Financial Advisor Success

Shanna Tingom is the founder of Heritage Financial Strategies, a dually registered advisory firm that oversees nearly $50 million of assets under management for 250 clients. Today Shanna joins the show to discuss how she has heavily automated key processes throughout her firm to service her large number of clients efficiently—and has done so by not using industry standard systems. Listen in as we talk in depth about Shanna's journey through the advisory business itself, as well as why she is thankful she started out a large financial advisory firm. You will learn why she decided to branch out on her own, the difficult challenges she faced in doing so, and the unique advisor technology stack she has used to simplify things in her business. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/174

Andrew Leonard, founder of Geometric Wealth Advisors, specializes in financial planning for top-tier management consultants. He shares how a single white paper propelled his firm to gain nearly $200 million in net new assets in five years. Andrew discusses the benefits of customizing financial experiences and the emotional challenges of working with analytical clients. He highlights the importance of niche strategies in cash flow planning, tax services, and the role of technology in enhancing client relationships.

Minoti Rajput is the founder and president of Secure Planning Strategies, a hybrid advisory firm that oversees nearly $300 million of AUM for 350 client households. Minoti has built her advisory firm by creating a specialization in working with families with special needs children, and she joins the show today to discuss her niche and how she gathered the expertise needed to support special needs families. Listen in as we talk in depth about the unique marketing opportunity she has been able to create by working with school systems, where as many as 10% of students have some form of special needs. You will learn how she handles the compliance challenges that come with providing this kind of specialized advice, her unique fee structure, and what it's like working in such a rewarding and fulfillng niche. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/172

Tom Kennedy, a wealth advisor who moved from a decade as a wholesaler to advising roughly 400 households. He recounts leaving wholesaling for deeper client work. He explains how he evaluated firms, structured a purchased book deal, and used his networking skills to grow quickly. He also reflects on compensation shifts, early client reactions, and building an operations team.

Patrick Tucker, founder of True Measure Wealth Management who runs an intentionally sized RIA managing ~$150M, explains resisting industry growth pressure. He discusses designing a firm around life goals, splitting fees with fixed planning tiers, using corporate ops to track per-client economics, keeping a lean core team with contractors, and firing misfit clients to protect culture.

Alexandra Levi, founder and managing partner of Element Financial Group who built a planning-forward hybrid RIA, explains unbundling planning and investment fees. She discusses setting renewable planning retainers, using tech to scale planning, running virtual quarterly check-ins, and how she found a business partner and platform fit. Practical moves to protect revenue and grow a planning-first firm.

Erin Botsford, founder who grew Botsford Financial Group to nearly $1B AUM and later sold it while teaching advisors her model. She discusses shifting from lead advisor to CEO, testing systems by stepping away, and building repeatable client handoffs. She covers prospecting despite discomfort, hiring and training young planners, and planning succession so the firm can thrive without her.

Scott Frank, founder of Stone Steps Financial and a CFP/CFA who uses George Kinder’s life-planning approach. He explains using evocative questions and a three-meeting EVOC structure to uncover clients’ true priorities. Short meetings turn visions into concrete plans, surface obstacles, and bridge feelings to financial math. He also covers pricing, growth tactics, and building a values-led advisory practice.

Peter Mallouk is the founder and president of Creative Planning, an independent RIA that oversees nearly 50 billion in assets under management for over 30,000 households. Peter has built his firm to the impressive size that it is within the last 16 years without any mergers, acquisitions or outside capital along the way. Today Peter joins the show to discuss Creative Planning's growth path and how that has shifted over the years to referrals from existing clients. In this episode we talk in depth about Peter's thoughts on broader industry trends including why Creative Planning remains committed to the AUM model and not charging separately for planning. You will learn what he plans to do with the outside capital that his firm raised, the firms aggressive growth plan over the next three years and much more. For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/166

Steve Kampschmidt, founder of Freedom Found Financial and former Merrill Lynch advisor who went independent. He discusses navigating broker protocol when leaving a big firm. He explains cold-calling to build a book, researching breakaway logistics, choosing custodian and tech, and shifting to fee-for-service tiers and planning memberships.