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!

Jun12

Ep #283: College Student to Partner in 3 Years with Hanna Molta

What if your first job in financial planning didn’t just lead to experience but to a partnership in under three years? In this episode, Hanna Molta, Partner at Seven Hills Financial, shares her unusual and fast-tracked journey into the financial planning profession, starting with zero financial literacy and a chance conversation at a restaurant. Listen in as Hanna walks through how mentorship, initiative, and a willingness to start with administrative work helped her move from student to ...

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Jun05

Ep #282: Banker to Director of Financial Planning with Preston Henry

What does a successful financial planning career actually look like behind the scenes? In this episode, Preston Henry, Director of Financial Planning at Sugarloaf Wealth Management, shares the winding and unconventional path that took him from golf course conversations and banking roles to becoming a leader inside a growing RIA. Along the way, Preston opens up about the risks, career pivots, mentors, and mindset shifts that shaped his journey through multiple areas of the financial services ...

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May29

Ep #281: From Academia to Starting Own Firm with Andy Baxley

What happens when a psychology major discovers financial planning and decides to completely rethink how advice can be delivered? In this episode, Andy Baxley shares his journey from teaching English in South Korea to working at large financial institutions, discovering the fee-only RIA world, and ultimately launching his own firm, Two Trails Financial Planning. Andy opens up about the career pivots, self-doubt, and entrepreneurial lessons that shaped his path, along with the mindset shifts that ...

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May22

Ep #280: Lifelong Educator and Financial Planner with Gary Clement

What does it really take to build a successful financial planning career, and how much of it comes down to education, persistence, and understanding human behavior? In this episode, Gary Clement shares his unconventional journey from a math major with an interest in investments to an experienced financial planner, educator, and PhD holder. He walks through his early days in the industry, the lessons learned from working in high-pressure sales environments, and the pivotal experiences that shaped ...

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May15

Ep #279: Building a Book Straight from a CFP Program with Evan Fears

What does it really take to build a successful financial planning career when you’re starting from scratch? In this episode, Evan Fears, CFP at Vision Financial Group Georgia, shares how he entered the financial planning industry straight out of college with no guaranteed salary, no inherited client book, and plenty of obstacles standing in his way. From being mistaken for a high school student while meeting with clients to navigating the pressure of building trust as a young advisor, Evan opens ...

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May08

Ep #278: Advice Only Model to AUM Model with Kaleb Paddock

What happens when you stumble into a career you didn’t even know existed and end up building a business entirely on your own terms? In this episode, Kaleb Paddock, founder of Ten Talents Financial Planning, shares his unconventional journey into financial planning and the lessons he learned along the way. From discovering the profession through third-party administration work to earning his CFP and gaining hands-on experience at an RIA firm, Kaleb walks through the pivotal moments that shaped ...

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May01

Ep #277: RIA to AI Startup with Brian Abatemarco

Could your strengths lie outside the traditional advisor path? My guest today is Brian Abatemarco, who navigated his career from financial planning into sales, and ultimately into the world of AI startups. From managing clients early in his career to discovering a passion for business development, Brian shares how leaning into your natural strengths can completely reshape your trajectory. Listen in to learn how AI is actually being used inside advisory firms today (and why it’s not replacing ...

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Apr24

Ep #276: Leveraging Hospitality Industry Skills to Develop as a New Planner with Cassidy Vines

What if the key to standing out in your career is starting before you feel ready? In this episode, Cassidy Vines, a financial planning student at Temple University and winner of the 2025 New Planner Recruiting Tuition Scholarship, shares how she took the initiative early to build real-world experience before graduating. You’ll learn how she discovered financial planning, why she made the switch from marketing, and how she turned curiosity into a clear career path. Listen in as Cassidy shares ...

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Apr17

Ep #275: Securing 2 Years of Experience Prior to College Graduation with Francesco D’Amore

What do you do when rejection, setbacks, and uncertainty hit early in your career? In this episode, Francesco D’Amore shares how he turned college rejection, uncertainty about his career path, and limited resources into a clear plan to break into the financial planning profession. From teaching himself to pass the SIE exam using only YouTube to transferring schools and landing internships through networking, Francesco explains how curiosity and persistence shaped his journey. Listen in to ...

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Apr10

Special Episode: Overview of The 2026 Amplified Planning Externship with Hannah Moore

What if you could experience multiple financial planning firms, real client meetings, and industry experts all in one internship? In this episode, Hannah Moore, CEO of Guiding Wealth Management and creator of the Amplified Planning Externship, shares how a unique program started during the pandemic and quickly grew into one of the most recognized learning experiences for aspiring financial planners. Listen in to learn how the Externship works, what participants actually do during the eight-week ...

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Apr03

Ep #274: Overcoming Career Setbacks to Succeed with Erin Varghese and James Conole

What happens when your career doesn’t go according to plan? Today, James Conole and Erin Varghese join the show to share their very different paths into the financial planning profession. They talk about career setbacks, getting fired, starting over, and ultimately finding the right firm and culture to grow their careers. Listen in to learn how Erin transitioned from banking into financial planning, why starting at a small RIA can accelerate your learning, and how James went from being fired ...

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Mar27

Ep #273: Transitioning from a Public Policy Career to Financial Planning with Lisa Schaefer

What does it really take to leave a stable, high-level career and start over in financial planning? In this episode, Lisa Schaefer shares her journey from working in public policy to becoming a financial advisor. You’ll learn how mentorship played a critical role in her transition, why starting with the Series 65 helped her test the waters, and how she navigated the uncertainty of breaking into a completely new industry. Listen in as Lisa opens up about the realities of taking a pay cut, ...

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