Planning & Beyond®

Ashley Quamme
  • 5.0 (36)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Planning & Beyond® transforms how financial advisors approach client relationships by bridging psychological insights with practical planning strategies. Hosted by Ashley Quamme, a licensed therapist and financial behavior specialist, each episode delivers actionable techniques you can implement in your next client meeting. Unlike traditional financial planning podcasts that focus primarily on technical aspects, Planning & Beyond® explores the behavioral and psychological elements that shape client relationships. Through in-depth conversations with leading experts in behavioral finance, financial psychology, and financial therapy, you'll gain evidence-based strategies to navigate emotional client situations, build lasting trust, and create more meaningful relationships. Whether you're preparing for discovery meetings, helping clients through major life transitions, or looking to deepen client connections, you'll walk away from each episode with practical tools and confident approaches to enhance your practice. Join a community of advisors who understand that exceptional financial planning goes beyond the numbers. Topics include: Mastering discovery and prospect meetingsNavigating difficult money conversationsUnderstanding client psychologyBuilding trust and deepening relationshipsManaging emotional client situationsEnhancing communication skillsDeveloping behavioral finance strategiesSupporting clients through life transitions New episodes release bi-weekly. Subscribe now to transform how you connect with clients.

  1. MAR 26

    46. The Referral Gap: Why Your Happiest Clients Aren't Sending Anyone Your Way (And What to Do About It) with Phil Bray

    Text us to share what you found helpful! You have clients who love you. You know it. They know it. And yet your referral pipeline is quieter than it should be. Here's the thing — it's probably not about satisfaction at all. According to Phil Bray, founder of the UK-based financial services marketing agency Yardstick, around 96% of clients say they would recommend their advisor in principle. But only about 50% have actually done it in the past year. That gap between "would refer" and "has referred" isn't a loyalty problem. It's an education problem. Phil spent over a decade as a financial advisor before building Yardstick into a 55-person agency focused entirely on marketing for financial planning firms. He's thought deeply about why referrals stall — and what advisors can actually do about it that doesn't feel pushy, desperate, or just plain awkward. In this episode, we talk through why asking for referrals might be the wrong approach entirely and what to do instead. Phil introduces a strategy built around three pillars — client education, communication, and appreciation — and walks through a six-step process advisors can weave into their annual review meetings. It's structured, but it feels natural. Genuinely natural. We also spend time on something that's changing fast: what happens between the moment someone gets a referral and the moment they actually reach out. Increasingly, that gap is being shaped by AI. Phil shares what his agency is seeing — including a 118% rise in AI-driven traffic to financial planner websites over the last six months — and what advisors need to be doing right now to show up when someone asks an AI to help them find the right fit. If you've ever felt uncomfortable asking clients to send people your way, this episode gives you a reframe and a roadmap. RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATION About Phil Bray: Phil Bray is the founder of Yardstick, a UK-based marketing agency dedicated exclusively to financial planning firms. A former financial advisor of 13 years, Phil brings both practitioner insight and marketing expertise to helping advisors grow through referrals, client communication, and digital visibility. Since launching in 2017, Yardstick has grown to a team of 55. Connect with Phil Bray: Website: theyardstickagency.co.ukLinkedIn: Phil BrayConnect with Host Ashley Quamme: Podcast Website: PlanningAndBeyond.comLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme Beyond the Plan®: BeyondTheFP.comSubscribe to our YouTube Channel

    44 min

  2. MAR 12

    45. Calm Money: Why Financial Self-Care Comes Before the Plan with Dr. Alex Melkumian

    Text us to share what you found helpful! Have you ever gone over a financial plan with a client, checked every box, and then watched them walk out and implement almost none of it? It's one of the most frustrating experiences in this work — and it's more common than anyone likes to admit. Here's what might actually be happening: your client's nervous system is running the show. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Alex Melkumian, licensed marriage and family therapist, financial psychologist, and founder of the Financial Psychology Center in Los Angeles. Alex has spent nearly two decades working at the intersection of mental health and money, and his latest book, Calm Money, makes a compelling case for why financial self-care isn't a luxury — it's often the prerequisite to any financial plan actually working. We talk about what financial self-care really means (hint: it's not just bubble baths and budgeting apps), why money continues to be the number one stressor for most Americans, and what it looks like when a client is in freeze mode right in front of you — even when they're nodding along. One of the most powerful moments in our conversation is when Alex shares this: "A triggered mind is a controlled mind." When clients are in fight, flight, or freeze, the best financial strategy in the world gets filtered through a nervous system that's in threat mode. That's why the plan doesn't stick. That's why nothing gets implemented. Alex also walks us through the structure of the Calm Money journal — daily check-ins, weekly pattern work, and monthly reflection — and why that kind of compassionate, consistent engagement with money can literally reshape how a client's brain responds to financial conversations over time. If you've been puzzling over clients who seem to understand your plan but won't follow through, this episode offers a framework for understanding what's actually going on — and a resource you can point them toward. RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATION Guest Bio: Dr. Alex Melkumian is a licensed marriage and family therapist, financial psychologist, and founder of the Financial Psychology Center in Los Angeles. He is the author of Financial Psychology: Restoring Financial Wellness in the Post-COVID Economy and the newly released Calm Money, a financial self-care book and companion workbook. Dr. Melkumian has spent nearly two decades helping individuals, couples, and organizations navigate the emotional and psychological dimensions of money. Connect with Dr. Alex Melkumian: LinkedIn: Dr. Alex MelkumianInstagram: @FinancialPsychologyCenterWebsite: financialpsychologycenter.comCalm Money — Available now on AmazonFinancial Psychology: Restoring Financial Wellness in the Post-COVID Economy — Available on AmazonConnect with Host Ashley Quamme: Podcast Website: PlanningAndBeyond.comLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme — Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®:

    47 min

  3. FEB 26

    44. Building Financial Empathy: Why Your Clients' Behaviors Make Perfect Sense with Dr. Michael Thomas

    Text us to share what you found helpful! You walk into a client meeting prepared with projections, strategies, and solutions. But something's off. Your client nods at the right moments, signs the paperwork, yet you sense there's a conversation happening beneath the surface that you're not part of. Dr. Michael Thomas, Associate Professor at the University of Georgia and author of Black Financial Culture, joins me to explore what he calls the "threads" that connect our financial behaviors to our identities, relationships, and cultural experiences. Michael's journey from accounting to financial planning education taught him something most advisors miss: the numbers are rarely the real story. Michael introduces a powerful metaphor that transforms how we think about client work. Imagine your client's financial life as a tapestry. Most advisors focus on individual threads, one behavior at a time, trying to "fix" what looks problematic. But those threads don't exist in isolation. They're woven together with family dynamics, cultural narratives, past traumas, and deeply held beliefs about worth and belonging. When you pull on one thread without understanding how it connects to the others, the entire fabric can unravel. This conversation goes beyond traditional behavioral finance. Michael shares how cultural context shapes everything from risk tolerance to spending behaviors in ways that standard questionnaires never capture. But this isn't just about understanding diverse clients. Michael offers a framework for empathy that applies to every client relationship. He explains why asking "what does this behavior provide that might not be obvious?" opens doors that direct questions keep closed. How recognizing that clients bring their whole selves to financial decisions changes the way you structure discovery meetings. Why the goal isn't to eliminate emotion from financial choices but to understand what those emotions are protecting. The technical work matters. But when you understand the threads connecting your clients' financial behaviors to their lived experiences, you stop solving the wrong problems. Connect with Michael Thomas: Website: www.blackfinancialculture.comBook: Black Financial CultureConnect with Michael on LinkedIn: Dr. Michael Thomas - University of Georgia Connect with Host Ashley Quamme: Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond®LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration servicesCheck out our YouTube Channel!

    44 min

  4. FEB 12

    43. Financial Infidelity in Couples: Research-Backed Strategies for Financial Advisors | Dr. Jenny Olson

    Text us to share what you found helpful! You've been there. A couple sits across from you in a discovery meeting, and something feels off. Maybe one partner shifts in their seat when you ask about spending patterns. Maybe the other answers too quickly, cutting off their spouse mid-sentence. You can't quite put your finger on it, but your spidey sense is telling you there's more to the story. Enter Dr. Jenny Olson, Assistant Professor at Indiana University, whose research reveals what might be happening beneath the surface in about 30% of the couples sitting in your office. Jenny studies financial infidelity, and spoiler alert, it has nothing to do with affairs. Instead, it's about something far more common and surprisingly relatable: intentionally engaging in financial behaviors you expect your partner will disapprove of, then concealing them. We're talking hidden Amazon packages, undisclosed bonuses, secret savings accounts (yes, even virtuous saving can create betrayal), and splurge purchases tucked away in closets. The kicker? Both partners might be doing it simultaneously, creating what Jenny calls "financial infidelity asymmetry," where neither person realizes the other is also concealing financial behaviors. In this conversation, Jenny breaks down the actual definition of financial infidelity, dispelling myths (no, it's not just general secrecy about eating extra Oreos) and highlighting why interdependent financial resources make this different from other types of secrets. You'll learn the six domains where financial infidelity shows up most often, from hidden spending to concealed income to those "virtuous" secret savings that still violate transparency. More importantly, you'll walk away with practical strategies for your next couple meeting. Jenny shares specific question frameworks that focus on behaviors rather than accusations, helping you create space for honest conversation without putting clients on the defensive. You'll learn what nonverbal cues to watch for (hint: pay attention to the speed and intensity of those head turns between partners) and why avoiding the word "infidelity" altogether might be your best move. This episode gives you permission to ask about something most advisors sense but don't know how to address, all while maintaining the boundaries of your role. Because when couples aren't sharing the full financial picture with each other, they're probably not sharing it with you either. RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATION Connect with Dr. Jenny Olson: Personal Website: jennyginolson.comFinancial Infidelity Scale: Available through website LinkedIn: Jenny Olson Connect with Host Ashley Quamme: Podcast Website: PlanningAndBeyond.comLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme Beyond the Plan®: BeyondTheFP.comYouTube: Subscribe at @BeyondthePlanSolutions

    37 min

  5. JAN 29

    42. The Future of Advice Delivery: What Financial Advice Will Look Like in 2030 with Adam Holt

    Text us to share what you found helpful! You know that feeling when you're going through the motions with annual reviews, rinse and repeat conversations, and something just feels off? You're not alone. Even your clients are starting to feel it. Adam Holt, founder and CEO of Asset-Map and recovering financial planner, joins me to talk about what advice delivery needs to look like by 2030. And spoiler alert: it's not five years away anymore. This summer, Adam brought together some of the industry's brightest minds to wrestle with a critical question: What do we need to invest in NOW to deliver advice that actually matters in 2030? The resulting white paper (now available on WealthManagement.com) challenges the traditional "manage assets, do annual review, play golf, repeat" model that's kept many advisors comfortable but may not serve the next generation of clients. What struck me most about our conversation was Adam's insight about trust. It's not that clients don't trust advisors with their money. They do. But there's a deeper question emerging: Do they trust us to understand what truly matters beyond the portfolio? The families they're building, the legacies they're creating, the emotional transitions they're navigating? Adam breaks down why advisors will need to develop awareness across legal, tax, insurance, banking, family dynamics, AND behavioral coaching to stay relevant. Not because we need to become experts in everything, but because clients will expect us to know enough to guide them toward the right resources at the right time. We explore the shift from financial planning as a business transaction to financial planning as relationship cultivation. Adam talks about moving from creating client dependency to creating client empowerment, the kind where your clients are actually more productive when you're NOT in the room. That's the real measure of value. This conversation also gets into some hard truths. The industry may face legitimate challenges around fiduciary responsibility, particularly when advisors miss opportunities to protect second-generation wealth because they never asked the right questions about long-term care, estate planning, or proper insurance structuring. If you've been feeling that your practice needs to evolve but aren't sure where to start, this episode offers both the permission and the roadmap. Listen now to discover what advice delivery really needs to look like in 2030, and what you should be building toward today. Want to bring behavioral expertise into your firm? Our Foundations offering provides monthly training, client-ready resources, and practical tools that help you integrate financial psychology into your practice. Reach out to hello@beyondthefp.com to learn how we can support your team. Guest Contact & Resources: LinkedIn: H. Adam HoltAssetMap: Asset-Map.comRebel Dads: www.rebldads.comWhite Paper: "Advice Delivery in 2030" - Available free at WealthManagement.com Connect with Host Ashley Quamme: Podcast Website: PlanningAndBeyond.comLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme Beyond the Plan®: BeyondTheFP.comYouTube: Subscribe at @BeyondthePlanSolutions

    42 min

  6. JAN 15

    41. Building Client Experiences That Actually Drive Engagement with Julie Littlechild

    Text us to share what you found helpful! You've got your CRM humming. Your workflows are tight. Your service calendar is consistent. So why aren't clients more engaged? Here's what most advisors miss: efficiency doesn't equal engagement. A frictionless experience is table stakes, not a differentiator. And if you're only solving for your own pain points instead of what clients actually need, you're leaving massive opportunities on the table. Julie Littlechild, CEO and Founder of Absolute Engagement, has spent decades helping advisors understand what clients truly want. Spoiler: they can't tell you unless you ask. And most advisors never ask the right questions at the right time. In this conversation, Julie walks through her Experience Innovation Framework, the evolution from efficient to engaging to enduring client experiences. You'll learn why the data you're drowning in isn't the data you actually need, and how to capture real-time insights about how clients are thinking and feeling at critical moments in their journey. We talk about the psychological barrier that keeps advisors from asking for feedback (hint: it's fear dressed up as "people are over-surveyed"), the difference between transactional questions and transformational ones, and why asking about life goals in an onboarding form doesn't cut it anymore. Julie shares practical starting points, whether you're a solo advisor or building a team. The framework isn't about doing everything at once. It's about knowing where you are and what comes next. Start with one or two key touchpoints. Mix a few simple questions. Position it as what's in it for the client, not what's in it for you. And here's the kicker: just asking for feedback can increase referrals. Not because you did anything with it yet, just because you asked. If you're ready to move beyond checking the boxes and start building experiences that actually deepen relationships and accelerate growth, this one's for you. RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATION Connect with Julie Littlechild Website: AbsoluteEngagement.comLinkedIn: Julie LittlechildBlog: Subscribe at AbsoluteEngagement.com for research and insights  Connect with Host Ashley Quamme Podcast Website: PlanningAndBeyond.comLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme Beyond the Plan®: BeyondTheFP.comYouTube Channel: @BeyondthePlanSolutions

    40 min

  7. JAN 1

    40. The Five Core Domains That Transform Client Experiences with Dr. Meghaan Lurtz

    Text us to share what you found helpful! You know the feeling. A couple walks into your office and you ask about their goals. They say "security" and "freedom" in the same breath, and you're thinking... aren't those kind of opposites? Or a client tells you they value family connection, but their calendar tells a completely different story. These moments highlight something we don't talk about enough in financial planning: we're not just managing money, we're creating experiences around what matters most. Dr. Meghaan Lurtz returns to Planning & Beyond® for a special conversation about the work we've been doing behind the scenes at Beyond the Plan®. Instead of a traditional interview, Meg and I are pulling back the curtain on something we're calling the Five Core Domains framework: security and freedom, connection and relationship, growth and discovery, health and vitality, and impact and legacy. Here's what makes this different from other values-based approaches you've heard about. These domains aren't just conversation starters or discovery questions. They're the foundation for creating actual experiences with your clients. Because here's the thing advisors keep asking us: "Yeah, I get that I should talk about values, but what does that actually look like? How do I make that a thing?" That's exactly what we're addressing. Through this framework, you'll understand why security and freedom live in constant tension (and why that's not a problem to solve), how to spot when clients are seeking connection versus just checking boxes, and what it means to facilitate growth rather than just deliver advice. Meg brings her research expertise and I bring the therapeutic lens to break down how these domains show up in real client conversations. We're also sharing what's coming in 2026: client-facing tools that do the heavy lifting for you. Think structured experiences your clients can engage with before they come back to you, so you can spend your time facilitating meaning rather than extracting information. We're talking about things like guided money conversations for couples, values exercises that go deeper than typical discovery, and frameworks that help clients connect their daily decisions to what they say matters most. If you've ever felt like financial planning should be about more than optimizing portfolios and running projections, this conversation will give you language and structure for what you've been sensing all along. Listen in to discover how these five domains can transform the way you think about client relationships and the experiences you create in your practice. RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATION Connect with Dr. Meghaan Lurtz: Substack: Less Lonely Money (monthly articles on money, relationships, and feelings)Free version: Public articles exploring financial psychology conceptsPaid version (for advisors): Includes client-facing newsletters, meeting flows, and discussion guidesLinkedIn: Dr. Meghaan LurtzWebsite: Beyond the Plan® - www.beyondthefp.com Connect with Host Ashley Quamme: Podcast Website: PlanningAndBeyond.comLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme Beyond the Plan®: www.beyondthefp.com Monthly Newsletter: Subscribe at BeyondTheFP.comYouTube: @BeyondthePlanSolutions

    52 min

  8. 12/18/2025

    39. Case Consultation: How Financial Advisors Can Support Clients Through Unexpected Setbacks with Jim Grace

    Text us to share what you found helpful! What happens when a client couple who's made remarkable progress hits an unexpected setback? In this real-time case consultation, financial planner Jim Grace and I work through exactly this scenario - a couple who went from financial stress to thriving, only to face a sudden income loss that threatens to derail their momentum. This isn't your typical podcast episode. You're getting a behind-the-scenes look at actual case consultation work between an advisor and financial behavior specialist. We explore what happens emotionally when clients regress to old patterns during stress, how advisors can navigate their own surprise and uncertainty in difficult moments, and practical strategies for helping couples get back on track without falling into old defensive cycles. If you've ever felt caught off guard by a client's sudden change in circumstances, or wondered how to address the emotional weight of setbacks without overstepping your role, this conversation gives you concrete tools. We discuss the power of "jumping into the well" with clients rather than just pointing to the ladder, recognizing when shame might be at play (and where your boundaries are), and helping couples remember they already have the blueprint for moving forward - they've done it before. Whether you work with a financial behavior specialist or not, you'll walk away with actionable approaches for your next challenging client meeting. Resources and Guest Information: Connect with Jim Grace: Website: modernfinancialwellness.comLinkedIn: Jim GraceInstagram: @modernfinancialwellnessPodcast: Modern Financial WellnessMentioned in this episode: Brené Brown's "Empathy vs. Sympathy" video on YouTubeBeyond the Plan® services for advisors Connect with Host Ashley Quamme: Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond®LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration servicesNewsletter: Monthly insights on the human side of planning at beyondthefp.com

    34 min
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5
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

Planning & Beyond® transforms how financial advisors approach client relationships by bridging psychological insights with practical planning strategies. Hosted by Ashley Quamme, a licensed therapist and financial behavior specialist, each episode delivers actionable techniques you can implement in your next client meeting. Unlike traditional financial planning podcasts that focus primarily on technical aspects, Planning & Beyond® explores the behavioral and psychological elements that shape client relationships. Through in-depth conversations with leading experts in behavioral finance, financial psychology, and financial therapy, you'll gain evidence-based strategies to navigate emotional client situations, build lasting trust, and create more meaningful relationships. Whether you're preparing for discovery meetings, helping clients through major life transitions, or looking to deepen client connections, you'll walk away from each episode with practical tools and confident approaches to enhance your practice. Join a community of advisors who understand that exceptional financial planning goes beyond the numbers. Topics include: Mastering discovery and prospect meetingsNavigating difficult money conversationsUnderstanding client psychologyBuilding trust and deepening relationshipsManaging emotional client situationsEnhancing communication skillsDeveloping behavioral finance strategiesSupporting clients through life transitions New episodes release bi-weekly. Subscribe now to transform how you connect with clients.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Quamme
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Planning & Beyond®
  • Show Website
    Planning & Beyond®

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