Episodes

When most people think of financial advisors who work with professional athletes, they probably imagine a glamorous lifestyle of spending time with their favorite players, getting a behind-the-scenes look into professional sports, and free tickets to games. But what is it really like being a financial advisor for athletes? In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates sits down with Walter Stith, former NFL offensive lineman turned financial advisor for Morgan Stanley, ranked by Forbes as one of Am...

When I heard how Joe De Sena was using his personal Facebook page to build his business (and have fun in the process) I was skeptical. Boy was I wrong. In this episode, Bill Cates is joined (for a second time) by Joe De Sena, CFP®, MBA, private wealth advisor at Siena Wealth Advisory Group, to discuss Facebook marketing for financial advisors. Joe discusses his success in using Facebook as a tool for enhanced client engagement, business growth, and lots of fun, without running Facebook Ads. In t...

Having a very specific financial advisor new client onboarding process can get your relationship off to a great start – help them feel good about choosing you and create referrals early in the new relationship. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates is joined by Rod Gibbings CFP®, senior executive financial consultant with Gibbings and Associates Private Wealth Management. Rod discusses how he uses his proprietary Transition Navigator financial advisor new client onboarding process to delive...

What is your relationship with social media? Social media for financial advisors means different things. Some advisors have embraced social media as a concept, posting content and occasionally engaging with others, but wonder why they bother because they haven’t seen any noticeable results. Other advisors have embraced social media as a way of strengthening their client relationships AND can see a straight line from their activity to acquiring new, in-segment clients. In this episode, Bill Cates...

Despite all the challenges in reaching qualified prospects, some advisors are doing quite well, while others are not rising to the challenges that we all face. So, what are the financial advisor best practices that separate the wheat from the chaff? In this episode, Bill Cates interviews Mark Williams, president and CEO of Brokers International, to discuss what we need to think about and do to connect with more Right-Fit Clients. Mark speaks to hundreds of financial professionals each year, so h...

It can be personally rewarding to make a contribution to a philanthropic cause to impact your community. But can philanthropic leadership be professionally rewarding as well? In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with Jeff Chaddock, a private wealth advisor at Envisage Wealth. Jeff has philanthropy in his DNA, which has been extremely helpful for the charities and people in his community, and has been instrumental in making him a go-to advisor for many. Jeff discusses: How Jeff uses philanthropi...

An engaged client is someone who feels connected to your value and connected to you as an advisor. Is your business truly maximizing client engagement? In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with E. Scott Miller, Vice President and Investment Officer at Wells Fargo Advisors. Scott shares how he has created the “wow factor” in his business relationships, and how his client engagement strategy has led to incredible loyalty and, in many cases, a number of referrals. Scott discusses: The positive im...

Stop prospecting … and let your clients prospect for you! Creating great relationships with your clients who value the work you do and value you as a professional will open up the doors to many more in-segment clients. In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with Randy Carver CRPC®, CDFA®, President and CEO at Carver Financial Services, Inc. Randy discusses how he and his team have brought in 25 new relationships along with $100 million in assets over the last three months without doing any prospecti...

Even advisors who are already successful may consider turning some of their focus to a specific target market. They often wonder if they should create a new company name and/or a new website to reflect that specific niche. There is no right or wrong answer here. In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with Tiffany Charles, Chief Growth Officer of two financial firms; Destiny Capital and Entrepreneur Aligned. This interview focuses on the process that Tiffany and her partners went through to establish...

The right mix of reputation marketing strategies, such as target marketing, hosting a podcast, and even getting paid to speak at events, all work together to bring more right-fit prospects into your business. In this episode, Bill Cates is joined by Malcolm Ethridge CFP®, CRPC®, Executive Vice President and Financial Planner at CIC Wealth Management. Malcolm discusses how his reputation marketing efforts have changed his business dramatically over the last six months, including how he has contin...

Financial advisors who focus on an authentic client experience, tend to form the strongest bonds with their clients – where the clients see their advisor as irreplaceable. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates is joined by Albert Fox CFP®, CIMA®, executive director and financial advisor at Fox, Penberthy & Dehn. Al discusses how he worked to boost engagement with his clients and maintain truly authentic connections that maximize their client experience. Al also shares how he leverages those...

Advisors often ask, “Is it possible to build my business that runs by referral only?” The answer is, yes! However, not every advisory team has been able to create a “by referral only” business where the quantity and the quality of clients have been exactly the right fit. Are you getting enough in-segment clients through referrals and introductions? In this episode, Bill Cates speaks with Diana DeFrate CFP®, CLU®, chief executive officer and founder, and Katriina Paavola, CFP®, founder at DeFrate...

Retirement is such a major milestone in everyone’s life. And while there is no shortage of ideas for client appreciation events, retirement parties are definitely one worth considering. Hosting one of these unique client events not only helps financial advisors create client loyalty for life, it also provides an excellent opportunity for reaching new qualified prospects. In this episode, Bill Cates interviews Joe De Sena, CFP®, MBA, private wealth advisor at Siena Wealth Advisory Group, about ho...

Most advisors have an internal new client onboarding checklist, but few have discovered the value of a comprehensive client onboarding process that creates both a value connection and a personal connection. Done well, the client onboarding process will help your new clients feel great about their decision to work with you and make you super referable quickly. In this episode, Bill Cates is joined by Bryan Sweet CLU®, ChFC®, founder and CEO of Sweet Financial Services, to discuss how he uses his ...

Most financial advisors get into this business to create freedom and flexibility in their lives. The problem is, very few actually achieve that. Instead, they are tied to their business. The business owns them. Can you relate to the pain of this unhealthy scenario? If so, how do you create a financial advisor business plan that is actually in alignment with the life you WANT to lead? In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE is joined by Peter Oldziey CFP®, of Peter A. Oldziey & Asso...

Many financial advisors like to keep an arm’s length distance between themselves and their clients, keeping everything strictly on the professional level. But many of the most successful financial advisors are doing the opposite. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE is joined by Lester Matlock CFP®, CRPC®, APMA®, private wealth advisor. Lester discusses his Bucket List Campaign and how he creates a business friendship with clients, so they become his biggest advocates. Lester di...

You’ve undoubtedly heard about the benefits of highly-focused target markets for financial advisors. But perhaps you have reservations and worry that if you go too narrow, you’ll be missing out on valuable opportunities. If you’ve been considering a specific target market, then perhaps this interview will tip the scales in that direction for you. In this episode, Referral Coach Bill Cates is joined by Adam Cmejla CFP®, president of Integrated Planning & Wealth Management. Adam discusses his deci...

In this episode, Bill Cates is joined by Alanna Morey, CFP®, APMA®, private wealth advisor at Siena Wealth Advisory Group. Alanna shares her inspiring journey that took her from living in her car to becoming a financial advisor generating $1.2 million in revenue this year. Do you have a promising team member who you’re grooming for more responsibility, in the hopes they will become a financial advisor? Are one or more of your team members a diamond in the rough waiting to be discovered? Alanna d...

Are you a successful advisor with plans for additional growth, and you’re just looking for some fresh insight on how to supercharge that growth? You are in the right place. Welcome to The Top Advisor Podcast! In this debut episode of The Top Advisor Podcast, join your host Bill Cates, Referral Coach, as he introduces the show and shares new ideas with others about how to successfully curate knowledge. In this episode, you will learn: A sneak peak of the possible topics covered and guests for th...