Growth Leaders of Wealth Management

Meg Carpenter
  • 5.0 (18)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

In an industry that's changing faster than ever, expectations for growth, both organic and inorganic, are only getting more intense. With private equity money flooding into the wealth management space, customer experience expectations leveling up, generative AI upending process and a generational wealth transfer that will transform client acquisitions, the journey to growth for all wealth management businesses will require adaptability, resilience and a long-term vision that puts client's needs first. The Growth Leaders of Wealth Management podcast tells the stories of businesses who are on their growth journey now. We'll learn how they got this far, what the challenges have been, how they've overcome them, what they've learned along the way and what their next big mountain to climb is. Join our host, Meg Carpenter, as we learn from the stories of some of the industry's best and brightest on the Growth Leaders of Wealth Management podcast.

  1. 5D AGO

    21. Mission Wealth and the Growth Model Built Around Advisor Capacity

    When a firm grows, most people picture the same things: more clients per advisor, more complexity stacked onto the day, and longer hours that slowly become the norm. The common result is that growth shows up as pressure before it shows up as progress. Mission Wealth challenged that assumption early and built a firm around a different idea: protect capacity first, then design growth around it. Today, that thinking shapes everything from how many households an advisor serves, to how teams share revenue and who earns ownership across the organization. In this new episode of Growth Leaders of Wealth Management, our host Meg Carpenter sits down with Mission Wealth’s leadership to explore what happens when growth becomes a structural decision rather than a volume race. They talk through the choices behind capped client loads, shared expertise, long-term investment in organic channels, and why patience compounds faster than urgency. Welcome! 0:00 — Why Mission Wealth Stands Out 2:08 — The 60-Household Cap and a Different Growth Model 6:21 — Organic Growth, Market Impact, and M&A Reality 9:09 — How Mission Wealth Built Multiple Growth Channels 14:29 — Custodial Referrals and Competing at the Top Tier 16:54 — The Wealth Strategy Group as a Growth Engine 20:13 — Diamond Teams, Regional Models, and Capacity Control 26:02 — Marketing Evolves Into a Firmwide Growth Driver 32:23 — Digital Growth, Patience, and the Three-Year Rule 41:05 — Leadership, Gender Equity, and Advisor Advantage 43:11 — AI, Advisor Capacity, and the Road Ahead Connect with us:  Megan Carpenter on LinkedInFicomm Partners Website Matthew Adams on LinkedInDannell Stuart on LinkedInMichelle Winkles on LinkedInJohn Wernz on LinkedInMission Wealth Website

    1h 8m

  2. JAN 13

    20. The Dual-RIA Design Changing How Elite Advisors Scale with NewEdge Capital Group

    Very few firms in wealth management grow from $25 billion to nearly $100 billion in five years, and even fewer do it by rethinking the structure of the industry itself. NewEdge Capital Group built its momentum by designing a platform around what elite advisors actually need: time, autonomy, and a model that supports different kinds of practices without forcing them into the same box. Their dual-RIA architecture, integration-first tech philosophy, and innovative bridge programs — now generating almost $2 billion in internal referrals — are the result of looking at the advisor experience with fresh eyes. In this episode, host Meg Carpenter sits down with two leaders whose path into wealth management began in the tech world. They first built companies together, then scaled Alex’s family advisory practice into Goss Advisors, which was later acquired by EdgeCo Holdings and merged with Mid Atlantic Financial Management to form the base of what is now NewEdge Capital Group. Their story is part entrepreneurial, part structural reinvention, and part cultural clarity — a combination that helps explain why top advisors are choosing NewEdge and why the firm’s growth shows no signs of slowing. Connect with us:  Alex Goss on LinkedInNeil Turner on LinkedInNewEdge Capital Group Megan Carpenter on LinkedInFicomm Partners Website About Ficomm Partners Ficomm Partners is the embedded growth partner for results-driven RIAs, and wealth management platforms. With a track record of helping over 250 clients achieve their growth goals, Ficomm understands that while industry patterns may repeat, each firm's growth challenges are unique. Ficomm prioritizes strategy and finds the most impactful ways to move you toward your goals. We align all your marketing activities with your business objectives, acting as your dedicated growth partner with our human-first approach, strategy-first methodology, and unrivaled team of industry marketing experts.

    1h 9m

  3. 12/09/2025

    19. Cresset Capital’s Playbook for an AI-Driven Future

    Cresset’s growth story took a sharp turn this past year when nearly half of their web search leads began arriving through AI engines instead of Google. That shift came from years of building a digital marketing infrastructure that could adapt quickly, a clear client archetype, and a leadership team willing to test new channels long before they’re mainstream. In this episode, host Meg Carpenter speaks with co-founder and co-chairman Eric Becker and Chief Growth Officer Jessica Malkin about how Cresset reached $65 billion in eight years and why their digital strategy is evolving faster than the industry around them. They explore the rise of AI-driven discovery, the diversified growth model powering their expansion, and the cultural decisions made early on that still shape the firm today. 0:00 — The $500M AI lead that sparked the conversation 3:50 — How Cresset was built by clients, culture, and a real brand 10:45 — The early digital bet and the momentum that followed 17:45 — A major pivot that fell short and what they learned 23:50 — How their diversified growth engine actually works 29:20 — Ownership, succession, and advisor appeal 39:20 — Catalyst, AI discovery, and the 100-year vision Connect with us:  Eric Becker on LinkedInJessica Malkin on LinkedInCresset CapitalMegan Carpenter on LinkedInFicomm Partners Website Visit the Karma For Cara Foundation website to learn more about their job helping patients who are facing leukemia. About Ficomm Partners Ficomm Partners is the embedded growth partner for results-driven RIAs, and wealth management platforms. With a track record of helping over 250 clients achieve their growth goals, Ficomm understands that while industry patterns may repeat, each firm's growth challenges are unique. Ficomm prioritizes strategy and finds the most impactful ways to move you toward your goals. We align all your marketing activities with your business objectives, acting as your dedicated growth partner with our human-first approach, strategy-first methodology, and unrivaled team of industry marketing experts.

    1h 14m

  4. 11/11/2025

    18. Building a Firm That Grows Itself: The Brighton Jones Way

    When Jon Jones stepped away from Brighton Jones for a year to travel with his family, the firm didn’t pause for him to return. It continued growing on its own momentum. Steady, intentional, and deeply rooted in culture. That story says everything about how the business was built. In this episode, Meg Carpenter sits down with Jon Jones, Carley Dillon, and Melinda Torres to explore the systems and philosophies behind Brighton Jones’ sustained growth. They share how empathy became a core competency through their MESI program, how client experience evolved into an operational discipline, and why their team chose patience and purpose over shortcuts. It’s a rare look at a firm that has turned emotional intelligence, client trust, and thoughtful leadership into something measurable and scalable. Connect with us:  Jon Jones on LinkedInCarley Dillon on LinkedInMelinda Torres on LinkedInBrighton Jones Meg Carpenter on LinkedInFicomm Partners

    1h 8m

  5. 10/14/2025

    17. Kayne Anderson Rudnick’s Approach to Growth Without Acquisitions

    Kayne Anderson Rudnick has done what most in wealth management say can’t be done: grow from $10B to $64B in a decade, all organic. No acquisitions, no shortcuts, just disciplined execution and a refusal to compromise on talent. In this episode, host Meg Carpenter sits down with Executive Managing Director Stephen Rigali, Chief Operating Officer, Jeannine Vanian, and Managing Director of Marketing & Communications, Stephanie Gillman, to explore how KAR has maintained boutique-level intimacy while achieving global scale. From their “A’s only” hiring philosophy to a collaborative three-person leadership model without a CEO, their story challenges conventional wisdom and offers a blueprint for sustainable, generational growth. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance culture, scale, and authentic client relationships, this conversation shows what’s possible when firms choose discipline over shortcuts. Connect with us:  Megan Carpenter on LinkedInFicomm Partners WebsiteJeannine Vanian on LinkedInStephen Rigali on LinkedInStephanie Gillman on LinkedInKayne Anderson Rudnick Website

    59 min

  6. 09/09/2025

    16. How Pure Financial Built a $9B Firm by Doing the Opposite

    Most advisory firms dream of moving upmarket. Pure Financial Advisors chose the opposite path. Since 2007, they’ve built a $9B firm serving the mass affluent, proving that you can grow with purpose while breaking every so-called industry rule. In this conversation, Joe Anderson, CEO and President, and Jason Carver, CFO and Managing Partner, share how Pure scaled through a model that separates advice from sales, invests roughly 24% of revenue into marketing, and delivers 20–30% organic growth year after year. Their approach creates real career paths for CFPs, builds one of the leanest yet most effective marketing engines in the business, and stays rooted in the mission to help families who need advice the most. This is more than a growth story—it’s a blueprint for what happens when you’re willing to rethink the very structure of wealth management and build a firm where growth follows purpose, not the other way around. Connect with us:  Meg Carpenter on LinkedInFicomm PartnersJason Carver on LinkedInJoseph Anderson on LinkedInPure Financial

    58 min

  7. 08/12/2025

    15. How EP Wealth Advisors Scaled to $32B Without Losing Its Soul

    Some leaders double down on control as their firms grow. Brian Parker did the opposite—he fired himself. Why? Because he understood the job of building a business wasn’t the same as running it at scale. That one decision helped transform EP Wealth Advisors from a modest financial planning shop into a $32B firm with 20,000+ clients. But the real story here isn’t on the numbers, but the humility, partnerships, and radical rethinking of how wealth management firms grow. In this episode, host Meg Carpenter talks with EP Wealth’s co-founder Brian Parker, CEO Ryan Parker, and Head of Marketing Jim Mocci about what it takes to grow with intention. They discuss EP's unique approach to M&A (they actually ban the word “acquisition”), why marketing isn’t just a support function but a driver of strategy, and how the firm has built scalable systems that still feel personal. Whether you’re hitting a growth ceiling or wondering how to scale without selling your soul, this conversation will give you a new blueprint. Connect with us:  Brian ParkerRyan ParkerJim MocciEP Wealth AdvisorsMegan CarpenterFicomm Partners

    1h 9m

  8. 07/08/2025

    14. Inside Gerber Kawasaki’s Growth Playbook: The Path to $3 Billion AUM

    15 years ago, in Brazil and in the middle of the crisis that turned the whole financial system upside-down, Ross Gerber and Danilo Kawasaki decided to start a financial firm: Gerber Kawasaki. In this episode, the founders and Hatem Dhiab, Managing Partner and key team member from the beginning, share some of the challenges they faced, like using social media when the rules weren’t clear for financial companies, and the inflection point that helped them grow: COVID. That huge gamble that started in Brazil really paid off, and now the firm has more than $3B in AUM. Connect with us:  Meg Carpenter on LinkedInRoss Gerber on LinkedInDanilo Kawasaki on LinkedInHatem Dhiab on LinkedIn

    52 min
See All (21)

5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

In an industry that's changing faster than ever, expectations for growth, both organic and inorganic, are only getting more intense. With private equity money flooding into the wealth management space, customer experience expectations leveling up, generative AI upending process and a generational wealth transfer that will transform client acquisitions, the journey to growth for all wealth management businesses will require adaptability, resilience and a long-term vision that puts client's needs first. The Growth Leaders of Wealth Management podcast tells the stories of businesses who are on their growth journey now. We'll learn how they got this far, what the challenges have been, how they've overcome them, what they've learned along the way and what their next big mountain to climb is. Join our host, Meg Carpenter, as we learn from the stories of some of the industry's best and brightest on the Growth Leaders of Wealth Management podcast.

Information