.” - Joe Templin 

Related Episode:

• Becoming a Better Human Every Day with Joe Templin Part I

Connect with Joe Templin:

• The Intro Machine
• Everyday Excellence
• Financial Services Daily Drip
• Book: Every Day Excellence: A Daily Guide to Growing
• The Intro Machine on LinkedIn
• The Intro Machine on Facebook
• The Intro Machine on Twitter
• Joe Templin on LinkedIn

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams.

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered.

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

John Crane is an author, financial advisor, retirement income planner, and registered representative and financial advisor at Park Avenues Securities LLC. Before serving in the financial services industry, John held several posts at Sprint, including a Senior Government Account Executive role. In his book, The One-Number Budget, he helps readers with staying on track with a budget, simplifies the budgeting process, and explains lifetime cash flow. John holds a Master of Business Administration degree from George Mason University and received his Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Life Underwriter, and Retirement Income Certified Professional designations from The American College.

John joins me today to discuss The One-Number Budget and how financial advisors can help clients shift their perspectives on budgeting for retirement. He describes his background and his path to the financial services industry. He details the disadvantages of traditional budgeting. John also highlights the lifetime perspective on cash flow to keep in mind when budgeting and underscores the power of serving others as your authentic self.

“Traditional budgeting is a snapshot in time that only addresses the month, but there’s a lifetime perspective on cash flow you need to take into account.” - John Crane

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• The beginning stages of Crane Financial
• What made John look at budgeting from a different perspective
• How traditional budgeting elicits the feeling of scarcity from clients
• Executing the One-Number Budget in reality
• Why financial advisors are like psychologists
• How John guides clients who are unsure about the One-Number Budget
• The disadvantages of traditional budgeting
• The 30-year earning time
• Helping clients who have not or can’t save 20% of their income
• Working with the One-Number Budget worksheet
• Serving as your authentic self

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim S. Grover
• Book: Winning: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness by Tim S. Grover
• One-Number Budget Worksheet

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “I’m turning 33 shortly, and it’s like I’m so young and I’ve got plenty of time; but no, I’m 3 years into my ‘true’ earning years and I need to ensure I’m planning for the last 30 years of my life.” - David DeCelle
• “Advisors look for tips, tricks, and tactics, but often the biggest breakthroughs come when there’s a shift in mindset as opposed to using a new tool.” - David DeCelle
• “Once I got that permission slip to be myself and focus on helping people the way I think it should be done, my business started growing quickly. I started having more fun and became more effective.” - John Crane

Connect with John Crane:

• Crane Financial
• Book: The One-Number Budget: Why Traditional Budgets Fail and What to Do About It
• Crane Financial on LinkedIn
• John Crane on LinkedIn
• Email: John.Crane@CraneFinancial.com

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams.

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered.

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

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This podcast is intended for general public use. By providing this content, Park Avenue Securities LLC and your financial representative are not undertaking to provide investment advice or make a recommendation for a specific individual or situation, or to otherwise act in a fiduciary capacity. ModelFA Podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by PAS, Guardian, or Crane Financial and opinions stated are their own.

John W. Crane, Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). OSJ: 11350 McCormick Road, Executive Plaza III, Suite 202, Hunt Valley, MD, 21031, 667-318-0801. Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC.

Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Crane Financial LLC is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. CA Insurance License Number - 0G79065. 

Compliance # 2023- 155099, Exp 06/2024 

Phil Bender is an awarded industry leader with more than 30 years of experience in the financial services sector. He’s processed those experiences into a growth-based program to help individuals achieve a CEO mindset. His mission-driven objective is to impact one million people through his writing, coaching programs, workshops, and public speaking.

In this conversation, Phil discusses the concept of concierge financial planning and its parallels with concierge healthcare. He explores the idea of providing a deeper relationship and a higher level of service to clients, going beyond the traditional approach of computer-generated plans. Phil emphasizes the importance of building relationships, understanding core values, and delivering exceptional service to create a unique and valuable advisor-client dynamic. The conversation also touches on the psychological barriers advisors may face when embracing a concierge approach and the benefits of expanding one's perspective on wealth and experiences.

"Concierge financial planning is a key strategy to separate yourself from the pack when prospecting or developing new clients." - Phil Bender

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• What is the significance of the Sea Captain Coaching name?
• What does a concierge doctor look like?
• Why you have to respect the person you’re talking to.
• You need to get out of your bubble.
• Three reasons why people leave your firm.
• The value of a culture that’s transferable.
• David’s advice for those who want to achieve peak performance.

Our Favorite Quotes:

• "Concierge financial planning is the client experience. What is the client experience you as an advisor are providing your client?" - Phil Bender
• "Financial planning on a concierge level is putting a plan together itself, charging a fee for possibly those types of things." - Phil Bender
• "Accountability coaching, you either have to respect the hell out of the person you're talking to." - Phil Bender
• "Concierge financial planning is a key strategy to separate yourself from the pack when prospecting or developing new clients." - Phil Bender
• "When an advisor can provide that level of experience to make someone feel special, it's a totally different dynamic and something that every advisor should strive for." - David DeCelle
• "Financial advising is one of the few careers where you can still grow socioeconomically above your parents, there aren't a lot of them." - Phil Bender
• "Go and spend a couple nights at the Ritz just to experience it, like go spend money for these experiences so that you can be exposed to what that's like." - David DeCelle

Connect with Phil Bender:

• Sea Captain Coaching
• Sea Captain Coaching on Facebook
• Sea Captain Coaching on Instagram
• Sea Captain Coaching on Twitter
• Phil Bender on LinkedIn

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Joseph Milano is the Managing Partner at New South Wealth Management. Joe is originally from Staten Island, NY and he moved to Charlotte, NC where he started his journey with New South Wealth Management. Joe obtained his bachelor’s degree from Villanova University where he developed and established his passion for the financial industry. Joe is excellent at educating families and business owners on innovative and personalized strategies. 

Joe Milano talks about the difficult decision to transition out of Northwestern Mutual, joining AIG Financial Network, where they had the opportunity to build and expand the investment and insurance practices, and losing this job. This unexpected turn of events led him to take a year off to reconnect with friends and family. During that time, he observed flaws in the industry's models, with corporate profits taking precedence over clients and producers. In 2017-2018, they built their own model, focusing on putting clients and producers at the center.

"A lot of the shops are broken. Instead of putting the producer or the client at the center, they put corporate profits at the center." - Joe Milano

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Joe’s transition from intern to full-time rep.
• What was it like to run his own office and shift from being an intern to a field director? 
• Joe’s first stop after Northwestern was AIG Financial Network. AIG had a very big investment practice and insurance practice.
• What is the current status of the business in terms of human infrastructure? 
• What keeps Joe going in the business. 
• How can you stay committed and refocused?
• Joe’s thoughts on how anyone can become a financial advisor . 
• Joe shares a story about how he’s been able to use the “back of the napkin” approach in his business. 
• The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink.

Our Favorite Quotes:

• "When you hit a point in your career where you recognize, I want to work with high net worth people or closely held family businesses, these big career weather agencies or wirehouses aren't necessarily a fit for those individuals." - Joe Milano
• "It's a hard pill to swallow when you start at one year old and now you're 35 years old, and this is what you've committed all your time, effort, and energy to." - Joe Milano
• "When I transitioned out, one of the biggest things was leaving behind my friends who were like family in the office." - Joe Milano
• "I really think that time, a lot of these home offices started to really evaluate their models and try to figure out what they were doing." - Joe Milano
• "A lot of the shops are broken. Instead of putting the producer or the client at the center, they put corporate profits at the center." - Joe Milano
• "We take a holistic approach, focusing on clients with insurance, investments, taxes, and legal aspects." - Joe Milano
• "Our model ensures that each cornerstone of a client's financial plan is fully sound to achieve both short-term objectives and long-term plans." - Joe Milano
• "We prioritize client needs and objectives without being constrained by corporate profit-driven agendas." - Joe Milano

Connect with Joe Milano:

• New South Wealth
• New South Wealth on Facebook
• New South Wealth on Twitter
• Joe Milano on LinkedIn

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.\

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Discussions in this show should not be construed as specific recommendations or investment advice. Always consult with your investment professional before making important investment decisions. These are the opinions of New South Wealth Management and not necessarily those of Cambridge Investment Research, are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed or acted upon as individualized investment advice. Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser. New South Wealth Management and Cambridge are not affiliated. Cambridge does not offer tax or legal advice.

Joe Templin is the Human Kaizen Expert, dedicated to making individuals and organizations better. He is the co-founder and President of The Intro Machine, a learning ecosystem and training environment that helps individuals build and grow an introduction-based business. Before co-founding The Intro Machine, Joe served as the Managing Director of The Unique Minds Consulting Group and the CEO of the Lamp of Castle Holdings, Inc. He is also a former director at Northwestern Mutual. His book, Every Day Excellence, outlines the process of making daily investments toward personal improvement and development. In addition to his work at the Intro Machine, Joe serves as a board member of the Autism Society of the Greater Capital Region, New York.

Joe joins me today to discuss why becoming a better human translates to better business. He reveals the most important skill entrepreneurs need to have in the early stages of their business and explains his “be more, sell more” philosophy. He describes how the lessons he learned from studying martial arts have helped him become a better financial advisor and why we all need to do difficult things every day. Joe also highlights why saying “next” is an essential skill for financial advisors to learn and underscores how having an attitude of gratitude positively informs one’s ability to do good business.

“Having a more altruistic attitude, in general, translates into better production. It’s capitalistic karma: the more you help others, it reflects and comes back to you.” - Joe Templin

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• What “kaizen” means and its application to human development
• Joe’s journey from applied physics to financial services
• How being a better human naturally builds more business
• The relationship between commitment, consistency, and confidence
• Five good things to do on a daily basis
• Living with no regrets and the Stoic philosophy
• How to be a better human every day
• The art of goal planning, reaching for the stars, and setting and achieving big, audacious goals
• Giving others the gift of a smile and a kind word
• How good and bad habits compound
• Why the word “just” puts us on a slippery, downward slope of professional pride
• Holding yourself to the highest possible standards consistently
• The “Trust Factor” equation

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High-Performance Companies by Paul J. Zak
• Book: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
• Book: The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister
• Life Happens

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Trust is based on the accumulation of positive experiences someone has with you.” - David DeCelle
• “Convenience kills. Four or five times a day you need to do the harder thing; avoiding difficult things compounds.” - Joe Templin
• “Your confidence skyrockets when you do something that you, deep down, didn’t want to do—it builds a certain level of resilience that makes you think you can do anything.” - David DeCelle

Related Content:

• Ben Newman on Building and Seizing the Prize Fighter Day

Connect with Joe Templin:

• The Intro Machine
• Everyday Excellence
• Book: Every Day Excellence: A Daily Guide to Growing
• The Intro Machine on LinkedIn
• The Intro Machine on Facebook
• The Intro Machine on Twitter
• Joe Templin on LinkedIn

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.