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. 21H AGO

    48. Financial Anxiety vs. Financial Stress: How Advisors Can Help Clients Move Past Decision Paralysis | Dr. Kristy Archuleta

    Text us to share what you found helpful! You've shown your client the numbers. Multiple times. The plan works, they can afford the house, they have enough to retire, the math is on their side. And yet they keep circling back to the same question, the same hesitation, the same "I just don't know." Sound familiar? In this episode, Ashley sits down with Dr. Kristy Archuleta, Professor at the University of Georgia and one of the leading researchers on financial anxiety, to unpack what's actually happening with clients who can't seem to move forward, even when the plan says they can. Kristy walks through the critical (and often missed) distinction between financial stress and financial anxiety, and why it matters for how advisors show up. Stress is a reaction to a specific stressor that resolves when the situation does. Financial anxiety is persistent worry that lingers after the decision is made, shapes how clients engage with every recommendation, and begins to impact their relationships and daily functioning. Ashley and Kristy also explore one of the most overlooked dynamics in retirement planning: the "Do I have enough?" question that may not actually be about the money. Sometimes it's grief. Sometimes it's identity loss. Sometimes it's both. Understanding that difference changes everything about how you respond. You'll walk away with: A clear framework for distinguishing financial stress from financial anxiety in client meetingsWhy financially anxious clients often look the most "put together" (and why that makes them harder to help)The tiny-steps-and-experiments approach for clients stuck in decision paralysisCollaborative question examples you can use in your very next meetingAshley's Vision-Reality-Plan framework for walking clients through stuck pointsClear guidance on when and how to bring in a financial therapist or mental health professionalThis is a conversation for any advisor who has ever sat across from a client and thought: The numbers work. So why aren't they moving? Because, as Kristy says, numbers don't show up on paper because they just showed up. They show up because of how someone thinks, feels, does, and relates. When you understand that, you stop trying to solve with more data, and start helping clients actually move. RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATION About the Guest Dr. Kristy Archuleta is a Professor of Financial Planning at the University of Georgia, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and one of the pioneering researchers in the field of financial therapy. She co-developed one of the most widely used financial anxiety measures and has spent her career helping advisors, therapists, and researchers understand the psychological dimensions of money. Kristy also speaks and consults through the Behavioral Keynote Group. Connect with Kristy: University of Georgia (Financial Planning Program): fcs.uga.eduLinkedIn: Dr. Kristy ArchuletaBehavioral Keynote Group: For speaking engagements and keynote bookingsUGA Graduate Program: Behavioral Financial Planning and Financial Therapy graduate certificate (fully online) and master's track with experiential pro bono component Connect with Host Ashley Quamme: Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond®LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration servicesMonthly Newsletter: Subscribe at BeyondTheFP.comAdvisor Foundations Com

    51 min

  2. APR 9

    47. The Sabbatical Conversation: What Financial Advisors Need to Know About Work Breaks and Client Wellbeing with Cady North

    Text us to share what you found helpful! You've run the numbers. The client can absolutely afford to take time off. And yet they won't. Or they want to, but they're terrified. Or they've mentioned burnout in every meeting for the last two years and still can't pull the trigger. Sabbaticals are showing up more and more in client conversations, and most advisors don't have a roadmap for navigating them. Not just the financial piece, but the human piece — the identity questions, the resistance, the fear of what comes next, and the return to work on the other side. In this episode, I'm joined by Cady North, financial advisor and author of The Art of the Sabbatical, who has built an entire area of her practice around helping clients plan for and navigate intentional work breaks. Cady brings both the planning expertise and a deeply personal experience with sabbatical, which makes her perspective incredibly grounded and real. We cover what a sabbatical actually is (it's not just for academics or people eating, praying, and loving their way around the world), why identity is often the biggest obstacle — not money — and what advisors can do to create space for clients to explore this without projecting their own fears onto the conversation. One insight that really stuck with me: most sabbaticals are completely unplanned. They start with burnout or a layoff, not a spreadsheet. That means your clients may already be in one without having prepared for it, and knowing how to support them in that moment is where advisors can offer something truly unique. You'll also hear about the "runway" framework Cady uses with clients actively in a sabbatical, how to recognize the signs that it might be time to bring this up, and what planning for return to work actually looks like — including how advisors can help clients negotiate their way back in stronger than before. RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATION About Cady North Cady North is a financial advisor, solo practice owner of North Financial Advisors, and the author of The Art of the Sabbatical. With over a decade of experience in financial planning, Cady has developed a specialty in helping clients navigate intentional work breaks — from the financial logistics to the mindset shifts that make them possible. Connect with Cady North: Website: cadynorth.com (Note: spelled C-A-D-Y N-O-R-T-H)LinkedIn: Cady NorthBook: The Art of the Sabbatical — available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold (print, ebook, and audiobook) Connect with Host Ashley Quamme: Podcast Website: PlanningAndBeyond.comLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme — Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: BeyondTheFP.comMonthly Newsletter: Subscribe at BeyondTheFP.com

    42 min

  3. 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

  4. 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®: Bey

    47 min

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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
See All (48)

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
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Planning & Beyond®
  • Show Website
    Planning & Beyond®

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