Model FA Podcast

Julie Littlechild is the Founder and CEO of Absolute Engagement, a company that helps financial advisors and financial advisory firms use client feedback to drive engagement and growth. Julie is committed to leading Absolute Engagement’s research and insights to help financial advisors create a differentiated client experience. She has been twice recognized as one of the 25 Most Influential People in Financial Planning. In addition to her role at Absolute Engagement, Julie is the co-host of the Becoming Referable podcast and the author of The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement.

Julie joins me today to discuss the value of collecting client feedback. She highlights the relationship between client engagement and business growth, and describes how financial advisors can use feedback from their clients to improve their businesses. She also reveals the leading reasons clients don’t make introductions for financial advisors and shares her advice on encouraging clients to make business referrals.

“Helping clients understand the problems we solve using words that they use becomes the storytelling piece that fuels their willingness to refer.” - Julie Littlechild

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Julie’s career arc and what made her interested in the financial services industry
• Absolute Engagement’s research on investor and client expectations, experience, and referrals
• How financial advisors can bring their clients’ voices to life
• The relationship between deep client engagement and business growth
• How advisors can use client feedback for business development
• Two ways to think about client referrals and the top reasons clients don’t refer business to their financial advisor
• Why being aggressive when asking for referrals doesn’t work most of the time
• An effective way to ask for client referrals and the power of focusing on connectivity
• Using content sharing and the Give-to-Get offer to build connections with prospects
• The beauty of gathering client input and feedback

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don’t by Jim Collins

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Advisers can implement feedback to improve and elevate client experience.” - David DeCelle
• “Aggressive ways of getting introductions can impact your relationship with clients, but if you pour love into a client, they’ll understand that referrals are not the only thing you’re after, and that you care for them as a human.” - David DeCelle
• “If the client is at the center of your business, then their voice needs to be a part of the engagement strategies that you implement.” - Julie Littlechild

Connect with Julie Littlechild:

• Absolute Engagement
• The Absolute Engagement Blog
• Podcast: Becoming Referable
• Book: The Pursuit of Absolute Engagement: Intentionally Design a Business That Supports the Life You (Really) Want to Live
• Absolute Engagement on LinkedIn
• Julie Littlechild on LinkedIn
• Julie Littlechild on Twitter
• Email: [email protected]

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Cory Roberson is the Founder and Principal of FIN Compliance, a consortium of compliance, consulting, and business management solutions designed to help investment firms structure, maintain, and develop their internal regulatory programs. An established public speaker, Cory has delivered speeches in several engagements, including the FinTech Diaspora Forum and the ICO4Impact Virtual Summit. He is also a writer whose publications include the article, “Raising the Bar for Compliance: 10 Tips to Practice Management”—published in the Financial Planning Association’s 2014 Newsletter—and the book, From Student to Entrepreneur: Making a Transition to Business.

Cory joins us today to discuss how financial technology can ease the burden of compliance for RIAs and financial planners. He describes how he embraced tech in investment management as he built his compliance consulting business. He explains why financial planning organizations should consider collaborating with external compliance consultants — even if they already have an in-house compliance team. Cory also shares the key compliance points financial advisors need to understand when starting their own RIA.

“Financial advisors experience friction with compliance the most, but there is an intersection between tech and compliance that can ease that friction.” - David DeCelle

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Cory’s background and his journey into the compliance consulting space
• How Cory built the client base for his first consulting business
• The importance of moving beyond the traditional business model and becoming a multi-dimensional financial planning business
• How tech can help financial advisors stay on top of compliance and policies
• Why financial advisors can’t be completely reliant on tech for compliance
• FIN Compliance’s services and how they support financial advisors with compliance and regulations
• The most innovative financial planning business ideas Cory has seen
• When a financial planning business should build an in-house compliance team
• Connecting business, faith, and the Bible

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Compliance is a bear in our industry that many financial advisors run away from.” - David DeCelle
• “Operations and compliance come hand in hand.” - Cory Roberson
• “Tech has a huge value and we have to embrace it. But you can’t completely rely on it for everything.” - Cory Roberson

Connect with Cory Roberson:

• FIN Compliance
• Book: From Student to Entrepreneur: Making a Transition to Business (Don’t Play Around, Write It Down)
• FIN Compliance on LinkedIn
• FIN Compliance on Facebook
• FIN Compliance on Twitter
• Cory Roberson on LinkedIn

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Bo Howell is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Joot, a fintech organization that provides compliance tech and services for investment advisors. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Bo worked at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as Senior Counsel in the Division of Investment Management. He then worked in financial service organizations and legal firms such as Ultimus Fund Solutions and Strauss Troy before finally launching Joot in 2018. With his substantial legal, managerial, and business experience, Bo expertly identifies and meets his clients’ business needs with creative solutions.

Bo joins us today to discuss SEC compliance and tech for financial advisors. He describes the role of the SEC and explains how they help protect investors as well as promote capital markets. He discusses how solo financial advisors and small firms can remain compliant while honoring their revenue-generating efforts. Bo also highlights the benefits of augmenting financial advisors with fintech and shares his predictions on how tech will advance in the financial advisory industry.

“Compliance is like quality control. It lets you have confidence that your business is running smoothly, allowing you to focus on growth-related activities.” - Bo Howell

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Bo’s background and his transition from serving in the Navy to founding Joot
• Why Bo launched Joot and how the company helps financial advisors 
• The role of the SEC and why financial advisors should view them in a positive light
• How financial advisors can become more proactive when building a relationship with the SEC
• How tech impacts financial advisory businesses
• When financial advisory firms should develop their own tech
• How financial advisory firms can meet compliance requirements without sacrificing revenue-generating activities
• The similarities between business development and compliance

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
• Book: Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “The SEC can seem scary, but there are humans on the other side of the name.” - David DeCelle
• “Practice audits in advance, so it doesn’t seem like a daunting task when you get that SEC letter.” - David DeCelle
• “Tech advancement is always scary and disruptive, but it also creates new opportunities.” - Bo Howell

Connect with Bo Howell:

• Joot
• Joot on LinkedIn
• Joot on Facebook
• Joot on Twitter
• Bo Howell on LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Jon Mauney is the General Manager at Betterment, where he also leads the Betterment for Advisors team. Betterment is an organization that empowers financial advisors to do what’s best for their client’s wealth journey. Before joining Betterment in 2013, Jon worked in data analytics and served as a Senior Consultant for IBM. At Betterment, Jon spent several years building software and leading the company’s engineering teams. Today, Jon spends his time working with financial advisors, getting their input and feedback to build Betterment products that make advisors’ businesses streamlined and efficient.

Jon joins me today to discuss client segmentation and how it can improve business economics and help financial advisors adapt to changing client demographics. He outlines the next steps financial advisors can take after segmenting clients and how they can move current clients who score low in the segmentation process. Jon also explains why advisors may take in prospects at the earlier stages of their wealth journey and underscores the importance of considering a client’s lifetime value.

“The number one rule of client segmentation is to have perimeters so you can sort prospects on their way in.” - Jon Mauney

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Jon’s career arc, from being a consultant at IBM to working in a client-facing role at Betterment
• What client segmentation is and how it benefits financial advisors
• The 80/20 principle and how client segmentation determines touch points with clients
• The importance of considering lifetime value in evaluating your relationships with clients
• Five metrics with which you can segment your clients
• The value of automating the non-human components of your business
• Why client segmentation needs to be done as part of a financial advisor’s onboarding process

Resources Mentioned:

• Commas
• Book: The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Where your clients are according to your segmentation will determine how frequently you touch base with them.” - David DeCelle
• “The five categories you should use to segment your clients are revenue, growth potential, coachability, referrability, and likeability.” - David DeCelle
• “Come up with a lifetime value for all your clients, rank them, and figure out what you need to do to make a change.” - Jon Mauney

Connect with Jon Mauney:

• Betterment
• Betterment on LinkedIn
• Betterment on Instagram
• Betterment on Facebook
• Betterment on Twitter
• Jon Mauney on LinkedIn

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Bob Doyle is an Executive Coach for and the CEO of Boundless Living. Over the past 20 years, Bob has been helping people work with the Law of Attraction and transform their lives. He is best known for his role as a Law of Attraction expert and coach in the movie, The Secret. Since 1998, Bob has taught the principles of personal transformation through programs, live events, podcasts, coaching, and writing. Though still grounded in the Law of Attraction, Bob’s focus has shifted from the metaphysical aspects to the brain’s role in the process of reality creation.

Bob joins me today to discuss the process of tapping into your brain’s superpower to create your reality and transform yourself. He explains the relationship between the brain’s neuroplasticity and manifestation. He describes why it’s difficult for many people to transform their lives and discusses why the Law of Attraction doesn’t work for many people. He also shares the steps you can take toward changing your brain’s wiring and underscores the importance of being non-negotiable about the kind of person you want to become.

“We are born with this reality creation device called the brain. We can imagine things, take action, and retain information. We’re born to create something amazing.” - Bob Doyle

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• What transformation personality types are and why they’re important to identify
• Why Bob shifted his focus away from the Law of Attraction to the brain’s power to create reality
• How the meaning that we derive from the world drives us into action
• Rewiring your brain and what makes personal transformation happen
• What makes personal transformation difficult and why people fail their Law of Attraction work
• The “burn the boats” mindset and how we can support our brain’s rewiring
• What it means to manifest on autopilot
• How manifestation works and how the brain’s wiring impacts it
• Why Bob thinks it’s a waste of time to convince people about the Law of Attraction
• The first steps toward rewiring the brain and the power of visualizing your day

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Rewiring your brain is like a ski slope: fresh snow falls, covering your path, but giving you opportunities to create new ones.” - David DeCelle
• “The more you can consume content related to the outcome you want, the more likely you are to see answers in front of you.” - David DeCelle
• “Discomfort is normal. Embrace it, be grateful, and keep holding onto the vision.” - Bob Doyle

Connect with Bob Doyle:

• Boundless Living
• Bob Doyle Website
• Transformation Personality Type (TPT) Quiz
• Book: Wealth Beyond Reason: Mastering The Law of Attraction
• Book: Follow Your Passion, Find Your Power: Everything You Need to Know about the Law of Attraction
• Bob Doyle on LinkedIn
• Bob Doyle on Instagram
• Bob Doyle on Facebook

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Natalie Grassi is an Advisor Development Consultant at Simplicity Scottsdale, an organization that is revolutionizing the insurance industry. Natalie specializes in helping financial advisors reach their goals faster by guiding them in overcoming their challenges. She has created marketing plans for top performers and has coached hundreds of advisors on seminar best practices. Before joining Simplicity, Natalie worked as a Success Coach for Advisors with White Glove, a tech-enabled marketing services company.

Natalie joins me today to discuss her best practices in marketing for financial advisors. She shares her emergence in the industry and how she pivoted from being an elementary school teacher to working with financial advisors. She explains why financial advisors need to stay open and curious with their clients and reveals the factors that define (and make) the best financial advisors. She also underscores the power of using storytelling to connect with prospects and convert them into clients.

“All the little things make the biggest difference and impact the result. They create an experience for prospects and make prospects take the next step with you.” - Natalie Grassi

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Natalie’s background in the financial services industry
• Simplicity Scottsdale’s services and how they help advisors
• What financial advisors should consider when developing a marketing plan
• Why advisors need to give their marketing plan and activities more time
• What makes an effective financial advisor
• The importance of tracking results and keeping marketing funnels full
• Why seminars are working well — despite the pandemic
• How financial advisors can increase their conversion rates from registration to attendance
• Why financial advisors should invite their seminar attendees to follow them on social media 
• Converting seminar attendees into client appointments
• The power of curiosity and storytelling

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: What Great Salespeople Do: The Science of Selling Through Emotional Connection and the Power of Story by Michael Bosworth and Ben Zoldan
• Book: Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
• Book: Untamed by Glennon Doyle
• Loom: Video Messaging for Work
• BombBomb Video Mail

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “People like to do business with people they know, like, and trust. If they connect with you on social media, it lets them connect with you on a deeper level.” - David DeCelle
• “Storytelling is a tool to help financial advisors increase their conversion rates.” - David DeCelle
• “The best advisors don’t say they’ll continue what they’ve always done. They look for new ideas, recommendations, training, and other things that will help them get better.” - Natalie Grassi

Connect with Natalie Grassi:

• Simplicity Scottsdale
• Simplicity Scottsdale on LinkedIn
• Simplicity Scottsdale on Facebook
• Simplicity Scottsdale on YouTube
• Natalie Grassi on LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Brendan Barca is a coach, speaker, and consultant specializing in helping financial advisors enter the digital age. Through his live workshops, webinars, and online courses, Brendan teaches financial advisors how to grow their businesses by modernizing their websites and embracing digital technology. In addition to his work as a consultant for financial advisors, Brendan is also Co-Founder of Brema Solutions, a firm dedicated to creating a more intentional, aware, and mindful world.

Brendan joins me today to share his advice on how financial advisors can leverage LinkedIn and other online tools to expand their businesses. He shares why and how he shifted from working in the financial services industry to starting a consultancy business. He discusses how content marketing can help prospects find financial advisors and explains why networking on LinkedIn is a gradual process. He also shares his advice for optimizing your business’s website on Google and underscores why financial advisors need to embrace the digital world.

“LinkedIn is a gradual and strategic process.  It’s a slow burn: you connect, build rapport, and then ask for a meeting.” - Brendan Barca

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Why some financial advisors feel like LinkedIn doesn’t work for building business
• How optimizing your LinkedIn profile separates you from other financial advisors
• Using content for marketing and keeping prospects interested in you
• The power of niching in business-building and how to position yourself as a valuable resource on LinkedIn and other networking platforms
• How long it takes to reap the benefits of networking on LinkedIn
• Why financial advisors need to embrace digitalization
• Brendan’s advice for financial advisors who are hesitant about taking their businesses online
• Online meeting best practices
• Optimizing your Google ranking to get more prospects to your business website

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferris
• Book: Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferris

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “People get to know you by the amount of experiences they have with you.” - David DeCelle
• “You want to create content on LinkedIn. Even if your content doesn’t get a huge engagement, you can still repurpose it.” - Brendan Barca
• “Advisors should create valuable content on a consistent basis on LinkedIn.” - David DeCelle

Connect with Brendan Barca:

• Brendan Barca Solutions
• Email: [email protected]
• Brendan Barca on LinkedIn

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Scott Nelson is the founder and CEO of Thrive Medicare, a fee-only financial services firm dedicated to helping clients live happy, comfortable lives by guiding them reach their financial goals. After nearly two decades of supporting advisors and their clients through Thrive Wealth Strategies, Scott built Thrive Medicare as a platform that offers training, mentorship programs, direct client support, and referral networks to assist financial advisors in the United States.

Scott joins me today to discuss how financial advisors can use Medicare as a prospecting and business development tool. He discusses how he pivoted from being a financial advisor to starting his Medicare services business and how he grew it through referrals. He describes why Medicare is a “fragmented” industry. He also explains how offering Medicare advice can build trust between a financial advisor and their client.

“Medicare is the best prospecting tool you’ll have.” - Scott Nelson

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• How Scott launched his Medicare business
• Why Medicare is a fragmented industry and how it’s different from the financial advisory industry
• How offering Medicare can benefit financial advisors
• The “give-to-get” offer and why clients don’t look for a holistic fiduciary planner
• How the Medicare process can give you the opportunity to present your professionalism and perform fact-finding
• Medicare season and using Medicare as a tool to get referrals
• Why offering Medicare as a value-add gets you more referrals as a financial advisor

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Marketing is a creative and ethical way to get someone’s attention and trick them into hanging out with you.” - David DeCelle
• “Of a hundred people you’re asking, not all are going to sign up for Medicare—but all one hundred will ask you for advice.” - Scott Nelson
• “Rarely will a client say, I need to find a holistic planner and address this entire thing! It’s usually a particular problem they need to work through, and it’s the adviser’s job to help them.” - David DeCelle

Connect with Scott Nelson:

• Thrive Medicare Strategies
• Scott Nelson on LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Andrea Lopez-Schlapia is the founder and CEO of IronstoneHQ, an organization that helps financial advisory professionals design, develop, and sustain their businesses. After rising through the ranks of several global investment firms such as Dreyfus, Prudential, and Deutsche Bank, Andrea founded IronstoneHQ in 2008 to help financial advisors. She is the creator of IronstoneHQ’s Fundamental 4 scorecard and blueprint, a system she designed to help financial advisors grow purposefully, operate more efficiently, and continue their business’s legacy.

Andrea joins me today to discuss the Fundamental 4 blueprint and how organizations can leverage it for exponential growth. She explains why businesses should cast a vision through strategic planning and outlines how leaders can put those plans into action through business development. She underscores why it’s important to systematize and standardize a company’s systems and processes. Andrea also highlights why it’s critical to cultivate the human element of an organization and shares some of her strategies for developing company culture.

“Cast a wide net at the beginning of your career. Explore what you like—what becomes your sweet spot is your growth.” - Andrea Schlapia

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Andrea’s background and the catalyst behind IronstoneHQ
• The leap from being a great financial advisor to becoming a great business owner
• What the Fundamental 4 blueprint is and how it was created
• How often the Fundamental 4 should be implemented in an organization
• How to fall in love with your business again
• Being strategic and protecting your energy by working with people who give you energy
• The 10:3:1:Q method for casting your company’s vision
• The importance of having a clear vision for your business and writing it down on paper
• Picking and refining a niche and what it means to be a small giant
• How to pick a niche when starting out
• How to quickly build up trust with clients
• Operational effectiveness and the power of consistency
• Segmentation and why it’s important to document your business’s services and operations
• The psychology of selling
• The human element of culture-building and strategies for improving culture
• What development days are and why you should implement them monthly

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big by Bo Burlingham
• Book: The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande
• Book: Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “When you build a community, you start educating people on what you do. Then it becomes an automatic referral-generating machine.” - Andrea Schlapia
• “Trust isn’t something that just takes time; it’s based on the accumulation of experiences.” - David DeCelle
• “Serving your clients better starts with serving yourself and your people.” - David DeCelle

Connect with Andrea Schlapia:

• IronstoneHQ
• The Fundamental 4
• IronstoneHQ on LinkedIn
• IronstoneHQ on Instagram
• IronstoneHQ on Facebook
• IronstoneHQ on Twitter
• IronstoneHQ on YouTube
• Andrea Schlapia on LinkedIn

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

Aaron Klein is the co-founder and CEO of Riskalyze, the organization that invented the Risk Number, empowering the world to invest fearlessly. Under Aaron’s leadership, Riskalyze has grown to serve thousands of financial advisors and has been recognized by Fast Company Magazine as one of the world’s top ten most innovative companies in finance. InvestmentNews has named Aaron one of the industry’s Top 40 Under 40 executives. In addition to his responsibilities at Riskalyze, Aaron actively performs humanitarian work. He has co-founded and serves as a board member of Hope Takes Root, an initiative to serve orphans and vulnerable kids in Ethiopia, and serves on the board of Invest in Others, an organization that supports financial advisors who give back to their communities.

Aaron joins me today to discuss how financial advisors can harness the power of storytelling to foster their connection with clients. He describes how the impetus behind Riskalyze started in a conversation between friends. He defines what the “red pill” principle is and shares the different personal routines he maintains to help him balance his time between family and business. He also discusses how clients seldom make long-term decisions, highlights how social media can be used for positive outcomes, and underscores the relationship between storytelling and good selling.

“Painting yourself as the hero instead of a guide leaves your clients as a spectator. You can’t be a successful financial advisor until the client takes an active role in the story.” - Aaron Klein

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Aaron’s backstory and why Riskalyze made a pivot to the B2B space
• The “Apollo 13” question and how Riskalyze started as a conversation between friends
• The “red pill” principle and the difficulty and wonder of being an entrepreneur
• Mindsets and personal routines that help Aaron stay positive and persevere through challenges
• Unlocking the secrets of powerful storytelling
• How clients make short-term decisions that serve as fuel for their long-term vision
• Using the C3 list to commit to the process of success
• The law of diminishing returns in social media
• Using capitalism to pull people out of poverty

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: What Great Salespeople Do: The Science of Selling Through Emotional Connection and the Power of Story by Michael T. Bosworth
• Book: Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon by Colin Bryar and Bill Carr
• Book: Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire by Brad Stone
• Book: The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “There are ups and downs and ebbs and flows in the entrepreneurial journey. It’s important to have an aspect of your life that’s foundational and stable. For me, that’s my personal routine.” - David DeCelle
• “A start-up is a process of learning. It’s about how much tenacity and drive you have to extend that learning experience long enough to get you to the other side.” - Aaron Klein
• “Ensure that the client feels educated and empowered to make decisions that can save themselves.” - David DeCelle

Connect with Aaron Klein:

• Riskalyze
• Riskalyze on LinkedIn
• Riskalyze on Facebook
• Riskalyze on Twitter
• Email: [email protected]
• Aaron Klein on LinkedIn
• Aaron Klein on Instagram
• Aaron Klein on Facebook
• Aaron Klein on Twitter

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

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Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

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