Today we are joined by the team from Financial Design Studio (FDS), a fee-only firm in Deer Park, Illinois. Husband and wife duo Michelle and Stephen Smalenberger started FDS three years ago with the intention of eventually growing their team, while Trevore Meyer and Rob Stoll each started their firms at approximately the same time with the intention of always being their own bosses. After knowing each other for years, the four could no longer deny their synergy and finally decided to merge into one firm.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/235
Today we have XYPN member David Shotwell on the show! Now the owner of Shotwell Rutter Baer, David says he feels like he is just getting started—despite beginning his career in the brokerage world over 20 years ago. He is a great example of a successful succession plan and how you never stop learning in this industry.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/234
Alex Yeager started his career out of college at Vanguard, gaining valuable experience working with clients and their investments. After feeling as though he would like to work more intimately with clients in a comprehensive way, Alex moved to Texas and started working at an independent RIA. Now the owner of Everlong Financial, he specializes in the personal relationship side of the services.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/233
Today XYPN member Craig Joncas and his partner, Jim Bradley, join the show to share their experience building Penobscot Financial Advisors. As Jim reveals how the practice originally got started and Craig discusses what it was like beginning his career interning for Jim, you'll hear about the ups and downs they faced along the way and the difficulties they've navigated over the years as they've built their business.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/232
Lorri DeFoor started her career as a math teacher, and though she loved it, she became restless just a few years ago. Realizing her skills were transferable and that she had a passion for helping people with their money, Lorri decided to open up her own fee-only firm and founded Sustain Financial Inc. She joins the show today to discuss the challenges of starting a firm after only one year of experience in the business and how she navigated her way through a life-changing career change.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/231
Every year, we collect data from our members to track where they are in their business so we can better understand their journeys and what new members can do to supercharge their businesses. So today, I have Michael Kitces joining me on the show to go over this year’s benchmarking survey and share the results.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/230
Today we have the founder of Holistiplan—and winner of this year’s XYPNLIVE FinTech competition—Roger Pine on the show! After starting out as an energy consultant, Roger discovered financial planning through his wife and embarked on a whole new venture that he's here to tell us all about.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/229
This year, we announced that we would be suing the SEC over Regulation Best Interests, better known as Reg BI, and many people have asked some great questions about this process and what it entails. So today Michael Kitces joins the show to help answer those questions, discuss how this came about, and explain why this is so important for financial planners everywhere.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/228
Today XYPN member Miguel Gomez joins the show to share how his marketing career turned into a financial planning career. Originally from Mexico, Miguel came to the United States to work for a firm as a marketing expert before moving to a different firm and ultimately transitioning into working as a financial advisor. He now works as lead advisor for his firm, and he gives us a glimpse into how he made the switch in his career, as well why he has no plans to start a firm of his own.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/227
Hui-chin Chen specializes in working with U.S. citizens around the world, as well as visa holders in the United States. Using her own experience living all over the world, she helps globally mobile clients make smart financial decisions. Now the owner of Pavlov Financial Planning, Hui-chin joins the show today to share what has changed since we spoke two years ago, back when she only owned 20% of her firm.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/226
After working in corporate banking for 11 years, Megan Donnelly saw a need arise as she witnessed firsthand the fear and mistakes people made during the financial downturn in 2009. That need made her decide to start her own firm, Quabbin Advisors, and she joins the show today to share why she became so passionate about who she serves and how she serves them.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/225
You have the chance to gain or lose mana with everything you do. What is mana? Today you’ll find out the importance of this word, as well as the value of life planning and building a meaningful business from Mana Financial Life Design co-founders, Stephanie Bucko and Cristina Livadary.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/224
From broker-dealer to independent broker-dealer to building his own independent RIA, Adam Cmejla has had quite the journey to creating a business and lifestyle to fit his needs and the needs of his family. He joins the show today to discusses how achieved such an impressive rate of growth for his firm and how finding a niche helped along the way.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/223
Starting and running a business takes intentionality, but it's easy for that intention to fizzle in the chaos of entrepreneurship. Today Eric Roberge, successful practice owner and contributor to Business Insider and Forbes, joins the show to weigh in on the importance of keeping intentionality alive and using it to build a business that exceeds expectations.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/222
Today we have XYPN members and founders of Brooklyn FI, AJ Ayers and Shane Mason, on the show! The pair has achieved explosive growth, and they join us to share how they did it, as well as how their unique career paths ultimately led them to financial planning.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/221
Today I've got XYPN member and founder of Hyland Financial Planning, Ryan Bayonnet, on the show to share his experience moving into owning his own practice. Having had his firm up and running for about two years now, Ryan opens up about the major hurdles he's faced and his victories along the way.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/220
Daniel Hannoush is an excellent example of how well niches can work. After spending years trying to build his business, it wasn’t until he met his partner and found his niche in Chick-fil-A franchises and corporate staff that he saw the rapid growth he had been searching for. Daniel is now the co-founder of One & Done Financial, serving around 300 clients and on track to reach $45 - 50 million in AUM this year.
In this episode, we discuss what helped Daniel get to where he is today, including his financial sacrifices and the relationships he prioritized along the way. His amazing story encompasses both the challenges of the first several years in business and the experience of extreme growth.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/219
Today's guest has found impressive success working with retirees and soon-to-be retirees in the oil and gas industry, and by employing a unique fee structure that he has found suits his niche. Michael Rahn is the founder of The Sum, a financial planning firm he has grown phenomenally fast, and now serves 21 ongoing clients with a $4,500 annual fee minimum.
In this episode, Michael shares why he decided to leave a large retail-focused firm—where he worked for over 10 years—to start his own RIA, as well as how he achieved such massive growth for his business. Listen in as he shares his best tips for growing a firm, his hiring plans for the future, and more.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/218
Ed Coambs has had a unique journey into the financial planning field. After starting his career as a firefighter, he transitioned into financial planning before eventually completing his training in marriage and family therapy. He then decided to combine his last two careers into one to become a financial therapist. Today he joins the show to share the softer side of financial planning and why financial therapy is important.
Listen in as we discuss money scripts—what they are and how they affect your clients' financial decisions—as well as the value of financial planners having their own therapists and planners. We can all benefit from Ed’s background and perspective on this subject, so don't miss this one-of-a-kind episode!
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/217
Kevin Mahoney started his career in sports business, working for the NFL. After years of pursuing that occupation—as well as a career in real estate—Kevin decided to transition into entrepreneurship, and is now the founder and CEO of the virtual financial planning firm Illumint.
Listen in as he opens up about the challenges he faced starting his own firm, having never worked in a firm before. We discuss what he did to up his conversion rate to 75% over the past year, the biggest successes and failures he experienced while starting up his own business, and what you can learn from his wins and losses.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/216
In financial planning, you can’t be all people, and you can’t be all numbers. This is also true when it comes to marketing, and today you will get to hear from XYPN’s Marketing Coach, Carolyn Dalle-Molle, who is fantastic at helping XYPN clients find the right marketing strategy for their practice and goals.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/215
Shawn Tydlaska is the founder of Ballast Point Financial Planning, an independent fee-only practice dedicated to helping young professionals and families set and achieve their financial goals. Shawn was on this podcast two years ago to talk about his first year in business, and he joins the show again today to share how he is progressing at the end of year three. This episode is not to be missed, as it demonstrates how businesses progress over time and how decisions that you make today are not forever.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/214
How financial advisors are charging for services and what should be considered fair and reasonable for the consumer have become quite the hot button issues. Today Michael Kitces and Scott Gill join the show to dive into these topics and clarify the areas that are under scrutiny. Both men bring valuable information and advice to the issues presented and shed some light on how we can move forward as a community.
Listen in to hear Michael and Scott discuss how regulators see financial services differently, as well as how we can communicate better and more clearly to them. You will learn what specific areas and action items to work on regarding consistency and communication, what regulators are trying to evaluate, and why these regulators are being triggered in the first place.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/213
Antowoine Winters spent 10 years working for the Internal Revenue Service, and after seeing so many individuals fall victim to poor or even fraudulent financial guidance, he decided to leave the Service to run a practice where he could be an advocate for the average American citizen. Today, Antowoine joins the show to discuss the process of starting his own RIA and what led him to working with so many creatives.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/212
Grant Bledsoe is the founder of Three Oaks Capital Management, and he joins the show to discuss what gave him the confidence to make the move from institutional trading to starting his own RIA. After realizing that his business was not growing as fast as he wanted it to, Grant decided to get his CFP and has seen his company growing rapidly ever since.
You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/211