Episodes
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Artificial intelligence in wealth management is moving beyond productivity hacks and into the heart of organic growth. For advisors, the next opportunity is not simply creating more content faster, but building smarter growth engines that connect marketing, client engagement, intent signals, referrals, personalization and measurable business development outcomes.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with John Wernz to explore how AI is changing advisor marketing, where firms should focus now, and why the future of growth may depend on becoming more human, not less.
Key takeaways:
How AI is shifting from efficiency tools to direct organic growth driversWhy advisor marketing is moving from point solutions to connected growth platformsHow AI notetakers are evolving into workflow and referral intelligence toolsWhy AEO and GEO are changing how firms get discovered by prospectsHow firms can measure whether AI is creating real growth or just more activityResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with John Wernz:
LinkedIn: John WernzLinkedIn: Mission WealthLinkedIn: Great Hill PartnersWebsite: Mission WealthWebsite: Great Hill PartnersAbout our Guest:
John Wernz is a growth strategist, advisor, investor, and marketing leader with more than 25 years of experience helping financial services firms drive organic growth. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles with organizations including Fisher Investments and Wealth Enhancement Group, where he helped support significant growth initiatives. Today, he advises private equity-backed firms, wealth management organizations, and fintech companies on marketing, business development, technology, and growth strategy. Known for combining data-driven decision-making with a deep understanding of client relationships, John focuses on helping firms adapt to changing market dynamics, emerging technologies, and evolving client expectations.
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As firms move beyond artificial intelligence notetaking, prep tools and basic automation, the bigger opportunity may be rethinking how work gets done across the entire organization, from the front office to the back office.
What happens when the goal is not doing more, but giving people room to do better human work?
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with Andrei Pop, founder and CEO of Humanity Labs, to explore the rise of the AI workforce in financial services. Pop explains why RIAs are uniquely positioned for this next wave of AI, how firms can use digital workers to close capacity gaps, and why the future of advice may depend less on scaling tasks and more on scaling trust.
Key takeaways::
How AI is moving beyond individual productivityWhy clean data helps, but outcome definition matters moreWhy RIAs are “human businesses” and trust remains the real product advisors deliverThe argument that AI could create more accountability, not lessWhy the financial plan was never really the productResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Andrei Pop:
LinkedIn: Andrei PopLinkedIn: Humanity LabsWebsite: Humanity Labs[email protected]About Our Guest:
Andrei Pop is the Founder and CEO of Humanity Labs, a company focused on building AI workforces for financial services firms. Originally from Romania, Andrei brings a human-centered perspective to technology and operations, shaped by his experience growing up in an oppressive system and later spending years in Silicon Valley. Through Humanity Labs, he works with RIAs and wealth management firms to help them rethink how work gets done, using AI to create firm capacity, streamline operations, and free advisors to focus more on trust, judgment, and human connection.
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Everyone in wealth management is talking about artificial intelligence, but too much of the conversation still centers on efficiency. Yes, saving time matters. But the bigger opportunity is moving firms from disconnected tools, dashboards and workflows into a world where AI can help deliver timely insights, proactive engagement and more personalized communication at scale.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with A.J. De Rosa, CEO and co-founder of Intellebox, to explore what separates AI as a feature from it as a firmwide strategy, why agentic workflows are not the same as basic automation, and how compliance may become stronger, not weaker, when AI is designed with the right guardrails.
Key takeaways:
How client engagement and personalization have become the new bottlenecks in wealth managementWhy AI needs to evolve from point solutions into agentic operating systemsHow compliance could become stronger with AI-powered oversight and human reviewWhy the future is not human versus AI, but human judgment plus machine intelligenceWhy efficiency alone is not a growth strategy for advisory firmsResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with A.J. De Rosa:
LinkedIn: A.J. De RosaLinkedIn: Intellebox.aiWebsite: Intellebox.ai[email protected] Substack: A.J. De RosaX: Intellebox.aiAbout Our Guest:
AJ DeRosa is the Co-Founder and CEO of Intellebox.ai, where he leads the company’s mission to redefine wealth management through agentic AI and a next-generation client engagement platform. His extensive experience in startup leadership, capital formation, and enterprise scaling has positioned him exceptionally well for this next chapter, building an industry-transforming company at the intersection of AI and wealth advisory.
AJ brings over 29 years of revenue and operations leadership across finance, AI, and technology. He joined Intellectus Partners as a Partner and CEO-in-Residency, specifically recruited to incubate and launch Intellebox.ai. During his time at Intellectus, AJ helped shape the firm’s growth strategy while architecting the vision, commercial model, and market approach that became the foundation of Intellebox.
Before launching Intellebox.ai, AJ played integral roles in five venture-backed startups. Most recently, as Chief Revenue Officer and Section 16 Officer at Evolv Technologies, he helped lead the company through hyper-growth and its successful NASDAQ public listing in 2021. Prior to Evolv, AJ served as Chief Revenue Officer at Orbital Insight, where he secured over $120 million in venture capital from firms including Sequoia, Google Ventures, and Lux Capital, relationships he continues to support as an advisor.
Earlier, AJ spent more than a decade at Eze Software Group, where he contributed to major private equity transactions and served as Co-Head of Global Sales, solidifying his deep roots in the investment management and hedge fund ecosystem.
AJ holds a B.S. in Economics from Lehigh University.
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Sometimes, the biggest growth lever is hiding in plain sight: the client experience advisors are already delivering every single day.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic speaks with Brooke Cecil, vice president of client relations and talent at BELAY Solutions, to unpack why operational support, delegation and consistency are becoming critical pieces of the modern advisory firm. Brooke also shares practical ways to measure delegation, reduce burnout and create more room for client-facing work.
Key takeaways:
Where operational breakdowns most often happen inside advisory firmsHow delegation helps advisors create more capacity without sacrificing service quality How advisors can identify the first tasks they should hand offBELAY’s “six Ts” framework for identifying what advisors should stop doingWhy inbox zero may be overratedResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyBELAY’s free resource, 15 Ways to Deliver More Value to Your ClientsConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Brooke Cecil:
LinkedIn: Brooke CecilLinkedIn: BELAYWebsite: BELAYAbout Our Guest:
Brooke Cecil is the Vice President of Client Relations and Talent at BELAY, where she works closely with financial advisors and organizations to strengthen their operational support and improve client experience. With nearly 13 years at BELAY, she brings a strong focus on helping firms balance growth with consistency by freeing advisors from administrative bottlenecks. Brooke’s work centers on building systems and support structures that allow advisors to spend more time on relationships, which she sees as the core driver of referrals and long-term growth.
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Everyone in wealth management is talking about artificial intelligence, but the more important question is what happens when it stops being just another feature and starts becoming the operating layer for the firm. Not just a notetaker. Not just a chatbot. Something that can actually help advisors scale capacity, reduce operational drag and make the tech stack feel a whole lot less fragmented.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic chats with Mark Swan, CEO and co-founder of Nevis, to explore what it really takes for AI to move beyond point solutions and into the core infrastructure of a modern RIA. He unpacks the difference between horizontal AI tools and vertical AI platforms, why voice may become the next major interface in advisor technology, and how firms can start thinking about AI not as a collection of disconnected tools, but as a system for orchestrating work across the front, middle and back office.
Key takeaways:
Why the real bottleneck in wealth management is advisor capacity, not demandThe difference between AI point solutions and a truly unified platformWhat lessons from digital banking can teach wealth firms about scaling and reducing costsWhy voice could become a much more natural way for advisors to interact with their technology How lowering the cost to serve could make professional financial advice accessible to more clientsResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Mark Swan:
LinkedIn: Mark SwanLinkedIn: Nevis WealthWebsite: Nevis WealthAbout Our Guest:
Mark Swan is the CEO and Co-founder of Nevis, an AI platform built specifically for wealth management firms. Originally from Scotland, he brings a global perspective shaped by his experience helping scale Revolut into one of the largest digital banks in the world. At Nevis, Mark is focused on reducing the administrative burden that limits advisor capacity, using AI to streamline workflows and improve how firms operate. His work centers on helping advisors spend less time on processes and more time with clients, while also expanding access to financial advice through more efficient and scalable systems.
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Everyone in wealth management says they’re using AI right now. But if we’re being honest, most of it still looks like faster note taking, cleaner CRM updates or slightly better workflows. Helpful? Yes. Transformational? Not even close.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, Shannon Rosic sits down with Subatomic CEO Sam Sova to unpack the much bigger shift happening beneath the surface: AI that doesn’t just assist advisors, but actually works alongside them.
He explains why the industry is still stuck in a “1995 internet moment,” what it really means to move from AI tools to AI coworkers, and how leading RIAs are already using agentic AI to orchestrate workflows, unlock growth and fundamentally rethink how their firms operate.
Key takeaways:
Why most AI in wealth management today is just incremental improvement, not transformationThe difference between AI tools and true agentic AI coworkersHow AI orchestration creates a single, intelligent view of the clientWhat “hiring AI” looks like inside a modern RIAWhy operational efficiency is just the starting point and growth is the real unlockResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Sam Sova:
LinkedIn: Sam SovaLinkedIn: SubatomicWebsite: SubatomicAbout Our Guest:
Sam Sova is the Co-Founder and CEO of Subatomic, where he focuses on helping wealth management firms rethink how they operate through AI-driven systems. With over two decades of experience inside large organizations such as Fiserv, TIAA, AT&T, and Johnson Controls, he has led transformation efforts centered on solving complex operational challenges. Today, he brings that background into the evolving AI space, working with firms to move beyond traditional tools and adopt AI coworkers that can streamline workflows, unify data, and support more meaningful client engagement.
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Client meetings remain the heartbeat of the advisory relationship, but the expectations around them have never been higher. Advisors are under pressure to show up prepared, deliver deeply personalized guidance and answer increasingly complex questions on the spot, all while navigating a fragmented tech stack and rising client expectations shaped by artificial intelligence.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with Nitrogen CEO Dan Zitting to unpack how technology is reshaping the before, during and after of client engagement. Fresh off Nitrogen’s Fearless Investing Summit, Zitting shares why the real opportunity in wealthtech isn’t replacing advisors with automation, but amplifying their expertise through connected workflows, compelling visuals and agentic AI.
Key takeaways:
Why the client meeting is becoming the most important battleground for advisor valueHow Nitrogen rebuilt its platform around its Nucleus AI engine to automate advisor workflowsWhy tax conversations may spark the next generation of “catalyst moments” for clientsWhy persuasive visuals can transform client understanding and engagementHow AI tools could help advisors manage larger client books while offering deeper planning insightsResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Dan Zitting:
LinkedIn: Dan ZittingLinkedIn: Nitrogen WealthWebsite: Nitrogen Wealth[email protected]About Our Guest:
Nitrogen CEO Dan Zitting is a SaaS entrepreneur & operator, with a passion for software that enables a bold vision, especially one as bold as empowering the world to invest fearlessly. Prior to Nitrogen, Dan spent 13 years in enterprise SaaS for governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC). That journey started with founding Workpapers.com, the first true cloud software for audit & compliance management, which was acquired by Galvanize (then ACL) in late 2011. Then, leading Galvanize, Dan oversaw growth into the industry-recognized leader globally in GRC as recognized by analysts, investors, and (most importantly) customers alike. Galvanize was ultimately acquired by Diligent in a $1B transaction that created by far the world’s largest company in GRC software, a $650m+ revenue SaaS business serving 25,000 customers in 130+ countries. Dan’s lessons along the way have been published in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Business Week, Reuters, The Street, CNBC, etc., as well as from the stage at hundreds of professional speaking events.
Dan graduated with a BSBA in Information Systems and Finance from Colorado State University and received a Master of Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame. Dan believes his purpose is to challenge the planet’s organizations to maximize impact by operating with a conscience, and he’s found cloud software to be his best contribution to that personal mission.
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Technology in wealth management isn’t just changing, it’s colliding with reality. Advisors are expected to deliver deeply personalized experiences, operate at consumer-grade speed and navigate increasing complexity, all on top of legacy systems never designed for this moment. As AI accelerates what’s possible, the real challenge isn’t adopting new tools, it’s rethinking how technology supports the advisor experience from the ground up.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with Vestmark CTO Freedom Dumlao to go behind the curtain of modern wealthtech and unpack why advisor experience, data integration and agentic AI are now the real battlegrounds for scaling RIAs.
Key takeaways:
Why consumer software experiences are redefining advisor expectations at workHow integration challenges quietly drain time and limit true personalizationWhy agentic AI is the real leap forwardWhy the advisor’s moat is validation, not informationHow compliance doesn’t kill innovation, it sharpens itResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Freedom Dumlao:
LinkedIn: Freedom DumlaoLinkedIn: VestmarkWebsite: VestmarkAbout Our Guest:
Freedom Dumlao is the Chief Technology Officer at Vestmark, where he leads the firm’s technology strategy with a focus on resilience, scalability, and building long-term client confidence. He brings a disciplined, hands-on approach shaped by senior leadership roles at Amazon, Zipcar, Flexcar, Wayfair, and Drift, including his work on the Alexa machine learning and AI platform. A strong advocate for open-source communities, Freedom also serves as a board member and treasurer of Ruby Central. Outside of work, he enjoys woodworking, cooking, and spending time with his two daughters building robots and experimenting with electronics.
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“Personalization” has become one of the most overused words in wealth management and one of the hardest promises to actually deliver. Clients want portfolios that reflect their goals, values, tax realities, and life events. Firms want scale, efficiency, and fewer operational landmines. Too often, those two goals collide.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with Joshua Allen, CEO of TCP Asset Management, to unpack what real portfolio personalization looks like inside a fast-growing RIA and why most firms underestimate the operational cost of getting it wrong. Josh shares how TCP moved beyond model-only workflows, where automation actually helps (and where it doesn’t), and why saying no to most technology is critical to scaling personalization without creating an ops headache.
Key takeaways:
How hiring a director of advisory services strengthened tech integrationWhy deeper use of existing tech beats adding more tools to the stackHow personalized portfolios are driving referrals across generationsWhy most “personalized portfolios” still feel identical to clientsWhat’s real vs hype when it comes to AI in portfolio managementResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Joshua Allen:
LinkedIn: TCP Asset ManagementWebsite: TCP Asset ManagementAbout Our Guest:
As a founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer of TCP Asset Management, Josh Allen is charged with leading a team of wealth advisors in practice management, business development, and innovative planning solutions. These solutions have provided our clients with the resources and flexibility needed to deliver a personalized financial planning experience that is fluid and dynamic. Josh and his team have developed and refined a process that is comprehensive in nature and ties together: investment management, risk management, retirement income planning, estate planning, business and family legacy planning, and philanthropy. This exclusive process allows them to put together all the pieces of the financial puzzle for their clients as their lives unfold and be engaged when their needs evolve.
Josh received a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University in Family Resource Management. He also received a certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University. Upon completion of the education, examination and experience requirements, Josh obtained the Certified Financial Planner, CRPC® and CRPS® designations. His securities licenses include the series 7,9,10 and 66 and State of Ohio insurance license.
Josh is married to Branda, who is also one of his business partners. They together have three children, two dogs and two cats. As a family they love the outdoors, whether it is on the beach or in the mountains, they are always up for an adventure.
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As advisors race to deliver “personalized” portfolios at scale, a hard reality is setting in: most personalization is still just a model tweak with a nicer label. Meanwhile, clients want more hands-on service, more transparency and more customization, while firms are trying to grow without hiring an army of operations and investment staff. The result is a widening gap between what clients expect and what legacy portfolio tools can realistically deliver. The firms that win won’t be the ones stacking more complexity. They’ll be the ones using automation to deliver truly bespoke outcomes, with clearer decisioning, tighter risk controls and better records behind every trade.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with Wes Caywood, head of distribution at Pave Finance, to unpack what “real personalization” actually means in 2026, why portfolio complexity rarely translates into client-perceived value and how automation can make portfolio management more defensible, not less.
Key takeaways:
How to modernize portfolio management with “blowing up” your existing workflowsWhere AI actually fits in portfolio managementWhere the personalization gap shows up most clearly (and why it becomes an ops and time problem fast)What automation should capture for compliance, auditability, and transparency The biggest mistake firms make when evaluating portfolio techResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Wes Caywood:
LinkedIn: Wes CaywoodLinkedIn: Pave FinanceWebsite: Pave FinanceAbout Our Guest:
Wes Caywood is the Head of Distribution at Pave Finance, where he works closely with advisors and firms to modernize portfolio management through thoughtful use of technology and automation. With more than 20 years in financial services, Wes brings deep experience working with sophisticated clients, family offices, and advisory teams. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Navy officer, he is driven by a service-oriented mindset and a focus on helping advisors deliver personalized, well-prepared client experiences at scale.
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As artificial intelligence-powered tools flood the market and marketing becomes faster, cheaper and easier to automate, advisors are discovering an uncomfortable truth: more tech doesn’t automatically create more trust. In an industry that’s louder and more crowded than ever, growth is no longer a tactics problem; it’s an attention, resonance and differentiation problem. The firms that win will be the ones that understand how technology amplifies identity, not replaces it, and how behavioral finance and neuroscience shape decisions long before a prospect ever takes a meeting.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, Shannon Rosic sits down with Dr. Joshua Wilson, founder of NeuBeFi, to explore where tech, behavioral finance, and human psychology actually intersect, and why most advisors are focusing on the wrong side of the decision-making process.
Key takeaways:
Why most firms have a marketability problem, not a marketing problem How technology amplifies identity rather than creating differentiationWhat “signal discovery” means and how it turns sameness into differentiationWhy growth fails when treated as a checklist instead of a diagnosisHow clarity and cognitive relief drive trust in money decisionsResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Dr. Joshua Wilson:
LinkedIn: Dr. Joshua WilsonLinkedIn: NeuBeFiWebsite: NeuBeFiAbout Our Guest:
Dr. Joshua Wilson is the pioneer behind Neuro-Behavioral Finance—a transformative approach that fuses behavioral finance, neuroscience, narrative strategy, and decision science to help advisors and FinTechs become the only option their ideal clients feel drawn to.
Before becoming a sought-after strategist to RIAs and FinTechs, Joshua spent nearly two decades inside the arena where he achieved significant success. Joshua has personally closed hundreds of millions in AUM both virtually and in person.
During his time with TD Ameritrade, he was a highly decorated advisor, National Coach of the Year, led the national sales training program, and traveled the country representing the firm.
After transitioning to the independent RIA world, he built and grew his advisory practice from $0 AUM and no base salary. After selling his book, he led another RIA from turnaround to rapid expansion to acquisition as CEO. In addition to guiding wealth advisors and FinTechs, his expertise has been sought by $20+ billion asset managers, platforms backed by Y Combinator, marketing agencies, and venture capital firms.
His programs have reshaped firms that later appeared in Forbes, Financial Times Top 300 RIAs, the RIA Database’s Top 100 Emerging Wealth Managers, and more. Individually, Joshua has been named to multiple Forbes lists honoring America’s top financial advisors and recognized multiple times as a 5 Star Wealth Manager.
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For three years running, the WealthStack season has officially started the same way: with an unfiltered wealthtech outlook conversation between Shannon Rosic and Davis Janowski, senior technology editor and research analyst at Wealth Management. If 2025 was the year firms finally started using AI, 2026 is shaping up to be the year we find out whether all that tech actually pays the rent.
In this annual tech vibe check, Shannon and Davis dig into how AI notetakers quietly reshaped advisor workflows, why agentic AI and “AI operating systems” are the next wave, and what this all means for junior talent, firm structure and the future “Chief AI Officer.”
They also explore whether Franken-stacks are really dying, how niche platforms and new lead-gen tools are redefining value, and why cybersecurity and deepfakes may be the biggest underpriced risks on every CTO’s roadmap.
Key takeaways:
What under-the-radar innovations to watch in the 2026How data fragmentation limits real AI adoption despite rising tech budgetsWhat agent-based platforms signal about the future of advisor softwareWhy critical thinking remains more valuable than pure AI skillsHow cybersecurity risks are growing faster than regulatory responsesResources:
Listen to WealthStack on Wealth ManagementSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealth ManagementConnect with Davis Janowski:
LinkedIn: Davis JanowskiInstagram: @DavisJanowskiAbout Our Guest:
Davis Janowski is a New York-based technology journalist whose work spans consumer, business and the FinTech sectors.
Prior to his six years with WM, Janowski worked for Forrester Research as an analyst covering Digital Wealth Management. In edition, he has worked for two FinTech startups, Wealthfront and New York-based FeeX, Inc. (now Pontera). His work covering the advisor tech space began in 2007 when he joined InvestmentNews as the advisor industry’s first dedicated technology reporter. His start in tech journalism began as an editor with PC Magazine in 1999 where he later served as an analyst and reviewer.
His work has appeared in The New York Times, Wealth Management, Financial Planning, RIABiz, InvestmentNews, PC Magazine, numerous blogs and several books, including Technology Tools for Today’s High Margin Practice. He has also been a speaker and moderator at numerous industry conferences.
Outside his day-to-day he is a senior guide for Manhattan Kayak Company in New York City.
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Technology promises speed and clarity, yet frustration keeps showing up instead. Many firms buy tools expecting instant results, only to find the real challenges start after launch.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic speaks with Jason Pereira, senior partner and financial planner at Woodgate Financial, about what actually broke in wealthtech adoption this year. They unpack why most failures are human, not technical, how unrealistic expectations derail implementation and why AI often complicates workflows before helping.
They also explore where AI truly adds value, why surface-level integrations fall short, and what advisors should focus on before buying the next shiny tool.
Key takeaways:
Why most tech “fails” at the human levelThe rise and risks of vibe coding and DIY toolsAI’s real wins and painful misfires in 2025The danger of treating complex tools like plug-and-play appliancesWhat advisors should actually do heading into 2026Resources:
Listen to WealthStack on WealthManagement.comSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealthManagement.comConnect with Jason Pereira:
LinkedIn: Jason PereiraWebsite: Jason PereiraWebsite: Woodgate FinancialAbout Our Guest:
Jason Pereira is a financial planner who has lived and breathed financial planning for over 20 years. Over that time, he has become a recognized writer, commentator, speaker, podcaster, teacher, and voice in financial planning, practice management, and fintech. He has earned two degrees, nine professional designations, been nominated for or received more than 30 industry awards, and produced over 750 articles, podcasts, and interviews. JasonPereira.ca serves as his platform for sharing the insights, perspectives, and lessons he has gathered throughout his career.
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Wealth firms are finally moving beyond “CRM as a Rolodex” and into a world where CRM, data and AI operate as the command center of the entire business. As growth pressures mount, advisor demographics shift and AI-driven tools flood the market, the firms that win will be those that treat their CRM as a true engagement and orchestration layer for advisors, clients and operations, not just a system of record.
In this episode of the WealthStack Podcast, Shannon Rosic sits down with Michelle Feinstein, former general manager of Salesforce, to unpack how leading firms are reimagining their data strategy and piloting AI agents to drive advisor productivity, deeper client engagement and real organic growth.
Key takeaways:
How CRM has evolved into a unified layer for data, workflow and AIWhat Salesforce is building with Financial Services Cloud for advisors and planning integrationsWhich AI use cases are actually delivering productivity gainsWhere firms get stuck on data, governance, talent and cultureWhat high-growth firms do differently with tech, AI and client engagementResources:
Listen to WealthStack on WealthManagement.comSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealthManagement.comConnect with Michelle Feinstein:
LinkedIn: Michelle FeinsteinWebsite: SalesforceAbout Our Guest:
Michelle Feinstein is the former general manager of Salesforce. Her expertise is in digital transformation for wealth management. This process of digitization is complex; it requires firms to accelerate plans to harness data, digitize advisor-client experiences, and modernize service to scale and support growth.
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When giving meets innovation, philanthropy transforms from a year-end transaction into a powerful force for ongoing impact.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with Sarah Angello, co-founder of Daffodil, to discuss how technology is modernizing charitable giving and helping advisors weave generosity into their clients’ financial planning.
Sarah shares how Daffodil’s platform bridges wealth management and philanthropy, the rise of donor-advised funds and the next wave of “always-on giving” powered by artificial intelligence and data-driven insights.
Key takeaways:
How Daffodil turns charitable giving into a continuous part of wealth management rather than a one-time transactionWhy integrating philanthropy conversations strengthens client loyalty and retentionThe truth about donor-advised funds and why they are far more active than critics claimHow AI is enabling personalized, real-time impact reporting and smarter giving strategiesThe shift toward “always-on giving” and how advisors can prepare for the next generation of donorsResources:
Listen to WealthStack on WealthManagement.comSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealthManagement.comConnect with Sarah Angello:
LinkedIn: Sarah AngelloDaffodilAbout Our Guest:
Sarah Angello is the Co-Founder of Daffodil. Sarah brings over 15 years of experience, blending tech-for-good expertise with experience working with donor-advised funds, philanthropic capital networks, and nonprofits. She has served on grants and advising panels for the City of New York, numerous private foundations, and social good enterprises throughout the US
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Wealth management is no longer powered by people using technology, it’s powered by firms built on it. As artificial intelligence, data and digital experiences reshape the industry, the winners will be those who modernize from the inside out, and where infrastructure, integration and culture work together to deliver scalable, human-centric advice.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with JP Pattinson, chief information and digital officer at MAI Capital Management, to unpack how leading RIAs are transforming their tech foundations to prepare for what’s next. Drawing on his unique journey from advisor to technologist, JP shares how he’s bridging innovation and practicality.
Key takeaways:
How MAI Capital is using Salesforce Financial Services Cloud as its digital foundationWhy “consistency is the new scalability” for enterprise RIAsThe growing importance of cybersecurity and centralized vendor management programsHow to align tech adoption with advisor experience How to balance short-term tech demands with long-term visionResources:
Listen to WealthStack on WealthManagement.comSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealthManagement.comConnect with JP Pattinson:
LinkedIn: JP PattinsonLinkedIn: MAI Capital ManagementMAI Capital ManagementAbout Our Guest:
JP Pattinson is the Chief Information and Digital Officer at MAI Capital Management, where he leads the firm’s digital and technology strategy, overseeing network infrastructure, management information systems, applications, and both client and advisor digital experiences. He joined MAI in 2024 after an extensive career at Merit Financial Advisors, where he served in multiple roles, including client service, relationship management, and 12 years as a wealth advisor before becoming Vice President of Technology. Outside of work, JP is actively involved with the Remember the Fallen charity and enjoys traveling and spending time with his family. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Financial Services from the University of North Texas.
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Client expectations in wealth management have leapt ahead: investors want the same seamless, mobile, and personalized experience they get from Netflix, Uber and even their bank. Yet most firms still rely on portals few clients open and emails lost in crowded inboxes, creating gaps in engagement, advice delivery, and growth.
In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with Tom Fields, founder and CEO of Fynancial, to discuss how digital experience platforms redefine advisor-client relationships. Tom shares the story behind Fynancial, the lessons learned from losing his biggest client, and how his communication-first mindset is helping firms modernize engagement, simplify their tech, and scale trust.
They discuss:
Why communication is the new client experience, and why email and social miss the markWhy advisors must control delivery to ensure their message is received and rememberedHow Fynancial integrates CRMs, planning tools, and custodial data into one unified client appThe role of AI and agentic assistants in creating personalized, compliant communication at scaleMetrics that matter: engagement signals, first-month referrals, and ROI stories from enterprise rolloutsResources:
Listen to WealthStack on WealthManagement.comSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealthManagement.comConnect with Tom Fields:
LinkedIn: Tom FieldsWebsite: FynancialAbout Our Guest:
Tom Fields is the CEO and Founder of Fynancial, the only Digital Experience Platform for Wealth Management—the easiest way to engage clients, integrate technology, and grow organically all on your own branded app.
Tom launched Fynancial in January 2023 and has worked with some of the biggest names in wealth management. He is an active thought leader in advisor technology, regularly speaking and sharing insights on digital engagement strategies that position RIAs to thrive in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.
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Family offices sit at the intersection of complexity and innovation, where the stakes are high and trust is everything. The challenge isn’t just adopting new tools, but ensuring they deliver security, transparency, and personalization for ultra-high-net-worth families. In this environment, technology has shifted from back-office infrastructure to the front line of client engagement.
In this episode, host Shannon Rosic speaks with Dan Burke, chief technology officer and founding partner at Callan Family Office, about how CTOs balance innovation with risk, build client-driven tech roadmaps, and why reporting and data remain the backbone of digital transformation in wealth management.
They discuss:
His journey from investment analyst to CTO and the founding of Callan Family OfficeWhy ultra-high-net-worth families need more than just investment managementThe role of trust, data and assumptions in adopting AI toolsHow Callan approaches risk management, cybersecurity and process improvementThe Tax Overlay Management program for after-tax optimizationResources:
Listen to WealthStack on WealthManagement.comSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealthManagement.comConnect with Dan Burke:
LinkedIn: Dan BurkeWebsite: Callan Family OfficeAbout Our Guest:
Dan Burke serves as Chief Technology Officer at Callan Family Office and leads the development of the firm’s integrated technology offering for ultra-high-net-worth families and family offices.
Dan brings 20 years of tax-efficient portfolio construction and investment technology experience to his role guiding the firm’s technology strategy. He oversees data management, system integration, and the aggregated reporting platform that empowers Callan Family Office professionals to deliver customized advice and solutions. Dan manages a key component of this platform, CFO’s Tax Overlay Management program, and works directly with clients to design portfolios that seek to maximize after-tax, net-of-fee investment returns.
In addition to his technology leadership, Dan serves as a Co-Chair of the Callan Family Office Investment Committee.
Previously, Dan was Managing Director and Head of Institutional OCIO at Wells Fargo Private Bank, leading investment management for its largest institutional and philanthropic clients. He also held senior roles at Abbot Downing, where he led portfolio construction and developed the firm’s tax-efficient portfolio management framework. Dan began his career as an investment analyst at Morgan Stanley.
Dan earned his MBA with High Honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, specializing in Finance, Econometrics, and Statistics. He holds a BBA in Finance, Magna Cum Laude, from Bowling Green State University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
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As AI shifts from novelty to necessity in wealth management, the real unlock isn’t shiny tools, it’s smarter planning. Advisors need technology that compresses plan-build time, surfaces next-best actions and keeps clients engaged without losing the human in the loop. How can AI move firms from episodic planning to an additive, always-on model? By turning personalization at scale into a practical reality across the wealth stack.
In this episode, host Shannon Rosic speaks with Ken Lotocki, chief product officer of Conquest Planning, about innovations like Conquest’s Strategic Advice Manager, the role of hybrid models, and how estate and legacy planning tie into the next generation of client engagement.
They also discuss:
How Conquest enables advisors to spend less time on technology and more time with clientsHow AI augments (not replaces) advisors by making planning the hub of the client journeyThe role of AI and SAM in delivering real-time insights and additive planningWhy best-in-breed + open APIs beat building a CRM in-houseWhat the $80 million Series B unlocks for product velocity and U.S. expansionResources:
Listen to WealthStack on WealthManagement.comSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealthManagement.comConnect with Ken Lotocki:
LinkedIn: Ken LotockiWebsite: Conquest PlanningLinkedIn: Conquest PlanningAbout Our Guest:
Ken Lotocki, Chief Product Officer at Conquest Planning, has nearly 20 years of experience in financial services technology, specializing in product management and business analysis. As a founder of Conquest, he shapes the firm’s product direction and drives innovation. Previously, Ken led technology strategy at Cambrian Credit Union and was the Product Director at Advicent, advancing NaviPlan’s strategy in North America. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Manitoba.
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As artificial intelligence becomes table stakes, RIAs and enterprises alike are experimenting with tools to streamline workflows, improve client experiences and scale smarter. But while many firms are testing isolated tools, the real opportunity lies in weaving AI into the very DNA of a business, transforming it from a tech experiment into a strategic advantage.
In this episode of the WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic speaks with John Bunch, CEO of Allworth Financial, to explore how one of the industry’s rapidly growing RIAs is pushing AI beyond pilot programs. With more than 40 active initiatives and an internal AI Council guiding adoption, Allworth is proving that the future of advice isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about strategy, culture and client impact.
John discusses:
Why Allworth launched 40+ projectsHow AI can elevate client relationships The role of the AI Council in driving adoption and ROIHis “fail fast, fix it or ditch it” approach to innovation and automation beyond AIWhat it takes to align business strategy and tech strategy in practiceResources:
Listen to WealthStack on WealthManagement.comSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple PodcastsSubscribe and listen to WealthStack on SpotifyThe WealthStack Podcast: The Meeting Assistant Revolution with Parker EnceConnect with Shannon Rosic:
Shannon RosicWealthStack websiteWealthManagement.comConnect With John Bunch:
Allworth FinancialLinkedIn: Allworth FinancialLinkedIn: John BunchAbout Our Guest:
John Bunch is the Chief Executive Officer at Allworth Financial. Universally recognized within the wealth management industry, he has accumulated an extensive 30-year history of successfully leading and expanding award-winning organizations that serve both retail and institutional clients.
Before coming to Allworth, John spent over three years as the Chief Financial Services Director at Evelyn Partners (formerly Tilney Smith & Williamson), a leading integrated wealth management and professional services firm headquartered in the United Kingdom. Prior to that, he was the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Edelman Financial Engines – where he oversaw 130 branch offices – and the Chief Executive Officer of The Mutual Fund Store. Before that, he held several key institutional sector leadership positions, including Executive Vice President at TD Ameritrade and Divisional Senior Vice President at Charles Schwab & Co.
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