Today we are excited to chat with Todd Brand, chief executive officer and president of Brand Asset Management Group, Inc. Todd is a second-generation leader of a 20-person team, helping 250+ affluent families succeed over generations within their life, business, family, and wealth.

In this episode, Todd reflects on the steady, consistent growth of his company and how he has worked to maintain and model balance in his leadership role. He explains that throughout his career, he has witnessed the best and worst of success, and has seen firsthand how money can unbalance one’s life if prioritized above all else. Todd emphasizes the importance of being true to yourself and adjusting your priorities as circumstances shift throughout life. He also discusses building a genuine company culture, the power of accountability and vulnerability, and learning to guard your time.

Join us today as we discuss these things:

• 1:22 – Todd shares his backstory and how he became business owner of his firm
• 6:17 – Why balance is important to Todd
• 12:15 – How feedback has helped Todd keep his priorities in order
• 14:21 – Todd reflects on the steady, consistent growth of his firm
• 17:20 – Some of Todd’s biggest struggles with growing while remaining balanced
• 23:05 – The advice that Todd would give to entrepreneurs

RESOURCES

Learn more about Todd:

https://brandamg.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddbrandaif

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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Today we are joined by Roy Snarr, CFF®, CLTC®, NSSA®, LACP™. Roy is an asset protection and long-term care specialist based out of Austin, Texas. He's the author of several books, including Medicare Doesn't Care and Social Security 101, which is part of the Snarr Academy book program. Roy educates both consumers and financial professionals on the intricacies and critical importance of having a well-rounded retirement approach and has a wealth of knowledge to share with us.

In this episode, Roy talks about setting boundaries, prioritizing your time, and setting goals. He also talks about hiring and retaining great employees, budgeting, and the importance of self-assessment and investment.

Join us today as we discuss these things:

• 1:24 – Roy shares his backstory and the personal experiences that led him to his career  
• 3:11 – The boundaries that Roy has put in place for his family
• 5:59 – How Roy has been able to scale his business while remaining balance
• 10:23 – Roy’s secret for hiring and retaining the right people
• 13:00 – How self-assessment and self-improvement lead to success  
• 19:36 – How Snarr Academy helps advisors become better in their industry

RESOURCES

Learn more about Roy: 

https://snarracademy.com/

https://www.roysnarr.com/

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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We are excited to be joined by Randy Crabtree, CPA, on the show today. As the co-founder and partner of Tri-Merit Specialty Tax Professionals, Randy is a widely followed author, lecturer, and podcast host within the accounting profession. He is also an advocate for mental health awareness when building and scaling a business.

In today's episode, Randy shares his personal struggles with work-life balance, having once worked over 80 hours a week as a CPA. He speaks candidly about the importance of establishing healthy work boundaries and prioritizing self-care. Randy also reflects on the benefits of finding his niche, delegating responsibilities, and fostering genuine client relationships, all of which have contributed to balanced growth at Tri-Merit.

Tune in as Randy discusses burnout in the accounting industry, curating positive company culture, and learning to leave work at work. 

Join us today as we discuss these things:

• 1:00 – Randy shares his backstory
• 2:23 – Randy reflects on burnout in the accounting industry and what he has learned from experiencing it personally
• 8:59 – How Randy has scaled his business through client relationships and delegation
• 15:16 – Randy talks about trying to curate company culture remotely
• 21:00 – The importance of mental and physical health awareness while scaling a business
• 25:32 – Learning to shut down at the end of the day

RESOURCES

Learn more about Randy: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-crabtree-1945a67/

https://tri-merit.com/

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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We are delighted to have Michael Lecours, CFP®, on our show today. Michael is a co-founder of fpPathfinder, an organizational service that equips financial advisors with planning charts and guides to navigate client interactions. Along with this, he is a financial advisor and planner at Wealth Strategies Team.

In this episode, Michael shares his career journey with us and reflects on the challenges and successes he has faced while scaling his business. We discuss the importance of finding a balance between growth and maintaining boundaries, prioritizing your personal life, and the significance of delegation as your business begins to take off.

Join us today as we discuss these things:

• 1:05 – Michael shares how he became an entrepreneur and started pfPathfinder.
• 7:52 – What balance has looked like throughout Michael’s career.
• 14:33 – Michael reflects on the struggles of scaling a business and learning to delegate.
• 19:27 – How working from home has motivated Michael to create more work boundaries.
• 23:33 – Some pros and cons of having an office at home versus a work office.

RESOURCES

Learn more about Michael: 

https://twitter.com/michaellecours?lang=en

https://www.fppathfinder.com/

https://www.wealthstrategiesteam.com/

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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In today’s episode, we have the pleasure of interviewing John Bucsek, CFP®. John has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. As one of the managing partners of MassMutual Tri State, he leads a team of over 125 advisors and manages an extensive portfolio of clients.

John joins us today to talk about his 30-year career journey in financial services, and what he has learned along the way. He discusses the power of delegation, creating an uplifting company culture, looking at your goals, and building team unity. He also chats with us about his book, The Team Game, which offers valuable insights into building successful teams. 

Join us today as we discuss these things:

• 1:22 – John shares more about his 30-year career in financial services.
• 3:35 – How John has been able to scale his business while staying balanced.
• 5:23 – The importance of setting personal and work goals.  
• 10:29 – John reflects on having fun and empowering people to make mistakes.
• 14:40 – The role camaraderie plays in employee retention.

RESOURCES

Learn more about John's book: https://theteamgame.com/about-authors/ 

https://www.amazon.com/Team-Game-John-F-Bucsek/dp/1733814302

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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We are excited to have Jim Stackpool, founder of Certainty Advice Group, on the show today. Jim has been in the industry for over 30 years, coaching and consulting advisory firms across Australia and New Zealand. His consulting firm coaches, trains, and builds advisory firms seeking to fast-track their growth in the new era of financial advice built on client values. 

In this episode, Jim reflects on the crucial role that inner values play in an advisor's growth and success. According to Jim, the best advisors are those who live by their values and deliver upon them, creating a sense of strong values that clients can feel. Our conversation with Jim is truly inspiring, as we explore important topics such as setting boundaries, community-based accountability, and overcoming workaholism.

Join us today as we discuss these things:

• 2:04 – Jim shares how his career shifted over time and how he started the consulting firm that he owns today.  
• 5:47 – Jim explains why values are so important to advisors.
• 11:56 – The critical connection between values and growth. 
• 14:32 – Jim reflects on the power of making changes within yourself to find better balance and combat workaholism. 
• 22:01: The importance of accountability when seeking a more balanced life.

RESOURCES

Learn more about Jim: https://certaintyadvicegroup.com/our-team/ 

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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We are honored to have Jeffrey Johnston, ChFC, as our guest today. Jeffrey is the founder of Premier Investments of Iowa Inc. and co-host of the Premier Financial Hour radio show on WMT 600AM. He is an oSj Branch Manager with over 33 years of experience and author of the book This One’s For You.  

After tragically losing his oldest son, Seth, to fentanyl poisoning at the age of 23, and his wife of 21 years, Prudence, to alcoholism, Jeffrey chose to become an advocate for change in the mental health space. Jeffrey founded the Living Undeterred Project to inspire individuals to live intentionally in the face of adversity.

In today’s episode, Jeffrey shares his story with us and opens up about his personal experience with addiction and grief. He joins us to discuss important topics, such as coping with stress, empathy, sympathy, and becoming “better, not bitter.”

Join us today as we discuss these things:

3:58 – Jeffrey reflects on the tragic loss of his son, wife, and mother, and discusses his transition from the financial industry to the mental health space.

14:49 – Jeffrey shares the steps he is taking to overcome addiction and move forward toward a healthier life.

23:49 – The mental health planning service that Jeffrey and his team are working on.  

28:32 – Why Jeffrey believes that poor delegation is one of the biggest issues people struggle with in the financial industry.

Where to find Jeffrey: 

[email protected]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-a-johnston/

https://www.livingundeterred.com/

Brightn Your Life App:

https://www.brightnyourlife.com/

Jeffrey’s Book:

 https://www.amazon.com/This-Ones-You-Inspirational-Addiction/dp/1735680001

RESOURCES

Learn more about our guest: 

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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Today we are delighted to speak with Dave Zoller, CFP®, owner of Streamline Financial Planning, an advisory firm in Chicago that manages over 270 million AUM. In 2019, Dave began testing various marketing methods to achieve business growth and started sharing his findings with other advisors on his website. A few years later, Streamline was getting 40 to 60 prospects every month and has continued to grow ever since.  

In this episode, Dave shares his valuable insights on delegation, marketing, and setting boundaries while scaling a business. He reflects on the important lessons he has learned along the way, such as prioritizing his values, focusing on his skills, and shifting his mindset to focus on progress. Tune in to this episode and get ready to be inspired by Dave’s story. 

Join us today as we discuss these things:

• 1:39 – Dave shares how he got into the advising business and started Streamline My Practice.
• 5:30 – Dave shares why balance is important to him.
• 7:51 – How growing a team has helped Dave scale his business while keeping balance.
• 10:40 – Dave shares the struggle of setting boundaries while growing at a rapid speed. 
• 13:02 – The power of the “do not do” list.
• 17:40 – “Put yourself in a place where people can find you.” The advice Dave would give to entrepreneurs looking to streamline their practice. 

RESOURCES

Check out Streamline My Practice: 

https://www.streamlinemypractice.com/    

https://www.youtube.com/@davezoller

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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Today we are joined by Zac Larson, CFP®, ChFC®, FIC, founding partner and wealth advisor of IntentGen Financial Partners. Zac is a man of purpose who helps empower people to make intentional financial decisions and live a fulfilling life. Zac and his wife Kristen have been married since 2003 and have four sons. Outside of work, he enjoys coaching his sons' basketball teams, various outdoor hobbies, and serving at his local church. 

In this episode, we follow Zac’s journey to finding balance in this life. He opens up about the challenges of scaling his business, juggling family time, and finding time for himself. Ultimately, Zac shares how his extended sabbatical was a game-changer for his personal life and career. Join us as we explore how taking time away from work can be transformative not just for your mind and faith, but for your team as well. 

Join us today as we discuss these things:

• 1:22 – Zac shares how he became one of the founding partners of his firm and how IntentGen earned its name.
• 3:13 – Zac shares why balance is so important to him.
• 9:47 – Zac’s biggest struggle in scaling his business without losing balance.
• 13:28 – Why Zac decided to take a two-month sabbatical.
• 24:51 – How this sabbatical empowered Zac’s team while he was away and what this extended rest period taught him.
• 34:58 – “I am not challenging people to take more time off, I am challenging people to take time away and empower others to run the business.” Zac’s challenge to business owners.

RESOURCES

Learn more about our guest: https://www.intentgen.com/team/zac-larson 

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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Today we are joined by Chris Stallings, the CEO, and founder of Abundance LLC. Chris has pioneered a whole-person, whole-family approach to wealth management that goes far beyond traditional financial planning. Drawing on his own family's experience with an advisor who failed to address their legacy concerns, Chris is passionate about helping his clients plan for longevity, navigate unexpected crises, and make major life decisions that extend far beyond their finances.

In this episode, Chris shares his insights on the power of setting boundaries and honoring your schedule to stay present both at work and at home. He also discusses the importance of making clients feel seen, valued, and heard, and how this philosophy has helped him build lasting relationships that extend far beyond the world of finance.

Join us today as we discuss these things:

• 1:25 – How Chris’ childhood inspired the business Abundance.
• 2:53 – How Chris has scaled his business while keeping a sense of balance.
• 4:24 – What Chris has done to keep himself present at work and at home.
• 6:33 – “There’s a way of honoring your past but also embracing the future of where you want to go.” Chris reflects on growing your business in a meaningful way.
• 8:27 – How an advisory board and refining systems have made a huge impact at Abundance.
• 10:31 – The importance of creating an environment that focuses on client relationships.
• 13:09 – How fear-based motivation can get in the way of balanced growth.
• 17:29 – Chris’ advice for other entrepreneurs struggling with growth and balance.

RESOURCES

Learn more about our guest: 

https://www.findabundance.com/ 

Email: [email protected]

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46ekvB-U-CJDdsd7aqJMuA 

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