Episodes

Do you have an “origin story”? Are you using it to attract more Right-Fit Clients and become more referable? Have you figured out how to find your niche market – specifically one that’s clearly defined and profitable? Have you moved away from prospecting to attracting people to you? In this episode of Top Advisor Podcast, host Bill Cates interviews financial advisor Dan Brothers, CFP®, who shares his insights on using his origin story to build rapport and trust with clients. Dan also reveals his...

What would your business (and life) look like if you started working with ultra-wealthy clients ranging from $40 to $100 million? Working with ultra-wealthy clients can be more complex than “merely” high-net-worth clients. These individuals have distinct needs, expectations, and concerns that require a specialized approach from financial advisors, planners, and wealth managers. In this episode of Top Advisor Podcast, featured guest David Kirschenbaum, a Tiger 21 Chair, sheds light on the unique ...

Tired of blending into the crowd? Discover the strategies that will help you forge solid client relationships and become a standout financial advisor. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Tony Maree Torrey, author of Your Million Dollar Accelerator: Six Proven Strategies to Grow a 7-Figure Financial Practice, and Business Coach for Financial Professionals, to explore strategies to help financial advisors grow their practices. Tony shares her six core strategies for attracting, c...

It is my sincere hope that you are not attempting to do financial planning without gaining the full context of your clients. Our guest on this next episode of Top Advisor Podcast, Abbey Henderson, has coined the phrase, “Authentic Wealth.” In a nutshell, Authentic Wealth is bigger than just financial accumulation and management. It recognizes the interconnectedness of all aspects of life. It is created when your five key resources (Finances, Mindset, Relationships, Health, and Time) are aligned ...

Your continued success is predicated on your continued relevance and becoming “the advisor of choice.” Sometimes, that’s easier said than done. However, one of the most effective ways to accomplish this and build lasting client relationships is through storytelling for financial advisors. Our guest calls this the Founders Story. As artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet continue to transform the accessibility of financial information, creating a strong human connection has become more imp...

Good health and sufficient wealth go hand in hand. They are intricately intertwined. Most advisors try to ensure their clients don’t outlive their wealth. A select few advisors work to ensure their clients wealth does not outlive their health. As a nutritional expert and the author of the book Wealthy, Healthy, and Wise: How To Make Sure Your Health Lasts As Long As Your Money Does, David Meinz is on a mission to help advisors lead healthier lives so they can impact more people with their import...

Speed Kills? Speed Wins? It depends! According to research – speed impacts revenue, speed impacts loyalty, and speed impacts emotions. Understanding this crucial dynamic, Bill Cates engages in a compelling conversation with Jay Baer, a distinguished business growth and customer experience strategist, researcher, author, keynote speaker, and B2B influencer. Jay’s newest book, Time to Win: How to Exceed Your Customers’ Need for Speed, will likely change how you view some aspects of your client ser...

Announcing! Bill Cates’s Newest Book… The Language of Referrals: The Words & Scripts Financial Professionals Use to Gain More Ideal Clients. Every financial professional understands the power of referrals and personal introductions. Marketing experts extol the virtues of building a referral-based business. However, while providing overarching strategies and concepts, they don’t tell you how to actually create results. In this exclusive interview, Bob Burg (author of Endless Referrals and The Go-...

According to actuaries, you and your clients are underestimating how long you are going to live. Therefore, most people don’t plan properly, and most financial advisors aren’t even aware of this. This interview with Marc Pace – Founder of the Vital Longevity Institute – has two parts: Part 1 – Why most people (advisors included) underestimate their life expectancy, and how you can use this new awareness to better serve your clients. Part 2 – How you can use this new knowledge to grow your busi...

Are you producing results with LinkedIn? Or do you wonder why you even have an account? I’ve run into very few advisors who are seeing a straight line to ROI with their activities on LinkedIn. Mando Sallavanti is clearly an exception! Effective LinkedIn prospecting for financial advisors requires more than just creating a profile and posting content. It also requires a strategic approach to engaging with your target audience, building relationships, and converting prospects into clients. In ...

Alice Tang, a highly successful financial advisor known for her passion for supporting millionaire women and helping the next generation achieve financial success. It’s no secret that the affluent women’s market is a lucrative, ever-growing niche in the financial industry. This episode touches on this topic AND a whole lot more! In this episode, Bill Cates interviews Alice Tang, ChFC®, MIM, Vice President and Partner at BPG Wealth Management LLC. Alice is a highly successful financial advisor kn...

It’s not an accident that Productivity and Proactive start with the same three letters. Pro can mean For and Forward. I’m all for moving forward, how about you? If you’re like most advisors, there are days where you feel very productive and know that you are moving your business forward. You probably have other days (too many?) where you’re simply being reactive. You’re doing things you know you need to do, but those days don’t often feel as rewarding. Is it possible to go from a reactive practi...

Are you winging it when it comes to serving your client all along the client journey? Or do you embrace and follow a clear strategy for enhancing client and prospect experiences and establishing strong relationships with them throughout the entire client journey? Attending to all phases of the client journey will always be the fuel to your success. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Kalli Fedusenko, Founder of KalliCollective. They explore the crucial aspects of building relat...

Family legacy planning involves more than just helping your clients accumulate assets. Creating a lasting legacy for your clients means crafting a set of values, purpose, and financial knowledge that lasts for generations. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews Randy Jones, Wealth Management Advisor at Financial Growth Partners. Randy shares his insights on family legacy planning, emphasizing the need to connect all aspects of a client’s life to create a comprehensive financial pl...

Have you ever wondered if the hosts of financial advisor podcasts actually get new clients from it? Is all the effort worth it? And, by the way, do many of your prospects and clients seem to have limiting beliefs and mistaken assumptions about money? In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates and his guest Misty Lynch, CFP®, author of the book Demystifying Money and host of the Demystifying Money Podcast have a lively discussion on these two (and other) topics. Misty shares her journey from a fi...

While curiosity may have killed the cat, it didn’t hurt this advisor! How about you? Have you developed a strong Curiosity Muscle? Do you exercise it often as you endeavor to bring more ideal clients into your business? Curiosity will serve you well in this business: You will meet new people. You will serve your clients better by knowing more about them. You will learn about other’s in your clients’ lives who could be candidates for your important work. Today’s featured guest, Chris Ridgway, h...

This is an interview you don’t want to miss. David Armstrong, CFA has found a way to message his value and attract new clients who are perfect for his business. He does it in a genuine, compelling, and slightly fun way. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates interviews David Armstrong, President & Co-Founder of Monument Wealth Management. They explore the importance of finding the right fit with clients and the value of clear and compelling messaging. They talk about the role of differentiat...

To say that people have an emotional relationship with money would be an understatement! While you may be a CFP, or a ChFC, or any number of the many certifications available in this industry, perhaps the most important thing you could do to serve your clients is obtain an PhD in psychology. (Smile) Today, my featured guest and I are going to talk about some of the emotions both YOU and YOUR CLIENTS have around money – especially when the market and/or the economy are sagging or volatile. Much h...

I’m willing to wager that you and your marketing team have no clue how the LinkedIn algorithm works. And because of that, you are wasting precious resources (time and dollars) on posting content that hardly anyone sees. So, what are the best strategies on LinkedIn for financial advisors to get their posts seen? LinkedIn has a different business model than most other social media platforms. Therefore, how you use LinkedIn for business growth requires a unique strategic approach. In this episode, ...

This may be one of the most important interviews we’ve done since the inception of Top Advisor Podcast. The very best advisors know that their job is more than managing investments or selling insurance. The very best advisors are increasingly focused on Longevity Planning for the Baby Boomer clients. These advisors prioritize building strong, meaningful connections with their clients, getting to know their individual life stories, and providing guidance through critical life-changing events. In ...

From $0 to $1M in annual production in only 5 years sounds impossible, right? Think again. Successful wealth advisor and certified divorce financial analyst, Nicole Middendorf, CDFA, joins us to share her journey from a troubled marriage to discovering her true purpose and helping others along the way – while building a truly Top Advisor practice. To distract from her divorce, she created her Live It List to help her find joy by pursuing meaningful experiences. She now brings her Live It List co...

Have you ever pondered the idea of writing a book? You know that it could boost your credibility, demonstrate your expertise, and serve as an impressive introduction to your clients and centers of influence. So why haven’t you done it yet? More than likely, it feels overwhelming – you don’t have the time or it’s beyond your capabilities, or both! Fear not, in a truly enlightening episode, Bill sits down with Paul G. McManus, author of The Short Book Formula: A Financial Professional’s Guide to W...

Digital marketing for financial advisors can be an overwhelming and/or confusing topic for many. Financial advisors are often challenged by what marketing strategy is right for them, how to communicate their value, and what outside resources might be right for them. Can you relate? While Bill Cates is the recognized expert and supreme advocate for growing through referrals and personal introductions, there are certain tactics and strategies in the world of digital marketing for financial advisor...

The evidence is in and it’s compelling. Narrowing a target market to focus on financial planning for women has proven to be a successful move for many advisors. (Most) Women approach financial planning differently than men. “Just the facts mam.” Women currently control one-third of total U.S. household financial assets – representing more than 10 trillion dollars. By 2030, women in the U.S. are projected to control much of the $30 trillion in financial assets that baby boomers will possess. S...