The Indie Advisor tru Independence

As the next generation of leaders takes the reins of businesses and organizations, they have to be prepared for the challenges ahead. Though they tend to have different values and priorities than their predecessors, what can they do to become successful leaders in their organizations?
In this episode, Craig talks with Laurie Nichols, Succession Planning and NextGen Development Coach at Laurie Nichols Coaching and Consulting. With more than 30 years of experience in financial services and as a Certified Professional Coach, Laurie helps owners create and communicate their vision to nextgen professionals and motivate their successors to feel confident in their role and the future of the business.
Laurie talks with Craig about what motivates her to practice coaching, how founders can prepare for business and leadership transitions, and what the key components are for developing nextgen advisors.

Key Takeaways

[03:11] - What motivates Laurie to practice coaching.

[08:09] - What makes people want to reach out to Laurie.

[10:39] - Laurie's perspective on nextgen successors taking over the firm.

[14:24] - How founders can prepare for business and leadership transitions.

[19:08] - The dynamics of adapting old-school business strategies to new technologies.

[22:07] - Key components for developing nextgen advisors.

[26:34] - How Laurie helps owners and nextgen leaders align their visions.


Quotes
[13:21] - "Communication, engagement, and professional development are what it takes to have a win for the owners, a win for the nextgen successor in the team, and a win for clients." - Laurie Nichols
[23:04] - "No matter what your title is today, you start being the leader. It doesn't mean that you’re the boss, you get final decisions on anything in particular, but it's how you show up." - Laurie Nichols
[23:34] - "Developing your skills in communicating with intention around your needs helps to break the pattern of ‘conflict avoidance’ because candor is not conflict." - Laurie Nichols

Links 

Laurie Nichols on LinkedIn

Laurie Nichols

Bank of America


Connect with our hosts

Craig Stuvland

tru Independence


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Interested in going independent?
Are you interested in going independent, or increasing your independence? Is the process of trying to do it all by yourself overwhelming? tru Independence has the solution. Between our flexible tech stack, growth-oriented services, and a dedicated compliance team that stands in your corner - partnering with tru gives you what you need to efficiently achieve your dream of independence. Stop worrying about what's holding you back. Talk with tru today. Visit tru-ind.com. 

Today's rapidly changing business landscape necessitates speed and agility — a lone wolf can no longer survive. The most successful businesses are the ones that have the right team in place. Of course, not every business has the luxury of hiring employees with all of the required skills. 
In this episode, Craig talks with Craig Butler, Chief Growth Officer and Managing Partner at tru Independence. With nearly three decades of working directly with advisors, Craig has developed extensive knowledge and expertise around how to optimize business performance and enterprise value. Craig is currently engaged in multiple professional roles at tru, including business strategy, innovation, and business development. He is the architect of the tru Advantage practice management program designed to help advisors transform their financial practices into high-performing businesses.
A Certified Birkman Consultant and a Certified Journey Business Coach, Craig talks about his best practices for coaching business teams, the importance of delegation to business growth, and the mindset advisors must have before going independent.
 
Key Takeaways

[01:41] - Craig's rich history in wealth management.

[02:54] - Why Craig is passionate about working with independent RIAs.

[04:14] - Craig’s best practices for coaching business teams.

[06:56] - How advisors can build the best client experience.

[09:58] - How the pandemic has affected client experiences in advisory firms.

[11:50] - The importance of delegation in business growth.

[18:11] - What drives wirehouse financial advisors to become independent.

[21:44] - How Craig provides value to independent advisors.

[24:47] - The mindset advisors should have before going independent.

[30:27] - Craig's favorite authors and mentors.


Quotes
[05:46] - "I think understanding the unique personality of everybody on a team is important to understand the organizational strengths. What they bring to the table needs to be leveraged appropriately and understanding what motivates and drives them." - Craig Butler
[06:38] - "I'm a big believer that you can't have a great business unless you have a great team. I've never seen a great business that doesn't have a great team to support it." - Craig Butler
[15:04] - "People think they're going to save money by trying to do all the other kinds of things on their own without hiring the right staff. But ultimately, the opportunity costs are very high in a scenario like that." - Craig Butler

Links 

Craig Butler on LinkedIn


Craig Butler Email 

Craig Butler mobile number: 770 656 7212

The Birkman Method

Richard Branson

The Virgin Group | Virgin

The Heart of Mentoring


Connect with our hosts

Craig Stuvland

tru Independence


Subscribe and stay in touch

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TheIndieAdvisor.com


Interested in going independent?
Are you interested in going independent, or increasing your independence? Is the process of trying to do it all by yourself overwhelming? tru Independence has the solution. Between our flexible tech stack, growth-oriented services, and a dedicated compliance team that stands in your corner - partnering with tru gives you what you need to efficiently achieve your dream of independence. Stop worrying about what’s holding you back. Talk with tru today. Visit tru-ind.com.

Creating an independent advisory business can be a great way to break into the industry and provide clients with personalized services. It is, however, a complex process that requires a number of legal decisions, especially when starting from scratch.
In today’s episode, Craig talks with John Davis, Attorney and Partner at Lynch Conger McLane. In his role, John helps people start businesses, run them effectively, and pass them on to the next generation. As a result of his achievements in legal practice and recognition from peers, he was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2014-2018.
John talks with Craig about the three important things to keep in mind when going independent, what advisors need to know when deciding on the firm structure, as well as specifics on how to protect the business.

Key Takeaways

[01:41] - Three things to keep in mind when going independent.

[06:26] - Who owns the enterprise value

[08:04] - What advisors need to know when deciding on the firm structure.

[13:56] - What individuals and teams need to consider when naming their organizations.

[19:22] - The general rules of thumb for growing a business.

[23:14] - The other nitty-gritty parts of going independent.

[29:19] - How much time does it take to prepare and launch an advisory business?

[31:56] - A range of expected costs for setting up a new company.

[34:59] - John's advice for anyone interested in going independent.


Quotes
[13:07] - "It's really almost impossible for the CPA and the lawyer to tell what's the right entity decision until the advisor knows the answer to the first three questions—how are we going to pay ourselves, who controls what, and who owns the value of the business?" - John Davis
[18:27] - "It's worth picking a name that doesn't have a conflict. And then from the get-go, seeking federal trademark registration." - John Davis
[21:55] - "CPAs often are your best friend. As a team, have a great relationship with a CPA and regularly review your tax situation. Sometimes you can just see your CPA as a tax preparer but you can ask them to be a business advisor." - John Davis

Links 

John Davis on LinkedIn

Lynch Murphy McLane


Connect with our hosts

Craig Stuvland

tru Independence


Subscribe and stay in touch

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TheIndieAdvisor.com


Interested in going independent?
Are you interested in going independent, or increasing your independence? Is the process of trying to do it all by yourself overwhelming? tru Independence has the solution. Between our flexible tech stack, growth-oriented services, and a dedicated compliance team that stands in your corner - partnering with tru gives you what you need to efficiently achieve your dream of independence. Stop worrying about what’s holding you back. Talk with tru today. Visit tru-ind.com. 

Financial advisors have a fiduciary responsibility to their clients to manage their money in the best way possible. This means looking into all aspects of wealth management, from choosing the right investment vehicles to asset allocation and diversification. With the wealth management industry constantly evolving, how can advisors stay on top of emerging trends and developments?
In today’s episode, Craig talks with Gavin Spitzner, Founder and President of Wealth Consulting Partners. Following a successful 25-year career in the financial services advisory and wealthtech space, Gavin launched Wealth Consulting Partners in 2015 with a mission to help forward-looking wealth management organizations and the providers that serve them transform, evolve, and achieve their unique business goals.
Gavin talks with Craig about how wealth management has evolved over the years, and what advisors need to pay attention to when it comes to investments, technology, outsourcing, and alternative investments.

Key Takeaways

[02:01] - What led Gavin to form Wealth Consulting Partners.

[06:42] - How wealth management has evolved over the years.

[09:53] - Gavin's advice for financial advisors and planners.

[12:58] - A few top technology providers that every advisory firm should look into.

[16:48] - What advisors need to pay attention to when it comes to investments.

[21:22] - Gavin's thoughts on crypto investing.

[25:59] - Why outsourcing is a great way to grow a business.

[28:10] - What the future holds for M&A.

[32:21] - How RIAs can best represent buyers or sellers.


Quotes
[21:44] - "85% of millennial millionaires have 50% or more of their worth in crypto, which is an amazing stat. But whether you believe in it or not as an asset class, you can't hide your head in the sand. For some, whether you believe in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies themselves, blockchain itself is probably the clearest winner, no matter what ends up happening." - Gavin Spitzner
[26:22] - "There's so much to do to run the business, grow the business, and manage the business. You have to be selective. You have to decide. And the good news is there's more options than ever before to outsource things and be able to keep the things that matter to you." - Gavin Spitzner
[36:00] - "We need more people in this business with high EQ, with humanities backgrounds, other backgrounds, not necessarily just everybody coming out of college with a finance degree. We need to diversify.” - Gavin Spitzner

Links 

Gavin Spitzner on LinkedIn

Gavin Spitzner Email

Wealth Consulting Partners

PGIM

Envestnet

Lumiant

Bento Engine


Connect with our hosts

Craig Stuvland

tru Independence


Subscribe and stay in touch

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TheIndieAdvisor.com


Interested in going independent?
Are you interested in going independent, or increasing your independence? Is the process of trying to do it all by yourself overwhelming? tru Independence has the solution. Between our flexible tech stack, growth-oriented services, and a dedicated compliance team that stands in your corner - partnering with tru gives you what you need to efficiently achieve your dream of independence. Stop worrying about what’s holding you back. Talk with tru today. Visit tru-ind.com. 

Public relations professionals have long understood the importance of building relationships with key members of the media. But in the social media age, where news breaks online and stakeholders can communicate directly with brands, it’s more important than ever to have a comprehensive social media strategy in place. When done correctly, social media can be a powerful public relations tool that helps build relationships with key journalists, connect with potential customers and clients, and establish a strong online presence.
In today’s episode, Craig talks with Jason Lahita, Founding Partner of StreetCred PR and Jimmy Moock, Managing Partner of StreetCred PR. Together, they have more than 40 years of financial PR experience. At StreetCred PR, the culture is one of collaboration, education, and continuous improvement on the part of every PR practitioner, all in an effort to deliver their clients outstanding results.
Jason and Jimmy talk with Craig about the role public relations plays in the marketing ecosystem, what it means to “play to win” at StreetCred, and what social media can do for public relations.

Key Takeaways

[02:51] - The vision behind StreetCred.

[04:57] - What attracted Jimmy to the financial services industry.

[07:08] - How Jason and Jimmy value their relationships with the media.

[10:49] - What it means to “play to win” at StreetCred.

[14:15] - When is the right time to hire a PR firm?

[16:40] - How to play the PR game.

[22:58] - How media and public relations have evolved over time.

[24:02] - What social media can do for public relations.

[25:23] - The advice that Jason and Jimmy give to advisory firms.

[29:47] - Books, podcasts, and mentors that have profoundly influenced Jimmy’s and Jason's careers and personal lives.


Quotes
[17:21] - "Every firm leader or every C-suite executive has gotten to where she or he is because of hard work and they've got brains. But when you're entering into something new, like being interviewed, whether it's on camera, whether it's via audio or just a phone interview, you need to be able to make sure that you are approaching it thoughtfully and you are as prepared as possible. And sometimes that is going to take a high degree or at least some coaching." - Jimmy Moock 
[25:48] - "Don't turn your nose up to social media, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and all the other platforms where you can really amplify your message and where future generations of your own clients will expect you to be present. You don't have to be the best Instagrammer or Tweeter or LinkedIn user or Facebooker in the world, but you do have to have a legitimate presence there." - Jason Lahita

Links 

Jason Lahita on LinkedIn

Jimmy Moock on Linkedin

Jason Lahita Email

Jimmy Moock Email

StreetCred PR

StreetCred PR on Twitter

Gregory FCA

General Electric

Sony Corporation

Panasonic Global

AT&T

Joe Duran

FiComm Partners

Amit Dogra

Our Thing with Sammy The Bull

Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations


Connect with our hosts

Craig Stuvland

tru Independence


Subscribe and stay in touch

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TheIndieAdvisor.com


Interested in going independent?
Are you interested in going independent, or increasing your independence? Is the process of trying to do it all by yourself overwhelming? tru Independence has the solution. Between our flexible tech stack, growth-oriented services, and a dedicated compliance team that stands in your corner - partnering with tru gives you what you need to efficiently achieve your dream of independence. Stop worrying about what’s holding you back. Talk with tru today. Visit tru-ind.com. 

Compliance is more than just following rules; it's about managing risks. Compliance protects businesses and customers alike. The ability to adhere to regulations can mean the difference between staying in business and going out of business. As compliance is an ever-evolving and complex field, how can institutions and independent financial advisors adapt their strategies to keep up with changing regulations?
In today’s episode, Craig talks with Stacy Sizemore, Chief Compliance Officer at tru Independence. Stacy has more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry, 12 of which have been in the field of compliance. Her strong background in compliance, regulatory audits, and passion for organization are tremendous assets to tru Independence.
Stacy talks with Craig about the roadmap to achieving compliance, what advisors need to know about SEC audits, and the list of new rules that the SEC will be implementing in the coming months.

Key Takeaways

[03:57] - How Stacy helps advisors navigate compliance when going independent.

[05:58] - The roadmap for achieving compliance.

[10:01] - How FINRA differs from the SEC.

[12:06] - Some differences between an independent fiduciary environment and a regulated one.

[13:09] - ADVs and how they must be updated.

[18:11] - The role technology plays in compliance.

[19:32] - What advisors need to know about SEC audits.

[23:44] - What cyber security has to do with compliance.

[24:51] - New rules the SEC will be implementing in the coming months.

[30:52] - One of the biggest lessons Stacy has learned from her mentors.


Quotes
[05:36] - "When you (advisors) are leaving one of those big wirehouses, you have this big fear of 'What don't I know, what do I know, what do I need, and how do I protect myself?' because you're walking out of one comfy little place." - Stacy Sizemore
[12:19] - "When you're at a wirehouse, they're having to make their policies based on a large amount of individuals. When you're with an RIA, your own RIA, you make the rules. You're in an independent space, you have to make the decisions." - Stacy Sizemore
[20:16] - "Fearing the SEC, fearing an audit—it's not as bad and daunting as somebody would think. Again, what the SEC is doing is trying to protect the clients, the public." - Stacy Sizemore

Links 

Stacy Sizemore on LinkedIn

D.A. Davidson

M Financial Group

Keybridge Research

Paul Dalton

Smith Barney (now Morgan Stanley)


Connect with our hosts

Craig Stuvland

tru Independence


Subscribe and stay in touch

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

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TheIndieAdvisor.com


Interested in going independent?
Are you interested in going independent or increasing your independence? Is the process of trying to do it all by yourself overwhelming? tru Independence has the solution. Between our flexible tech stack, growth-oriented services, and a dedicated compliance team that stands in your corner - partnering with tru gives you what you need to efficiently achieve your dream of independence. Stop worrying about what’s holding you back. Talk with tru today. Visit tru-ind.com.