The Influential Advisor Podcast

Paul G. McManus and Gabe McManus
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Bimonthly

The Authority Marketing Platform for Financial Advisors. Built for advisors who want to be known for what they're already great at.Influential Advisor Media helps financial advisors build visibility, attract better clients, and grow through authority rather than cold outreach. If you've spent years developing real expertise and you're frustrated that the right people don't know you exist, this podcast is for you.Influential Advisor Media was founded by Paul G. McManus, host of The Influential Advisor Podcast and creator of The Authority Operating System. Our team has worked with more than 500 financial advisors and helped them generate over $100 million in results through authority marketing. Subscribe if you're a financial advisor who is done being the best-kept secret in your market. Learn more at influentialadvisor.com

  1. 3d ago

    115: Marcus Ranger | Top 50 Most Innovative Voices In Advisor Growth Series | Influential Advisor Media

    What separates financial advisors who consistently grow from those who stay stuck? Marcus Ranger, who leads a business unit of more than 1,200 independent financial advisors, shares the marketing strategies, systems, and mindset shifts he sees driving advisor growth. In this episode of The Influential Advisor Podcast and our Top 50 Most Innovative Voices in Advisor Growth series, Marcus joins Paul G. McManus to discuss why financial advisors are in the marketing business first—and how the best advisors build intentional systems for attracting ideal-fit clients, generating referrals, creating authority, and growing their practices. You’ll learn why niching down can accelerate financial advisor growth without forcing you to turn away opportunities, how to build a client experience people naturally want to refer, and why giving clients valuable information to share may be more effective than simply asking for referrals. Marcus also explains how financial advisors can: • Build repeatable marketing systems instead of relying on random tactics • Choose a niche and become the go-to advisor for a specific audience • Use books, podcasts, video, and content to build authority • Create a systematic approach to generating more client referrals • Reward referral behavior in a meaningful and repeatable way • Identify centers of influence beyond CPAs and attorneys • Build a differentiated client experience • Think like a media company in the age of Google, ChatGPT, and AI search • Use client testimonials and social proof more effectively • Build internal and external marketing strategies that work together • Stop becoming the bottleneck in your own growth One of Marcus’s most powerful ideas is that an advisor’s real product isn’t simply a portfolio or financial plan—it’s the client experience. And when that experience is combined with a clear niche, strong positioning, valuable content, and an intentional marketing system, advisors can create a business that attracts more of the clients they most want to serve. ABOUT MARCUS RANGER Marcus Ranger is an experienced financial services executive, advisor, coach, and business leader who leads a business unit of more than 1,200 independent financial advisors across 10 western states. After building a successful advisory practice, Marcus transitioned into executive leadership with a focus on helping financial advisors build stronger businesses, develop scalable systems, improve their marketing, and multiply their results. Connect with Marcus Ranger on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-ranger-9050702/ ABOUT INFLUENTIAL ADVISOR MEDIA The Influential Advisor Podcast, hosted by Paul G. McManus, features conversations with leading voices shaping the future of financial advisor growth, marketing, authority, media, and business development. Subscribe for more strategies on financial advisor marketing, authority building, books, referrals, AI search visibility, advisor growth, and building a more influential advisory business. https://podcast.influentialadvisor.com/ https://influentialadvisor.com/ Support the show

  2. Jun 30

    114: John Pavelka on The Power of WHY — Aligning Your Wealth with What Actually Matters

    A client came in with statements from more than ten different financial institutions. Her parents had passed away within six months of each other. The paperwork took nearly a year to sort through — and she later told John she never had the proper time to grieve because she was so buried in the chaos they left behind. That story drives everything about how John Pavelka runs his practice. After nearly 30 years in financial services, John has built a model around one question most advisors never ask deeply enough: What's important to you — and why? In this episode, John shares the frameworks, client stories, and hard-won lessons behind his book The Power of WHY: Transforming Your Life and Your Wealth. Gabe and John cover the difference between building wealth and giving it purpose, the emotional traps that derail even sophisticated investors, and why the flip from saver to spender is one of the hardest transitions a client makes — and how John helps them make it. About John Pavelka John Pavelka, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CEPA®, is the Managing Partner of The Cities Private Wealth Group, a private wealth advisory practice affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services in Bettendorf, Iowa. With nearly 30 years of experience in financial services, John leads a 15-person team that manages close to $700 million in assets. His team has been recognized on the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list from 2023 through 2025. He is the author of The Power of WHY: Transforming Your Life and Your Wealth. What We Cover Why the firm's guiding question — "What's important to you?" — goes far deeper than it sounds, and how John keeps peeling back the layers until he reaches the why behind the whatThe four-bucket strategy John uses to give every dollar a specific role — and the story of a client who walked into a meeting worried about a roof, a wedding, and a 20% market drop, and walked out hugging himWhy successful people so often feel disconnected from their wealth — and what John calls the "brother-in-law syndrome" that quietly derails even savvy investorsThe emotional wall between saving and spending in retirement, and why some clients need literal permission to book the trip or fly first classWhy John calls estate planning "an act of love" — and the statistic that 34% of millionaires don't have a willHow proactive tax planning (not just annual returns) saved one client over a million dollars in taxes his daughter would otherwise have inheritedResources Mentioned Book: The Power of WHY: Transforming Your Life and Your Wealth by John PavelkaConnect with John Pavelka Book Website: thepowerofwhybook.comFirm website: tcpwg.comEmail: team@tcpwg.com Support the show

  3. Jun 25

    113: Rise. Rule. Repeat. — The Championship Framework That Changes When You Win with Matt Knoll

    Matt Knoll walked into Baylor in 1997 and told the local paper his goal was to win a national championship. The reporter laughed out loud. At the time, that reaction was fair. The program hadn't won a conference match in eight years. The courts were slanted. There was no bathroom, no equipment room, no stands. Twenty-two seasons later, Knoll left with a 510-150 record, 13 Big 12 titles, and Baylor's first team national championship. The hard part wasn't getting there. It was learning that the way he led to get there would stop working once they arrived. In this episode, Matt joins Gabe McManus to break down his three-phase framework, Rise, Rule, and Repeat, and explain why the leadership that carries a team from nothing to something can quietly undermine a team already capable of winning it all. He shares the moments in his career where he got it wrong, how he figured out what needed to change, and what he now brings to coaches and business leaders who are trying to push through their own ceilings. About Matt Knoll Matt Knoll served as Director of Men's Tennis at Baylor University for 22 seasons, retiring in 2018 with a career record of 510-150. Under his leadership, Baylor won 13 Big 12 Conference regular season titles, eight Big 12 Tournament championships, and the 2004 NCAA National Championship. A three-time National Coach of the Year and six-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, Matt was inducted into the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. He now works as a leadership consultant and coach and is the author of Rise. Rule. Repeat.: The Champion's Framework for Building and Sustaining Elite Teams. What We Cover Why Matt saw opportunity in eight slanted courts and no bathroom when nobody else did, and how he framed that vision to recruits from day oneHow he raised over $22 million by connecting donors to a community vision before the program had earned any national recognitionThe "Leadership Gremlins" concept and the season Matt's own coaching nearly cost his team a championship from the inside outWhat championship coaches across football, swimming, and wrestling taught him about when to push and when to let goThe PPH framework (Professionalism, Pride, Heart) and why his team kept it a secret while ranked number one in the countryHow to know which phase your team or business is actually in, and why misreading it is the most common leadership mistakeResources Mentioned Book: Rise. Rule. Repeat.: The Champion's Framework for Building and Sustaining Elite Teams by Matt KnollConnect with Matt Knoll Email: matt@mattcanola.comLinkedIn: Matt KnollSupport the show

  4. Jun 24

    112: Brandon Hayes on You're Not Alone: His CFP Guide to Walking Widows Through Grief and Finance

    She had a million dollars in her account and she was convinced she'd lose her house by the end of the month. That's not a financial problem. That's grief lying. And if you don't know how to recognize it, you'll either rush your client into decisions she'll regret, or lose her trust entirely. Episode Summary In this episode, Brandon L. Hayes, CFP, founder of Compass Financial Group and author of You're Not Alone, shares what 26 years of working almost exclusively with widows has taught him about grief and financial decision-making. Brandon's perspective is personal: he lost his father at 13 and watched a trusted advisor help his family stay financially whole. That experience became a calling. He breaks down why the traditional planning process doesn't fit widows, what grief lies look like in practice, which financial landmines to watch for in the first months after a loss, and how advisors and adult children can support without taking over. This is essential listening for any advisor who works with clients navigating the widow transition. About Brandon L. Hayes Brandon L. Hayes, CFP, is the founder of Compass Financial Group in Evansville, Indiana, where he has specialized in working with widows for over 26 years. His calling began at age 13 when his father passed away, and he witnessed firsthand the stabilizing impact a trusted financial advisor had on his family. Brandon is the author of You're Not Alone, a guide he describes as a ministry and a mission: walking widows through the financial decisions that can't wait and the ones that can, in plain language. The financial advisor who helped his mother through that season is now Brandon's own client. What We Cover Why the financial planning process, with its timelines and checklists, is structurally incompatible with grief, and what advisors can do insteadThe concept of grief lies and why even high-net-worth clients can believe they're about to go brokeThe only things that actually need to happen in the first days after a spouse dies, and why everything else can waitRiver widows vs. root widows: two grief patterns that determine how quickly clients make decisionsHow to uncover hidden benefits including accidental death policies, club memberships, and digital accounts that can add thousands or hundreds of thousands to a settlementHow adult children can cross the line from helpful to harmful, and what healthy family support actually looks likeThe organized crime schemes targeting widows, including a scam that ended with criminals physically walking off a porch with $150,000 in goldResources Mentioned You're Not Alone by Brandon L. Hayes: Amazonynabook.com, Brandon's book website with free resources and chapter overviewConnect with Brandon Hayes Website: www.ynabook.comEmail: brandon@ynabook.comPhone: 800-967-5250Firm: Compass Financial Group, Evansville, IndianaSupport the show

  5. Jun 19

    111: How Financial Advisors Get Found in AI Search with Online Reviews | Brian Thorp | Wealthtender

    How can financial advisors get found in AI search, build trust faster, and use online reviews in a compliant way? In Episode 111 of The Influential Advisor Podcast, Paul G. McManus interviews Brian Thorp, Founder and CEO of Wealthtender, about one of the biggest opportunities in advisor marketing today: compliant online reviews as a trust signal for Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and other AI-powered search tools. Financial advisors have always relied on referrals, reputation, and trust. But today, before a prospect reaches out, they are often searching online, reading reviews, asking AI tools who to consider, and comparing advisors before the first conversation ever happens. That means your digital reputation matters. In this episode, Paul and Brian discuss how financial advisors can use compliant online reviews, third-party credibility, Google visibility, and AI search optimization to help prospects make a more informed decision about whether you may be the right advisor for them. You’ll learn: How financial advisors can get found in AI searchWhy online reviews are becoming a major trust signalHow compliant reviews differ from traditional Google reviewsWhat the SEC Marketing Rule changed for testimonials and reviewsWhy ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and other AI tools may use reviews to summarize reputationHow reviews can support SEO, AEO, and GEO for financial advisorsWhy “stars” matter, but client stories matter even moreHow advisors can ask for reviews without cherry-pickingHow reviews can help independent advisors compete against larger firmsWhy advisor-level reviews may matter as much as firm-level reviewsHow niche advisors can use reviews to strengthen local and specialized visibilityWhy a book, a website, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, and reviews all work together as authority signals This conversation is especially relevant for independent financial advisors, RIAs, wealth management firms, advisor marketing teams, and practice leaders who want to understand how trust is built in the age of AI search. If you are a financial advisor wondering how to show up when someone asks ChatGPT, “Who is the best financial advisor for me?” this episode will help you think through the credibility signals that matter. Learn more about Influential Advisor Media: https://influentialadvisor.com/ Learn more about Wealthtender: https://wealthtender.com/ COMMON QUESTIONS ANSWERED Can financial advisors use online reviews? How can advisors ask clients for reviews compliantly? Do financial advisor reviews help with SEO? Can online reviews help advisors show up in ChatGPT? What is the difference between Google reviews and Wealthtender reviews? How do testimonials work under the SEC Marketing Rule? How many reviews does a financial advisor need? Why do online reviews matter for financial advisor referrals? How can advisors build trust before the first meeting? How can financial advisors improve AI search visibility? #FinancialAdvisorMarketing #FinancialAdvisorReviews #AIsearch #Wealthtender #AuthorityMarketing #FinancialAdvisors #RIAmarketing #AdvisorSEO #AEO #GEO #TheInfluentialAdvisor Support the show

  6. Jun 12

    110: Sharpen Your Message: Guest Podcast Preparation for Financial Professionals with Gabe McManus

    How can financial advisors use podcast guesting to build trust, attract ideal clients, and turn their expertise into new business opportunities? In this episode of The Influential Advisor Podcast, Paul G. McManus interviews Gabe McManus about his book, Sharpen Your Message: Guest Podcast Preparation for Financial Professionals. Gabe shares how financial advisors and financial professionals can prepare for podcast interviews, clarify their best stories, and communicate their expertise in a way that builds trust with prospects. Drawing from his background in theater, storytelling, book coaching, and podcast preparation, Gabe explains why the right message can help advisors make the most of every podcast appearance. You’ll learn why writing a book gives financial advisors a stronger foundation for podcast guesting, how to identify your “greatest hits” before an interview, and why preparation does not mean memorizing a script. Instead, it means knowing your best ideas, stories, frameworks, and client transformation examples so you can speak with confidence when the opportunity comes. Paul and Gabe also discuss how podcast guesting creates borrowed trust, why a book can serve as the “ticket in the door” to better speaking and media opportunities, and how sharpening your message can create an identity shift for advisors who want to grow their practice, raise their minimums, scale their team, and become more influential in their market. If you are a financial advisor, wealth manager, or financial professional who wants to use a book, podcast interviews, and authority marketing to attract better-fit clients, this episode will help you understand how to prepare your message before the microphone turns on. Get Gabe McManus’s book, Sharpen Your Message, at: https://influentialadvisor.com/gabe Learn more about Influential Advisor Media: https://influentialadvisor.com Topics covered: Podcast guest preparation for financial advisors How financial advisors can get clients from podcasts How to sharpen your message before a podcast interview Why financial advisors should write a book before guest podcasting How a book builds authority and trust How podcast interviews create borrowed trust How to prepare your greatest hits for interviews Book marketing for financial advisors Authority marketing for financial professionals How financial advisors can use storytelling to attract ideal clients #FinancialAdvisors #PodcastGuesting #BookMarketing #AuthorityMarketing #GabeMcManus #SharpenYourMessage #InfluentialAdvisor #FinancialAdvisorMarketing #WealthManagement #FinancialProfessionals Support the show

  7. Jun 10

    109: The Zero Tax Strategy: Legally Eliminating Taxes with Jeremy Lederer, CPA

    In this episode, Gabe McManus sits down with Jeremy Lederer, CPA and founder of XIT CPA, to explore what separates a tax preparer from a true tax strategist. Jeremy brings more than 16 years of experience working with entrepreneurs, business owners, and high-income professionals to zero (yes, zero) out their federal tax liability using legal, government-backed strategies. From film financing deductions to healthcare software investments, Jeremy breaks down the frameworks he writes about in his book The Zero Tax Strategy. He makes the case that implementation, not information, is the missing ingredient for most people. This is one for any financial advisor whose clients are paying more to Washington than they have to. About Jeremy Lederer Jeremy Lederer, CPA, is the founder of XIT CPA, a tax strategy firm that landed on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America in 2023. With over 16 years of experience, Jeremy specializes in helping entrepreneurs and high-income professionals legally reduce or eliminate their federal tax burden through personalized, audit-proof strategies. A former professional golfer and winner of the 2008 San Juan Open, he brings the same precision and competitive drive to tax planning that he once brought to the fairway. Jeremy is also the author of The Zero Tax Strategy and a former certified mastery-level strategist within Tom Wheelwright's WealthAbility Network. What We Cover Why Jeremy quit his firm in 2014, and the $100,000 savings opportunity his managing partner refused to pursue for a clientWhy the average age of a CPA today is close to 70, and what that means for the quality of advice most business owners are gettingThe fundamental premise of the U.S. tax code: 99.9% of its 80,000 pages are about how to avoid tax legally, not how to pay itHow W-2 earners can use Section 181 film financing to create a $400,000 deduction from a $100,000 cash investmentThe Amanda case study: a $2 million-per-year biotech founder who zeroed her tax with a $300,000 healthcare software investmentWhat "to change your tax, you have to change your facts" actually looks like in practiceThe audit that went perfectly: a $500,000 deduction, a nervous client, and a "no change" outcomeResources Mentioned The Zero Tax Strategy by Jeremy Lederer, CPA — available at zerotax.com/bookVivid Vision by Cameron HeroldConnect with Jeremy Lederer Website & book: zerotax.com/bookXIT CPA: xitcpa.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeremy-lederer-6128691bSupport the show

  8. Jun 5

    108: Rob Bedinghaus on the $10 Million Tax Bill Nobody Saw Coming

    A couple had done everything right — dual income, debt-free, millions saved in tax-deferred accounts — and they were on track to hand $10 million to the IRS. Not because they made bad decisions, but because nobody had ever shown them what "doing everything right" actually costs without proactive planning. In this episode, Gabe sits down with Rob Bedinghaus, Ph.D., CFP® — founder of Bedinghaus Wealth Planning and author of Beyond the Numbers — to dig into the retirement planning conversations most advisors never have. Rob brings a teacher's instinct to every client meeting, and this episode reflects that: clear frameworks, real scenarios, and a perspective on legacy that goes well beyond the balance sheet. Listeners will walk away with a clearer picture of the income gaps retirees face, a practical mental model for surviving market volatility, and a compelling case for why tax planning and retirement planning are the same conversation. About Rob Bedinghaus Rob Bedinghaus, Ph.D., CFP® is the founder of Bedinghaus Wealth Planning, an independent practice in Lebanon, Ohio affiliated with Raymond James. A second-generation financial advisor, Rob spent six years in higher education at Indiana University before joining his father's practice in 2015. He has worked with hundreds of families navigating retirement transitions, previously overseeing more than $130 million in client assets at Edward Jones before building his own independent firm. He is the author of Beyond the Numbers: Your Smart Guide to Retirement Income, Tax Efficiency, and Lasting Legacy. What We Cover Why the shift from saving to spending is harder than most retirees expect — and how Rob helps clients break a 30-year saving mindsetThe bucket framework: how organizing money by time horizon keeps clients from panic-selling during market downturnsHow one couple's disciplined 401(k) savings had them on track for $700,000 in annual required minimum distributions and a projected $10 million lifetime tax billThe Roth conversion strategy that cut one couple's projected tax bill from $10 million to $2 millionWhat "living a legacy" means: giving while you're alive, seeing the impact, and passing values alongside wealthWhy qualified charitable distributions are one of the most underused tax tools for charitably-minded retireesResources Mentioned Beyond the Numbers: Your Smart Guide to Retirement Income, Tax Efficiency, and Lasting Legacy by Rob Bedinghaus, Ph.D., CFP® — free e-copy available at beyondnumbersbook.comConnect with Website: bedinghauswealth.comBook website: beyondnumbersbook.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robbedinghausSupport the show

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The Authority Marketing Platform for Financial Advisors. Built for advisors who want to be known for what they're already great at.Influential Advisor Media helps financial advisors build visibility, attract better clients, and grow through authority rather than cold outreach. If you've spent years developing real expertise and you're frustrated that the right people don't know you exist, this podcast is for you.Influential Advisor Media was founded by Paul G. McManus, host of The Influential Advisor Podcast and creator of The Authority Operating System. Our team has worked with more than 500 financial advisors and helped them generate over $100 million in results through authority marketing. Subscribe if you're a financial advisor who is done being the best-kept secret in your market. Learn more at influentialadvisor.com

Information

  • Creator
    Paul G. McManus and Gabe McManus
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    118
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 © 2026 Influential Advisor Media
  • Show Website
    The Influential Advisor Podcast

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