Category Archives: Uncategorized

Finish Strong in 2022 (Ep. 29)

Finish Strong in 2022 (Ep. 29)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

Q4 is the perfect time to finish the year with a bang, especially as we come out of an unprecedented disruption. It’s also the perfect time to build momentum and prepare to fast-track success in the New Year.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson highlights four key steps financial professionals should take to maximize their client relationships and position their businesses for a strong and profitable final quarter of 2022, and for a great start to 2023. These strategies are easy to implement and translate into results quickly and predictably.

Duncan discusses:

  • A proven process to rejuvenate relationships with your best clients and amplify growth through advocacy
  • How to make timely adjustments to increase efficiency and productivity
  • Sample scripts to use in client meetings (and holiday cards!)
  • Tips for maximizing your value during volatile market conditions
  • And more

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Adding a Coaching Dynamic to Your Client Experience with Jeff Ambrose (Ep. 28)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

There’s a huge difference between someone buying your products versus someone buying into a relationship with your practice, people and process.

Adding a coaching dynamic to your practice can help you win and retain clients in the long run.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson talks to Jeff Ambrose, business consultant at Pareto Systems. They share strategies to create professional contrast as the financial industry becomes increasingly commoditized.

Jeff discusses:

  • Action items that every advisor should have on their client meeting agenda
  • Why clients might be seeing only 5% of your total value (and how to fix it)
  • How coaching improves your relationships — especially with high-net-worth clients
  • The underrated benefits of goals-based planning
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Jeff Ambrose has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry working with successful advisory teams through his wholesale relationships. He has consistently met and exceeded goals in every aspect of his career; growing revenue with existing clients, attracting new clients, and turning around failing territories resulting in consistent promotions leading up to Senior Vice President and, most recently, Partner.

Jeff’s success in the industry has been driven by his talent for crafting winning strategies. Putting relationships first, focusing on value that is accretive to an advisor’s practice, and positioning himself as a true strategic partner has allowed him to enjoy tremendous success at the firms he’s represented. His passion, and his talent as a mentor and coach, became well-known to his leadership, peers and advisors. He has been dedicated to helping advisors implement strategies to grow their business; such as turn clients into advocates, and competitor-proof and brand their practice. Jeff now works with select groups of advisors helping them attain their professional and personal goals through proven Pareto processes.



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How to Find Your Ideal Match in M&A with Katie Bruner (Ep. 27)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

Purchasing power, operational processes, client experience, core values…There are several nuances you might consider while screening potential buyers/sellers.

Such due diligence is key to finding your ideal match in M&A.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson talks to Katie Bruner, managing partner at SkyView Partners. They share the ultimate “acquisition checklist” that helps buyers in winning deals and sellers in weeding out unqualified purchasers.

Katie discusses:

  • Key factors (both financial and non-financial) that affect your ability to secure M&A deals
  • How to ensure greater client retention after an acquisition
  • The “intent, consent, implement” process of finding the right-fit partner
  • How current market volatility is influencing the M&A landscape
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Katie brings over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry to the SkyView Partners team. Currently, she oversees sales, marketing, and distribution for SkyView Partners, in addition to loan sourcing through strategic partnerships and multi-medium channels. In January 2021, Katie assumed the role of leading overall strategy and M&A initiatives for SkyView Investment Bank. Prior to SkyView, Katie served as a Director – National Accounts at Principal Financial Group for 13 years, where she was responsible for cultivating and growing the major independent and regional broker relationships. Before joining Principal, Katie was employed by Fidelity Investments in their non-profit retirement plan group. Katie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Relations from the University of California, Berkeley.

 

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The Art and Science of Exit Planning with Ted Jenkin (Ep. 26)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

When the time comes to exit your business, the goal is to drive your enterprise value, maximize your exit strategy, and elevate yourself qualitatively in the process.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson talks to Ted Jenkin, CEO of oXYGen Financial, about the three E’s of successfully liquidating a business. They highlight steps advisors must take today to have a successful business exit in the future.

Ted discusses:

  • How liquidity events create a sense of self-actualization and personal fulfillment
  • Major drivers of enterprise value (and how to achieve them)
  • Negotiation tactics to secure the best deal for your business sale
  • Why now is an opportune time to consider selling your business
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Ted Jenkin is the CEO of oXYGen Financial, CEO of Hyperchat Social, co-owner of Complete Concrete & Hardscapes, and a serial entrepreneur. With 26 years of experience and six advanced designations including the Certified Financial Planner degree, Ted is a featured columnist on the Wall Street Journal and can be seen regularly on CNN/Headline News. He is also featured locally on 93.7FM, 106.3FM, 680 The Fan, and NBC 11 Alive News. Ted is the author of “The 21 Day Budget Cleanse” and “100 Smart Money Moves To Make Now.”

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Entitlemania with Richard Watts (Ep. 25)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

Legacy planning is much more than transferring money from one generation to the next. It’s also about transferring values. If you simply “give” the money to your children, they might lack the wisdom, grit, and satisfaction of accomplishment that only struggle and adversity can bring.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson joins Richard Watts, author of Entitlemania: How Not To Spoil Your Kids, And What To Do If You Have! Having been the wise counsel to many of America’s wealthiest families, Richard shares how you can help your clients prepare their children for the real world, instead of spoiling them with free money.

Richard discusses:

  • How to prompt wealth transfer conversations that your clients might not like
  • Why first-generation earners should not deprive their children of experiential learning
  • Real-life examples of families who have adopted the “tough love” approach
  • How to take your relationship management to the next level
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Richard Watts, lawyer, author, columnist, speaker, and problem solver, is the wise counsel to many of America’s wealthiest families. They rely on him to guide their families and journey through the rapids of life. From behind these castle walls, Richard provides the wisdom and counsel to avoid the pitfalls of excess and entitlement. The founder of Family Business Office ® (“FBO”), Richard was admitted to practice law in 1982 and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School. He has appeared on numerous television programs and authored articles as an expert on how money often complicates the “simple life”. Author of Fables of Fortune: What Rich People Have That You Don’t Want, and Entitlemania How Not To Spoil Your Kids, And What To Do If You Have!



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Thriving through Market Volatility with Chris Jeppesen (Ep. 24)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

When the markets are soaring high, most advisors might do well. But it is during times of high volatility that elite advisors set themselves apart.

They create a professional contrast and an exceptional experience to meet the current demand of clients and prospects, even during a downturn!

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson joins Chris Jeppesen, chief of advisory practices at First Trust, to discuss strategies for alleviating your clients’ anxiety amidst current market turbulence and the progression and evolution of top financial professionals today.

Chris discusses:

  • How to restore your clients’ confidence in you using the ECA framework (empathy, context, and action)
  • How to maintain relevance as financial services get commoditized
  • The much-needed shift from transactional salesmanship to directional stewardship
  • Sneak peek into the new book “The Blue Square Method” (and how it will benefit fee-for-service professionals)
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Chris Jeppesen is the head of advisory practices at First Trust, a firm known not only for its robust investment product line which includes UITs, ETFs, SMAs, and VAs (to name a few) but also for its commitment to the growth of financial advisors. First Trust has dedicated many years to finding (and investing in) creative ways to help financial advisors grow their practices. Chris’ goal over the last 18 years has been to give financial advisors the tools to develop an efficient business model focused on building long-term client trust and loyalty. Chris is also the co-author of The Advisor Playbook.



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Lavish Your Clients With Service with Cathi Durrell (Ep. 23)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

Aside from a prospectus, product brochure or statement, your business has become extremely virtual and complex. Adding tangible tools to your approach helps remind both your affluent clients and your prospective clients that there are two types of advisors – salespeople and consultants – and what the differences between the two are.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson joins Cathi Durrell, owner of Lavish Cards, to discuss how one of the best strategies a fee-for-service professional can do to take their relationship management to the next level.

Cathi discusses:

  • Actionable strategies that lead to client loyalty, client engagement, and client advocacy
  • How greeting cards reinforce your image as a goal-based professional
  • What to do if you can’t find the time to send out personalized greeting cards
  • Unconventional card ideas to improve your branding
  • And more

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About Our Guest: Cathi Durrell, along with her husband Glen, who is a professional photographer, are the owners of Lavish Fine Art Cards, a company they co-founded 11 years ago. Lavish has grown extensively over the past 11 years and specializes in catering to the bespoke communication needs of their clients. The entire crew at Lavish are committed to creating and supplying the highest quality greeting cards. In her spare time, Cathi enjoys travel and exploring “the back-roads” with Glen, in search of the next image for Lavish.

 

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Preparing to Buy (or Sell) a Business with Ted Motheral (Ep. 22)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

Your business is your biggest asset — it’s your life’s work! If you want to maximize its enterprise value, you need to take action well before the time of selling it.

If you’re a buyer looking to take over a business, there are certain efforts you can take to improve your company’s growth.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson joins Ted Motheral, chair of Walter | Haverfield’s Business Services group, to help buyers and sellers prepare for an efficient business transfer. They also explore ways to take impeccable care of your clients and employees during the process.

Ted discusses:

  • Key value drivers for a financial advisory business
  • A checklist to keep in mind before buying or selling a business
  • The importance of taking a goal-based approach toward your big liquidity event
  • The role of private equity in the current M&A landscape
  • How to organize your corporate structure and protect your intellectual property before selling your business
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Ted Motheral is Chair of Walter | Haverfield’s Business Services group, which includes more than two dozen business and transactional lawyers. He focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, as well as private debt and equity financing. Ted has experience in leading transactions for multi-million dollar acquisitions and has represented borrowers and lenders in multi-million dollar debt offerings. He is also experienced in advising clients on general corporate matters, entity formation and governance, joint ventures, divestments, and reporting requirements and regulations. Additionally, Ted has experience forming loan documentation programs for public entities in the State of Ohio. Ted joined Walter | Haverfield as a partner in 2016. Prior to joining Walter | Haverfield, he practiced law at Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aranoff. He was formerly a financial consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in New York City and also worked in the general counsel office of KLA-Tencor Corporation in Silicon Valley, California.

 

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Looking to Your Liquidity Event with Denise Logan (Ep. 21)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

Every business owner will leave their business one day, voluntarily or involuntarily. It’s a matter of WHEN, not IF.

So, it’s important to start planning for this inflection point well ahead of time — both technically and emotionally.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson speaks with Denise Logan, business transition expert, professional speaker, and best-selling author of The Seller’s Journey. Denise explains how you can help clients overcome the emotional barriers to selling a business while simultaneously preparing for your own exit.

Denise discusses:

  • Why creating your own exit strategy is the first step to assisting clients in their exit
  • How to remain your client’s first-choice advisor when the time comes for the big liquidity event
  • How to prepare your team for the transition to a new owner
  • Legacy dinners, fireside chats, and other fun activities to connect with your clients
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Denise Logan knows that to business owners, selling a business is more than a transaction. To them, it is an emotionally fraught period of transition, filled with unexpected highs and lows, with no clear vision of what waits at the end for them and their family. Her passion for this work is colored by her own experience of being an unprepared business owner who made an abrupt and choppy exit from her company, after ignoring the signs that it was time for several years.

She is the author of The Seller’s Journey: A Business Fable about Navigating the Emotional Obstacles to Selling Your Business, and has addressed more than five hundred audiences on three continents about the psychology of business owners and how to make it easier when the time comes to let go. 

Denise provides advanced training to advisors employed by some of the world’s largest financial institutions, law firms and accounting firms, helping their clients successfully transition their businesses to new owners and, most importantly, without regret.

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How To Fulfill Your Clients’ Deepest Estate Planning Needs with Julia Norman and Tom Deans, Ph.D. (Ep. 20)

Advisor, Education, Finance, Financial, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

Do you know what’s keeping your clients up at night? For a lot of them, it is this question, what happens to their hard-earned wealth when they pass away?

In other words, it’s the absence of an estate plan.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson speaks with Julia Norman, associate lawyer at Pushor Mitchell LLP, and Tom Deans, Ph.D., intergenerational wealth expert, speaker, and best-selling author of “Every Family’s Business” and “Willing Wisdom.” Julia and Tom explain how advisors can re-imagine estate planning for their clients to ensure a stress-free wealth transfer that minimizes future family conflicts.

Julia and Tom discuss:

  • The main reasons why your clients might be delaying estate planning
  • How to make estate planning highly process-driven and collaborative
  • How family estate planning meetings can help retain your clients for multiple generations
  • Why advisors should create their wills first before helping clients
  • And more

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About Our Guests:

Julia Norman is an associate lawyer with Pushor Mitchell practicing in the areas of civil litigation, family law, estate planning and estate administration. Prior to going to law school, Julia rode for the Canadian Equestrian Team in the sport of three-day eventing, training and competing throughout North America. Outside of the office Julia can be found spending time with her family, riding her horse, water skiing, or enjoying one of the many activities that the Okanagan has to offer.

Tom Deans, Ph.D.’s research and thought leadership on the subjects of wealth transfers, preparing heirs and family dynamics has made him an in-demand speaker and webinar presenter. Since the release of his first book in 2008, Tom has delivered more than 1000 paid speeches in 25 countries. He has also provided advanced training to advisors employed by the world’s largest financial institutions, law firms and accounting firms. Dr. Deans is also the Founder of the Willing Wisdom Index™ a new digital client engagement tool for advisors to share with prospects and clients.



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