Beacon 1% Better Everyday

Chip Kispert

Welcome to Beacon 1% Better Every Day, hosted by Chip Kispert founder of Beacon Strategies. This podcast is for wealth management professionals who are curious, ready to break free from outdated methods and drive meaningful progress in their business. Chip is on a mission to partner with you to challenge the status quo, create more collaborative practices, and help you evolve your firm in a rapidly changing industry. Each episode feels like a seat at a Beacon Roundtable – real talk, fresh and current perspectives, and powerful stories of growth and empowerment. Tune in as Chip shares his professional insights and invites industry leaders to help you become 1% better every day, unlocking new opportunities and pushing for lasting change.

Episodes

  1. 2025-12-11

    The Future of Wealth Management: What’s Next in Tech & Finance with Michelle Feinstein (Ep. 9)

    The wealth management industry is at a crossroads, and those who fail to adapt will get left behind. In this episode, Chip Kispert welcomes back Michelle Feinstein, General Manager of Financial Services at Salesforce. With three decades of experience across Pershing, BNY Mellon, and Salesforce, Michelle offers an insider’s look at how firms can modernize, scale, and lead through disruption. Together, they explore what it means to move from “builder” to “steward,” why AI and data strategy now define success, and how to break down silos between technology and talent. What to expect: How firms can unify people, process, and technology to scale smarter The game-changing impact of AI, data, and MCP integration Why firms must choose strategic partners over endless integrations Practical ways to embrace innovation without losing human touch And so much more! Resources: Beacon Strategies, LLC Podcast Connect with Chip Kispert Beacon Strategies, LLC LinkedIn: BeaconStrategies LinkedIn: Chip Kispert Connect with Michelle Feinstein: LinkedIn: Michelle Feinstein Salesforce About Our Guest: Michelle Feinstein is general manager and vice president, Global Wealth and Asset Management Solutions and Strategy for Salesforce Industries. Her expertise is in digital transformation for wealth management. This process of digitization is complex; it requires firms to accelerate plans to harness data, digitize advisor-client experiences, and modernize service to scale and support growth.

    37 min
  2. 2025-11-11

    Driving Growth with Authentic Marketing and AI with Robert Sofia (Ep. 6)

    Marketing in wealth management is evolving faster than ever, with new technology, client expectations, and competitive pressures reshaping how firms grow. In this episode of Beacon 1% Better Every Day, Chip Kispert speaks with Robert Sofia, CEO of Snappy Kraken, about the state of marketing in wealth management and how firms can accelerate growth. Robert shares insights on authentic client engagement, systematic nurturing, and the role of AI in speeding up and personalizing marketing strategies. Key takeaways: The increasing competition from private equity-backed firms and the challenges advisors face in standing out Why authentic, quality messaging is harder to find and more important than ever How nurturing leads systematically can increase conversion rates by 200–300% The balance between referrals, digital channels, and social media for sustainable growth How AI is transforming speed, precision, and personalization in advisor marketing strategies And more! Resources: Beacon Strategies, LLC Podcast Connect with Chip Kispert Beacon Strategies, LLC LinkedIn: BeaconStrategies LinkedIn: Chip Kispert Connect with Robert Sofia: Snappy Kraken LinkedIn: Robert Sofia About Our Guest: Robert Sofia is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Snappy Kraken, a digital marketing strategy company built specifically “for financial advisers who care about meaningful connections.” Over the years, Snappy Kraken has earned awards such as Best Overall Content Marketing Company from Martech Breakthrough Awards and has been recognized five times as an honoree of the Inc 500/5000. Over the past decade, Robert has supported thousands of companies across the financial services spectrum, including solo advisers, ensembles, family offices, broker-dealers, custodians, TAMPs, insurance firms, and more.

    34 min
  3. 2025-11-04

    Bringing AI Safely into Finance with Geoff Moore (Ep. 7)

    Artificial intelligence is shaking up wealth management, but how do you separate hype from what’s actually useful?  In this episode, Chip Kispert sits down with Geoff Moore, Chief Information Officer at ValMark Securities, to talk about how his firm is weaving AI into real processes without losing sight of what matters most: people.  From early wins with AI-powered document extraction to advisors reclaiming hours of family time and personal time thanks to AI note-taking tools, Geoff shares both the breakthroughs and the challenges of moving from proof of concept to production. What to expect: Early wins and cautionary lessons with AI adoption How Compliance leaders can embrace, not fear, new tech Why context management is the next big frontier Real stories of efficiency translating into quality of life And more! Resources: Beacon Strategies, LLC Podcast AI for Advisors with Mark Heymen and James Cantwell Boxworks.box.com Blueshirt.ai Slant.app BarnDoor.ai Camelai.com Connect with Chip Kispert Beacon Strategies, LLC LinkedIn: BeaconStrategies LinkedIn: Chip Kispert Connect with Geoff Moore: LinkedIn: Geoff Moore Valmark Financial Group About Our Guests: Geoff Moore is the Chief Information Officer at Valmark Financial Group, where he leads technology strategy and innovation across the firm’s RIA, insurance, and broker-dealer businesses. With a focus on practical, people-first AI adoption, Geoff has guided Valmark through early wins in automation and data management, earning recognition as Box.com’s Small Business AI Disruptor Award winner. He serves on the CIO Inspire Chapter Board in Northeast Ohio and shares his insights as a panelist at industry events like the Advise AI Conference. Geoff is passionate about using technology to enhance both efficiency and advisor quality of life, helping professionals spend less time on manual work and more time with clients and family.

    34 min
  4. 2025-10-21

    How Better and More Complete Data and AI Help Advisors Get 1% Better Every Day (Ep. 6)

    What happens when IRS tax data meets AI in the middle of an advisor shortage? In this episode of Beacon: 1% Better Every Day, host Chip Kispert sits down with Kevin Knull, CFP®, and Browning Mank of TaxStatus to explore how their platform is reshaping advisor growth strategies and client service models. Kevin shares his journey from the U.S. Coast Guard to fintech leadership, highlighting how solving big problems with technology and helping people has always been part of his DNA. Browning offers an unexpected but relatable story about dating that ties directly into why having better data leads to better outcomes. Together, they reveal how TaxStatus helps advisors uncover held-away assets, prepare for wealth transfer, and scale fiduciary advice in a future where both financial advisors and CPAs will be in short supply. What you’ll learn: Why incomplete data puts advisors at risk of giving partial advice How firms can discover hidden assets and unlock organic growth The staggering advisor and CPA shortage ahead, and the opportunity it creates Real-world use cases of how tax data transforms client reviews and prospecting Resources: Beacon Strategies, LLC Podcast Connect with Chip Kispert Beacon Strategies, LLC LinkedIn: BeaconStrategies LinkedIn: Chip Kispert Connect with Kevin Knull TaxStatus LinkedIn: TaxStatus LinkedIn: Kevin Knull Connect with Browning Mank TaxStatus LinkedIn: TaxStatus LinkedIn: Browning Mank Email: browning@taxstatus.com About Our Guests: Kevin Knull is the Chief Executive Officer at Tax Status, where he is focused on building strong teams and creating innovative strategies that drive growth and performance in the fintech and financial services industries. Over the course of his career, Kevin has led teams and driven transformation at leading firms including MoneyGuide Pro, PIEtech (MoneyGuide’s Truth platform), YCharts, and Symetra Investment Management. With a background that began at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and included three tours of duty, Kevin brings a service-first mindset to every role. His passion lies in solving big problems, leveraging technology, and helping advisors deliver better outcomes for their clients. Browning Mank is the Senior Vice President and Enterprise Account Executive at Tax Status. She brings decades of experience across wealth management, insurance, and asset management, with a career that spans corporate, entrepreneurial, RIA, CPA, and fintech sectors. Browning spent 18 years in leadership roles at Fidelity Investments, where she oversaw sales strategy and execution across retail branches, regional centers, and institutional RIA/Broker-Dealer channels. Following her time at Fidelity, she founded a successful executive recruiting and consulting firm, and later held strategic roles with Ackerman Capital Management, ForwardLane Inc., and other prominent RIAs and fintechs. She joined Tax Status in 2024, where she focuses on helping wealth firms harness IRS data to improve client outcomes and drive organic growth. Known for her collaborative approach and creative problem-solving, Browning is dedicated to elevating client and employee experiences and unlocking new opportunities for the professionals she serves.

    35 min
  5. 2025-10-01

    Rebuilding Trust in Wealth: How Couplr AI Is Transforming Lead Generation with Human Connection (Ep. 5)

    When Derek Notman, CFP®, launched Couplr AI, it wasn’t just about building a better lead gen platform; it was about bringing human connection back to the center of financial advice. In this episode, Chip Kispert talks with Derek, a former top-producing advisor turned fintech founder, about what’s broken in traditional lead generation and how his team is reimagining it through the lens of empathy, personalization, and behavioral science. Drawing on experience from both the advisor seat and startup trenches, Derek explains how cold outreach erodes trust and why flipping the script to empower consumers, not chase them, could transform advisor growth. The conversation also explores orphan accounts, ethical leadership, and Derek’s unexpected path to masterminding with Richard Branson. What to expect: Why legacy lead gen misses the mark on human connection How Couplr uses behavioral data to match clients and advisors The orphan account crisis no one wants to talk about What Richard Branson taught Derek about fatherhood and business Resources: Beacon Strategies, LLC Podcast Connect with Chip Kispert Beacon Strategies, LLC LinkedIn: BeaconStrategies LinkedIn: Chip Kispert Connect with Derek Notman Couplr AI LinkedIn: Couplr AI LinkedIn: Derek Notman About Our Guest: Derek Notman, CFP®, is the founder of Couplr AI and a former financial advisor with over 20 years of experience. After building a successful advisor practice and RIA, Derek turned his focus to solving one of the industry’s biggest friction points: helping clients find the right advisor at the right time. Couplr blends behavioral psychology, AI, and a dating app-like experience to deliver more meaningful advisor-client human connections. Derek is also the creator of the Dadpreneur experience, a leadership mastermind hosted on Richard Branson’s Necker Island.

    29 min
  6. 2025-09-16

    Building Championship Teams in WealthTech (Ep. 4)

    When Dave Goes made the leap from Morningstar to Advyzon, it wasn’t just about technology. It was about joining a winning team. In this episode, Chip Kispert sits down with Dave, President of Enterprise Solutions at Advyzon, to explore what makes  winning teams and great platforms in today’s wealth management space. With nearly three decades of experience, Dave shares why Advyzon’s single-source-code platform and culture of execution stands out to him, and how the firm is redefining enterprise partnerships. It’s not about selling solutions; it’s about solving real enterprise challenges. Dave also opens up about his leadership philosophy, his love for baseball, and why servant leadership and follow-through are at the heart of real client success. What to expect: How to spot and build championship-caliber teams Advyzon’s tech edge in a crowded platform market The leadership mindset that drives enterprise growth Why partnership is more than a buzzword Resources: T3 Technology Tools for Today Connect with Chip Kispert Beacon Strategies, LLC LinkedIn: BeaconStrategies LinkedIn: Chip Kispert Connect with Dave Goes: Advyzon LinkedIn: Dave Goes dave.goes@advyzon.com About Our Guest: Dave Goes is President of Enterprise Sales at Advyzon, and is instrumental in expanding the company’s reach into larger-scale wealth enterprises, including regional broker-dealers, banks, and insurance BDs. Dave’s expertise is pivotal to Advyzon’s mission to provide exceptional technology and unmatched service in the financial advisory sector. Dave is a seasoned executive with over 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Advyzon, Dave held several transformational senior leadership roles at Morningstar, where he significantly contributed to the growth of the firm’s large enterprise client base. Dave earned a BS in Psychology from St Joseph’s. In his spare time, Dave enjoys spending time with his three teenage children, working out, playing baseball, and traveling.

    26 min
  7. 2025-09-02

    Solving Tech Fatigue in Wealth Management: Building Smarter Systems and Better Experiences

    The explosion of wealth tech tools has left many advisory firms buried under layers of disconnected systems, and the resulting tech fatigue is real. In this episode, Chip Kispert sits down with Mike Overdorf, President of The Sycamore Company, to discuss how firms can regain control over their data and tech stacks. From legacy system challenges to the next evolution in AI-powered reporting, Mike shares what firms need to know to stay competitive and deliver better advisor and client experiences. What to expect in this episode: Why data silos and legacy systems are holding wealth firms back and how to fix them How to build a data-first foundation before adding new tools Real-world examples of where firms gain traction (comp, reporting, and account opening) A look at how AI may change advisor technology over the next 3 years If technology frustration is keeping you up at night or if you’re ready to build a more responsive and integrated tech stack, this conversation is for you. Connect with Chip Kispert Beacon Strategies, LLC LinkedIn: BeaconStrategies LinkedIn: Chip Kispert Connect with Mike Overdorf: Sycamore Company LinkedIn: Mike Overdorf About Our Guest: Mike Overdorf is the President of The Sycamore Company, dedicated to providing a best practices solutions philosophy to the financial services industry. They are committed to the current Web technology environment using “cloud computing” to offer clients on-demand, integrated, state of the art software applications. The Sycamore product line has been designed as an easy to use application that can manage the day to day needs of both the front and back offices of Broker Dealers, OSJs, RIAs or the Independent Advisor.

    23 min

About

Welcome to Beacon 1% Better Every Day, hosted by Chip Kispert founder of Beacon Strategies. This podcast is for wealth management professionals who are curious, ready to break free from outdated methods and drive meaningful progress in their business. Chip is on a mission to partner with you to challenge the status quo, create more collaborative practices, and help you evolve your firm in a rapidly changing industry. Each episode feels like a seat at a Beacon Roundtable – real talk, fresh and current perspectives, and powerful stories of growth and empowerment. Tune in as Chip shares his professional insights and invites industry leaders to help you become 1% better every day, unlocking new opportunities and pushing for lasting change.