Do Business. Do Life. — The Financial Advisor Podcast — DBDL 159: Tom Healy - Why Your Advisory Firm Isn’t Attracting A-Players
Mar 11, 2026
Tom Healy, leadership expert and HR strategist who’s helped organizations like the U.S. Navy and Harvard Medical School, joins to talk hiring and scaling. They discuss why founders hire too fast and how to define role fit. Learn about documenting processes, using fractional talent early, and why overpaying A-players and clear KPIs protect growth and culture.
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Slow Down And Hire For Fit
- Do slow down and get crystal clear on the exact person you need before hiring, not just a generic title.
- Tom Healy recommends vetting values, work ethic, real experience, and asking tough behavioral questions during hiring.
Outsource Early To Get Real Expertise
- Do outsource early to fractional experts for functions like marketing, HR, and bookkeeping instead of hiring underqualified full-time staff.
- Tom suggests paying $4,000/month for a fractional CMO rather than hiring a $50k marketing hire who can't lead strategy.
First Hires Must Act Like Owners
- Early hires should be treated like owners and expected to do whatever it takes, including tasks outside a narrow job description.
- Tom warns a single toxic or misaligned early hire can cripple a small firm of five to ten people.