There is no one-size-fits-all approach to starting or scaling a practice, and today, we sit down for a conversation with XYPN member Spencer Stephens who has taken his own path starting and scaling his firm. Stephen, like many folks, is interested in building a lifestyle practice vs. an enterprise practice. He founded Rooted Interest, a fee-only firm in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2017, and today, he discusses why he serves a smaller client base than other comparable firms. He discusses why he cont...
Jul 28, 2021•56 min
We’re excited to introduce you to Cathy Curtis, founder of Curtis Financial Planning, a fee-only firm out of Oakland, CA. Cathy has run her firm for over 20 years and shares just a sliver of her experience on the show today. Cathy is a solo advisor—and always has been. She serves women, specifically breadwinning women, and to this day, finds 1:1 client work her favorite part of running her firm. Cathy discusses flow and how to find it, the kind of insecurities women face as they try to understan...
Jul 14, 2021•1 hr
We’re excited to welcome Vinicius “V” Hiratuka, founder of Elevated Retirement Financial Services, on the show today. V serves just over 50 client households on an AUM basis, folding his financial planning and investment management into a single comprehensive fee. Despite being relatively young, V serves almost exclusively pre-retirees—and loves doing it. He talks about the oh-so-familiar feeling of wanting to do things differently and why breaking out on his own was so important to him. He remi...
Jun 30, 2021•50 min
We’re excited to have Alan Moore, the CEO and Co-Founder of XYPN, on the show today. XYPN just celebrated its 7th year, and it’s been about a year and a half since Alan hosted his last #XYPNRadio episode. Today, he joins us to discuss what this whole journey has been like—from starting the business to managing a team through COVID, all while being a dad (now with three kids). Alan opens up about nerves, some worries that have lingered over the years, and reminisces on some of his favorite times ...
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 4 min
We’re excited to welcome back Shane Mason and AJ Ayers, co-founders of Brooklyn FI, for a check-in on their growth trajectory since we last spoke with them on episode #221. Brooklyn FI now has 10 fully remote employees, serves over 200 client households, and is pushing the two million dollar mark in revenue. On the show today, we discuss what that growth has been like—from identifying great new talent for their team to handling the crazy demands of this year’s tax season. They talk about why hir...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr
We’re excited to have four XYPN members and firm owners on the show today. Becky Meats, Bonnie Arnold, Molly Laughter, and Adrienne Ross were introduced to each other during their XYPN Launcher program in 2019 and have met every week since then as a mastermind group. We dig in and discuss what makes this group work—from the framework to the attitudes, and how they ensure the meetings and group are helpful for each of them. We talk about imposter syndrome, pivotal points in the group's history, a...
May 26, 2021•56 min
We’re honored to welcome Vince Hockett, XYPN’s Chief Revenue Officer, to the show today. Vince joined the XYPN team just about one year ago and has brought decades of experience working at rapidly growing companies along with him. Today, Vince shares what it’s like working with Alan and Michael as a fellow executive and what it’s been like to manage the group of young leaders that ultimately deliver the promise of XYPN membership (and then some). Vince pulls the curtain back on his management st...
May 19, 2021•52 min
Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Kelly Klingaman, Vice President and Regional Director of Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA). Kelly has worked in the RIA space for the past 12 years, helping advisors around the country understand and communicate investment management strategies to their clients. Kelly explains that DFA partners with advisors to educate them on the academic research that DFA builds its principal theories around and how this credibility can be infused within their planning pr...
May 12, 2021•51 min
In today’s episode, we’re honored to speak with Cindu Thomas-George, a professor and the owner of Shakthi Diversity and Equity Training. Cindu joins us to discuss what diversity, equity, and inclusion each mean and lays out a persuasive argument for DEI initiatives as a growth strategy within a business. She discusses the concepts of power and social capital and presents the moral case for considering these concepts within your work. She gives answers to tough questions like, “Is this conversati...
May 05, 2021•50 min
Today, we have the privilege of talking to Terria Heng and Shelby Brown, two of XYPN’s Compliance Coaches who together have nearly two decades of experience as examiners and compliance consultants. Terria and Shelby discuss with us their recommended approach to compliance, the time commitment required to ensure you’re creating a culture of compliance within your firm, and several other compliance considerations that keep RIA owners up at night. They give great advice like how to trust your insti...
Apr 28, 2021•51 min
Today we have the honor of speaking with Chris Dale and Julie Quick, two XYPN members and RIA owners who make a tremendous impact in their clients’ lives as they focus on the complex niche of people in transition, specifically those dealing with grief. If you’re interested in supporting and guiding clients through transition, this episode is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/304...
Apr 21, 2021•51 min
Today, we have an exciting conversation with Ryan Mohr and Eric Thomas, owners of Clarity Capital Management, a fee-only firm out of Portland, OR, where we talk about all things partnering—how to do it, when to do it, and all of the potential benefits. Three and a half years ago, Ryan started his firm as the sole owner and built it to serve over 45 client households. As the pressures of growth continued, the desire to bring on a partner was at the forefront of his mind. On today’s show, Eric and...
Apr 14, 2021•53 min
Today we’re excited to welcome Pearl Michalson, XYPN’s Internship Coordinator, to the show. Pearl has built XYPN’s internship program from the ground up and has a wealth of expertise when it comes to all things interns and internships. From identifying top talent to training managers on how to best utilize interns, a lot goes into making an internship a successful and rewarding experience for all. Pearl shares her unique theory around internship programs with us and the wide variety of work that...
Apr 07, 2021•52 min
We’re incredibly excited to have Ashlee deSteiger and David Rae—two XYPN advisors and RIA owners—on the show today to talk about everything that comes along with working having your spouse as a coworker. Ashlee’s husband joined her firm, Gunder, after seeing the momentum and freedom she enjoyed while running the firm, while David hired his husband at his firm strategically to support not just his firm, but his lifestyle as well. In this episode, you’ll hear Ashlee and David discuss the good, bad...
Mar 31, 2021•52 min
Today, we have two remarkable XYPN members—Tremaine Wills and Charles Ho—on the show. Tremaine and Charles both left the broker-dealer space knowing they were destined to do more meaningful work. Both ended up finding major fulfillment in being owners of their very own independent RIAs. We speak with both Tremaine and Charles about their previous professional backgrounds, including the tears that were shed, the pressure that was applied, and the emptiness they both felt around the work they were...
Mar 24, 2021•49 min
We’re thrilled to have four incredible XYPN members on the show with us today: Alexandra Baig, Neil Mahoney, Todd Sensing, and Matthew Ricks. Each advisor has built a practice that either focuses entirely on or incorporates special needs planning—a unique niche that brings its own challenges, and of course, rewards. From soft skills like trust and sensitivity to having deep technical expertise, specific requirements are needed to serve the special needs community. Alex, Neil, Todd, and Matthew s...
Mar 17, 2021•45 min
Today, we’re excited to talk with three extraordinary people—Aaron Agte, Michael Reynolds, and Trishul Patel—with three remarkable things in common: they are all RIA owners, XYPN members, and, to top it off, podcasters. In today's episode, we discuss the intricacies of hosting a podcast as a primary component of a RIA marketing strategy . You’ll learn that each of these advisors approaches their podcasts a little differently in terms of structure, format, and purpose. Aaron and Trishul team up t...
Mar 10, 2021•51 min
We’re excited to have Cathy Morgan and James Hindes on the show today to talk about their respective firms, Assess Financial Freedom and ENOW Financial. While Cathy and James own two separate RIAs, they share many similarities, both having entered the industry from other careers (and both being XYPN members, of course!). Cathy was and is a CPA, while James spent most of his career in the tech industry. If you’re contemplating a career change or have been there and done that, then this show is fo...
Mar 03, 2021•51 min
We’re excited to have John Mason and Tommy Blackburn on the show today. John and Tommy are partners at Mason & Associates, a fee-only firm out of Newport News, Virginia. Tommy and John are friends, first and foremost, but also business partners, both working at a firm that John’s uncle and father started together in the early 80s. If you’re interested in what it’s like to transition an existing firm into the fee-only space and to do it with a dear friend, then this show is for you. You can find ...
Feb 24, 2021•56 min
We’re honored to have XYPN Director of Brand Communications, Kelly Moorman, on the show today to talk about all things brand. Kelly is a trained chemist, but married her experience with large data sets and analytical writing with her passion for storytelling to carve out a career in marketing. Today, she shares some of her best advice as a professional marketer and brand builder. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/295...
Feb 17, 2021•52 min
We’re excited to have XYPN member Anna N’Jie Konte, the founder of the fee-only firm Dare to Dream Financial Planning out of Kensington, MD, on the show today. Anna started her firm in August of 2019 and now serves 27 clients, most of whom are business-owning women of color—clients who are just like Anna. If you’re interested in what it would be like to build a business as a mom and as a woman of color, this show is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: http://w...
Feb 10, 2021•53 min
We’re excited to have XYPN member Ben Wacek, founder of Guide Financial Planning, and his firm’s Operations Manager, Amy Artiga, on the show today. We discuss the EOS model, client surges, and what their future plans are for themselves and their business. If you want to learn about what it’s like to go from a stay-at-home mom, to helping run a financial planning firm targeting your ideal clients , then this show is for you. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://w...
Feb 03, 2021•52 min
We’re excited to have XYPN member Todd Pouliot, owner of Gateway Financial, a fee-only firm out of Northfield, OH, on the show today. Todd started his career spending time as a captive insurance agent and a long-time rep at a broker-dealer. In this episode, Todd talks about his evolution to understanding the responsibilities of being a fee-only advisor , and how that drove his ultimate decision to open his own firm. He walks us through his experience firing clients, transitioning them over, and ...
Jan 27, 2021•53 min
We’re excited to have XYPN members Dan and Natalie Slagle, owners of Minnesota-based fee-only firm, Fyooz Financial Planning, on the show today. Dan and Natalie are partners in life and business, and together have nearly 20 years of industry experience. Today, they talk about how they built Fyooz intentionally to reach their target market: successful, fun, and authentic couples. They discuss what sparked the fire to launch their firm, the sacrifices they made along the way, and how their relatio...
Jan 20, 2021•55 min
We’re excited to have XYPN teammate, Taylor Deardorff, on the show today. Taylor currently manages XYPN’s Tech Team as the Product Owner, a role that allows her to leverage her deep understanding of member needs to design and create cutting-edge technology solutions for the Network. Taylor pivoted into this industry when she joined Team XYPN back in 2018 as one of the original team members. We cover a lot of ground in this episode as we talk about the tech tools Taylor recommends for all advisor...
Jan 13, 2021•53 min
We’re excited to have XYPN member Lamar Watson, owner of Dream Financial planning, a fee-only firm out of Reston, VA, on the show today. Lamar started his career in this industry before he even went to college! He was an avid follower of the stock market and reader of Warren Buffet. While he was in college, he secured an internship at a diverse Scottrade branch where ...
Jan 06, 2021•50 min
Today, XYPN co-founders, Alan Moore and Michael Kitces, join us for a special episode to discuss the findings of XYPN’s 2020 Benchmarking Survey. Each year, XYPN members participate in a comprehensive survey about their businesses, and each year, Alan and Michael discuss the trends they see, the themes that emerged, and their perspective on where the industry is headed. If you’re interested in hearing about what XYPN member firms are experiencing this year, then this show is for you. You can fin...
Dec 30, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 288
We’re excited to have XYPN member Natalie Taylor, owner of Natalie Taylor Consulting Services, on the show today. Natalie is only 10 months into building a fee-only RIA business, but she has already served nearly forty clients since opening her doors in early 2020. Natalie walks us through her professional background, which includes substantial experience in the financial industry, both on the private side and in the fintech space. Natalie credits her ability to scale her firm so quickly to the ...
Dec 23, 2020•59 min
We’re excited to have XYPN member Helen Ngo, Founder of the Atlanta-based RIA, Capital Benchmark Partners, on the show today. A lot has changed for Helen since she was last on the show in 2017; she got married, had a baby, and has transitioned her firm to 100% virtual. What hasn’t changed at all is her passion for growing her business. Today she serves over 70 client households, the majority of whom are attorneys. She’s settled into a pricing structure that is niched to the needs of her attorney...
Dec 16, 2020•49 min
We’re excited to have XYPN member Ashley Murphy, Founder of Areté Wealth and the Global Financial Planning Institute (GFP), on the show today. This is Ashley’s second time sharing his career journey and expertise in the expat space on XYPN Radio. Today, he joins us to give us an update on how a niche can turn into a full-blown industry-shaking initiative. After recognizing a gap in technical training for cross-border and international planning, Ashley spearheaded an initiative to create content,...
Dec 09, 2020•55 min
