AI for Advisors

Mark Heynen, James Cantwell
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Exploring the intersection of AI & money.

  1. JAN 22

    Kitces on AI, Productivity, and the 10 yr Outlook

    In this conversation, Michael Kitces discusses various themes surrounding the intersection of AI, social media, and financial advisory. The discussion begins with light-hearted banter about blue shirts and transitions into serious topics such as LinkedIn's connection limits, the future of social media, and the impact of AI on the advisory industry. Kitces shares insights on productivity in financial advisory, emphasizing the importance of team dynamics and client affluence. He also expresses skepticism about the rapid displacement of LinkedIn and the hype surrounding AI, advocating for a more measured approach to technology adoption in advisory firms. In this conversation, Michael Kitces, Mark Heynen, and James Cantwell discuss the evolving role of AI in financial advisory, emphasizing the balance between quality and time savings. They explore the implications of client affluence on advisory capacity, the ethical considerations of client selection, and the future of technology in the industry. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding the true value of technology, the challenges of client relationships, and the potential for advisors to adapt to changing market dynamics. Takeaways Michael Kitces emphasizes the importance of team dynamics in financial advisory productivity. LinkedIn's connection cap limits engagement for high-profile users like Kitces. AI's current capabilities are often overhyped, with many practical limitations. The productivity of advisory firms is significantly influenced by client affluence. Kitces advocates for a cautious approach to adopting new technologies in advisory firms. The conversation highlights the shift from Twitter to LinkedIn for financial advisors. AI tools can enhance productivity but may not replace the need for human advisors. The importance of analyzing data to understand productivity trends in advisory firms. Kitces shares insights on the challenges of managing client relationships effectively. The discussion reflects on the potential economic implications of AI in various industries. AI can improve the quality of notes but may not save time. Advisors often switch tools instead of maximizing current ones. Client affluence significantly impacts advisory capacity. Technology can enhance the quality of advice provided to clients. The average advisor age is increasing, leading to a potential talent shortage. Firms that focus on technology may not be as efficient as those that prioritize human relationships. The demand for financial advisors is growing, but supply is limited. Advisors can still thrive by serving the mass affluent market. The evolution of technology has historically led to increased fees and service quality. Ethical considerations arise when advising clients of varying affluence.

    1h 36m

  2. JAN 9

    Jason Wenk on Altruist's Playbook for AI + Custody

    In this episode of AI for Advisors, Mark Heynen and James Cantwell talk with Jason Wenk, founder and CEO of Altruist, about building a modern custody platform from scratch and why infrastructure matters more than software. They discuss Jason’s journey from FormulaFolios’ 14,000% growth to raising nearly half a billion dollars for Altruist, his early (failed) attempts to pitch AI to advisors in 2018, and the strategic acquisition of Thyme to build Hazel. The conversation covers the economics of custody, why being multi-custodial creates unnecessary pain, data ownership debates, and whether note-taking is already commoditized. They also dive into Robinhood’s TradePMR acquisition and what makes a successful wealth tech company in 2025. Key Takeaways:  Custodial infrastructure is the bottleneck—great AI on bad infrastructure just creates faster pain as you scale. Advisors unanimously rejected AI in 2018; ChatGPT changed everything by making AI feel accessible and trustworthy. Note-taking is commoditizing fast; differentiation comes from agentic workflows and deep custodial integration. Data should belong to advisors, but open APIs need thoughtful controls to maintain platform reliability. Technical moats in AI are minimal—go-to-market execution and distribution matter more than product features.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Learn more about Jason Wenk | Altruist Website: https://altruist.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonwenk  Learn more about Mark Heynen | James Cantwell | AI for Advisors Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheynen  Website: https://www.knapsack.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescantwell  Website: https://www.wealthtechselect.com  YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@AIforAdvisorsPodcast  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4z1NMErEJ5lxMe0aaO5w8W

    1h 30m

  3. 2025-12-15

    Onboarding Without the Paperwork Hell: Flextract’s Rajesh Jayaraman on AI Document Processing

    In this episode of AI for Advisors, Mark Heynen and James Cantwell talk with Rajesh Jayaraman, founder and CEO of Flextract, about solving wealth management’s most painful onboarding problem. Rajesh shares his journey from Yodlee and Ellevest to tackling the document-heavy nightmare that forces advisors into three-meeting cadences lasting months. They discuss why Google Gemini won the model race for document processing, the security considerations of using consumer AI tools with client data, and how the SPAR framework helps evaluate AI outputs. The conversation covers the SEC’s landmark AI conflict rule, the platform versus point solution debate, and whether voice interfaces are finally ready for mainstream adoption. Key Takeaways:  Wealthy clients have the worst UI—onboarding takes months and multiple meetings just to collect documents. Google Gemini wins for document processing with superior long context windows and native PDF handling. Flextract discarded massive amounts of code as AI evolved—OCR pipelines became obsolete overnight. Use paid AI tools (training off) for one-offs; purpose-built solutions prevent “chat fatigue” from managing dozens of prompts. The SEC’s AI conflict rule requires proving AI doesn’t advantage advisors over clients—a potential Sarbanes-Oxley moment. Model providers face a “winner’s curse”—innovation becomes commoditized within days of release. Voice interfaces work as an added modality but won’t replace everything—efficiency and context still matter.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Learn more about Rajesh Jayaraman | Flextract Website: https://flextract.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeshjayaraman  Learn more about Mark Heynen | James Cantwell | AI for Advisors Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheynen  Website: https://www.knapsack.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescantwell  Website: https://www.wealthtechselect.com  YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@AIforAdvisorsPodcast  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4z1NMErEJ5lxMe0aaO5w8W

    1h 15m

  4. 2025-12-12

    Beyond the Shiny Objects: Max Klein and Mike Wilson on Wealth Tech’s Invisible Layer

    In this episode of AI for Advisors, Mark Heynen and James Cantwell welcome two founders building critical AI infrastructure for wealth management: Max Klein, co-founder and CEO of LEA, and Mike Wilson, CEO of Hamachi.ai. Fresh from the Advise AI conference in Vegas, the group digs into the backend systems that power front-office tools—from client data orchestration to compliant email drafting. They debate whether CRMs are dying, discuss adoption strategies for B2B AI startups, and explore Orion’s Denali AI announcement. The conversation touches on everything from switching costs and user friction to why email might outlive its reputation as a “dying technology.” Key Takeaways:  Backend infrastructure beats shiny objects—unsexy problems like data extraction and compliant communications enable everything else. Hamachi redacts all PII before LLMs process emails—compliant drafting without exposing client data to AI models. Traditional CRMs are artifacts of the ’90s—AI can surface “Scruffy was sick” without custom database fields. Orion’s Denali is the first enterprise AI overlay—querying portfolio and CRM data in natural language, not just CRM intelligence. Zero-friction tools win adoption—note-takers succeeded because they require no clicks; platform switching costs remain prohibitive.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Learn more about Max Klein | LEA Website: https://www.getlea.io  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxdklein  Learn more about Mike Wilson | Hamachi.ai Website: https://hamachi.ai  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-wilson-inc  Learn more about Mark Heynen | James Cantwell | AI for Advisors Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheynen  Website: https://www.knapsack.ai/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescantwell  Website: https://www.wealthtechselect.com  YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@AIforAdvisorsPodcast  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4z1NMErEJ5lxMe0aaO5w8W

    1h 4m

  5. 2025-12-04

    Private Markets Go Digital: Infrastructure, Access, and AI with Ryan Eisenman and Jacob Miller

    In this episode of AI for Advisors, Mark Heynen and James Cantwell talks with Ryan Eisenman, CEO of Arch, which builds digital admin infrastructure for private markets, and Jacob Miller, Chief Solutions Officer of Opto Investments, a curated investment access platform for advisors. They discuss the infrastructure pain points holding back advisor adoption, Opto’s rigorous 1.4% fund approval rate, and how AI is automating everything from quarterly reporting summaries to diligence workflows. The conversation covers wire fraud detection in an age of AI voice cloning, why blockchain isn’t the answer for private markets, whether we’re in an AI bubble, and practical tools both companies have built to help advisors scale their alternatives practice. Key Takeaways:  AI voice cloning is creating wire fraud risks in private markets that traditional callback verification can no longer prevent. Opto’s buyer model rejects 98.6% of funds, focusing on top-quartile opportunities instead of pay-to-play distribution. AI enables screening 10,000+ deals annually, but the final 20% of investment judgment still requires human expertise. Companies stay private longer to avoid compliance costs and quarterly scrutiny, fundamentally changing how value creation happens. Blockchain and tokenization don’t solve core private market needs—investors require counterparty trust and legal recourse. Real productivity gains and low leverage separate this AI wave from past bubbles like the dot-com era. Learn more about Ryan Eisenman | Arch Website: https://arch.co  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-eisenman-21811246  Learn more about Jacob Miller | Opto Investments Website: https://www.optoinvest.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-m-08b32967  Learn more about AI for Advisors Podcast LinkedIn (Mark Heynen): https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheynen  LinkedIn (James Cantwell): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescantwell  YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@AIforAdvisorsPodcast  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4z1NMErEJ5lxMe0aaO5w8W

    50 min
  6. Using AI to Attract & Retain Clients with Victoria Toli @ Finny and Arnulf Hsu @ GReminders

    2025-11-12

    Using AI to Attract & Retain Clients with Victoria Toli @ Finny and Arnulf Hsu @ GReminders

    In this episode, Mark and James speak with Victoria Toli, Co-founder and President of Finny, and Arnulf Hsu, Founder and CEO of GReminders, about how AI is redefining client acquisition and engagement in the wealth management industry amid the $100 trillion Great Wealth Transfer. Victoria shares how Finny helps advisors achieve true organic growth through AI-driven, hyper-personalized outreach that scales trust and relationships — challenging the notion that advisors are slow to adopt technology. Arnold discusses how GReminders automates the entire meeting lifecycle, saving advisors hundreds of hours each year and allowing them to focus on delivering more meaningful client experiences. They explore how AI is enabling advisors to compete at scale, why personalization still wins in a digital-first world, and how the industry’s next wave of innovation could bring about the “one-person, billion-dollar RIA.” The conversation closes with a take on OpenAI’s new Atlas browser and what integrated AI agents could mean for the future of wealthtech platforms. The Great Wealth Transfer is accelerating demand for smarter, tech-enabled client acquisition. Finny’s AI platform enables organic growth through hyper-personalized communication. GReminders automates scheduling, follow-ups, and meeting notes, saving up to 600 hours per advisor per year. AI adoption among advisors is higher than most assume — especially when tied to clear ROI. Private equity consolidation and compliance are driving faster tech integration across firms. Authentic, human-like engagement remains central to effective AI use. The future of wealth management could see solo RIAs powered by deeply embedded AI assistants. Learn more about the guests: Victoria Toli | Finny LinkedIn: Victoria Toli Key Takeaways:Arnulf Hsu | GReminders LinkedIn: Arnulf Hsu

    46 min

  7. 2025-11-06 · BONUS

    Advise AI Exhibitor Pitches in Las Vegas

    Explore the forefront of AI for wealthtech with insights from industry leaders at the Advise AI conference. This episode features conversations with representatives from Orion, CommuniFi, Mutify, Knapsack, Conquest Planning, Fini, Syntax, Alpathena, FinMate AI, Advisor CRM, AIdentified, Meetings Hub, and Egnyte. Discover how these companies are revolutionizing data management, client engagement, and financial planning for advisors. Tune in to learn about the latest innovations and how they're shaping the future of the financial advisory landscape.

    38 min
  8. Joe Moss on AI overlays vs AI CRMs

    2025-10-28 · BONUS

    Joe Moss on AI overlays vs AI CRMs

    In this conversation, Joe Moss discusses the evolving landscape of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems in the context of artificial intelligence (AI). He identifies two main categories of AI integration: integrated AI CRMs and AI overlays. Moss emphasizes that larger Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) are more likely to adopt AI features as overlays rather than switching to entirely new CRM systems. This reflects a trend towards enhancing existing technologies with AI capabilities rather than overhauling them completely. Takeaways There are two main categories of AI in CRM: integrated and overlays. Larger RIAs are likely to use AI overlays instead of switching CRMs. The small RIA space is seeing different trends compared to larger firms. AI features are being added to existing CRM systems. The trend is towards enhancing rather than replacing technology. Big RIAs are not inclined to switch off their current CRM systems. AI overlays can provide significant enhancements to existing CRMs. The integration of AI is becoming essential in the finance sector. Understanding the needs of small vs. large RIAs is crucial. The future of CRM systems is increasingly AI-driven.

    33 min
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Exploring the intersection of AI & money.

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  • Creator
    Mark Heynen, James Cantwell
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mark Heynen, James Cantwell
  • Show Website
    AI for Advisors

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