Advisors Off Script

After 30 episodes, Kick It Open is evolving.
🎙️ Introducing Advisors Off-Script — Stories from the Independent Frontlines.

When our podcast launched and we named it Kick It Open, it was podcast about opportunity — about pushing open doors and saying yes to what’s next.
But over the past couple of years, something deeper has unfolded.

As we built Muriel Consulting, we experienced the incredible freedom (and responsibility) that comes with full ownership. There’s something powerful about waking up each day knowing you get to design the vision, make the calls, and create something that’s fully yours.

And it’s been just as rewarding to watch the financial advisors we work with experience that same transformation — to see them take agency over their businesses, build thriving firms, and rediscover the joy that drew them into this profession in the first place.

Because in this next chapter, we’re not just talking about opening doors. We’re talking about what happens after you walk through them.

These are the real stories of advisors who’ve built boldly, led with purpose, and found freedom in entrepreneurship.

BTW - Advisors Off Script isn’t just a podcast.
It’s your playbook for building boldly and living Off-Script.

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.

On this episode of Kick It Open, Shelby Nicholl of Muriel Consulting sits down with Brooklyn Brock—a third-generation CFP®, succession planning expert, and founder of Ellevate Advisors—to explore one of the trickiest dynamics in wealth management: planning your own future, especially when family is involved.

Brooklyn grew up inside a multigenerational financial planning firm and experienced its full arc—from her grandfather, to her father and uncle, to an eventual external sale. Through that deeply personal journey, she saw how even the most successful advisors can struggle to plan for their own transitions.

Now, she’s flipping the script. Brooklyn helps advisors build intentional succession plans, unlock value from their business, and pursue the freedom to define their next chapter. In this conversation, we dive into the emotional side of letting go, the mindset required to build with an exit in mind, and how her father gave her the ultimate gift—permission to choose her own path.

If you’re an advisor who hasn’t planned for your own future with the same rigor you give your clients—this one’s for you.

Connect with Brooke:

Brooklyn Brock — Ellevate Advisors

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.

 Shelby Nicholl of Muriel Consulting sits down with Catherine Tindall, CPA and CEO of Dominion Enterprise Solutions, a tax planning firm dedicated to financial advisors. In this episode, Catherine outlines how proactive, year-round tax strategies help advisors keep more of what they earn while enhancing client trust. She discusses why LPL Financial and broker-dealer advisors should rethink their S-Corp approach, how tax education bolsters client relationships, and even how AI can streamline advisory workflows. Whether you're looking to optimize your take-home pay or deepen client value, Catherine’s insights are a game-changer. 

Also, check out Catherine's podcast Financial Advisors Want to Know.

Sign up for Catherine's newsletter.

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.

In this episode of the Kick It Open podcast, host Shelby Nicholl of Muriel Consulting welcomes financial advisor and Perfect RIA founder Matthew Jarvis for a straight-talking, strategy-filled conversation on one of the most underrated drivers of organic growth: consistency.

Matthew opens up about his early career struggles, the turning point that led to a multi-million-dollar solo practice, and why delivering massive value with precision and repeatability is the real key to success. He shares how scripting client meetings word-for-word, practicing like a stand-up comic, and eliminating sales pressure has helped him build deep trust with clients—and a wildly efficient business.

From the “Sleep On It” process to debunking advisor myths around fees and closing, this episode is packed with actionable ideas to help advisors refine their approach, boost their confidence, and grow with integrity.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Repetition and structure create space for authentic, high-value client interactions
• Organic growth isn’t about gimmicks—it’s about consistent value delivery
• You don’t need to be a “closer” to build a thriving practice
• Confidence stems from clarity, scripting, and practicing your delivery

If you’re ready to simplify your process, supercharge your confidence, and create real momentum in your advisory business, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and kick open the door to your next level of success.

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.

For many high-performing professionals (yes, even financial advisors), exiting a career isn’t the easy slide into golf, leisure, and legacy we imagine. In fact, it often triggers boredom, loss of identity, and a surprising lack of fulfillment—even when the money is more than enough.

This week on the Kick It Open podcast, host Shelby Nicholl is joined by Susan Latremoille, co-founder of Next Chapter Lifestyle Advisors and faculty at the Exit Planning Institute. Susan spent over 35 years as a top financial advisor before turning her focus to the non-financial side of retirement.

She now teaches others how to navigate the emotional and psychological transition of exiting a business or a career—and she was a key influence in Shelby’s own decision to pursue the CEPA designation.

In this episode:

• Why the wealth management industry is facing a retirement crisis
• The real reasons advisors stay past their prime
• How to prepare clients (and ourselves) for what's next
• The S.I.P.S. Framework: Social, Identity, Purpose, and Structure
• The Happiness Portfolio: Why diversified lives matter just as much as diversified investments

This conversation is a must-listen for any advisor planning succession—or realizing they might need to.

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.

Do you have the courage to be curious? In this thought-provoking episode of Kick It Open, host Shelby Nicholl sits down with Liz Schehl—executive coach, industry change agent, and author of The Courage to Be Curious—to explore what it really means to lead in today’s fast-changing wealth management landscape.

From her early days in financial services to her powerful pivot into coaching and authorship, Liz shares how embracing curiosity, not certainty, has guided her greatest transformations. You’ll hear how the CEO role is evolving into something far more human, how her SPARK Days framework helps leaders slow down and think big, and why looking back to who you were at eight years old might be the key to rediscovering your purpose today.

This episode is for anyone questioning the status quo, craving more authenticity in leadership, or looking to unlock their next chapter. Because the most powerful breakthroughs often start with one brave question: What if?

Sign up for Shelby's newsletter to get some very special handouts from Liz, including a resource on having your very own SPARK DAY and more! 

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.

What does it look like to build a thriving wealth management firm around the values of joy and family?

In this episode of Kick It Open, Larry Sprung, founder of Mitlin Financial and host of the Mitlin Money Mindset podcast, shares how a single question — “What did you do today that brought you joy?” — became a guiding principle that reshaped not just his client conversations, but his entire practice.

Larry opens up about his personal journey into wealth management, inspired by his father’s struggle to juggle family and finances after his mother's passing at age 47. That early experience planted the seed for Larry’s belief that money should be a tool to create joyful, meaningful lives — not just retirement projections.

We explore how Larry has intentionally prioritized his family over the years, including his early decision to take Fridays off to be fully present with his kids — a move he calls a “non-negotiable.” We also dive into how this mindset has fueled Mitlin’s record growth, strengthened client relationships, and attracted like-minded advisors to the firm.

Larry also shares about his involvement in the Rebl Dads group — a community of remote entrepreneur dads — and how experiences like their retreat to Necker Island helped him recommit to living and leading with purpose. And finally, we discuss how the support of Carson Group’s platform is enabling Mitlin to scale its joyful approach without losing its soul.

This episode is packed with practical wisdom and heartfelt inspiration for advisors who are ready to grow — not by grinding harder, but by building a business that reflects who they are.

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.

What if the key to unlocking your next level of growth isn't you doing more... but finding the right person to support you?

In this episode of Kick It Open, Shelby Nicholl sits down with Jennifer Goldman, founder of My Virtual COO and champion of second-in-command leaders in the advisory space. Jen has spent over two decades helping financial advisory firms streamline operations, empower leadership teams, and scale without burning out.

We dive deep into: 

🔹 Why scaling without a COO is often a recipe for chaos
🔹 What qualities make a second-in-command truly transformational
🔹 How to identify, support—or even become—a COO that drives enterprise value
🔹 The power of Jen’s “IDEOS” framework (Integrate, Delegate, Eliminate, Outsource, Staff differently)
🔹 Why energy management and self-awareness are leadership must-haves

Whether you’re the founder of a growing advisory firm or an ops leader wondering if the CEO seat could be yours someday, this episode will challenge your thinking and offer real, actionable insight.

💥 Plus, don’t miss our signature closing question: What door is Jen kicking open right now?

Learn more about Jen and the offering of My Virtual COO at: www.myvirtualcoo.com. 

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.

Could your next big business breakthrough come from well-being, not just your strategy? Shelby Nicholl connects with Stevyn Guinnip, founder of Grow Wellthy, for a conversation that challenges the traditional advisor growth playbook. Reporting in from the opposite side of the globe—Shelby in Marrakesh and Stevyn in Madeira—they explore why the health of the advisor and the client might just be the most overlooked lever for sustainable success.

Stevyn shares her deeply personal story of growing up with a financial advisor dad where she witnessed the rewards and toll of the profession. Now, with her firm of Grow Wellthy, she helps advisors build dream practices—ones that support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being and help clients live longer, healthier retirements.

Her “Hierarchy of Wealth” framework draws parallels between financial planning and wellness planning, and it’s packed with ideas advisors can use immediately in their personal lives and in client conversations. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why long-term wellness is the missing piece of many financial plans
• How burnout is silently eroding advisor performance
• What “health taxes” are and how to reduce them
• How to talk about client health without crossing professional boundaries
• Why "diversification" is just as important in the gym (and the kitchen) as it is in your asset allocation

This isn’t a typical wellness pep talk—it’s a practice growth strategy conversation wrapped in real talk about sleep, stress, and sustainability.

Plus, our Kick It Open signature closing: “What’s one door you’re kicking open right now?”

✨ Resources:

• Learn more at growwellthy.com
• Check out Stevyn’s Health is Wealth Conversation Guide & Webinar Library for Advisors
• Follow her on LinkedIn for daily inspiration

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.

What happens when a succession plan falls apart? For Leighann Miko, it became the catalyst for something even bigger. In this episode of Kick It Open, Leighann shares her journey from an advisor left stranded by a failed succession to a trailblazer who not only built her own firm but went on to create Avise Financial Cooperative,  the first RIA co-op platform for other advisors to join as an independent advisor.

We talk about:

• The hard lessons of succession plans gone wrong
• The leap from employee to independent firm owner
• Why she chose a cooperative model—and how it’s changing the game for advisors
• The future of advisor ownership and why traditional firm structures might be holding professionals back

If you’re an advisor contemplating your next move—or just love a story of resilience and reinvention—this one’s for you.

To learn more about Leighann Miko visit:

LinkedIn - Leighann Miko, CFP® | LinkedIn

Equalis - Equalis Financial | Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Financial Planner, CFP

Avise - Avise Financial — Genuine Financial Advice 

Hosted by Shelby Nicholl. Produced and edited by Aaron Sherman. Operations and Guest Coordination by Shelly Hadel.