Monthly Archives: August 2025

The Mentor-Protégé Dynamic: Building the Advisor of the Future with Sten Morgan Ep. 82



In this episode of Always On, Duncan MacPherson sits down with financial advisor and entrepreneur Sten Morgan, author of The Seven Mindsets of Success. Together they explore the shifting demographics of the industry, the power of the mentor–protégé dynamic, and how younger advisors can break free from outdated models. Sten shares candid lessons from his own journey, including the importance of charging for ideas, becoming a better communicator, and creating client experiences that inspire long-term advocacy.

Whether you’re early in your career or an established advisor seeking to reinvent your practice, this conversation offers a roadmap for building relevance, resilience, and real value in a changing profession.

Key Takeaways:

  • Why the aging advisor demographic creates opportunities for the next generation
  • The mentor–protégé model and how both sides benefit from alignment
  • Lessons from The Seven Mindsets of Success and how to apply them
  • How to confidently charge for time and ideas—not just products or assets
  • The importance of communication skills in building trust and credibility
  • Practical strategies to elevate client meetings from routine reviews to engaging strategy sessions

Resources Mentioned:

Promotions:

Connect With Duncan MacPherson:

Connect With Sten Morgan:

About Our Guest:

Sten Morgan is one of the country’s leading voices helping financial advisors think and act differently. He is the founder of Legacy, a multi-million dollar financial planning firm based in Franklin, Tennessee, built on a planning-first model that prioritizes proactive strategy and leadership.

He also founded the Elite Advisor Network, where he coaches thousands of advisors nationwide to increase their value, communicate with confidence, and reach their potential, faster.

Sten was named one of Investment News’ 40 Under 40 top advisors at the age of 30. He has since redefined what it means to be a modern advisor—leading with planning, building intentional businesses, and helping others do the same.

He’s the author of three industry-shaping books: 7 Mindsets of Success, Value First Prospecting, and Wish I Knew That Sooner. His frameworks and thought leadership have been featured in ThinkAdvisor, and on stages across the country.

Sten is known for challenging the status quo, helping advisors recognize and reach their full potential.


Scaling Smart: Process, People and the Promise of AI with Kevin Bishopp (Ep. 81)



In this episode of the Always On Podcast, Duncan MacPherson reconnects with Kevin Bishopp, Vice President at First Trust, to explore the four key stages in an advisor’s business evolution: growing, teaming, scaling, and exiting. They unpack how AI is reshaping productivity, client experience, and enterprise value, and why execution and process are the real differentiators for future-ready professionals.

Highlights:

  • How AI boosts capacity, consistency, and client impact
  • The importance of process in scaling and succession
  • Why focusing on your niche builds referability
  • Practical steps to make your business sale-ready

Whether you’re just getting started or thinking about your eventual exit, this conversation offers powerful insights to help you stay intentional and future-ready. Tune in to learn how to harness AI, refine your process, and build enterprise value at every stage of your business evolution.

Resources:

Promotions:

Connect With Duncan MacPherson:

Connect With Kevin Bishopp:

About Our Guest:

Kevin Bishopp is a Vice President and Performance Coach for the Advisor Consulting Group at First Trust. His focus is the best practices and mission-critical strategies that propel professionals/firms to be truly unique within the industry. His insights into key metrics, resource allocation, team structure, marketing and client acquisition equip professionals/firms to make high-quality strategic decisions that can generate dynamic results. Prior to joining First Trust, Kevin spent 12 years with Russell Investments, where he held positions as Director of Practice Management, RIA Channel Head and Business Development Director. In those roles, he focused on coaching, content creation, sales management, national account management, and business development. Before joining Russell Investments, Kevin spent 5 years as a wealth manager for The Bishopp Group LLC, a family-owned wealth management practice. In 1994, he started his career in financial services as an associate for Principal Financial Group. Kevin holds an MBA from the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington and a BA in Finance from Eastern Washington University.