WealthTech on Deck LifeYield

Leadership is a journey of continuous learning and personal growth. It's a muscle that gets stronger through experience and reflection on the lessons learned. This growth mindset, driven by active listening, genuine care for people, and intellectual curiosity, results in a dynamic leadership style. Such leaders adapt to new challenges and inspire teams to contribute their best work, leading to more effective decision-making, stronger collective vision, and remarkable outcomes.
In this episode, Jack talks with Danielle Learned, Chief of Staff and Head of Sales Execution at Horizon Investments. In her role, Danielle is responsible for leading the planning and execution of the firm's various strategic initiatives and helping translate the firm's mission and vision into action. Danielle is known for her grit and entrepreneurial spirit, and she is dedicated to empowering financial advisors and equipping them with the tools they need to succeed.
Danielle talks with Jack about her career journey and the lessons she has learned about leadership and execution. She shares insights on leadership, the art of listening, the value of empathy and genuine care for people, and the power of grit and perseverance in achieving success. Danielle also discusses Horizon Investments' unique value proposition and the industry's future, emphasizing the importance of personalization and transparency in financial advice. 

Key Takeaways

[02:15] - How Danielle got into financial services.

[05:54] - How Horizon Investments serves its clients.

[07:25] - Danielle's journey to Horizon Investments.

[09:46] - How Danielle became part of Horizon Investment's growth.

[14:28] - What it takes to lead a growing wealth management firm.

[18:21] - Danielle's thoughts on the future of the industry.

[22:16] - How grit defines Danielle's leadership style.

[24:55] - Three key takeaways from Danielle.

[26:35] - Danielle's interests outside of work.


Quotes
[14:34] - "Leadership is learned. It's not taught. My advice to new leaders or anyone who has to influence and lead a team that doesn't directly report to them is to shut up and listen." ~ Danielle Learned
[17:08] - "To care about people, you really have to care about people. You have to make investments, learn about them, and understand what makes them tick. And that's more than just giving them feedback about their work product. It's really getting to know what motivates them and why they're here." ~ Danielle Learned
[17:24] - "Some of the best ideas around our sales team, how we execute them, and the tools we use have come by asking people questions and giving them permission to share their opinions and come up with new ideas. There are a lot of really smart people around us, and we should leverage them and listen to them." ~ Danielle Learned

Links 

Danielle Learned on LinkedIn

Horizon Investments

Money Management Institute

Nick Alfier

BNY Mellon

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

Oppenheimer & Co.

Prudential Financial

MetLife

LPL Financial

John Drahzal

Robbie Cannon

Altamont Capital Partners

Thomas Buckingham

Nassau Financial Group

Trillion Dollar Coach

Authentic and Ethical Persuasion


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In wealth management, innovation, disruption, and change are accelerating at an unprecedented rate. For bold and curious advisors, this era presents a great opportunity to redefine the future of wealth management. By embracing new technologies and fostering a spirit of change, wealth management can transform into a destination for the next generation and solidify advisors' role as navigators and trusted guides for people seeking a secure financial future.
In this episode, Jack talks with Jay Link, Managing Director and the Head of Fiduciary Programs and Platforms at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Jay is a wealth management executive with broad experience and success at top global Fortune 50 organizations. He currently leads a dynamic team responsible for all aspects of a $1.2 trillion multi-channel investment advisory business with an annual revenue of $10+ billion.
Jay shares his background and career journey with Jack, from his humble beginnings to his current role at one of the leading advisory firms in the industry. He discusses the initiatives and innovations his team is working on to support advisors and enhance client experience. Jay also shares his insights on the future of the wealth management industry, the evolving role of advisors, and the exciting opportunities and advancements happening in the industry.

Key Takeaways

[01:21] - Jay's background and career journey.

[05:55] - Innovating financial services through technology and client value.

[10:04] - Embracing change and innovation in wealth management.

[11:56] - Leadership, listening, and team development in the workplace.

[15:58] - The future of the wealth management industry.

[20:07] - Jay's three key takeaways.

[22:02] - Jay's passion outside of work.


Quotes
[10:33] - "Think about the pace of wealth creation, wealth transfer, Peak 65, and longevity challenges, all of which point to a massive opportunity and arguably the biggest bull market for advice. People need us, and we have the unique ability to help them navigate all of this. Wealth management can and will become a destination for young people entering the workforce." ~ Jay Link  
[16:20] - "No matter where they practice, the role of the advisor will continue to evolve well beyond investments. That's going to drive the formation of large, sophisticated teams. To stay competitive, advisors need specialization and capacity to grow to serve more family households and diversity to better address the multi-generational wealth transfer and societies we serve." ~ Jay Link
[20:22] - "There's never been a better time to be in the wealth management industry. And there's so much change, creating compelling opportunities for the bold and the curious." ~ Jay Link

Links 

Jay Link on LinkedIn

Bank of America

Merrill Lynch

Morgan Stanley

J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Premium Access Strategies

Money Management Institute

Horizon Investments

John Drahzal

BNY Mellon

Charles Schwab

Vanguard

Edward Jones


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WealthTech in the Weeds is a series covering the broad yet critical path to financial services. The goal is to get together with industry experts and get into the details of building an effective, productive, coordinated, and comprehensive advice system.
The wealth management industry is moving away from individual products and strategies and shifting toward a more coordinated approach with comprehensive advice systems that incorporate the entire scope of investors' household accounts. Firms like Franklin Templeton and LifeYield are at the forefront of this evolution, leveraging technology and partnerships to provide better financial outcomes for clients and advisors.
In this episode, Jack talks with Roger Paradiso, Global Head of Advisor Portfolio & Technology Solutions at Franklin Templeton and Executive Chairman at O'Shaughnessy Asset Management, and Mark Hoffman, Co-Founder and CEO of LifeYield. They discuss the shift in the wealth management industry toward a more coordinated approach to improving financial outcomes for clients. Roger highlights Franklin Templeton’s comprehensive advice capabilities, focusing on personalization, customization, and curation of solutions. Mark talks about LifeYield’s role in connecting and optimizing various capabilities to create better portfolios and solutions.

Key Takeaways

[02:34] - Franklin Templeton's asset management strategies and solutions.

[06:00] - The acquisition of O'Shaughnessy Asset Management.

[07:29] - Investing in Eaglebrook Advisors.

[08:49] - Franklin Templeton's innovative investment strategies.

[10:57] - Franklin Templeton's technology integration.

[14:02] - Franklin Templeton's collaborative solutions across financial networks.

[22:06] - Optimizing investment strategies to improve client outcomes.

[27:54] - Franklin Templeton's custom wealth solutions.

[33:49] - How LifeYield helps partners generate tax alpha.

[36:07] - Roger and Mark's key takeaways.


Quotes
[03:18] - "While our core belief in business is always around the manufacturing of great investment solutions and products, if you really want to remain relevant in the industry going forward, you need to do more than that. You always need to have core products, great investment performance, and a broad swath of solutions." ~ Roger Paradiso
[08:49] - "Franklin Templeton has assembled all the right pieces to create customized strategies and advice for financial advisors." ~ Mark Hoffman
[36:07] - "Our business is evolving fast. Technology is becoming more powerful, and clients demand a much higher level of relationship and solution." ~ Roger Paradiso
[36:34] - "We see the retirement market evolving at a hastened pace. This retirement advice, the wheel of wealth, and the client's choices to customize their solution to get a better outcome is the key for any firm in the wealth management space to be aware of." ~ Mark Hoffman

Links 

Roger Paradiso on LinkedIn

Mark Hoffman on LinkedIn

Franklin Templeton

O'Shaughnessy Asset Management

Eaglebrook Advisors

Paul Samuelson

Goals Optimization Engine (GOE®) | Franklin Templeton

Portfolio Analytics Tool | Franklin Templeton

Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions

Franklin Templeton Academy

Morningstar

EY

Vanguard


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Advisor360° believes that the future of financial planning is creating an exceptional client experience. This means investing in strategies that directly involve clients in the planning process. By co-planning and leveraging the right technology, advisors can unlock a new level of client satisfaction and loyalty, ultimately leading to happier, more engaged individuals willing to invest in their financial well-being. 
In this episode, Jack talks with Darren Tedesco, President of Advisor360°. Darren began his career at Commonwealth Financial Network, where he played a key role in building their technology platform. In 2019, he helped spin off Advisor360° as a separate company focused on providing innovative technology solutions to wealth management firms. Darren has been part of the software development since its inception, bringing together the thinkers, creators, and visionaries who help power clients' productivity, profitability, and growth. 
Darren talks with Jack about the evolution of Advisor360° and discusses the importance of data, co-planning, and the role of AI in the future of wealth management. 

Key Takeaways

[01:24] - Darren's journey into wealth management.

[05:27] - The birth of Advisor360°.

[09:27] - Advisor360°'s current initiatives.

[13:38] - Revolutionizing data management and tech automation.

[17:05] - The future of financial advice.

[22:56] - Darren's three key takeaways.

[24:31] - Darren's passions outside of work.


Quotes
[11:05] - "If you can create an amazing client experience, they're going to be happy. A happy client means a happy advisor." ~ Darren Tedesco
[16:33] - "Data is essential. And if you've got faulty data, your software is built on a house of cards. You have to have good, clean data to drive the future of where the whole industry is going." ~ Darren Tedesco
[23:22] - "Scaling the planning process is going to be mission-critical in the next six to seven years. The firms that can figure out how to do that in the best way are going to likely win the hearts and minds of the advisors and, ultimately, the clients." ~ Darren Tedesco

Links 

Darren Tedesco on LinkedIn

Advisor360°

Commonwealth Financial Network

John Vaccaro

MassMutual

Fidelity Investments

Pershing

Charles Schwab

Snowflake


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In today’s world, traditional marketing tactics are often ineffective in capturing clients' attention. Organic growth in financial services lies at the intersection of content, delivery, and personalization. By using AI to generate personalized content, advisors can create meaningful connections and engage clients more effectively. AI-powered marketing is promising, as it has the potential to deliver unique and tailored content that resonates with individual clients at scale.
In this episode, Jack talks with Robert Sofia, Founder and CEO of Snappy Kraken. Robert has served thousands of companies across the spectrum of financial services, including RIAs, family offices, broker/dealers, TAMPs, IMOs, custodians, insurance, and investment companies. With a background in marketing, Robert is passionate about helping advisors forge meaningful connections with their clients and prospects. He is dedicated to leveraging technology, including AI, to create engaging and personalized content.
Robert talks with Jack about how Snappy Kraken helps financial advisors drive organic growth through content, automation, and AI. He shares insights from their recent marketing study, highlighting the importance of SEO, text messaging, and video content in driving engagement and conversions. Robert also emphasizes the evolving role of advisors in providing holistic financial advice and using generative AI to personalize content.

Key Takeaways

[01:06] - Snappy Kraken’s role in the financial services industry.

[02:31] - Empowering financial decisions through content and automation.

[04:34] - Insights from Robert's recent marketing study.

[10:28] - The highest-converting lead magnet.

[13:29] - Empowering advisors to step out of their comfort zones.

[15:04] - How Snappy Kraken works with large enterprises.

[17:48] - How Robert uses generative AI for marketing.

[22:39] - The future of financial advice.

[26:15] - Strategies for driving organic growth.

[27:39] - Robert's interests outside of work.


Quotes
[11:01] - “The number one highest-converting lead magnet was tax-related. So, the top-performing campaign, bar none by a huge margin, was hidden tax opportunities for high-net-worth investors. And that campaign outperformed all others.” ~ Robert Sofia
[21:18] - “The future of AI in our business, as far as marketing is concerned, is at the intersection of content, content delivery, and personalization with generative AI.” ~ Robert Sofia
[27:12] - “If you're already out there marketing and already have a website, why not make it perform twice as well with an SEO strategy? If you already have opt-in on your website, why not make them convert 400% better using text messages? If you're already sending out communications, why not record them as videos instead of text and get 120% better engagement?” ~ Robert Sofia

Links 

Robert Sofia on LinkedIn

Robert Sofia on Twitter

Snappy Kraken

Tiburon Strategic Advisors

LPL Financial

Nitrogen Wealth

Fidelity Investments


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This year's Voice of the American Workplace Survey sheds light on the challenges employers and employees face in today's American workplace. The report underscores the challenges employers face, employee concerns and workplace expectations, and the gap between employer resources and employee needs. By understanding these gaps, the industry can develop innovative solutions that redefine retirement and deliver stronger financial outcomes for US workers.
In this episode, Jack talks with Jacquelyn Reardon, Head of US Marketing at Franklin Templeton, about the results of the survey, some key takeaways, and its implications for the future.

Key Takeaways

[01:17] - What the Voice of the American Workplace Survey is all about.

[02:08] - Key takeaways from this year's survey.

[18:24] - The need for hyper-personalized employee benefits and engagement.

[19:47] - How employers can address issues and concerns in the workplace.

[22:38] - Enhancing employee benefits and personalized financial advice.

[24:17] - Jacquelyn's interests outside of work.


Quotes
[02:42] - "Employees are significantly under stress when it comes to their financial health, and they're specifically looking to their employer to help them address those issues and concerns." ~ Jacque Reardon
[09:34] - "Financial independence is the north star people are working towards versus traditional retirement. People are feeling less and less likely to be able to meet these key milestones because of the financial stress that they're feeling today due to a whole slew of factors." ~ Jacquelyn Reardon
[18:24] - "The number one benefit that people are requesting is personalized benefits. The appetite's there, and the expectation is there from a societal standpoint. So people are absolutely expecting that." ~ Jacquelyn Reardon
[23:00] - "We have to come together and figure out how to plug in the best way and do it in a way that will be super user-friendly both for the employer and the employee. We can build this phenomenal tool and resource, but if it's not something that the employer can easily put into their ecosystem and that the employee can easily use and see the benefit of, then there is no point in building these tools." ~ Jacquelyn Reardon

Links 

Jacquelyn Reardon LinkedIn

Voice of the American Workplace Survey | Franklin Templeton

Franklin Templeton

Morgan Stanley

Edmund Murphy

Empower

Aaron Schumm

Vestwell

Brian McDonald


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