Tag: Financial Planning

Ep 90: Overcoming Adversity: GRIT As A Game Changer  — With Austin Hatch

Ep 90: Overcoming Adversity: GRIT As A Game Changer  — With Austin Hatch

It’s True: GRIT can be a game-changer. 

In this episode, Austin Hatch – a motivational speaker, athlete, and remarkable survivor—shares his inspiring journey and lessons that can help others respond to unexpected circumstances. Tune in for Austin’s powerful story and learn how the G.R.I.T. framework can help managers adapt to today’s challenges. 

Austin discusses: 

  • Helping others as a driving motivation 
  • How the G.R.I.T. framework can help managers in the current economic market
  • The power and importance of leading by example 
  • More insights and lessons from Austin’s experiences

Resources: 

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About Our Guest:

Austin Hatch survived two plane crashes that claimed the lives of his entire immediate family. He suffered severe injuries that nearly took his life. When Austin woke from a 2-month-long coma, he had to re-learn basic life skills. The road to recovery was tough, but he found a way to push forward and fulfill his dream of joining the University of Michigan basketball team. Austin is now a motivational speaker with a poignant message about G.R.I.T. and how we can all thrive in the midst of adversity.

Ep 89: Assessing The Advisor Landscape—with Michelle Lynn of Bloomberg

Ep 89: Assessing The Advisor Landscape—with Michelle Lynn of Bloomberg

What has changed in the advisor landscape? What are advisors doing differently?

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain talk with Michelle Lynn, Global Head of Data Science and Insights at Bloomberg Media Organization about the research she leads on the state of the advisor landscape. Michelle explains why Bloomberg supports this long-running study and discusses highlights from its findings and what it means for advisors.

Michelle discusses: 

  • The genesis and focus of Bloomberg research on advisory issues
  • Soft skills as a differentiator
  • Why diversity is increasingly important
  • The necessity – and challenge – of work/life balance 
  • And more

Resources: 

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About Our Guest:

Michelle Lynn is the Global Head of Data Science and Insights at Bloomberg. She is responsible for all the data research and planning teams globally and provides insights and intelligence to drive solutions for clients.

Ep 88: How SEC rule 206(4) could change your business model — With Paul Binnion

Ep 88: How SEC rule 206(4) could change your business model — With Paul Binnion

Are you familiar with the SEC’s 206(4) proposal? Will you be compliant? 

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain are joined by Paul Binnion of Hanlon Investment Management to consider the intent and potential impact of the proposal. 

If you outsource certain investment functions or have been evaluating third-party service providers, join us to learn more.

Paul discusses: 

  • Core aspects of the proposed rule, and how it may affect financial advisors
  • How advisors’ due diligence responsibilities may be affected
  • What to consider when selecting a third-party solutions provider
  • Why deeper client relationships will likely become even more important
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Paul Binnion:

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About Our Guest:

Paul Binnion is the Chief Revenue Officer at Hanlon Investment Management. Paul is responsible for leading the overall direction of the firm’s distribution strategy while overseeing the sales, key accounts, and marketing teams in their efforts to build collaborative partnerships with successful financial advisors. Paul has more than 30 years of experience developing best practices with financial partners and specializes in building and motivating teams to help deliver successful outcomes to financial advisors and their clients.

Ep 87: Take Your Passion To Work Today with Regina Huber

Ep 87: Take Your Passion To Work Today with Regina Huber

How can your favorite pastime — running, cooking, travel… whatever — boost your performance, increase job satisfaction, build a stronger team culture? 

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain speak with Regina Huber, the CEO and founder of Transform Your Performance, about the powerful connection between our hobbies and our professional lives.  

Regina discusses: 

  • Her personal experience of integrating her passion into her career
  • How the lessons and skills derived from passionate pursuits can serve our professional pursuits 
  • What business leaders can do to invite passion into the workplace
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Regina Huber:

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About Our Guest:

Regina Huber is the CEO and founder of a coaching, speaking, and training business, Transform Your Performance. Through her firm, she drives transformational leadership and coaches value-driven, open-minded leaders to implement a powerful new business consciousness paradigm, so they can effectively build trust, increase their influence, and impact and create more human-centered workplaces. Regina believes doing so will result in higher employee engagement and more fulfilling work for employees. She is also fluent in multiple languages and has worked globally during her career on 5 continents, getting her start in Germany. Regina is also a prolific writer and is a published author of multiple books and articles on courageous leadership. Her latest book, Speak Up, Stand Out and Shine, was featured in the Huffington Post.



Ep 86: Your Most Valuable Asset: Personal Branding with April Rudin

Ep 86: Your Most Valuable Asset: Personal Branding with April Rudin

Just as people look online to check a restaurant or service provider before making a reservation or appointment, prospects and referrals are probably vetting you (among others) to determine whether to contact you. Who are they seeing? 

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain dive into the world of digital marketing and personal branding with April Rudin, founder and president of the Rudin Group. April shares four tips to make your digital presence more interesting and effective.

April discusses: 

  • Why personal branding is more important than ever
  • How a personal dimension can set you apart
  • The value of professional input 
  • Why to make a social pivot to B2B 
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With April Rudin:

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About Our Guest:

Founder and President of The Rudin Group, April J. Rudin is widely acknowledged as a top marketing strategist for the financial services and wealth-management sectors. Distinguished by her ability to forecast and leverage critical trends and her expertise in digital and traditional media, she leads a firm that designs bespoke marketing campaigns for some of the world’s leading wealth management firms, fintech, and family offices; campaigns that strengthen their brand value and drive client acquisition. April is recognized by IBM as an “Influencer” in wealth management and fintech and is a regularly-featured source of expert commentary to international news and business outlets, trade publications, and broadcast media. 



Ep 85: The Science Behind Growing Wallet Share — With Barnaby Riedel, PhD

Ep 85: The Science Behind Growing Wallet Share — With Barnaby Riedel, PhD

What are your clients not telling you? What could you do differently to earn greater trust? 

In this episode, Laura Gregg talks with Barnaby Riedel, one of the architects of FlexShares’ behavioral study on growing wallet share. The findings provide a sensible groundwork to build more productive and mutually rewarding client relationships. 

Barnaby discusses:

  • His firm, RDCL, and its work in the financial industry
  • Why most research on growing wallet share falls short 
  • The five client personas advisors need to understand 
  • How you can tailor your approach to build trust (and wallet share) with each client type
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Barnaby Riedel:

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About Our Guest:

Barnaby Riedel, PHD

Barnaby is co-founder and lead researcher at RDCL, a social-science based research firm dedicated exclusively to the most forward-thinking financial companies. Prior to founding RDCL, Barnaby taught at the University of Chicago in the Division of the Social Sciences. His approach to research is interdisciplinary and contrarian – drawing on everything from evolutionary psychology to cultural anthropology. Since being founded in 2013, RDCL’s work has delivered dramatic results for clients and has been featured in numerous trade publications as well as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Observer.

RDCL 

RDCL is a social science-based research firm dedicated exclusively to the most forward-thinking financial companies.

Important information regarding a discussion in the podcast:

Alpha and beta are two different parts of an equation used to explain the performance of stocks and Investment funds. Beta Is a measure of volatility relative to a benchmark, such as the S&P 500. Alpha Is the excess return on an Investment after adjusting for market-related volatility and random fluctuations.



Ep 84: Why Settle for “Satisfied” Clients? — Brendan Frazier on the Value of Emotional Connection

Ep 84: Why Settle for “Satisfied” Clients? — Brendan Frazier on the Value of Emotional Connection

Provide good numbers and exceptional service and you’ll have a satisfied client. Create a personal connection, and you may be surprised at the results. 

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain speak with financial advisor Brendan Frazier, founder of Wired Planning and host of The Human Side of Money podcast. Brendan offers three simple steps to help you exceed mere ‘satisfaction’ in your client relationships. 

Brendan discusses: 

  • Why customer satisfaction is no longer enough 
  • A new 80/20 rule that can bring immediate results 
  • The striking benefits of emotionally connected advisor/client relationships
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Brendan Frazier:

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About Our Guest:

Brendan Frazier is the founder of Wired Planning and the host of The Human Side of Money podcast. Recently named a top-100 financial advisor by Investopedia, Brendan helps advisors enhance the trajectory of their businesses through more meaningful client interaction.



Ep 83: Getting to Yes! Why You Need to Acknowledge Behavioral Finance — With Michael Pompian

Ep 83: Getting to Yes! Why You Need to Acknowledge Behavioral Finance — With Michael Pompian

Most advisors recognize that, when it comes to making investment decisions, a client’s emotions can derail a plan.

Equipping yourself with knowledge on behavioral finance and financial personas could be the key to a more successful approach to ensuring your clients stick to their plan. 

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain talk with Michael Pompian, CFA, CAIA, CFP, an author and authority on behavioral finance, about his research on the topic and his practical experience understanding how client emotions can impact your practice, your clients’ experience and their investment outcomes.

Michael discusses: 

  • What drove him to research behavioral finance
  • The crucial distinction between investors’ cognitive and emotional biases
  • Why this should matter to an advisor 
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Michael Pompian:

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About Our Guest:

Michael Pompian, CFA, CAIA, CFP, is the founder and chief investment officer of Sunpointe Investments, an investment advisory firm to entrepreneurs, corporate executives and multi-generational families, based in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the creator of the Pompian Behavioral Model of investor classification, as well as the  author of five books on behavioral finance, including his latest Behavioral Finance and Your Portfolio (Wiley, 2021).

As an experienced advisor, author, and pioneering researcher on the topics of behavioral finance and emotional investing, his books have helped thousands of financial advisors across the globe build better relationships with their clients. His newest work is designed to help individual investors recognize and better manage their investing biases, either independently or with their financial advisors.



Ep 82: Back to School — With Steve Schiestel, Director of Financial Planning at MSU

Ep 82: Back to School — With Steve Schiestel, Director of Financial Planning at MSU

Is your firm seeking new talent? Are you a student seeking a career in wealth management? Consider introducing yourself to the growing number of Financial Planning directors at universities in your area (and beyond). 

In this episode, Laura Gregg and David Partain speak with Steve Schiestel, CFA, the Head of the Financial Planning and Wealth Management Program at Michigan State University. 

Steve talks about what he did to start and grow the University’s CFP program, and how firms can reach out to him for help with finding the right talent for what they need — for both Internships and permanent employees.

Steve discusses: 

  • Why and how he built the MSU Financial Planning program
  • How he promotes the program internally 
  • His approach to job placements
  • The most sought-after skills for financial planning 
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Stephen Schiestel:

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Connect With  David Partain: 

About Our Guest:

Stephen Schiestel is a passionate educator and financial advisor dedicated to improving personal financial education and financial decision making. He has worked in three distinct careers: commercial lending, wealth management, and college teaching. Stephen started his career in commercial banking as a commercial credit analyst and commercial lender. In wealth management, he was an equity analyst, portfolio manager, financial planner, investment research director, chief investment officer all at a regional bank and now an owner of Grand Capital Advisors – a fee-only fiduciary financial planning and wealth management firm. In addition to helping clients at the firm, he also teaches finance full time at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business.



Ep 81: Women are Smart, Savvy, and Speaking with Their Money — With Dr. Barbara Provost

Ep 81: Women are Smart, Savvy, and Speaking with Their Money — With Dr. Barbara Provost

Is this too much to ask?

Women just want advisors who recognize their concerns, appreciate their perspective, and respect their ability to make smart choices.

Join Laura Gregg and David Partain as they talk with Dr. Barbara Provost, Founder of Purse Strings, LLC and an accomplished educational consultant to the banking and insurance industries. They discuss the often overlooked opportunity that exists with women and why faulty assumptions about women continue to be made by advisors.

Barbara explains why she founded Purse Strings and its mission to connect women
with top-tier professionals.

Barbara discusses:

  • How her work with the World Bank further ignited her passion to help women get
    the wealth management experience they deserve
  • Why she created Purse Strings
  • The resources available to both investors and advisors at Purse Strings
  • And more

Resources: 

Connect With Barbara Provost:

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Connect With David Partain: 

About Our Guest:
Dr. Barbara Provost has 20+ years’ experience as an educational consultant to the banking and insurance industries. Over the years, she watched these male-dominated sectors consistently shape their sales messaging and resource development solely for target audiences of men, blatantly ignoring the $20 + Trillion in annual spending that women alone are responsible for. Barb took action in 2015
by launching Purse Strings, a company for and by women boasting a unique dual business model.   Purse Strings features a new business development service introducing women who seek financial advice to service providers who understand their unique needs. They simultaneously offer a breadth of free educational resources designed to help every woman, whether they have a little money or a lot,
get smart and protect their financial future. Barb’s life motto is: be financially fearless.