Quick question for you: what percentage of advisors are retirement plan advisors in the United States?

Less than 3%. 2.3% to be precise. But the retirement plan market is booming, with assets expected to double by 2033, and 2.5 million new plans starting soon. This translates to 51 million new retirement savers and huge potential for advisors who can capture a piece of the pie.

In this episode, influence expert Matt Halloran welcomes Rebecca Hourihan — Founder and CMO of 401(k) Marketing — to explore the opportunities for advisors within the 401(k) market, and the strategies to enhance market share. Rebecca talks about how advisors benefit from content marketing and reveals specific themes throughout the year that align with the trends and needs of the retirement planning industry. Rebecca also shares why she encourages advisors to “really stop and think about” creating “like, know, and trust” with potential clients through consistent, valuable content.

Matt and Rebecca discuss:

“How can regular advisors who are not 401(k) specialists gain access to the 401(k) world? Oh my goodness. Talk about an opportunity set of a lifetime.” ~Rebecca Hourihan

Resources: 

Connect with Rebecca Hourihan:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Rebecca Hourihan:

Rebecca is the founder and CMO of 401(k) Marketing, LLC in San Diego, CA. The firm specializes in empowering retirement plan advisors to showcase their expertise and establish a strong brand presence. The company was founded on the idea that retirement plan advisors are specialists and should promote their unique skill set. 

With nearly 20 years of retirement plan experience and an addiction to marketing, Rebecca is skilled at developing clear paths that are simple for plan sponsors, advisors and participants to understand. She is committed to company growth, advisor development and collaborative improvement. Her personality is naturally enthusiastic and she attracts fun, hard-working and ethical professionals.  

Rebecca is a keynote speaker and author. She has spoken at Fi360, Advisor2X, NAPA Summit, ASPPA, PANC, TRAU Master Class, Retirement Symposiums and many additional retirement plan conferences.  She is a guest columnist for 401(k) Specialist, NAPA.net and PLANADVISER. She has been featured on Retireholics, 401(k) Specialist, InvestmentNews, NIPA, Employee Benefit News, PLANADVISER, Plan Consultant Magazine, The Advisor’s Newsletter and the Journal of Financial Planning.  

She lives in San Diego with her family and corgi, Lola.  Her hobbies include cooking, eating, drinking wine, traveling, and yoga.

No one can know the future with any certainty.

But that doesn’t stop us from trying. 

In this episode, host Matt Halloran is joined by ProudMouth’s CEO, Kirk Lowe, to gaze into their crystal ball and predict – i.e. make an educated guess – the biggest marketing trends for 2024.  

Ready to get and stay ahead of the game this year? 

Matt and Kirk predict:

“Use AI to be efficient, but don’t use it to replace you.” ~Kirk Lowe

Resources: 

Connect with Kirk Lowe:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Kirk Lowe:

After decades spent helping build and market successful financial services brands, Kirk recognized the increasing role and importance of influence in the rapidly expanding Expertise Economy. Successful financial advisors harnessing the power of podcasting, video, social media and progressively building their influence were attracting clients rather than having to chase them.

Kirk’s ‘ah-ha’ moment—that influence is essential for professional experts—led to his co-founding of ProudMouth, an influence accelerator dedicated entirely to liberating financial experts and advisors from the tyranny of sales by giving them the means and methods to become recognized, in-demand authorities.

Lights, camera, action! 

Don’t let that phrase send a chill down your spine. Video is having a moment, and you can’t afford to ignore it.   

In this episode, Matt Halloran is joined by Akeiva Ellis — financial educator, money coach, and co-founder of The Bemused, which has helped tens of thousands of young adults improve their finances through YouTube video content, online education, and coaching programs. Drawing from her own experience, she shares how you can start creating video content now to build trust with clients and prospects, even if you don’t feel camera-ready. 

Matt and Akeiva discuss:

“I think every advisor should really be getting comfortable with video, because it really allows for people to see you and your personality and what makes you unique.” ~Akeiva Ellis

Resources: 

Connect with Akeiva Ellis:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Akeiva Ellis:

Akeiva M. Ellis, MSFP, CPA/PFS, CFP®, ChSNC® is a financial coach and educator for Millennials & Gen Z. Akeiva is a CFP Board Ambassador whose financial expertise has appeared quoted in numerous media outlets, including Refinery 29, NPR, Financial Planning, Business Insider, RIA Intel, the New York Times, and CNBC. She is a former financial planner serving the nation’s wealthiest clients and has been a featured guest on a nationally-syndicated television show and numerous podcasts. In 2023, Akeiva was honored by the American College of Financial Services with a Next Gen Award. In 2022, she received a Standing Ovation Award in Personal Financial Planning from the AICPA. In 2021, she was also recognized by Financial Planning magazine as an industry Rising Star, a Luminary in Diversity & Inclusion by ThinkAdvisor, and she was named to Investment News’ class of 40 under 40 – the youngest person to grace thislist in its 8-year history.

As the co-founder of The Bemused (with her husband), she has helped tens of thousands of young adults improve their finances through YouTube video content and online education and coaching programs. A proud daughter of Caribbean immigrants, Akeiva was born and raised in NYC and currently lives in New England with her husband.

It’s time to celebrate the greatest hits of 2023 on the Top Advisor Marketing Podcast. 

In this episode, Matt Halloran and Kirk Lowe unveil their top ten favorite episodes, handpicked for their difference-making insights that’ll leave you saying, “Aha! That’s marketing gold!” This isn’t just a top-ten list. It’s a masterclass in accelerating your influence. 

Matt and Kirk discuss:

Resources: 

The Top 10 Episodes:

Connect with Kirk Lowe:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Kirk Lowe:

After decades spent helping build and market successful financial services brands, Kirk recognized the increasing role and importance of influence in the rapidly expanding Expertise Economy. Successful financial advisors harnessing the power of podcasting, video, social media and progressively building their influence were attracting clients rather than having to chase them.

Kirk’s ‘ah-ha’ moment—that influence is essential for professional experts—led to his co-founding of ProudMouth, an influence accelerator dedicated entirely to liberating financial experts and advisors from the tyranny of sales by giving them the means and methods to become recognized, in-demand authorities.

Is it time to break up? 

As an advisor, it can be hard to know when – and especially how – to break up with your broker-dealer. 

In this episode, influence expert Matt Halloran is joined by Alanah Phillips – a recruiter, trainer, speaker, podcast host, self-professed industry troublemaker, and a passionate advocate for the next generation of financial advisors – to explore the reasons, proper steps, and common pitfalls of moving on. They discuss the challenges advisors face, the psychology behind their decisions, and the significance of planning and due diligence in the process. 

This episode is a can’t-miss for anyone ready to break up, or anyone with that niggling voice in their head suggesting it might be time. 

Alanah and Matt discuss:

“Sometimes they’re big bad signs. Sometimes they’re really subtle little signs, right? But noticing those signs and acknowledging that there might be a problem is important.” ~Alanah Phillips

Resources: 

Connect with Alanah Phillips:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Alanah Phillips:

Alanah Phillips is a seasoned advocate for the next generation of financial advisors, having spent seven years as a national Director of Recruiting. In 2023, she launched Advisor Launch Lab, providing outsourced training and development for growing advisory teams. Actively involved in shaping the industry’s future, she co-chairs The American College of Financial Services’ Next-Gen Advisory Taskforce and hosts the podcast “Nextgen in 10” for emerging financial professionals. Alanah also initiated Project Inspire in 2017 to inspire and educate young women about financial services careers, mentoring over 200 college-aged women. She’s known for pushing boundaries and experimenting with new media to enhance transitioning advisors’ skills. On LinkedIn, she discusses topics like why advisors should consider parting ways with their broker-dealer. Additionally, she assists experienced advisors in identifying reasons to move on and connects them with resources for building successful, independent practices. Beyond her professional life, Alanah enjoys San Diego’s outdoors with her husband and three dogs, and she’s an avid reader, gym-goer, and baseball fan.

Imagine having a content creation superpower that lets you share your financial expertise with the world without being chained to your desk all day. 

This is exactly where the “five-step Atomic Content method” comes in. With the Atomic Content method, you’re not just creating content, you’re building scaled credibility. Your audience gets to consume your insights on their terms, whether they prefer in-depth articles or quick social media clips. And you get to make the most of your hard work, repurposing existing content to save time and effort.

In this episode, Matt Halloran is joined by ProudMouth CEO Kirk Lowe to explore this time-saving strategy that helps advisors like you consistently produce high-quality content — and stay top of mind — without the overwhelm. 

Matt & Kirk discuss:

Resources: 

Connect with Kirk Lowe:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Kirk Lowe:

After decades spent helping build and market successful financial services brands, Kirk recognized the increasing role and importance of influence in the rapidly expanding Expertise Economy. Successful financial advisors harnessing the power of podcasting, video, social media and progressively building their influence were attracting clients rather than having to chase them.

Kirk’s ‘ah-ha’ moment—that influence is essential for professional experts—led to his co-founding of ProudMouth, an influence accelerator dedicated entirely to liberating financial experts and advisors from the tyranny of sales by giving them the means and methods to become recognized, in-demand authorities.

You can’t take care of someone else until you start taking care of yourself. And that’s equally true for both personal and professional relationships. 

In this episode of the Top Advisor Marketing Podcast, Saundra Davis – a certified mindfulness teacher, master certified coach, financial behavior specialist, and Executive Director of Sage Financial Solutions – joins host Matt Halloran to discuss the importance of mindfulness and self-awareness for financial advisors. They discuss how these practices not only enhance overall service delivery but also directly contribute to substantial growth, client retention, and increased referrals in the advisory realm.

Matt & Saundra discuss:

“The first thing is we cannot truly and authentically do something with our clients that we have not done for ourselves. We do not have to be therapists – nor do we have to play one on TV – to use therapeutic approaches with our clients.” ~ Saundra Davis 

Resources: 

Connect with Saundra Davis:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Saundra Davis:

Saundra Davis is a highly respected financial planner, educator, and coach who has dedicated her career to helping people achieve financial stability and prosperity for more than 20 years. Saundra is the founder and Executive Director of Sage Financial Solutions, a nonprofit organization that provides financial education and coaching training for government, corporations and community based organizations. Her framework The Continuum of Financial Wellbeing is a model to ensure that all people, regardless of their income or wealth, have access to competent and ethical personal finance support. Through her training programs and Financial Fitness Coach certification, Saundra has trained more than 2,500 professionals and has helped countless people develop healthy financial habits, navigate complex financial decisions, and achieve their financial goals.

She is a regular contributor to various media outlets, including CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR. She has also served as a featured speaker at conferences and events across the country. Saundra holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and a Master of Science degree in Financial Planning from Golden Gate University where is the Director of Financial Planning programs. She is a certified mindfulness teacher and an ICF Certified Master Coach (MCC) and holds the Financial Behavior Specialist (FBS®) certification. She is a founding member and past president of the Financial Therapy Association.

Start-and-stop is no way to accomplish anything.

It takes much longer than it has to, you’re constantly starting from zero again, and most importantly, you lose any and all momentum you’ve created.

So why would anyone do that with their marketing? 

In this episode, Matt Halloran is joined by business partner and ProudMouth CEO, Kirk Lowe, to help advisors overcome the business growth “killer”: start-and-stop marketing. They share three major consequences of inconsistency and how to create marketing habits you can actually stick with. Get ready to discover the four laws of behavior change — created by “Atomic Habits” author James Clear and tested by ProudMouth — to help you maintain momentum for long-term success.

Matt & Kirk discuss:

“And as you all know, creating better habits is the most important thing to moving forward and achieving success.” ~Kirk Lowe

Resources: 

Connect with Kirk Lowe:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Kirk Lowe:

After decades spent helping build and market successful financial services brands, Kirk recognized the increasing role and importance of influence in the rapidly expanding Expertise Economy. Successful financial advisors harnessing the power of podcasting, video, social media and progressively building their influence were attracting clients rather than having to chase them.

Kirk’s ‘ah-ha’ moment—that influence is essential for professional experts—led to his co-founding of ProudMouth, an influence accelerator dedicated entirely to liberating financial experts and advisors from the tyranny of sales by giving them the means and methods to become recognized, in-demand authorities.

It’s lonely at the top. But it doesn’t have to be. 

“CEOs that spend all of their energy or the bulk of their energy focusing on the transactional side of the business, they are missing the strategic and the higher level parts of the business that really are the pieces that engage people.” ~Jim Cascino

If you spend less time on the day-to-day transactional elements of business and more time talking with those in the trenches, you’ll find yourselves with happier, more engaged employees and a thriving organization. 

In this episode, ProudMouth co-founder Kirk Lowe steps in as guest host and welcomes Jim Cascino – Founder, Chairman, and CEO of C-Suite Advisors – to share a few lessons and analogies they’ve learned over the years, and how they apply to business leaders and CEOs.

Kirk and Jim discuss:

Resources: 

Connect with Jim Cascino:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Jim Cascino:

John Cascino is a seasoned executive dedicated to helping CEOs and senior leaders achieve their full potential. With 11 CEO roles under his belt, he specializes in turning around struggling companies and driving successful startups, including a $200 million sale from a negative valuation. His leadership style is positive, strategic, and results-oriented, with a knack for using personal stories to reinforce key ideas.

Beyond his business accomplishments, John has an active role in philanthropic endeavors, from supporting orphans in Africa to fundraising for global peace initiatives. He also serves as an Entrepreneur in Residence, Mentor, and Judge with the Arizona Commerce Authority, assisting startups in various industries. In his spare time, he’s a competitive sailor and former Commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club.

Business leaders seeking to elevate their performance can contact John Cascino at “[email protected].”

ProudMouth’s PodRocket Influence Academy is a phenomenal resource.

It’s one thing to hear us say that, but something entirely different to learn how an advisor made it work for them out in the real world. 

In this episode, host Matt Halloran is joined by Andrew Hatherley. He’s the founder of Wiser Divorce Solutions and Transcend Retirement, a CDFA®, and a CRPC, in addition to being the host of the popular The Gray Divorce Podcast, which celebrates its first anniversary this month (Congrats! ????).

And he credits the Academy as instrumental in making it happen.   

Andrew discusses:

“I’m going to niche my advisory business and my divorce consulting business, what am I going to do to build trust in the community for what I’m doing? Awareness, trust, all the components of marketing that you know far more about than I do. 

And so I thought about a podcast, and that’s what led me to mulling it over.” ~Andrew Hatherley

Resources: 

Connect with Andrew Hatherley:

Connect with ProudMouth:

About Andrew Hatherley:

Andrew Hatherley is a seasoned financial advisor with a focus on assisting individuals navigating mid-late life divorces, often referred to as Gray Divorce. He provides valuable insights to address crucial questions that arise during this challenging period, such as ensuring financial stability, investment strategies post-divorce, retirement planning, and optimizing social security benefits while minimizing tax implications.

Having personally endured the complexities of divorce, Andrew is dedicated to helping others avoid the difficulties he encountered. To support this mission, he holds the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) designation and is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC). His approach prioritizes conservative investment principles to not only help clients build wealth for retirement but also to safeguard their savings and develop strategies for generating income in their retirement years. Originally a Navy Brat raised in England and Canada, Andrew has called Las Vegas home since 1999 and completed his MBA at McGill University in Montreal and ESADE in Barcelona.