Tag Archives: Financial Advisors

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



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.

 


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



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.

 


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



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.


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



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.




The Why and How of Video Marketing for Advisors 2.0 with Laura Garfield and Sharon Gottula (Ep. 19)



Advisors have been using conventional tools for content marketing like blogs and whitepapers for years. But have you ever considered video marketing?

Videos can help you with client acquisition, establishing credibility, branding, and much more!

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson speaks with Laura Garfield and Sharon Gottula, co-founders of Idea Decanter. They explore the power of video marketing in financial services and how it can fast-track your business growth.

Laura and Sharon discuss:

  • Ways to enhance your client experience using videos
  • Tips for effectively conveying your core message to ideal prospects
  • How Idea Decanter makes video marketing easy (even if it’s your first video!)
  • How to add tremendous value to your business with video intellectual property
  • And More!

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About Our Guests:

Laura Garfield started her career in broadcast journalism learning how to ask the right questions to get to the heart of the story. Her experience, from small-market TV in Hastings, NE, all the way up through positions at CBS News in New York and then CNN in Atlanta, gives her a unique perspective on digital storytelling. In 2014, she co-founded Idea Decanter to help growth-minded financial service professionals leverage digital content to take control of their own brand.

Sharon Gottula spent 20 years as a commercial photographer, focusing her talent on everything from portraiture to architecture and food for national and international publications, such as  Newsweek, Men’s Fitness and Prevention Magazine. When she co-founded Idea Decanter, she began helping clients in the wealth sector breathe new life into their marketing strategies with video. Sharon specializes in finding visual ways to explain complex concepts and telling your story in 2 minutes or less.


Episode 16

New Perspectives on Growth with Kevin Bishopp (Ep 16)



The business world is forever evolving. Even the disruption of the last two years was only able to slow it down for a short time.. 

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson meets with Vice President and Performance Coach Kevin Bishopp for the Advisor Consulting Group at First Trust Portfolios. They discuss the growth in the business world over the last two years.

Duncan and Kevin discuss:

  • Marketing your business from growing down, growing up and everything in between
  • The three categories of solutions
  • Why some advisors are reluctant to make cuts
  • The difference between being able to design and being able to build
  • The Cash Flow model
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Kevin Bishopp is a Vice President and Performance Coach for the Advisor Consulting Group. 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.


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Content Marketing Made Easier: How To Use Podcasts To Attract Ideal Clients With Matt Halloran (Ep. 15)



Content marketing is a powerful way to thrive in the expertise economy.

Why? Because consistently sharing your thought leadership with clients and prospects establishes credibility and makes you more referable.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson is joined by Matt Halloran, Chief Relationship Officer and partner at ProudMouth, to explore the power of content marketing. They unpack strategies to convert your knowledge into intellectual property that puts you ahead of the competition.

Matt discusses:

  • How podcasting expands your addressable audience of prospects
  • How to compel your ideal clients to take action through content marketing
  • Strategies to create evergreen content and remain top-of-mind for your target audience
  • The extent to which you can outsource your content marketing
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Matt Halloran got started in the financial services industry 20 years ago as a certified life and business coach. As he became immersed in his client’s biggest needs, he built his knowledge and expertise as a financial branding and social media expert. More recently, Matt has added podcasting to that list. Matt respects how tough it is to be great and effective at marketing while running a practice, living a life, and loving a family. He teaches advisors how to be themselves, let their passions shine through, and create strong brands that resonate with ideal prospects and centers of influence.

 


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A Brand Within a Brand – The Multi-Family Office with Scott Hamilton (Ep. 12)



When your clients undergo a major liquidity event, they often expect a lot more from you than simply “investing” their newfound wealth.

That’s why it’s crucial to build a bench strength that serves your clients at all levels!

In this episode, Duncan joins Scott Hamilton, a master coach to financial advisors and part of the Pareto Coaches Network. They talk about how advisors can attract and serve high-net-worth clients through a multi-family office (MFO) experience.

Scott discusses:

  • How to minimize the risk of losing clients after major liquidity events
  • How to build a Value-Added Support Team (VAST) that fulfills your clients’ evolving needs
  • Ways to prepare clients for the “suddenly affluent” phase well ahead of time
  • The self-actualization benefits of building an MFO
  • And more

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About Our Guest:

Over the years, Scott Hamilton built a successful estate and tax practice and a nationally known wealth strategies firm. He now devotes much of his professional time to a select group of financial advisors who are looking to consistently attract and retain great clients, run a more efficient and profitable practice, elevate the client experience, drive enterprise value, and deploy a scalable growth model. His coaching clients now range from smaller boutique practices to a large multi-advisor RIA firm with over $2 Billion in assets under management. Scott is also certified with Pareto Systems, where he is currently deploying the Pareto process with several of his most successful clients.


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How To Become an Advisor for Life with Levi McMellian (Ep. 11)



Advisors often get asked by clients, “What will happen to me when you’re not around?”

If you don’t have an answer to it, it’s a sign to start your succession planning.

In this episode, Duncan joins Levi McMellian, CPA, AIF®, CEO, executive director, and founding partner at CFO4Life to uncover the secret to building a sustainable practice and scaling your business organically.

Levi discusses:

  • Why adversities are an opportunity in disguise for deeper client relationships
  • How to avoid a growth plateau through effective legacy planning
  • The importance of branding your process (instead of a single advisor)
  • The PSP mindset for identifying right-fit clients
  • And more

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About Our Guests:

As CEO and managing director of CFO4Life, Levi McMellian oversees vital business operations and pursues new business growth. However, his primary focus remains on building personal client relationships. With a passion for listening and learning about his clients’ most important goals and dreams, Levi seeks to offer thorough and impartial individualized advice.

In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant and Accredited Investment Fiduciary®, Levi has a bachelor’s degree in business and accounting from Oklahoma State University. As a founding partner, Levi’s determination has developed CFO4LIFE from a start-up to an established and respected Texas Investment Advisory Firm. He was instrumental in sculpting its vision and the revolutionary concept of a comprehensive, team-oriented financial planning firm. Levi also pioneered the concept of financial wellness benefits for executives in large corporations and comprehensive advisory solutions for retirement plans.    


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Women In Wealth – Going Off Script with Sherri Palle and Elaine Christakos



The financial world is very male-dominated, often leaving female advisors feeling outnumbered and undervalued.

Sherri Palle and Elaine Christakos, long-time financial professionals, Pareto Systems’ Business Coaches, and financial women’s advocates know this first hand.

In this episode, Duncan talks to Sherri and Elaine about their company, The Women are Here, how they strive to help women in finance both in their personal and professional lives and reveal useful lifestyle advice to become the best version of yourself.

Sherri and Elaine discuss:

  • Why they launched their business The Women are Here, and the demand they seek to fulfill
  • What clients will achieve when they adopt The Women are Here strategy
  • How going ‘off script’ in your life can be beneficial
  • What Sherri and Elaine expect from their male team members 
  • And more

Resources: 

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About Our Guests:

Elaine is a Pareto Systems’ Business Coach, is a senior level results-oriented professional and strategist with over two decades of management and coaching experience in the financial services sector.  She has designed and implemented successful and proven practice management and relationship management training programs.  

Sherri is also a Pareto Systems’ Business Coach, fervently committed to helping financial professionals either fine-tune or completely reengineer their advisory practice to create success by systematizing and growing their practice. She will become fully entrenched in your business to provide the best advice possible.  She is known for her high-energy calls which provide motivation, enthusiasm, and thought provoking ‘aha moments’ – making these calls something the entire team looks forward to.    

The Women Are Here is an intelligent, innovative & caring alliance created to help women in wealth excel and elevate their advisory practice with the purpose of inspiring and elevating as many women as possible.