Optimized Advisor Podcast Scott Heinila

Scott welcomed Brian Ott to the studio along with Nick Bernatowicz to discuss the importance and intricacies of long-term care (LTC) planning.


Brian Ott, RICP, CLTC, is founder and president of 525 Advisors LLC, an independent insurance agency that specializes in asset-based long-term care insurance planning. He is also the host of Long-Term Care Radio which is aired in multiple markets and produced as a weekly podcast. Brian has been recognized nationally as a top producer and continues to build his practice through marketing focused on education.





In this episode you’ll learn the following:

Specialization in Financial Services: The conversation highlights the value of specialization in financial advising, comparing the resurgence of specialized shops like butchers and cheese stores to the need for specialized financial services.

Challenges with Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI): LTCI is often avoided due to its complexity and the reluctance of advisors to have personal, emotionally charged conversations. The history and evolution of LTCI from the 1970s to now were discussed.

Affluent Clients & LTCI: The discussion explores why affluent clients, often overlooked for LTCI, actually benefit from it due to leverage, tax savings, and efficient asset management. The concept of "asset-based" LTCI is emphasized as a better self-insurance method.

Education and Awareness: Brian Ott stresses the importance of educating both advisors and clients about LTCI, noting that personal experiences with long-term care often drive interest and understanding of its value.

In this episode, Scott welcomed Paul Garofoli to the studio to discuss annuities. Paul Garofoli, Annuity Regional Sales Director for the Standard, has a 40-year career touching upon all aspects of our industry, especially independent distribution. Nicknamed the “Annuity King,” his enthusiasm is legendary. A nationally recognized speaker, Paul is known for his entertaining presentations.

Most recently, Paul was the recipient of the NAILBA ID 20 Award, honoring a diverse group of insurance professionals who are the most fascinating trailblazers, change-makers or architects shaping the future of independent distribution.





Annuity Market Dynamics: Paul highlights the recent surge in the annuity market due to rising interest rates and increased acceptance of annuities as a valuable asset class by various financial institutions and the general public.

The Standard's Offerings: The Standard provides diversified financial products including group insurance, disability insurance, retirement plans, and annuities. Notably, they offer annuities up to age 93 and are Medicaid-friendly with unique features for elder care.

Enhanced Choice Index Plus: This new product suite includes multiple S&P 500-based indices and a proprietary index, offering competitive rates and a unique death benefit rider (Legacy Max) that compounds at 6%, providing substantial legacy benefits.

Consumer-Centric Features: The Standard's annuities come with consumer-friendly options like full account value upon death, spousal continuation benefits, and options for beneficiaries to manage the death benefit in a tax-efficient manner.

Part 2 with Lara Galloway:



In this episode Scott was joined by Lara Galloway virtually to discuss building trust and emotional connection in the seminar marketing world. At the time of recording, Lara was the SVP of Channel Management at White Glove, where she leveraged her expertise in Business Development, Marketing, Product and Sales to build enterprise partnerships that offer financial advisors lead-generating workshops and nurturing programs to keep them in front of their clients and prospects. Now, Lara is the Chief Marketing Officer at Goldstone Financial Group.



Her entrepreneurial background and 12-year tenure running her own coaching firm, where she provided advice and consulting to small business owners, make her a valuable coach to White Glove's employees and clients. In her free time, Lara enjoys baking, craft beer, hiking with her husband and kids and spending time with her dog, Tuck.



In this episode you will learn the following:



The significance of connecting with clients on an emotional level, understanding their needs, and building trust through education and rapport.

Best practices for both physical and digital workshops, highlighting the value of engaging the audience, asking questions, and using polls to foster interaction.

The upcoming wealth transfer from boomers to Gen X and women, emphasizing the need for advisors to adapt their approach to connect with these demographics.

The role of ongoing communication, such as drip campaigns and social media content, in nurturing client relationships and staying top of mind.

In this episode Scott was joined by Lara Galloway virtually to discuss seminar marketing and estate planning. At the time of recording, Lara was the SVP of Channel Management at White Glove, where she leverages her expertise in Business Development, Marketing, Product and Sales to build enterprise partnerships that offer financial advisors lead-generating workshops and nurturing programs to keep them in front of their clients and prospects. Since the recording, Lara changed jobs and is now the Chief Marketing Officer at Goldstone Financial Group.

Lara's entrepreneurial background and 12-year tenure running her own coaching firm, where she provided advice and consulting to small business owners, make her a valuable coach to White Glove's employees and clients. In her free time, Lara enjoys baking, craft beer, hiking with her husband and kids and spending time with her dog, Tuck.

In this episode you will learn the following:

The importance of humanizing marketing efforts, whether in-person or virtual, and provide tips for success in both formats.
Success metrics for seminar marketing are discussed, emphasizing the need for realistic expectations and continuous improvement.
The scalability of workshops through automation and the importance of effective follow-up to convert leads.
Dive Into White Glove's resources, such as coaching, webinars, and the Fast Podcast, to enhance seminar marketing strategies and grow one's business effectively.

Scott welcomed back Anthony Nizzi to the podcast studio to discuss behavioral finance.

The conversation delved into various biases that can impact decision-making in financial planning and highlighted the importance of understanding these biases to better serve our clients.

Podcacst collaboration episode with The Zandbergen Report:



Host Bart Zandbergen was joined in the podcast studio by Scott Heinila to discuss the art and power of discipline. The duo discussed how discipline plays a factor in their personal and professional lives as they navigate business, relationships, family matters, fitness and beyond. They began by unpacking people’s willingness to, “Do what others won’t do, to be or have what others won’t have,” and how a powerful motivating factor plays into the matter. Whether you are looking to rewrite your story, or design the chapter of your life called 2024, this episode will inspire you to take action to achieve the goals you plan to set for yourself by channeling discipline.