The Advisor Summit Podcast: Your CRM Is a Key Teammate In Your Financial Firm | Thomas Clawson

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we sit down with Thomas Clawson, co-founder of SLANT, to explore how the next generation of CRM technology is transforming the way financial advisors build and maintain client relationships.

From the evolution of legacy CRMs to the rise of AI-native platforms, Thomas shares how modern technology can simplify workflows, reduce administrative burden, and help advisors focus on what matters most: deepening relationships with clients. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by clunky systems, disconnected tech stacks, or tools that create more work instead of less, this episode will reshape how you think about CRM and advisor technology.

Key Takeaways:

CRM should strengthen relationships, not just track compliance.
Many legacy CRMs evolved into record-keeping systems rather than true relationship tools. Modern platforms are shifting the focus back to helping advisors deepen client relationships.

Legacy systems weren’t designed for today’s technology.
Older CRMs were built on outdated infrastructure that makes it harder to integrate modern tools like AI. Rebuilding from the ground up allows platforms to better support today’s advisor workflows.

AI works best when it’s built into the platform.
Instead of bolting AI onto existing systems, AI-native CRMs embed it directly into everyday tasks like note-taking, meeting prep, and client insights.

Meeting preparation and follow-up deliver the biggest AI value.
AI can help advisors instantly recall important details about clients and past conversations, making meetings more personalized and productive.

Choosing a CRM is about partnership, not just features.
Because firms rarely switch CRMs, advisors should evaluate vendors based on long-term support, responsiveness, and commitment to improving the platform.

Key Moments:
00:13 — Introduction to Thomas Clawson and the origin story behind SLANT
01:10 — Why advisors are overwhelmed by fragmented tech stacks
02:48 — Understanding the real job of financial advisors: relationships and trust
04:13 — Why traditional CRMs became compliance tools instead of relationship tools
06:30 — The major flaws in legacy CRM systems
10:44 — Why SLANT focuses on households instead of individuals
14:19 — What “AI-native CRM” actually means for advisors
18:05 — How AI can improve meeting preparation and follow-ups
21:25 — Real example: using AI to deepen client relationships
24:39 — Building CRM features advisors actually need
27:34 — Why firms struggle to change CRMs and how to approach switching
30:06 — Treating technology vendors as true partners
33:05 — What makes SLANT different in the CRM landscape
35:10 — Learn more or book a demo with SLANT
🔗 https://slant.app
35:48 — Thomas’s personal goals: leadership, family, and hiking the Grand Canyon

Connect with Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasclawson/

Check out SLANT: https://www.slant.app/

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/

Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

Industry Benchmarks & Data Insights for Financial Advisors: Recap of the 2025 State of the Nation Study by Track That Advisor with Erica Pauly and Molly Pierce

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we sit down with our very own Erica Pauly to break down the 2025 State of the Nation Study, the most in-depth dataset Track That Advisor has ever released. With over $9 billion in issued and pending new business across 100+ advisory offices, this report goes far beyond opinions and gut-feel. It shows what is actually happening inside real marketing funnels, sales cycles, and close rates nationwide.

Key Takeaways

• Referrals are back on top for a reason. Referrals dipped in 2024 as advisors focused on client replacements, but rebounded in 2025 as behavior normalized. Funnel shifts often reflect where advisors spend attention, not whether a strategy still works.
• Workshops are gaining traction fast. More firms are running workshops to reach education-first prospects who avoid dinner seminars. They don’t outperform dinners, but they expand reach to a different audience.
• Dinner seminars still deliver value, just on a longer timeline. Close rates are down and costs are up, but dinner seminars continue to produce the highest average case sizes. When viewed holistically, ROI often remains positive.
• Gap changes how performance should be measured. A higher gap doesn’t mean lost revenue. It means business is closing later. Advisors with longer sales cycles should focus on year-to-date ROI instead of first-year ROI.
• Most advisors track the wrong benchmark. Close rate gets the attention, but the real leak often happens between the first and second meeting. Improving that single conversion point can significantly boost overall results.

Links:

Our 2026 Benchmarking Guide: https://pdflink.to/trackthatadvisor/

Check out our Resource Center here: https://trackthatadvisor.com/the-resource-center/

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-pierce-9a9270108/

Connect with Erica Pauly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-pauly-56330219/

The “Nerd” Advantage: Processes That Work (Without Over-Engineering Everything) with Kitces’ Sydney Squires | Ep 25

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we sit down with Sydney Squires, writer, editor, and “Nerd” at Kitces.com, to talk about what it really takes to create content that’s worth an advisor’s time and how strong teams are built long before the org chart looks “perfect.”

From producing The Kitces and Carl Podcast to speaking at NAPFA and XY Planning Network, Sydney shares what she’s learned about depth over fluff, people over process, and why the first few hires can make or break an advisory firm’s growth trajectory.

If you’re scaling a team, refining your role as a leader, or trying to build a practice with intention instead of just momentum, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

• Great content solves the problem behind the problem. Sydney explains that the best articles don’t stop at identifying an issue, like succession planning. They dig into what’s actually causing it and provide insight that isn’t just obvious or surface-level.
• Processes fail when they swing to extremes. Small firms often live in one of two worlds: no process at all, the “6 p.m. on Friday process,” or a process so airtight it becomes impossible to execute. The goal is the 80% solution, enough structure to move fast without freezing progress.
• Your first hires don’t require a “perfect” operation. One of the biggest mistakes founders make is waiting to “get organized” before hiring. Sydney’s advice is to hire the operations or process-minded person first and let them help create the guardrails. You don’t need to fix everything before they arrive.
• Delegation is the real (hard) part of growth. Hiring help is easy compared to actually letting go of control. Sydney shares a practical mindset shift: focus on the outcome you want for clients, then let your team find their way to get there, even if it’s different than how you’d do it.
• Use data as a tool, not a culture-killer. Metrics should guide decisions, not turn your firm into a cold machine. Sydney recommends balancing metrics with counterweights, like downloads and engagement, and being intentional about what you optimize for. Sometimes depth and relevance matter more than reach.

Connect with Sydney

Kitces Website

⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports.

⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive.

⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce

Connect with Erica Pauly

Average Case Size Matters | Ep. 24 Erica Pauly

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we’re joined by Erica Pauly to unpack one of the most overlooked — and most powerful — metrics in advisor growth: average case size.

Erica breaks down exactly how to define average case size (and what not to include), why it deserves a seat at the table alongside leads and close rates, and how it can radically change the way you plan your marketing and capacity for next year.

Key Takeaways: 

• Average case size reveals more than lead volume or close rate. It shows who you’re truly attracting and converting, reflecting your positioning, sales process, and the depth of client relationships — not just how busy your funnel looks.
• Different marketing funnels drive different case sizes. Dinner seminars and TV often produce higher average case sizes, while referrals tend to be smaller but highly profitable. Radio can be inconsistent, occasionally delivering very large “whale” cases that skew results.
• Higher case sizes require different expectations. Advisors serving higher-net-worth clients should expect longer sales cycles and lower close rates. Planning, coaching, and lead goals should adjust accordingly rather than applying the same benchmarks across the board.
• Use average case size for planning, not quick decisions. Because it’s a lagging indicator, average case size is most useful at mid-year and year-end. It plays a critical role in reverse-engineering marketing goals, staffing needs, and growth plans.
• Account for outliers to understand reality. Large one-off cases can distort the numbers. Reviewing averages with and without outliers gives a clearer picture of what “typical” growth actually looks like.

Resources Mentioned:

Reversed Engineered Marketing Tool

The Resource Center

⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports.

⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive.

⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce

Connect with Erica Pauly

Alternatives & Their Impact on the Financial Advisory World | Ep. 23 Alan Strauss 

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we sit down with Alan Strauss, Senior Partner and Director of Investor Relations at Crystal Capital Partners, to break down the world of alternative investments — an asset class that’s no longer “alternative,” but essential.

From hedge funds and private credit to private equity and emerging technologies, Alan shares a clear, practical lens for understanding alts and why they’ve become the third leg of the modern portfolio. With decades of experience working with advisors and institutions, he explains how firms can overcome intimidation, avoid pitfalls, and confidently integrate alternatives at scale.

If you're looking to future-proof your practice, better diversify portfolios, and serve clients with institutional-grade sophistication, this conversation is a must-listen.

Key Takeaways

• Alternatives are now mainstream — not a niche. Alan explains that alts have matured into a multi-trillion-dollar space and are now a core component of sophisticated portfolios, sitting right alongside public equities and fixed income.
• Education eliminates the intimidation factor. Most advisors avoid alts simply due to unfamiliarity. By breaking down hedge funds and private markets into simple, understandable concepts, Alan shows advisors how accessible the category truly is.
• Diversification and low correlation are the superpowers of alts. Private credit, hedge funds, and private equity offer lower volatility, better income potential, and access to innovations not found in shrinking public markets — making them powerful tools for client portfolios.
• Advisors scale faster with the right platform partner. Crystal Capital Partners handles due diligence, manager access, administrative heavy lifting, and portfolio construction, allowing advisors to offer alts without wearing every operational or research hat themselves.
• Client expectations are evolving — and advisors must evolve too. Younger generations, high-net-worth families, and institutions increasingly expect sophisticated alternative allocations. Advisors who embrace this shift early will differentiate themselves and grow more profitably.

Connect with Alan

Alan's website

⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports.

⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive.

⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce

Connect with Erica Pauly

The Tax Savings Architect | Ep. 22 Mark Myers

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we sit down with Mark Myers, Founder of TaxWise Partners, to unpack how financial advisors can leverage tax strategy as a powerful growth tool.

From serving in the Marine Corps to leading a tax-strategy firm that’s helped thousands of high-income earners, Mark shares his journey and the lessons he’s learned about resourcefulness, discipline, and finding the “coupons” hidden in the tax code.

If you’ve ever wondered how to help clients save more, invest more, and stay longer, this is the episode for you.

Key Takeaways

• Tax strategy is the missing piece of most financial plans. Advisors focus heavily on growing assets, but few look at reducing a client’s biggest expense — taxes. Strategic tax planning compounds wealth by expanding the investable base year after year.
• Advisors don’t have to be tax experts to offer value. Mark emphasizes partnering with specialists rather than trying to wear every hat. Advisors can stay in their lane while offering clients access to advanced tax efficiencies.
• High-net-worth clients chase value. When advisors introduce proven tax-saving strategies, they attract affluent clients organically — friends refer friends, and credibility multiplies.
• Partnership over competition. TaxWise Partners collaborates with advisors and CPAs without competing for clients or assets. They simply unlock more dollars for advisors to manage and for clients to invest.
• “Find the coupons.” Mark likens the tax code to a massive book of hidden coupons — opportunities for legal, compliant savings most people never use. Advisors who help clients find those “coupons” stand out as true wealth strategists.

Connect with Mark

Mark's website

⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports.

⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive.

⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce

Connect with Erica Pauly

Data Integration Doesn’t Have to Be a Headache | Ep. 21 Kyle Van Pelt

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we are with Kyle Van Pelt, Co-Founder of Milemarker, to talk about one of the biggest challenges modern financial advisory firms face: data integration and ownership.

Kyle’s journey has been anything but conventional—he never imagined he would end up in finance. He began his career in professional sports, transitioned into software, then he and his wife launched and ran a coffee shop before returning to software and ultimately finding his way into the financial industry. Along the way, he has built a remarkably diverse set of experiences that allow him to see connections others might miss.

He’s known for his ability to connect the dots between the future of technology and finance, build strategic partnerships, and bring together great people who share a common vision.

Outside of work, he’s driven by his passions—his family (a wonderful wife and four kids), golf (he’s a 7 handicap on a quest to play all of the top 100 golf courses in the U.S.), and coffee (he seeks out specialty coffee shops in every city and experiments with brewing perfect cups at home). He’s also an avid cook, currently working through every recipe in The Southern Gentleman’s Cookbook, and a dedicated sports fan cheering for the Phillies, UGA Dawgs, and ATL UTD.

Beyond business and hobbies, he’s deeply committed to inspiring generosity and making a difference—helping feed over 65,000 people for Thanksgiving through the Hungry 4 a Day initiative. Above all, he’s passionate about using technology to make investing more accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy.

Whether you’re an advisor, ops leader, or fintech enthusiast, this episode will open your eyes to what’s possible when data, people, and purpose align.

Key Takeaways:

1. Helping people is the heart of fintech. Kyle’s journey shows that the best financial technology empowers advisors to create real human impact — funding educations, retirements, and family legacies.
2. Data ownership = true integration. By centralizing data through platforms like Snowflake, Milemarker gives firms the flexibility to connect every system and eliminate API bottlenecks.
3. The “Excel wizard” problem. Many firms still rely on manual spreadsheets to understand performance. Centralized data and automation replace that inefficiency with real-time insights.
4. Adopt tech by maximizing what you already have. Milemarker doesn’t add to the tech stack — it makes existing tools work together for better adoption, analytics, and efficiency.
5. AI starts with clean data. Before deploying AI, firms must have a unified data foundation to ensure security, compliance, and accuracy — the first step toward meaningful automation.

Connect with Kyle

Visit Milemarker's Website

⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports.

⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive.

⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce

Connect with Erica Pauly

The Power of Paperback For Financial Advisors | Ep. 20 Michael DeLon

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of The Advisor Summit, we are with Michael DeLon, founder of Paperback Expert, to uncover how financial advisors can use books as one of the most powerful credibility and marketing tools in the industry. Michael shares his personal story of transformation, how a single book completely changed the trajectory of his business, and the proven system his team uses to help advisors publish, promote, and profit from their books — without spending months writing.

If you’ve ever wondered whether becoming a published author could elevate your credibility, attract ideal clients, and set you apart in a crowded market, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Takeaways:

• A book changes perception and builds instant credibility. Your book positions you as the trusted expert — transforming how prospects think about you before you ever meet.
• Lead with authenticity and your story. Readers connect emotionally when you share why you do what you do; it turns your book from a marketing tool into a relationship builder.
• You don’t write a book — you speak it. Michael’s “speak-to-write” process allows busy advisors to create a professional, compliant, and personalized book in under 24 hours of their own time.
• Your book is a marketing engine, not just a product. When used strategically — through your website, events, and client gifting — it becomes a “silent salesperson” that drives leads, referrals, and long-term trust.
• Avoid the DIY trap. ChatGPT can’t replicate your voice or authenticity. Real success comes from expert-guided publishing, personalized storytelling, and ongoing marketing systems that maximize ROI.

Connect with Michael

Michael's Website

⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports.

⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive.

⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce

Connect with Erica Pauly

The Advisor Summit Podcast: How Marketing Isn’t Like Vegas | Ep. 19 Mark E. Gaffney

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of the Advisor Summit, we sit down with Mark Gaffney, founder of MEG, to explore how financial advisors can master marketing and drive consistent growth. Mark shares actionable strategies for seminars, client events, media campaigns, and database management to help advisors generate leads, nurture prospects, and scale their business with confidence. From live events to digital marketing, this episode is packed with proven best practices and practical insights you can implement immediately.

Key Takeaways:

• Marketing is the tip of the spear – Advisors must treat marketing as a critical function of their business, not an afterthought, to grow and stay top-of-mind with clients and prospects.
• Master three revenue-generating funnels – Focus on the top 1–3 methods (seminars, client events, prospect outreach) to maximize impact and ROI instead of spreading yourself too thin.
• Seminars and live events are still essential – A well-executed pregame, game day, and postgame strategy creates appointments, conversions, and a masterful client experience.
• Database management and referrals are powerful – Consistent touches, nurturing prospects, and formal referral strategies can generate over 50% of annual revenue from existing clients.
• Hunter vs. Farmer marketing – “Hunter” campaigns drive immediate leads and appointments, while “Farmer” campaigns plant seeds for long-term growth. Advisors should balance both for sustainable success.

Connect with Mark
Mark's Website

⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports.

⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive.

⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce

Connect with Erica Pauly

Ep #18: Transform and Scale Your Financial Advisory Firm with Practical Solutions

Welcome back to another episode of the Advisor Summit Podcast, where industry innovators and thought leaders come together to elevate the way we serve, scale, and succeed.

In this episode of the Advisor Summit, we sit down with Jen, founder of My Virtual COO, to uncover the strategies and frameworks that help financial advisory firms scale without burnout. Jen shares actionable advice on goal-setting, delegation, team empowerment, change management, and creating a legacy-driven business. Whether you’re a small firm looking to grow or a seasoned advisor aiming to optimize your team, this episode is packed with practical insights you can implement today.

Key Takeaways:

1. Scaling your firm effectively requires written goals and vision—whether on paper, a whiteboard, or a digital tool—to provide clarity and direction for every decision.
2. Scaling without burnout comes from grounding yourself in data, understanding team structure, and reviewing priorities quarterly or at least every six months.
3. Delegation and clear responsibility charts empower your team, reduce disengagement, and allow leaders to focus on strategic growth instead of getting stuck in daily operations.
4. The Four Ps—People, Productivity, Profitability, and Presence—help leaders evaluate and implement change without overwhelming their team or creating “change fatigue.”
5. Building a legacy firm requires clear communication, empowering your team, taking breaks to step back, and fostering a culture of giving back through impactful initiatives.

Jen Goldman is a business transformation specialist. She has 30+ years’ experience in service industries and transformed hundreds and trained thousands of professional services firms to experience higher growth, success and profits. Jen’s expertise is in strategic business improvement planning, optimization of staff, providers and tech, Lean® process creation and adoption, change accelerators without fatigue, and overall implementation of operational efficiencies. Her philosophy includes Visualization, 4Ws™ Sequencing, and IDEOS®. Her thought leadership is found in Inc Magazine, Liberated CEO, Tools for High Profit Margin Practice, Vettafi, and on industry-leading conference stages. Jen’s written work can be found in Inc, NAPFA, Technology Tools for Today, Trust Advisor, and many more. 

Connect with Jen

Jen's website

⛰️At Track That Advisor, we believe that independent financial advisors shouldn’t have to struggle with overwhelming spreadsheets and confusing reports.

⛰️Our mission is to simplify data analysis, providing clear, actionable insights that help advisory firms grow and thrive.

⛰️With years of experience in financial analytics, our team understands the challenges advisors face. We don’t just provide numbers—we provide a roadmap to success.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Connect with Molly Pierce

Connect with Erica Pauly