Tag Archives: Wealth Management

Always On podcast

Elevate Your Practice – The Power of a Partial Book Sale with Ted Jenkin (Ep. 67)

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

Join host Duncan MacPherson as welcomes back serial entrepreneur Ted Jenkin, CEO of Oxygen Financial and President of Exit Stage Left Advisors. Together, they explore the powerful concept of a partial book sale and how it can help financial advisors grow upmarket by refining the client relationships they manage. They discuss why letting go of the “wrong” clients can be one of the most liberating moves an advisor can make—and how it often leads to growing deeper relationships with the “right” clients.

If you’ve been feeling like your current book of business is becoming a plateau rather than a path, this episode will guide you through the steps of creating professional scarcity, improving client engagement, and increasing your firm’s enterprise value. Learn why managing fewer relationships, but with a more exclusive focus, not only elevates your enterprise but also enhances client outcomes.

Ted shares insights into why specializing, rather than generalizing, creates professional contrast that attracts ideal clients—and why your next best move might be downsizing the number of clients you serve while maximizing your fulfillment and profitability.

Resources:

Connect With Duncan MacPherson:

Connect with Ted Jenkin:

About Our Guest:

Ted Jenkin is a serial entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in building and selling successful businesses in various sectors, such as finance, media, insurance, bookkeeping, and technology. As the President at Exit Stage Left Advisors, Ted helps small and medium-sized business owners maximize their valuation and get top dollar when they sell their companies.

Ted has multiple credentials in the financial industry, including Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, and Accredited Wealth Manager Advisor. He is also a national media personality, appearing on various outlets such as Fox, CNN, HLN, The Weather Channel, WSJ, CNBC, and more. Ted hosts a national entrepreneur podcast called The Shrimp Tank and a national small business television network called America’s Small Business Network. His mission is to empower and educate business owners and individuals on how to achieve the highest possible multiple when they sell their business.

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The Power of Personalized Gratitude: Building Client Loyalty with Cathi Durrell (Ep. 64)

Advisor, Business, Coaching, Consulting, Education, Finance, Financial, Financial Advisor, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Join Duncan as he sits down with Cathi Durrell, co-founder of Lavish Cards, to discuss the power of personalized gratitude in building lasting client relationships for Financial Advisors. Discover how sending customized cards to clients can enhance your client retention strategies, foster loyalty, and increase client advocacy.

Cathi shares insights from her 12+ years of experience in helping Financial Advisors use hand-crafted greeting cards to make a lasting impact with clients.

Tune in to learn:

  • Why Thanksgiving cards can give your business an edge over competitors
  • How to make gratitude part of your daily routine to deepen client relationships
  • Real stories of financial advisors using gratitude to boost referrals and client advocacy
  • The BRAG method: How Belonging, Recognition, Appreciation, and Gratitude drive client engagement
  • A look at Lavish Cards’ One Card at a Time program designed for financial professionals

This episode is full of actionable strategies to humanize your client experience, foster stronger client loyalty, and generate organic referrals.

Resources:

Connect With Duncan:

Connect With Cathi:

 

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 traveling and exploring “the back-roads” with Glen, in search of the next image for Lavish.

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Leaving No Stone Unturned: How to Maximize Your Exit Strategy with Ted Jenkin (Ep. 54)

Leaving No Stone Unturned: How to Maximize Your Exit Strategy with Ted Jenkin (Ep. 54)

Advisor, Business, Coaching, Consulting, Education, Finance, Financial, Financial Advisor, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Want to receive maximum value for the business you’ve worked so hard to build?

The key lies in being proactive with your exit strategy.

Dive into a thought-provoking conversation between Duncan MacPherson and returning guest Ted Jenkin, CEO of oXYGen Financial and president of Exit Stage Left Advisors. Together, they uncover practical insights to streamline your operations, improve client acquisition, and scale your credibility – ultimately garnering a higher multiple for your business.

They discuss:

  • The critical role of recurring revenue in enhancing enterprise value
  • Creating “proprietary” value as an advisor
  • Using client testimonials and online reviews to build trust
  • How to leverage AI for content creation (with a list of helpful resources)
  • How an exit plan helps you de-risk in the face of uncertainty and volatility
  • Navigating the HR and legal parameters of a sale
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With Duncan:

Connect With Ted:

Promotions:

About Our Guest:

Ted Jenkin is a serial entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in building and selling successful businesses in various sectors, such as finance, media, insurance, bookkeeping, and technology. As the President at Exit Stage Left Advisors, Ted helps small and medium-sized business owners maximize their valuation and get top dollar when they sell their companies. 

Ted has multiple credentials in the financial industry, including Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, and Accredited Wealth Manager Advisor. He is also a national media personality, appearing on various outlets such as Fox, CNN, HLN, The Weather Channel, WSJ, CNBC, and more. Ted hosts a national entrepreneur podcast called The Shrimp Tank and a national small business television network called America’s Small Business Network. His mission is to empower and educate business owners and individuals on how to achieve the highest possible multiple when they sell their business.

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From Organic to Scalable Growth with Bill Sowell (Ep. 51)

Advisor, Business, Coaching, Consulting, Education, Finance, Financial, Financial Advisor, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The transition to fee-based services has prompted advisors to prioritize fee-worthiness, with clients focusing less on cost and more on perceived value.

Plus, the complexities of relationship management may be amplified in a B2B upscaling model.

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson speaks with Bill Sowell, CEO of Sowell Management, about the distinction between salesmanship and stewardship, and what it takes to cultivate lasting client relationships. They also talk about the shift from a B2C organic growth model to a franchise-ready B2B upscaling model.

They discuss:

  • Being a consolidator versus adopting a methodical organic growth model
  • How Bill’s firm struck a powerful balance between the proverbial Wall Street-Main Street dynamics
  • Why advisors should never lose sight of relationship management
  • The path to strong advisor partnerships and an effective fit process
  • How technology and the Great Wealth Transfer are shaping financial services
  • And more

Resources:

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Connect With Bill:

Promotions:

About Our Guest:

Bill began his career in the financial services industry in 1990 and quickly became a top producer within the industry. In 1995, he began a fee-only practice now known as Sowell Management, which services a broad spectrum of some of the top Independent Advisor Representatives (IARs), and Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) in the United States. He and his wife, Cindy, have worked as a team for more than 20 years. Bill is a bridge builder. He is passionate about helping advisors see an independent and prosperous future and guiding them through the entire journey.

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Timely and Timeless Best Practices with Chris Jeppesen (Ep. 50)

Advisor, Business, Coaching, Consulting, Education, Finance, Financial, Financial Advisor, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of financial advising, get ready to discover timely and timeless strategies that help you achieve professional contrast and create enduring value for clients.

In this 50th-episode special, Duncan MacPherson is back with co-author of The Blue Square Method, Chris Jeppesen, Chief of Advisory Practices at First Trust. Gleaning from their life experiences and the success stories of high-performing advisors, they share valuable best practices to achieve long-term growth.

They discuss:

  • Why more and more advisors are finding personal rejuvenation in their work
  • The upcoming retirement wave in the industry and the opportunities it presents
  • A process-driven approach to exhibiting empathy and personalization 
  • How AI is revolutionizing financial services
  • The power of testimonials in building trust and attracting clients
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With Duncan:

Connect With Chris:

Promotions:

About Our Guests:

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 and The Blue Square Method.

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Embracing the C-Suite with Max and Lucas Winthrop (Ep. 49)

Embracing the C-Suite with Max and Lucas Winthrop (Ep. 49)

Advisor, Business, Coaching, Consulting, Education, Finance, Financial, Financial Advisor, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

For years, financial advisors saw themselves as brokers, being mostly transactional and product-driven.

Today, advisors wear many hats. It’s no longer just a book of business, but an actual business!

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson joins Max Winthrop, CEO, and Lucas Winthrop, COO, of Winthrop Wealth and long-time clients of Pareto Systems. They emphasize the importance of embracing a C-suite approach to streamline core business functions and deliver a consistent and elevated client experience.

They discuss:

  • How to build effective functional teams with high functional accountability
  • How key C-suite positions can be refined and optimized for an advisory practice
  • The need for a philosophical alignment across the firm, which spills over to clients and strategic partners
  • Strategies for creating a process-driven and well-integrated business structure
  • And more

Connect With Duncan:

Connect With Winthrop Wealth:

Connect With Max Winthrop:

Connect With Lucas Winthrop:

Promotions:

About Our Guests:

Max Winthrop is the Chief Executive Officer at Winthrop Wealth. Max has consistently challenged the industry norms for wealth management providers, investing in creating a team-based wealth management experience that is complemented by a cutting-edge technology platform. He has over ten years of experience in the financial services and investment management industry. He is responsible for setting the firm’s strategy, broadening the service offering, and constantly working to enhance the client experience.

Max spearheaded the creation of the Winthrop Wealth Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) in 2017, implementing a partnership structure, a scalable technology infrastructure, and built out an experienced team of professionals. Since the creation of the new RIA, Winthrop Wealth has grown its asset base of regulatory advisory assets, won numerous employer awards, and was recently named to the INC 5000 (2021) list of fastest growing private companies.

Max’s prior work experience with a Fortune 500 Financial Organization equipped him with a leadership/management skillset. He also spent time as an investment analyst structuring large, institutional, Regulation D private placements.

Max believes that the industry needs an injection of youth and is working towards extending services, previously reserved for only wealthy individuals, to the younger millennial generation.

Lucas Winthrop is the Chief Operating Officer at Winthrop Wealth, where he collaborates with the leadership team to shape the firm’s strategic direction and plan. He plays a crucial role in focusing and marshaling firm resources to see the firm’s vision come to fruition. Winthrop Wealth’s current strategic plan includes initiatives related to building exceptional teams, implementing innovative solutions, and designing streamlined processes and structures to help drive scalable, positive outcomes. With over a decade of experience in financial services, Lucas is determined to disrupt outdated industry practices and usher in a new era of possibilities by focusing not on what has been but instead asking what could be.

To drive business optimization and strong business performance outcomes, Lucas focuses on anchoring and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation that is ready to disrupt outdated industry practices or take advantage of disruption. Since launching the RIA alongside his brother Max in 2017, Winthrop has achieved remarkable success, including securing a coveted position on the esteemed INCE 5000 (2021) list of the fastest-growing private companies. Before joining Winthrop Wealth, Lucas was co-founder and CFO of a non-profit organization, and co-founded a music entertainment company.

Lucas’s obsession is to find out what interests and drives those around him and to unlock their utmost potential. With a profound love for the financial services industry, he enjoys connecting with his industry peers and assisting them in optimizing their businesses.

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Balancing Riches and Relationships: Family-Centric Wealth Management with Jeff Savlov

Balancing Riches and Relationships: Family-Centric Wealth Management with Jeff Savlov (Ep. 46)

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

It is very common for first-generation, self-made, affluent people to shield their children from hardships.

But that safety net can become a hammock of complacency…and entitlement!

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson joins Jeff Savlov, family business and wealth consultant, and the founder of Blum & Savlov, LLP. They discuss how to address family dynamics in wealth management — ultimately avoiding strained relationships among all future inheritors of wealth.

They discuss:

  • Why family dynamics play a crucial role in continuity and succession planning
  • Major challenges in family business succession (and how to address them)
  • Resources for financial advisors to help address family issues faced by affluent clients
  • How to engage families — including children — in the financial planning process
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With Duncan:

Connect With Jeff:

Promotions:

About Our Guest:

Jeff is the Founder of Blum & Savlov, LLP and consults with business families, legacy wealth families and the advisors who serve them. He brings more than 30 years of unique experience in sales and marketing, business ownership, entrepreneurial endeavours and family dynamics/psychological training, along with a common-sense style, to his consulting work with families. By integrating his diverse business background, extensive academic work and family dynamics/psychological training with his experience working in his family’s commercial printing business, Jeff helps enterprising families balance family and business/wealth so both will thrive for many generations.

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One Good Idea to Build Strong Client Relationships with Cathi Durrell

One Good Idea to Build Strong Client Relationships with Cathi Durrell (Ep. 45)

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

People are bombarded with hundreds of emails and messages daily.

In a world dominated by digital communication, you need to do something that stops your clients in their tracks. You have to snap them out of the trance… But how?

In this episode, Duncan MacPherson joins Cathi Durrell, owner of Lavish Cards, to discuss how to build intimate relationships through personalized, hand-made cards that your clients will treasure for years to come! Get ready to get at least one good idea to elevate your client experience.

They discuss:

  • The emotional impact of receiving a surprise card
  • Real-world examples of greeting cards serving as a bridge for referrals and advocacy
  • Simple yet incredibly effective ideas for lumpy mail
  • The use of AI in enhancing the card-sending experience
  • Why greeting cards are a great way to connect with the next-generation
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With Duncan:

Connect With Cathi:

Promotions:

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 its clients. The entire crew at Lavish is committed to creating and supplying the highest quality greeting cards. In her spare time, Cathi enjoys travelling and exploring “the back roads” with Glen in search of the next image for Lavish.

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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

Resources:

Connect With Duncan:

Connect With Richard:

Promotions:

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

Resources:

Connect With Duncan:

Connect With Chris:

Promotions:

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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