Melissa Barron and Jordan Slingo are both Senior Wealth Advisors with Elwood & Goetz Wealth Advisory Group in Athens, GA. They join the show today to discuss their individual journeys in the financial planning industry, including what it was like entering the profession when entry-level jobs were hard to come by. Listen in as Melissa and Jordan share how they got started in the industry, as well as how they managed to get their foot in the door. We also discuss the compelling nature of the ...
Ep #95: Re-entering the Profession after Building a Successful Firm and Selling it with John Gugle
John Gugle is a Regional Growth Consultant with LPL Financial based out of Charlotte, NC. He joins the show today to share his career journey into financial planning, including how he was able to leverage his degrees in Japanese and Finance to get started with a consulting firm. Listen in as John shares how he was able to develop the trust of his co-workers who came to him for financial advice, as well as how he used his memberships in professional organizations to find a 2-year residency ...
How to Hire an Intellectually Curious Candidate
In the discovery process we take firm owners through to help them gain clarity on the type of person they are seeking to hire, one of the most sought-after characteristics our clients ask for is “natural curiosity”, or sometimes referred to as intellectual curiosity. In this month’s article, we will examine what natural curiosity is, how to identify these traits in candidates you might be recruiting, and the pros (and some cons!) of hiring an intellectually curious candidate. Simply put, ...
Ep #94: From Actress to Financial Planner with Sara Stollberger
Sara Stollberger is the Director of Financial Planning at Bridgewater Advisors based out of New York, and she joins the show today to share her story of how she began her financial planning career after spending more than five years as an actress. If you are a career changer seeking to enter the financial planning profession, this is an episode you won’t want to miss! Listen in as Sara shares how she knew it was time to pursue something outside of acting (despite having had success in the ...
Ep #93: Helping Grow a Small Fee-Only Firm with Frank Fernandez
Frank Fernandez is an Associate Planner with Weingarten & Associates, a planning-centric fee-only firm based out of Trenton, NJ that is led by a husband and wife team. If you are seeking to add value to a small yet growing firm, this is an episode you won’t want to miss! Listen in to hear how Frank initially found the CFP program, why he pursued three voluntary internships, and how he approached taking both the CFP and the Enrolled Agent exams. We also discuss why he sought out a ...
Ep #92: How to Make Yourself More Marketable with Louis Diamond
Louis Diamond is the President of Diamond Consultants, a financial advisor recruiting firm based out of Morristown, NJ. He joins the show today to discuss the recruiting landscape from a mergers and acquisitions perspective, including how the various channels are vying for established financial advisors in a highly competitive market. If you think your firm might be acquired, this is an episode you definitely won’t want to miss! Listen in as Louis shares the top reasons that financial planners ...
Ep #91: Pivoting from a Failed Succession Plan with Cecil Staton
Cecil Staton is the President and Wealth Advisor with Arch Financial Planning. He joins the show today to chat about his journey in the financial planning industry, including how he got started and why ultimately decided to start his own firm. Listen in as Cecil shares why the fee-only RIA model was the best fit for him, as well as how he was able to leverage his network to find an opportunity that best aligned with his career goals. You'll learn the catalyst that led to him establishing his ...
Turning Employee Resentment to Contentment
“I’m tired of working so hard for my boss, who is never here, so they can drive a Tesla!” We heard this recently from an employee at an advisory firm. It certainly isn’t the first time we have heard of employees resenting their bosses, but it is seemingly becoming more common. In this case it wasn't really about the Tesla, it usually isn't - it was mounting frustration driven by several underlying issues. Keep in mind at the end of the day it is your firm and you can drive whatever you ...
Ep #90: Finding the Right Path After Changing Careers with Steve Kampschmidt
Steve Kampschmidt joins the show today to share how he got started in the financial planning industry, including what it was like trying to enter the profession in a down market. After transitioning from his job to the bank channel, Steve used that position to leverage his way into an entry-level opportunity in a wirehouse training program before ultimately building his own RIA. Tune in as he shares what he learned from his time in the corporate world that has helped him in his financial ...
Ep #89: How to Pass the Series 65 Exam with Shane Kozusko
Shane Kozusko is a recent graduate from the University of Georgia’s Financial Planning degree program. He joins the show today to talk about how he passed the Series 65 exam, including why he chose to take it, even though it wasn't a requirement for him. If you are planning to take the Series 65, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss! Tune in as Shane shares the materials that he found the most helpful through the exam, as well as insider tips on the type of questions that he saw most ...
Ep #88: Exhibiting Passion, Determination, and Grit to Get Hired with Jake Smail
Jake Smail is a Financial Planning Associate at Demming Financial Services based out of Cleveland, OH. He joins the show today to discuss his entry into the financial planning profession, including the approach he took when trying to get hired in early 2020 during the beginning of the pandemic. If you are a middle-of-the-pack job seeker and want to have success in financial planning, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Take a listen as Jake shares how his experiences have helped him ...
Ep #87: Pivoting From History Professor Path to Financial Planner with Matt Trogdon
Matt Trogdon is a Financial Planner with Craftwork Capital based out of Washington, DC, and he joins the show today to share his unexpected journey to becoming a financial planner. If you are considering changing careers to become a financial planner, you definitely don’t want to miss this episode! Listen in as Matt shares why he pursued a history degree despite having an interest in financial planning from an early age, and how a chance meeting with a friend made him start to seriously ...