WealthTech on Deck

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 Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

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 Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

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 Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

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 Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

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 Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

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 Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

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 Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

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 Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Suzanne Schmitt, Managing Director at Next Chapter. Suzanne brings a wealth of knowledge from her extensive career at firms such as Fidelity Investments, New York Life Insurance, Prudential Financial, and Lincoln Financial. At Next Chapter, Suzanne reframed and realigned needs to outcomes that benefited advisors and three generations of clients and their families. Today, she leads the NextGen engagement and growth strategies.  Suzanne talks with Jack about the implications of aging and its impact on consumers, advisors, and the industry as a whole. She shares key findings from Next Chapter's advisor study, which highlights the industry's need to better prepare advisors to navigate complex family dynamics, health events, caregiving challenges, and solo aging. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:49) - Suzanne's career background (04:04) - Next Chapter's advisor study  (05:44) - Key findings from Next Chapter's advisor study  (08:54) - How Next Chapter addresses the aging population issue (12:50) - Helping advisors connect with families during moments that matter (18:11) - Age and gender weighted revenue (21:57) - Highlights from the Next Chapter's white paper (24:28) - Suzanne's key takeaways (25:05) - Suzanne's interests outside of work Quotes "The industry is not adequately prepared to help advisors engage families on health and non-financial matters. The industry is also not adequately prepared to help advisors detect cognitive change in their clients." ~ Suzanne Schmitt "Knowing the percentage of the current revenue in your book held by women is incredibly important, and engaging them on issues of caregiving is an absolute home run." ~ Suzanne Schmitt "A lot of advisors don't start because they don't know where to start. Getting used to asking simply 'what has changed with your health since we last talked' is one of the best questions you can work into your repertoire." ~ Suzanne Schmitt Links  Suzanne Schmitt on LinkedIn NextChapter Steve Gresham Fidelity Investments New York Life Insurance Prudential Financial Lincoln Financial LPL Financial McKinsey Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry talks with John Amore, President of Kestra Financial. John is committed to building out capabilities that empower advisors and support the financial independence of their clients. He focuses on creating a thriving community of complete wealth managers. Before becoming President, John led Kestra's Wealth Management division, where he drew on his global leadership experience to drive growth, innovation, and advisor success. John shares with Jack why he made the leap from wirehouse to the independent space, how Kestra is building out a holistic ecosystem for advisors, and what the firm is learning about one of the most critical issues facing the industry today—succession planning. John also discusses the recent industry study on succession planning and why it's a necessary and often deeply personal issue for financial advisors. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:25) - John's career journey (05:10) - Lessons learned as president of Kestra (06:27) - Kestra's ecosystem and wealth management capabilities (10:03) - Why succession planning is important at Kestra (13:46) - The personal side of business and relationships (16:29) - How John operationalizes succession planning (18:29) - Kestra's new ventures (19:38) - John's key takeaways (20:20) - John's interests outside of work Quotes "It's always been my goal to make sure that our advisors can be complete wealth managers, and that means meeting all the needs of their clients." ~ John Amore "It's one thing to have the expertise. It's another thing to have it built into the platform so that it's easier for our advisors to use." ~ John Amore "It's interesting to learn that only 6% of the advisors surveyed have a written succession plan, which is fascinating for an industry that gets paid to give financial planning advice." ~ John Amore "Anyone who has been successful in this business, chances are they started because they were good or appreciate the power of relationships." ~ John Amore Links  John Amore on LinkedIn Kestra Financial UBS Stephen Langlois Kestra Holdings James Poer Kestra Investment Management Kara Murphy CBS Brokerage Bluespring Wealth Partners LPL Financial Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Ritik Malhotra, Founder & CEO of Savvy Wealth, a digital-first platform for financial advisors centered around modernizing human financial advice. Ritik shares how his frustration with outdated advisor technology pushed him to design an AI-powered platform that helps financial advisors grow, operate efficiently, and deliver better client experiences. He highlights how focusing on the advisor first, integrating AI into workflows, and reimagining client engagement can unlock scale and independence in wealth management. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:42) - Ritik's background and how he started Savvy Wealth (04:43) - The business plan that launched Savvy in just three bullet points (06:42) - How Savvy  built and stress-tested the platform from the ground up (11:34) - The $72 million Series B and what it means for Savvy (13:43) - A look under the hood at how Savvy’s digital-first platform works (16:18) - What’s next for Savvy (19:58) - Ritik's key takeaways (20:29) - Ritik's interests outside of work Quotes "The worst that you can do is try to build something for everyone. It just won't work." ~ Ritik Malhotra  "Listen to the feedback from the core user. Let's literally listen to customers and then build what they need." ~ Ritik Malhotra "There's something really satisfying about enabling independence in any industry—especially one as important as wealth management. There's something nice about helping someone beat the rat race." ~ Ritik Malhotra Links  Ritik Malhotra on LinkedIn Savvy Wealth Box Mark Casady Vestigo Ventures LPL Financial Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Parker Ence, CEO & Co-founder of Jump Advisor AI, a fast-growing startup that brings an AI-enhanced client meeting cycle to financial advisors. Parker is an entrepreneur and operator with 12 years of CEO/Co-founder experience across advisortech, data/DaaS, AI, SaaS, and insurtech.  Jack and Parker discuss how Jump helps RIAs and broker-dealers slash client meeting admin time by up to 90%. From real-time meeting prep and automated CRM updates to actionable insights and compliance-ready workflows, Parker shares how Jump revolutionizes the client meeting cycle for financial advisors. He also explores the company's rapid growth, significant enterprise partnerships, and his vision for the future of AI in financial services. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:39) - The origin of Jump Advisor AI (03:30) - Jump's most popular product and what it does (05:01) - Jump's enterprise-level partnerships (06:18) - Parker's startup journey (11:29) - Jump's three core products (13:35) - Parker's outlook on AI in financial services (15:29) - Parker's key takeaways (17:34) - Parker's interests outside of work Quotes "What we're best known for is our AI meeting assistant that's made for advisors. And whatever the compliance team has approved, that's the most popular." ~ Parker Ence "Don't worry so much about getting replaced by AI. Worry about getting outcompeted by other advisors who are adopting AI faster." ~ Parker Ence "Everything that is inside the Jump product is there because an advisor requested it. So, we love partnering with RIAs, broker-dealers, solo advisors, and any of our customers to co-create the future." ~ Parker Ence Links  Parker Ence on LinkedIn Jump AI Cetera Osaic LPL Financial Tim Chaves Stanford Graduate School of Business Google Cloud Salesforce Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Pete Hess, President of PureFacts. Before joining PureFacts, Pete served as Chief Revenue Officer for Americas at InvestCloud, and earlier in his career, he was CEO of Advent Software. At PureFacts, Pete leverages the firm's revenue management solution for global wealth and asset management firms, helping clients unlock new revenue streams and uncover new avenues for growth. Jack and Pete discuss revenue management, the limitations of spreadsheets, and the importance of back-office software in the wealth and asset management space. Pete shares how firms can stop revenue leakage, optimize compensation, and leverage data to make smarter business decisions, moving beyond outdated spreadsheets and into the future of automated, insightful financial operations. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:45) - Pete's career journey (08:56) - How PureFacts helps firms (12:06) - Harvesting data for business insights and anomaly reporting (17:02) - How PureFacts uses AI in its products and services (20:37) - Solving regulatory issues (21:50) - Pete's key takeaways (23:32) - Pete's interests outside of work Quotes "Anytime you find spreadsheets, you've got an opportunity to sell software." ~ Pete Hess "Revenue management is often taken for granted. People are using spreadsheets and fingers to do it, which is not what you should be doing in a space that can be programmatically automated." ~ Pete Hess "Don't take for granted all your back-office processes. When you see spreadsheets, there are probably errors being made, and time-to-money is being delayed." ~ Pete Hess Links  Pete Hess on LinkedIn PureFacts SS&C Advent InvestCloud John Wise Stephanie DiMarco Khoros Vista Equity Partners WCAS GrowthCurve Capital PureRewards | PureFacts Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Stephen Chen, Founder & CEO of Boldin. Stephen is a classic entrepreneur who takes pride in creating innovative ways to help anyone achieve financial independence. He built the "TurboTax" for financial planning and has been creating platforms for SAAS, classes, coaching, and CFPs for consumers, advisors, and companies. Stephen talks with Jack about how he makes retirement planning more accessible, collaborative, and user-friendly. He shares how he built a "TurboTax" for financial planning that resonates with DIY planners and high-net-worth individuals and how Boldin has evolved from a direct-to-consumer offering to a robust platform serving consumers, advisors, and large enterprises. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:39) - What Bolden does and why it matters (03:12) - The growth in user adoption for financial planning (06:23) - Stephen's career journey (10:09) - Boldin's organic growth strategy (13:14) - Stephen's plans and investment strategies  (15:54) - Creating a collaborative platform for advisors (18:10) - The role of AI in Boldin's operations (20:51) - Using simulations to optimize financial actions (23:13) - Steve's key takeaways (24:050 - Steve's interests outside of work Quotes "We want anyone to be able to build their own financial plan and, through planning, get literate, make good decisions, hopefully take action, and achieve better outcomes in their life." ~ Stephen Chen "If financial advisors are aging out, how do we bridge that gap? I think it's going to be technology enabling advisors to serve more people." ~ Stephen Chen "AI is real, and it's amazing how fast it's changing and what's possible. It's shocking, and it's a little scary." ~ Stephen Chen Links  Stephen Chen on LinkedIn Boldin Charles Schwab Wells Fargo Salesforce RTX McKinsey Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Rob Pettman, President of TIFIN. Rob brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across wealth management, investment platforms, and financial technology.  Before joining TIFIN, Rob served as Executive Vice President of Wealth Management Solutions at LPL Financial, where he oversaw the firm's investment product distribution, retirement business, advisory platforms, and research organization, managing over $70B in AUM. During his 19-year tenure, he helped lead LPL through its rapid growth to $1.4T in assets and more than 22,000 advisors. Jack and Rob talk about how AI is changing the way wealth and asset management firms grow and operate. Rob also shares how TIFIN uses AI to improve the overall growth of these businesses and how those who embrace AI as a growth engine are reaping the benefits through organic client growth, advisor enablement, and enhanced decision-making. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:49) - How advisory firms can use AI to their advantage (04:22) - Strategic use cases for AI (06:03) - The evolving results of AI implementation (08:37) - How TIFIN uses AI for wealth and asset managers (14:47) - The process of refining AI capabilities (16:47) - The current state and future outlook for AI adoption (20:12) - The characteristics of firms leading in AI adoption (22:17) - Rob's key takeaways (24:23) - Rob's interests outside of work Quotes "Just doing AI for better experiences doesn't create commercial value. And so actually having these specific problems to solve with the intended outcome in mind is really where it's at." - Rob Pettman "Traversing multiple systems in financial services or wealth management is still a problem. There are solutions for this now where AI can actually straddle all of these disparate systems and put together a holistic view of the client relationship, the portfolio, and how they are doing relative to the plan." ~ Rob Pettman "Some of the firms that are furthest ahead have the ability to operate with speed. They try to minimize distributed decision-making and have an accountability mindset that enables decisions to actually occur faster." ~ Rob Pettman Links  Rob Pettman on LinkedIn TIFIN LPL Financial Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook In 2024, SEI made a strategic investment in TIFIN.

This week, Jack Sharry talks with J. Womack, Head of Asset & Income Optimization at SEI. In his role, J. drives revenue growth by helping investors keep more of what they earn by optimizing their household assets for tax and retirement income. He focuses on expanding SEI's ability to deliver differentiated, client-centric wealth solutions that improve financial outcomes at both the household and enterprise level. Jack and J. explore the growing importance of tax management in wealth creation and how the industry is moving toward the UMH. J. also discusses the distinction between a multi-account UMA  and a multi-account UMH, how the convergence of technology, operations, and products is setting a new standard for value delivery in the industry, and why tax optimization has become one of the most powerful differentiators in wealth management today. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:03) - J.'s background and career history (08:09) - J.'s transition into fintech and his early days at SEI (09:48) - From technology expert to investment strategist (12:37) - The role of tax management in advisor value (16:34) - The road to the unified managed household (21:37) - Unlocking the value of tax through tech, product, and service delivery (26:01) - Why tax smart strategies drive organic growth (28:36) - Workplace insurance and annuities (32:01) - J.'s key takeaways (34:23) - J.’s interests outside work Quotes "UMH has the potential to play an integral role in the workplace as providers are looking at ways to deliver more value to plan sponsors and solve real problems for investors." ~ J. Womack "Taxes are where all the action is. It's where the biggest misalignment between client expectations and advisor behavior is. If you solve that, you create a really compelling value proposition that will be attractive to people and create stickier relationships." ~ J. Womack "Multi-account UMA is the foundation of getting to UMH. Closing that gap from a tax perspective, that's where you have the ability to actually deliver comprehensive tax management." ~ J. Womack Links  J. Womack on LinkedIn SEI The Wharton School Jeff Benfield Scott Smith Cerulli Associates Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Scott Smith is the Senior Director of Advice Relationships at Cerulli Associates, where he leverages deep research and analysis to define challenges and deliver solutions across the wealth management landscape. Known for his clear-eyed insights, Scott studies market trends, advisor behavior, and platform innovation to help firms navigate an increasingly complex industry. This week, Jack talks with Scott about his latest research on U.S. managed accounts and why tax optimization has emerged as the top priority for firms, surpassing even portfolio construction. They dive into strategies like tax-loss harvesting, asset location, and tax-smart withdrawals, exploring both the progress being made and the challenges that remain. From compliance and legacy systems to advisor adoption and third-party solutions, Scott highlights what firms must do to make tax-smart investing accessible, effective, and essential for client success. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:56) - Cerulli’s latest research on managed accounts  (04:29) - Surprising findings from the study (05:46) – Why asset location has seen little progress (06:45) – The reasons asset location remains underused (09:18) – Walking the fine line between tax planning and tax advice (11:18) – Making tax optimization simple and straightforward (12:38) – Tax-loss harvesting and transition management (14:14) – Coordinating multi-account households for tax efficiency (19:31) – The complexities of managing dynamic households (21:14) – Scott’s recommendations for better tax planning (24:42) - Scott's key takeaways for firms and advisors (26:00) - Scott's interests outside of work Quotes "Our goal isn't to educate advisors on every line of the tax code. But letting them know what the fundamentals are, what each of these steps is doing, and then giving them the tool to do it is the most important part." ~ Scott Smith "A lot of the advances in this industry are limited by advisor adoption. So it's most important to create this path of least resistance to tax optimization." ~ Scott Smith "Trying to steer a legacy portfolio accounting or advisor workstation into a better place and redoing the whole thing on the way while still trying to do business is not easy for anyone. So the firm setting up systems to take care of this and making it as easy as possible for advisors to do that is the only way to compete long term." ~ Scott Smith Links  Scott Smith on LinkedIn Cerulli Associates Vanguard Morningstar EY 55ip Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Ken Dychtwald and Ken Cella. Ken Dychtwald is the Founder & CEO of Age Wave. He is a psychologist, gerontologist, and author of 19 books. For decades, Ken has been regarded as the nation's foremost thought leader on population aging and its profound business, social, financial, and cultural implications for the healthcare workforce.  Ken Cella is the Head of External Affairs at Edward Jones, where he is responsible for fostering strategic partnerships and expanding relations with policymakers, industry leaders, and other influencers to make a greater impact on society. He is also a member of the Edward Jones Enterprise Leadership Team, which guides the firm's strategy to grow its impact and create value for clients, colleagues, and communities today and into the future.  Together, they unpack one of the most overlooked and under-discussed financial issues in American households: caregiving. Drawing on insights from research commissioned by Edward Jones in partnership with Morning Consult and Age Wave, Ken Cella and Ken Dychtwald share the emotional, financial, and societal costs of caregiving. With nearly half of all Americans either serving as or expecting to become caregivers, this conversation sheds light on what it truly means to care for a loved one and what financial advisors can do to better support clients in navigating these challenges. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:29) - Edward Jones’ groundbreaking study on caregiving  (04:25) - The wide-ranging impact of caregiving on families and society (06:57) - Why Edward Jones is investing in caregiving research (11:06) - Caregiving’s reach: a reality for nearly everyone  (13:47) - Edward Jones’ transformation toward holistic financial wellness (18:29) - Culture, community, and client well-being at the center (21:18) - Balancing technology with timeless values (23:59) - Building trust in the advisor–client relationship (27:45) - Ken Cella on the emotional toll—and fulfillment—of caregiving (30:05) - Ken Dychtwald’s key insights and takeaways (32:30) - Ken Cella's interests outside of work (33:25) - Ken Dychtwald's interests outside of work Quotes "Caregiving takes a toll beneath the surface, and a lot of times, people don't talk about it." ~ Ken Cella "We're in the business of helping people feel competent and secure in their financial future. So, we want to improve retirement security for families and caregivers." ~ Ken Cella "Edward Jones is really serving the fabric of America in a way that's unique. We want to be part of a solution where business and society come together to create better outcomes for families through financial wellness." ~ Ken Cella "It's not just the super-wealthy who need someone in their corner. It's everyday folks who need a guide, someone to direct them and help them." ~ Ken Dychtwald "I have never encountered a firm that I thought cared more about both its work, the people who work there, the population it serves, and the community. So, I've grown a lot of respect and affection for the people of Edward Jones, and I feel proud to be affiliated with Edward Jones." ~ Ken Dychtwald "There's a lot of strain, disruption, and unhappiness that can come with seeing somebody you love struggle. But there was also a sense of honor and a sense of doing something good for a loved one. The fact that Edward Jones is taking the lead in representing the purpose of caregiving, its high intention, and the quality of life that comes from it is to be applauded." ~ Ken Dychtwald Links  Ken Cella on LinkedIn Ken Dychtwald on LinkedIn Age Wave Edward Jones Morning Consult Susan Collins Mark Warner Brittany Pettersen Maria Elvira Salazar Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Teddy Gold is the co-founder of 3i Members, a private, invite-only network for family offices, exited entrepreneurs, and active fund managers. With a background in investment and a passion for building communities rooted in trust, Teddy helped launch 3i to solve the problem of random deal sourcing by leveraging curated peer collaboration.  This week, Jack Sharry talks with Teddy about how 3i Members has grown into a thriving platform that facilitates smarter investing through crowdsourced expertise and strong relationships. They explore how the network vets opportunities, builds trust through shared values and non-solicitation, and helps members navigate everything from private deals to personal financial decisions. Teddy also shares why many successful investors are turning away from traditional wealth management models in favor of peer-driven, transparent support systems. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:58) – What is 3i Members? (03:57) – Why investing benefits from qualified crowdsourcing (05:30) – How the 3i crowdsourcing model actually works (07:09) – The role of trust in successful peer investing (08:50) – Community, credibility, and connection: the currencies of 3i (14:03) – Core principles behind a trusted investment platform (19:27) – The 3i business model: transparency over transaction fees (21:16) – Teddy’s big takeaways on trust and network-driven decision-making (24:13) - Teddy's interests outside of work Quotes "Deal sourcing is random, and we can make that process less random by creating a network of people we know and trust." ~ Teddy Gold "There's no shortage of noise in the world, particularly around investments, and no shortage of new sources of information. What's hard is finding good, curated, quality voices." ~ Teddy Gold "Investing is a good application of crowdsourcing as long as the crowd itself is qualified." ~ Teddy Gold "The fundamental piece of building trust is giving in proportion to the amount you're taking in a relationship." ~ Teddy Gold Links  Teddy Gold on LinkedIn 3i Members Mark Gerson GLG Billy Libby Goldman Sachs  Upper90 City Parks Foundation Authentic and Ethical Persuasion Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

John Sweeney is a seasoned financial services leader with a career spanning senior roles at Fidelity Investments to entrepreneurial ventures at the forefront of innovation. Over nearly two decades at Fidelity, he drove product and technology development across mutual funds, ETFs, managed accounts, and retirement solutions. After leaving Fidelity, he immersed himself in startups exploring blockchain, alternative investments, and AI. Today, as head of Praxis Solutions, he blends strategic insight with advanced technology execution, helping wealth and asset management firms harness AI and blockchain to improve efficiency, decision-making, and client outcomes. This week, Jack talks with John about how Praxis Solutions uses AI and blockchain in concert to solve complex challenges in financial services. From dramatically reducing investment review times to enhancing compliance processes, John explains how his team builds custom, scalable tools that integrate into existing workflows. They explore blockchain as a “source of truth” and AI as a visible decision-making engine—technologies that together improve efficiency, reduce costs, and democratize access to institutional-grade advice while maintaining accuracy, transparency, and regulatory compliance. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:21) – John’s career journey: from Fidelity leadership to fintech innovation (03:44) – Moving into the blockchain space and its early applications (05:58) – Where smaller companies should begin their AI journey (07:23) – How AI and blockchain work together (09:18) – Inside Praxis Solutions: strategy, execution, and innovation (12:07) – The types of clients Praxis serves best (15:20) – AI as a powerful tool for building new solutions (16:44) – Breaking down the Praxis business model (18:34) – Front, middle, and back-office AI use cases in financial services (21:41) – Streamlining compliance, policies, and procedures with AI (24:15) – The future of AI in financial services (26:19) – How AI is reshaping the cost of custom solutions (28:02) – John’s top takeaways for financial leaders exploring AI (29:41) - John's interests outside of work Quotes "AI, in general, is great at taking large, complex data sets that are today analyzed by expensive humans." ~ John Sweeney "When we think about our aspirations as a firm and why we think AI is going to be a useful tool for financial advisors and their ecosystem that serves end investors, we think it democratizes a lot of access to institutional-grade theses." ~ John Sweeney "The cost of custom software used to be very expensive, and AI development has changed that." ~ John Sweeney Links  John Sweeney on LinkedIn Fidelity Investments Praxis Solutions Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook