WealthTech on Deck

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

This week, Jack Sharry talks with Jamie Hopkins, Chief Wealth Officer at WSFS Bank and CEO of Bryn Mawr Capital Management. Before WSFS Bank, Jamie held various positions at Carson Group, including Managing Partner of Wealth Solutions, Managing Director of Carson Coaching, and Director of Retirement Research. Jamie is also the Founder of FinServ Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to coaching and developing the next generation of financial professionals.  Jamie shares his journey from personal tragedy to industry leadership, highlighting how his mother’s experience inspired a lifelong mission to expand access to financial guidance. They explore the convergence of wealth management models, the future of trust and estate services, and why firms must invest in people over products. Jamie also discusses his work with the FinServ Foundation, advocating for a more inclusive and sustainable financial industry. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:20) – Jamie’s personal “why” for joining the financial industry (06:13) – A career built on passion, scale, and purpose (09:05) – How firm types are converging in today’s landscape (13:38) – The challenge of defining and delivering differentiated service (17:33) – What’s next: Trusts, estate planning, and digital disruption (19:44) – Why estate planning is the industry’s overdue frontier (22:00) – Jamie’s mission to give back and shape the next generation (25:18) – Three takeaways for the future of financial advice (27:08) - Jamie's interests outside of work Quotes "Great companies come down to great people. Try to find great people to surround yourself with. You're only as good as they are." ~ Jamie Hopkins "I see firms that want to be everything to everybody, and realistically, you usually cannot be that. That holds you back from some of the growth and scale that you might be looking for." ~ Jamie Hopkins "Wealth management services look more similar everywhere. It's your people for the next decade that are going to distinguish you from anywhere else. So, invest in your people, take care of them, hire great people, find great people, and keep them." ~ Jamie Hopkins Links  Jamie Hopkins on LinkedIn WSFS Bank FinServ Foundation The American College of Financial Services Carson Group  Omani Carson SEI iCapital Trust & Will Wealth.com Wealth Management EDGE Conference Financial Services Institute Schwab Impact conference 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 talks with Perry Moutzouros (Oranj) and Mathew Dellorso (Altigo) about how their companies joined SEI and are now driving innovation from within. Perry shares how Oranj reimagined advisor-facing technology, while Mathew explains how Altigo revolutionized access to alternative investments. Together with SEI, they’re building a unified, streamlined wealthtech ecosystem that enhances the advisor and client experience. The conversation explores scaling challenges, advisor education, the growing role of AI, and SEI’s broader strategy to deliver personalized, tax-smart, multi-account solutions.  In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:40) - The origin and evolution of Oranj (04:31) - Matt’s journey to launching Altigo (08:57) - Perry's role in SEI's long-term technology strategy (11:15) - How SEI Access is transforming the alt investment experience (15:30) - What’s next for SEI Connect (18:10) - Scaling the marketplace (23:29) - Why advisor education is the key to alt adoption (25:11) - Can AI bridge the education gap? (27:57) - Matt’s and Perry's interests outside of work Quotes " Alts in client portfolios can create good outcomes. They can create differentiation and be a good source of business for advisors." ~ Mathew Dellorso "The world of alternative investments is very opaque, and it's hard to find certain products that produce yield, help with growth, or provide tax advantages. We create a nice marketplace that helps advisors find what they're looking for to help clients enhance their portfolios." ~ Mathew Dellorso  "A unified front office makes it a lot easier for people to engage, and working with SEI is probably one of the biggest goals that we have." ~ Perry Moutzouros "AI is the great bridge that solves the education problem in alternative investments." ~ Perry Moutzouros Links  Perry Moutzouros on LinkedIn Mathew Dellorso on LinkedIn SEI WealthForge David Lyon SEI Access BlackRock KKR Hamilton Lane Morgan Stanley 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 Tony Davidow, Senior Alternative Investment Strategist at Franklin Templeton, about the rising importance of alternative investments. Drawing from decades of experience and his latest book, Private Markets, Tony breaks down how advisors can responsibly incorporate private equity, credit, and real estate into client portfolios. He discusses the evolution of the wealth channel, the challenges of advisor education, and the need for clear, jargon-free communication with clients. Together, they emphasize thoughtful allocation over hype, aiming to empower advisors to build stronger, more resilient portfolios in today’s changing financial landscape. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:08) - Tony’s unconventional path into alternatives (04:58) - Tony's role at Franklin Templeton (07:07) - Tony's book, Private Markets, and its early success (13:54) - The liquidity trap: why alts don’t belong in ETFs (16:33) - Concerns and opportunities in the growing alts market (20:21) - Integrating alternatives within a portfolio  (22:38) - What’s next for alternatives? (24:14) - Tony's key takeaways (25:47) - Tony's interests outside of work Quotes "We need to make sure we can get clients comfortable with what these (alts) strategies are designed to do. If we use them the right way and clients and advisors have a good experience, the overall industry flourishes." ~ Tony Davidow " This industry will always evolve. And that's what makes it so exciting, and it's why people of our generation are still excited about the industry every day." ~ Tony Davidow "There's a lot of information available in the industry. Start on the journey, and wherever you are on the journey, keep on challenging yourself. You'll have a higher likelihood of achieving your client's goals by using alternative investments." ~ Tony Davidow Links  Tony Davidow on LinkedIn Franklin Templeton Franklin Templeton Institute Morgan Stanley Guggenheim Partners Charles Schwab Private Markets: Building Better Portfolios with Equity, Private Credit, and Private Real Estate Alternative Allocations with Tony Davidow Goals-Based Investing: A Visionary Framework for Wealth Management Neil Bathon Alternatives by Franklin Templeton Jenny Johnson 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 Connor Coughlin, Chief Commercial Officer at Apex FinTech Solutions. Connor shares Apex’s origin story and its mission to become the “Shopify of investing” through API-driven, modular tools. They discuss the convergence of fintech and traditional wealth management, the growing expectations of millennial investors, and how Apex is empowering firms to digitize at scale. Connor also dives into the firm’s cutting-edge AI initiatives, including a custom data lake and chatbot for clients. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:42) - The origin of Apex (03:21) - The Shopify of investing (05:40) - Apex's key initiatives and priorities (09:18) - Connor's career journey (15:56) - Apex's product roadmap (18:20) - AI, data, and the future of advice (20:54) - Connor's key takeaways (22:16) - Connor's interests outside of work Quotes "On one end of the spectrum, we're helping to take sophisticated firms and digitize them. On the other end, we're giving digital firms the arsenal to compete upstream." ~ Connor Coughlin "The next generation of advice is going to look different. AI is going to play a big role. The role of human advisors is going to change. And the tools and self-service around those platforms are going to change." ~ Connor Coughlin "There's a tidal wave of change coming, and you need good partners to help you surf that wave instead of getting knocked out by it." ~ Connor Coughlin Links  Connor Coughlin on LinkedIn Apex Fintech Solutions PEAK6 Jenny Just Matt Hulsizer Robinhood Stash SoFi Betterment Spark Networks William Capuzzi Apex AscendOS™ Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Jed Finn is the Head of Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley, where he leads one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated wealth management platforms. Since joining the firm, he has played a central role in its strategic growth, spearheading large-scale integrations, key acquisitions like E*TRADE and Solium, and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies. Under his leadership, Morgan Stanley has expanded its client base from 2.5 million to over 20 million and grown assets under management from $2.5 trillion to $6 trillion. A strong advocate for data-driven strategy and advisor collaboration, Finn is helping redefine the future of wealth management. This week, Jack talks with Jed about the firm’s evolution into a wealth management powerhouse. Jed details how Morgan Stanley has consolidated client relationships, embraced AI and global strategies, and built an ecosystem capable of delivering institutional-grade services to individual clients. He shares how early engagement, integrated capabilities, and relentless execution have positioned the firm as an industry leader—and how Morgan Stanley continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in wealth management. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:23) - Morgan Stanley's growth strategies (09:00) - Jed's continued pursuit of the new sales growth strategy (10:20) - The three key trends shaping Morgan Stanley's future strategies (16:10) - The pillars of how Morgan Stanley executes and delivers opportunities (20:39) - Jed's interests outside of work Quotes "Wealth management is a scale business, and you need to have the scale to keep up with all the demands in terms of resources, whether it's changes in regulations, technology changes, product proliferation, or changing preferences of clients and advisors." ~ Jed Finn "At Morgan Stanley, we want to give you an experience that builds trust and confidence so that when you're ready to establish an advice relationship, we make an introduction to a financial advisor." ~ Jed Finn "If we listen to the best practitioners in the industry tell us what they need to serve their clients most effectively, and then deliver it to them, good things are going to happen." ~ Jed Finn Links  Jed Finn on LinkedIn Morgan Stanley Eaton Vance E*TRADE Shareworks | Morgan Stanley at Work Carta 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 this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Alicia Rich. Alicia is the Head of Client and Advisor Digital Enablement at Broadridge, a global fintech company specializing in investor communications, wealth management, and digital transformation solutions. In her role, Alicia focuses on designing seamless, personalized experiences that empower financial advisors to work smarter and build stronger relationships with clients. Jack and Alicia discuss how her team is transforming the advisor experience by integrating intelligent technology with human insight. They explore how personalized content, CRM integration, and AI can deepen client relationships, improve decision-making, and demonstrate ROI. Alicia also emphasizes the importance of understanding clients’ values—not just their data—and discusses how AI can help advisors connect on a more human level. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:56) - Alicia's role at Broadridge (02:41) - Common pain points in the digital advisor-client experience  (04:07) - Broadridge's current and developing projects  (06:00) - Real-world examples of simplifying advisor workflows and boosting engagement (09:31) - Connecting data and content to deepen client relationships (14:23) - Why MarTech is becoming essential to the advisor experience (16:44) - How AI is transforming wealth management (19:15) - Giving advisors deeper, more human insights with AI  (23:02) - How AI and behavioral science help personalize financial conversations (27:38) - Alicia's key takeaways (28:48) - Alicia's interests outside of work Quotes "The more you engage with clients, the more business they're going to do with you and the more they're going to trust you." ~ Alicia Rich "Advisors are in the people business. They're in a relationship business. It's not about the sale of a product. It's about really understanding people." ~ Alicia Rich "Digital advice is not just about technology and technology replacing humans. We focus on removing the friction. We want humans to do the best work they can, and we do and enable that." ~ Alicia Rich Links  Alicia Rich on LinkedIn Broadridge WSJ 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 Jeffrey Levi and Rafael Couto for a deep dive into the future of wealth management. Jeffrey is a Principal at Casey Quirk Deloitte and leads the firm’s Strategy Offering for Financial Services. He advises wealth and asset managers on complex strategic challenges and spearheads research in areas like private credit, alternative investments, and evolving investment strategies. Rafael, a Senior Manager at Deloitte, helps wealth managers and retirement providers navigate large-scale technology and operational transformations. He focuses on boosting efficiency and improving service delivery, particularly in the growing convergence of workplace and wealth management. Together, they unpack Casey Quirk’s latest white paper, which outlines five key growth drivers for the wealth management industry over the next decade. They explore the critical capabilities top-performing firms are building—and how these firms are aligning strategy, technology, and operations to deliver stronger growth and better client experiences. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:37) - Why Deloitte is doubling down on wealth management research (04:03) - Casey Quirk's research participants (06:01) - The five core drivers of future growth in wealth management (09:43) - How these capabilities show up across different channels (11:00) - What it means to build a “transformative DNA” within a firm (15:30) - The challenge of delivering a truly holistic client experience (19:40) - How leading firms are earning and maintaining client trust (24:30) - Why the core wealth platform is becoming a key competitive edge (26:52) - Taking an end-to-end approach to platform design (29:14) - What the future of work looks like in this space (33:17) - Rafael’s and Jeffrey's interests outside of work Quotes "In our advisory work, we're seeing a widening gap in performance, growth, and advisor and client experience in the overall marketplace. Some firms are winning, some firms are clearly more stagnant, and in some cases, some firms are starting to decay." ~ Jeffrey Levi "The ecosystem that exists today is going to look very different in five to 10 years because service providers are all evolving to become technology providers. We're seeing massive convergence across servicers, technology firms, clearing and custody firms, TAMPs. We’re seeing IBDs want to launch a platform as a service model to serve other parts of the landscape." ~ Jeffrey Levi "When we looked at the characteristics of those that are growing faster, we really saw that they're shaping their services around financial advice and having that at the center of the journey." ~ Rafael Couto "When we say end-to-end, it is what you put in front of the client that matters. But then you have to think all the way down to the operational component, and how you bring everything together. The value you bring to the client is what really makes you win in the market." ~ Rafael Couto Links  Jeffrey Levi on LinkedIn Casey Quirk, A Deloitte Business Rafael Couto on LinkedIn Deloitte Chip Roame Ridgefield 8 Bocce 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 Colleen Bell, President of Innovation and Experience at Cambridge Investment Research. Colleen is also a member of the Office of the CEO, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Council, and a part of Cambridge's Executive Administration team. She focuses on driving associate engagement and financial professional satisfaction while advancing and discovering new ways to meet ongoing client needs.  Colleen shares how she transforms client and advisor experiences by eliminating friction, digitizing legacy processes, and designing products that meet the increasingly complex needs of today's investors. From AI-powered solutions to driving paperless processes, Colleen walks us through the behind-the-scenes work that powers innovation at scale and how Cambridge is rethinking service models, collaborating across custodians, and pulling together fragmented account data. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:52) - Colleen's role at Cambridge Investment Research (03:36) - Pain points advisors face around customer experience (06:08) - Cambridge's technology solutions for advisors (07:22) - Cambridge's "Paper Not Alive in '25" (11:17) - The role of financial planning in providing comprehensive advice (13:01) - The integration of non-traditional assets (14:57) - Colleen's thoughts about the future of the industry (17:01) - The current and future of AI in wealth management (19:11) - AI adoption among advisors (21:28) - The importance of human interaction and building relationships (23:28) - Colleen's key takeaways (24:14) - Colleen's interests outside of work Quotes "Anything that we can do to automate that experience, remove the need to provide information, or remove all paperwork from the industry is my goal, and that's what we're looking for." ~ Colleen Bell "Artificial intelligence will completely transform the way that our advisors interact with the home office and how they interact with the clients." ~ Colleen Bell "AI is never going to replace what we, as humans, and our advisors do. It's those advisors who don't adopt it who will be left behind because they're not taking the next step to become efficient and effective." ~ Colleen Bell Links  Colleen Bell on LinkedIn Cambridge Investment Research Unreasonable Hospitality Will Guidara The Coming Wave How to Know a Person Frances Frei 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 Randy Morris, Founder & CEO of Summit Wealth Group, a boutique financial planning firm with 10 offices nationwide. With a career spanning more than three decades, Randy brings deep experience in entrepreneurial leadership, holistic planning, and building a stakeholder-driven culture. Jack and Randy explore Summit’s path to independence and how a focus on culture, ownership, and intentional growth fueled the transition. Randy also shares the key reasons they chose SEI as a strategic partner—from cultural alignment to proactive tax strategies for high-net-worth clients—and what it takes to future-proof a boutique firm in today’s evolving wealth management landscape. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:16) - Summit’s history and foundational philosophy (05:05) - Why Summit selected SEI as a strategic partner (09:05) - Leveraging SEI’s proactive tax strategies (10:23) - Building and protecting Summit’s company culture (14:58) - Summit's organic growth and intentional M&A approach (17:34) - Randy's key takeaways (19:12) - Randy's interests outside of work Quotes "We wanted to continue growing. We felt that growth was paramount, not only to take care of our client's needs in the future, but also the team members that we would add." ~ Randy Morris "Finding this partner to put on our platform and help us launch Summit 2.0, we found that in SEI." ~ Randy Morris "What we're about is building a better business, and what better way to do that than to bring in partners who have already been doing this in their location? But we want them to be willing to come in and share best practices and share what's working for you and build a better practice." ~ Randy Morris Links  Randy Morris on LinkedIn Summit Wealth Group Good to Great SEI Commonwealth Financial Network 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 Kellan Brown, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Development Officer at 100 Women in Finance. With an impressive resume that includes leadership roles at Income Lab, PrimeCo, and Finance of America’s Retirement Strategies Division, Kellan has also earned accolades like the Disruptor Award and Ascension Award from WealthManagement.com and was named one of InvestmentNews’ Women to Watch. In their conversation, Kellan shares the remarkable story of her career journey—from her early days in sports marketing and commercial construction to discovering her passion for championing women in finance. She offers insight into how 100 Women in Finance supports women at every stage of their careers and why mentorship is essential to changing the face of finance, fintech, and investment leadership. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:53) - The mission and impact of 100 Women in Finance (04:32) - Kellan's career journey (07:34) - How the organization’s mentorship program is making a difference (10:39) - Kellan's keynote at SEI (13:28) - Programs and initiatives empowering women in finance (19:25) - Advancing women in the finance industry (23:30) - The transformative power of mentorship for women (24:55) - Kellan's interests outside of work Quotes "I was awarded the Disruptor Award for a very clear reason. I believe in all of the work that we're doing, and we are not breaking any laws. Our partners are so committed to us, and we are not alienating anyone." ~ Kellan Brown  "Women elevate every single level of any organization when there's equality." ~ Kellan Brown "In a male-dominated industry, we have to find someone that's going to break that barrier down, give us access, and have allyship." ~ Kellan Brown Links  Kellan Brown on LinkedIn 100 Women in Finance Finance of America Income Lab Michael Lane Allie Carey SEI Sneha Shah 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 this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Allie Carey, Chief Strategy Officer, SEI Private Banking and Wealth Management. Allie focuses on strategic planning, global wealth management industry assessment, global go-to-market strategies, channel partnerships, and M&A opportunities. Jack and Allie talk about the role of bank trusts and private banks in wealth management. Allie shares how banks can harness their vast client base to drive organic growth, the opportunities in private banking, and how technology and data transform how banks serve their clients.  In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:51) - Allie's role at SEI (03:10) - The need for evolving skill sets in the industry (04:19) - How SEI serves clients (08:03) - Opportunities for wealth management in the bank channel (13:00) - SEI's growth strategies (16:45) - Allie's thoughts on UMH (18:14) - The future of private banks (24:25) - Allie's key takeaways (25:08) - Allie's interests outside of work Quotes "Banks have a massive client base across their different business lines. A wealth management business inside a bank can work with its commercial colleagues. They can work with their retail colleagues and their lending colleagues." ~ Allie Carey "We're getting to the point where we could have some real advice across the lifecycle of someone delivered via technology, where humans are curating that, not creating it." ~ Allie Carey  "Banks are well-positioned to win in wealth management. They have that near-end client base. They have the breadth of services to really serve the whole client." ~ Allie Carey Links  Allie Carey on LinkedIn SEI 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 this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Justin Singer, Partner at EY. Justin provides strategy and management consulting services to many top wealth management, asset management, insurance, and retirement firms to drive growth and retention, improve their offerings, and achieve stronger operating margins through strategic and tactical projects. Jack and Justin discuss why WaaS (Wealth as a Service) is the future of financial services. Justin explores how financial institutions can use this integrated, cost-effective, scalable solution to drive efficiency and growth. He also dives into the key drivers behind this shift, the players involved, the exciting opportunities it presents, and the broader industry implications. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:23) - Wealth as a Service defined (05:23) - Service providers in the wealth management space (08:56) - The expected consolidation of broker-dealers and RIAs (11:14) - Challenges for firms in operating wealth management businesses (16:20) - How WaaS improves client outcomes and advisor efficiency (18:51) - The industry's reaction to EY's Wealth as a Service research (21:59) - Justin's key takeaways (23:52) - Justin's interests outside of work Quotes "Wealth as a Service (WaaS) is an integrated, cost-effective, and scalable solution for financial institutions to deliver wealth management in a more turnkey way." ~ Justin Singer "The assets we've built are really positioning financial institutions to be able to drive toward the outcomes that many of them are looking to achieve, which are growth, improved operating efficiency, and scale." ~ Justin Singer "If we end up in a world where there's less broker-dealers, less RIAs, less trust companies, and a few providers that are supporting those entities that are left, I truly believe it's going to drive down costs and allow many firms to be able to go more down market to the mass affluent segment with a more scalable offering." ~ Justin Singer Links  Justin Singer on LinkedIn EY Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Alternative investments are surging in popularity, but how do distributors, asset managers, and advisors adapt? While the appetite for alternatives continues to rise, education remains one of the biggest hurdles to widespread adoption. Managing alternatives requires more than just a basic understanding. It demands deep, specialized expertise. Despite significant investments in training and educational initiatives, the need for deeper expertise remains critical. In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Neil Bathon, Managing Partner at FUSE Research Network, about the latest trends in alternative investments. Neil shares insights from FUSE's recent study on alternative distribution, diving into key findings on education gaps, sales strategies, and the importance of partnerships in alts adoption. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:47) - About FUSE Research Network (04:54) - FUSE's alts distribution research findings (06:09) - The importance of education in alts adoption (07:38) - Neil's advice for firms entering the alts market (09:04) - Why partnerships are critical (11:33) - How alts can be incorporated into asset allocation (12:58) - Managing client expectations (16:48) - Neil's recommendations for investing in alts (19:18) - How alternative assets benefit distributors, advisors, and asset managers (20:00) - Neil's key takeaways (21:13) - Neil's interests outside of work Quotes "Distributors are making clear that despite many educational initiatives for years, some of these traditional firms have big institutes or universities specifically to help bring advisors along, but there's still an enormous need for additional education." ~ Neil Bathon "Some of these alternatives can get very complicated. You need to make a significant investment in educating your sales team and your marketing team. You really have to back them up with specialists who can go this third, fourth, or fifth level deep." ~ Neil Bathon "Partnership of some form is the way to go for most firms if they're not already firmly in the alternative business." ~ Neil Bathon Links  Neil Bathon on LinkedIn FUSE Research Network Apollo Global Management KKR Ares Management Blackstone Franklin Templeton 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 this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Arnulf Hsu, CEO of GReminders. Arnulf is a serial entrepreneur and has been leading and running B2B enterprise software companies for the last 20+ years as CEO, CTO, Product Leader, and Board Member. He has a strong background in technology and business development, focusing on building successful ventures and growing companies from the ground up. Jack and Arnulf talk about why GReminders is one of the leading scheduling and meeting management platforms for professionals. They discuss how GReminders integrates with existing CRM systems to manage everything from scheduling and reminders to AI-generated meeting summaries and follow-ups. Jack and Arnulf also share the importance of deeply understanding customer needs and how AI can enhance personalization and efficiency in client relationships. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (00:59) - What GReminders is and how it works (04:57) - The origin story of GReminders (05:59) - Why Arnulf chose to focus on wealth management (09:25) - Feedback from advisors and clients (12:49) - How GReminders compares to Arnulf’s past ventures (15:06) - Learning through listening (17:57) - How AI empowers GReminders (19:56) - What's next for GReminders (21:50) - Arnulf's key takeaways (23:34) - Arnulf's interests outside of work Quotes "In this area (wealth management), there were scheduling products that were installed in our customers that, to some degree, they were using, but they weren't very good." ~ Arnulf Hsu "If you have a bunch of data islands everywhere, it's not going to do anybody any good. If you ever want to use AI and analytics on top of this stuff, you better have systems that talk to each other, and data must flow between them." ~ Arnulf Hsu  "Wealth managers aren't IT experts. And so, we believed pretty strongly in a smaller technology stack that has fewer moving parts. It's inherently a better system because you have less complexity." ~ Arnulf Hsu Links  Arnulf Hsu on LinkedIn GReminders Redtail Technology Wealthbox Salesforce Smarsh PreciseFP Zapier 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 this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Mike Capelle, Co-founder & Co-CEO of Modern Wealth Management. From his decades-long career in wealth management, Mike has experience building advisor-client platforms that drive continuous growth. He was part of the team that co-founded, scaled, and sold United Capital, a $25 billion RIA with 90 locations, to Goldman Sachs for $750 million. Jack and Mike discuss how Modern Wealth Management provides a full-service wealth management platform, including tax planning, estate planning, and insurance. They address the challenges and opportunities of integrating legacy systems and the importance of creating a replicable model for national expansion. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:06) - How Modern Wealth Management reshaped financial planning (06:02) - How to serve clients (10:10) - The challenges and opportunities in acquisitions (16:17) - The future of the wealth management industry (18:56) - Mike's key takeaways (22:00) - Mike's interests outside of work Quotes "We saw the need in the market and the opportunity because we felt there was a shift from going to investment to planning, where there was much more alignment between the advisors and the client." ~ Mike Capelle "It's a great opportunity to really impact people's lives. They don't have all the resources to do everything they want. You have to help them understand what they want their future to look like, what things are important, and what trade-offs make sense to them." ~ Mike Capelle "We certainly recognize the opportunity with the industry, and not only do you have an underserved market of people across the country who are developing wealth, but needing help in how they manage it and how they use it as the engine to get to the outcome they want to." ~ Mike Capelle Links  Mike Capelle on LinkedIn Joe Duran United Capital Modern Wealth Management Salesforce eMoney Advisor Doug Fritz Randy Lambert 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 this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Randy Lambert, EVP and Head of RIA Solutions at Intention.ly. Randy shares how his experience scaling Orion informs his work helping FinTech and RIA firms streamline operations, align marketing, and enhance client engagement. He highlights the importance of eliminating silos, implementing intelligent automation, and transforming operations from a cost center to a strategic growth engine. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:39) - Randy’s journey at Orion  (07:10) - The transition to Intention.ly (11:54) - Integrating marketing, sales, and operations (14:41) - Growing and scaling RIAs (18:43) - Bridging the gap between the marketing and operations (19:57) - Building a customer success model (22:40) - Randy's final thoughts (24:02) - Randy's interests outside of work Quotes "One of the weakest links in the technology chain is the advisor using the technology." ~ Randy Lambert "The better that an advisory team is able to systematize its operations, the better chance they have of being successful in scaling up." ~ Randy Lambert "When a firm's data is clean, structured, and fully integrated, technology stops being a barrier. It starts to become an enabler." ~ Randy Lambert Links  Randy Lambert on LinkedIn Intention.ly Orion Advisor Solutions Eric Clarke Kelly Waltrich Tina Powell Joe Steuter Doug Fritz 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 this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Ryan VanGorder, CEO at Opto Investments, about revolutionizing private markets for wealth managers. Ryan highlights how Opto’s technology simplifies complex private market strategies, helping advisors deliver tailored, scalable solutions to their clients. They discuss the shift from institutional to retail access in private investments and the importance of guided intelligence, customization, and automation. Ryan also shares his passion for adventure racing, drawing parallels between endurance sports and business, emphasizing discipline, adaptability, and teamwork as core values shaping Opto’s culture and approach to client success. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:18) - Exploring Opto’s mission and purpose (02:09) - Ryan's career journey and the founding of Opto Investments (06:33) - Building a business in the retail marketplace (11:14) - Transitioning from institutional to retail private markets (13:32) - Opto's approach to full portfolio analysis (17:35) - Future trends and innovations shaping private markets (18:48) - Ryan's key takeaways (20:13) - Ryan's passion for adventure racing and interests outside of work Quotes "At Opto, we're engineering the future of private markets with a focus on client outcomes and driving capital to the best ideas." ~ Ryan VanGorder "Opto is built and backed by operators who understand the potential in the private markets, not by AUM-focused mega funds or product pushers." ~ Ryan VanGorder "The winners in our space, particularly our market, will heavily invest in technology-based solutions and solving for transparency, scale efficiency, and flexibility. And you're going to do all that while delivering on your client's demands." ~ Ryan VanGorder Links  Ryan VanGorder on LinkedIn Opto Investments BlackRock Joe Lonsdale 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