RIA Confidential Podcast

Ray Gettins and Jonathan Andrews
  • 3.7 (3)
  • Business
  • Updated Monthly

About RIA Confidential: Your Source for the Truth About Going Independent!   Where financial advisors get straight answers. Hosted by attorney Jonathan Andrews and featuring RIA transition expert Ray Gettins (Your RIA Mentor), the show dives into what it really takes to leave the broker-dealer model behind and thrive as an independent RIA.   Each episode tackles the legal, financial, operational, and emotional realities of going RIA. From compliance and tech to ownership and mindset shifts, we go deep into the challenges most advisors don’t hear about until they’re already stuck.   If you're ready for the real story, straight from advisors who’ve already made the leap, the Show promises to:  -Demystify the RIA journey;  -Share unfiltered advisor experiences;  -Equip you with tools and confidence to take control   Meet the Team:  Ray Gettins, Your RIA Mentor: Ray brings decades of financial industry experience and now helps advisors transition to RIA freedom (But only if it’s the right decision for you). Helping you decide what’s best for you, Ray is known for cutting through noise and offering practical, proven guidance without the typical hype.    Jonathan Andrews – BraveHeartsTV, Host Jonathan is a business strategist with Beneficial Business Solutions and attorney with a knack for clarity. He keeps the show focused and useful, asking the questions you need answered.   The RIA Confidential Podcast is Launched on July 23, 2025. Expect honest conversations, real strategies, and maybe a few surprises! If you’re RIA-curious, this show’s for you! United Advisor Group ("UAG"), is a federally registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. UAG, Form ADV Part 2A & CRS can be obtained by visiting: https://adviserinfo.sec.gov and search for our firm name.  Neither the information nor any opinion expressed is to be construed as solicitation to buy or sell a security of personalized investment, tax, or legal advice.

  1. 5d ago

    From Intern to Partner | Building a Firm Worth Growing Together

    What happens when a young advisor can see a path to ownership from their very first internship? For Miami Valley Financial Partners, that conversation was part of building the team. In this episode of RIA Confidential, Ray Gettins sits down with Brian, Cole, and Cam to explore how relationships that began on the golf course developed into a business partnership with a shared stake in the firm’s future. They get into the questions every growing advisory team eventually faces: Who takes care of the client? How does everyone get paid? What does a younger advisor’s path into ownership look like? And how do you keep client relationships personal when the business is growing? The team also shares how they approach shared revenue, involve all three advisors in client relationships, and hold each other accountable, with a little friendly ribbing along the way. Jonathan Andrews and Ray frame the conversation and unpack what other firm owners and aspiring partners can take from it. Whether you’re bringing younger advisors into your practice or considering where to build your career, this episode leaves you with a question worth asking:  Do the people building the firm with you see a future they want to help create? Explore more conversations and resources at https://riaconfidential.org. Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future? Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.orgConnect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential PodcastBook a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.comVisit our website: RIAConfidential.comBecause you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

  2. Aug 26

    "Personal CFO” | The Next Job Description for Financial Advisors?

    Is “Personal CFO” becoming the next job description for financial advisors? In this episode of RIA Confidential, Jonathan Andrews and Ray Gettins explore how client expectations are changing and what that may mean for advisors building independent firms. The conversation features highlights from Ray’s interview with Michael Kim, President and CEO of AssetMark, recorded during the AssetMark Leaders Summit.Michael discusses why more clients are looking for one trusted advisor who can help coordinate the bigger financial picture, not just manage investments. That can include planning, taxes, estate considerations, business-owner needs, wealth transfer, and knowing when to bring the right specialist into the conversation. He also explains why advisors do not have to build every capability themselves. The right partners can become an extension of the advisor’s office, helping create more capacity while allowing the advisor to stay focused on the client relationship. Jonathan and Ray then bring the conversation back to the independence decision: What should remain on the advisor’s plate? What expertise should sit around the advisor? And if clients increasingly expect more than investment management, what kind of firm needs to be built to support that role? The episode also puts one striking number into context: in 2025, the United States added roughly 1,200 new millionaires per day, reinforcing the growing demand for sophisticated advice and broader financial guidance. AssetMark is a Champion sponsor of RIA Confidential. To learn more about how AssetMark helps RIAs create capacity, access additional expertise, and grow and scale their businesses, visit: RIAConfidential.org/go/assetmark And for more tools and resources for advisors exploring independence, visit: RIAConfidential.org This episode Ray Gettins’ recorded conversation with Michael Kim, President and CEO of AssetMark. Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future? Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.orgConnect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential PodcastBook a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.comVisit our website: RIAConfidential.comBecause you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

  3. Jul 29

    Going Independent Is Only the Beginning. What Are You Really Building?

    Going independent can happen faster than many advisors expect. In the last episode of RIA Confidential, Jonathan Andrews and Ray Gettins II discussed a real advisor transition Ray was involved in that was completed in less than seven days with almost no out-of-pocket cost. But completing the transition is only the beginning. Once the paperwork is finished and clients are moving over, a larger question comes into focus: What kind of firm are you actually building? In this episode, Jonathan and Ray explore how advisors can avoid recreating the same practice inside a new structure. They discuss what should genuinely improve for clients, how the advisor’s role may need to evolve, and why greater independence does not automatically create more freedom. They also examine the warning signs that an advisor has become the bottleneck inside the firm. If every decision, client issue, internal question, and operational problem keeps returning to the founder, the business may be growing without creating any real capacity. Ray offers a practical four-bucket exercise for deciding what should be handled personally by the advisor, owned by the internal team, managed through technology, or supported by an outside partner. The conversation also asks advisors to picture an ordinary Tuesday inside the future firm. Will they be spending their time in meaningful client conversations, leading the team, and growing the business? Or will they be buried in paperwork, meeting preparation, technology problems, and decisions no one else is prepared to make? The episode closes with a preview of the August conversation with AssetMark President and CEO Michael Kim. That interview explores the changing expectations of clients, the advisor’s growing role as a personal CFO, artificial intelligence, succession, consolidation, scale, and what the next generation of advisory firms may require. Before making the move, ask yourself: Are you simply changing structures, or are you building a firm that will work better for your clients, your team, and for you? Visit RIA Confidential for tools and resources designed to help you explore the move to independence. To discuss what your future firm could look like, connect with Ray Gettins, Your RIA Mentor. Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future? Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.orgConnect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential PodcastBook a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.comVisit our website: RIAConfidential.comBecause you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

  4. Jun 24

    Record-Breaking RIA Transition - How One Advisor Completed Everything in Less Than 7 Days With Almost No Out-of-Pocket Cost

    Most advisors assume an RIA transition has to be slow, expensive, disruptive, and painful. This episode knocks those assumptions on their heels as Jonathan Andrews and Ray Gettins break down a real advisor transition that was completed in less than 7 days with almost no out-of-pocket cost. Yes, less than 7 days.And no, this is not a hype piece or a blanket promise that every transition works the same way. It is a real case study that forces a much bigger question: What if the fear of transition has been costing advisors more than the transition itself? Jonathan and Ray unpack what made this move possible, why structure and sequencing mattered so much, how the process stayed highly organized, and why this transition looked nothing like the drawn-out, chaotic version so many advisors have been taught to expect. They also go deeper into the bigger business issue behind the story: stronger economics, the hidden cost of staying put, and why so many advisors delay independence because they are reacting to assumptions they have never actually tested. If you have ever assumed the path to independence would be too messy, too expensive, or too hard to pull off, this episode is worth your time. Download the companion case study and reach out to Ray Gettins, the RIA Mentor at RIAConfidential.org, if you want a clearer picture of what transition could really look like in your situation. Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future? Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.orgConnect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential PodcastBook a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.comVisit our website: RIAConfidential.comBecause you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

  5. May 20

    The Two Fears Between You and Your Advisor Independence

    In this episode of RIA Confidential, Jonathan Andrews and Ray Gettins take on two of the biggest fears that keep advisors from seriously exploring independence: compliance and transition. For many advisors, these are the two issues that make going RIA feel heavier, riskier, more expensive, and more disruptive than it may actually be. Compliance gets treated like a wall. Transition gets imagined as chaos. And together, those two fears keep a lot of advisors stuck far longer than they should be. Jonathan and Ray unpack why both of these concerns are real, but often far more manageable than many advisors assume. Looking back at the recent Hadrius conversation, they revisit the idea that compliance should not be the thing that kills growth. Done right, it should be part of the foundation that supports a stronger, more defensible business. Then they turn to transition, the second big bogeyman. Why does it feel so overwhelming? What are advisors often getting wrong about the process? And why do so many people overestimate the cost, chaos, and time involved? They also preview next month’s episode, where Ray will break down a real case in which he and his team helped an advisor transition in less than seven days with almost no out-of-pocket cost. Alongside that episode, RIA Confidential will release a written case study showing exactly how it happened. If compliance and transition have felt like the two biggest things standing between you and independence, this episode is for you. Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future? Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.orgConnect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential PodcastBook a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.comVisit our website: RIAConfidential.comBecause you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

  6. Apr 22

    The Compliance Myth That Keeps Advisors From Independence

    How many advisors have talked themselves out of independence because of compliance fear? More than most people realize. In this episode of RIA Confidential, we sit down with Hadrius to take on one of the biggest forces keeping advisors stuck: the belief that compliance on the independent side is simply too overwhelming, too risky, or too complicated to handle. But what if that story is incomplete? This conversation pulls back the curtain on the myths, misunderstandings, and mental roadblocks that keep advisors from fully exploring the RIA path. We talk about what compliance really looks like today, why perception and reality are often two very different things, and how the right structure and support can change everything. For advisors who have ever wondered whether compliance is truly the obstacle (or just the obstacle they have been taught to fear) this is a conversation worth hearing. In this episode, you’ll hear: The compliance myths that keep advisors from making the leapWhy fear often grows larger than the factsWhat advisors should understand before ruling out independenceHow modern support systems can reduce friction and uncertainty Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future? Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.orgConnect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential PodcastBook a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.comVisit our website: RIAConfidential.comBecause you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

  7. Mar 25

    Beyond the "House of No": How Chris Tasik Built his Advisor Independence

    What happens when a successful advisor realizes the old model no longer fits the business they want to build? In this episode, Chris Tasik shares the story behind his move beyond the “House of No” — leaving behind bureaucracy, limitations, and isolation to create a more intentional version of his practice. What makes this conversation powerful is that it is not just about breaking away. It is how he went about building something better: better support, better tools, better alignment, and a better client experience. Chris also reveals one of the biggest surprises of independence — that in the right environment, it does not feel like going it alone at all. It feels like freedom and community ---a potent combination. Key TakeawaysTrue independence is not just about leaving something behind. It is about building the next version of the business with better alignment, better support, and more room to grow.Chris’s move was driven by frustration with unnecessary bureaucracy, limited flexibility, and a broker-dealer affiliation that no longer matched how he was actually serving clients.In the right environment, independence does not mean isolation. It can create more collaboration, stronger peer support, and a real sense of community.Better tools, open architecture, and a supportive culture can directly improve the client experience, which is ultimately what the transition is all about.One of the biggest surprises Chris found was that independence brought not only more control, but also more happiness, more possibility, and a stronger network of like-minded advisors. Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future? Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.orgConnect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential PodcastBook a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.comVisit our website: RIAConfidential.comBecause you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

  8. Feb 25

    What Independence Really Takes - A Real RIA Launch Case Study

    On this episode of RIA Confidential, hosts Jonathan Andrews and Ray Gettins II bookend a real-world case study with Skee Orr, co-founder of Kinetic Wealth, a fee-only planning firm in Knoxville, TN. Jonathan and Ray open the show by reframing what “going independent” really looks like: Less like a single leap and more like a chain of decisions around motivation, timing, support, and capacity. Before cutting to the full 9:47 case study interview, they give listeners a simple three-question framework to evaluate their own readiness to go RIA: who they're really building for, what client experience they're actually delivering, and what support system they truly have in place. After the interview, they return to the studio for a fast, conversational post-game breakdown. Together they unpack the key themes from Skee Orr's first year as a fee-only RIA: why being genuinely client-first becomes a decision filter, how timing is more about personal and operational capacity than markets, why community functions as real infrastructure in independence, and how to realistically tackle the "all the hats" throughput problem. They close with practical next steps for advisors who are seriously considering the leap: from pressure-testing the economics at RIAconfidential.com to thinking through tech stack, support, and the first 90 days as an independent RIA.  Ideal for: wirehouse and broker-dealer advisors considering a move to the RIA model, fee-based advisors curious about full independence, and teams wrestling with how to align their structure with a truly client-first standard. Episode Footer - Ready to take control of your future? Run the numbers with the free RIA Calculator at RIACalculator.orgConnect with us on LinkedIn at RIA Confidential PodcastBook a confidential call with Ray at RIAMentor.comVisit our website: RIAConfidential.comBecause you don’t have to be caught in the shuffle. You can write your own story.

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Ratings & Reviews

3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

About RIA Confidential: Your Source for the Truth About Going Independent!   Where financial advisors get straight answers. Hosted by attorney Jonathan Andrews and featuring RIA transition expert Ray Gettins (Your RIA Mentor), the show dives into what it really takes to leave the broker-dealer model behind and thrive as an independent RIA.   Each episode tackles the legal, financial, operational, and emotional realities of going RIA. From compliance and tech to ownership and mindset shifts, we go deep into the challenges most advisors don’t hear about until they’re already stuck.   If you're ready for the real story, straight from advisors who’ve already made the leap, the Show promises to:  -Demystify the RIA journey;  -Share unfiltered advisor experiences;  -Equip you with tools and confidence to take control   Meet the Team:  Ray Gettins, Your RIA Mentor: Ray brings decades of financial industry experience and now helps advisors transition to RIA freedom (But only if it’s the right decision for you). Helping you decide what’s best for you, Ray is known for cutting through noise and offering practical, proven guidance without the typical hype.    Jonathan Andrews – BraveHeartsTV, Host Jonathan is a business strategist with Beneficial Business Solutions and attorney with a knack for clarity. He keeps the show focused and useful, asking the questions you need answered.   The RIA Confidential Podcast is Launched on July 23, 2025. Expect honest conversations, real strategies, and maybe a few surprises! If you’re RIA-curious, this show’s for you! United Advisor Group ("UAG"), is a federally registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. UAG, Form ADV Part 2A & CRS can be obtained by visiting: https://adviserinfo.sec.gov and search for our firm name.  Neither the information nor any opinion expressed is to be construed as solicitation to buy or sell a security of personalized investment, tax, or legal advice.

Information

  • Creator
    Ray Gettins and Jonathan Andrews
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © RIA CONFIDENTIAL
  • Show Website
    RIA Confidential Podcast