Between Now and Success

Faced with the task of upgrading the portfolio accounting system at CLS Investment, his family's growing investment advisory firm, Eric Clarke couldn't find a suitable off-the-shelf product. So, like every great entrepreneur, he decided to build it himself. That was 1999. Today, Orion Advisor Services is a fast-growing $25 million technology company that serves as the operational hub for many of the country's leading Registered Investment Advisory firms. Eric shares how he built the firm, how they keep innovating, and the big mistake he made that kept the company mired in slow growth for its first 5 years.

Carl Richards is best known as the Behavior Gap guy and for his weekly Sketch Guy column in the New York Times. He’s now out with a new book, The One-Page Financial Plan. We had a lively conversation about the book, his writing process, financial planning conversations, and how financial advisors can use books in general to build their business.

After interviewing more than 50 of the world’s greatest investment managers, Nobel Prize winners, self-made billionaires, and leading academics for his book, Money: Master the Game, Tony Robbins came to some startling conclusions. In this episode, he reveals a treasure trove of actionable insights and behind the scenes stories that will benefit you for years to come. Near the end of the conversation, Tony tells a touching story that occurred in his early twenties and changed the course of his life forever. He said it, “may be the most important lesson a person can have in finance.” You’ll have to listen to him tell the story because written words can’t do it justice.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAKE UP ONE MORNING, TURN ON YOUR COMPUTER, AND DISCOVER that you have two new clients with a million in assets waiting to do business with you? It’s happening now with Robo Advisor technology and Simon Roy of Jemstep shares how. Having great technology is one thing, but leveraging it can be a whole different ballgame. Simon and I discuss how to build a business, leverage it with technology, wrap it in a human relationship, and deliver great results for clients. As a successful entrepreneur and business executive based in the heart of Silicon Valley, Simon is someone well-worth listening to.

Marty Bicknell left a great job as a senior vice president at A.G. Edwards & Sons in 2006 and started over. Today, he presides over an empire of 32 companies managing more than $30 billion in AUM. He accomplished this feat through a combination of acquisitions, organic growth, and good timing. In this episode, Marty adds texture to one of the most exciting growth stories in the financial services industry.

Despite a dreadful childhood growing up in the Republic of Rhodesia, super entrepreneur Joe Duran has built not just one but two multi-billion dollar investment advisory firms. And along the way he had time to write three books including one that became a New York Times bestseller. Here’s an example of the type of advice you’ll hear from Joe, “The more important you are to the business, the less valuable the business is.” In this insightful conversation, Joe shares the principles he used to build his businesses, how he spots trends that he rides to millions in riches, and the story behind the Albert Einstein quote that has driven everything he has done in his life.

The concept of retirement has changed dramatically over the past couple decades. Has your retirement planning changed with the times? Effective planning starts with understanding a client’s story and what their money is for. Are you asking the right questions? Are you helping your clients find “meaning” and not just “money?” Are you aware of the 67 life transitions that your clients might go through? Do you have planning solutions for each of those 67? Are you familiar with the four deadly fears and how they relate to living a fulfilling life? Mitch Anthony and I discuss these ideas and a few more in this episode of Between Now and Success.

If you ever wanted to know what it takes to get on Barron’s list of Top Advisors, here it is. Sterling Shea opens the kimono and takes us behind the scenes as he shares the criteria Barron's uses to rank its top advisors. From his perch as the Managing Director and Head of Advisor Programs at Barron's, Sterling is a leading authority on financial advisor practice management and one of the most plugged-in experts on the best practices of the country's top advisors.

DAVID BACH IS A BESTSELLING PERSONAL FINANCE AUTHOR, an expert on women investors, and Vice Chairman of Edelman Financial Services. Our wide-ranging discussion covers how he wrote 9 consecutive New York Times Bestsellers, how to raise billion of dollars in new assets, and why women make great clients. The podcast was recorded in San Diego and we have some interesting sound effects for your listening pleasure.

MARK MOSES COACHES 30 OF THE WORLD’S TOP ENTREPRENEURS AND CEOs and kicks their butt to increase profitability and accelerate growth. As a successful entrepreneur himself, Mark discusses the 5 things every entrepreneur and CEO should focus on and delves into the world of singularity and exponential organizations.