Financial Planner Search

Gregory Wilnau
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Finding a financial advisor is easy. Finding the right one is hard. Most advisors look the same on paper — credentials, services, a polished website. But what you actually need to know is how they think, how they treat people, and whether you'd even enjoy working with them. That's what Financial Planner Search is for. Each episode, we sit down with an independent financial advisor for an honest, in-depth conversation. No sales pitch. No jargon. Just a real look at who they are, how they work, and who they're best suited to help. By the end, you'll know what they’re all about. Whether you're approaching retirement and looking for a fiduciary for the first time, thinking about leaving your current advisor, or simply want to make a smarter hiring decision — this show gives you the inside access you need.

  1. 1d ago

    From Fighter Pilot to Flat-Fee Advisor with Steve Ankerstar | Financial Planner Search

    In this episode of Financial Planner Search, Steve Ankerstar, founder of Ankerstar Wealth and a retired Air Force fighter pilot, discusses how "getting angry" at the finance industry led him to build a flat-fee, fiduciary firm for the mass affluent. Frustrated by the "we're smart, you're dumb, just hand us your money" mentality and by mutual funds that quietly overexposed him to a single stock while charging nearly 1%, Steve set out to do it better. Today his eight-person team (six of whom are former military or teachers) serves over 300 clients with a service-first, "we're just like your neighbor" approach. Steve breaks down his core-and-satellite investment philosophy: a big-box-style core portfolio paired with a satellite sleeve built around themes clients actually get excited about cybersecurity, quantum computing, humanoids, space, and crypto. He also shares his contrarian service model (he rarely holds scheduled review meetings, opting instead for fast, on-demand answers via email and text), his efficient two-to-three-day digital onboarding, and how a partnership with Autopilot created a second, fully digital revenue stream for the next generation of investors. Takeaways * Flat-Fee, Fiduciary, and Proud of It * Core-and-Satellite Investing Built Around Client Interests * A Service Model That Respects Your Time * Building for the Next Generation of Investors Chapters * 00:00 Meet Steve Ankerstar & Ankerstar Wealth * 00:53 Why He Started: Getting "Angry" at the Industry * 03:29 Who He Serves: The Mass Affluent * 05:59 Common Client Situations (Inheritances) * 07:57 The Three Fee Questions Everyone Asks * 09:33 How Clients Find Him: Website, Word of Mouth & YouTube * 12:53 Vision & Growing Without Losing the Culture * 15:06 Crypto, Autopilot & a New Digital Offering * 18:56 The Onboarding Process: Core & Satellite * 22:21 What Working Together Looks Like Ongoing * 24:45 How to Get Started You can find them at: https://www.ankerstarwealth.com/ If you are a financial advisor looking to grow your business you can find out more about Wilnau Design at https://www.wilnaudesign.com/ #financialplanning #finance #financialplannersearch #flatfee #fiduciary #investing

  2. 6d ago

    Institutional Portfolio Management with Michael Bellody | Financial Planner Search

    In this episode of Financial Planner Search, Michael Bellody, founder and CEO of Imperia Wealth Management in Braintree, Massachusetts, discusses bringing institutional-level portfolio management to clients who traditionally wouldn't have access to it. Inspired by his upbringing in Hartford and a desire to give people like his parents the same white-glove advice wealthy institutions receive, Michael built a practice grounded in deep portfolio management expertise a discipline he's practiced since age 25. Michael walks through the three client types he serves, pre-retirees, business owners (with a focus on exit planning), and nonprofits and explains why most portfolios he sees were "pulled off a shelf" rather than built for the current market cycle. He shares his dynamic, tactical, style-agnostic approach to investing, the tax-efficiency gaps he finds in retirement distributions, and the educational workshops that consistently fill rooms of 40–60 people. He also outlines his vision for a one-stop firm with in-house CPAs and attorneys, so portfolio, tax, and estate advice coordinate instead of falling through the cracks. Takeaways * Institutional-level portfolio management made accessible to everyday investors * Dynamic, tactical portfolio construction versus off-the-shelf models * Tax-efficient structuring for the retirement distribution years * Running a nonprofit like a for-profit so it can better fund its mission * A white-glove, systemized client experience from onboarding through annual reviews Chapters * 00:00 Meet Michael Bellody & Imperia Wealth Management * 01:00 Why He Got Into the Business * 03:31 Institutional Portfolio Management Background * 05:03 Three Client Types: Pre-Retirees, Business Owners, Nonprofits * 08:16 Pre-Retiree Planning & Tax-Efficient Retirement * 10:43 Ongoing Client Questions & Having a "Take" * 13:04 Educational Workshops as a Growth Engine * 16:14 Vision: A One-Stop Firm with In-House CPAs & Attorneys * 20:18 Shout-Outs: John Rodriguez & Dr. Rick Jensen * 22:19 The Onboarding Process * 28:29 Annual Review Cadence * 33:09 Where to Learn More You can find them at: https://imperiawealth.com If you are a financial advisor looking to grow your business you can find out more about Wilnau Design at https://www.wilnaudesign.com/ #financialplanning #finance #financialplannersearch #portfoliomanagement #retirementplanning #exitplanning

  3. Jul 14

    Building a Life, Not a Portfolio with John Browning | Financial Planner Search

    In this episode of Financial Planner Search, John Browning, founder of Guardian Rock Wealth, discusses his mission to turn "miserable rich people" into "happy rich people." After 28 years on Wall Street including being on Morgan Stanley's trading desk on 9/11, John walked away to build a fiercely independent, fiduciary RIA that takes no outside money or marketing dollars and answers only to its clients. John's philosophy is simple: money is a tool to build the life you want, not the goal itself the theme of his book, Build a Life Not a Portfolio. Instead of handing clients a "collection of investments," he assembles a wealth management system where portfolios, taxes, insurance, and estate planning work together like gears in a machine. He works best with business owners and blue-collar professionals builders, plumbers, electricians, dentists who are excellent in their zone of genius and want to truly understand what's being done with their money. We also dig into why he believes over 90% of family wealth disappears by the third generation, and how he coaches families to prevent it through written family trust plans, family board meetings, and kids as young as five learning to participate. Takeaways * Build a Life, Not a Portfolio — money is the tool, not the goal * A wealth management system beats a collection of investments * Income and tax strategy are the top two questions worth answering * Legacy is taught — include the kids or watch the wealth vanish by generation three * Independence and fiduciary duty are worth fighting for Chapters * 00:00 Welcome & Guardian Rock Wealth * 01:55 The 9/11 Origin Story * 05:10 Happy Rich People & "Build a Life Not a Portfolio" * 06:40 Who John Works With * 11:22 Top Questions: Income & Taxes * 13:44 How Clients Find Him * 15:22 Vision & the Challenge of Mistrust in the Profession * 18:36 Mentors & Shout-Outs * 20:48 The Wealth Management System Process * 25:19 Legacy & Why 90% of Family Wealth Vanishes by Generation Three * 28:07 Family Meetings & the Family Bank * 31:47 How to Get in Touch You can find them at: https://guardianrockwealth.com If you are a financial advisor looking to grow your business you can find out more about Wilnau Design at https://www.wilnaudesign.com/ #financialplanning #finance #financialplannersearch #wealthmanagement #legacyplanning #independentadvisor

  4. Jul 9

    Putting the Person in Front of the Numbers with Marcel V. Quiroga | Financial Planner Search

    In this episode of Financial Planner Search, Marcel V. Quiroga, founder of TQM Wealth Partners, discusses adding a human element to financial planning and acting as her clients' personal CFO. TQM stands for Total Quality Management a business philosophy of quality at every level but, as Marcel explains, it also echoes "te quiero mucho" ("I love you very much"), reflecting her belief that the best results come from putting your heart into the work. Marcel shares who typically comes to her people who have come into money through a business sale, stock options and RSUs, a divorce, or the loss of a spouse or parents and why what they really want is clarity: Will the money last? Am I paying too much in tax? Am I taking too much risk? She walks through her comprehensive approach across financial, human, social, and other forms of capital, her fiduciary standard, and the conversations she has with parents about protecting children from "too much money at the wrong time." She also details her onboarding process, a collaborative "working meeting," a values questionnaire for spouses, and a draft plan presented within 10–15 business days, and her vision for enhancing the client experience as the firm grows. Takeaways Acting as your personal CFO — putting the person in front of the numbersComprehensive planning across financial, human, social, and other capitalCutting through media noise with fiduciary, tailored guidanceProtecting children from too much money at the wrong timeA collaborative onboarding built on a values questionnaire and a draft plan Chapters 00:00 Welcome & Introduction00:27 TQM Wealth Partners and the Human Element02:04 From a UN Dream to Financial Planning05:03 Who Comes to TQM and Why09:29 Cutting Through the Noise of Financial Media13:23 The Fiduciary Standard and Comprehensive Planning15:14 Real Estate Families and Protecting Children20:40 Vision: Enhancing the Client Experience23:43 The Onboarding Process and Values Questionnaire32:22 How to Connect with Marcel You can find them at: https://tqmwealthpartners.com If you are a financial advisor looking to grow your business you can find out more about Wilnau Design at https://www.wilnaudesign.com/ #financialplanning #finance #financialplannersearch #wealthmanagement #fiduciary #familylegacy

  5. Jul 3

    Saving Entrepreneurs a Billion in Tax with Pat Lonergan | Financial Planner Search

    In this episode of Financial Planner Search, Pat Lonergan, founder of Vital Wealth, serves entrepreneurs taking home over a million dollars a year who are frustrated by their tax bill. Pat runs what he calls a fractional family office - pulling cash flow, tax, investment, legal, and insurance planning into one coordinated framework for business owners whose complexity only grows as their income does. Pat traces the practice back to his own real estate background - carrying half a million dollars in debt no longer tied to assets through the 2008–2010 downturn and his realization that the advisory world wasn't built for the entrepreneur. Most of his clients already have a great CPA, attorney, and investment advisor; what they lack is a strategy that ties those pieces together. He walks through his four levels of tax planning, explains why the CPA compliance model will never produce real tax strategy, and shares his REACH framework for making sure the wealth actually supports a life worth living. Takeaways * A four-level tax framework built specifically for high-income entrepreneurs * Why your CPA isn't solving your tax problem — and what a fractional family office does instead * The REACH model: Relationships, Experiences, Advancement, Contribution, Health * A no-risk roadmap that averages $280,000 in income tax savings per client * A mission to put a billion dollars back into the hands of entrepreneurs Chapters * 00:00 From real estate to financial advisory * 02:11 Why entrepreneurs are underserved by traditional advisors * 05:34 Who Pat serves — the $1M+ net-income entrepreneur * 08:00 The four levels of tax planning * 12:42 How clients find him + the Vital Wealth Strategies podcast * 14:25 REACH — wealth that supports a life worth living * 19:34 Vision: a billion dollars back to entrepreneurs * 25:15 The roadmap process and onboarding * 32:02 How to get in touch You can find them at: https://vitalwealth.com If you are a financial advisor looking to grow your business you can find out more about Wilnau Design at https://www.wilnaudesign.com/ #financialplanning #finance #financialplannersearch #taxstrategy #entrepreneurs #fractionalfamilyoffice

  6. Jun 30

    Building a Fence at the Top of the Cliff with R.J. Kelly | Financial Planner Search

    In this episode of Financial Planner Search, R.J. Kelly, founder of Wealth Legacy Group, discusses his multidisciplinary approach to wealth management, tax mitigation, and legacy planning for accredited investors and business owners. R.J.'s practice was forged in personal loss. At 18, he learned his father a visionary who had built a multi, multi-million-dollar company had died without the planning in place to survive him. Within ten years the business was bankrupt, and that experience launched R.J.'s mission: make sure the visionary's work outlives the visionary. Today his firm serves clients in 24 states through four integrated "legs of the table" estate planning, insurance, investments, and retirement with a tabletop of philanthropy and legacy, all held together by tax efficiency. He walks through how he helps sellers of appreciated businesses and real estate reduce, defer, offset, or in some cases eliminate the tax on a liquidity event, including strategies to "unring the bell" for clients who already closed a sale. R.J. also shares the longevity math behind his new book, Radical Retirement Roadmap, co-written with COO Caitlin Taylor: half of today's 73-year-olds are projected to still be alive at age 99.5, so the plan has to fund a life that runs a lot longer than most people expect. Takeaways * Build the fence at the top of the cliff — plan for tax before the sale, not after * It's not how much you make on the upside, it's how much you don't lose on the downside * Make sure the money lasts longer than you live - plan to age 100 * Holistic planning rests on four legs: estate, insurance, investments, retirement * You can make more money by paying less tax than by making more money Chapters * 00:00 Why R.J. Became a Financial Advisor * 04:32 Ideal Clients & the Inherited IRA Case * 11:37 Selling a Business & First-Meeting Questions * 13:48 Independent RIA & Alternative Investments * 15:20 The Four T's & the Apartment Exit Case * 18:12 How Clients Find R.J. * 20:14 Building a Fence at the Top of the Cliff * 22:48 Public Speaking & Radical Retirement Roadmap * 25:46 The Origin of Age 65 & Longevity to 100 * 30:45 Onboarding & the Four Legs of the Table * 35:51 How to Reach Wealth Legacy Group You can find them at: https://wealthlegacygroup.com If you are a financial advisor looking to grow your business you can find out more about Wilnau Design at https://www.wilnaudesign.com/ #financialplanning #finance #financialplannersearch #taxmitigation #retirementplanning #alternatives

  7. Jun 25

    People Over Portfolios with Brad Mendel | Financial Planner Search

    In this episode of Financial Planner Search, Brad Mendel of Mendel Money discusses how a second-generation, family-built practice puts financial planning first and lets that plan drive investment decisions. Brad shares his path from IT consulting and actuarial work into the firm his father started in 1989, and how they transformed a stock-picking business into full-service wealth management with an investment ethos built in from day one. Brad talks candidly about how losing his wife to breast cancer two years ago reshaped the way he advises clients especially retirees who saved diligently for decades but struggle to spend with confidence. He explains why it often takes two to three years of repetitive reassurance before clients feel safe living their best life, his "guardrail" approach to gradual course corrections, and core values like "people over portfolios" and "meet you where you are." He also covers tiered client service models, why he won't push every dollar under management, his upcoming education initiative for widows and widowers, and the Elements program he uses to make planning tangible for younger clients and junior advisors. Takeaways People over portfolios — align strategy with how clients actually want to use their moneyThe guardrail approach — address overspending with a 3–5 year plan, not overnight demandsWhy it takes 2–3 years before many retirees feel comfortable spending down savingsMeet clients where they are — tiered pricing, referrals, and client-first recommendationsPlanning-led wealth management built on a family investment legacy since 1989 Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Mendel Money02:45 Who Brad Serves03:08 Client Uncertainty and Market Fear04:44 Spending vs. Saving — A Personal Perspective06:07 The Two-to-Three-Year Spending Transition09:10 First Meeting Questions and Career Risk Decisions11:13 Family Succession and Buying Out Dad14:56 Core Values: People Over Portfolios18:30 Widows and Widowers Education Initiative21:52 Elements and Training Junior Advisors24:07 Onboarding and Client Service Tiers28:43 How to Get in Touch You can find them at: https://www.mendelmoney.com/ If you are a financial advisor looking to grow your business you can find out more about Wilnau Design at https://www.wilnaudesign.com/ #financialplanning #finance #financialplannersearch #retirementplanning #wealthmanagement

  8. Jun 23

    Offense, Defense & Coach with Jeremy Self | Financial Planner Search

    In this episode of Financial Planner Search, Jeremy Self of Cedarwood Financial Partners discusses his holistic approach to wealth management built around offense, defense, and coach. Jeremy explains how investment consulting drives growth toward a work-optional lifestyle, while advanced planning and protection strategies guard against the risks that can derail it. He also shares how Cedarwood coordinates CPAs, attorneys, and other professionals so clients can delegate financial complexity and focus on living their lives. Jeremy serves entrepreneurial business owners who want concierge-level support, and he has developed a particular passion for advocating for single women, widows, and clients navigating divorce — shaped in part by being raised by a single mom and by a friend's reminder that his role is to take care of people's families. From his path out of eleven years in ministry and nine years leading Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University, to discovery meetings that explore family, bucket lists, and first memories of money, Jeremy walks through Cedarwood's Discover → Develop → Deploy process and the firm's vision of Amazon efficiency with Ritz-Carlton service across nine offices in seven cities. Takeaways Offense, defense, and coach — a framework for holistic wealth managementWhy business owners and vulnerable clients (especially single women) seek concierge advocacyThe three questions every new client asks: running out of money, adequate coverage, and feesFee-only retainer vs. blended AUM — matching the model to how involved clients want to bePurpose-driven planning using the MIT Age Lab "8,000 Days" concept for fulfilling retirement Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Cedarwood Financial Partners02:26 Offense, Defense, and Coach Explained04:38 Client Types Jeremy Serves08:06 From Ministry to Financial Planning10:03 Top Client Questions and Fee Models15:10 Discovery, Values, and the 8,000 Days Framework19:52 Money Stories and Scarcity vs. Abundance21:29 Practice Vision: Amazon Efficiency, Ritz-Carlton Service24:30 Onboarding: Discover, Develop, Deploy29:26 How to Get in Touch You can find them at: http://cedarwoodfp.com/ If you are a financial advisor looking to grow your business you can find out more about Wilnau Design at https://www.wilnaudesign.com/ #financialplanning #finance #financialplannersearch #wealthmanagement #retirementplanning

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About

Finding a financial advisor is easy. Finding the right one is hard. Most advisors look the same on paper — credentials, services, a polished website. But what you actually need to know is how they think, how they treat people, and whether you'd even enjoy working with them. That's what Financial Planner Search is for. Each episode, we sit down with an independent financial advisor for an honest, in-depth conversation. No sales pitch. No jargon. Just a real look at who they are, how they work, and who they're best suited to help. By the end, you'll know what they’re all about. Whether you're approaching retirement and looking for a fiduciary for the first time, thinking about leaving your current advisor, or simply want to make a smarter hiring decision — this show gives you the inside access you need.

Information

  • Creator
    Gregory Wilnau
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Gregory Wilnau
  • Show Website
    Financial Planner Search