Aaron Miller is the Managing Partner of the Northwestern Mutual office in Downtown Boston. With over $265 billion in assets, Northwestern Mutual is a financial planning firm dedicated to helping its clients protect their wealth and prosper. Having served both as a financial advisor and industry leader, Aaron brings a unique perspective to his work. He has spent the last 18 years of his career supporting clients, financial advisors, and leaders in achieving their visions faster. Under Aaron’s leadership, Northwestern Mutual in Boston has become one of the fastest-growing offices in the country.

Aaron joins us today to recount his career in financial services and his path to becoming a leader in the industry. He shares how he faced and handled impostor syndrome throughout his career. He outlines the most common problems financial advisors face in their careers and offers advice on overcoming them. He also explains the value of systematizing one’s prospecting process and underscores the role of intellectual humility in leadership.

 

“My instinct got me into leadership—but the belief of the people who were leading me got me through it.”  - Aaron Miller

 

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• Aaron’s background and journey in the financial services industry
• The challenges and hurdles Aaron had to overcome at the beginning of his career as a financial advisor
• Aaron’s path to leadership
• Experiencing impostor syndrome in leadership and how Aaron dealt with it
• Leading and coaching people who are older and more experienced
• The importance of intellectual humility in leadership
• The common challenges financial advisors of any experience face
• Building a process for prospecting, marketing, and branding
• Becoming the best at the art of saying “no”
• The dynamics of systems, beliefs, and processes in organizations

 

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon
• Podcast: At the Table

 

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “If both leader and follower are open-minded and willing to listen and check their egos at the door, they can learn anything from anyone.” - David DeCelle
• “Learning to fail can speed up the learning curve.” - David DeCelle
• “I felt as if I had to play the role of a leader, but becoming my authentic self was the time everything started to click.” - Aaron Miller

 

Connect with Aaron Miller:

• Northwestern Mutual
• Email: [email protected]
• Northwestern Mutual on LinkedIn
• Northwestern Mutual on Instagram
• Northwestern Mutual on Facebook
• Northwestern Mutual on Twitter
• Aaron Miller 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. 

 

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Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

 

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