Episodes

Medicare can feel difficult to sort through when plan options, provider networks, prescriptions, costs, and enrollment rules can all affect your decision. How can you understand what fits your situation without assuming the plan that worked last year will still work next year? In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp speaks with Sandra Juetten, Director of Individual & Medicare Business at Schatz Benefits Group, about making Medicare decisions with more clarity. Sandra explains Medicare Pa...

A financial plan can look thoughtful on paper, but what happens when you’re left trying to coordinate the paperwork, professionals, and follow-up yourself? The value of planning often depends on what happens after the recommendations are presented. In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp speaks with Sam Johnson, CFP®, Senior Integrated Wealth Manager at Boyum Wealth Architects, about reducing friction throughout financial planning. Sam explains why execution can separate a useful plan fro...

What happens when your startup’s milestones keep changing, and every change affects your cash runway and funding needs? Sometimes the answer starts with building something better for your own clients. In this episode, James Knapp speaks with Sandi Klemann, Founder and CEO of Fractional Finance Solutions, about leaving corporate finance, building a fractional CFO practice, and turning an Excel forecasting model into software. Sandi explains how startup milestones affect cash runway, funding needs...

Technology can make communication easier, but it can’t replace the trust that grows through meaningful relationships and thoughtful guidance. What keeps clients engaged over the long term? How do experienced advisors avoid analysis paralysis while helping families make difficult planning decisions? In this episode, James Knapp sits down with attorney Dudley Ryan to discuss why personal relationships remain at the center of great financial and estate planning. They explore how trust is earned by ...

You’ve spent years saving, but knowing what you can afford to do in retirement may still feel unclear. A connected plan can help you see how your choices affect one another. In this episode, James Knapp speaks with Tenner Stoe, CFP®, CPWA®, and Wealth Architect at Boyum Wealth Architects, about his career across banks, broker-dealers, and registered investment advisory firms. Tenner explains how retirement planning brings together income, investments, taxes, insurance, and estate decisions. They...

Financial advisors want to give every client thoughtful, personal attention, but outdated systems often consume the time needed to provide it. What could change when your CRM starts helping you recognize needs, complete routine work, and stay connected? In this episode, James Knapp speaks with Thomas Clawson, Co-Founder of Slant CRM, about building an AI-native client relationship management platform for financial advisors. Thomas explains how advisor feedback shaped Slant, why useful AI needs a...

Insurance isn’t just about comparing prices. It’s about understanding what could happen when life doesn’t go as planned. How do you choose coverage that actually protects you? What kind of service matters when you’re dealing with a major claim instead of a routine question? In this episode, James Knapp welcomes Ian Davy, Agent at State Farm, to discuss how meaningful customer relationships are built through communication, education, and ongoing reviews instead of one-time transactions. Ian share...

Taxes often get the spotlight in financial decisions, but they’re rarely the only factor that matters. How do you balance tax efficiency with family goals, business transitions, lifestyle preferences, and long-term planning without letting one consideration dominate every decision? In this episode, James Knapp sits down with Greg Carlson, Tax Partner with Boyum Barenscheer, for a conversation about business succession, entity structure, tax planning, and family decision-making. Greg shares how h...

Insurance is changing fast, and business owners can’t afford to treat it like just another expense line item anymore. In this episode, James Knapp sits down with Jake Jeatran of Marsh McLennan Agency to talk about AI, cyber risk, underwriting, and why strong advisory relationships still matter in a tech-driven world. James and Jake explore how insurance has evolved into a strategic business decision, especially for manufacturers, distributors, and growing companies. Jake shares insights from bot...

What happens when no one explains the rules, and everyone assumes someone else is handling it? In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp sits down with Shawn Van Winkle, a retirement plan advisor whose path into financial services began with a personal mission to help others avoid the financial struggles he faced growing up. Shawn shares how his early experience in large institutions shaped his perspective, what he learned about both good and bad client service, and why education is often t...

What happens when plans meet reality and reality changes everything? How do you prepare for outcomes you cannot predict while still making confident decisions today? In this episode, James Knapp interviews David Soczek, CLU, ChFC, Owner and Vice President of National Benefits Group, about building flexible strategies for business owners. They explore how planning for multiple outcomes, not just ideal scenarios, shapes better decisions. David explains the importance of collaboration with advisors...

Great advisors do more than present information. They listen closely, stay steady when conditions shift, and build relationships that last. What separates a responsive advisor from one who simply goes through the motions? In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp talks with Stewart Rallis, Managing Principal at Stairway Partners, about his path from studying accounting to building a long career in financial advice. They cover early lessons from Doug Lennick, why goals still matter, how advi...

Choosing the right business model can shape your entire career as a financial advisor. But what drives someone to leave commissions behind and embrace independence? In this episode, James Knapp sits down with Haris Kopic, CFP®, who recently joined Boyum Wealth Architects after 16 years in the industry. Haris shares his journey from graduating during the 2008 financial crisis to finding his footing in the RIA space, driven by a desire for client-centric service and fiduciary responsibility. Toget...

What if better tax planning started long before April, or even before you decide to sell your business? This episode pulls back the curtain on how small business owners and advisors can think differently about taxes, compensation, and long-term planning. In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp sits down with Chris Wittich, MBT, CPA, and partner at Boyum, to talk through real-world tax planning strategies for business owners at every stage. Chris shares how his career in tax started at age...

Even experienced professionals can end up with the wrong advice when planning is driven by products instead of perspective. In this episode, we unpack how “zombie advisors” quietly undermine good decision-making, even for highly sophisticated clients. In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp sits down with Andrew Kronschnabel, SVP / Head of Investment & Marketing Strategy, Seaport Global. Andy shares his professional journey through multiple market cycles and offers a candid personal story...

Long-term investing is rarely about finding the perfect investment. It is about managing risk, staying disciplined, and making thoughtful decisions when markets test your patience. This conversation focuses on what actually drives durable outcomes over time. In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp is joined by Boyum Wealth Architects’ Chief Investment Officer, Tyler Rudek, for a practical discussion on how portfolios are built and managed in the real world. They explore common retail inve...

In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp sits down with longtime colleague and strategic partner Charlie Metzig, Managing Partner at Boyum Barenscheer, to unpack why so many professionals unintentionally become “zombie advisors” and how a one-call service model can change the client experience entirely. Charlie shares his journey from growing up above a family cheese factory in Wisconsin to becoming a CPA and business advisor working alongside financial planners, attorneys, and business ow...

Most people assume financial advisors are always proactive, organized, and well coordinated, but the reality is far more human. In this episode, James Knapp and Gregg Sainsbury dig into why so many professionals fall into “zombie mode” without ever noticing it. They explore the habits, incentives, and gaps that quietly undermine planning while sharing the lessons Gregg learned early in his career from a mentor who believed service mattered more than products. The stories are real, relatable, and...

In this inaugural episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp sits down with veteran broadcaster Patrice Sikora for a candid conversation about why so many professionals in financial services lose their curiosity, their humanity, and their commitment to real service. James shares the personal experiences that shaped his client-first philosophy, from an early encounter with transactional advice to his decision to leave the broker-dealer world and build a fiduciary firm focused on people, not products....

As a client do you feel like you could be missing out? Welcome to Zombie Advisor with James Knapp, the podcast that shows you how to take control of your future! Here, we focus on putting clients first, delivering top-tier customer service, and building powerful strategic partners. With education, real stories, and a bit of fun, each episode is designed to help you rise above the rest. If you’re ready to break free, take charge, and join a community of advisors who prioritize growth and service,...