WealthTech on Deck

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Jeffrey Levi and Rafael Couto for a deep dive into the future of wealth management. Jeffrey is a Principal at Casey Quirk Deloitte and leads the firm’s Strategy Offering for Financial Services. He advises wealth and asset managers on complex strategic challenges and spearheads research in areas like private credit, alternative investments, and evolving investment strategies.

Rafael, a Senior Manager at Deloitte, helps wealth managers and retirement providers navigate large-scale technology and operational transformations. He focuses on boosting efficiency and improving service delivery, particularly in the growing convergence of workplace and wealth management.

Together, they unpack Casey Quirk’s latest white paper, which outlines five key growth drivers for the wealth management industry over the next decade. They explore the critical capabilities top-performing firms are building—and how these firms are aligning strategy, technology, and operations to deliver stronger growth and better client experiences.

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro

(02:37) - Why Deloitte is doubling down on wealth management research

(04:03) - Casey Quirk's research participants

(06:01) - The five core drivers of future growth in wealth management

(09:43) - How these capabilities show up across different channels

(11:00) - What it means to build a “transformative DNA” within a firm

(15:30) - The challenge of delivering a truly holistic client experience

(19:40) - How leading firms are earning and maintaining client trust

(24:30) - Why the core wealth platform is becoming a key competitive edge

(26:52) - Taking an end-to-end approach to platform design

(29:14) - What the future of work looks like in this space

(33:17) - Rafael’s and Jeffrey's interests outside of work

Quotes

"In our advisory work, we're seeing a widening gap in performance, growth, and advisor and client experience in the overall marketplace. Some firms are winning, some firms are clearly more stagnant, and in some cases, some firms are starting to decay." ~ Jeffrey Levi

"The ecosystem that exists today is going to look very different in five to 10 years because service providers are all evolving to become technology providers. We're seeing massive convergence across servicers, technology firms, clearing and custody firms, TAMPs. We’re seeing IBDs want to launch a platform as a service model to serve other parts of the landscape." ~ Jeffrey Levi

"When we looked at the characteristics of those that are growing faster, we really saw that they're shaping their services around financial advice and having that at the center of the journey." ~ Rafael Couto

"When we say end-to-end, it is what you put in front of the client that matters. But then you have to think all the way down to the operational component, and how you bring everything together. The value you bring to the client is what really makes you win in the market." ~ Rafael Couto

Links 

Jeffrey Levi on LinkedIn

Casey Quirk, A Deloitte Business

Rafael Couto on LinkedIn

Deloitte

Chip Roame

Ridgefield 8 Bocce

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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Colleen Bell, President of Innovation and Experience at Cambridge Investment Research. Colleen is also a member of the Office of the CEO, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Council, and a part of Cambridge's Executive Administration team. She focuses on driving associate engagement and financial professional satisfaction while advancing and discovering new ways to meet ongoing client needs. 

Colleen shares how she transforms client and advisor experiences by eliminating friction, digitizing legacy processes, and designing products that meet the increasingly complex needs of today's investors. From AI-powered solutions to driving paperless processes, Colleen walks us through the behind-the-scenes work that powers innovation at scale and how Cambridge is rethinking service models, collaborating across custodians, and pulling together fragmented account data.

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:52) - Colleen's role at Cambridge Investment Research

(03:36) - Pain points advisors face around customer experience

(06:08) - Cambridge's technology solutions for advisors

(07:22) - Cambridge's "Paper Not Alive in '25"

(11:17) - The role of financial planning in providing comprehensive advice

(13:01) - The integration of non-traditional assets

(14:57) - Colleen's thoughts about the future of the industry

(17:01) - The current and future of AI in wealth management

(19:11) - AI adoption among advisors

(21:28) - The importance of human interaction and building relationships

(23:28) - Colleen's key takeaways

(24:14) - Colleen's interests outside of work

Quotes

"Anything that we can do to automate that experience, remove the need to provide information, or remove all paperwork from the industry is my goal, and that's what we're looking for." ~ Colleen Bell

"Artificial intelligence will completely transform the way that our advisors interact with the home office and how they interact with the clients." ~ Colleen Bell

"AI is never going to replace what we, as humans, and our advisors do. It's those advisors who don't adopt it who will be left behind because they're not taking the next step to become efficient and effective." ~ Colleen Bell

Links 

Colleen Bell on LinkedIn

Cambridge Investment Research

Unreasonable Hospitality

Will Guidara

The Coming Wave

How to Know a Person

Frances Frei

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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Randy Morris, Founder & CEO of Summit Wealth Group, a boutique financial planning firm with 10 offices nationwide. With a career spanning more than three decades, Randy brings deep experience in entrepreneurial leadership, holistic planning, and building a stakeholder-driven culture.

Jack and Randy explore Summit’s path to independence and how a focus on culture, ownership, and intentional growth fueled the transition. Randy also shares the key reasons they chose SEI as a strategic partner—from cultural alignment to proactive tax strategies for high-net-worth clients—and what it takes to future-proof a boutique firm in today’s evolving wealth management landscape.

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:16) - Summit’s history and foundational philosophy

(05:05) - Why Summit selected SEI as a strategic partner

(09:05) - Leveraging SEI’s proactive tax strategies

(10:23) - Building and protecting Summit’s company culture

(14:58) - Summit's organic growth and intentional M&A approach

(17:34) - Randy's key takeaways

(19:12) - Randy's interests outside of work

Quotes

"We wanted to continue growing. We felt that growth was paramount, not only to take care of our client's needs in the future, but also the team members that we would add." ~ Randy Morris

"Finding this partner to put on our platform and help us launch Summit 2.0, we found that in SEI." ~ Randy Morris

"What we're about is building a better business, and what better way to do that than to bring in partners who have already been doing this in their location? But we want them to be willing to come in and share best practices and share what's working for you and build a better practice." ~ Randy Morris

Links 

Randy Morris on LinkedIn

Summit Wealth Group

Good to Great

SEI

Commonwealth Financial Network

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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Kellan Brown, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Development Officer at 100 Women in Finance. With an impressive resume that includes leadership roles at Income Lab, PrimeCo, and Finance of America’s Retirement Strategies Division, Kellan has also earned accolades like the Disruptor Award and Ascension Award from WealthManagement.com and was named one of InvestmentNews’ Women to Watch.

In their conversation, Kellan shares the remarkable story of her career journey—from her early days in sports marketing and commercial construction to discovering her passion for championing women in finance. She offers insight into how 100 Women in Finance supports women at every stage of their careers and why mentorship is essential to changing the face of finance, fintech, and investment leadership.

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:53) - The mission and impact of 100 Women in Finance

(04:32) - Kellan's career journey

(07:34) - How the organization’s mentorship program is making a difference

(10:39) - Kellan's keynote at SEI

(13:28) - Programs and initiatives empowering women in finance

(19:25) - Advancing women in the finance industry

(23:30) - The transformative power of mentorship for women

(24:55) - Kellan's interests outside of work

Quotes

"I was awarded the Disruptor Award for a very clear reason. I believe in all of the work that we're doing, and we are not breaking any laws. Our partners are so committed to us, and we are not alienating anyone." ~ Kellan Brown 

"Women elevate every single level of any organization when there's equality." ~ Kellan Brown

"In a male-dominated industry, we have to find someone that's going to break that barrier down, give us access, and have allyship." ~ Kellan Brown

Links 

Kellan Brown on LinkedIn

100 Women in Finance

Finance of America

Income Lab

Michael Lane

Allie Carey

SEI

Sneha Shah

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In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Allie Carey, Chief Strategy Officer, SEI Private Banking and Wealth Management. Allie focuses on strategic planning, global wealth management industry assessment, global go-to-market strategies, channel partnerships, and M&A opportunities.

Jack and Allie talk about the role of bank trusts and private banks in wealth management. Allie shares how banks can harness their vast client base to drive organic growth, the opportunities in private banking, and how technology and data transform how banks serve their clients. 

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:51) - Allie's role at SEI

(03:10) - The need for evolving skill sets in the industry

(04:19) - How SEI serves clients

(08:03) - Opportunities for wealth management in the bank channel

(13:00) - SEI's growth strategies

(16:45) - Allie's thoughts on UMH

(18:14) - The future of private banks

(24:25) - Allie's key takeaways

(25:08) - Allie's interests outside of work

Quotes

"Banks have a massive client base across their different business lines. A wealth management business inside a bank can work with its commercial colleagues. They can work with their retail colleagues and their lending colleagues." ~ Allie Carey

"We're getting to the point where we could have some real advice across the lifecycle of someone delivered via technology, where humans are curating that, not creating it." ~ Allie Carey 

"Banks are well-positioned to win in wealth management. They have that near-end client base. They have the breadth of services to really serve the whole client." ~ Allie Carey

Links 

Allie Carey on LinkedIn

SEI

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In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Justin Singer, Partner at EY. Justin provides strategy and management consulting services to many top wealth management, asset management, insurance, and retirement firms to drive growth and retention, improve their offerings, and achieve stronger operating margins through strategic and tactical projects.

Jack and Justin discuss why WaaS (Wealth as a Service) is the future of financial services. Justin explores how financial institutions can use this integrated, cost-effective, scalable solution to drive efficiency and growth. He also dives into the key drivers behind this shift, the players involved, the exciting opportunities it presents, and the broader industry implications.

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro

(02:23) - Wealth as a Service defined

(05:23) - Service providers in the wealth management space

(08:56) - The expected consolidation of broker-dealers and RIAs

(11:14) - Challenges for firms in operating wealth management businesses

(16:20) - How WaaS improves client outcomes and advisor efficiency

(18:51) - The industry's reaction to EY's Wealth as a Service research

(21:59) - Justin's key takeaways

(23:52) - Justin's interests outside of work

Quotes

"Wealth as a Service (WaaS) is an integrated, cost-effective, and scalable solution for financial institutions to deliver wealth management in a more turnkey way." ~ Justin Singer

"The assets we've built are really positioning financial institutions to be able to drive toward the outcomes that many of them are looking to achieve, which are growth, improved operating efficiency, and scale." ~ Justin Singer

"If we end up in a world where there's less broker-dealers, less RIAs, less trust companies, and a few providers that are supporting those entities that are left, I truly believe it's going to drive down costs and allow many firms to be able to go more down market to the mass affluent segment with a more scalable offering." ~ Justin Singer

Links 

Justin Singer on LinkedIn

EY

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Alternative investments are surging in popularity, but how do distributors, asset managers, and advisors adapt? While the appetite for alternatives continues to rise, education remains one of the biggest hurdles to widespread adoption. Managing alternatives requires more than just a basic understanding. It demands deep, specialized expertise. Despite significant investments in training and educational initiatives, the need for deeper expertise remains critical.

In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Neil Bathon, Managing Partner at FUSE Research Network, about the latest trends in alternative investments. Neil shares insights from FUSE's recent study on alternative distribution, diving into key findings on education gaps, sales strategies, and the importance of partnerships in alts adoption.

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:47) - About FUSE Research Network

(04:54) - FUSE's alts distribution research findings

(06:09) - The importance of education in alts adoption

(07:38) - Neil's advice for firms entering the alts market

(09:04) - Why partnerships are critical

(11:33) - How alts can be incorporated into asset allocation

(12:58) - Managing client expectations

(16:48) - Neil's recommendations for investing in alts

(19:18) - How alternative assets benefit distributors, advisors, and asset managers

(20:00) - Neil's key takeaways

(21:13) - Neil's interests outside of work

Quotes

"Distributors are making clear that despite many educational initiatives for years, some of these traditional firms have big institutes or universities specifically to help bring advisors along, but there's still an enormous need for additional education." ~ Neil Bathon

"Some of these alternatives can get very complicated. You need to make a significant investment in educating your sales team and your marketing team. You really have to back them up with specialists who can go this third, fourth, or fifth level deep." ~ Neil Bathon

"Partnership of some form is the way to go for most firms if they're not already firmly in the alternative business." ~ Neil Bathon

Links 

Neil Bathon on LinkedIn

FUSE Research Network

Apollo Global Management

KKR

Ares Management

Blackstone

Franklin Templeton

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In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Arnulf Hsu, CEO of GReminders. Arnulf is a serial entrepreneur and has been leading and running B2B enterprise software companies for the last 20+ years as CEO, CTO, Product Leader, and Board Member. He has a strong background in technology and business development, focusing on building successful ventures and growing companies from the ground up.

Jack and Arnulf talk about why GReminders is one of the leading scheduling and meeting management platforms for professionals. They discuss how GReminders integrates with existing CRM systems to manage everything from scheduling and reminders to AI-generated meeting summaries and follow-ups. Jack and Arnulf also share the importance of deeply understanding customer needs and how AI can enhance personalization and efficiency in client relationships.

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro

(00:59) - What GReminders is and how it works

(04:57) - The origin story of GReminders

(05:59) - Why Arnulf chose to focus on wealth management

(09:25) - Feedback from advisors and clients

(12:49) - How GReminders compares to Arnulf’s past ventures

(15:06) - Learning through listening

(17:57) - How AI empowers GReminders

(19:56) - What's next for GReminders

(21:50) - Arnulf's key takeaways

(23:34) - Arnulf's interests outside of work

Quotes

"In this area (wealth management), there were scheduling products that were installed in our customers that, to some degree, they were using, but they weren't very good." ~ Arnulf Hsu

"If you have a bunch of data islands everywhere, it's not going to do anybody any good. If you ever want to use AI and analytics on top of this stuff, you better have systems that talk to each other, and data must flow between them." ~ Arnulf Hsu

 "Wealth managers aren't IT experts. And so, we believed pretty strongly in a smaller technology stack that has fewer moving parts. It's inherently a better system because you have less complexity." ~ Arnulf Hsu

Links 

Arnulf Hsu on LinkedIn

GReminders

Redtail Technology

Wealthbox

Salesforce

Smarsh

PreciseFP

Zapier

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In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Mike Capelle, Co-founder & Co-CEO of Modern Wealth Management. From his decades-long career in wealth management, Mike has experience building advisor-client platforms that drive continuous growth. He was part of the team that co-founded, scaled, and sold United Capital, a $25 billion RIA with 90 locations, to Goldman Sachs for $750 million.

Jack and Mike discuss how Modern Wealth Management provides a full-service wealth management platform, including tax planning, estate planning, and insurance. They address the challenges and opportunities of integrating legacy systems and the importance of creating a replicable model for national expansion.

In this episode:

Quotes

"We saw the need in the market and the opportunity because we felt there was a shift from going to investment to planning, where there was much more alignment between the advisors and the client." ~ Mike Capelle

"It's a great opportunity to really impact people's lives. They don't have all the resources to do everything they want. You have to help them understand what they want their future to look like, what things are important, and what trade-offs make sense to them." ~ Mike Capelle

"We certainly recognize the opportunity with the industry, and not only do you have an underserved market of people across the country who are developing wealth, but needing help in how they manage it and how they use it as the engine to get to the outcome they want to." ~ Mike Capelle

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In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Randy Lambert, EVP and Head of RIA Solutions at Intention.ly. Randy shares how his experience scaling Orion informs his work helping FinTech and RIA firms streamline operations, align marketing, and enhance client engagement. He highlights the importance of eliminating silos, implementing intelligent automation, and transforming operations from a cost center to a strategic growth engine.

In this episode:

Quotes

"One of the weakest links in the technology chain is the advisor using the technology." ~ Randy Lambert

"The better that an advisory team is able to systematize its operations, the better chance they have of being successful in scaling up." ~ Randy Lambert

"When a firm's data is clean, structured, and fully integrated, technology stops being a barrier. It starts to become an enabler." ~ Randy Lambert

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