WealthTech on Deck

Markets thrive on the pulse of data, relying on its flow to maintain balance and informed choices. As data and analytics are catalysts driving the transformation and innovation of the financial landscape, companies that leverage comprehensive research and analysis are better positioned to drive growth and deliver exceptional value to their clients.

In this episode, Jack talks with Laura Varas, Founder and CEO of Hearts & Wallets, an independent research and benchmarking firm specializing in saving, investing, and financial advice. At Hearts & Wallets, Laura applies her experiences participating in markets worldwide to create stronger connections between financial solutions and consumer needs. She bridges the investing and marketing worlds with over 25 years of experience in retail finance, consumer packaged goods, and strategy consulting.

A thought leader who combines an in-depth knowledge of financial services with a proven ability to predict future trends, Laura talks with Jack about the importance of high-quality research in wealth management and how Hearts & Wallets' data has helped their clients achieve growth and success. Moreover, Laura describes their framework for identifying different financial advice options and how workplace and wealth intersect in the industry.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[08:24] - "You've got to make things that solve actual problems in the ways that the people you're trying to help want them to be solved." ~ Laura Varas 

[09:02] - "Being able to frame your solutions in terms of actual problems and position and price them in a way that makes sense enables people to buy them and your distribution partners to sell them more effectively." ~ Laura Varas

[22:05] - "Market information works. Markets need information to function. And when people and their firms have more information, it works better for them. And when consumers have more information, it works better for them." ~ Laura Varas

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With an innovative approach to financial planning and a commitment to providing clients with a holistic and interactive experience, Edmond's journey is legendary. The genesis of his brainchild, eMoney, unveils a story of innovation, inspiration, and perseverance, illustrating how a groundbreaking idea can transform into a pioneering company. His journey from concept to industry-altering reality illuminates the boundless possibilities at the intersection of financial expertise and technological acumen.

In this episode, Jack talks with one of the legends in wealthtech, Edmond Walters, Founder and CEO at VillanovaTech. VillanovaTech is a next-generation financial planning experience for financial advisors to use alongside their clients. Edmond was the CEO and Founder of eMoney Advisors, going back to when financial planning tools took off as a crucial and critical driver in helping advisors help their clients make better decisions using the most up-to-date financial planning, guidance, and technology tools. InvestmentNews recently recognized Edmond as one of the "20 People Who Helped Shape the Financial Planning Industry." 

Known for his innovative approach to financial planning and focus on delivering a holistic and interactive client experience, Edmond shares with Jack how the idea for eMoney came about and how he built the company from the ground up. He also talks about the evolution of the wealth management industry and how his innovations revolutionized financial planning. He emphasizes the importance of the advisor-client relationship and the role of technology in enhancing that relationship.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[05:08] - "The advisor is the catalyst in the relationship and also the person that keeps you from making bad decisions. In bad markets, they're underpaid, and in good markets, they may be perceived as overpaid, but they're crucial in the relationship." ~ Edmond Walters

[10:54] - "Planning is about the experience you're delivering. It's not about the calculators. That's why it should never be a giveaway. The way the client interfaces with the advisor is the battleground, not the calculator." ~ Edmond Walters

[21:56] - "The thing I am most proud of is how many of the people that were with me at eMoney are so successful now at other companies. They were just kids when I hired them." ~ Edmond Walters

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Innovation has been a critical driver of progress in wealth management. As a result, various innovative investment strategies have emerged and been adopted. These vehicles offer customization, transparency, and flexibility, giving investors more control over their portfolios and aligning investments with their unique financial objectives.

In this episode, Jack talks with a legend in wealthtech, Roger Paradiso, Global Head of Product Solutions at Franklin Templeton and Executive Chairman of O'Shaughnessy Asset Management. With every merger, acquisition, and sale in the past 30 years, Roger has seen problems and changes as opportunities. In 2014, Roger was bestowed the Money Management Institute's Advisory Solutions Pioneer Award, and in 2016, the All-Star Achiever Award.

An advisory solutions industry leader with expertise in innovation, transformation, business enhancement, and strategy, Roger talks to Jack about how he created the concept of multiple-discipline accounts, commonly known as MDAs. Roger also shares how he moved the industry from mutual funds to separately managed accounts (SMAs) to multiple-discipline accounts (MDAs) to unified managed accounts (UMAs) and beyond.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[05:11] - "I remember, at the time, all the information was on the one hard drive of one computer. The problem they had was because all this information was on one hard drive, all the information was incorrect over time. They were not getting good information in, and thus they had bad information going out." ~ Roger Paradiso

[28:00] - "Franklin Templeton is now thinking about using technologies through acquisitions, deals, partnerships, or building ways we can continue to progress what the asset management industry looks like in the future." ~ Roger Paradiso

[38:13] - "If you hire the smartest, brightest people around you in every job function, you're going to continue to win and support everyone because it's all about the people." ~ Roger Paradiso

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Retirement planning and wealth management are becoming synonymous with financial wellness. It encompasses not just monetary security but also the tools and knowledge to navigate the intricate pathways of personal finance. As financial wellness takes center stage in retirement planning, interwoven with coordination and strategic technology integration, advisors and individuals can maximize their financial outcomes and achieve long-term peace of mind.

In this episode, Jack talks with Aaron Schumm, Founder and CEO at Vestwell. Aaron founded Vestwell in 2016 to close the American savings gap by modernizing how individuals and small businesses save. Before Vestwell, Aaron co-founded FolioDynamix, which is now part of Envestnet. Aaron brings over 20 years of fintech and finserv experience from industry-leading companies, including Northern Trust, Citigroup, and Fiserv.

Dedicated to serving millions of undersaved Americans, Aaron talks to Jack about the vital role the workplace retirement business is playing in bringing on new investors, helping them with the tools and capabilities they need to make their retirement savings journeys as productive as possible, as well as showing them how to maximize their financial results and peace of mind.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[06:05] - "Our role is to help facilitate and guide that next best dollar and provide the experience to the end user that allows them to know what they're doing and how they can best optimize to save for their future." ~ Aaron Schumm

[18:11] - "Expanding into the workplace offering is a core anchor for anyone who wants to engage in a future wealth program." ~ Aaron Schumm

[18:24] - "The demand we're seeing on the financial wellness side, where people are just saying, ‘Hey, help me work through this or help me think through this and create an actionable result’, is really important. And the key is that last piece, making it actionable." ~ Aaron Schumm

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Finance and wealth management are rapidly evolving fields, and embracing artificial intelligence (AI) isn't just a choice. It's a transformative journey that promises to redefine how professionals conduct business. This technological leap isn't designed to replace human expertise but to elevate it, guiding individuals toward optimal capacities.

In this episode, Jack talks with Jud Mackrill, Co-Founder at Milemarker and General Partner at Mammoth. Jud has spent his career making technology and data more useful and accessible to financial advisors, their clients, and the firms they work with. He is well versed in helping companies dramatically increase value with his portfolio of experience as a founder, chief marketing officer, or consultant accompanying business exits or recapitalizations of over $1.9 billion. 

Passionate about modernizing independent wealth management and helping make private investing more accessible and transparent, Jud talks to Jack about artificial intelligence (AI) in wealth management. He emphasizes the importance of embracing AI and incorporating it into our personal and professional lives. Jud also discusses the role of AI in data analysis and how it can automate processes, allowing financial advisors to focus on delivering personalized advice to their clients.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[04:06] - "AI is the next way to work. We could put it on a platform or pedestal, and it's the next best thing ever. To some degree, it will redefine how work happens." ~ Jud Mackrill

[10:03] - "A lot of things are going to get automated. Not to replace jobs but to help people get to that continually highest and best use." ~ Jud Mackrill

[19:08] - "You need to make AI a part of your personal life and then a part of your work life. It will enhance your curiosity and understanding and ultimately transform your client and advisor experience." ~ Jud Mackrill

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The world is experiencing a profound demographic shift that is transforming how we think about aging. With people living longer and healthier lives, the traditional concept of old age is being redefined. The longevity revolution presents a unique opportunity for the financial services industry. As individuals seek guidance on how to fund their long lives and find purpose in their later years, financial advisors have the potential to make a profound impact on their clients' lives.

In this episode, Jack talks with Ken Dychtwald, Founder and CEO of Age Wave. In his memoir, Radical Curiosity, Ken examines the arc and legacy of his own life through stories, adventures, and encounters with many of the world's leaders and influencers to provide his keys to a meaningful, magical, and purposeful life.

A leading authority on longevity and how it's changing the world, Ken talks to Jack about the demographic shifts and the implications of the longevity revolution. He discusses Age Wave's recent study, "The New Age of Aging," which highlights the changing perceptions of old age and the desire for purpose and meaning in the later years of life.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[02:31] - "What's happening all around us is that because we are having fewer kids, people are living longer, and the migration of the baby boom generation from youth to maturity, what we're seeing is the center of gravity of the world, America specifically in this study, is shifting and it's creating all sorts of changes." ~ Ken Dychtwald

[03:53] - "The need to help people make sense of how to fund a long life has never been more robust, and there probably has never been a better time to be in the financial services sector." ~ Ken Dychtwald

[25:05] - "We've got to learn how to save people's lives. We have to learn how to explain things in a way that they can understand without using financial jargon that nobody understands. And we have to learn how to let people know we care. Because at the end of the day, we're going through a rocky time in history, and people want someone in their corner who they know has their back."~ Ken Dychtwald

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In retirement planning, annuity often raises mixed feelings among individuals. Some may shy away from it, while others might be skeptical due to misconceptions. But, it could be the missing puzzle piece to secure one's golden years. It bears striking similarities to cherished pillars of financial security such as social security and pensions, capturing the essence of a reliable and steady income stream during retirement.

In this episode, Jack talks with Thomas Buckingham, Chief Growth Officer at Nassau Financial Group. Tom joined the company as an actuarial assistant in 1999 and served in increasingly senior corporate, product development, and operational positions. In his current role, Tom is responsible for developing and executing Nassau's sales strategy for its insurance business, including all product development, distribution channels, marketing, branding, and leveraging digital tools to enable quick, easy, and simple sales.

With 25 years of innovative development, operations, and financial management responsibility, Tom discusses with Jack how Nassau Financial Group serves the middle market and mass affluent pre-retirees and retirees. He shares how the company incorporated technology into its solutions and what drives Nassau to partner with LifeYield to help clients with social security benefits.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[07:54] - "Annuity is not a four-letter word. If you look at it from a customer's perspective, they love social security and pensions. Annuity products can provide the same benefit." ~ Tom Buckingham

[16:49] - "For most individuals, the longer they can wait to delay social security, the more retirement security they can have. The additional benefits they will get provide much more of a safety net." ~ Tom Buckingham

[20:27] - "Annuities can and should play a key role in retirement for most individuals. And that's probably something they can't do on their own. So they should talk to a professional who can sell annuities and potentially other services." ~ Tom Buckingham

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About Nassau Financial Group

Based in Hartford, Connecticut, Nassau Financial Group is a growth focused and digitally enabled financial services company with three distinct and closely connected businesses: insurance, reinsurance, and asset management. Nassau was founded in 2015 and has $22.1 billion in assets under management, approximately $1.4 billion in total adjusted capital, and about 378,000 policies and contracts. Nassau fixed annuity products are issued by Nassau Life and Annuity Company (Hartford, CT) or Nassau Life Insurance Company (East Greenbush, NY), subsidiaries of Nassau Financial Group. For more information, visit nfg.com. BPD41472

Marketing in financial services has transitioned to being a strategic imperative. Financial firms are now recognizing the power of marketing to drive organic growth, capture new markets, and capitalize on untapped opportunities. As the industry explores the potential of marketing, they unearth the chances for exponential growth and enhanced brand recognition. The journey may have started later for financial services, but they are undeniably on their way to realizing the transformative potential of effective marketing.

In this episode, Jack talks with John Wernz, Executive in Residence at Great Hill Partners. John has spent over 20 years as a leader in financial services marketing with a specific focus on driving accountable organic growth. His work with firms like Fisher Investments and Wealth Enhancement Group has contributed to the fastest-growing and most successful players in the financial services sector. John is an investor and advisor to many Fintech firms, including LifeYield. Having led marketing for fast-growing financial firms for the last 20+ years, John experienced the power of showing a client tangible and holistic solutions.

A leader in brand storytelling and helping colleagues position themselves for success, John talks with Jack about marketing in financial services. He dives deeper into the importance of organic growth, how he creates effective marketing strategies, and his secret to staying on top of his marketing game.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[10:43] - "If you want to be a marketer and you want a seat at the head table, you have to be ROI driven. Otherwise, it's table stakes. And when you think of the RIA market, that is, programmatic, repeatable, systematic growth programs." ~ John Wernz

[12:39] - "One of the basic things for any well-differentiated product is your value proposition. Can you do something others can't do? Can you move the needle in a way that no one else is moving it?" ~ John Wernz

[20:58] - "Marketing is in its infancy in all financial services. So, it is a great time for all firms to look at their opportunities in this area. Financial services are a little late to the party, but they're getting there." ~ John Wernz

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In pursuing an optimized tech stack, wealth management firms are engaged in a relentless game of integrating and coordinating their operating systems. From sophisticated analytics tools to artificial intelligence-driven platforms, these advancements hold immense potential for both financial advisors and their clients. As the trend gains momentum, firms realize the need for comprehensive and strategic approaches to their technological infrastructure.

In this episode, Jack talks with Craig Iskowitz, Founder and CEO of Ezra Group, a strategy consulting firm providing technology and business advice to banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, private equity, and fintech firms. In addition to providing customized solutions to the wealth management industry, Craig publishes WTToday, a blog offering the latest insight on technology for wealth, asset, and investment management professionals. Craig also hosts the WealthTech Today podcast, where he discusses, dissects, and debates the latest news and trends in wealth management technology.

A business and technology strategy consultant, Craig talks to Jack about the latest trends in wealth management technology and the challenges that firms face in implementing new technology. He also shares his insights on the shift toward more advanced wealth management platforms and how the game is on for integrating and coordinating wealth advisor operating systems.

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[22:32] - "If you're an enterprise wealth management firm, we always recommend setting up an annual tech stack review. Get the stakeholders from across the company and go top to bottom through your tech stack." ~ Craig Iskowitz 

[23:40] - "Most wealth management firms barely use 20% of the feature functionality of the software they're using. But they're paying for 100%." ~ Craig Iskowitz 

[24:39] - "Do not put your private company data into ChatGPT or any other GPTs. If you let your internal company documents, spreadsheets, or even client PII paste into ChatGPT, they own that data and can use it to generate new content for someone else." ~ Craig Iskowitz 

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In today’s mobile workforce, Americans are chasing new challenges, higher salaries, and better benefits by switching jobs. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), the typical 401K plan participant will have 9.9 jobs throughout their professional journey, equating to approximately 14.8 million workers with retirement savings finding new jobs each year. While transitioning to a new role sounds appealing on paper, what happens to the 401K plan that employees spent so much time contributing to when they leave their former employer? 

This week, Jack talks with Neal Ringquist, Chief Revenue Officer for Retirement Clearinghouse, and Spencer Williams, President and CEO, about increasing retirement security and ensuring that your previous 401K plan doesn’t get left behind. Auto portability is the routine, standardized and automated movement of an inactive participant’s retirement account from a former employer’s retirement plan to their active account in a new employer’s plan. Auto portability is a convenient choice for both employees and advisors because it preserves retirement savings automatically.

In this episode, Neal and Spencer talk to Jack about how auto portability benefits retirees and advisors alike, four major hurdles of auto portability, and the future of preserving retirement savings. 

Key Takeaways

Quotes

[19:12] - “The network effect, over time, can be huge and can be leverageable to solve many problems beyond the portability issue.” ~ Neal Ringquist

[21:29] - “If you think about the benefits down the road from an industry perspective, there shouldn't be an advisor on the planet who is against auto portability. It simply creates better customers for them later, and they don't have to lift a finger.” ~ Spencer Williams

[24:26] - “Create an infrastructure that enables the free flow of a worker's savings to follow them to their new employer plan. With the right communication, it’ll just happen automatically. Otherwise, there’s no compounding, there’s no advantage in investing in the U.S. economy.” ~ Spencer Williams

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