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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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!
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)
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
