Best Practices Podcast

Today, we have the privilege of hosting Jeff Thorsteinson, Coach & Consultant, with more than 30 years of industry experience providing marketing and practice management services to financial advisors worldwide. Jeff has also managed his own successful advisor practice and held a senior management role with Assante Wealth Management, providing marketing and practice management support to advisors. He has witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by independent advisors and dealers as they struggle to create effective practices, compete with larger financial institutions, and deliver more value for clients.

Knowing there was a better way, Jeff co-founded Agora Dealer Services in Canada– the first end-to-end advisor-client-centric online wealth office, which tackled the biggest pain points facing advisors. Jeff works directly with successful financial advisors and their teams to articulate their value in the marketplace, systemize their business, and capture their biggest opportunities. He authors a weekly column sharing his bench strength in practice management and develops actionable tools to help advisors create more effective practices.

Jeff lives in beautiful Vancouver, BC, as my Mom and Dad used to say, God's country. Join us as we dive into a conversation with Jeff and his ability to create capacity in an advisor's business and life.

https://www.advisorpracticemanagement.com/benchmark

Today, we have the privilege of hosting Susy Fossati, Founder & Director of Avignon Etiquette, one of Canada's leading authorities on modern etiquette, executive presence, and strategic soft skills, trusted by corporate leaders, families, and schools alike to cultivate confidence, sophistication, and lasting influence.

Susy's expertise is grounded in global best practices shaped by elite instructors advising the world's most influential private households and high-performing organizations. She partners with forward-thinking organizations, families, and educational institutions to deliver tailored workshops, private coaching, and immersive experiences, helping participants navigate professional, social, and public environments with poise, strategic awareness, and authenticity. Whether preparing client-facing teams, guiding students in schools, or coaching families, Susy equips individuals and groups to strengthen trust, elevate personal and organizational brand, and build meaningful, cross-cultural relationships that leave a lasting impression.

Join us as we dive into a conversation with Susy, a leading Canadian voice on etiquette. She brings insight and authority to every conversation on modern manners and professional poise.

https://www.avignonetiquette.com

Susy Fossati, Founder & Director of Avignon Etiquette, one of Canada's leading authorities on modern etiquette, executive presence, and strategic soft skills, is trusted by corporate leaders. She partners with forward-thinking organizations, families, and educational institutions to deliver tailored workshops, private coaching, and immersive experiences, helping participants, families, and schools alike to cultivate confidence, sophistication, and lasting influence. Susy's expertise is grounded in global best practices shaped by elite instructors advising the world's most influential. She partners with forward-thinking organizations, families, and educational institutions to deliver tailored workshops, private coaching, and immersive experiences, helping participants in private households and high-performing organizations.

In this episode, we dive into a topic that almost every growing financial services team faces — but few talk about openly: operational effectiveness and the hidden cost of undocumented systems. Our team has been working together since 2003. We're highly in sync. We move fast. We 'just know' how things work. But when a new team member joins, that rhythm becomes a barrier rather than a strength. The core issue isn't about one person's performance — it's about the absence of documented processes, clear KPIs, and a defined source of truth. So today, we're speaking with Katie Attard, an expert in operational effectiveness to unpack:

• How teams unintentionally create invisible systems
• Why undocumented culture becomes risky
• And how to build scalable infrastructure without slowing momentum

Learn more about our guest Katie Attard: https://www.konduitoperations.com/

Special Guest, Karen Gowdy, Senior Estate and Insurance Advisor. Karen, with a remarkable 35-year career in the Financial Services & Insurance Industry, provides comprehensive advice for personal and corporate estate and insurance. Areas of expertise include estate creation and preservation techniques and corporate financial security planning, all with an emphasis on taxes and liquidity. Her work is especially key to delivering exceptional client experiences to all advisors and clients across Eastern Ontario. Beyond her advisory roles, Karen's mantra is family first.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-gowdy-32503332/

Unleashing Your Hero: Rise Above Any Challenge, Expand Your Impact, And Be The Hero The World Needs

In this episode, we're talking about the importance of client segmentation and tiered service in financial advisory teams emphasizing the need for ongoing analysis and categorization of clients to enhance service delivery and business growth.

Tools to go with this episode are located here.

In today's episode, we're diving into a crucial topic for any growing business: Hiring a New Team Member, exploring smart strategies to build stronger, more effective teams. Before you jump into posting that job opening, it's essential to pause and reflect. Have you truly explored all options to meet your workload with your current team? Sometimes, reassigning roles, streamlining processes through automation, or reshaping client relationships can increase capacity without the need for new hires. If not, then it's time to look carefully at what skills your team is missing and design a role that fills those gaps — not one created just to help a specific person or out of convenience.

Chapter 3 Tool

Today, we're diving into a topic many find challenging yet incredibly rewarding — how to expand your role beyond offering great financial products and services, and become a trusted consultant who addresses your clients' broader wealth management needs, including estate planning. We know it's not always easy to talk about what happens after life — taxes, inheritance, and protecting assets for heirs. But by helping your clients plan thoughtfully for the future, you create deeper, longer-term relationships and open doors to substantial new business opportunities for yourself. In this episode, we'll explore how to approach estate planning conversations with confidence, coordinate with other professionals like accountants and lawyers, and bring real peace of mind to your clients — while growing your practice with meaningful solutions that matter.

In a world where markets shift overnight, technologies evolve daily, and ways of working transform constantly, your clients' financial lives are in flux — sometimes exciting, sometimes uncertain. Their need for clear, timely, and personalized communication has never been greater. But it's not just about what you say — it's how you say it, and *where*.

Tools for Chapter 12

Thomas brings not only a strong background in finance and investment strategy—holding licenses to trade in both Canada and the U.S., and currently pursuing his CIM designation—but also a passion for guiding clients through every stage of life with clarity and care. And today, Thomas joins us in a brand-new role—parenthood. He and his wife recently welcomed their daughter, Evelyn, into the world. In this episode, we'll talk about what it means to balance growing a family with planning for the future, and how thoughtful financial strategies can help parents feel confident as they navigate new responsibilities. Beyond his work at Raymond James Canada, Thomas is an assistant coach for McMaster University's Varsity Baseball Team, an avid golfer, a lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan, and someone who appreciates a good chess match.

Learn more about Thomas here.

In this episode, we'll explore how developing and maintaining a disciplined call plan transforms your relationship management — helping you improve time management, reduce reactive work, deepen client trust, and ultimately, increase your share of wallet and referrals. You'll also hear actionable steps to segment your clients, prioritize contacts by service level, prepare for meaningful conversations, and keep your entire team aligned on outreach goals.

Episode Tools