The Perfect RIA

As an advisor, if you don't have the behavioral part of financial planning dialed in, nothing else will matter. This aspect of financial planning comes down to good communication and a deep understanding of how your clients operate. In fact, the practices that are the most successful and have the best relationships with their clients have mastered the human side of finances. In this episode, Brendan Frazier, Founder of Wired Planning, will be joining Matthew to discuss the "softer side" of financial planning that everyone should be focusing on. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3CE1k5z

If nothing gets done when you leave the office, is it because you don't have a rockstar—or is it because you suck as a leader? In this episode, Matthew and Micah are joined by their partner and chief technology officer, Orion Matthews, who joins in on the discussion about the issues advisors face when they need to be out of office for any reason. You will get insight into what goes wrong and why having the right team leadership will be a game-changer for your business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3POK1l9

Recapping this week's episodes and action items to implement right away. https://bit.ly/3PO66QR

How surge works with family units and dynamics. https://bit.ly/3KltNz3

We all have goals and desires, but which objectives are musts in your life? The pursuits we choose to invest time in are a reflection of our standards, and so are the people we surround ourselves with. When you actively choose to surround yourself with people who share your ambitions or have achieved the things you are after, it elevates your life. Aaron Walker, life and business coach, mastermind group facilitator, author, and trusted advisor, joins Matthew in this episode to share his advice for those looking to be not only successful, but also significant. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3PGPXwM

If you're new to surge or you have a client who has not yet experienced surge, how do you manage expectations? Telling a prospect that they can't see you for 6 months could cause mutiny, so it's important to clearly communicate your framework and what they can expect. Matthew and Micah dive into this dilemma today and share insight into how you can plan, prepare, and ultimately deliver incredible value to clients in a new-to-surge situation. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3plFCLT

Action items from this week's episodes. https://bit.ly/3pPdGjX

How to make surge as efficient as possible. https://bit.ly/3dLgmMk

The CFP® designation has been the standard of excellence for financial planners for decades—and it's easy to see why. The highest designation in financial planning, combined with the commitment to high ethical standards, sets advisors holding this designation apart from the rest. So, what comes next after you receive your CFP®? And how can we implement processes to ensure our practices run as smoothly as possible? Jeff Rattiner, President at Rattiner's Financial Planning Fast Track, Inc., joins Micah today to share the answers to these questions and more. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3QzLoFa

Is discounted service really a value? Matthew and Micah are diving into the world of discounted service vs. massive value, and the hypothetical fists are flying. Matthew put together a challenge between advisors to create a financial plan in 30 minutes on stage. Get out your gloves and listen in to hear about why he's doing that and what we can all learn from other advisors. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3w9ARZB

The differences in how Matt and Micah run surge. https://bit.ly/3PkN18A

The importance of figuring out your value adds. https://bit.ly/3wl7kwn

When starting and then running your own practice, it is essential that you seek legal advice to ensure everything is done correctly. Having an attorney you can comfortably rely on allows you successfully run your practice, whilst also ensuring it is compliant with the various legal obligations that apply. Richard Chen, a seasoned attorney, entrepreneur, and public speaker joins Matthew to share his advice for financial advisors seeking to protect themselves and their businesses. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3dhrfWl

The focus this month is on surge meetings because they are such a critical part of an office. Today Matthew and Micah talk about how they do surge differently in their respective offices. This is something that many people ask about, so grab your notes and listen in to hear how and why they differ in some key surge procedures and processes. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3Qbot3p

What to avoid when planning surge. https://bit.ly/3QotMfm

What to know about running surge. https://bit.ly/3Jt1eiw

As financial advisors, we are generally not qualified to give tax or legal advice when helping our clients. However, these are both important steps in the financial planning process. So, what advice can we give without crossing any lines—while still providing the most value to our clients? Steven Jarvis, CPA, and Leila Shaver, attorney, join Micah on this episode to discuss what is okay (and what is not okay) to converse about with your clients. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3oAKEDX

If you jump headfirst into the pool of surge meetings, you're going to hit your head! This week, Matthew and Micah tackle the topic of surge meetings and share the common mistakes they see people making when doing surge. You will get some great tactics that will ensure that your surge runs smoothly and effectively in the future. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3vqwfxO

How traveling and being out of the office is like cruise control on a car, dealbreakers, and more. https://bit.ly/3OQfWRK

Entrepreneurship and building a business can be a long, hard and lonely journey. Many advisors want to learn what they need to do in order to be the best advisors for their clients, while others want to not only do good for their clients, but also make a shift in their lives and the lives of other advisors along the way. The latter is exactly what Alan Moore decided to do. Alan is the co-founder of the XY Planning Network, a support network for advisors looking to serve next generation clients. In this episode, Alan joins Matthew to share his journey, including his advice for any young financial advisors looking to get started in their careers. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3vhQi1B

In this episode, Matthew and Micah touch on the importance of being able to put systems in place, delegate, and put our practices on autopilot successfully. They share specifically how key your estate planning process is and where you absolutely need to be involved as an advisor. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3J6BEzO

Where advisors struggle with prioritizing business AND family. https://bit.ly/3BbrrjF

Financial advisors spend most of their time helping their clients achieve their financial goals, but in order to ensure the long-term success of the practice, it is essential to plan for the future of the firm, as well. Although he was running a successful practice already, Joe Curry, President & Financial Planner at Matthews + Associates Ltd., recognized that there were some big shifts that needed to be made to really elevate his practice to the next level. So, in this episode, Joe shares the changes he implemented in his practice and his advice for anyone hoping to do the same. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3ciTlzO

Why is it so important to be effective with your time when it comes to business practices and personal life? Often, because it allows you the time and energy to show up more fully for those that matter the most to you. In this episode, Matthew and Micah discuss the misconception of needing to prioritize your business and your clients while also prioritizing family and personal life. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3chc3Yr

Highlights from Monday's podcast. https://bit.ly/3RF00Eu

Running an efficient, successful and profitable practice is something most advisors aspire to do. However, making this goal a reality takes hard work, dedication and a willingness to not only learn new things, but also admit when you could improve on something. As the founder of Brandywine Oak Private Wealth, Michael Henley brings more than a dozen years of experience in providing financial advice and guidance to highly successful families. In this episode, Michael joins Matthew to share his advice on running a successful firm, including the importance of being vulnerable, honest and open to communication. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3uKNGsy

Could cognitive biases be the reason that you are stuck or stagnating? In this episode, Matthew and Micah share insight on how to step back and understand what is helping, what is hurting, and how to move past a sticky area that is holding you back. This is your chance to re-evaluate that head trash and finally take it out to the dump where it belongs. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3AFxOLK

Why saying "no" is actually a good thing. https://bit.ly/3ICcA3y

As the cost of living—food, gas, taxes, and everything in between—goes up, it makes sense that advisors increase their fees, as well. However, many advisors feel hesitant to do so during a seemingly volatile time. Even so, it's important to remember that financial advisors and RIAs offer an incredibly valuable service to their clients. So, in this episode, Benjamin Brandt, CPA™ and Founder/President of Capital City Wealth Management, will be joining the show to share his recent experience with increasing his fees and advice for anyone thinking about doing the same. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3IlIocS

Today the legend, Michael Kitces, joins the show to share insight and wisdom from his massive experience in the financial and business worlds. You will hear about the important time-management lessons he has learned over the years, as well as how he learned to be more intentional about his time. This is a value-packed episode that will give you all kinds of actionable ideas on how to manage your time and practice more effectively. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3I8sH8D

Revisiting the key takeaways from Monday's episode. https://bit.ly/3bJALAH

The power of financial undressing and the mastermind experience is incredible and effective when advisors are looking to upgrade their practices. In this episode, Micah is joined by a mastermind attendee who has made some big goals and incredible progress. Cameron Valadez from Planable Wealth joins the show to discuss his experience increasing fees AND value. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3tYYumH

How to stop yourself from overcomplicating things, especially when it comes to Roth conversions. https://bit.ly/3QFk8Gl

Tips for figuring out a client's taxes. https://bit.ly/3bhIB4a

Sometimes we can get caught up in our own heads in a way that keeps us from focusing enough on the end client delivery. So today, Matthew and Micah share how they have gotten caught up on their own ideas and discuss how this often happens when it comes to Roth conversions—and what to do about it. Listen in to hear how they navigate this issue, what kinds of communication methods help, and what you can do to ensure clients are better prepared to take advantage of Roth conversions. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3b5ZCyp

Recapping the key takeaways from Monday's episode. https://bit.ly/39yhMrX

In today's episode, Micah is joined by two rock star advisors: Bill Harris and Jim Saulnier. Both are financial planners with their own practices, and they take some time to debrief with Micah about their key takeaways from the Ed Slott conference, as well as the importance of the in-between conversations, a huge detail about HSA contributions, helpful ways to apply the information you learn, and more. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3Q3KO35

Diving deeper into one of the key tenants of The Perfect RIA. https://bit.ly/3NFFVvJ

What to do when your client is retiring during a downturn in the market. https://bit.ly/3NBvedu

This episode comes on the heels of two different masterminds, so Matthew and Micah are fired up and ready to bring you their important takeaways. In this episode, they discuss some of the key things they got to focus on during the masterminds, as well as where it challenged them. You will also hear about common issues that come up for advisors and how to tackle them and move forward. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3maWqDK

Action items following Monday's episode. https://bit.ly/3taLrhl

The winning formula for networking. https://bit.ly/3tbZ1Bb

Today Matthew and Micah are joined by Brian Skinner to debrief after the recent mastermind and discuss important things they learned, including what worked—and what didn't work. They also talk about the best ways to learn from the success of others in the field and where to be cautious when implementing changes. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/38EWJ6P

How the way you're talking could actually be working against you. https://bit.ly/3lOdsHN

The importance of looking at your own financial situation. https://bit.ly/3GkJ159

It's crucial to know when to stop talking. Today Matthew and Micah share how important it is to hear what the client has to say and why you may need to adjust how you are talking to clients about sales. They will share effective communication strategies that create better understanding and encourage better decisions on behalf of the client. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3PkIp3E

The importance of clear communication with your clients, even in times of turmoil. https://bit.ly/3LlPLk4

Matthew shares how to get clients through networking. https://bit.ly/39mnJrz

After wrapping up some incredible masterminds, Matthew and Micah come back today excited to talk about how to communicate with clients when their accounts go down in value. Rather than giving clients a 72-page document on probabilities of success, there are some key ways to prepare them and set expectations reasonably to make these conversations clearer. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3snVcIX

How to ensure your clients see the value in working with you. https://bit.ly/3vUY0zg