Avsnitt
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Vlad Golyk, Partner and Leader of McKinsey's North America Wealth Management Practice. Vlad works closely with wealth and asset managers, focusing on growth, transformation, and the evolution of operating models. He is a co-author and lead contributor to two recently released reports, The Looming Advisor Shortage in US Wealth Management and US Wealth Management in 2035: A Transformative Decade Begins.
Vlad talks with Jack about the forces that will shape wealth management over the next decade. He highlights significant challenges, particularly advisor capacity, which is becoming one of the industry's most critical concerns as demand for financial advice continues to rise while the advisor workforce ages and declines. Vlad also explains how advisory firms can build an operating model that delivers holistic advice while addressing advisor shortages.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:40) - Why growth, productivity, advisor models, and AI are interconnected
(04:53) - The looming advisor shortage in wealth management
(10:12) - The power of AI in the modern advisory world
(18:15) - Monetizing AI: AI-powered guidance and new revenue opportunities
(22:08) - What makes a successful wealth management operating model
(26:14) - Vlad's interests outside of work
Quotes
"If you're only building for today's clients who want the human advisor enhanced by technology, you might be optimizing a model that the next wave of accumulators will never opt into." ~ Vlad Golyk
"Investors are clear about the role they want AI to play today. They want it as a guidance layer, not an autonomous agent." ~ Vlad Golyk
"Build a blended experience where AI handles analytical throughput and the human shows up at moments of highest emotional and financial stakes. Investors want that, they pay for it, and they want it from the advisor." ~ Vlad Golyk
Links
Vlad Golyk on LinkedIn
McKinsey
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Steve Gresham, Founder and Managing Principal at NextChapter. With more than 40 years in asset and wealth management, Steve has spent his career working on growth issues as an executive and as an advisor to executives. He has also played a key role in developing major industry innovations, including managed accounts, target-date funds, wealth strategies, and practice management.
Steve talks with Jack about why advisor capacity is becoming the defining driver of enterprise value. He discusses how firms can build their enterprise value through four key levers—headquarters-led capabilities, hybrid tech and human delivery, retention, and client acquisition. Steve further explores why advisory capacity is the new growth currency in wealth management and how AI accelerates this shift.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:54) - Defining organic growth, enterprise value, and advisor capacity
(05:03) - The next chapter of organic growth
(08:53) - How advisor capacity is a driver of enterprise value
(11:28)- How AI is linked to enterprise value
(14:57) - The four levers to build enterprise value
(20:45) - Applying the four levers framework to real firms
(25:42) - Steve's key takeaways
(27:46) - Steve's interests outside of work
Quotes
"You have to be able to tie AI into what is already an ongoing digital and information revolution. AI is riding on those same rails. It is accelerating the speed of the train, but it's still primarily leading to a human-led advice industry." ~ Steve Gresham
"Newer, younger advisors have a much more open mind about the role of technology. It makes them more efficient. And if it's used correctly, it makes them more successful." ~ Steve Gresham
"End treating organic growth as a hero metric and start managing for enterprise value. And that means defining the advisor or the organization's capacity to engage as a KPI." ~ Steve Gresham
Links
Steve Gresham on LinkedIn
NextChapter
SEI
Fidelity Investments
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Alois Pirker, Founder & CEO of Pirker Partners. For 25 years, Alois has worked with many leading wealth management firms and providers globally. Today, he advises firms, vendors, and investors on where the industry is headed, grounded in real conversation, real data, and real-world execution.
Alois talks with Jack about how firms navigate the convergence of AI, operations, and business model transformation. They discuss the gap between AI hype and practical implementation, why data management is the key to successful AI implementation, and how firms are moving from siloed, product-focused models toward holistic advice.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(03:35) - What makes AI different this time
(06:00) - The challenge of organizing data across firms
(10:26) - Why AI can't fix broken infrastructures
(13:17) - The truth about organic growth
(18:04) - How the vendor landscape has evolved over time
(21:41) - Alois' interests outside of work
Quotes
"Using AI is very expensive. So, marrying traditional methods with AI methods, that's where the secret sauce is." ~ Alois Pirker
"Organic growth starts with trust. It starts with the trust the advisor or the firm has earned with the client or prospect. And that cannot be manufactured through technology." ~ Alois Pirker
"Smart vendors know their position in the value chain. They know where they are strong." ~ Alois Pirker
Links
Alois Pirker on LinkedIn
Pirker Partners
Range.com
FINNY
Morgan Stanley
Jed Finn
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Bradley Kellum, Partner and Head of Wealth Management for North America at Oliver Wyman. Brad is a leader in wealth management technology focused on improving how advisors leverage systems to deliver better client outcomes. With deep experience across advisory platforms and digital transformation, Bradley brings a strategic perspective on how technology can unlock scale, efficiency, and more personalized client engagement.
Jack and Bradley explore the challenges firms face with fragmented systems and how integration is becoming essential to delivering a unified client experience. They discuss the shift toward more holistic advice, the role of data in driving better decisions, and how firms can position themselves for the next wave of innovation in wealth management.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:50) - Bradley's role at Oliver Wyman
(03:08) - What convergence means in the financial services industry
(05:53) - The target operating model: Data, technology architecture, and people
(07:33) - A customer-first approach to executing goals-based wealth management
(11:50) - Public and private investments: demand vs. operational reality
(16:24) - The role of AI in empowering advisors
(22:27) - How firms can navigate the convergence in financial services
(24:47) - Bradley's interests outside of work
Quotes
"The right product at the right time is a solution." ~ Bradley Kellum
"All things financial are expensive propositions to build and maintain. So, to feed that engine, you need primacy in a client's life." ~ Bradley Kellum
"If you're everything to everybody, that's a recipe for mediocrity. The winners will really serve the clients that they've chosen to go after better than others." — Bradley Kellum
Links
Bradley Kellum on LinkedIn
Oliver Wyman
Morgan Stanley
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Len Reinhart, President of Reinhart Consulting Group and a pioneer in fee-based advisory services. Len has spent decades shaping the evolution of wealth management, from his early days in large brokerage firms to helping build and scale some of the industry’s first fee-based advisory platforms.
Len and Jack take a walk down memory lane to discuss the origins of Unified Managed Household (UMH) and goal-based wealth planning, and how Len's prediction about UMH is finally taking root. From the early days of EF Hutton to the founding of Lockwood Advisors, Len shares the story of how the financial services industry transitioned from commission-driven transactions to the fee-based advisory model we know today and how he brought goal-based investing to everyday investors.
In this episode:
(00:00)- Intro
(02:06) - Len’s career journey and the origins of fee-based advisory
(06:08) - Early experience inside large brokerage firms
(07:40) - Transitioning from transactional business to fee-based models
(12:15) - The development of goal-based investing
(16:33) - Key ideas from “A Managed Account Odyssey”
(21:04) - Why change in financial services takes decades
(24:31) - The role of UMH and AI in the future of wealth management
(28:10) - Len's interests outside of work
Quotes
"The one thing that has bothered me over my years in this business is how slow change happens in the financial services industry. There's a lot of stuff going on with different types of investments, but the way to do business changes very slowly." ~ Len Reinhart
"One thing we realized about why change takes so long in this business is that the end advisor, you have to catch them at the right time. We didn't do it with the biggest producers. We did it with the wannabe producers, and we helped them become big producers." ~ Len Reinhart
"AI is coming. AI can take this technology and impact the advisor dramatically. And for an advisor to have the value add they need to retain a client, they've got to be doing UMH. If they don't, they're going to lose the client." ~ Len Reinhart
Links
Len Reinhart on LinkedIn
EF Hutton
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Jamie Dimon
Jim Seuffert
Pershing
WealthCare
Altruist
Holistiplan
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with David Lau, Founder & CEO at DPL Financial Partners. David is an innovator and disruptor in the financial services industry and one of the pioneers in fee-based annuities and in making annuities more accessible. His firm focuses on integrating innovative insurance products into a fee-based advisory practice, helping advisors deliver greater value and better outcomes for investors through transparent, cost-effective solutions.
David and Jack explore the transformation underway in how advisors integrate annuities into a fee-based, household-level practice. They discuss why commission-based annuities are giving way to low-cost, fee-based structures, how technology is making annuity analysis scalable across entire books of business, and why asset location within a household — including tax deferral through investment-only variable annuities — is the clearest path to better client outcomes.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(02:21) - DPL's role in the convergence of human and digital advice
(06:30) - Scaling annuity analysis from individual clients to entire books
(09:42) - Simplifying annuity analysis through technology and automation
(13:17) - How annuities make a difference to a portfolio
(18:31) - Leveraging structure to create better outcomes
(23:41) - David's outlook on the future of the financial services industry
(25:07) - David's key takeaways
(25:53) - David's interests outside of work
Quotes
"We build technology that commoditizes annuity knowledge. So now you don't need to be an advisor trying to figure out which annuity is best or which will suit your client. You just tell us about the client, and we give you the best annuity." ~ David Lau
"Working to bring capabilities together and being able to analyze the efficiency of asset location within a household is incredibly powerful." ~ David Lau
"You always have to stay on top of what's going on in the market because it's evolving quite a bit, not only from a technology point of view but also from a product point of view. And all of this convergence really makes a difference." ~ David Lau
Links
David Lau on LinkedIn
DPL Financial Partners
Vanguard
Morningstar
Homes for HOPE
Chip Roame
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with the Co-Founders of Avantos, Bassam Chaptini and Rabih Ramadi. With deep experience in financial technology and enterprise systems, Bassam and Rabih are rethinking how advisors interact with data, clients, and the broader advisory ecosystem.
Bassam and Rabih discuss how they built an AI-native operating system that unifies client data, streamlines onboarding, and enhances how advisors service complex households. From UMH to real-time client assistance, they share how they moved beyond traditional CRM models to create "AI butlers" that advocate for clients and reduce advisors' administrative workload.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:45) - Career journeys and foundations in wealth technology
(03:53) - Transforming client onboarding through AI
(06:08) - Moving beyond traditional CRM to intelligent relationship management
(06:49) - Delivering a 360-degree view of client relationships
(10:12) - Advancing UMH in practice
(12:18) - Turning AI tools into a full operating system with Avantos
(18:08) - How AI enhances the delivery of better advice
(22:05) - Integrating Avantos capabilities into SEI
(23:31) - Bassam and Rabih's interests outside of work
Quotes
"To do proper client relationship management, you need to understand three dimensions: the clients, all the products that you own or don't own, and all the agents or advisors." ~ Rabih Ramadi
"Every engagement with SEI, we were impressed. We love the company's vision, and being part of it makes us super excited." ~ Rabih Ramadi
"We're creating AI butlers within your organization to make sure your clients are happy. At the end of the day, advisors are happy when their clients are happy." ~ Bassam Chaptini
"Having a 360-degree view of your clients as an advisor is absolutely key to deepening your relationship with them. This includes not just being able to service them in ways that weren't possible before, but also taking on the day-to-day administrative burden for advisors and making them more productive." ~ Bassam Chaptini
Links
Bassam Chaptini on LinkedIn
Rabih Ramadi on LinkedIn
Avantos
Altruist
Hazel
SEI Access
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Tom Lewandowski, Principal and Leader of the High-Net-Worth (HNW) Segment at Edward Jones. Tom leads the development and execution of strategies to better serve HNW households, including defining a unique value proposition for clients and branch teams, product and service strategy, pricing, compensation, operations and infrastructure, integration, and internal and external communication.
Tom talks with Jack about how Edward Jones leverages its deep-rooted culture of trust to serve the HNW market. Tom explains how the firm's Generations Program provides branch teams with access to specialized expertise in estate planning, tax strategy, and business transitions, ensuring that complex client needs are met with the same personalized touch the firm is known for.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:10) - Tom's role at Edward Jones
(02:10) - Tom's journey in the wealth management industry
(03:42) - Why Edward Jones leaned into high-net-worth clients
(05:53) - The genesis of the Edward Jones Generations Program
(07:56) - How Edward Jones' home-office specialists support local branch teams
(11:43) - Latest updates on Edward Jones Generations Program
(15:25) - Helping families move from uncertainty to clarity
(17:10) - Edward Jones' future goals
(20:21) - Tom's key takeaways
(21:09) - Tom's interests outside of work
Quotes
"Trust is that gateway to the conversations that matter." ~ Tom Lewandowski
"We strongly believe that family conversations are the most important. If you want to remove that burden or turn it into something positive in terms of how that comprehensive plan can impact your family, we'd love you to consider an Edward Jones financial advisor, because we're the best in the business of driving those." ~ Tom Lewandowski
"If you can marry the best of both worlds—great advice, solid products and services—into a comprehensive financial planning conversation, that's what clients are really looking for." ~ Tom Lewandowski
Links
Tom Lewandowski on LinkedIn
Edward Jones
EY
Husch Blackwell
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Scott Smith, Senior Director of Advice Relationships at Cerulli Associates. Scott leads research on financial advisor trends, client engagement, and the evolving wealth management landscape. In his role, Scott works closely with wealth management firms across the industry, helping them understand advisor behavior, emerging technology adoption, and the strategic forces shaping the future of advice.
Scott talks with Jack about the trends that actually drive growth in wealth management: organic growth, tax optimization, alternatives, AI, and Unified Managed Households (UMH). He also discusses the factors that affect clients' financial decisions and why the secret to winning the next decade is not about having the flashiest tech, but about creating the path of least resistance for advisors and clients alike.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:51) - Key trends and challenges shaping wealth management today
(06:11) - Why tax optimization and organic growth drive better outcomes
(08:37) - The reality of technology adoption in advisory firms
(11:15) - Understanding Unified Managed Household and its core capabilities
(15:06) - What investors actually prioritize when working with advisors
(20:27) - Scott's key takeaways
(21:39) - Scott's interests outside of work
Quotes
"People definitely want improved outcomes. When we ask affluent investors what is important to them? It's reducing their tax bill and simplifying their financial life." ~ Scott Smith
"AI does a great job solving logic and algorithms. But in wealth management, clients are almost 90% emotionally based. It's all about how they feel about money and their goals. People are not going to share their emotions with a machine." ~ Scott Smith
"The more you act like a fiduciary in spirit as well as the law, the better off you're going to be long term." ~ Scott Smith
Links
Scott Smith on LinkedIn
Cerulli Associates
Steve Craver
Altruist
Holistiplan
Rob Pettman
LPL Financial
TIFIN
The Psychology of Money
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with John Yackel, Executive Vice President and Head of Wealth Management at Janney Montgomery Scott. With more than three decades of experience across wealth management, financial services, and fintech, John has built a career focused on helping firms modernize their technology, scale advisor platforms, and deliver comprehensive advice to clients.
John joins Jack to discuss how long-established wealth firms can innovate while preserving the culture that defines them. He explores how Janney is investing in technology modernization, advisor productivity, and strategic expansion while maintaining its ownership-driven culture. John also shares how the firm’s “supported independence” model helps advisors grow their practices, unlock capacity, and build sustainable businesses for the future.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:13) - John’s career path across wealth management and fintech
(05:30) - How Janney’s ownership model shapes modernization and advisor focus
(08:01) - Expansion strategy: balancing growth, infrastructure, and culture
(10:16) - The “supported independence” model for financial advisors
(13:59) - Unlocking advisor capacity through practice management and succession planning
(17:49) - Janney’s service model for recruiting, integrating, and supporting advisors
(20:23) - John's interests outside of work
Quotes
"You need to make it easy for the advisor to do business, and you have to meet the advisor where they do that business." ~ John Yackel
"When we go out recruiting and speak with financial advisors, it's harder and harder to continue competing just by always articulating what product, service, or platform we have. The playing field needs to be leveled every day. You have to be innovative." ~ John Yackel
"If you lead with organic growth and help existing advisors in your network become more productive, provide them with greater capacity, and support their lead generation and business development programs, you will start to have organic growth within your current business model." ~ John Yackel
Links
John Yackel on LinkedIn
Janney Montgomery Scott
Envestnet
SEI
LPL Financial
Prudential Financial
Veterans Multi-Service Center
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Amy Young, Founder of Advice Architects. Amy Young is a longtime wealth-management strategist and former Microsoft managing director who has spent three decades at the intersection of capital markets, consulting, and technology partnerships. After working with major financial institutions on data and generative-AI initiatives, she founded Advice Architects, a consulting practice helping firms design the technology, workflows, and skills needed to deliver more effective, scalable financial advice.
Amy talks with Jack about how generative AI has evolved from a simple chat interface into a powerful, governed ecosystem capable of executing tasks, surfacing insights, and enabling mass personalization at scale. She discusses how wealth management firms can leverage these advancements to help advisors bridge the AI skill gap and move beyond portfolio talk into high-value, holistic advice.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:51) - Amy’s path into wealth tech and behavioral finance
(04:10) - Why Amy left Microsoft to start Advice Architects
(06:13) - How generative AI has evolved beyond chatbots
(08:54) - Building AI tools without being a developer
(12:07) - Why agents may define the next phase of AI
(19:15) - Turning financial advice into real-life problem solving
(24:47) - Amy's key takeaways
(27:22) - Amy's interests outside of work
Quotes
"The biggest challenge impairing the wealth industry's adoption of AI is that leaders have a skill gap. They have a huge learning curve to scale on AI. And maturing AI, like building a whole stack, a strategy, and a roadmap, really requires those leaders to upskill." ~ Amy Young
"Advice is absolutely central, but how we architect our stack is a critical success factor for the delivery of that advice." ~ Amy Young
"If advisors can't differentiate from what a consumer can get from ChatGPT, the industry is going to have a problem." ~ Amy Young
Links
Amy Young on LinkedIn
Microsoft
Jump AI
Never Eat Alone
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In this year-in-review episode, Matt Nollman, Head of Product Marketing at SEI LifeYield and Producer of WealthTech on Deck, steps into the host chair and interviews Jack Sharry on the five defining WealthTech themes of 2025. From household-level tax optimization and AI-powered advisor capacity to the industry’s struggle with organic growth, the mainstreaming of alternatives, and the rise of human-centered advice, Jack connects the dots across 44 conversations and 80,000 downloads. Together, they explore how wealth-as-a-service operating models, integrated platforms, and scalable personalization are reshaping financial advice—offering a clear, practical blueprint for firms seeking sustainable growth in 2026 and beyond.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:48) - The five defining WealthTech themes of 2025
(03:58) - From accounts to households: the push for unified, tax-smart advice
(07:00) - AI as an amplifier: scaling personalized advice without replacing advisors
(09:51) - The organic growth dilemma facing the industry
(15:22) - Building a true growth engine: wealth as a service in action
(18:22) - Alternatives go mainstream: opportunity, risk, and execution challenges
(22:28) - Human-centered advice: longevity, purpose, and the next generation
(26:18) - Jack's key takeaways
(30:01) - Jack's interests outside of work
Quotes
"Better financial outcomes can be achieved for clients, advisors, and firms through household-level tax smart advice at scale." ~ Jack Sharry
"Organic growth is not achieved as a function of better salespeople or better sales tactics. Successful organic growth is achieved through a combination and coordination of highly competitive investment products, state-of-the-art, fully integrated technology and platforms, seamless coordinated digital operations, and savvy digital marketing." ~ Jack Sharry
"Human-centered advice conversations consistently reinforce that the endgame is about better human outcomes, with tech products, alts, and platforms as enablers." ~ Jack Sharry
Links
Jack Sharry on LinkedIn
Matt Nollman on LinkedIn
Scott Smith
Cerulli Associates
Justin Singer
EY
Parker Ence
Jump AI
Arnulf Hsu
GReminders
Ritik Malhotra
Savvy
Alicia Rich
Broadridge
Colleen Bell
Cambridge Investment Research
Connor Coughlin
Apex Fintech Solutions
Arthur Worthington
Morgan Stanley
J.P. Morgan
Fidelity Investments
John Amore
Kestra Financial
Mike Capelle
Modern Wealth Management
Randy Morris
Summit Wealth Group
Doug Fritz
F2 Strategy
Randy Lambert
Rafael Couto
Jeffrey Levi
Deloitte
Neil Bathon
Fuse Research Network
Tony Davidow
Franklin Templeton
Ryan Eisenman
Arch
Ryan VanGorder
Opto Investments
David Goldman
Pontera
Ken Dychtwald
Age Wave
Suzanne Schmitt
Next Chapter
Lacy Garcia
Trust Willow
Adam Holt
Asset-Map
Steve Chen
Boldin
Steven Miyao
Jamie Hopkins
WSFS Bank
Brooke Elliott
Hale Education
Westport River Watershed Alliance
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Matt Nollman on LinkedIn
Jack Sharry on Twitter
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Sneha Shah, Executive Vice President and Head of New Business Ventures at SEI. Sneha brings more than 25 years of global leadership experience across data, technology, and human-centered innovation.
Jack and Sneha explore how innovation actually takes root inside large financial services organizations. Sneha shares how SEI is incubating new ideas, empowering employees, and turning emerging technologies like AI and tokenization into real-world impact. The conversation spans mindset shifts, the role of community, generational and gender-based wealth transfer, and why partnerships—not ownership—will determine who wins in the next era of wealth management.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:35) - Sneha's global career journey and her role at SEI
(04:47) - How SEI sources ideas and turns them into new ventures
(07:39) - From idea to impact: real examples of innovation getting funded
(09:45) - How employees are responding to SEI’s innovation culture
(10:40) - Why personalized communication is key to leading organizational change
(14:46) - Sneha's outlook on the future of the financial services industry
(19:18) - Why partnerships matter more than ever in times of rapid change
(21:05) - Sneha's key takeaways
(22:08) - Sneha's interests outside of work
Quotes
"The largest obstacle to the emerging technologies is not the technology itself—it's often the mindset that will allow that technology to take root." ~ Sneha Shah
"Innovation cannot be impactful unless you actually bring people along. And I see that with AI and tokenization. The use, adoption, and scaling of it really depend on the human being feeling like it's something that's going to help transform that job." ~ Sneha Shah
"The failure of our ability to take advantage of technology is not going to be technology. It's going to be our lack of imagination. And so the more that you can excite people's imagination and get them to engage, the further you can really take these technologies." ~ Sneha Shah
Links
Sneha Shah on LinkedIn
SEI
SEI Next
Thomson Reuters
Education Development Center
African Leadership Academy
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Garrett Beam, Head of Digital Solutions at Cetera Financial Group. Garrett drives the product vision, strategy, experience, design, and execution across various platforms and products to support Cetera's overarching strategic plan. He collaborates closely with the users and internal teams, including development and engineering, quality assurance, marketing, training, sales, and other groups, to deliver impactful solutions, go-to-market activities, adoption initiatives, and ongoing enhancements.
Garrett talks with Jack about how the asset and wealth management industry is moving toward the great convergence, where technology, operations, and investment solutions seamlessly blend to meet rising consumer expectations. He shares how firms can shift from siloed processes to integrated, user-centric experiences, and how AI enables these platforms and digital solutions to be simple, intuitive, and empowering.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:47) - Garrett's role at Cetera Financial Group
(04:45) - How the industry has evolved over the past 15 years
(08:50) - What the great convergence is all about
(12:40) - The own vs. rent strategy in fintech development
(14:30) - The role of human consultation and training in a digital-first world
(19:04) - Why client-service platforms should be intuitive
(22:23) - The power of AI in transforming financial services
(26:45) - Garrett's key takeaways
(29:15) - Garrett's interests outside of work
Quotes
"The need to respond to end consumers' expectations is why we, as businesses, exist. Without the end customer and the delivery of value, you don't have a viable business." ~ Garrett Beam
"Tech and AI are going to transform businesses, period. Wealth management and wealthtech are no different. Advisors and providers of capabilities must embrace tech and AI to better serve their clients and scale their businesses." ~ Garrett Beam
"From an industry and profession perspective, we have an opportunity to dramatically broaden access to high-quality financial advice. And that requires change. It requires being bold and innovative." ~ Garrett Beam
Links
Garrett Beam on LinkedIn
Cetera Financial Group
BNY
Charles Schwab
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Tim Kresl, Managing Principal & Head of US Client Success, and Ashley Wood, Managing Principal in Data & Analytics at Broadridge. Tim specializes in market strategy and quantitative analysis, while Ashley brings a strong background in client engagement and innovative financial solutions. Tim and Ashley team up to help asset managers create more data-driven distribution strategies.
Tim and Ashley talk with Jack about the key findings of the 2025 MMI Investment Advisory Pulse Survey. They discuss the alignment and gaps between asset managers and wealth managers and the rising demand for tax-optimized portfolios. Tim and Ashley also share insights on how technology is redefining the advisor value proposition and how AI is shifting from experimental curiosity to a core business priority.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:38) - Tim’s and Ashley's roles at Broadridge
(05:25) - Tim on the gaps and alignments between asset and wealth managers
(08:19) - Ashley's takeaway from the 2025 MMI Investment Advisory Pulse Survey
(11:12) - The shifting value proposition of financial advisors
(15:00) - Why tax optimization is a priority for wealth managers
(20:11) - The role of technology in managing multiple accounts efficiently
(21:54) - What it takes to manage multi-account, unified managed households
(25:05) - Ashley's key takeaways
(28:59) - Tim's key takeaways
(31:19) - Ashley's interests outside of work
(32:17) - Tim's interest outside of work
Quotes
"From a product perspective, we're actually seeing some alignment in the core needs that asset and wealth managers are expressing. And those really revolve around a couple of key themes: lower-cost solutions and tax-optimized solutions." ~ Ashley Wood
"Financial advisors are shifting from what was once a very investment management-heavy value proposition to being much more holistic financial planning. And holistic financial planning encompasses far more than just portfolio management and investment selection." ~ Tim Kresl
"The primary way that we've seen firms really managing portfolios from a tax-optimized perspective is obviously asset location and more dynamic tax optimization strategies like tax loss harvesting." ~ Tim Kresl
"Wealth managers are increasingly looking to do more with fewer asset manager partners. So, it's about leveraging technology to manage decreasing margins while providing increased customization and scale." ~ Ashley Wood
Links
Tim Kresl on LinkedIn
Ashley Wood on LinkedIn
Money Management Institute
Broadridge
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Michael Liersch, Chief Planning Officer at Edelman Financial Engines. Michael acts as the production arm at Edelman. He leads the firm's strategic agenda around the convergence of financial planning, advice, technology, operations, investment solutions, and user experience. With a distinguished career spanning academia and financial services, Michael is also known for integrating behavioral insights into financial strategy.
Michael talks with Jack about how artificial intelligence and automation are reshaping financial advice, not as a replacement for humans, but as a force multiplier for listening, building trust, and improving outcomes. He also discusses the phases of AI integration, the risks of "over-AI-ing" the client experience, and his vision for a future in which advice itself, rather than products, is the industry's core value proposition.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(02:18) - Michael's role at Edelman Financial Engine
(04:04) - Michael's psychological perspective on AI
(08:51) - Edelman's practical application of AI
(15:55) - How Edelman uses AI at scale
(21:49) - Protecting clients from “over-AI-ing”
(25:30) - Michael's outlook on the future of AI in financial services
(29:54) - Michael's goal for the financial industry
(34:37) - Michael's interests outside of work
Quotes
"We are in a truly new and unique era, recognizing that machines, you can call that AI, and humans can complement each other." ~ Michael Liersch
"What's interesting about the machine is that it doesn't really have any of its own feelings. But it really does a great job of giving itself entirely to the human and achieving a level of precision that humans find challenging." ~ Michael Liersch
"I really want to move the financial industry toward having advice be the actual product." ~ Michael Liersch
Links
Michael Liersch on LinkedIn
Edelman Financial Engines
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LifeYield
Jack Sharry on LinkedIn
Jack Sharry on Twitter
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Chip Roame, Founder & Managing Partner of Tiburon Strategic Advisors & Tiburon CEO Summits. Chip is a leading strategic advisor to 700+ Tiburon corporate member firms and other clients, primarily advising CEOs, senior executives, and boards of directors of wealth and investment management firms. He is responsible for all of Tiburon's research and advisory activities, keeping him at the leading edge of strategic initiatives in the industry's fastest-growing businesses.
Jack and Chip break down the real forces shaping wealth management today. Chip shares insights from the latest Tiburon CEO Summit in Boston, covering shifting client segments, asset flows across channels, the dominance of ETFs and private credit, and why scale continues to win. They discuss lead generation as a defining competitive advantage, the accelerating pace of consolidation, and how AI may drive efficiency and personalization without replacing advisors.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:26) - Five major themes from the Tiburon CEO Summit
(02:38) – How investors are changing—and why the generational wealth transfer is overstated
(05:39) – Where the money is really flowing across wealth management channels
(08:37) – Cheap beta vs. private markets: the widening product divide
(11:05) – Why scale keeps winning and the biggest firms keep getting bigger
(13:07) – Business strategy today: lead generation, advisors, and growth models
(15:03) – What real organic growth looks like—and why it matters
(19:47) – Industry structure: consolidation, M&A, and what’s coming next
(22:10) – AI in wealth management: efficiency, personalization, and realistic timelines
(24:39) - Chip's key takeaways
(26:43) - Chip's interests outside of work
Quotes
"Private equity firms or the stock market value organic growth much higher than inorganic growth. And certainly, your cost to acquire a client will always be lowest in digital marketing, in social media, where you self-create the lead." ~ Chip Roame
"Don't get caught up in all the news that gets reported every day. Focus on which firms are actually gathering the most money because they're the ones that are doing something right." ~ Chip Roame
"Lead gen is a big deal right now, and I think those who figure it out are going to win. So if I were a wealth firm, I would be figuring out lead gen for my advisors at the home level." ~ Chip Roame
Links
Chip Roame on LinkedIn
Tiburon Strategic Advisors
Tiburon CEO Summits
Morgan Stanley
Merrill Lynch
Wells Fargo
UBS
Edward Jones
Ameriprise Financial
J.P. Morgan
Charles Schwab
Fidelity Investments
BlackRock
Forge Global
Vanguard
iShares
Franklin Templeton Investments
Jenny Johnson
Envestnet
Orion Advisor Solutions
Addepar
Tiburon Impact Adventures
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Arthur Worthington, Managing Director of Strategic Business Development & Integration at SEI. With more than a decade of experience working directly with financial advisors, Arthur brings a rare blend of investment, technology, operations, and distribution expertise. In his current role, he leads the integration of major acquisitions—including LifeYield and Stratos—focused on helping wealth management firms scale, improve after-tax outcomes, and move from account-level to household-level implementation.
Jack and Arthur examine why organic growth remains elusive for most wealth management firms—even amid the largest wealth transfer in history. Arthur explains how household-level investing, asset location, and tax-aware withdrawals can unlock meaningful after-tax value for clients while driving retention, consolidation, and enterprise growth for firms. They explore the rising complexity of advice, the shrinking supply of advisors, and why scalable infrastructure—not just AI—will define the next generation of successful advisory businesses.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(02:03) - Arthur's role at SEI and building the platform of the future
(03:22) - Why organic growth is so hard for most advisory firms
(08:28) – The rising complexity of advice and what the future demands
(10:33) – Turning tax management into a true competitive advantage
(13:34) – How tax-smart investing can dramatically increase retirement income
(15:48) – Using asset location to drive consolidation and organic growth
(17:31) – Creating billions in enterprise value through smarter withdrawals
(22:58) – Scaling advisory businesses without forcing a one-size-fits-all model
(26:18) - Arthur's key takeaways
(28:11) - Arthur's interests outside of work
Quotes
"Today, firms create and build technology infrastructure and then integrate those pieces one-to-one. The future is creating a unified data structure where organic agentic workflows that dynamically move data create real scale." ~ Arthur Worthington
"Investing in the future is about creating outcomes at three different levels: how do we create a better experience for the investor with a better after-tax return, how do we create more scaled solutions, and how can we create more enterprise value." ~ Arthur Worthington
"Financial planning is a huge part of the industry. Leaning into tax management as a differentiator is a durable way to differentiate their service in the market." ~ Arthur Worthington
Links
Arthur Worthington on LinkedIn
SEI
Stratos Wealth
Vanguard
Amy Young
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with David Goldman, Chief Business Officer at Pontera. At Pontera, David leads strategy, partnerships, and the company’s mission to help Americans retire with greater security by giving financial advisors secure access to their clients’ held-away retirement accounts.
Jack and Dave discuss how Pantera is transforming the retirement landscape by empowering investors and their advisors to securely manage 401(k) assets. Dave discusses the firm’s public clash with Fidelity, the broader consumer-choice issues at stake, and why secure advisor access is essential for better outcomes. He also highlights Pantera’s new partnerships with major recordkeepers like John Hancock, the growing need for coordinated and tax-optimized household management, and how AI will enhance—not replace—human advice.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:28) - Security, consumer rights, and the Fidelity dispute
(04:52) - How Pontera enables advisors to manage held-away 401(k)s
(08:40) - David’s path from Google to fintech and financial literacy
(11:19) - Scaling Pontera: integrations, partnerships, and evolving client needs
(15:01) - The holy grail of unified, tax-optimized household management
(18:49) - How AI serves as a force multiplier for advisors
(21:29) - David's key takeaways
(23:59) - David's interests outside of work
Quotes
"The holy grail of wealth management is being able to collectively manage the entirety of a client's assets based on their risk profile, their preferences, and their needs on a personalized basis. You need one quarterback for that. You can't have siloed accounts with different managers and pull that off effectively." ~ David Goldman
"The convergence is no longer coming. It's here. The plan advisors are more and more helping their clients with wealth. The wealth advisors are more and more helping clients with their 401(k) plans. And we just needed somebody to build a bridge to connect them all." ~ David Goldman
"If you're a financial advisor and you're not offering holistic wealth solutions, including managing the 401(k), you're likely being left behind. You're disadvantaged as an advisor, and you're disadvantaging your clients." ~ David Goldman
Links
David Goldman on LinkedIn
Pontera
Morgan Stanley
Orion Advisor Solutions
Addepar
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Jack Sharry on LinkedIn
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This week, Jack Sharry talks with Morgan Bell, Managing Director of Advisory at Constellation Wealth Capital. Morgan leads the firm's technology consulting efforts and focuses on helping advisors and firms optimize technology for efficiency and growth. As a CFP® with an MBA in financial psychology and behavioral finance, Morgan offers a distinctive perspective that merges technological expertise with a deep grasp of human behavior and the advisor-client relationship.
Jack and Morgan discuss the intersection of technology, AI, and financial psychology in wealth management. Morgan shares how technology can be used to drive organic growth, how to cut through the noise of endless vendor options, and why financial psychology remains at the heart of wealth management. From tech roadmaps and data integration to AI strategies and client relationships, Morgan brings her perfect mix of advisor experience, tech expertise, and behavioral finance insights to the conversation.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:42) - What Constellation Wealth Capital does and who they serve
(04:49) - How Morgan helps firms optimize technology
(07:56) - Bridging the gap between "tech geeks" and "business geeks"
(09:28) - How technology connects to organic growth strategies
(12:04) - How AI plays a role in wealth management
(14:03) - Morgan's career journey
(15:34) - The role of financial psychology in client relationships and tech adoption
(18:59) - Constellation's future and long-term goals
(22:47) - Morgan's key takeaways
(24:22) - Morgan's interests outside of work
Quotes
"The more clarity and understanding firms have around how they should be using a system and why they're using it, and the value it provides to them and the firm, the better adoption they have of the technology overall." ~ Morgan Bell
"The vast majority of the decisions that are being made related to technology tie back to either the client or the advisor experience. That's what fuels organic growth." ~ Morgan Bell
"Firms should strive to use AI to complement, not compete. AI is a skill, so results can certainly be improved based on human knowledge of AI." ~ Morgan Bell
Links
Morgan Bell on LinkedIn
Constellation Wealth Capital
Pershing
Creighton University
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Jack Sharry on LinkedIn
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