Knowing Me, Knowing You

Some days, the mountain is Everest, and other days, it’s just keeping up with your mammogram appointment. No matter what it is, you need clarity to recognize it. And to climb it! Cokie Cox, our guest on this episode of Knowing Me, Knowing You, knows a bit about that.

During the week, Cokie is a financial advisor who helps women navigate the challenges that come after divorce. On weekends, she climbs mountains. Literally. Every day, she lives by the Perfect Day philosophy: do everything with intention and never lose sight of what matters most. She has authored two books, founded two nonprofits, won Woman CEO of the Year, and climbed the 7 Summits of the world.

This is a conversation about how wealth managers grow by talking about goals, plans, and impact, but also a reminder that you are capable of more than you think. You don’t want to miss this discussion!

Connect with us! 

• Cokie Cox on LinkedIn
• Alphavest.com
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

In today’s fast-changing wealth landscape, differentiation is survival. Abby Salameh, Chief Growth Officer at RFG Advisory, believes that every advisor has a story worth telling and that it has nothing to do with the services they offer. To build a brand that drives growth, advisors should align their personal story with the feeling they want to evoke in clients and prospects. 

With three decades in advisor marketing, Abby breaks down what most firms get wrong about branding (it’s not the logo), why intentional referrals still work, and how women and next-gen clients are reshaping the future of advice. You’ll walk away with clear guidance on how to tell a compelling story that cuts through the noise, builds trust, and turns your values into a scalable business.

This episode is a must-listen for advisors looking to grow, transition, or future-proof their practice.

Connect with us! 

• Abby Salameh on LinkedIn
• RFG Advisory
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

“I remember meeting with a financial planner, and feeling talked down to, not feeling empowered.” When women feel heard, seen, and genuinely supported, they are capable of anything. 

Caterina Rando is an expert community builder. She empowers women to reach their full potential. As an entrepreneur and trusted leader, she shares insights and tips to help wealth managers connect more meaningfully with women as they come into $30T in the next five years. Caterina has helped thousands of women by listening with intention. She models the type of client engagement wealth managers are desperate for in their practices. 

Listen in for Caterina’s story of humor, heart, and wisdom, and to learn from a master in women’s community building. 

Connect with us! 

• Caterina Rando on LinkedIn
• Join Thriving Women in Business Community
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

This July 4th, we celebrate freedom & purpose, and honor the people who have dedicated their lives to protecting it.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Comitz served in the U.S. Army for over 20 years.
West Point grad. PhD in organic chemistry. Army professor. Strategic ops leader.

And then?

He was expected to start over.

Veterans like Richard carry a rare combination of discipline, resilience, and proven high stakes leadership. But when the uniform comes off, they’re handed uncertainty without a playbook for civilian life.

Richard didn’t back down.
He stepped into a new mission: helping others navigate the same challenge.

Today, he leads American Corporate Partners (ACP), a national nonprofit connecting veterans and their spouses with mentors across 100+ of America’s top companies.

“Mentors have helped me get through countless situations in my life,” he told me.
 “Now I help others build that same network, at one of the most critical transitions they’ll ever face.”

ACP has already supported 21,000+ veterans, and under Richard’s leadership, it’s expanding partnerships with businesses, government, and military leaders alike.

I’m delighted to know Richard and to amplify his important message on the Knowing Me, Knowing You podcast. The future of wealth demands that we envision financial services and wealth management, in particular, as another form of service, one rooted in trust, leadership, and solving human problems.

🎧 Richard’s story is one of humility, honor, and purpose.
The call to serve doesn’t end. It evolves.

Honor those who have given their lives to our country by listening to this podcast and amplifying it in your own network.

This episode will challenge you to think differently about experience, transition, and second acts.

• Richard Comitz on LinkedIn
• American Corporate Partners
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

The best financial plan doesn’t start with what you have, but with who you are. And that’s exactly the kind of plan Jessica Gibbs, CFP® and partner at Monument Wealth Management, helps her clients build. In this episode of Knowing Me, Knowing You, she shares how it all begins with simple questions and honest conversations, until they get to what matters the most to each of them. 

Family time, freedom to be where you want to (or leave from where you don’t), supporting causes you care about.

No matter what it is, Jessica incorporates it into a meaningful plan. But she also goes beyond the financial part and reminds us that it’s okay not to have all the answers right away, as long as you are willing to look for them. It takes time, it requires courage, and it might even be uncomfortable for some, but that’s where clarity begins. 

If you have ever wished you had more control over your financial future, this episode is a great starting point. 

Connect with us! 

• Jessica Gibbs, CFP® on LinkedIn
• Monument Wealth Management
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

If you’re juggling 80 different software platforms to run your advisory practice, you’re not alone. As crazy as it sounds, it's the reality one advisor shared with Taylor Matthews, Founder of Farther, before joining their platform.

In this episode, Taylor shares how Farther simplifies wealth management with fully integrated technology. Farther allows advisors to deliver family office caliber client experiences, leaving the technical operations to their centralized team.

Taylor emphasizes the importance of building authentic relationships to understand client motivations, goals, and needs. Technology is only a tool. When these data points are clearly and consistently captured, advice becomes more valuable, client relationships become more resilient, and advisory businesses grow. 

Tune in to hear how Farther empowers financial advisors to do more of what they do best: connect with clients.

Connect with us! 

• Taylor Matthews on LinkedIn
• Farther
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

Nicole Casperson doesn’t believe women lack confidence with money. She believes they’ve been written out of the story.

As a journalist-turned-founder of Fintech is Femme, Nicole has spent the last few years reframing the narrative that surrounds women in finance. From growing her newsletter to 50,000 fintech insiders in under a year to launching packed-out leadership summits, she’s created a platform where women’s financial stories take center stage. No diversity label needed.

In this episode of Knowing Me, Knowing You, we discuss how she’s using media, entrepreneurship, and a growth mindset to rewrite the rules. She talks candidly about the bias she saw in newsrooms, how building something personal builds real trust, and why relatability is what truly resonates. We also explore how embracing abundance (even when it feels risky) can change your entire trajectory.

Connect with us! 

• Nicole Casperson on LinkedIn
• Fintech is Femme
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

Sonja Strzoda built her career in global asset management, advising boards, executives, and investors for over 25 years. She has seen what financial security looks like behind the scenes and why so many people, especially women, still feel unprepared or uncertain when it comes to their own money. Now, after stepping away from corporate life to serve on boards like WISE and the California Financial Educators Council, she helps others find the clarity and confidence to lead financially empowered lives.

In this episode, Sonja shares why true financial readiness begins with self-awareness. It is not just about budgeting or investing. It is about understanding your “why,” the emotional root behind every decision. She explains how financial literacy creates options, freedom, and the power to move through life on your own terms. Whether you are navigating a life transition, rebuilding after loss, or simply trying to build better money habits, this episode is a reminder that financial confidence is possible and deeply personal.

Connect with us! 

• Sonja Strzoda on LinkedIn
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

Kendra Thompson led wealth management strategy in roles at Accenture and Deloitte Canada, giving her a front-row seat to what Fortune500 broker-dealers, banks, insurers, and retirement firms were planning behind closed doors… and what didn’t work. She’s seen the boardroom disbelief, the resistance to change, and the industry’s failure to meet the needs of women, next-gen clients, and anyone who didn’t fit the mold. Now, as founder of Epok Advice, she’s rewriting the rules.

In this conversation, Kendra shares why the future of wealth management won’t be won by the flashiest apps or the longest list of products, but by the firms that learn to truly listen. Forget rigid risk profiles and static data models. Real discovery, she argues, comes from conversations that evolve to honor emotion, memory, and the complexity of human decision-making.

We dive into:

• Why the most defensible value in wealth is now the advice itself (rather than differentiated products or performance)
• What’s breaking down inside the largest institutions. And what’s being rebuilt in its place
• How firms can scale advice without losing the soul of the relationship
• How technology should be used to support and scale human advice
• And why it’s no longer a question of if change is needed, but how fast you can move

This episode explores what it means to deliver advice that scales without losing its soul. We talk about technology that supports, not replaces. We unpack the importance of breaking silos so advice feels consistent across every touchpoint. And we ask: who gets left behind when financial guidance only serves those with wealth to manage?

Connect with us! 

• Kendra Thompson on LinkedIn
• Epok Advice Website
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee

He helped a lesbian artist escape persecution and launch an international career. What does that have to do with wealth management? Everything.

In this unforgettable episode, Rod Sayegh, Chief Digital Officer at Fiduciary Trust and co-founder of one of the first LGBTQ artist residencies in the U.S., shares how using money with purpose changed lives, including his own. One artist was ready to give up. Another fled for her safety. Both found not just refuge, but transformation.

Rod brings that same intentionality to financial technology. Because behind every account is a person with fears, dreams, and a definition of success only they can define. The job of technology? Make space for that truth.

Rod reveals how he’s helping advisors move beyond generic advice and into deeply human conversations. Conversations where clients feel safe naming what they’re afraid of and excited to shape their future. It’s not just digital transformation. It’s emotional transformation, powered by data, trust, and design that listens.

If you think financial planning is about performance reports and retirement projections, this episode will change the way you see everything.

Connect with us! 

• Rod Sayegh on LinkedIn
• Fiduciary Trust International
• Marla Sofer on LinkedIn
• Knomee