Knowing Me, Knowing You

Most advisory firms believe they need more marketing. More content. More campaigns. More visibility. But what if the real challenge is not getting noticed? What if it is making sure people truly understand the value you already create?

In this episode, we explore why communication has become one of the biggest competitive advantages in wealth management. We discuss how firms can move beyond generic messaging, why storytelling creates stronger client relationships than product descriptions, and how authentic brands are built through consistency rather than volume.

From organic growth and advisor differentiation to AI and the future of marketing, this conversation challenges firms to rethink how they communicate with prospects, clients, and their own teams. Because the firms that grow are not always the loudest. They are the ones people remember.

Connect with us! 

• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee
• Molly McClure on LinekdIn
• OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners 

How do the fastest-growing wealth management firms shift from accidental growth to intentional design? In this episode of the Knowing Me, Knowing You podcast, Marla sits down with Erica Rodrigues and Morgan Bell from the Strategic Advisory Group at Constellation Wealth Capital. Together, they dive into why a firm’s growth engine and technology stack are not two separate strategies, but two ends of the exact same hallway.

Erica breaks down the "marketing maturity curve," the power of choosing a hyper-specific niche, and why growth must be owned by leadership rather than outsourced to a single rainmaker. Meanwhile, Morgan provides a tech and behavioral finance perspective, sharing how modern tech tools are evolving to help advisors shift from selling to solving by embedding deep client discovery directly into their everyday workflows.

They also discuss practical tips for driving advisor tech adoption and share how their deeply personal origin stories and family dynamics completely shaped their own relationships with money. Whether you are a multi-billion dollar RIA looking to scale or a boutique firm looking to optimize your marketing infrastructure, this episode offers a practical blueprint for the future of wealth management advice.

Connect with us! 

• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

How has the affluent investor’s journey fundamentally changed while the first advisor meeting remains stuck in 1984? In this episode of the Knowing Me, Knowing You podcast, Marla takes us behind the scenes of her own recent, deeply personal search for a financial advisor. Sharing the challenges of navigating contrasting money beliefs with her husband, she dives into why traditional, rigid discovery frameworks often feel more like a sales pitch than a meaningful conversation.

Marla breaks down recent global data from HSBC and EY, revealing a stark reality: modern clients are using AI to thoroughly vet firms before ever booking a call, yet nearly half plan to move a significant portion of their assets. Marla highlights why technical competence is now just table stakes. What clients are truly searching for is a partner who understands them, not just their balance sheet. Finally, she introduces how Knomee leverages behavioral science to eliminate stale information gathering, allowing advisors to step into the very first meeting armed with deep context so they can immediately focus on the conversations that actually matter.

Connect with us! 

• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

Most financial advisors present a perfectly logical wealth strategy, only to watch a client completely freeze. The standard response is to reopen the spreadsheet, point to historical returns, and double down on the math. But resistance is rarely an analytical problem; it is an emotional signal rooted in deep personal history, unaddressed biases, and a natural fear of giving up control. While the industry rushes toward technical optimization, the deeper opportunity lies in moving from rigid data points to genuine clarity, putting down the charts to listen to the human being behind the money.

In this episode, we sit down with Frank Corrado, founder of Pivot Point. Frank brings decades of leadership across the wealth management landscape, having served as managing director and principal at Robertson Stephens Wealth Management and held corporate finance roles at JP Morgan and Ernst & Young. He pairs an elite technical pedigree across CPA, CFP, and CFA designations with a profound belief that the best financial advice only matters when people are truly ready to act on it.

We dig into the upcoming inflection point facing the profession, particularly how artificial intelligence is fast commoditizing the technical side of planning. From the "friction between advice and execution" to the unique emotional landscape of first-generation wealth creators, Frank exposes why traditional discovery processes often miss the mark. The asset allocations and tech stacks are vital tools, but they are entirely symbiotic with human behavior. The real differentiation happens when an advisor moves past the 60/40 splits to uncover the true purpose of a client's money.

This episode is for wealth managers who want to future-proof their practice in the age of AI, and for any advisor looking to transform transactional meetings into deep, durable human connections.

Connect with us! 

• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

Most successful professionals handle massive complexity at work, but feel completely overwhelmed by their own financial clutter. Papers pile up, accounts sit scattered across institutions, and a five-million-dollar portfolio still looks exactly like the ten-thousand-dollar starter account they built decades ago. Finding a specific niche can certainly help, but the deeper opportunity often lies in changing how we look at data, essentially upgrading from a stethoscope to an MRI machine to truly understand a client's life.

In this episode, we sit down with Edward Karan, founder and managing partner of Aspire Wealth Advisory Group. Edward brings more than three decades of experience across private banking, private equity, and wealth management, most recently serving as Managing Director at Citi Global Wealth before launching his own practice from scratch. He pairs an elite institutional pedigree with a genuine passion for financial literacy and values-based guidance.

We dig into the psychology of wealth, particularly the fascinating behavioral blind spots that trip up brilliant lawyers and consultants. From the "billable hour trap" that turns time into an anxiety metric, to a trained obsession with downside risk that breeds financial inertia, Edward exposes why high earners struggle to get their own houses in order. The tech stack and the portfolios are essential, but they are just tools. The real magic happens when an advisor creates the space for a client to finally drop the complexity, align their money with their values, and breathe.

This episode is for wealth managers who want to see how a modern RIA scales by outsourcing the back office, and for any professional who has ever wondered what it would feel like to turn financial chaos into true calm.

Connect with us! 

• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

Most people hear the words "reverse mortgage" and shut down. The reputation precedes the product, and for decades, that reputation wasn't good. But the landscape has changed, and so has the conversation around what home equity can actually do for people in retirement and beyond.

In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Gutman, senior mortgage broker, certified reverse mortgage professional, and four-time Amazon best-selling author, who has spent 22 years helping people figure out what they actually want their money to do. Kevin brings a rare combination: deep product expertise and a genuine commitment to listening first.

We dig into the real reasons people tap home equity  funding a grandchild's vacation memories, helping an adult child buy their first home, covering a $170,000 medical bill without touching investments. The product is almost beside the point. The point is what people are trying to protect, build, or give while they still can.

This episode is for advisors who want to expand how they think about a client's total financial picture, and for anyone who has ever wondered what they could do if the equity sitting in their home started working for them.

Connect with us! 

• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

Every wealth management firm wants organic growth. Few achieve it consistently.

In this episode of Knowing Me, Knowing You, we sit down with Mark Tibergien, one of the most influential voices in the evolution of the RIA industry. As the longtime leader of Pershing Advisor Solutions, Mark helped shape the growth of hundreds of advisory firms and witnessed firsthand the transformation of wealth management from lifestyle practice into enterprise business.

Together, we explore why organic growth remains one of the profession's biggest challenges despite decades of investment in technology, marketing, and acquisitions.

We discuss:

• Why growth is an outcome, not a strategy
• The shift from advisor-centric firms to enduring enterprises
• Why investment performance is no longer a sustainable differentiator
• The future of advisor development and succession
• How trust, emotional intelligence, and human connection become more valuable in an AI-driven world
• What the next generation of leading advisory firms will do differently

If you're focused on organic growth, client retention, advisor development, or the future of wealth management, this conversation is for you.

Join us.

• Mark Tibergien on LinkedIn
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

Every wealth management firm wants growth. More leads. More meetings. More assets. Yet despite increased spending on marketing, lead generation platforms, AI outreach, and prospecting tools, many advisors are finding that growth feels harder than ever. Pipelines may be full, but conversion remains frustratingly low.

In this episode, we explore the trust gap that exists in modern prospecting. While firms have access to endless financial and demographic data, they often know very little about what prospects actually care about, what motivates them, or whether they are emotionally ready to begin an advisory relationship. As AI makes generic outreach infinitely scalable, authentic human understanding becomes increasingly valuable.

We discuss why personalization is becoming the new competitive advantage, how behavioral science can improve prospect engagement, and why the future of advisor growth may depend less on finding more leads and more on helping people feel understood before the first meeting ever begins.

Connect with us! 

• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

For decades, retirement planning has revolved around a familiar process: determine a client's risk tolerance, build a diversified portfolio, and hope the numbers work out. But what if that entire framework starts in the wrong place?

In this episode, we explore why cash flow, timing, and purpose may matter far more than traditional risk questionnaires. As retirees transition from accumulating wealth to actually using it, many discover that the biggest challenge is not growing their assets. It is understanding what those assets are meant to accomplish. From vacations and family milestones to philanthropy and personal fulfillment, financial decisions become deeply tied to life itself.

We unpack why volatility is not the same thing as risk, how advisors can help clients spend with confidence instead of fear, and why the future of wealth management may depend less on portfolios and more on helping people define what their money is actually for.

Connect with us! 

• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee
• Stonebriar Wealth Advisors 
• Gary Preisser on LinkedIn 

In this episode, I sit down with Sonya Lutter, Certified Financial Planner, licensed marriage and family therapist, and a leading voice at the intersection of money and mental health. As a co-founder of the Financial Therapy Association, Sonya has spent her career helping the industry bridge the gap between technical expertise and human understanding.

We explore what financial advisors are still missing when it comes to client relationships, why being present matters more than having the right answers, and how financial therapy has evolved from a niche idea into a critical part of modern wealth management. Sonya shares how advisors can better navigate emotions, family dynamics, and unspoken influences that shape financial behavior.

If you are looking to deepen trust, improve discovery, and better understand the human side of money, this conversation will challenge you to rethink how you show up for clients and what it truly means to guide them.

Connect with us! 

• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee
• Sonya Lutter on LinkedIn
• Sonya Lutter’s website