Episodes
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Katie Hendricks, Vice President and Director of Asset Allocation Research at Dimensional Fund Advisors, joins Mike Langford to discuss the firm's newly unveiled UMA platform, which provides access to personalized and tax-efficient investment solutions.
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Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Planning for Charitable Giving - Katie mentioned how UMAs are great tools for helping clients plan for charitable giving. Learn more about Donor Advised Funds on this episode with Adam Nash of Daffy.Dimensional Fund Advisors UMA Platform - This landing page offers a tremendous amount of insights into the new DFA platform for UMAs.The Trend Toward The Personalization of Investing At Scale - In this episode of the Augmented Advisor Podcast, Katie Hendrix and Shawn Jaberzadeh joined Mike Langford and John Prendergast, CEO of Blueleaf shortly after the launch of Dimensional's SMA solution.Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the UMA Platform
14:17 Difference Between UMA and SMA
18:05 Development Process of the UMA Platform
30:06 Future of the UMA Offering
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Michael Cocanower, CEO of AdviserCyber, joins Mike Langford to discuss the importance of cybersecurity for financial advisory businesses. He highlights the increasing threats and the lack of internal resources for most RIAs to protect against cyber attacks.
Sponsored By:
PodBox - Help your guest sound their best on your podcast, webinar, or important Zoom call with a PodBox microphone setup.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
How Financial Advisors Can Help Protect the Privacy, Security, and Reputation of Their Wealthy Clients - Mykolas Rambus of HushSEC Reg S-D - Amendments "modernize and enhance the rules that govern the treatment of consumers’ nonpublic personal information by certain financial institutions."Chapters
00:00 Introduction: The Importance of Cybersecurity for Financial Advisory Businesses
03:08 Understanding the New SEC Rules on Cybersecurity
09:07 The Four Pillars of Cybersecurity: Prevention, Detection, Mitigation, and Remediation
23:50 Common Types of Attacks and the Need for Cybersecurity Training
24:40 Enhancing Security with Multi-Factor Authentication
25:10 Introduction to Cybersecurity Threat Reports
27:01 The Human Element in Cybersecurity
29:41 Recognizing and Avoiding Phishing Attempts
34:16 The Importance of Communication and Verification
41:10 Shifting the Mindset: Assume Breach
46:41 Proactive Measures: Isolating Individual Computers
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Missing episodes?
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Adam Nash, the co-founder and CEO of Daffy joins Mike Langford to explore the power of donor advised funds for creating opportunities for your clients and their families to make the kind of meaningful impact they want on the world.
Daffy, which is short for "Donor Advised Funds For You" is an innovative solution designed to make it easier for financial advisors and their clients to collaborate on plans for charitable giving.
Sponsored By:
PodBox - Help your guest sound their best on your podcast, webinar, or important Zoom call with a PodBox microphone setup.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
How Financial Advisors Can Help Protect the Privacy, Security, and Reputation of Their Wealthy Clients - Mykolas Rambus of HushReimagining Estate Planning As Helping Clients Make Premade Decisions For Their Loved Ones - Andrew Crowell of D.A. DavidsonWhat Exactly Is Sustainable Investing? And Why Are Today's Clients Demanding It? - Peter Krull of Earth Equity AdvisorsChapters
00:00 Introduction to Donor Advised Funds and Charitable Giving
02:23 The Need for Innovation in Donor Advised Funds
05:41 The Importance of Setting Goals for Charitable Giving
11:20 The Lack of Innovation in the Donor Advised Fund Industry
15:26 Engaging Multiple Generations in Charitable Giving
19:12 The Universal Value of Giving
21:06 Using Technology to Make Giving Easier
22:32 Incorporating Charitable Giving into Financial Plans
22:45 Using DAFI Features with Clients: A Guide for Financial Advisors
26:22 Incorporating Charitable Giving into Financial Planning: Tips for Advisors
32:03 Tax Strategies and Charitable Giving: A Winning Conversation for Advisors
38:38 Collaboration and Surprising Benefits in the Donor Advised Fund Industry
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Mykolas Rambus, Co-Founder and CEO of Hush and Mike Langford discuss the scale of a high net worth client's digital footprint and the potential risks associated with it. They also talk about the creation of WealthX, a database of wealthy individuals, and how it led to the development of Hush, a tool that helps individuals protect their online privacy. The conversation covers topics such as cybersecurity, social engineering, and the risks posed by family members. The episode provides valuable insights and action items for financial advisors and their clients.
Sponsored By:
PodBox - Help your guest sound their best on your podcast, webinar, or important Zoom call with a PodBox microphone setup.
Related To This Episode:
Protecting Your Clients And Your Firm From Financial Fraud - Andrew Crowell of D.A. Davidson shared his perspective on protecting clients from financial fraud.Wealth-X - Mykolas and Mike mentioned Wealth-X multiple times in this episode.Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:44 The Scale of a High Net Worth Client's Digital Footprint
04:36 The Creation of WealthX and the Development of Hush
08:22 Finding Information and Building Dossiers
11:14 The Need for Hush and Protecting Online Privacy
17:20 Cybersecurity and Awareness for Financial Advisors
21:55 Risks Posed by Family Members and Precautions to Take
25:03 Conclusion and the Importance of Online Privacy
26:03 The Growing Threat of Extortion and Sex Extortion
28:01 The Rise of Sim Swapping and the Importance of Cell Phone Security
31:20 Protecting Personal Information with Hush
45:19 Advisors and Hush: Enhancing Security for High Net Worth Individuals
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Larry Nisenson, Chief Commercial Officer at Assured Allies and Mike Langford discusses the need for financial advisors to have conversations about long-term care insurance with their clients. As Mike emphasizes in the episode's intro, the probability of clients needing long-term care is high, and the cost of securing long-term care is also high. Larry and Mike cover statistics on the need for long-term care, the challenges of discussing it with clients, and the importance of planning for long-term care in financial advice.
Sponsored By:
PodBox - Help your guest sound their best on your podcast, webinar, or important Zoom call with a PodBox microphone setup.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
"Is Your Home Ready to Age With You?" - Blog post on the Assured Allies with guidance on the steps your clients may need to take to ensure their house is ready to support their needs in the elder years.Modern Financial Advisor Podcast episode featuring Jay Zigmont of Childfree Wealth.goRIA with InvestmentNews - https://inpartners.investmentnews.com/goria/p/1Zvi Bodie's website. He was my favorite professor at Boston University.Agents.NeverStop.com - This is the site that Larry mentioned you should visit to learn more about Long-Term Care Insurance.Chapters
00:00 The Need for Long-Term Care Insurance
03:45 The High Probability and Cost of Long-Term Care
09:22 Challenges of Discussing Long-Term Care with Clients
12:14 Including Long-Term Care Planning in Financial Advice
20:37 Building Relationships through Long-Term Care Conversations
26:06 Protecting Advisors from Potential Litigation
31:22 Planning for Long-Term Care
32:18 Aging in Place
40:29 Financial Tools for Long-Term Care Planning
49:00 Starting Early: Discussing Long-Term Care Options
52:25 Long-Term Care for Child-Free Clients
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Tim Vorhoff, Vice President of CreoValo joins Mike Langford for an exploration of a growth strategy that many financial advisors are ignoring: helping private business owners sell their businesses to unlock their tied-up value. The conversation explores the opportunity for financial advisors to partner with investment banks to assist business owners in selling their companies. They discuss the scale of the opportunity, the average value of small businesses, and the importance of having conversations with business owner clients about their future plans for their businesses.
Sponsored By:
PodBox - Help your guest sound their best on your podcast, webinar, or important Zoom call with a PodBox microphone setup.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Unlocking Tied-Up Value
02:25 The Opportunity for Financial Advisors
04:21 Partnering with Financial Advisors
09:31 Understanding the Scale of Small Businesses
17:45 The Benefits of Organizing a Competitive Process
23:23 Having Conversations with Business Owner Clients
25:19 Maximizing the Outcome of Selling a Business
35:27 The Importance of Succession Planning
41:34 Building Trust as a Resource for Business Owners
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Andrew Crowell, Vice Chairman of Wealth Management at D.A. Davidson returns to the show to explore a new perspective on estate planning: pre-making decisions for heirs and loved ones. Andrew and show host Mike Langford emphasize the importance of having conversations early and often to prevent emotional duress and ensure that family members are aware of the individual's wishes. They also discuss the significance of planning for digital assets, including passwords and online accounts. The conversation highlights the need for clear instructions on how to handle sentimental or private items after someone's passing.
Sponsored By:
PodBox - Help your guest sound their best on your podcast, webinar, or important Zoom call with a PodBox microphone setup.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Why Financial Advisors Should Teach Financial Literacy - Andrew's first appearance on the Modern Financial Advisor podcast.Protecting Your Clients And Your Firm From Financial Fraud - Andrew's second episode of the Modern Financial Advisor podcast."Life's Key Moments" - This is the D.A. Davidson resource Andrew mentioned toward the end of the episode.Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Improving Sound Quality with PodBox
01:26 A New Perspective on Estate Planning
03:53 Pre-Making Decisions for Heirs
07:06 Avoiding Emotional Duress
09:44 Disposition of Sentimental Items
16:30 Planning for Digital Assets
23:27 Privacy Concerns and Personal Journals
28:12 Having a Partner to Dispose of Sensitive Items
29:09 The Importance of Conversations in Estate Planning
31:37 Challenges Faced by Individuals without Biological Heirs
34:27 The Concept of an Ethical Will
37:19 The Impact of Remarriage on Estate Planning
46:51 Senior Investor Protections and the Complexity of Digital Assets
53:13 The Role of Professional Advice in Estate Planning
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Chuck Failla, Founder and CEO of Sovereign Financial Group returns to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast to share some updates on the goRIA initiative he launched in partnership with InvestmentNews. Chuck also shares his journey of going RIA and the motivation behind creating goRIA as a media outlet to educate advisors about the benefits of the RIA space.
Sponsored By:
PodBox - Help your guest sound their best on your podcast, webinar, or important Zoom call with a PodBox microphone setup.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Chuck Failla on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesfailla/Sovereign Financial Group - https://www.sovereignadvisorsolutions.com/goRIA with InvestmentNews - https://inpartners.investmentnews.com/goria/p/1Modern Financial Advisor Podcast EP75 - When Chuck was just getting RIA Labs off the ground - https://pod.co/modern-financial-advisor/episode-75-how-to-host-a-successful-online-event-as-a-financial-advisorModern Financial Advisor Podcast EP108 - With Gauthier Vincent of Deloitte where we discuss end-to-end digital transformation of wealth management - https://www.finservmarketing.com/modern-financial-advisor-podcast/exploring-the-end-to-end-digital-transformation-of-wealth-managementJeff Benjamin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-benjamin-9427728/AngelSpan - https://angelspan.com/Beautiful AI - https://www.beautiful.ai/presentationsSaifr - https://saifr.ai/Chapters
00:00 Introduction and The Importance of a High-Quality Microphone Setup
03:27 Educating Advisors about the Benefits of the RIA Space
15:26 Networking and Learning at Conferences
19:07 Integration and Future-Proofing Technology in the RIA Industry
29:22 Choosing the Right RIA Firm
30:18 The Need for Better Training
32:44 Succession Planning and Ownership Transition
38:21 Expanding Services: Advising on Alternative Investments
52:32 The Role of AI in the RIA Industry
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Dr. Jay Zigmont, Founder and CEO of Childfree Wealth joins Mike Langford for a fascination conversation about the intricacies of providing comprehensive financial advice to childfree clients. They discuss the significant population of adults who do not have children and the unique needs that are not being met by traditional financial planning methods. They also explore the reasons why people choose to be childfree and the challenges faced by financial advisors in serving this niche. The conversation covers topics such as dying with zero, long-term care planning, estate planning, retirement, and the importance of understanding the goals and desires of childfree clients.
Sponsored By:
PodBox - Help your guest sound their best on your podcast, webinar, or important Zoom call with a PodBox microphone setup.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Jay Zigmont's Book - "The Childfree Guide to LIfe and Money"The Fixed-Index Annuity with a Health-Activated Income Multiplier - This the annuity Jay mentioned during the show.Long Term Care for Childfree Individuals - An article Jay wrote on the topic.Fidelity Investments (FCAT) study on soloists - "A Family of One: The Ascendance of Solo Households"Jay's guest article on Michael Kitces' blog - "Why Childfree People Require A Unique Financial Planning Process"Rajini Kodialam - Mike mentioned how Rajini urged financial advisors to stop calling women a segment. "Any group that makes up over half of the population cannot be a segment."Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Child-Free Financial Advice
03:45 The Size and Significance of the Child-Free Population
08:07 Understanding the Choice to Be Child-Free
13:25 Dying with Zero: A Different Approach to Financial Planning
15:23 The Life of Child Wealth: Redefining Retirement
27:43 Addressing the Unique Needs of Child-Free Individuals
36:44 Creating Communities and Support Networks
46:25 Challenges and Biases Faced by Child-Free Individuals
53:48 Opportunities for Financial Advisors in the Child-Free Market
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Gauthier Vincent (GV), Senior Consulting Partner at Deloitte joins Mike Langford for an exploration of the digital transformation taking place in the wealth management industry. The conversation explores the impact of AI on wealth management, covering topics such as personalizing client experiences, efficiency, data infrastructure, compliance, and the modernization of core wealth platforms. It also delves into the challenges and considerations for wealth management firms in adopting AI and modernizing their tech stack.
Sponsored By:
PodBox - Help your guest sound as good at GV with a PodBox microphone setup.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Deloitte Report - "The Digital Wealth Manager Of Today"SkyView 1 - A fiduciary first banking solution for your financial advisory clients.Nitrogen (formerly Riskalyze) - The comprehensive client engagement platform for wealth management firmsChapters
00:00 The Digital Transformation in Wealth Management
11:49 The Urgency for Modernization and Impact of AI
27:17 The Impact of AI on Wealth Management
41:24 Challenges and Considerations in Adopting AI for Wealth Management Firms
49:52 Modernizing the Tech Stack in Wealth Management
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Brian Margolis from Productivity Giant joins Mike Langford to discuss the importance of a simple weekly strategy for financial advisors to improve their productivity and achieve their goals. Brian emphasizes the need to focus on the right things and prioritize activities that provide the biggest return on investment.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Brian's previous episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast way back in 2019.Brian's Book - "The Index Card Business Plan For Sales Pros and Entrepreneurs"Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
04:24 The Importance of a Simple Weekly Strategy
09:07 Focusing on the Right Things for Maximum ROI
28:57 Common Pain Points and Symptoms
31:20 Differentiating Between Being Good and Being Successful
39:05 Success Stories and Implementing the Simple Weekly Strategy
45:10 Conclusion
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Simon Zais, a senior manager at Egan-Jones Proxy Services, joins Mike Langford on the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast to discuss the importance of "proxy voting as a service" for financial advisors. They explore how proxy voting can help advisors deliver a higher level of service to their clients and align their portfolios with their clients' values and goals.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
MFA Episode featuring Pete Krull of Earthy Equity AdvisorsEngine No. 1 vs Exxon - Simon mentioned this case as an example of proxy voting driving change at a company.Simon's article titled "Hearts, Minds, and Votes: Where Smarter Wealth Managers Win"Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Proxy Voting as a Service
06:03 Aligning Portfolios with Values and Goals
10:22 Proxy Voting and Making an Impact
23:04 The Growing Influence of Retail Votes
23:34 The Growing Influence of Retail Investors in Proxy Voting
26:01 Aligning Proxy Voting with Client Values and Goals
28:18 The Importance of Meaningful Conversations with Clients
31:38 Taking Action on Proxy Voting to Deepen Client Relationships
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In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor podcast, Mike Langford interviews Pete Krull, CEO of Earth Equity Advisors, about sustainable investing. They discuss the importance of sustainable investing for financial advisors and their clients, debunk common myths about sustainable investing, and explore the growth opportunities in the field.
Pete and Mike also touch on the role of ESG metrics, the future of the insurance industry in the face of climate change, and the increasing demand for sustainable investing among different generations.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Earth Equity AdvisorsPete Krull on LinkedInCross Country Race in EV Pickup Trucks - Out of Spec YouTube and Out of Spec Podcast Green Sage Sustainability Portfolio Morgan Stanley Sustainable Signals Report Dollars and Change Podcast and YouTube ChannelBook - Cradle to Cradle DEI Episode of The Modern Financial Advisor Podcast with Laura GreggChapters
00:00 The Role of Sustainable Investing for Financial Advisors
03:47 Debunking Myths About Sustainable Investing
12:23 The Future of the Insurance Industry in the Face of Climate Change
25:01 The Increasing Demand for Sustainable Investing Among Different Generations
29:16 Engaging with Clients and Prospects on Sustainable Investing
30:10 Meeting the Needs of Next Gen Investors
32:07 The Growth of Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure
35:19 The Role of Real Estate in Sustainable Investing
43:30 Considering Climate Readiness in Retirement Planning
51:18 Connecting with Influencers in Sustainable Investing
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Reese Harper, CEO of Elements, joins Mike Langford to discuss how financial advisors can use vital signs to improve client conversations and increase their comfort level around financial advice.
Reese explains that vital signs are objective scores that measure various aspects of a client's financial health, such as liquidity, debt-to-income ratio, and savings rate. By using vital signs, advisors can provide personalized advice and help clients make informed decisions about their finances.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Elementality Podcast - With Reese Harper and Carl RichardsDentist Advisors - This is Reese's RIA which influenced his founding of ElementsChapters
00:00 Introduction and Overview
02:56 The Concept of Vital Signs
10:05 Improving Financial Behaviors with Vital Signs
28:31 Using Vital Signs in a Niche Market
35:23 The Birth of Elements and the Importance of Vital Signs
41:06 Accelerating Client Onboarding with Elements
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What if you could expand your client roster by 300% without having to spend a fortune on marketing? This week's guest Beatriz Acevedo and her team at SUMA Wealth discovered a hidden growth gem by serving the Latinx community.
It turns out, people in the community tend to bring other clients with them. And as you'll hear Beatriz discuss with Mike Langford, this growth concept is present in many communities.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
How I Built This - Beatriz was a guest on HIBT Lab! with Guy Raz in which she shared more about her journey that led her to starting SUMA Wealth.Is Your Credit Guacaready? - This is a great example of the culturally relevant marketing that the SUMA Wealth team is using to build a community of over a million people.Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:23 Summa Wealth's Community-First Approach
06:09 The Aha Moment for Summa Wealth
10:18 Understanding the Target Audience
13:40 Learning from Mistakes and Adjusting
22:01 Adapting to Changing Consumer Behavior
25:22 Learning from Younger Generations
26:10 The Value of Different Perspectives
27:06 The Importance of Embracing Change and Learning from Younger Generations
29:03 Transition from TV Producer to FinTech Founder
31:16 Recognizing the Lack of Financial Education in Latino Communities
33:01 The Role of Culture and Community in Fintech
36:00 The Power of Life Experience in Decision-Making
37:26 The Opportunity of Connecting with Younger Generations
43:25 Attracting Non-Latinx Users to Summa Wealth
48:39 Future Plans for Summa Wealth
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The lack of robust organic growth for financial advisors' businesses has been a key concern for industry leaders for years. On this episode of the podcast Tom Rieman, CEO and Founding Partner of PracticeI ntel shares what he believes is the key to cracking the code on organic growth for financial advisors.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Bridging The Gap Podcast - Tom joined Matt Reiner on this podcast recently and we hit on one of the points from that episode to tip off our conversation.Data from PriceMetrix by McKinsey - Mike mentioned the study and an MFA Podcast episode with Kieran Bol.The Augmented Advisor Podcast - James Lee, the former President of the FPA discussed his conviction that "Financial Planner" is the 4th Great Profession.Fidelity Investments 2023 RIA Benchmarking StudySkyView Partners - Their focus on organic growth as a key driver for business valuation. -
There are financial advisors working today who are members of the first generation of people to ever call themselves financial advisors. Think about that!
On this episode of the show, Matt Reiner returns to nerd out with Mike Langford about some of the exciting innovations that are creating new opportunities for modern financial advisors.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
The Circle - Matt and his team have created a vibrant community to share actionable strategies, weekly, to enhance your life, elevate your business and enrich your client experience."Your Future Self" by Hal Hershfield - Matt recommended this book in the context of understanding our decision making process.Harry Markowitz - The father of modern portfolio theory passed away in 2023. The guy who created the foundation for the models that financial advisors use for managing their clients' assets only recently passed away!When Ideas Have Sex - A TED Talk by Matt Ridley that inspired a fun conversation in this episode. -
Andrew Crowell, Vice Chairman of Wealth Management at D.A. Davidson returns to the show to share some eye popping facts about the prevalence of financial fraud. Andrew and Mike Langford also explore what financial advisors can do to protect their clients for becoming victims of fraud and how to help clients recover if they are victimized.
Toward the end of the episode Andrew and Mike dive into the mechanisms financial advisors can use to protect their firm from fraudsters. Because like the famous bank robber Willie Sutton said when asked why he robs banks, financial advisors are "where the money is."
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Americans Are Not Adequately Prepared To Detect Or Prevent Financial Fraud - Scroll down about 3/4 of the way down on this page to see the results of the fraud study.Fraud Prevention: A Guide for Senior Investors - This is a helpful guide created by the team at D.A. DavidsonWilly Sutton Rule - https://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/willie-sutton-rule.asp -
Dr. Jean Oursler "The Results Queen" explains how our caveman brains often get in the way of our ability to develop our businesses to the fullest. However, simple changes to a financial advisor's approach to his or her business development process can lead to dramatic improvements in a short time.
Dr. Jean also shares some personal stories about her journey. She credits investing in herself early, even before her business was achieving real traction, as key lever for her success.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode:
Caveman Brain - Dr. Jean's company specializes in helping financial advisors get better results in their business development.6 Killer Questions - As Dr. Jean mentioned, this free resource outlines the key questions to ask a "potential client" through your funnel.EOS (The Entrepreneurial Operating System) - A framework for clarifying, simplifying, and achieving your vision."Change Your Question, Change Your Life" by Marilee Adams - Dr. Jean recommended this book as a fantastic tool to learn how to ask better questions. -
It may sound hyperbolic but the reality is the advisor who tries to do everything his or herself... is bound to let some important things fall off the table. And as Gina Cotner, CEO of Athena Executive Services explains... it's not just simple "To Do" list items that an advisor might miss.
It could be important client updates or opportunities that lead to business growth.
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