Bob Clare spent 25 years inside Bank of America and Merrill Lynch before founding Fispoke — a complete embedded banking and lending platform built specifically for independent RIAs and financial advisors. And what he saw from the inside is what drove him to build it: the big banks have a very deliberate strategy to cross-sell your clients every time they walk through their doors. Most independent advisors have no idea it’s happening.

In this episode, Mike and Bob dig into why integrating banking into your practice is both an offensive and defensive strategy, what it really means to be a fiduciary when you’re only managing half of your client’s financial life, and how Fispoke is enabling advisors to offer $20.5 million in FDIC insurance and a 3.56% high-yield savings APY to their clients today.

They also unpack a stat that should stop every advisor cold: 81% of heirs switch advisors after inheriting wealth. Bob explains how building a banking relationship with the next generation is one of the most powerful retention tools in an advisor’s arsenal.

Chapters:

0:00 - Cold Open: Bob’s Warning to Advisors

0:30 - Episode Intro

2:00 - Welcome Bob Clare / The Journey from Terry’s Episode to Today

3:00 - Fispoke Elevator Pitch: The Turnkey Banking Platform for Advisors

6:00 - Offense & Defense: Banks Are Actively Cross-Selling Your Clients

13:30 - The Fiduciary Blind Spot: Managing One Side of the Balance Sheet Isn’t Enough

19:00 - Business Owner Clients and the Banking Opportunity

20:30 - $20.5 Million in FDIC Insurance: The Sleep-at-Night Conversation

25:30 - From Portfolio Manager to Capital Architect

28:30 - Advisor Financing: Own Your Destiny Without Selling to Private Equity

29:30 - The 81% Problem: Banking as a Next-Gen Retention Strategy

35:00 - Getting Started with Fispoke (No Platform Fees)

38:30 - Training & Getting Comfortable with Banking Conversations

43:00 - First Mover Advantage & Closing Thoughts

47:00 - Outro

Rich Walker, co-founder and CEO of Quik!, joins Mike Langford to share his four essential pillars for creating exceptional client experiences—including the provocative first principle: love your customer. Rich reveals why he and his wife shut down a profitable business after four months because they didn't love their customers, and what that taught him about building sustainable advisory relationships.

This conversation explores the intersection of AI, leadership, and human connection in wealth management. Rich breaks down how to set boundaries that make clients feel more secure, why a 99% satisfaction score might indicate you're doing too much, and how to treat AI tools as collaborative colleagues rather than robotic servants. Plus, Rich unveils Quik!'s revolutionary new product, Formstream, which promises to transform the paperwork nightmare every advisor faces.

The 4 Pillars Framework:

• Pillar #1: Love Your Customer - Why this is non-negotiable and how to know when you don't
• Pillar #2: Be Your First Customer - Solving problems you actually experience
• Pillar #3: Be On Your Customer's Team - You're the guide, not the hero
• Pillar #4: Know and Enforce Your Boundaries - How limits create love and trust

Key Topics Covered:

• Only 30% of firms are actually using AI (you haven't missed the boat)
• How to think about AI as a colleague vs. a tool
• The collaborative approach to AI that produces better results
• Why solo advisors still need leadership skills
• Teaching clients how to communicate with you through boundaries
• The danger of 100% customer satisfaction scores
• Introducing Formstream: The "TurboTax approach" to forms
• How paperwork friction costs advisors months in onboarding time

Episode Timeline:

0:00 - Cold Open: Love Your Customer

0:52 - Episode Introduction

2:00 - Welcome Rich Walker to the Show

4:41 - The 4 Pillars of Client Experience Framework

5:00 - Pillar #1: You Have to Love Your Customer

6:00 - Being Interested in Your Clients

7:48 - Shutting Down a Profitable Business (Wife's Weight Loss Company)

9:00 - Pillar #2: Be Your First Customer

11:00 - Why Rich Quit Being a Financial Advisor

12:43 - Pillar #3: Be On Your Customer's Team

13:00 - Building a StoryBrand - You're the Guide, Not the Hero

14:00 - Financial Advisors Are Relationship-Based

15:00 - Helping Your Team See the Impact of Their Work

17:40 - Pillar #4: Know and Enforce Your Boundaries

18:00 - Alamo Drafthouse: Boundaries Create Great Experiences

20:00 - Children Feel Love When They Know the Boundaries

22:23 - Teaching Clients How to Communicate With You

24:00 - The 99% Customer Satisfaction Problem

26:00 - Not Making Enough Turnovers (Basketball Analogy)

27:00 - Sarah Vogelsanger's Phone Call Feedback

28:00 - Thomas Gold Solutions: We Answer the Phone

30:43 - AI and Client Experience in Wealth Management

32:33 - Only 30% of Companies Are Actually Using AI

34:00 - SunWest Credit Union's "Sunny" AI Story

35:00 - Does AI Enhance or Replace Your Client Experience?

36:00 - Excel and Claude: Mind-Bending Capabilities

38:43 - The Two Aspects of AI: Tool Set vs. Personal Dialogue

40:00 - Think of AI Like a Human Colleague

41:00 - The M-Dash Story: Asking AI "Why?"

42:00 - Training Employees vs. Training AI

44:00 - Stop Prompting, Start Collaborating with AI

45:00 - Let AI Write Its Own Prompts

46:00 - Surfing the Trend vs. Fighting the Tide

47:00 - Video Calls Have Become Universal

48:00 - Rich's Mom Uses ChatGPT for Journaling on Walks

49:00 - What Does Quik! Actually Do?

50:00 - Introducing Formstream: Dynamically Creating Software from Forms

51:00 - The "TurboTax Approach" to Forms

52:00 - Paperwork Friction Causes 2-Month Delays

53:00 - Where to Find Rich Walker and Connect

54:00 - Episode Outro and Final Thoughts

What if AI could actually make you MORE human with your clients?

Matt Halloran, Chief Evangelist at Zocks, joins Mike Langford to share a powerful paradox that's transforming financial advisory: the technology that was supposed to replace human connection is actually deepening it.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How one advisor nearly missed his client's spouse mentioning a serious health issue—but his AI notetaker caught it
• Why the "tyranny of minutiae" is keeping advisors from spending quality time with clients (and how to break free)
• The surprising stat: advisors only spend 20% of their time with clients—and how to reclaim 10+ hours per week
• Why having "no baggage" makes AI the perfect listener in client meetings
• How 2 million meetings worth of machine learning is making every advisor better at their job
• The simple follow-up email strategy that's helping advisors close more business against competitors
• Why adoption rates for AI tools are skyrocketing from 10% to 90% in just 18 months
• How to attract young talent and drive organic growth in the AI era

Matt also shares a powerful Navy story about "trusting the wind at your back"—a metaphor that shaped his entire career and led him from co-founding ProudMouth (the largest podcasting company in financial services) to his new role evangelizing AI solutions.

Whether you're skeptical about AI or already experimenting with it, this conversation will shift how you think about technology's role in building deeper, more authentic client relationships.

Guest: Matt Halloran, Chief Evangelist at Zocks Learn more: https://www.zocks.io/mattgpt

The Future of Financial Advising: Alan Moore on XYPN's Growth, Fee-For-Service Models, and More

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford sits down with Alan Moore, CEO of XY Planning Network (XYPN) and AdvicePay, for an insightful discussion at the XYPN Live conference in Austin, Texas.

They explore topics such as the challenges of organic growth in the financial advising industry, the rise of fee-for-service models, and the different phases of building a successful advisory business. Alan shares his journey from starting his own firm to managing two large companies, emphasizing the importance of finding the right business model and staying transparent with clients. Tune in to learn valuable insights from one of the industry's most inspiring leaders.

Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, or your favorite podcast platform!

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding Market Saturation in Financial Advisory

01:08 Introduction to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

02:56 Welcoming Alan Moore to the Show

05:14 The Origin Story of XYPN

08:36 Challenges and Growth in Entrepreneurship

15:13 Phases of Business Development

20:35 Reflecting on Rapid Growth and Challenges

21:43 The Shift to Fee-for-Service Models

22:33 Exploring the AUM Model and Market Saturation

29:30 The Origin and Growth of AdvicePay

31:56 Balancing Multiple Ventures as an Entrepreneur

33:32 Building Influence and Creating Gravity

37:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Unlocking The Secrets to Scaling Your Financial Advisory Business - Michael Kitces on XYPN Live

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford sits down with Michael Kitces during the XYPN Live conference in Austin, Texas. They discuss the importance of knowing your target market, focusing on strategic planning, and the concept of 'gravity' in marketing. Michael shares insights into creating a successful, scalable financial advisory business, moving away from time-based marketing activities, and the benefits of a clear, targeted market segment.

The conversation also touches on the innovative structure and support offered by XY Planning Network to independent advisors. Michael's expertise offers transformative advice for financial advisors looking to grow and sustain their practices efficiently.

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding the Importance of Target Audience

01:14 Introduction to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

03:09 Welcoming Michael Kitces

04:46 The Concept of Creating Gravity in Wealth Management

06:43 Challenges in Scaling a Financial Advisory Business

13:15 Strategic Planning and Marketing for Advisors

19:17 The Flaws of Time-Based Marketing

20:12 Scaling Your Business with Brand Building

20:59 Challenges in Organic Growth

21:44 Reinventing Business with XYPN

23:21 Building Your Own Firm with XYPN

24:39 Support and Compliance Services

25:23 Tech Stack and Community Support

29:05 Flexible Business Models and Membership

31:34 The Importance of Niche Marketing

34:53 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford is joined by David Knoch, CEO of Docupace, to discuss the evolving landscape of financial advisory operations.

David shares his insights on the industry's archaic practices, the importance of operational efficiency, and the role of AI in future-proofing financial services. With over 400,000 users on their platform, Docupace is leading the charge in transforming back-office operations for financial advisors. Tune in to learn about Docupace's vision for intelligent automation, their strategic acquisitions, and how they are addressing the $50 billion problem of inefficiency in financial advisory firms.

Chapters:

00:00 The Archaic State of the Financial Industry

01:18 Introduction to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

02:44 Welcoming David Knoch: CEO of Docupace

03:54 The Evolution of Financial Advisory Operations

07:09 Docupace's Vision for the Future

10:41 The Role of Technology in Financial Services

14:19 The Human Element in Financial Planning

21:08 The Importance of Operational Excellence

25:56 Docupace's Growth and Acquisitions

27:03 Convergence of Leadership Perspectives

27:26 Acquisition Strategies and Integration

29:09 Docupace's Collaborative Culture

31:46 Balancing Independence and Integration

35:07 Build vs. Buy Decision-Making

42:42 The Role of AI in Financial Advisory

46:58 Future Vision and AI Implementation

56:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

How I Built and Sold My FinTech Startup: Louis Retief of Hubly on The Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford sits down with Louis Retief, co-founder of Hubly, for an in-depth conversation about his entrepreneurial journey in the wealth tech industry.

Louis shares his experience of founding Hubly right out of college, the challenges and opportunities he encountered, and what it's like to have his company acquired by Docupace. They discuss the importance of efficiency and workflows for advisory firms, the role of operations managers in decision-making, and the ongoing consolidation in the wealth management tech space.

Louis also provides insights into how Hubly and PreciseFP are working together post-acquisition and the long-term vision for integrated solutions in financial advisory firms. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in fintech, wealth management, and entrepreneurship. Don't miss it!

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Hubly and Efficient Advisory Firms

00:52 Welcome to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

02:12 Louis Retief's Journey and Hubly's Origin

03:12 The Importance of Workflow Automation

17:13 Challenges and Solutions in Financial Advisory Firms

27:20 Understanding the Financial Advisory Market

33:27 Building for the Back Office

34:43 Lessons from Social Wear

36:38 Hubly's Strategic Pivot

37:43 Acquisition by Docupace

39:15 Research and Decision Making

47:00 Post-Acquisition Integration

49:17 Future Vision and Product Development

53:27 Entrepreneurial Insights and Challenges

56:12 Importance of Long-Term Thinking

58:37 Due Diligence in Tech Partnerships

01:02:12 Final Thoughts and Farewell

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Steve Lockshin, founder of AdvicePeriod and Vanilla Technologies.

Steve shares insights on the shortcomings of the traditional AUM model, the rise of AI in financial advising, and the potential of technology to revolutionize the industry. They discuss estate planning, the importance of serving high net worth clients, and practical applications of AI and tokenization. Steve also opens up about his personal life, including his passion for wake surfing as a morning routine.

Join us for a deep dive into the future of financial advising and what advisors should do to stay ahead.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdote

01:20 Welcome to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

01:25 Guest Introduction: Steve Lockshin

03:00 Morning Routine: Wake Surfing

06:47 The Importance of Estate Planning

13:46 Vanilla: Revolutionizing Estate Planning

20:06 Challenges in the Financial Advisory Industry

26:58 The AUM Model: Pros and Cons

32:42 The Importance of Fee Negotiation

33:25 Client Scenarios and Advisor Conflicts

34:44 Structuring Advisory Fees

35:26 Fee Calculators and Transparency

36:46 Client Shopping Behavior

40:46 AI and Tokenization in Wealth Management

48:33 The Future of Financial Advisory

50:20 Advisors Adapting to Technological Changes

58:03 Final Thoughts and Advice for Advisors

Unlocking Scalable Growth for Financial Advisors with AI

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor podcast, host Mike Langford is joined by Ian Karnell, who introduces his new company, VastAdvisor, and discusses how it aims to radically transform organic growth for financial advisors and wealth management enterprises. Ian delves into the power of AI in generating predictable, scalable lead generation systems and improving compliance for digital marketing. The episode covers the current state of digital marketing for financial advisors, the challenges, and the groundbreaking solutions VastAdvisor offers. Tune in to discover how AI can drive hyper-growth in the financial industry and make lead generation more efficient and effective.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to AUM Growth Strategies

00:54 Welcome to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

01:00 Introducing VastAdvisor and Its Promises

01:59 Subscribe and Connect with Us

02:29 Conversation with Ian Karnell Begins

03:59 The Evolution of Digital Marketing for Financial Advisors

06:56 Challenges and Opportunities in Lead Generation

14:02 The Role of AI in Modern Marketing

18:51 The Vision Behind VastAdvisor

27:26 How VastAdvisor Enterprise Works

30:51 Building Custom Audiences

31:14 Audience Targeting and Ad Builder

32:44 AI-Powered Compliance

33:57 IQ Dashboards and Reporting

35:01 Firm Growth Insights

35:36 Agentic Framework and Autopilot Mode

36:14 Challenges in Financial Marketing

40:10 Optimizing Ad Spend and Lead Generation

44:00 AI's Role in Advisor Growth

51:37 Next Generation Advisors and Clients

56:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

On this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, Mike Langford welcomes Kyle Zasky, the new CEO of VRGL, for his first-ever podcast appearance. The two dive deep into why so many advisors struggle with client acquisition and how VRGL’s proposal and analytics platform is designed to change that. Kyle shares candid insights on the emotional hurdles advisors and prospects face, the importance of establishing trust quickly, and why tools that demonstrate value before conversion are the future of advisor growth.

They also explore:

• Why most advisors are stuck in a comfort zone that limits growth
• The “organ rejection” risk for new CEOs and how Kyle overcame it
• How AI is both exciting and anxiety-inducing for advisors
• Why great advisors are part portfolio strategist, part therapist

Whether you’re an advisor looking to sharpen your edge or a wealth management exec planning for scalable growth, this conversation delivers actionable perspective on what it takes to thrive in the modern RIA landscape.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

01:19 Guest Introduction: Kyle Zasky

01:52 The Human Element in Financial Advice

03:27 Kyle's Journey to CEO of VRGL

08:20 Building Trust and Rapport

14:15 VRGL's Role in Client Acquisition

24:53 The Psychology of Financial Advising

30:55 Psychology of Financial Advisors

31:56 Addressing the Shortage of Financial Advisors

32:38 Reaching Younger Demographics

33:06 Expanding Financial Services Downstream

36:07 The Role of AI in Financial Advisory

38:50 The Importance of Human Touch in Financial Advisory

40:55 Building a Sustainable Financial Advisory Career

50:02 Navigating the FinTech Landscape

55:24 Future of Financial Advisory

01:00:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts