New Planner Podcast

Join Caleb Brown, CFP® and Co-founder of New Planner Recruiting™ along with his guests to learn how to enter the financial planning profession and find your right fit.

* Would you like to be a guest or nominate someone to be a guest on the New Planner Podcast? Contact us at podcast@newplannerrecruiting.com with a note on why you or your nominee would be a great guest on the New Planner Podcast!

Oct02

Ep #298: Leaving the Legal Profession and Launching a Firm with No Experience with Zachary Zwillinger

Changing careers after more than a decade in one profession is a big leap, but starting over doesn't necessarily mean starting from scratch. Zachary Zwillinger spent 12 years as a securities litigator before leaving the legal profession to build his own fee-only financial planning firm, bringing skills and experience from his legal career into an entirely new field. In this episode, Zach shares how he transitioned from lawyer to financial planner, why he launched his own firm rather than join ...

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Sep25

Ep #297: Pivoting from a Successful Career in Technology to Financial Planning with Kimberly Keesler Herrera

Changing careers after 25 years in another industry is one thing. Starting again at the bottom of the ladder is another. Kimberly Keesler Herrera, Associate Advisor at Tessara Wealth, made that leap from a successful career in tech into financial planning, approaching the transition with plenty of research, a financial runway, and a willingness to be the “kindergartner” again. Listen in to hear how Kimberly researched different firm models, why she chose the RIA path, how she prepared for the ...

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Sep18

Ep #296: Changing Careers and Launching a Firm Without Lead Planner Experience with Shawn Tydlaska

What does it take to break into financial planning? Today's guest is Shawn Tydlaska, Founder & CEO of Tessara Wealth, who joins the show to share how he found his right fit in the industry after struggling to find the right opportunity. You’ll learn why Shawn ultimately decided to start his own firm (without ever having been a lead planner or having a single client), why he pursued the CFP designation, and how he built a financial planning process designed around the needs of younger ...

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Sep11

Ep #295: Changing Careers to Become a CFP with Adam Van Deusen

What does it really take to successfully change careers and break into financial planning without starting completely from scratch? In this episode, we sit down with Adam Van Deusen, Financial Planning Nerd at Kitces.com, to explore his journey from journalism and international relations into financial planning. Adam shares how he discovered the fee-only planning world, tested the waters through education and volunteer work, earned his CFP® certification, and prepared for an initial 50% pay cut ...

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Sep03

Special Episode: Compensation Data Points with Caleb Brown and Jesse Lineberry

What are financial planners really worth in today’s job market? And what does that mean for firms trying to attract and retain top talent? In this episode, I'm joined by Jesse Lineberry to unpack the latest New Planner Recruiting Salary Survey and what the data reveals about compensation across different experience levels, geographic regions, and firm types. You’ll learn how asking salaries have changed since 2021, why experienced CFP professionals continue to command a significant premium, and ...

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Aug28

Ep #294: Intern to Partner with Brittany Brinckerhoff

What does it take to go from a college student with a math degree and no financial planning experience to a partner at a wealth management firm? In this episode, Brittany Brinckerhoff shares the unconventional path that took her from an internship she knew almost nothing about to a decade-long career at Hilltop Wealth Advisors. You’ll learn how an internship helped her discover financial planning, why she took the Series 7 and 65 while still in college, and how she transitioned from intern to ...

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Aug21

Ep #293: Family Office to RIA with Lonniece McDonald

How can you decide which path is right for you? Today, I'm joined by Lonniece McDonald, an associate wealth advisor at HIGHLAND Financial Advisors. Lonniece opens up about how she discovered financial planning and earned her CFP, her transition from a large family-office environment to a smaller boutique RIA, and how internships helped her explore different areas of finance. Listen in to learn what she values about working with a smaller team, as well as what she believes newer planners ...

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Aug14

Ep #292: How The FinServ Foundation Assists New Planners with Victoria O’Tool

What if the fastest way to build a successful financial planning career isn't going it alone? Victoria O'Tool is Executive Director of the FinServ Foundation and a financial planner at Mercer Advisors, and she joins the show today to share how mentorship, community involvement, and saying yes to unexpected opportunities helped launch her career just months after graduating. Listen in to learn why finding the right firm matters more than landing the first job, as well as how the FinServ ...

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Aug07

Ep #291: Changing Careers and Re-Entering the Workplace with Tiffiny Hubbard

What if the career you're looking for doesn't exist—yet? In this episode, Tiffiny Hubbard, a financial planner at Elwood & Goetz Wealth Advisory, shares her unconventional journey into financial planning after spending seven years as a stay-at-home mom. From earning her CFP® designation through self-study to discovering that being client-facing wasn't the only path to a fulfilling career, Tiffiny explains how she built a role that aligns with both her professional strengths and her family ...

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Jul31

Ep #290: English Teacher to CFP with Andrew Bencivenga

What does it take to completely reinvent your career and break into financial planning from an unconventional background? In this episode, Andrew Bencivenga, financial planner at Brindle & Bay Wealth Management, shares his unique journey from teaching English in South Korea and running a craft brewery to becoming a successful financial planner. Listen in to learn how Andrew identified transferable skills from his previous careers, earned his CFP while working exhausting hours, broke into ...

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Jul24

Ep #289: Launching Your Own Firm After 14 Years as an Employee with Nick Scheibner

How do you go from an intern ordering office supplies to owning your own financial planning firm? Nick Scheibner shares the journey that took him from accidentally discovering financial planning at university to spending 14 years growing within one firm before taking the leap to launch his own RIA. You'll learn why saying "yes" to every opportunity accelerated his career, how taking on overlooked responsibilities made him indispensable, and why confidence is built one client conversation at a ...

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Jul17

Ep #288: 1 Year into a Financial Planning Career with Samantha Buchanan and Garrett Welsh

How can you build a successful financial planning career in your first year after college? In this episode, I sit down with paraplanners Samantha Buchanan and Garrett Welsh from Allegiance Financial Group Advisory Services to explore their journeys into financial planning, how they chose the right firm, and what they’ve learned transitioning from students to professionals. Listen in to learn how Samantha and Garrett evaluated career opportunities, why finding the right firm culture mattered, ...

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