Always On for Financial Advisors Podcast

Duncan MacPherson
  • 4.8 (12)
  • Careers
  • Updated Biweekly

If you are a Financial Advisor committed to continually working on yourself and your business, this podcast is for you. Always On is dedicated to and features relentlessly innovative, ambitious, and balanced Financial Advisors who are motivated by personal and professional plateau avoidance. Join host Duncan MacPherson, best-selling author, thought leader, speaker, Business Coach, and CEO of Pareto Systems, as he interviews some of the top business professionals today.

  1. 1d ago

    The Future of Client Connection with Linda Sherman

    What if the biggest opportunity in financial advice isn’t finding new clients, but going deeper with the ones you already have? Join Duncan MacPherson as he sits down with Linda Sherman, co-founder of Financially Empowered and creator of the “Go There, Ask Her” strategy, to talk about why so many female clients feel disconnected from financial conversations and what advisors can actually do about it. Linda shares practical approaches to building trust with women clients through goals-based planning, better communication, and genuine emotional intelligence. They also get into why women are often the driving force behind referrals and multigenerational relationships, and how advisors who get this right tend to see stronger retention across the board. In this episode: Why women often leave their advisor after a major life event The difference between a client who attends meetings and one who’s truly engaged How goals-based conversations shift the dynamic Why women drive referrals and multigenerational relationships Turning routine service touchpoints into relationship-building moments If you work with couples or families, this one is worth your full attention. Linda and Duncan cover the moments in a client’s life when she’s most likely to walk, what it actually means to make a woman feel genuinely included in a financial conversation, and the small process changes that can turn a transactional relationship into a lasting one. Promotions: Toolkit CRM by Pareto: www.toolkitcrm.com Pareto Systems: Turnkey Advisor Membership Connect With Duncan MacPherson: Website: ParetoSystems.com Toll Free: 1.866.593.8020 Learn More: Schedule a Call LinkedIn: Duncan MacPherson Connect With Linda Sherman: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/linda-sherman Website: financiallyempowered.com Email: info@financiallyempowered.com About Our Guest: Linda Sherman is a Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Financially Empowered, LLC. Linda’s entire career has been in the financial services industry, specializing in marketing, consultative sales, training, and creating actionable solutions to achieve client and corporate objectives. She founded Financially Empowered to focus on her passions, working with Financial Advisors, educating women, and making an impact. Prior to Financially Empowered, Linda was a Regional Director for Legg Mason, responsible for marketing, sales, and servicing of their equity, fixed income, and alternative investments in the greater Los Angeles market. Before Legg Mason, Linda was with Morgan Stanley in New York in the firm’s Equity Research Department before joining the newly created fee-based institutional consulting business as one of its first employees in 1989. She was promoted to Executive Director for the Southern California region, where she supervised 61 retail brokerage offices and 1600 Financial Advisors. Linda graduated UCLA in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. She lives in Pacific Palisades, California, with her husband, son, and 2 Labradors.

    1h 3m

  2. May 7

    The Evolution of Financial Advice with Steve Sanduski

    Your clients don’t want a portfolio manager. They want someone who’ll catch them when they fall. That’s the truth most advisors are too busy chasing alpha to hear, and it’s exactly why Duncan MacPherson sits down with industry legend Steve Sandusky in this episode. Steve climbs mountains, and he’s spent decades teaching advisors that the most important rope in their practice isn’t tied to the markets. It’s the belay: the quiet discipline of holding the line so your client can keep climbing without fear of the fall. Get that right and you stop selling advice. You become the first call when life cracks open. Duncan and Steve unpack “Return on Life,” the framework reshaping the profession by measuring success not in basis points but in a client’s freedom, time, and meaning. They get into why story and symbolism build trust faster than any performance chart, how celestial navigation can steady clients (and you) when the markets blur, and what it takes to build a practice the AI tsunami can’t touch. Key takeaways: Using story and symbolism to forge trust that compounds Designing a purpose-driven practice that ages well Pricing human judgment in an AI-saturated market Knowing when to lean into technology and when to put it down Finding your North Star when every client is asking, “What now?” If you’re done competing on returns and ready to compete on meaning, this episode is the map. Outthink. Outcare. Outlast. Promotions: Pareto Systems: Turnkey Advisor Membership Pareto Systems Consulting: paretosystems.com/financial-advisor-coaching Connect With Duncan MacPherson: Website: ParetoSystems.com Toll Free: 1.866.593.8020 Learn More: Schedule a Call LinkedIn: Duncan MacPherson Connect With Steve Sanduski: LinkedIn: Steve Sanduski E-mail: ssanduski@belayadvisor.com Website: belayadvisor.com About Our Guest: Steve Sanduski, MBA, CFP® is the Founder and President of Belay Advisor, a financial advisor coaching, consulting, and marketing services company that works with individuals and firms to accelerate growth. For more than 20 years, he’s been building businesses and helping professionals become more successful. Prior to founding Belay Advisor, Steve was the Managing Partner of Peak Advisor Alliance, a business coaching and training resources company that grew from 0 to 1,000 coaching clients during his 11 years of managing the company. Earlier in his career, he was a senior leader at an independent broker/dealer and helped build the firm’s corporate RIA from $0 to nearly $2 billion in assets under management in a short period of time. An accomplished writer, Steve is a New York Times Bestselling author and the co-author of two books: Tested in the Trenches: A 9-Step Plan for Success as a New-Era Advisor (it has become one of the most sought after practice management books in the industry) Avalanche: The 9 Principles for Uncovering True Wealth (became a New York Times bestseller and a Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller) Steve is also a frequent contributor to the trade press including Investment News. Financial Planning Magazine, and Financial Advisor Magazine. As a professional speaker, Steve has addressed audiences all over the country and he focuses on delivering practical ideas, strategies and tools that attendees can use immediately to reach higher levels of success. He’s also the host of several podcasts including Between Now and Success and Barron’s Advisor: The Way Forward podcast. On both podcasts, Steve interviews top financial industry leaders as well as other accomplished professional from around the world who have messages that can benefit financial advisors

    59 min

  3. Apr 16

    The Hidden Growth Lever with Elaine Christakos

    Duncan MacPherson is joined by Pareto coach and team dynamics specialist Elaine Christakos for a practical conversation on one of the most overlooked drivers of growth in financial advisory businesses: building and leading a high-performing team. Together, they explore the shift from advisor to CEO, where leadership, delegation, and structure become the real drivers of scale. As firms grow more complex, Elaine shares how intentional team design, clear roles, and aligned communication create consistency in the client experience while freeing up capacity. The conversation also dives into hiring, retention, and team cohesion, highlighting why behavioral alignment often matters more than technical skill, and how the wrong hires can quietly erode culture, trust, and enterprise value. Elaine breaks down the mindset shift required to let go, empower the right people, and build a business that can grow beyond the advisor. Key highlights include: Why scaling requires a shift from doing more to leading differently How team dynamics impact productivity, consistency, and enterprise value Hiring for alignment, not just experience Using behavioral insights to strengthen team communication Why letting go is essential to becoming a CEO This is a practical discussion for financial advisors looking to build a more scalable, self-sustaining business and lead with greater clarity and control. Tune in for actionable insights on leadership, team structure, and scaling the right way. Promotions: Toolkit CRM by Pareto: www.toolkitcrm.com Pareto Systems: Turnkey Advisor Membership Connect With Duncan MacPherson: Website: ParetoSystems.com Toll Free: 1.866.593.8020 Learn More: Schedule a Call LinkedIn: Duncan MacPherson Connect With Elaine Christakos: LinkedIn: Elaine Christakos Website: paretosystems.com/coaches/coach-elaine-christakos About Our Guest: Elaine Christakos is a senior level results-oriented professional and strategist with two decades of management and coaching experience in the financial services sector. She has designed and implemented successful and proven practice management and relationship management training programs. Elaine is also a behavioral strategist and high-performance team coach who helps financial advisory teams hire the right people, build strong team dynamics, and retain top talent. Her expertise in behavioral profiling, especially DISC, Emotional Intelligence, and Driving Forces, gives her clients a clear competitive edge in attracting and developing cohesive, high-functioning teams. A Certified DISC Specialist and trainer, Elaine uses a practical, science-based approach to decode human behavior in a way that’s immediately applicable to hiring decisions, communication strategies, and leadership development. She works with elite advisors and their teams to build intentional cultures where each person operates in alignment with their natural strengths, leading to better fit, faster trust, and longer-term engagement. Elaine’s foundation in practice management was shaped by early exposure to structured, client-centric systems, which ignited her passion for coaching and optimizing team performance. Today, as a coach with the Pareto Systems network, she blends behavioral insights with strategic consulting to help advisory teams grow with clarity and confidence.

    57 min

  4. Mar 26

    Wealth with a Purpose with Kimberly Safoyan

    What does it look like when a financial advisor builds a practice around purpose, not just profit? Join host Duncan MacPherson as he sits down with Kimberly Safoyan, founder of Anchor Wealth Management Group in Palm Desert, California, and a seasoned advisor within The Wealth Consulting Group (WCG), affiliated with LPL Financial. Kimberly shares how she has built a values-driven wealth management practice focused on philanthropy, community involvement, and purpose-driven financial planning to strengthen client relationships and drive long-term retention. From launching the American Heroes UIT with First Trust to guiding clients through complex life transitions, Kim brings a practical, client-centric approach to modern advisory firms. Key Takeaways for Financial Advisors: Build deeper client relationships through philanthropy Differentiate with values-based financial planning Strengthen client retention with legacy planning strategies Better serve women through divorce and widowhood Leverage mentorship to grow advisory teams Use technology to enhance the client experience Kimberly Safoyan demonstrates how top financial advisors go beyond portfolio management by aligning wealth with purpose and delivering a more meaningful client experience. Promotions: Toolkit CRM by Pareto: www.toolkitcrm.com Pareto Systems: Turnkey Advisor Membership Connect With Duncan MacPherson: Website: ParetoSystems.com Toll Free: 1.866.593.8020 Learn More: Schedule a Call LinkedIn: Duncan MacPherson Connect With Kimberly Safoyan: LinkedIn: Kimberly Safoyan Website: www.Anchor-Wealth.com WCG Website: www.wealthcg.com About Our Guest: Kimberly Safoyan is President and founder of Anchor Wealth Management Group, LLC and has over 30 years of financial services experience. She has served her clients as an independent wealth advisor since 1991. Her focus is to serve as your personal CFO, seeking to bring a full spectrum of wealth management capabilities and resources necessary to address your complex financial needs. Some of Kim’s achievements include: Five Star Wealth Manager Award as featured in Palm Springs Life Magazine for years 2012, 2013, 2016 – 2021. She holds the Series 7, 24, and 63 securities registrations with LPL Financial, the Series 65 securities registration with WCG Wealth Advisors, and is registered to transact securities business with residents of the following states: AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, MI, NV, NY, TX, and WA. She also holds a California insurance license. Kim earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis in business from California State University Northridge. Raised in Michigan, Kim moved to the desert in 1982 and graduated from Indio High School. Kim is a strong community services advocate. She serves as an advisory board member for the Cathedral City Salvation Army Corp, is a past board member for the Palm Desert High School PTO and PDHS Foundation board member.

    54 min

  5. Mar 5

    Why Elite Advisors Think Differently

    Most financial advisors are really good at their job, and that might be exactly what’s holding them back! Duncan MacPherson is joined by Pareto coaches Jason Westover and Mike “Cy” Cajthaml Jr. for a candid, high-level conversation on what the best financial advisors are doing right now to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. Together, they unpack what it truly means to become the “advisor of the future”,  from growing up-market and attracting ideal clients, to making the pivotal shift from technician to CEO. As disruption accelerates and AI reshapes workflows, the discussion centers on how top-performing advisors are leveraging both technology and human insight to build scalable, enterprise-value businesses. The conversation explores the widening gap between complacency and ambition, the power of intentional practice management, and why relationship excellence, not technical expertise alone, remains the ultimate differentiator. Jason and Mike also share real-world observations from coaching some of the most sophisticated advisory teams in North America, highlighting the habits, structures, and mindset shifts that separate sustainable firms from stalled practices. Key highlights include: Why growing “up-market” often starts with refining your top 50 relationships The transition from advisor to CEO, and why delegation unlocks scale How leading teams are using AI to compress time without compromising trust The importance of client advisory councils and feedback loops Why no one wants to buy your job, only your business This is a practical, forward-looking discussion for financial advisors who want to avoid plateauing, build enterprise value, and design a business that ultimately serves their life, not the other way around. Tune in for strategic insight, tactical ideas, and a clear roadmap for what’s next in advisory leadership. Promotions: Pareto Systems: Turnkey Advisor Membership Connect With Duncan MacPherson:  Website: ParetoSystems.com Toll Free: 1.866.593.8020 Learn More: Schedule a Call LinkedIn: Duncan MacPherson Connect With Jason Westover: LinkedIn: Jason Westover Website: paretosystems.com/coaches/coach-jason-westover Connect With Mike “Cy” Cajthaml Jr.: LinkedIn: Mike “Cy” Cajthaml Jr. Website: www.paretosystems.com/coaches/coach-mike-cy-cajthaml-jr About Our Guests: Jason Westover has spent over 20 years helping financial advisors, sales teams, and wholesalers perform at their best. After discovering Pareto Systems 15 years ago, he became one of its strongest advocates, using its proven coaching methods to help top performers elevate their businesses. Today he’s also leading conversations on how AI tools can transform advisor effectiveness and client outcomes across the industry. Jason lives near Kansas City with his wife and three children. Outside of work he’s a competition BBQ cook and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor. Mike “Cy” Cajthaml Jr. brings 17 years of financial services experience to his role as a Pareto coach. His background spans insurance marketing, nationwide advisor consulting, and working alongside his father as a financial advisor in Overland Park, KS. That blend of wholesale and retail experience gives Mike a unique perspective in helping advisory firms integrate the Pareto Process and build toward their ideal practice. Mike lives in Overland Park with his wife Ashley and their two sons, Cameron and Carson. Outside of work he enjoys golf, a good cigar, and cheering on the Chicago Bears. Listen on Apple Podcasts

    1h 12m

  6. Feb 12

    The Financial Advisor’s Long Game with Brad Johnson

    What will separate the advisors who thrive over the next decade from those who get left behind? Join Duncan as he sits down with Brad Johnson, co-founder of Triad Partners and host of the Do Business. Do Life. podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation on what it truly takes to build a sustainable, future-ready advisory business. Together, they explore how innovation, long-term thinking, and human-centered planning are redefining success in financial services. As demographic shifts accelerate and complexity increases for both advisors and clients, Brad shares insights on why advisors must evolve beyond portfolio management and toward holistic planning that balances growth, protection, income, and purpose. The conversation also dives into the importance of resilience, perspective, and values, drawing on lessons from entrepreneurship, market cycles, and life itself. Brad outlines why the next decade may be the greatest opportunity Financial Advisors have ever seen, provided they embrace process, patience, and genuine service. Key highlights include: Why true financial planning goes far beyond portfolios and products The impact of demographic shifts and the “silver tsunami” on advisory opportunities How income planning and distribution strategies are often the missing link for retirees The role of alternative assets, personal interests, and non-traditional wealth in modern planning Building a business that serves life, not one that sacrifices it Tune in for a thoughtful, practical discussion on becoming a trusted, long-term partner to clients while building a business, and a life, that endures through every season. Promotions: Pareto Systems ‘AI Coaching Program’: www.paretosystems.com/ai-coaching-program Pareto Systems ‘Practice Management Index’ assessment: The PMI Assessment Connect With Duncan MacPherson: Website: ParetoSystems.com Toll Free: 1.866.593.8020 Learn More: Schedule a Call LinkedIn: Duncan MacPherson Connect With Brad Johnson: LinkedIn: Brad Johnson Website: TriadPartners.com Podcast: Do Business, Do Life Podcast About Our Guest: Brad Johnson is co-founder of Triad Partners and the host of the transformative “Do Business. Do Life.” podcast. Embodying a humble upbringing in rural Minneapolis, KS, on a farm alongside his parents and brother, Brad’s roots instilled unwavering values of hard work and treating others with respect. With a profound belief in the power of the “and” approach to life and business, Brad has revolutionized the financial advisory landscape. At Triad Partners, he forges an intimate and carefully curated community, redefining partnerships. Guided by his enduring principles, Brad empowers advisors to embrace growth, freedom, and joy in their professional and personal lives. Prior to founding Triad, Brad was a Vice President of Advisor Development for over 13 years at Advisors Excel, one of the country’s largest Field Marketing Organizations.  In that role, Brad coached a group of independent advisors who gather more than $1 billion of assets annually. Before joining Advisors Excel to work closely with advisors, Brad was an analyst at Payless Shoe Source for three years. Brad received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Emporia State University, where he played football. Brad currently lives in Silver Lake, Kansas with his wife, Sarah, and their three children.

    56 min

  7. Jan 22

    How to Win Liquidity Events with Roger Silk

    What if your client could sell a highly appreciated asset without triggering capital gains tax? And what if you were the advisor who made that possible? In this episode of the “Always On Podcast,” host Duncan McPherson sits down with Roger Silk, the CEO and co-founder of Sterling Foundation Management. They discuss the evolving role of financial advisors and the increasingly complex needs of high-net-worth clients. As financial landscapes shift, advisors must adapt to new challenges and opportunities, particularly when it comes to managing significant liquidity events. Roger Silk shares his expertise on asset diversification trusts, a powerful tool that allows clients to sell appreciated assets without incurring capital gains tax. This episode highlights the importance of proactive planning and the strategic value of long-term partnerships between financial advisors and their clients. Key highlights include: The role of asset diversification trusts in tax-efficient asset management. The necessity of early planning for liquidity events to maximize client benefits. Strategies for financial advisors to strengthen client relationships through collaboration. Insights into leveraging philanthropic solutions for wealth preservation and growth. Tune in and discover the insights needed to become trusted partners in their clients’ financial journeys, ensuring both immediate and long-term success. Promotions: Pareto Systems AI Coaching Program – Use promo code AlwaysOn20 for 20% for a limited time! Pareto Systems: Turnkey Advisor Membership Connect With Duncan MacPherson: Website: ParetoSystems.com Toll Free: 1.866.593.8020 Learn More: Schedule a Call LinkedIn: Duncan MacPherson Connect With Roger Silk, Ph.D.: LinkedIn: Roger Silk Website: SterlingFoundations.com Podcast: Sterling Insights About Our Guest: Roger D. Silk, Ph.D. , is the CEO of Sterling Foundation Management, LLC and President of Lifetime Perspectives, Inc. Dr. Silk is widely recognized as a leading expert and innovator in the emerging field at the intersection of finance and philanthropy. Dr. Silk has more than three decades of experience working with and advising wealthy clients, high net worth families, and the advisors who work with them on a variety of issues ranging from the use of private foundations to the integration of sophisticated charitable planning into multi-generational estate plans. He has worked with numerous investment, accounting, financial planning, and legal professionals to educate them, their firms, and their clients about the benefits and characteristics of a full suite of solutions, entities and planning tools. Dr. Silk is the author of several books, including The Investor’s Dilemma Decoded (Wiley, 2024), Managing Foundations and Charitable Trusts (Bloomberg Press, 2011), Creating a Private Foundation (Bloomberg Press, 2003), and Politicians Spend, We Pay (Sterling Lifetime Press, 2022). He has published dozens of articles that have appeared in periodicals such as Estate Planning, Philanthropy, the Journal of Financial Planning and Trusts & Estates. He has spoken to audiences around the country on the types and uses of charitable entities, and he frequently conducts educational seminars for financial professionals focusing on integrating the full suite of charitable entities into the financial planning process. Prior to co-founding Sterling, Dr. Silk was a Treasury officer at the World Bank, where he was responsible for a multi-billion-dollar repo portfolio. Dr. Silk holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Applied Economics from Stanford University, as well as a B.A. in Economics (with distinction). He earned his CFA in 1990.

    55 min

  8. Jan 1

    The Financial Advisor’s Blind Spot with Natasha Kennedy

    Nearly 90% of heirs leave their parents’ financial advisor. The real risk in the Great Wealth Transfer is not market volatility. It is irrelevance. Join Duncan MacPherson as he speaks with Natasha Kennedy, Pareto-certified coach and family legacy specialist, for a timely conversation on the greatest risk facing financial advisors during the great wealth transfer. Natasha breaks down why most heirs ultimately leave their parents’ advisor, how silence and avoidance around legacy planning erode trust, and why preparing heirs has become a critical differentiator in today’s advisory landscape. Together, they unpack how advisors can embed continuity, succession, and family investment legacy into their value proposition in a way that deepens relationships, strengthens referability, and positions them as indispensable stewards of multi-generational wealth. Key takeaways: Why nearly 90% of heirs don’t stay with their parents’ advisor How legacy and succession conversations increase advisor retention and fee worthiness Practical ways to engage heirs without creating entitlement How continuity planning protects relationships through generational transitions Tune into now to unlock the secrets to keeping clients for generations by addressing the blind spot most advisors overlook. Promotions: Pareto Systems: Turnkey Advisor Membership Connect With Duncan MacPherson: Website: ParetoSystems.com Toll Free: 1.866.593.8020 Learn More: Schedule a Call LinkedIn: Duncan MacPherson Connect With Natasha Kennedy: LinkedIn: Natasha Kennedy Presentation: The Legacy Plan Speaker Introduction: Natasha Kennedy About Our Guest: Natasha Kennedy, who brings more than a decade of financial services experience, beginning her career on Wall Street and then working with First Trust Advisors, and now focused on psychology and counselling. Today, Natasha is a consultant with Pareto Systems helping advisors to strengthen client relationships, and build purposeful businesses. With her background in both finance and psychology, Natasha is the ideal person to guide us through the human side of this great wealth transfer, specifically on adding Intergenerational Planning & Family Meetings into your process.

    51 min
See All (95)

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

If you are a Financial Advisor committed to continually working on yourself and your business, this podcast is for you. Always On is dedicated to and features relentlessly innovative, ambitious, and balanced Financial Advisors who are motivated by personal and professional plateau avoidance. Join host Duncan MacPherson, best-selling author, thought leader, speaker, Business Coach, and CEO of Pareto Systems, as he interviews some of the top business professionals today.

Information

  • Creator
    Duncan MacPherson
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    95
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright 2026© Always On for Financial Advisors Podcast with Duncan MacPherson
  • Show Website
    Always On for Financial Advisors Podcast

You Might Also Like