On this episode of RIA Confidential, hosts Jonathan Andrews and Ray Gettins II bookend a real-world case study with Skee Orr, co-founder of Kinetic Wealth, a fee-only planning firm in Knoxville, TN.

Jonathan and Ray open the show by reframing what “going independent” really looks like: Less like a single leap and more like a chain of decisions around motivation, timing, support, and capacity.

Before cutting to the full 9:47 case study interview, they give listeners a simple three-question framework to evaluate their own readiness to go RIA: who they're really building for, what client experience they're actually delivering, and what support system they truly have in place.

After the interview, they return to the studio for a fast, conversational post-game breakdown. Together they unpack the key themes from Skee Orr's first year as a fee-only RIA: why being genuinely client-first becomes a decision filter, how timing is more about personal and operational capacity than markets, why community functions as real infrastructure in independence, and how to realistically tackle the "all the hats" throughput problem.

They close with practical next steps for advisors who are seriously considering the leap: from pressure-testing the economics at RIAconfidential.com to thinking through tech stack, support, and the first 90 days as an independent RIA. 

Ideal for: wirehouse and broker-dealer advisors considering a move to the RIA model, fee-based advisors curious about full independence, and teams wrestling with how to align their structure with a truly client-first standard.

Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future?

• Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org
• Connect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential Podcast
• Book a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.com
• Visit our website: RIAConfidential.com

Because you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

RIA Confidential is evolving from a podcast into a platform.

In this founding episode, attorney Jonathan Andrews and RIA transition expert Ray Gettins (Your RIA Mentor) explain why RIA Confidential is becoming a vendor-neutral Resource Hub built for modern advisors who want clarity without the pitch. If you’ve ever felt buried under “education” that quietly turns into a funnel, this episode lays out the real problem. It’s not an information issue. It’s an incentive issue. And that’s exactly what the Resource Hub is designed to solve. You’ll hear the “RIA Confidential Pledge” (our trust contract), what it means in practice, what’s inside the new Hub (Start Here, Roadmap, Tools, and the Resource Library), and how we’re protecting editorial independence as we formalize the entity and pursue nonprofit status. In this episode, we cover:

• Why the industry has an incentive problem and how it creates advisor paralysis
• The 5-point RIA Confidential Pledge and what it looks like in real life
• What’s changing: the podcast stays the voice, the Hub becomes the infrastructure
• What you’ll find in Start Here, the Roadmap, Tools, and the Resource Library
• How to use the Hub based on your stage: exploring, planning, already independent
• How advisors can shape the platform through the Question Box, Signal Drops, and real stories
• A preview of 2026: RIA Confidential Live and the Roadshow conversations

Take the Resource Hub for a spin:
RIAConfidential.com Want a private conversation about your situation?
Book a confidential call with Ray: RIAMentor.com RIA Confidential is educational content and is not legal, tax, or investment advice.

Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future?

• Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org
• Connect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential Podcast
• Book a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.com
• Visit our website: RIAConfidential.com

Because you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

Most advisors don’t voice their biggest questions publicly. 

They ask them quietly, in private conversations, late-night reflections, and moments when the industry’s direction feels uncertain.

In this year-end episode of RIA Confidential, we look back at 2025 and bring those private questions into the open while explaining what they signal about the road ahead. Drawing from every episode released in 2025, including The Shockwave, What Happens After the Leap, and the full Caught in the Shuffle series.

Throughout the episode, Ray Gettins (Your RIA Mentor) answers the questions advisors have been asking all year, and connects the dots to what they mean for 2026. This episode explores:

• Why advisor consolidation accelerated, and what it changed beneath the surface
• The hidden risks of staying inside a broker-dealer too long
• What actually happens after advisors step into independence
• Whether annuity and insurance business can truly survive a transition
• Which legal fears are real, and which are outdated myths
• How to recognize when your personal tipping point has arrived

This episode reflects a perspective earned through listening to advisors, to the data, and to the shifts reshaping the profession. If you’ve felt the tension building in 2025 this episode will help you understand why, and how to think differently about what comes next. 

Next Steps:
🔹 Try the RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org
🔹 Follow RIA Confidential on LinkedIn for weekly insights
🔹 Book a confidential conversation with Ray to explore your options 2026 won’t be the year advisors react.

2026 will be the year of Advisors taking control of their own narrative.

Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future?

• Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org
• Connect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential Podcast
• Book a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.com
• Visit our website: RIAConfidential.com

Because you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

The Strategic Shift: Thriving in the Post–Broker-Dealer Era

The wealth management world is facing the biggest transformation in decades — and most advisors feel it long before they talk about it. Mergers. Payout cuts. Compliance bottlenecks. Shrinking product shelves. Rising tech fees.

These aren’t random frustrations…
They’re signals.

In the final episode of our Caught in the Shuffle series, host Jonathan Andrews and Your RIA Mentor, Ray Gettins, break down the truth behind the shift reshaping the industry  while revealing why early movers will define the next decade of financial advice.

You’ll discover:

• Why payout compression isn’t the real problem (and what is)
• How micro-shifts inside broker-dealers trigger macro-level advisor consequences
• The hidden cost of staying put and how it compounds over time
• The A·B·C Framework (Assess · Break Away · Create) that simplifies the entire independence journey
• The outdated myth about losing annuity and insurance business when going RIA
• What thriving truly looks like in the era of independence
• The RIA Tipping Point and why it’s closer than most advisors realize

Packed with real advisor stories, strategic insights, and the hard truths most firms won’t tell you, this episode gives you the clarity, confidence, and roadmap to navigate the industry’s biggest realignment.

Whether you’re already exploring independence or still inside a broker-dealer feeling the pressure rise, this episode will change how you see your future.

This isn’t the end of an era, it’s the beginning of one.

And the advisors who move with intention… will lead it!

Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future?

• Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org
• Connect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential Podcast
• Book a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.com
• Visit our website: RIAConfidential.com

Because you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

Busting Advisors' Biggest Fear about Going Independent! the Insurance & Annuity Myth: What Advisors Need to Know About Independence!

One of the biggest misconceptions keeping advisors from exploring independence is the belief that leaving a broker-dealer means losing access to insurance and annuity solutions. In this eye-opening joint episode of RIA Confidential, host Ray sits down with of Mike and Hunter from DPL Financial Partners to unpack the truth behind that myth: How fee-based insurance platforms are transforming the landscape for independent advisors. 

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How independent advisors maintain and even expand access to insurance and annuity solutions
• The rise of commission-free, client-first protection products
• How DPL’s model integrates seamlessly into the RIA ecosystem
• Real-world examples of advisors who made the shift successfully

Whether you’re considering independence or simply want to future-proof your business model, this conversation cuts through the confusion and delivers practical insight every advisor needs to hear.

Tune in, take notes, and discover how independence can actually expand your capabilities, not limit them.

About the Series:
RIA Confidential — Your Source for the Truth About Going RIA — is produced by BraveHeartsTV in collaboration with United Advisor Group, and Beneficial  Business Solutions. Featuring real conversations with advisors, thought leaders, and industry partners helping shape the next era of advisor independence. Disclaimer:

United Advisor Group ("UAG"), is a federally registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. UAG, Form ADV Part 2A & CRS can be obtained by visiting: https://adviserinfo.sec.gov and search for our firm name.  Neither the information nor any opinion expressed is to be construed as solicitation to buy or sell a security of personalized investment, tax, or legal advice.

Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future?

• Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org
• Connect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential Podcast
• Book a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.com
• Visit our website: RIAConfidential.com

Because you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

Mergers and acquisitions are sweeping through the advisory world at record speed. In just the first half of 2025 alone, nearly $183 billion in assets changed hands across close to 200 deals.

These headlines aren’t just numbers, they’re reshaping firms, careers, and client relationships and the RIA landscape all over the country. That’s why we’re launching Caught in the Shuffle: The Merger Survival Series.

This is the first of three Episodes, Ray Gettins and Jonathan dedicated to Advisors caught in the shuffle. Listen as they dive into the shockwave advisors feel the moment a merger is announced.

From payout grids that slash income by hundreds of thousands overnight to the emotional toll of losing control, they unpack the hidden costs of staying put, spotlighting real advisors who either got crushed or came out stronger by choosing independence.

Most importantly, you’ll hear the first steps every advisor should take when consolidation comes knocking. Because even if you didn’t choose the merger, you still have a choice in what happens next.What happens when a merger announcement lands in your inbox? 

For many advisors, it’s a shock, a gut punch of realizing your free agency has vanished overnight. The culture you chose, the payout grid you relied on, and the control you once had can all disappear in an instant.

Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future?

• Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org
• Connect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential Podcast
• Book a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.com
• Visit our website: RIAConfidential.com

Because you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

🎙 RIA Confidential – Episode 2: Making Independence Work Breaking away is only half the battle.

The real challenge? Building the life and practice you envisioned once you’re on the other side. In this episode, host Jonathan Andrews sits down with Ray Gettins (“Your RIA Mentor”) to uncover what most advisors don’t see coming after leaving the broker-dealer model—and how to set yourself up for success. You’ll discover:

• The #1 surprise advisors face after independence—and how to navigate it.
• Why trust is built (or broken) in your daily operations, not just portfolio performance.
• Real stories of collaboration inside United Advisor Group that boosted both client outcomes and advisor revenue.
• How to scale your practice without losing authenticity—or your weekends.
• The marketing edge: Why programs like the Sponsor Method help advisors stand out with purpose.

Whether you’re planning your breakaway or already independent, this episode gives you the strategies and stories to make independence truly work for you.

👉 Ready to explore your future?

• Try the RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org

• Book a Call with Your RIA Mentor, Ray Gettins

Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future?

• Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org
• Connect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential Podcast
• Book a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.com
• Visit our website: RIAConfidential.com

Because you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

Why Advisors Are Making the Move to RIA:

Tired of feeling like just another cog in the machine? You’re not alone—and you’re not stuck. In this powerful kickoff episode of the RIA Confidential Podcast, host Jonathan Andrews sits down with Ray Gettins, "Your RIA Mentor," to explore the growing wave of financial advisors leaving the broker-dealer world behind for something better: the RIA model.

They unpack why more advisors are walking away from restrictive platforms, outdated sales quotas, and capped earnings—and how going RIA unlocks true autonomy, fiduciary alignment, and business ownership.
In this episode, you’ll discover:

✅ Why control, flexibility, and brand ownership matter more than ever
✅ The truth about payouts and the financial upside of going RIA
✅ How fiduciary duty deepens client trust and leads to referral growth
✅ What it really takes to customize portfolios and run your own practice
✅ Why UAG is helping advisors ditch compliance headaches for good
✅ And how to communicate with clients so they want to come with you

Whether you’re RIA-curious or ready to make the leap, this episode offers insights, laughs, and hard-earned wisdom from the front lines of financial independence.

🎧 Plus, don’t miss the shoutout to the RIA Income Calculator

This free tool can be found at RIACalculator.org.  It will help you see what your earning potential could look like on the other side of independence. 


Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future?

• Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.org
• Connect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential Podcast
• Book a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.com
• Visit our website: RIAConfidential.com

Because you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.