Advertise on podcast: The Advisor Summit Podcast

Think Bigger, Be Bolder: Unlocking What's Possible with Chris Smith Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode of The Advisor Summit Podcast, Molly Pierce sits down with Chris Smith, founder of PSBLTY, to explore what it really takes for financial advisors to stand out, attract higher-net-worth clients, and build businesses that can grow beyond the founder. Key Takeaways: Your Brand Is More Than Your Logo. A strong brand communicates who you serve, what makes you different, and why clients should choose you. Without clear differentiation, even great advisors can look like everyone else. Better Sales Skills Lead to Better Client Service. Advisors don't have to choose between selling and serving. Chris explains how authentic, structured sales conversations can build confidence and help advisors serve more people. Specificity Creates Opportunities for Growth. Advisors often say yes to build their businesses, but scaling requires knowing when to say no. Specializing helps firms attract the clients they're best equipped to serve. There Are Three Ways to Find Your Niche. Advisors can specialize by client type, financial strategy, or life situation. Finding the right focus doesn't always mean limiting yourself to one profession or demographic. Great Cultures Are Built Intentionally. Every firm has a culture, whether intentional or not. Strong leaders document their values, develop other leaders, and create a shared vision that extends beyond themselves. Timestamps: 00:40 Meet Chris Smith: Moving Financial Advisors Upmarket 01:41 The Three Pillars of Growth: Brand, Sales, and Culture 04:39 Why Financial Advisors Struggle to Differentiate Their Brand 07:19 Why Advisors Need to Get Comfortable With Sales 10:30 The Risk of Looking and Sounding Like Every Other Advisor 15:45 How to Be Bold and Authentic Without Feeling Gimmicky 18:22 Why Sales Scripts Can Actually Create More Freedom 22:21 Finding Your Niche and Learning When to Say No 29:39 Building a Company Culture That Develops Leaders 33:52 Creating a Culture Blueprint Your Team Can Actually Follow Resources mentioned: https://psblty.com/ ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/

The Truth About Allocation Mixes: What Advisors Get Wrong | Erica Pauly, Track That Advisor Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode of The Advisor Summit, Molly speaks with Erica to unpack new research comparing financial advisory firms based on their allocation mix—and some of the findings challenge common assumptions about how these businesses grow. Key Takeaways: There is no “best” allocation model. FIA-heavy, AUM-heavy, and blended firms each showed different strengths and weaknesses. Erica’s research didn’t uncover a clear winner—the right model depends on the firm’s philosophy, goals, and approach to serving clients.  Existing clients are especially important for FIA-heavy firms. FIA-heavy firms generated 42% of new business from existing clients alone, before referrals were even included. That can reduce the number of new first appointments a firm needs—but whether that’s healthy depends on how aggressively the firm wants to grow.  Referrals can improve your numbers and hide problems. AUM-heavy firms had the highest referral percentage at roughly 30%, contributing to stronger stick and close rates. But referrals can inflate overall performance enough to disguise weaknesses in paid funnels like dinner seminars.  Cost per client can reveal whether you have a marketing or sales problem. Erica shares TTA benchmarks of roughly $1,000 cost per set and $6,000 cost per client. If leads and appointments are coming in efficiently but cost per client remains high, the problem may be conversion not marketing.  Tracking data isn't enough, you have to use it. Erica recommends three steps: have the data, understand what it actually means, and then allow it to guide decisions. If reports aren't changing what the business does, simply collecting numbers isn't enough.  Timestamps: 00:14 – Introducing the allocation mix study 01:14 – FIA-heavy vs. mid-range vs. AUM-heavy firms 03:20 – The biggest myths about different advisor business models 05:02 – The surprising characteristics of AUM-heavy and blended firms 07:19 – Why FIA-heavy firms get 42% of business from existing clients 10:09 – How referrals impact stick rates, close rates, and acquisition costs 12:52 – How to analyze your firm’s data from the top down 15:10 – The troubling trend in live-event conversion rates 18:05 – Cost per set vs. cost per client: marketing problem or sales problem? 24:25 – How advisors should think about choosing an allocation model Resources: Track That Advisor Resource Center: https://trackthatadvisor.com/the-10-billion-library/ 2026 National Benchmarks: https://drive.google.com/file/d/174Z4rPtO9m6S2X1H8EqBto1urzJia6Sz/view 2026 Benchmarking Guide: https://onedrive.live.com/?id=160E6F8B0BF5957A%21s9656db7defc846f38a8f266e4aa211c3&cid=160E6F8B0BF5957A&redeem=aHR0cHM6Ly8xZHJ2Lm1zL2IvYy8xNjBlNmY4YjBiZjU5NTdhL0lRQjkyMWFXeU9felJvcVBKbTVLb2hIREFhWjJrSEpndGxkVHE2NzV3cVNURzlRP1RlYW1zQ0lEPWIyNTY0ZTkyLWYyNjgtNGYzNS04NTY1LWU0NDk3YjNhNGIzZSZsaW5rT3BlblRpbWU9MTc4NzU4NzA5NTg0Ng&parId=160E6F8B0BF5957A%21sde100f5627ca4627a17fb17c11fb7259&o=OneUp ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/

Visually Mapping the Financial Conversation with H. Adam Holt | Track That Advisor Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we speak with H. Adam Holt, founder of Asset-Map, to talk about simplifying complex financial lives, creating more meaningful client conversations, and building an advisory experience around what clients actually need. Key Takeaways: Simplicity is a competitive advantage. Clients don’t need more information—they need clarity. Adam explains why simplifying complex financial information can help clients better understand their financial lives and make confident decisions. Technology should elevate the advisor. Technology and AI can organize information and streamline planning, but the advisor still provides the human value: asking better questions, challenging assumptions, and guiding decisions.  Mentorship can accelerate an advisor’s career. Adam credits mentorship with significantly speeding up his development and encourages newer advisors to learn from experienced professionals, join strong teams, and specialize.  Scaling requires letting go. Growing Asset-Map required Adam to stop controlling every detail, delegate more effectively, and shift from day-to-day execution into the role of a visionary.  Generational wealth is a major advisor opportunity. Advisors can create tremendous value by helping clients understand and prepare for their parents’ financial lives, estate plans, and eventual wealth transfer. Timestamps: 00:32 – From Financial Advisor to Founder of Asset-Map 03:13 – What Asset-Map Is and Why Financial Planning Needs Simplicity 08:15 – Advice for New Financial Advisors: Mentorship, Teams & Specialization 11:16 – Why Simplicity Is a Competitive Advantage  16:27 – Keeping the Human Advisor Relevant in an AI-Driven World 18:19 – Entrepreneurship, Scaling & Getting Comfortable With Uncertainty 22:38 – Letting Go, Delegating & Becoming the Visionary 24:05 – The Story Behind Rebel Dads 29:24 – Building Community and Accountability for Fathers 36:28 – The Generational Wealth Opportunity Advisors Are Missing Resources mentioned: Asset-map: https://www.asset-map.com/ Rebl Dads: https://www.rebldads.com/ Rebl Dads Book: https://www.amazon.com/REBL-Responsible-Entrepreneur-Balanced-Leader/dp/B0H2Q8TPG8/ref=sr_1_1 ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/

Data-Backed Advisor Industry Benchmarks For Firm Sizes of $1M to $120M+ of New Assets Per Year with Erica Pauly | Track That Advisor Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode, we speak with Erica Pauly to unpack one of the industry's most requested research projects: national benchmark averages broken down by advisory practice size. Rather than comparing solo advisors to $300M-producing enterprises, Erica reveals what the data actually says about firms at every stage of growth. They explore how marketing funnels evolve, why average case size increases as practices mature, where smaller firms struggle most, and what separates the industry's largest advisory practices from everyone else. Key Takeaways: Practice size changes averages—not the fundamentals. While larger firms produce bigger numbers, the underlying business model remains remarkably consistent. Success comes from executing the fundamentals better, not reinventing the business. Smaller firms struggle most with closing higher-net-worth prospects. The data shows that smaller practices can attract affluent clients but often lack the sales processes and confidence needed to convert them into clients, particularly after dinner seminars. Marketing should be diversified, not dependent on one source. Healthy practices consistently balance referrals, live events, stable marketing funnels, and room for testing new ideas rather than relying on a single lead source. The biggest firms simplify instead of chasing trends. Once firms surpass roughly $100–120 million in annual production, their marketing becomes surprisingly traditional—focusing on referrals, radio, workshops, and dinner seminars rather than constantly pursuing new tactics. Small improvements compound into massive growth. Erica explains her "5% Rule," encouraging advisors to improve one or two key metrics incrementally instead of attempting complete business overhauls. Timestamps: 0:12 – Why practice-size benchmarks matter for financial advisors 3:50 – The biggest surprises from the benchmark study 7:11 – What a healthy marketing mix looks like at every practice size 11:09 – Why smaller firms struggle with higher-net-worth clients 17:35 – When advisory firms begin operating differently 19:15 – Why average case size increases as firms grow 24:29 – Marketing myths, referrals, and overlooked growth opportunities 31:30 – Building stronger client relationships to attract affluent households 35:59 – The 5% Rule: improving your practice without overhauling everything 39:52 – The three numbers every advisor should benchmark today Resources mentioned: Our Resource Center: https://trackthatadvisor.com/the-10-billion-library/ 2026 National Benchmarks: https://drive.google.com/file/d/174Z4rPtO9m6S2X1H8EqBto1urzJia6Sz/view 2026 Benchmarking Guide: https://onedrive.live.com/?id=160E6F8B0BF5957A%21s9656db7defc846f38a8f266e4aa211c3&cid=160E6F8B0BF5957A&redeem=aHR0cHM6Ly8xZHJ2Lm1zL2IvYy8xNjBlNmY4YjBiZjU5NTdhL0lRQjkyMWFXeU9felJvcVBKbTVLb2hIREFhWjJrSEpndGxkVHE2NzV3cVNURzlRP1RlYW1zQ0lEPWIyNTY0ZTkyLWYyNjgtNGYzNS04NTY1LWU0NDk3YjNhNGIzZSZsaW5rT3BlblRpbWU9MTc4NzU4NzA5NTg0Ng&parId=160E6F8B0BF5957A%21sde100f5627ca4627a17fb17c11fb7259&o=OneUp ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: Build the Best, Not the Biggest: Joe Schmitz on Marketing, Leadership & Scale Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we are with Joe Schmitz Jr., CFP®, CKA®, Founder of Peak Retirement Planning, to discuss what it really takes to build a scalable advisory firm. From creating multiple marketing funnels and growing one of the industry's largest YouTube channels to hiring A+ talent and building a culture of excellence, Joe shares the systems, mindset, and leadership principles that have fueled Peak Retirement's rapid growth.  Key Takeaways: Marketing is the foundation of growth. Joe explains why Peak Retirement considers itself a marketing business before a financial planning business, arguing that advisors can't serve more people if they don't consistently attract new clients. The best marketing starts with a clear niche. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, Joe shares how Peak Retirement intentionally built its brand around serving the "Midwestern Millionaire" and "2% Club."  Scaling requires systems, patience, and leadership—not shortcuts. From hosting hundreds of educational workshops before launching YouTube to building multiple marketing funnels over time, Joe emphasizes that long-term success comes from consistency, not chasing the latest trend.  Culture is built by holding high standards. Joe discusses how Peak Retirement hires selectively, coaches constantly, and embraces difficult conversations to maintain excellence. His philosophy is simple: "good enough" isn't good enough if you want to build a truly exceptional advisory firm. Growth starts with knowing what you actually want. Before focusing on scaling, Joe encourages advisors to ask whether they truly want to lead a larger organization.  Timestamps: 0:00 Joe's journey and the vision behind Peak Retirement 2:58 Why Peak Retirement is a marketing business first 4:41 The Five Pillars of comprehensive retirement planning 10:01 Scaling beyond referrals and building marketing funnels 15:20 Why Joe believes 90% of advisors shouldn't do YouTube 18:58 Using niche messaging to attract ideal clients 23:45 Evaluating marketing channels and avoiding shiny objects 26:57 Hiring A+ talent and creating a culture of excellence 36:06 Joe's advice for advisors who want to scale 42:03 Final thoughts: Trust the process and stay present Connect with Joe:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-schmitz-jr/ Visit Peak Retirement's website: https://peakretirementplanning.com/ Visit Peak Retirement's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@peakretirementplanninginc. ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: Financial Behavior Specialist Shares Knowledge To Better Communicate with Clients with Ashley Quamme Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode, we're joined by Ashley Quamme, Chief Behavioral Officer and Founder of Beyond the Plan, to explore why emotions, communication, and behavioral psychology are becoming some of the most valuable tools in an advisor's toolkit. Ashley shares how advisors can better understand client behavior, navigate difficult conversations, strengthen client relationships, and ultimately help clients make better financial decisions.  Key Takeaways: Financial planning is about people just as much as numbers. Technical expertise is essential, but understanding the emotions, motivations, and behaviors behind financial decisions is what creates lasting client relationships. Curiosity leads to better conversations. Asking thoughtful, open-ended questions helps advisors uncover the deeper "why" behind a client's goals, fears, and financial decisions, leading to more personalized advice. Money behaviors are often driven by emotions. What clients say or do on the surface is often only part of the story. Learning to recognize the emotional drivers behind financial behaviors allows advisors to better serve their clients. Trust is built through communication, not just expertise. Clients want to feel heard and understood before they care about recommendations. Active listening, empathy, and validating concerns are just as important as technical knowledge. Behavioral skills can be learned and developed. Great communicators aren't born—they're made. Advisors who intentionally improve their communication and behavioral coaching skills can create stronger client relationships and better long-term outcomes. Timestamps: 0:47 Welcome & Ashley's Background 5:24 From Therapy to Behavioral Finance: Why Understanding People Matters 10:46 Why Retirement and Money Decisions Are Driven by Emotion 14:36 The Iceberg Model: Understanding What Clients Don't Say 20:51 Margaret's Story: Uncovering the Real Reason Behind Financial Decisions 26:06 Better Questions Lead to Better Client Conversations 28:41 Building Trust Through Empathy and Communication 34:16 Behavioral Skills Every Advisor Can Develop 42:41 Beyond the Plan, the Planning & Beyond Podcast, and Ashley's Work 43:41 Final Thoughts & Ashley's Personal Goal Connect with Ashley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-quamme/ https://www.planningandbeyond.com/ https://www.beyondthefp.com/ ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: America’s Financial Educator Derrick Kinney: The Real Formula for Advisor Growth Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode, Derrick shares why most advisors sound exactly like everyone else, how to uncover the real pain points prospects care about, and the simple messaging framework that's helping advisors attract $3M–$10M prospects.  From mastering first meetings to building stronger referral relationships, this conversation is packed with practical communication strategies that can transform the way advisors market themselves and grow their businesses. Key takeaways: Prospects don't hire advisors because of products, credentials, or services—they hire advisors who understand their biggest fears and challenges. The advisors who win are the ones who can clearly articulate a prospect's pain point before offering a solution. Saying "I'm a financial advisor" sounds like everyone else. Instead, advisors should describe the specific problem they solve and for whom. The right messaging immediately creates curiosity and opens deeper conversations. Many advisors constantly change their marketing message. Derrick argues that once you find messaging that resonates, you should repeat it consistently. The most successful advisors say the same thing over and over because it continues to attract the right people. One of the biggest mistakes advisors make in first meetings is solving the prospect's problem immediately. Instead, advisors should deepen the conversation, uncover the emotional impact, and help prospects fully understand the consequences of inaction before presenting solutions. People naturally trust specialists more than generalists. Advisors who clearly define their niche, ideal client, and expertise can command higher fees, attract better-fit prospects, and close business more effectively. Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction 0:51 – Derrick's journey from overcoming adversity to building a top 1% financial planning firm 4:56 – Why advisors must connect with pain before discussing products or services 8:57 – The messaging mistake keeping advisors from attracting ideal prospects 9:39 – Common misconceptions about working with high-net-worth clients 11:55 – How a 24-year-old advisor landed a client by leveraging her age as a strength 14:09 – Why advisors don't need a complete business overhaul to grow 15:19 – The "quarter-turn" philosophy for sustainable business growth 17:18 – Why repetition is one of the most powerful growth strategies 19:35 – The Five and Five Exercise for identifying ideal clients 22:18 – A simple messaging framework for attracting the right prospects 24:29 – How to slow down and build trust in prospect meetings 26:57 – The most important question to ask in a first meeting 28:49 – Why advisors should stir problems instead of solving them immediately 31:43 – Positioning yourself as a specialist instead of a generalist 35:58 – How to identify where your ideal clients spend their time 37:10 – The power of owning 7–10 seconds when explaining what you do 39:38 – Marketing mistakes advisors make when copying others 40:53 – Building strategic COI relationships that actually generate referrals 43:12 – Why high-touch relationships still outperform high-tech tactics 44:34 – The specific problem Derrick solves for advisors 47:26 – Derrick's personal goal: creating a legacy for his entrepreneurial children 50:14 – Where to connect with Derrick online Connect with Derrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickkinney/ https://www.instagram.com/derrickkinney/ https://www.successforadvisors.com/ https://www.gettheraiseyouwant.com/ ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: Why Seminar Marketing Still Wins: Data, Discipline & the 6-Event Rule with Greg Bogich Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode, we sit down with Greg Bogich, CEO of AcquireUp, to discuss why seminar marketing continues to be one of the most effective growth channels in financial services and why many advisors struggle to build a repeatable growth engine. Greg shares insights from thousands of seminar campaigns, explains the power of combining direct mail and digital marketing, and reveals why consistency—not one-off events—is what separates top-performing advisors from everyone else. Key Takeaways: Growth comes from systems, not one-off marketing tactics. The most successful advisors treat seminars as a repeatable growth engine rather than isolated events. Consistency is the biggest predictor of seminar success. AcquireUp sees retention rates above 99% among advisors who complete six seminars because the ROI becomes clear over time. Direct mail is far from dead. Despite the growth of digital marketing, direct mail response rates have remained remarkably consistent for over 15 years. The quality of attendees matters more than attendance numbers. Successful advisors focus on asset levels, readiness, age, and ideal client fit—not simply filling seats. Data should drive every marketing decision. Marketing is a discipline, not a gut feeling. The best advisors test, measure, learn, and continuously optimize. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:42 Meet Greg Bogich & AcquireUp 02:00 Why most advisors struggle to grow 03:30 The surprising 10% statistic 04:35 What top-performing seminar advisors do differently 06:20 The data advisors should be tracking 08:10 Why direct mail still works 10:05 The ROI behind seminar marketing 12:10 The coming wealth transfer challenge 14:20 Why seminars fail after the room is full 16:35 What makes AcquireUp different 18:35 How many seminars should advisors run? 20:45 The hottest seminar topics today 22:50 The biggest marketing mistake advisors make 25:05 Marketing should be data-driven 26:20 Greg's goals for 2026 Resources Mentioned: AcquireUp University An educational training platform that includes: Seminar presentation training Opening and closing techniques Recorded presentations from top-performing seminar presenters Follow-up best practices LeadJig AcquireUp's advisor-facing platform that helps advisors understand who is attending seminars before they present. https://www.acquireup.com/technology Connect with Greg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbogich/ Visit AcquireUp: https://www.acquireup.com/ ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: Dinner Seminars Are NOT Dead. We Have The Data To Prove It with Erica Pauly Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode, we speak with Erica Pauly about all things dinner seminars. Dinner seminars are one of the most debated marketing funnels in the financial advisor industry right now. Some advisors swear they’re outdated. Others claim they don’t work anymore. But according to the latest data from Track That Advisor, dinner seminars are still generating some of the highest-net-worth prospects in the industry — and still account for roughly 13–15% of total new business year after year. Key Takeaways: Dinner seminars still work They continue to generate 13–15% of advisor business and remain a powerful marketing channel in 2026. Higher-net-worth prospects require longer sales cycles As average case sizes increase, close rates naturally decline because affluent prospects take more time and trust-building. Long-term ROI matters more than first-year ROI Many seminar prospects convert months later, so advisors need to evaluate pipeline growth and year-to-date ROI — not immediate results alone. The best advisors track the right metrics Metrics like stick rates, second appointments, cost-per-set, and follow-up consistency matter more than attendance numbers alone. Personal relationships still outperform automation AI and automation can improve efficiency, but personalized follow-up remains critical for conversions and long-term client trust. Timestamps: 01:58 Why dinner seminars still work 03:42 Rising average case sizes 06:52 Why close rates are declining 08:55 Understanding cost per client 10:50 First-year ROI vs year-to-date ROI 14:05 The importance of pending opportunities 15:20 Why tax seminars perform best 16:20 The rise of customized seminar topics 18:34 AI, automation & declining stick rates 22:35 Educational workshops vs dinner seminars 27:00 Key benchmark metrics advisors should track 30:30 Final advice for advisors in 2026 View all our Track That Advisor Resources here: https://trackthatadvisor.com/resources/client-resources/ ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: Youtube Expert Shares Secrets for Financial Advisors with Andrew Murdoch Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Murdoch, Founder of YT Era, to unpack why YouTube may be one of the most underutilized growth channels for financial advisors. Key Takeaways: YouTube is a search engine, not just social media. Andrew explains why advisors should think of YouTube as a long-term authority and discovery platform, not just another social channel. Topic selection matters most. A strong title and thumbnail can help, but the video topic is what ultimately determines whether the right audience clicks and watches. Start with a “Start Here” playlist. Advisors can use client questions, prospect conversations, and AI note-taker transcripts to create a short playlist that builds trust before a first meeting. YouTube strengthens other funnels. Dinner seminars, webinars, referrals, email campaigns, and discovery calls can all become more effective when supported by strategic YouTube content. Views don’t pay the bills, clients do. Advisors need clear calls to action, whether that’s a webinar registration, lead magnet, or discovery call, to move viewers into a real relationship. Show Notes & Citations: 3% of advisors getting clients from YouTube — Broadridge Financial Solutions survey, 2021SEO: $674/client | Radio: $7,855/client | Social media: $11,937/client — Kitces Research, 201960% of clients over 60 require a referral | 17% of clients under 44 require a referral — Ficomm Partners 2024 Consumer Insights Study, as reported by Wealth Solutions Report (July 2024)James Conole / Root Financial ($20K production cost, $120K ad revenue, $120M new AUM, $1.3B AUM) — Kitces Financial Advisor Success Podcast, Episode 445, October 2024OneDigital acquisition of PWL Capital (January 2025, $108B AUM firm) — OneDigital official announcement, January 23, 2025 Show Notes Correction: During the episode, Andrew referenced SEO cost per client as “around $300.” The correct figure from Kitces Research is $674 per client for SEO. The $338 figure refers to client referrals. The broader point remains: SEO is still significantly lower than social media’s reported $11,937 cost per client. Connect with Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmurdochyt/ YT Era's website: https://ytera.com/ As mentioned in the episode, Andrew is offering listeners access to his Viewer Avatar Template — a resource designed to help financial advisors identify exactly what video topics their audience actually wants and needs. It’s one of the core frameworks his team uses to build effective YouTube strategies for advisors. Access the Viewer Avatar Template here: https://freetemplate.ytera.com/ ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: Use AI Data to Close—Not Just Converse | A Smarter Approach for Financial Advisors with Liam Hanlon Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode, we sit down with Liam Hanlon from Jump to talk about one of the biggest topics in wealth management right now: AI. But this conversation goes far beyond the buzzword. Key Takeaways AI should make advisors more human, not less. Liam explains that the best use of AI is removing admin work so advisors can be more present, more attentive, and more relational in client meetings. Client sentiment matters more than most advisors realize. Jump’s research shows that a client’s emotional state at the start of a meeting can directly impact how open they are to recommendations, planning conversations, and action. The right conversation structure can improve close rates. AI is helping uncover specific behaviors that lead to better prospect outcomes, including what to say, what to avoid, and when certain topics should come up. Most advisors are underusing the AI tools they already have. It is not just about having a note taker. Advisors get the most value when they connect AI across their full tech stack and use it as an operating system, not just a recorder. The future of AI in wealth management is workflow automation. Liam shares that the next frontier is solving operational bottlenecks — including complex processes like end-to-end account opening — in ways that were previously impossible. Key Timestamps and Resources Mentioned:  01:01 – Liam explains what Jump is and the advisor workflow problem it was built to solve 01:32 – Michael Kitces study (2018–2019): Advisors spend only 17% of their day with clients and 9–10 hours/week on admin work 03:02 – Why AI can actually create a more human advisor-client experience 04:03 – Jump internal research: ~60% of advisors save 1–3 hours per day, and most reinvest that time into revenue-generating activities 06:27 – What Jump is learning from advisor conversation data 07:56 – Jump research: Client sentiment is driven more by market volatility and macro uncertainty than just market performance 09:18 – One thing advisors can do to improve client sentiment (shift to long-term planning conversations) 11:40 – How Jump creates AI-driven scorecards and conversation coaching 15:48 – Jump study (10,000 conversations): Identifying behaviors that directly impact prospect conversion rates 17:40 – How advisors should think about AI recommendations and conversation guidance 21:40 – Why human review still matters, even with advanced AI 24:09 – What advisors are getting wrong about implementing AI 25:48 – Jump’s broader AI tools beyond note taking 29:42 – 2026 T3 Survey: Jump leads in market share and advisor satisfaction among AI meeting assistants 37:55 – Liam shares what excites him most about the future of AI in wealth management Connect with Liam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-hanlon-52aa60119/ Visit Jump's website: https://jump.ai/ ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: From Stuck to Scaling: The Real Role of an IMO in Advisor Growth with Mark Bigler Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry leaders and innovators share the strategies, systems, and mindset shifts helping advisors grow stronger businesses. In this episode, we sit down with Mark Bigler of Advisors Excel to unpack a big question in the advisory world: what should IMOs and FMOs actually be doing for advisors? If you’ve ever wondered whether your IMO is truly helping you build the business you want, this episode is for you. 5 Key Takeaways: Not all IMOs serve advisors the same way. Mark breaks the IMO landscape into three levels: vendor, platform, and true partner. The strongest firms do more than provide product access — they help advisors build toward a long-term business vision. Most advisors grow by brute force until they hit a ceiling. A common pattern Mark sees is advisors becoming great salespeople without ever learning how to run a scalable business. That gap shows up in leadership, delegation, systems, and team development. Better data leads to better business decisions. From seminar tracking to appointment stick rates and average case size, Mark emphasizes that growth should not be based on gut instinct alone. Advisors need real metrics to know what is working. Growth requires delegation and leadership development. If advisors want to move from production to scale, they have to let go of doing everything themselves. That means documenting processes, training staff, and investing in becoming a stronger leader. Community can accelerate growth. One of the biggest differentiators Mark highlights is being surrounded by other successful advisors. When advisors are plugged into a strong community, they gain ideas, accountability, and momentum they would not get alone. Timestamps: 01:06 – Mark shares how a cold call about life insurance unexpectedly opened the door to Advisors Excel 04:27 – What a great IMO should actually do for advisors 07:08 – Why Mark believes most FMOs are underserving their advisors 10:33 – What Advisors Excel does differently: business plans, data, and real consulting 14:02 – Why monthly coaching calls matter and how support evolves as firms grow 15:21 – The biggest gap Mark sees in advisor businesses today 18:30 – The three growth levers advisors should focus on 21:07 – Why delegation is one of the hardest but most necessary parts of scale 24:28 – Why advisor community is such a powerful growth catalyst 29:11 – The KPIs Mark watches most closely in advisor marketing 31:21 – Where advisors should begin when building a team 36:55 – Why younger advisors can absolutely succeed in this industry 37:48 – Common mistakes advisors make when trying to grow 41:11 – Where Mark sees the IMO and FMO landscape heading over the next 5–10 years 43:25 – Mark’s personal focus this year: becoming a better leader Visit Advisor's Excel website: https://www.advisorsexcel.com/ ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: Becoming An Efficient Advisor with Libby Greiwe Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode, we sit down with Libby Greiwe of The Efficient Advisor. Libby shares how advisors can move from burnout and “busy-ness” to scalable, enjoyable businesses by building intentional systems and processes. Drawing from her own experience as an advisor, she explains how efficiency alone isn’t enough—it must be paired with effectiveness and a strong client experience to truly transform a practice. Key Takeaways: Many advisors don’t actually have a business—they have a “really busy version of themselves.” Without systems, nothing works without you. A highly efficient business still fails if the advisor is burned out or not enjoying their work. There’s no “perfect template.” Advisors should build schedules around their natural energy, then refine continuously. Client onboarding is the biggest predictor of retention, referrals, and lifetime value—yet it’s the most overlooked process. Top advisors move out of “inbox mode” and into CEO mode by creating systems that anticipate needs instead of reacting to problems. Key Moments: 00:50 – Episode intro and overview of Libby’s focus on systems, efficiency, and lifestyle design 02:33 – “I didn’t have a business—I had a really busy Libby” realization 05:13 – The “I should be doing this” overwhelm advisors experience 06:28 – Common mistakes when building a model week 08:23 – Why structure actually creates freedom for advisors 10:43 – Designing your business around your natural life and client rhythms 16:13 – Why the first 100 days of onboarding matter most 18:28 – Client psychology shift: excitement to stress after saying yes 21:33 – Removing friction with simple systems (the “break up with Dave” example) 23:53 – Uber vs. taxi analogy for client experience and efficiency 27:38 – Reactive vs. proactive advisors (“inbox mode”) 30:18 – The Ritz-Carlton mindset: anticipating client needs 31:33 – Shifting from annual reviews to strategic planning meetings 34:03 – Systems aren’t fun—but they create freedom and scale 36:03 – Automate, delegate, delete to reduce burnout 38:48 – “Do it messy” approach to building processes 41:03 – Libby’s goal: refinement over chasing new ideas Connect with Libby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/libby-greiwe/ Visit The Efficient Advisor website: https://www.theefficientadvisor.com/ Listen to The Efficient Advisor Podcast here: https://www.theefficientadvisor.com/podcast-main-page ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: Building an RIA Without Guesswork | Shelby Nicholl Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode, we sit down with Shelby Nicholl of Muriel Consulting to talk about what really goes into making a successful advisor transition, whether that means moving firms, launching an RIA, or building the right structure for long-term growth. Shelby shares practical insight on ownership, operations, client communication, and how advisors can make the right move for both their practice and their clients. Key Takeaways Not every advisor needs their own RIA. The right move depends on your goals, your team, and which responsibilities you actually want to own. Advisors need to know their real numbers first. Before making a move, you need clarity on your true top-line revenue, costs, and what your current platform is actually charging. The client story matters as much as the business structure. A transition only works well if advisors can clearly explain why the move is better for clients and staff. Strong transitions require strong partners. Compliance, operations, custodians, and consultants all play a major role in making an RIA launch or BD move successful. Building an RIA is a growth decision, not just a freedom decision. It creates more ownership and flexibility, but only if the advisor is ready for the added responsibility and structure. Key Moments 02:36 — The three ways Shelby helps advisors today 03:51 — Why advisors want to move firms or build an RIA 06:02 — The mindset shift advisors need before making a move 09:11 — Why “pushing the buttons” matters in ownership 13:05 — The numbers advisors must know before transitioning 15:16 — Important questions to ask before choosing a new BD 19:07 — Biggest deal breakers and what to watch for 21:09 — The first 90 days of launching an RIA 26:42 — Why compliance fear holds so many advisors back 28:53 — Common myths about RIAs and product flexibility 32:57 — The one action step advisors should take this week 35:07 — Where to connect with Shelby and Muriel Consulting 36:00 — Shelby’s 2026 goal: launching 15 RIAs Connect with Shelby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelbynicholl/ Muriel Consulting: https://www.murielconsulting.com/ ⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports. ⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive. ⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success. Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The Advisor Summit Podcast: Your CRM Is a Key Teammate In Your Financial Firm | Thomas Clawson Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed. In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we sit down with Thomas Clawson, co-founder of SLANT, to explore how the next generation of CRM technology is transforming the way financial advisors build and maintain client relationships. From the evolution of legacy CRMs to the rise of AI-native platforms, Thomas shares how modern technology can simplify workflows, reduce administrative burden, and help advisors focus on what matters most: deepening relationships with clients. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by clunky systems, disconnected tech stacks, or tools that create more work instead of less, this episode will reshape how you think about CRM and advisor technology. Key Takeaways: CRM should strengthen relationships, not just track compliance. Many legacy CRMs evolved into record-keeping systems rather than true relationship tools. Modern platforms are shifting the focus back to helping advisors deepen client relationships. Legacy systems weren’t designed for today’s technology. Older CRMs were built on outdated infrastructure that makes it harder to integrate modern tools like AI. Rebuilding from the ground up allows platforms to better support today’s advisor workflows. AI works best when it’s built into the platform. Instead of bolting AI onto existing systems, AI-native CRMs embed it directly into everyday tasks like note-taking, meeting prep, and client insights. Meeting preparation and follow-up deliver the biggest AI value. AI can help advisors instantly recall important details about clients and past conversations, making meetings more personalized and productive. Choosing a CRM is about partnership, not just features. Because firms rarely switch CRMs, advisors should evaluate vendors based on long-term support, responsiveness, and commitment to improving the platform. Key Moments: 00:13 — Introduction to Thomas Clawson and the origin story behind SLANT 01:10 — Why advisors are overwhelmed by fragmented tech stacks 02:48 — Understanding the real job of financial advisors: relationships and trust 04:13 — Why traditional CRMs became compliance tools instead of relationship tools 06:30 — The major flaws in legacy CRM systems 10:44 — Why SLANT focuses on households instead of individuals 14:19 — What “AI-native CRM” actually means for advisors 18:05 — How AI can improve meeting preparation and follow-ups 21:25 — Real example: using AI to deepen client relationships 24:39 — Building CRM features advisors actually need 27:34 — Why firms struggle to change CRMs and how to approach switching 30:06 — Treating technology vendors as true partners 33:05 — What makes SLANT different in the CRM landscape 35:10 — Learn more or book a demo with SLANT 🔗 https://slant.app 35:48 — Thomas’s personal goals: leadership, family, and hiking the Grand Canyon Connect with Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasclawson/ Check out SLANT: https://www.slant.app/ Contact us at: [email protected] Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/ Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/