Episodes

How can wealth management leaders prepare for advisor retirements without losing the client relationships their firms have spent decades building? In this episode, Chip Kispert speaks with Ferian Nickelson, chief operating officer at VestGen Wealth Partners, about financial advisor succession planning and the people, data, and technology firms need to support advisor retirements and client transitions. Ferian explains why clean, reliable client data must come before AI, how disconnected technolo...

Growth through acquisition can look impressive from the outside, but the harder work begins when people, systems, and cultures have to come together. How can firms grow without losing trust or the human side of the business? In this episode, Chip Kispert speaks with Chrissy Lee, Chief Operating Officer at Merit Financial Advisors, about integrating acquired firms with care. Chrissy explains how transition teams, training, culture, and communication help new employees and clients feel supported f...

Is your CRM helping advisors serve clients and complete work, or is your team still relying on workarounds? In this episode of Beacon 1% Better Every Day, Chip Kispert speaks with Willie Mullen, Senior Vice President of Sales at Wealthbox, about CRM adoption, AI, and operational efficiency in wealth management. Willie explains why a CRM for financial advisors must be intuitive enough for the entire team to use, how AI-powered workflows could improve advisor productivity and collaboration, and wh...

How can financial advisors use AI to improve the client experience without creating more administrative work? As AI continues to reshape wealth management, many advisory firms are asking where technology can create meaningful value and where the human element still matters most. In this episode of Beacon 1% Better Every Day, Chip Kispert welcomes Steven Latow, Chief Strategy Officer at Zocks, to explore how clean client data, connected workflows, and AI-powered tools can help advisors spend less...

Technology is changing how financial professionals work, but not every AI solution is built on the same foundation. What separates tools that create real efficiency from those that simply add another layer of complexity? And how can firms prepare for a future where AI handles more of the administrative workload? In this episode, Chip Kispert speaks with Darren Tedesco, President of Advisor360°, and Scott Freeland, VP of Product Management for the Enterprise Suite at Advisor360°, about the future...

Things are moving faster than ever in wealth management. New technologies, growing regulatory expectations, cybersecurity concerns, and increasing amounts of data are forcing firms to rethink how they operate. In this conversation, Chip Kispert sits down with Sid Yenamandra, CEO and Founder of SurgeONE.ai, to discuss what it takes for firms to keep up in an environment of constant change. Drawing on his experience helping financial services organizations modernize their technology and compliance...

Before investment returns, AI tools, and succession planning strategies, great financial advice still comes down to people. Stephen Langlois shares why the advisors who will thrive in the future are the ones helping clients achieve meaningful life goals, build lasting relationships, and create value far beyond portfolio performance. In this episode, Stephen Langlois, Managing Partner at Seaport Consulting Partners, LLC, joins Chip Kispert on this episode of Beacon 1% Better Every Day for a conve...

What happens when a firm modernizes without losing the culture that made it successful in the first place? In this episode of Beacon 1% Better Every Day, Chip Kispert sits down with Anthony Bueti, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Lincoln Investment Planning, to talk about the real challenges behind transformation in the wealth management industry. From supporting educators with retirement planning to navigating large-scale operational and technology changes, Anthony shares...

AI may be the biggest operational shift wealth management has seen in years, but its real value is not just speed. It is what that speed unlocks: better advisor capacity and time, stronger documentation, and more room for human connection where it matters most. In this episode of Beacon: 1% Better Every Day, Chip Kispert sits down with Parker Ence, CEO and co-founder of Jump, to explore how AI is reshaping the wealth management industry in real time. What started as a simple idea to eliminate CR...

It rarely starts with a bold decision; it starts with a quiet realization. In this episode of Beacon 1% Better Every Day, Chip Kispert sits down with Brian Hamburger, founder and CEO of MarketCounsel and Chief Counsel of the Hamburger Law Firm, who discusses the complexities financial advisors face when considering transitioning from a wirehouse to an independent firm. Brian and Chip unpack one of the most defining moments in an advisor’s career, the shift from building within a firm to question...

What if the real ROI of technology isn’t efficiency, but time? In this conversation, Chip Kispert sits down with Rich Whalen, VP of Technology Strategy and Execution at Equity Services, Inc., to unpack how the right technology strategy can give advisors something far more valuable than speed: space to focus on clients. From his early days as an advisor to leading technology strategy at Equity Services, Rich shares how a single shift in workflow changed everything, and why most firms still get th...

What does AI actually look like inside a modern wealth management firm, and where is it creating real impact today? In this conversation, Chip Kispert sits down with Brad Goodman, COO of Apollon Wealth Management, to unpack how fast-growing firms are using AI to streamline operations, improve advisor efficiency, and scale without losing what matters most: the client relationship. Brad shares a behind-the-scenes look at how thoughtful infrastructure, not just new tools, is shaping the future of a...

Progress often starts with a hard look at what is actually working, not what looks good on a vendor slide. Wealth firms keep buying more technology, yet advisors still juggle too many logins, duplicate data entry, and workflows held together by workarounds. In this episode, Chip Kispert sits down with Ryan George, CMO of Docupace, to unpack the tech stack myth in wealth management. They talk about why tech sprawl is creating friction instead of freedom, how AI can support operations and complian...

Progress often begins with understanding how people think and how their choices take shape. Firms today face more noise, more channels, and more competition than ever. How do you reach people in a way that feels clear and genuine? How do you adapt to longer research paths and shifting expectations? In this episode, Chip Kispert speaks with Nick Ilev, CEO of ProperExpression, about the changing buyer journey, the value of authentic content, and how structured marketing gives firms a steadier path...

The wealth management industry is at a crossroads, and those who fail to adapt will get left behind. In this episode, Chip Kispert welcomes back Michelle Feinstein, General Manager of Financial Services at Salesforce. With three decades of experience across Pershing, BNY Mellon, and Salesforce, Michelle offers an insider’s look at how firms can modernize, scale, and lead through disruption. Together, they explore what it means to move from “builder” to “steward,” why AI and data strategy now def...

Marketing in wealth management is evolving faster than ever, with new technology, client expectations, and competitive pressures reshaping how firms grow. In this episode of Beacon 1% Better Every Day, Chip Kispert speaks with Robert Sofia, CEO of Snappy Kraken, about the state of marketing in wealth management and how firms can accelerate growth. Robert shares insights on authentic client engagement, systematic nurturing, and the role of AI in speeding up and personalizing marketing strategies....

Artificial intelligence is shaking up wealth management, but how do you separate hype from what’s actually useful? In this episode, Chip Kispert sits down with Geoff Moore, Chief Information Officer at ValMark Securities, to talk about how his firm is weaving AI into real processes without losing sight of what matters most: people. From early wins with AI-powered document extraction to advisors reclaiming hours of family time and personal time thanks to AI note-taking tools, Geoff shares both th...

What happens when IRS tax data meets AI in the middle of an advisor shortage? In this episode of Beacon: 1% Better Every Day, host Chip Kispert sits down with Kevin Knull, CFP®, and Browning Mank of TaxStatus to explore how their platform is reshaping advisor growth strategies and client service models. Kevin shares his journey from the U.S. Coast Guard to fintech leadership, highlighting how solving big problems with technology and helping people has always been part of his DNA. Browning offers...

When Derek Notman, CFP®, launched Couplr AI, it wasn’t just about building a better lead gen platform; it was about bringing human connection back to the center of financial advice. In this episode, Chip Kispert talks with Derek, a former top-producing advisor turned fintech founder, about what’s broken in traditional lead generation and how his team is reimagining it through the lens of empathy, personalization, and behavioral science. Drawing on experience from both the advisor seat and startu...

When Dave Goes made the leap from Morningstar to Advyzon, it wasn’t just about technology. It was about joining a winning team. In this episode, Chip Kispert sits down with Dave, President of Enterprise Solutions at Advyzon, to explore what makes winning teams and great platforms in today’s wealth management space. With nearly three decades of experience, Dave shares why Advyzon’s single-source-code platform and culture of execution stands out to him, and how the firm is redefining enterprise pa...

The explosion of wealth tech tools has left many advisory firms buried under layers of disconnected systems, and the resulting tech fatigue is real. In this episode, Chip Kispert sits down with Mike Overdorf, President of The Sycamore Company, to discuss how firms can regain control over their data and tech stacks. From legacy system challenges to the next evolution in AI-powered reporting, Mike shares what firms need to know to stay competitive and deliver better advisor and client experiences....

What if the secret to long-term success wasn’t disruption, but translation? In this episode of Beacon: 1% Better Every Day, Chip Kispert takes us behind the scenes of Beacon Strategies, sharing the story of why he built a consultancy that prioritizes listening, independence, and deep partnership with wealth firms and providers. Chip reflects on 19 years of running Beacon Strategies, the power of independence, and what it really means to help a client, sometimes by walking away, and sometimes by ...

Some people build firms. Others build trust. Chip Kispert does both, and in doing so, he’s changing how wealth firms and fintechs grow together. In this episode, Chip shares how early lessons from a Lehman Brothers mentor, a love for problem-solving, and an obsession with listening shaped both his leadership and the Beacon Strategies business he’s built. You’ll also hear how Chip reimagined industry events through his Beacon Roundtables, creating a space where competitors become collaborators an...

Welcome to Beacon 1% Better Every Day, hosted by Chip Kispert founder of Beacon Strategies. This podcast is for wealth management professionals who are curious, ready to break free from outdated methods and drive meaningful progress in their business. Chip is on a mission to partner with you to challenge the status quo, create more collaborative practices, and help you evolve your firm in a rapidly changing industry. Each episode feels like a seat at a Beacon Roundtable – real talk, fresh and cu...