The Elite Financial Advisor Podcast With Sten Morgan

Sten Morgan
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A show for financial professionals who want to be challenged to achieve their true potential faster. You will gain practical knowledge that you can implement on Monday morning when you get into the office. You'll learn the true value of your advice and, if you want to, how to charge for that advice. Featuring Sten J. Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, one of the nation's leading young Financial Advisors.

  1. 5H AGO

    234 Best Practices of Prospecting with Gavin Filasek, Wes Young, and Sten

    In this episode, Sten Morgan sits down with Wes Young and Gavin Filasek to unpack the prospecting spectrum — from the early “brute force” days of calling anyone who would listen, to building a more mature system where value, referrals, niche expertise, and better communication create momentum. They discuss why early advisors need reps, why language matters, how to answer “what do you do?” in a way that creates curiosity, and how great firms build systems that help advisors grow faster. Wes and Gavin also share practical ways they use tax strategy, niche markets, client conversations, and referral processes to create a prospecting flywheel. The throughline: prospecting gets easier when you stop leading with your title and start leading with value. Takeaways Early prospecting is hard, but the reps build confidence. Don’t answer “what do you do?” with a label — lead with a problem you solve. The best advisors create value before they ask for referrals. Niches make prospecting easier because the problems are clearer. A repeatable process turns referrals, client conversations, and money-in-motion opportunities into a growth flywheel. The Digital Toolbox for Elite Financial Advisors https://gobeelite.com/

    45 min

  2. MAY 15

    233 Stop Overcomplicating Financial Planning (What Clients Actually Want) with H. Adam Holt

    In this episode, Sten sits down with H. Adam Holt—founder of Asset-Map, former top-producing financial advisor, and industry innovator who has helped thousands of advisors simplify how they deliver financial advice. Adam shares his journey from struggling early in the business—making just $11,000 his first year—to building a billion-dollar practice and eventually creating Asset-Map, now used by over 7,500 advisors globally. This conversation unpacks the real inflection points that drove his success, including: Why most advisors overcomplicate financial planning The moment he realized clients didn’t want analysis—they wanted clarity How simplifying his process led to exponential growth The importance of mentorship, coaching, and community And how building systems and teams creates true scale If you’re trying to grow your practice, simplify your message, and deliver more value in less time, this episode will challenge how you think about planning, productivity, and what clients actually want. Takeaways Clients don’t want more analysis—they want clarity they can understand and useSimplicity scales; complexity slows down both you and your clientYou have to go through the “hard years” to build real skill and confidenceThe fastest way to grow is to focus on communication, not just strategyMentors, coaches, and community are force multipliers for long-term success The Digital Toolbox for Elite Financial Advisors https://gobeelite.com/ How To Charge LIVE! https://howtochargelive.com/

    36 min

  3. MAY 8

    232 How To Level Up Client Experience with Efficient Financial Planning with Austin Harris

    In this episode, Sten sits down with Austin Harris to talk about his path from personal training into financial advice, why Edward Jones appealed to him early in his career, and how his philosophy evolved from simply finding clients to serving them deeply. Austin shares how structure, mentorship, and hard work helped him build momentum early, especially when family pressure forced him to make the business work. The conversation also dives into one of the biggest themes in modern advice: how to communicate value more clearly. Austin reflects on attending How to Charge Live, how whiteboarding changed the way he explains planning, and why the real shift is not just charging for advice, but becoming the kind of advisor who can explain complex ideas simply, confidently, and memorably. It’s a great episode for advisors who want to level up their communication, client experience, and planning process within the framework they already have. Takeaways A strong system and structure can be a huge advantage early in an advisor’s career.  Getting technically stronger matters, but learning to communicate value clearly matters just as much.  Financial planning is not just about charging a fee — it’s about creating a better experience for clients.  Whiteboarding helps advisors simplify complex ideas and differentiate themselves immediately.  Even if your firm has limits, you can still improve how you explain planning and how you serve clients today. The Digital Toolbox for Elite Financial Advisors https://gobeelite.com/

    28 min

  4. MAY 1

    231 Why Advisory Firms Break as They Grow And How to Build the Right Team with Angie Herbers

    In this episode, Sten sits down with Angie Herbers to talk about what really causes advisory firms to stall, break, or lose momentum as they grow. Angie shares how her unusual start in the industry led her into consulting, why communication skills matter more than most firms realize, and what separates firms that keep moving from firms that stay stuck in meetings and indecision. They also unpack some of the biggest hidden challenges in advisory businesses today: capacity, leadership bottlenecks, poor training models, over-reliance on support staff, and the fear that keeps founders from hiring advisors who might be just as smart—or smarter—than they are. This is a strong episode for advisors who want to build a business that scales without losing culture, client experience, or momentum. Angie Herbers: herbersandcompany.com Takeaways Communication skills should be trained first, not treated as a “natural gift.”Most firms hurt young advisors by hiding them in the back office instead of letting them observe client communication.Growth creates pressure, and that pressure reveals what will eventually break.The easiest hire is often support staff, but the most important hire is usually another advisor.The best leaders solve problems quickly instead of hiding inside endless meetings and planning cycles.

    46 min

  5. APR 24

    230 How Great Advisors Grow: Values, Pressure, and Building a Career That Lasts with Terri Kallsen

    In this episode, Sten sits down with Terri Kallsen, CFP to talk about the seasons of a career, the role values play in long-term success, and how advisors can grow by combining technical skill with human connection. Terri shares how her path moved from analytics and problem-solving into financial planning, leadership, and coaching — and why every season of her career prepared her for the next. They also unpack what true financial planning really is, why communication matters so much in helping clients take action, and how fear, pressure, and risk can actually shape stronger leaders when handled the right way. This episode is both practical and encouraging for advisors who want to grow their business, serve people well, and build a meaningful career over time. Takeaways A great career is built in seasons, and each season prepares you for the next one.True financial planning is much bigger than just investments or insurance.The best advisors combine problem-solving, communication, and empathy.Fear and pressure do not always mean something is wrong — they can be signals to prepare and perform.Advisors have a rare opportunity to create abundance while deeply serving others. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260106590469/en/Terri-Kallsen-CFP-Begins-Board-Chair-Role-at-CFP-Board Rise Growth Partners website: https://risegrowth.com/ The Digital Toolbox for Elite Financial Advisors https://gobeelite.com/

    34 min

  6. APR 17

    229 Why Advisors Should Stop Competing on Investments and Start Winning with Tax Planning with Ed Slott

    In this episode, Sten sits down with Ed Slott, CPA and CEO, to unpack why advanced retirement tax planning is one of the clearest ways for advisors to differentiate themselves, add real value, and attract bigger clients. Ed shares how he moved beyond commodity tax prep work, found his edge in IRA distribution rules, and built a career by going deep where others stayed general. Together, they discuss why investment management alone is increasingly commoditized, why confidence comes from competence, and how advisors can start having more valuable conversations right away by understanding things like beneficiary forms, Roth conversion timing, and NUA opportunities. This episode is a call for advisors to stop relying on generic value propositions and start becoming the specialist clients can’t replace. Ed Slott's Website https://irahelp.com/ Takeaways Tax preparation is history; tax planning creates future value.Advisors stand out faster when they specialize in what others avoid.Competence creates confidence, and confidence changes every client conversation.Small overlooked details like beneficiary forms can uncover massive planning opportunities.The advisors who understand IRA and retirement tax rules will attract bigger, stickier clients. The Digital Toolbox for Elite Financial Advisors https://gobeelite.com/

    34 min

  7. APR 10

    228 Build a Process, Not a Pipeline: How Great Advisors Grow Without Selling with Justin Louis

    In this episode, Justin Louis shares his journey from a career-changing outsider to a partner at a $1B+ firm — and how rejecting the traditional “salesperson” identity helped him build a more sustainable and authentic advisory career. Justin breaks down how early advisors can avoid the trap of chasing activity and instead focus on building a repeatable growth process, defining their ideal client, and creating a people-first experience that drives long-term relationships. Sten and Justin explore the tension between hustle vs clarity, why most advisors struggle in the early years, and how intentional design — not randomness — leads to real growth. Takeaways 1. You Don’t Have to Be a Salesperson The industry pushes a sales identityBut advising is consultative, not transactional2. Process > Hustle (Especially Early) Random activity creates burnoutA defined process creates consistent growth3. Define Your Ideal Client Early If you don’t define it → you take whoever shows upThat leads to misalignment and slower growth4. People First = Long-Term Growth Relationships drive retention and referralsAssets follow trust — not the other way around5. Career Design > Career Drift You don’t “end up” eliteYou intentionally build toward it https://gobeelite.com/

    32 min

  8. APR 3

    227 The Next Level Requires a New You: Best of Michael Kitces and Sten Morgan

    In this special replay, we’re bringing together some of the most impactful moments from Sten Morgan’s conversations with Michael Kitces — a true “best of” around growth, leadership, and what it really takes to scale. Every advisory business eventually hits a ceiling—and it’s rarely a marketing problem, a team problem, or a strategy problem. It’s a leadership problem. In this episode, Sten and Michael unpack the hidden reality of growth: what works early on—working harder, adding clients, scaling yourself—eventually stops working. And when it does, most advisors don’t recognize the real issue. Through real stories and hard-earned lessons, they walk through capacity walls, rebuilding teams, pausing growth to fix infrastructure, and redefining success from “more production” to “a business that thrives without you.” Because the next level doesn’t require better tactics. It requires a new version of you.  Takeaways Every business hits a ceiling — and it’s usually the founderWhat got you here won’t get you thereYou can only scale yourself for so longGrowth requires letting go and changing how you leadReal success is a business that doesn’t depend on you https://gobeelite.com/

    25 min
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4.8
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97 Ratings

About

A show for financial professionals who want to be challenged to achieve their true potential faster. You will gain practical knowledge that you can implement on Monday morning when you get into the office. You'll learn the true value of your advice and, if you want to, how to charge for that advice. Featuring Sten J. Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, one of the nation's leading young Financial Advisors.

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