Framework with Ana Trujillo Limón

What makes a client relationship truly exceptional in today's financial world?

In this episode, Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial, chats with Larry and Denise Sprung from Mitlin Financial about crafting a world-class client experience. The Sprungs share the heartwarming story behind their firm's name and reveal how their approach goes beyond traditional client interactions by treating each client as a part of the family through personalized service and proactive communication.

Larry and Denise discuss: 

• The importance of integrating family values into financial services (03:15)
• Building personalized client experiences that exceed expectations (08:45)
• The backstory behind Mitlin Financial's founding and philosophy (17:10)
• Practical tips for financial advisors to enhance client relationships (24:00)
• Creating a legacy of trust and integrity in financial planning (30:20)
• And more

Resources:

• joyfuladvisor.com

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• Carson Group LLC
• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón

Connect with Larry and Denise Sprung:

• Larry Sprung
• LinkedIn: Larry Sprung
• Facebook: Larry Sprung
• Twitter: Larry Sprung
• Denise Sprung
• LinkedIn: Denise Sprung
• Mitlin Money Mindset Podcast

About Our Guests: 

Larry Sprung, CFP®, is the founder and wealth advisor at Mitlin Financial, Inc.

As a fiduciary advisor, he and his team are dedicated to facilitating the customization of clients’ portfolios as they work toward reaching their financial objectives.

Larry is also the host of the Mitlin Money Mindset™, a podcast that’s all about getting your mind right when it comes to all things money.

Outside the office, one of Larry’s greatest passions is raising awareness for mental health. He spent over 12 years serving on the National Board of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and sits on its financial and investment committees. 

Denise Sprung is passionate about promoting sound and accurate financial education. She believes financial literacy is essential for the next generation and takes pride in supporting Mitlin Financial, Inc.’s mission to use its platform to educate and empower others.

With over a decade of marketing experience, Denise brings a wealth of expertise to Mitlin Financial. As the founder and operator of a trademarked blog with a large social media following, she excels in delivering content that keeps clients informed and provides valuable insights into the financial world.

Beyond finance, Denise is deeply committed to helping others. She serves as the co-chair of the Keith Milano Memorial Fund at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, established in memory of her brother Keith, who died by suicide in 2004. Each May, Denise organizes a mental health awareness book fundraiser, where participating authors donate a portion of their sales to the fund. Since its inception, the fund has raised over $1.7 million and has made a significant impact by sharing Keith’s story and fostering meaningful conversations around mental health.

Send us your questions, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

What does it truly mean to provide a world-class client experience?

In this episode, Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial at Carson Group, speaks with Sarah Cain, VP of Carson Coaching.

Together, they unravel the art of moving beyond the basics of financial services to create interactions that clients rave about. Listen in as they explore how small, intentional actions can leave a lasting impact on client relationships. 

Ana and Sarah discuss: 

• The significance of creating a world-class client experience
• Powerful components that shape exceptional client interactions 
• Strategies for enhancing onboarding processes
• Leveraging technology to meet modern client expectations 
• The role of continuous education in client relationships 
• Effective ways to collect and act on client feedback
• And more

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• Carson Group LLC
• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón

Connect with Sarah Cain:

• Carson Group LLC
• BeneForza
• LinkedIn: Sarah Cain
• Calendly: Sarah Cain

About Our Guest: 

Sarah Cain is passionate about using proven strategies to help business owners create and grow strong businesses that balance purpose and profit.  She challenges successful entrepreneurs to build more sustainable businesses and is a strong advocate for B Corp certification.

Prior to joining Carson Group Coaching in 2016, she spent over a decade at a $750 million hybrid RIA firm in Kansas City, with successive roles, including Chief Operations Officer. Her tenure as COO involved overseeing strategic projects and managing a team of internal stakeholders in the areas of technology, client service, financial planning, and back-office roles such as trading and new business coordination. 

Send us your questions, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

Building genuine community and authentic connections is the cornerstone of success and fulfillment, especially for women in financial services.

In this episode, Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial at Carson Group, speaks with Joanna Ehresman and Leah Alter, co-hosts of the WomenShare Podcast. 

Together, they explore the transformative power of community, celebrate women's achievements, and discuss strategies for overcoming challenges unique to women in the financial services industry. Their passion for creating a supportive network shines through as they emphasize the importance of lifting each other up.

Joanna and Leah discuss:

• Encouraging women to authentically show up, build networks, and seek genuine connections
• The challenges women face as the “only ones in the room” and the lessons learned in overcoming burnout and isolation
• The importance of sharing insights and experiences to foster collective success and support future generations in financial services
• Celebrating milestones, both personal and professional, as a way to build confidence and a sense of community
• Redefining success by creating balance, authenticity, and joy in both personal and professional lives
• And more!

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• Carson Group LLC
• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón

Connect with Leah Alter and Joanna Ehresman:

• Website: WomenShare Podcast
• YouTube: WomenShare Podcast
• LinkedIn: Leah Alter
• LinkedIn Joanna Ehresman

About Leah Alter: 

Leah Alter is the Founder of Marketing by Foxie. After years in New York City's entertainment and events industry, she moved to Austin, TX, joining an independent Broker-Dealer and RIA.

At the Broker-Dealer/RIA, Leah worked on the business development team before transitioning to marketing consulting, where she helped advisors brand and market themselves in a highly regulated industry. She led marketing workshops and programs, with one of her initiatives earning two Wealthmanagement.com Award nominations. She also contributed to the marketing team, packaging and delivering products and services for financial professionals.

Leah later joined a digital marketing agency serving the financial services and FinTech industries, gaining valuable expertise from industry specialists. Most recently, she was Vice President of Marketing at a FinTech company, focusing on branding, social media thought leadership, and launching a new website.

A passionate marketer, Leah is dedicated to helping her clients succeed.

About Joanna Ehresman: 

Joanna is the Founder of Momentum Growth Solutions and co-host of WomenShare, leveraging her 20+ years of marketing expertise to empower clients and listeners to make a greater impact.

Her passion for marketing stems from seeing the profound impact professional financial advice has on clients' lives. At Momentum Growth Solutions, Joanna helps companies accelerate growth by aligning their purpose with their brand and marketing strategies while advising internal teams for sustainable results.

Joanna also serves on the Board of Directors for BestPrep, a nonprofit focused on youth financial literacy and career skills. She lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband and three sons.

Send us your questions, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

Are your goals big enough to bring transformation, not just transactions, into your life?

This week, Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial, sits down with executive business coach J.J. Peller to explore the power of setting ambitious goals. Join the conversation as they delve into why thinking beyond "realistic" goals can unlock your true potential. 

J.J. unravels the art of goal-setting, emphasizing the mindset's role in overcoming challenges and the importance of having a clear, compelling vision. 

This episode is packed with insights for financial advisors and anyone ready to take their aspirations to the next level!

J.J. Peller discusses:

• (03:06) Why setting a grand vision is pivotal for success
• (08:04) The importance of mindset in achieving big goals
• (12:08) Personal anecdotes about doubling goals and the impact
• (17:45) The significance of accountability and mentorship
• (19:19) Strategies for committing fully to your goals
• And more

Resources:

• Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger
• The Science of Change by Dr. Richard E. Boyatzis

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• Carson Group LLC
• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón

Connect with J.J. Peller:

• Carson Coaching
• J.J. Peller
• LinkedIn: J.J. Peller

About Our Guest: 

J.J. Peller helps ambitious, driven, growth-minded financial advisors maximize their potential so they can thrive in life and business. He believes that human potential is virtually limitless. Like 99.99% of people around the world, most have only scratched the surface of their greatest potential—a category J.J. acknowledges he is in as well. 

J.J. is passionate about using his coaching skills to help financial advisors tap more of their potential, enabling them to deliver even greater value to even more people. He started his career as a financial advisor and witnessed firsthand the importance and meaningful impact financial advisors have on people’s lives. 

Over time, J.J. realized his personal gifts, skills, and passions aligned more with helping advisors nationwide become the greatest version of themselves, so they can serve their clients at the highest level possible. 

Send us your questions, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

Is your client experience helping you grow—or driving business away?

Tammy Breitenbach, Executive Business Coach, joins Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial, to explore how advisors can design standout client experiences that foster loyalty and growth. 

By combining human interaction, strategic service models, and technology, Tammy reveals how firms could transform relationships and drive profitability in a digital-first world.

Drawing from her client strategy and business growth expertise, Tammy also shares actionable steps for creating exceptional experiences that keep clients thriving and engaged.

Tammy discusses:

• How consistent service models and strategic client segmentation could define and elevate client experience excellence, ensuring maximum impact
• The value of leveraging advisory councils to gather client feedback, uncover blind spots, and focus on what matters most to clients
• Ways to optimize time and efficiency by delegating routine tasks and using AI-driven tools for personalized communications and seamless meeting follow-ups
• The role of transparency in building trust, including how addressing mistakes honestly strengthens client relationships and loyalty
• Strategies for implementing meaningful changes, such as focusing on one or two key improvements annually for sustainable growth
• How technology and human interaction can create a standout client experience in a digital-first world
• And much more!

Resources:

• Zocks
• Morningstar
• Ep. 194: Tammy Breitenbach: Helping Advisors Transition Their Business

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón
• Carson Group LLC

Connect with Tammy Breitenbach:

• LinkedIn: Tammy Breitenbach, ACC, MBA
• Carson Group LLC

About Our Guest: 

Tammy Breitenbach, ACC, MBA, is an Executive Business Coach at Carson Coaching. Tammy finds a business’ unique ecosystem by understanding the history, the team, and what makes each practice tick. She can advise how to implement improvements or processes in a way that will work effectively for them. Tammy is passionate about helping advisors draw absolute satisfaction from their practices – that includes running a business that functions well to support their more significant wants and purpose in life. Before joining Carson Group in 2018, Tammy spent 10 years of private consulting as the Principal Consultant of Catalyst Partners, a company she founded in 2008. At Catalyst, Tammy specialized in providing hands-on business counsel and leadership advice exclusively to owners of Independent RIAs and their key staff to help them grow stronger, more profitable businesses.

Send us your questions; we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

Are you spending too much time on tasks that are holding you back from your potential? 

Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial, and Executive Business Coach Jessica Colston, MS, PCC, team up in this episode to reveal how delegation and AI could transform the way advisors approach their work.

Rather than simply assigning tasks, Ana and Jessica present delegation as a strategic approach to maximizing efficiency and personal growth. They share a practical framework for tapping into team strengths, engaging gig workers, and embracing technology to streamline operations.

Jessica also explores AI's impactful potential in financial advisory. Tools like Otter and Zocks help advisors summarize meeting notes, craft client communications, and spark creative ideas, freeing up time to focus on what matters most.

Listeners will gain actionable insights to deepen client relationships, optimize their workflows, and step into the work they love most, leaving routine tasks to trusted team members and cutting-edge tools. 

Jessica Discusses:

• Building Effective Teams: Use tools like the Kolbe assessment to delegate tasks aligned with team members’ natural strengths
• Improving Client Experiences: Free up time for personalized attention, especially during sensitive moments
• Practical Delegation Tips: Start small—identify two tasks to delegate this month. For guidance, try Carson Coaching’s “100 Tasks to Delegate” tool
• And much more!

Resources:

• 100 Tasks Every Advisor Should Delegate
• Otter.ai
• Zocks.io
• Kolbe
• Fiverr
• Upwork
• Navigating Change in Financial Planning with Erin Wood, CFP®, CRPC®, FBS®
• Beyond Biases: Rethinking Behavioral Finance with Brian Portnoy, CFA

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• Carson Group LLC
• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón

Connect with Jessica Colston:

• LinkedIn: Jessica Colston, MS, PCC
• Carson Group LLC
• Carson Coaching

About Our Guest: 

Jessica Colston’s passion is partnering with firm owners to discover the gap between their current situation and their desired success and then working with them to implement strategies that help them pursue their firm’s full potential. A strong advocate of the importance of goal setting and process-based businesses, she sees the timeless concepts outlined in Tested in the Trenches paired with executive coaching as a powerful way already-successful advisors can increase their IQ (Implementation Quotient) and break through plateaus.

Jessica earned her BA in Marketing from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. She later found her passion for coaching and consulting with business owners and earned her Executive and Professional Coaching Graduate Certificate.

Send us your questions; we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

Is traditional behavioral finance missing the mark?

Brian Portnoy, CFA, founder of Shaping Wealth, joins Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial, to introduce “Behavioral Finance 2.0,” a fresh take that goes beyond client-centric advice to a human-centric model. 

Rather than “fixing” biases, Brian emphasizes tapping into clients’ real motivations and strengths. He shares how advisors can go deeper, guiding clients toward true well-being by focusing on the physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial dimensions of their lives.

Listeners will gain actionable insights into building trust and empathy with clients, moving them from “okay” to “great,” and creating more meaningful financial relationships that help clients thrive.

Brian discusses:

• Why traditional behavioral finance often misses the point by pathologizing normal human behaviors
• How a human-centric approach helps advisors support clients’ full well-being—physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial
• Shaping Wealth’s four-part model of flourishing, and how it lets advisors step into dual roles as “mechanics” for technical planning and “guides” for life’s big transitions
• The power of emotional intelligence (EQ) in building trust, empathy, and more impactful client relationships
• Why understanding “money stories” helps advisors connect with clients on a deeper level by exploring what money really means to them
• The future of behavioral finance—using insights from positive psychology to help clients live richer, more fulfilling lives
• And much more!

Resources:

• "The Geometry of Wealth" by Brian Portnoy
• "How I Invest My Money"  by Brian Portnoy and Joshua Brown
• "The Investor's Paradox"  by Brian Portnoy

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• Carson Group LLC
• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón

Connect with Brian Portnoy:

• LinkedIn: Brian Portnoy, CFA
• Shaping Wealth

About Our Guest: 

Brian Portnoy is the founder of Shaping Wealth, a consultancy focused on helping advisors integrate human-centric, holistic approaches into wealth management. His insights on behavioral finance and emotional intelligence are transforming how advisors support clients through all aspects of life, emphasizing human flourishing over technical solutions alone.

Send us your questions, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

Ever wondered why clients resist making financial decisions during life's biggest changes?

By focusing on change management and behavioral finance strategies.

Erin Wood, Senior Vice President of Financial Planning at Carson Group, joins Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial, to explore how financial advisors can support clients during major life events. 

Drawing on Bruce Feiler's concepts of "flashbulb moments" and "life quakes," Erin shares actionable steps for incorporating empathy and structure into planning.

Listeners will learn how to apply behavioral finance insights, overcome decision paralysis, and enhance client outcomes through strategic environment adjustments and refined financial approaches.

Erin discusses:

• How change management principles help advisors guide clients through career changes, loss, and other significant life events
• The influence of "flashbulb moments" and "life quakes" on financial behaviors, and how advisors can navigate these pivotal experiences using Bruce Feiler's framework
• The five stages of change—pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance—and how to support clients through each stage, especially when partners are at different phases
• Common behavioral biases, including money avoidance, money worship, and money vigilance, and tools like the "postcard exercise" to uncover clients' financial priorities
• Effective methods for overcoming decision paralysis to help clients move past indecision, address biases, and achieve aligned financial goals
• How small changes in the environment, inspired by Dr. Wendy De La Rosa's insights, can enhance financial discipline, such as pairing budgeting with rewards
• The importance of continuous learning in behavioral finance, with recommendations for certifications like the Behavioral Financial Advisor (BFA) for practical application
• And much more!

Resources:

• Bruce Feiler
• Ep. 254: Understanding Behavioral Finance to Improve Client Outcomes with Dr. Wendy De La Rosa

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• Carson Group LLC
• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón

Connect with Erin Wood:

• LinkedIn: Erin Wood, CFP®, CRPC®, FBS®
• Sweet Financial Partners
• Carson Wealth

About Our Guest: 

Erin Wood is an experienced financial planning professional with a focus on behavioral finance and change management. She helps clients and advisors navigate the complexities of life transitions by integrating empathy and evidence-based strategies into financial planning. Erin is passionate about continuous education and practical applications of behavioral finance to create more meaningful client relationships.

Send us your questions, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

Why do clients resist sound financial advice, even when it’s in their best interest? 

It’s not about logic—it’s all about psychology. 

Behavioral scientist Dr. Wendy De La Rosa, Assistant Professor at The Wharton School, joins Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial, to reveal the surprising factors behind client resistance and how financial advisors can use these insights to transform their approach.

Dr. De La Rosa shares cutting-edge research on income volatility, generational behavior trends, and the powerful role of perception in financial decision-making. Financial advisors will learn actionable strategies to navigate these complexities, build personalized client plans, and strengthen client relationships by understanding the psychological tools that truly drive behavior.

Dr. Wendy discusses:

• How income frequency influences client spending and saving behaviors
• The essential role of financial advisors in guiding clients through an increasingly manipulative financial landscape
• The impact of financial shame and how empathetic advisory practices can help clients overcome this barrier
• The power of environment design in encouraging positive financial behaviors through simplified processes
• Generational trends, focusing on Gen Z’s pragmatic and value-driven approach to finances, and how advisors can tailor their guidance
• The concept of "financial health days" and how structuring them can empower clients to take manageable steps toward financial wellness
• Practical tools like the "Three B Framework" (Behavior, Benefits, and Barriers) that advisors can use to positively influence client decisions
• And much more!

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• Carson Group LLC
• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón

Connect with Wendy De La Rosa:

• The Wharton School
• LinkedIn: Wendy De La Rosa

About Our Guest: 

Dr. Wendy De La Rosa is an Assistant Professor at The Wharton School and a leading behavioral scientist with a focus on financial decision-making. Her research explores the intersections of emotions, perceptions, and behavior, impacting the way individuals manage their money. She collaborates with companies and advisors to develop strategies that positively influence client outcomes, particularly during moments of income fluctuation. Dr. De La Rosa is passionate about bringing behavioral finance insights into advisory practices, helping financial professionals better connect with and support their clients.

Send us your questions, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

Are you leveraging estate planning to strengthen your client relationships and grow your financial advisory practice? Learn how estate planning can deepen your client relationships and propel your advisory practice to new heights.

In this episode, Ana Trujillo Limón, Director, Editorial, speaks with Andres Mazabel, Head of Advisor Sales at Trust & Will, about the significance of estate planning and longevity planning in the financial services industry. They emphasize the importance of integrating estate planning into advisory practices, discuss trends differentiating estate planning needs across demographics, and delve into the educational tools and strategies available to help advisors navigate this essential topic. By listening to this episode, advisors will gain insights into how they can enhance their practice by effectively incorporating estate planning into their services.

Andres discusses: 

• His experience in private banking and the impact of not having an estate plan
• The role of financial advisors in estate planning and how to educate clients on this critical topic
• Key trends in estate planning, particularly among millennials and Gen Z demographics
• What advisors should look for when choosing the right estate planning tool for them
• How advisors can leverage the right tools and platforms, like Trust & Will, to meet client expectations and enhance advisor-client relationships.
• Practical advice on initiating estate planning conversations with clients and integrating it as a core component of financial advisory practices.
• And more

Connect with Ana Trujillo Limón: 

• Carson Group LLC
• LinkedIn: Ana Trujillo Limón

Connect with Andres Mazabel:

• Trust & Will
• LinkedIn: Andres Mazabel

About Our Guest: 

Andres Mazabel, Head of Advisor Sales at Trust & Will, is helping to solve why more than 60% of families don’t have a plan to protect their loved ones. Trust & Will is a modern platform that simplifies estate planning, making it affordable and accessible to everyone. Andres manages relationships with RIAs and financial advisors to help add more value to their clients. As a consultative sales executive with over a decade of experience in Private Banking and the SaaS industry, Andres is passionate about building client relationships and finding solutions to their challenges. He thrives in team environments and enjoys presenting to C-Level executives. He has successfully managed the most profitable clients for two top 50 global Fortune 500 companies and is fluent in both Spanish and English.

Send us your questions, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].