Advisor Freedom

“I told them I was leaving P&G to become a financial advisor. They looked at me sideways.”

Brad Morgan had the job most people dream about.

Engineer at Procter & Gamble.Six years in.Great salary. Total stability.

But he couldn’t shake the feeling: This isn’t it.

So he walked away.

No CFP.No financial background.Just a hunch that planning was where he was supposed to be.

That bet paid off. Brad built his book from scratch & leaned on his old P&G network.Wrote white papers.Ran Facebook ads before advisors even knew what they were.Turned cold leads into clients by outworking everyone.

Today, he’s with Savvy Wealth, a tech-forward firm built for the modern advisor.

Brad’s not just building a practice.He’s building a brand with leverage.A system with scale.A model that feels nothing like the old way.

We covered:

>Why Brad walked away from engineering
>The scrappy tactics that brought in his first clients
>How Facebook ads snowballed into real momentum
>Why patience is an underrated edge
>The tech stack at Savvy that’s changing everything

If you’ve ever thought about starting over…

Brad’s story is a playbook on trusting your gut, staying patient, and building smarter.

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by Conner Young, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

“Over 80% of my revenue comes from LinkedIn.”

That’s what Mondo told me.He meets most of these clients virtually. 

But this wasn’t always the plan.

Mondo Salavanti didn’t come from finance.He was a football guy.Med school was the dream.

One phone call with his dad’s financial advisor changed the direction of everything.

He got licensed.Started cold calling.Studied for his CFP at night.Built his book from zero.

No connections.No leads.Just grit.

And then he did something most advisors ignore:

He started posting.

LinkedIn became his engine.

Today, Mondo runs Freedom Path Wealth.
A growing firm with a clear vision.
A business built on relationships that started in DMs.

If you’re still relying on referrals and coffee meetings…

This episode will show you what’s possible when you trade tradition for leverage.
And go all-in on the audience that’s already watching.

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by Conner Young, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

You can find Mando:

-LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallavanti/

Learn more about how to start and grow your practice: ⁠www.getadvisorfreedom.com

“When I moved to Knoxville 10 years ago, I literally knew nobody.”

That’s how it started.

Skee Orr didn’t just move cities.He left behind his network, his job, and his comfort zone.

No clients. No warm leads.Just a CFP designation and a golf scramble invite.

He said yes.

That one yes turned into Rotary Club.Rotary turned into volunteer work.Then community boards. Then lunch invites. Then real relationships.

By the time most people noticed, he had built a network of hundreds.

But the real story started way before that.

High school.One new business teacher.One spark for economics.

That spark carried him through college.To a credit union job.To earning his CFP.

And eventually to launching Kinetic Wealth in 2023 with his wife by his side.

She runs client experience.He runs planning.

Together they’re building something different—A firm built around personalization, tax integration, and long-term impact.

They don’t measure success by AUM.
They measure it by outcomes.

In this episode, we covered:

> How Skee built his client base from scratch in a city where he knew no one

> Why saying “yes” early gave him the right to say “no” later

> How his wife’s background as a nurse shaped the firm’s entire client experience

> The decision to leave a big firm and bet on their own vision

>Where Kinetic is headed over the next 10+ years

If you’re building a practice with zero leads, no list, and no brand.
Skee’s story is proof that community-first growth still works.

And that one yes can change everything.

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by ⁠Conner Young⁠, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

What do you do if you're a CFP who gets fired?

That's what happened to Colton Etherton.

Former advisor. Now the founder of Slices Design.
He built a financial planning firm from scratch.
Then burned it all down.
And pivoted into web design for advisors.

No roadmap. No safety net. Just a sharp left turn.

And it worked.

Today, Colton’s brand stands out as the best in the industry.
His designs get shared at conferences.
His sites drive real business.
And he did it by leaning into what made him different.

We covered:
• How getting fired pushed him to launch his own firm
• Why he went all-in on tattoo artists as a niche
• What one simple site turned into 22 consultations in weeks
• The accidental pivot that became Slices Design
• How moving his family to the Netherlands reshaped everything

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by ⁠Conner Young⁠, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

Should you marry your business partner?

That's what Dave & Lauren Fischer did.

Their love story turned business partners is almost as good as a certain Avril Lavigne song from the early 2000s. 

Dave started in tech. Lauren started in hedge funds. Neither thought financial advising was in their future.

But after late-night talks, big career shifts, and a lot of “are you sure about this?” from friends… 

They teamed up. And turned skepticism into strength.

Now they’re building a practice rooted in care and competence. 

Helping retirees navigate life’s biggest transitions. 

Helping business owners through exits, taxes, and strategy. And doing it as true partners, at work and at home.

We covered: 

• How they went from tech and hedge funds into advising 

• The unique challenges (and wins) of building a business as spouses 

• Their focus on care as the ultimate growth strategy 

• Creative marketing that makes financial planning fun 

• Why trust, not tactics, drives referrals

You can find Dave & Lauren:

-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dfischer21/

-LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/fischerlauren/

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by ⁠Conner Young⁠, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

Every advisor has to start somewhere, but what do you do when you move to a new city and have no personal market?

That's what happened with Collin Osbahr from Beck Capital Management.
He started his career straight out of college, building a financial practice from scratch.
No safety net.
No big book of clients.
Just pure hustle.

And he made it work.
Today, he works with a mix of high-net-worth clients and younger high-income professionals.

We covered:
• How to grow a book of business from zero
• Why deep investment management beats “set it and forget it”
• Reducing fees and taxes without sacrificing returns
• The value of active sector rotation and stock selection
• How to attract younger, high-earning clients online

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by Conner Young, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

You can find Colin:

-LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-osbahr-bb643b10a/

Learn more about how to start and grow your practice: ⁠www.getadvisorfreedom.com

I talked to Chris Haigh, co-founder of Iconoclastic Capital.

He started at Northwestern Mutual fresh out of college.

Selling life insurance to anyone who would take a meeting.

No safety net. No rich uncle. Just a mechanic’s son grinding his way through a broken system.

He hit the top 10 producers in the country. Then spent years stuck in the captive model.

Hidden fees. Moving goalposts. Compliance headaches.

Until he walked away.

In 2020, he left NWM and launched his own RIA.

Forty clients followed.

Now? Over $60M in AUM.

All organic. No cold calls. No begging for referrals.

The secret? Treat every client like they work with you, not the logo on the door. 

Build trust. Deliver custom advice. Charge for real planning.

We covered: 

• How to survive and escape the captive insurance world 

• The strategy Chris used to bring his best clients with him 

• Lessons from starting an RIA mid-pandemic 

• Why custom planning beats one-size-fits-all 

• Growing an advisory firm 100% organically

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by Conner Young, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

You can find Chris:

-Twitter/X: https://x.com/iconocapital

-LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/haighchristopher/

Learn more about how to start and grow your practice: ⁠www.getadvisorfreedom.com

I talked to Patrick Shaw, co-founder of Fortitude Financial Partners.

Unlike most financial advisors, he didn’t come from money.

Not even close.

He grew up with a scarcity mindset and finding meals at

churches & food banks.

He was the first in his family to go to college.

And what did he study?

"Basketball and teaching."

But during his junior year, something clicked.

He got a job writing grants for nonprofits.

It sparked an obsession with finance.

Fast forward to 2006.

Fresh out of college.

No network. No “natural market.”

But started a career in financial advising anyway.

Just fishbowls in restaurants, free lunches, and a lot of "no’s".

Some of those first clients are still with him 20 years later.

Today, Patrick runs a fast-growing firm built on one mission:

Take care of clients. Take care of people.

The secret sauce?

A hands-on team model.

Deep tax expertise.

And an obsession with developing advisors the right way.

Great examples and stories for early career advisors:• How to start in finance with zero connections• Building a firm culture that people want to stay in• Why tax planning might be the most overlooked growth lever in advising• Growing without sacrificing service• The vision for a multi-generation advisory practice

If you care about building a sustainable advisory career, this one is a must-listen.

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by ⁠Conner Young⁠, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

Janitor turned CFP & CPA like he's 'Good Will Hunting'

I sat down with Tom Corley (LinkedIn), bestselling author of Rich Habits and one of the rare professionals who is both a CPA and CFP.
He started his career as a janitor in community college.

Twenty hours a week just to pay for tuition.
That grind became the foundation for a career helping hundreds of business owners build real wealth.
Tom now runs a selective CPA and financial planning firm.
He’s written eight books.
His books have reached millions.

We covered:

• How a janitor job sparked a wealth advisory career

• A five-year study of 233 millionaires and 128 poor individuals

• The four paths to wealth (and which one is fastest)

• Why entrepreneurs leave corporate life

• How to turn a CPA firm into a teaching platform

If you want to understand wealth building at its core, this is a playbook worth studying.

INVESTOR SPOTLIGHT!

I talked to Ryan Henderson (@CCM_Ryan ), co-host of one of the fastest-growing investing podcasts in the U.S: Chit Chat Stocks

The best part?
He is not a licensed financial advisor.
No CFA. No CFP. No Wall Street pedigree.

Just a love for researching stocks.

And that obsession turned into a show ranked #3 on the U.S. investing charts.

Ryan and his co-host Brett met as backup kickers on their college football team.
With too much time on the sidelines, they started talking markets.

Bitcoin was booming. Meme stocks were everywhere.

They launched a podcast in college.
Made every mistake in public.
Took the feedback. Kept going.

Fast forward.
The show has built a loyal audience across hundreds of countries.

They even launched a hedge fund with family and friends money, Buffett-style terms.
Closed it when it did not align with what they wanted long term.

The takeaway?
You can build authority without credentials.
You can start with zero audience and grow into one of the biggest voices in your niche.

But you have to show up, learn in public, and take the hits.

We covered:
• How two backup kickers built a top investing podcast
• Lessons from running and shutting down a fund
• Why learning in public accelerates growth
• Turning passion into a business without cold outreach
• The reality of building trust online in finance

If you are building a brand, this is a blueprint worth studying.

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by Conner Young, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

Learn more about how to start and grow your practice: ⁠www.getadvisorfreedom.com