Author: trtnetwork

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…

Episode 104: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Steve Reder, Partner & Head of Wealth Management at RWA Wealth Partners. Steve leads a team of wealth advisors and shapes the advice, guidance, and support clients receive. He also works directly with clients, solving complex financial planning problems and helping to integrate personal financial plans with investment, tax, and estate planning. 

Kyle and Steve talk about the four pillars of generational wealth planning. They discuss how RWA Wealth Partners is a boutique firm of consequence, what that means in practice, and how Steve and his team help clients create lasting legacies through financial planning, investment strategy, tax planning, and estate planning. Steve also shares thoughtful advice on building generational relationships and delivering high-touch, in-house services in a scalable way.

In this episode:

(00:00) – Intro

(01:51) – Steve’s money moment

(05:23) – What it means to be a boutique firm of consequence

(06:18) – The four pillars of generational wealth planning

(09:05) – Strategies for engaging kids in family planning meetings

(11:07) – In-house tax and estate planning

(13:32) – Why RWA rebranded

(15:43) – RWA’s future model: Recruitment and strategic acquisitions

(18:36) – RWA’s AUM-based model

(23:20) – The indispensable role of human advisors in the age of AI and technology

(28:07) – How advisors help successful people navigate the guilt of success

(32:03) – RWA’s tech stack

(36:30) – Steve’s thoughts about the future of the industry

(38:21) – Roadblocks to full integration and seamless advisor experience

(40:50) – What makes a great advisory platform

(42:10) – Steve’s Milemarker Minute

Key Takeaways

Clients should see you, the advisor, as the primary source of value—not the technology you use. While tech platforms and planning tools are helpful, over-emphasizing them can commoditize your offering. Integrate them seamlessly, but position your expertise, empathy, and judgment as the core differentiators.

Strong client relationships create flexibility and grace, even when mistakes happen. Steve’s own journey began with an advisor who invested deeply in him as a teenager. That kind of trust and emotional connection builds loyalty and long-term impact far beyond any specific financial strategy or return.

Effective family meetings and estate conversations start with storytelling and values—not spreadsheets. Clients are often hesitant to disclose financial details to their children, but when advisors help lead with legacy, life lessons, and shared purpose, families become more engaged, and the next generation is more likely to stay connected to the firm.

AI and integrated platforms can dramatically boost efficiency, but they must be in service of deeper client interaction. Tools can enhance insight, but human advisors remain irreplaceable—especially in emotionally complex financial decisions. The firms that win will be those that use tech to empower advisors, not diminish their role.

Quotes

“Taking care of someone’s kids is the best relationship builder you can do.” ~ Steve Reder

“One mistake people make is that they position the plan as the value add or the plan as the end product. Helping them reach their goals is the value add, and the advice you give is the value add.” ~ Steve Reder

“You can give the best client experience in the world, but if it’s impossible for the advisors to get it to them, it’s never going to work.” ~ Steve Reder

Links 

Steve Reder on LinkedIn

RWA Wealth Partners

First Trust

Wealth.com

Salesforce

Orion Advisor Solutions

eMoney Advisor

Holistiplan

All-In Podcast

Connect with our hosts

Milemarker.co

Kyle on LinkedIn

Jud on LinkedIn

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Founders Financial, Automation Webinar and Chatting with FP Transitions

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.…

Episode 103:  Brad Shepherd is the President and CEO at Founders Financial, a broker-dealer and RIA dedicated to building purpose-rich, advisor-centric enterprises. With nearly three decades in the industry, Brad blends deep financial expertise with a passionate commitment to helping advisors grow intentional, values-driven practices. His journey from investment rep to executive leader is shaped by strong mentorship, a calling to serve, and a conviction that people—not platforms—drive impact.

This week, Kyle and Brad discuss the myth of independence in the financial services industry and the power of interdependence between firms and advisors. They dive into Founders’ unique Strategic Enterprise Program, how to scale while staying true to your mission, and why Brad believes staying small and focused can beat the industry’s race toward consolidation.

In this episode:

(00:00) – Intro

(02:05) – Brad’s money moment

(06:38) – Brad’s transition from advisor to CEO

(10:16) – What sets Founders Financial apart

(14:08) – Why advisors want to become independent

(17:16) – Founders’ Strategic Enterprise Program (SEP)

(21:59) – What it means to be a purpose-driven, servant-led financial planning firm

(25:27) – Simplifying internal complexity

(31:07) – Founders’ ideal partners

(37:16) – Leveraging technology wisely

(43:24) – Brad’s outlook on the future of the industry

(50:39) – Brad’s Milemarker Minute

Key Takeaways

Independence is a myth—embrace interdependence. Brad challenges the industry narrative of independence, arguing that advisors are rarely truly independent and benefit more from authentic partnerships with firms that share their values and vision.

Your business is a reflection of who you are. Founders Financial’s Strategic Enterprise Program helps advisors grow with intentionality by focusing on personal vision, values, and leadership—not just platforms and performance.

Discipline and clarity create scale. Brad emphasizes the importance of staying focused, saying no to distractions, and aligning every decision with a clear mission. This kind of intentional discipline is what allows firms to scale without sacrificing their identity.

Quotes

“We actually are not in the independent space. We are in the dependent space. The actual, honest characterization of a relationship between advisors and firms is that we’re dependent upon each other.” ~ Brad Shepherd

“What makes independent advisors great isn’t their commodities. It isn’t their investment management prowess or their cooler financial plan. It’s them.” ~ Brad Shepherd

“Smart decisions about how you manage and run your business and the right partners to help you do it, using the tools that you now have to the best of their ability, drive the outcomes you seek.” ~ Brad Shepherd

Links 

Brad Shepherd on LinkedIn

Founders Financial

Michael Brooks

Strategic Enterprise Program – Founders Financial

Commonwealth Financial Network

LPL Financial

Docupace

Connect with our hosts

Milemarker.co

Kyle on LinkedIn

Jud on LinkedIn

Subscribe and stay in touch

Apple Podcasts

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Produce game-changing content with Turncast

Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.

Wescott Financial & Eliminating the Hidden Costs of Messy Data

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…

Episode 102: Carrie Delgott is the President, COO, and CCO at Wescott Financial Advisory Group. With over 25 years in financial services—including two decades at Vanguard—Carrie brings deep expertise to the evolving RIA landscape. At Wescott, she has helped guide the firm through transformative initiatives like B Corp certification, major acquisitions, and the development of their Life-Minded Wealth framework, all while prioritizing employee engagement, client experience, and sustainable scale.

This week, Kyle talks with Carrie about how values and vision can power meaningful scale. They dive into Wescott’s journey as a B Corp, their involvement in the Net Positive Consortium, and how their Life-Minded Wealth philosophy puts people—not just portfolios—at the center of everything. Carrie shares lessons from integrating a billion-dollar acquisition, insights on the future of the industry, and why technology, culture, and intentionality are key to building a standout firm in a crowded market.

In this episode:

(00:00) – Intro

(01:48) – Carrie’s money moment

(04:03) – What B Corp Certification really means

(07:21) – Why B Corp matters for RIAs 

(09:21) – The Net Positive Consortium and its five pillars

(11:45) – What sets Wescott apart

(13:09) – Westcott’s Life-Minded Wealth philosophy

(15:27) – Scaling an RIA with intention

(20:32) – Lessons from a $1B acquisition

(26:12) – Consolidating tech stacks for growth

(29:30) – Carrie’s outlook on the future of wealth management

(32:57) – Carrie’s Milemarker Minute

Key Takeaways

Growth is about absorption, not just acquisition. Successfully integrating people and culture is just as important as the deal itself. Without alignment, you lose the opportunity for true scale.

Values attract top talent. Wescott’s B Corp status and purpose-driven approach resonate deeply with next-gen advisors who want to do meaningful work.

Scale is relative—and evolving. As the industry shifts, even mid-sized firms must rethink what growth looks like and how to build infrastructure that supports it.

Quotes

“We’re not looking to have technology replace that human interaction, but we certainly are looking for it to make us more and more efficient.” ~ Carrie Delgott

“Acquisitions are not for the faint of heart. Just because you can afford a practice doesn’t mean you can absorb a practice.” ~ Carrie Delgott

“If you’re not going to integrate and you’re not going to come to some best practices for how you’re going to work on behalf of our clients going forward, then you just lost all of the scale and efficiency opportunities.” ~ Carrie Delgott

Links 

Carrie Delgott on LinkedIn

Wescott Financial Advisory Group

Vanguard

Grant Rawdin

Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take

Life-Minded Wealth

Salesforce

The Psychology of Money

Connect with our hosts

Milemarker.co

Kyle on LinkedIn

Jud on LinkedIn

Subscribe and stay in touch

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Produce game-changing content with Turncast

Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.

Northwest Asset Management’s Growth Story, Simplifying Your Black Diamond Data & Unlocking the Power of Wealthbox

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,…