The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors

A fast look at why advisor movement surged in 2025 and which firms gained or lost in the recruiting race. Discussion of big-team departures, rising deal multiples, and evolving payout structures. Exploration of hybrid affiliation models, next-gen talent shortages, and major market shocks from acquisitions and breakaway transitions. A quick take on how AI and capital markets may reshape advisor choices next year.

Joe Castiglie, COO/CIO at SYKON Capital with a background in equity derivatives and operations, and Todd Stankiewicz, President/CIO focused on values-based planning and behavioral finance. They recount leaving Merrill to pursue independence. They discuss choosing full control with their own ADV, blending institutional investing with behavioral insights, and designing a customized client experience driven by culture and simplicity.

Dylan Ripley, CEO and financial planner who left Edward Jones to build Cedarwood in 2022. Todd Vincent, a nearly 30-year planner who led multi-office teams and helped transition to independence. They discuss leaving a big firm, enduring a two-year lawsuit, nearly doubling assets to $1.7B, choosing Commonwealth for support, and strategies for growth, recruiting, and protecting enterprise value.

Fayez Muhtadie, Co-Head of Private Equity at Stone Point with deep financial-services investing experience. John Amore, President of Kestra Financial who leads strategy and advisor-focused growth. James Poer, CEO of Kestra Holdings who builds advisor ecosystems and enterprise value. They discuss how scale, private capital, alignment, tech choices, and data shape wealth platforms and advisor succession.

Jim Dickson, founding partner and CEO of Elevation Point with decades in wealth management, talks ownership-first independent platforms. He discusses minority-capital partnerships, data and AI readiness, and how partial ownership can multiply enterprise value. Short, punchy takes on tech-driven differentiation, smart capital choices, and scaling advisory firms without giving up control.

They explore why high-achieving advisors can feel unfulfilled despite strong results. Topics include how comfort and success become constraints, rising practice valuations and more firm options, and the tension between control and change. They discuss paths that can reignite purpose like building a firm or pursuing equity, plus the key questions to ask before making a move.

Joe Duran, serial entrepreneur who built and sold major RIAs and now leads Rise Growth Partners, returns to revisit reinvention and firm-building. He reflects on selling to Goldman, why client needs trump competitor imitation, partnering instead of building every service, and how minority capital plus operator support can scale middle-market RIAs. Short, candid, and focused on practical growth moves.

Dennis Morton, co-founder and senior wealth advisor and former U.S. Army platoon leader, blends military-tested leadership with client-centered wealth management. He discusses building a firm that survives beyond its founders. Short takes cover bold goal-setting, hiring for culture fit, scalable team design, strategic rhythms like offsites, and military-informed accountability and presence.

Jason Wenk, founder and CEO of Altruist and serial fintech entrepreneur. He explains why custody needed to be rebuilt from the ground up. He discusses vertical integration, simplified tech, aligned economics, and automation. He covers targeting modern RIAs, winning breakaways, and how AI and scale change operating costs.

Tim Krueger, Co-Founder and Partner at Krueger, Fosdyck, Brown, McCall & Associates, shares insights from leading a $1.4B Merrill team through a bold transition to independence. He discusses the importance of succession planning beyond just growth, emphasizing client protection and cultural preservation. Tim reveals why he chose NewEdge Advisors for a balanced mix of autonomy and support while ensuring a runway for the next generation. He reflects on the common fears that hold advisors back from leaving wirehouses, urging them to consider their legacy.