The Elite Financial Advisor Podcast With Sten Morgan

Hosted by Sten Morgan

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A show for financial professionals who want to be challenged to achieve their true potential faster. You will gain practical knowledge that you can implement on Monday morning when you get into the office. You'll learn the true value of your advice and, if you want to, how to charge for that advice. Featuring Sten J. Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, one of the nation's leading young Financial Advisors.

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45 min

258 Jack Martin / AI Won't Replace Financial Advisors. But It Will Expose the Bad Ones.

In this episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Sten Morgan, CFP®, talks with Jack Martin, Chief Marketing Officer at Amplify, about what it takes to stand out when every advisor website looks the same. Jack spent three decades as an advisor, built an RIA in Dallas with his wife that grew into one of the largest hybrid firms in its network, and ran a marketing consultancy for 15 years. Jack explains why growth happens at the intersection of marketing, sales, data and behavior, why AI frees you up to do more human things, and why so many advisors spend only a sliver of their day with clients. He also shares the question that separates growing firms from stuck ones: are you an advisor who happens to own a small business, or a small business owner who happens to be an advisor? Prospecting is the first of the three focus areas of EAN's Elite Model, and Jack's view that marketing is about creating conversations fits right in. As Jack puts it: "Different is better than better or more." In This Episode Growth happens at the intersection of marketing, sales, data and behavior, and behavior matters most. The goal is a client who says, "You get me." Know who you serve. Look at the clients you enjoy most, find what they have in common, and build your value around them. Hire your number two. Find the person who has your back, then delegate, train and trust them. Keep score on the value of your business: new clients, new assets, retention, share of wallet and referrals. It's not just what you turn away from, it's what you turn towards. Use the time you free up to spend more of it with clients. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 00:32 - From RIA founder to CMO at Amplify 06:43 - The two mistakes that trip up advisors 13:52 - Growth at the intersection of marketing, sales, data and behavior 19:29 - Why advisors spend so little of their day with clients 25:43 - Small business owner or advisor: that's the gap 29:41 - Business value as your scorecard 33:06 - Marketing is about creating conversations 37:23 - Attention bias and why different beats better Get This Week's Free Tool: The Business Owner Shift A one-page tool with four action steps to run your practice like a business and free up time for clients. Sign up once to get the tool from every episode. Get the tool here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_258_jack_martin Take the Free EliteIndex: Where do you fall between average and Elite? This free 5-minute assessment shows how the Elite Model can help you get paid for what you know instead of what you sell. Take the EliteIndex here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteindex/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_258_jack_martin Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Sten Morgan's book shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. Claim your free copy - just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_258_jack_martin Take the Prospecting Course: Prospecting is the first focus area of the Elite Model. Five self-guided lessons and a workbook help you find the strategies that fit you and leave with a 30-day plan you'll actually run. Start the Prospecting Course here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/prospecting-course/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_258_jack_martin Attend Elite Advisor Live: Our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. See upcoming Elite Advisor Live events here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_258_jack_martin Apply to ElitePlus: ElitePlus is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite: proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you grow at a higher level. Apply for ElitePlus here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteplus/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_258_jack_martin Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://eadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_258_jack_martin Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #AdvisorMarketing #AdvisorGrowth #FinancialPlanning #PracticeManagement

43 min

257 Mike Scovel / Stop Trying to Avoid Failure. It's the Price of Getting Great.

In this episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Mike Scovel, Dallas Managing Partner at New York Life, joins Sten Morgan, CFP®, to break down why the advisors who fail the most are often the ones who grow the most. Mike started in the business at 22, made partner at 24 and managing partner at 29, and has led advisors for close to 30 years. Mike explains why baseball's all-time winners also hold the all-time losing records, why likability and courtesy matter when you hire, how a commission business builds a floor that rises every year, and why effective activity beats cold-call volume. He also shares the hotel-room retreat he uses to create vision, how boredom quietly stalls mid-career advisors, and the question every established advisor should ask: "Is this it?" Prospecting is the first of the three focus areas of EAN's Elite Model, and Mike's advice to pick your own activities and fill your calendar with effective time fits right in. As Mike puts it: "If you're not failing, all I would tell you is you're just not growing." In This Episode The greatest champions were also the greatest failures. Cy Young, Rickey Henderson and Pete Rose hold both the records and the losing records. Your floor keeps rising. Commission income will always go up and down, but assets under management and residual income lift your baseline every year. Pick your own activities. Ask ChatGPT or Claude for activity ideas by category, choose the ones you'll actually do, and review the list with someone you trust. Vision is creation. Mike books a hotel room with a pad of paper, no phone and no TV, and writes until the ideas come. Ask yourself when you last made a substantial change. If change isn't happening, you're decaying, so ask: "Are you failing enough?" Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 00:33 - Starting at 22 and making partner early 04:23 - Confidence, likability and courtesy in hiring 07:24 - What baseball's greatest failures teach about winning 13:24 - Fundamentals and the up and down income floor 17:44 - Effective activity vs. cold-call volume 21:37 - Creating vision: the hotel-room retreat 27:49 - Mid-career advisors and the danger of boredom 33:34 - Advisors who have arrived and the question "Is this it?" Get This Week's Free Tool: The Growth Seasons Plan A one-page tool with four action steps to keep growing in every season of your career. Sign up once to get the tool from every episode. Get the tool here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_257_mike_scovel Take the Free EliteIndex: Where do you fall between average and Elite? This free 5-minute assessment shows how the Elite Model can help you get paid for what you know instead of what you sell. Take the EliteIndex here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteindex/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_257_mike_scovel Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Sten Morgan's book shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. Claim your free copy - just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_257_mike_scovel Take the Prospecting Course: Prospecting is the first focus area of the Elite Model. Five self-guided lessons and a workbook help you find the strategies that fit you and leave with a 30-day plan you'll actually run. Start the Prospecting Course here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/prospecting-course/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_257_mike_scovel Attend Elite Advisor Live: Our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. See upcoming Elite Advisor Live events here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_257_mike_scovel Apply to ElitePlus: ElitePlus is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite: proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you grow at a higher level. Apply for ElitePlus here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteplus/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_257_mike_scovel Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://eadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_257_mike_scovel Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #Prospecting #AdvisorGrowth #FinancialPlanning #GrowthMindset

32 min

256 Meredith Jones / Your People Are Your Product. Most Business Owners Still Don't Get It.

In this episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Sten Morgan, CFP®, welcomes Meredith Jones, SPHR, founder and CEO of Sera Business Advisors, to talk about the part of your practice that rarely gets planned: your people. From hiring and onboarding to growing future leaders, Meredith makes the case that HR is a growth strategy, not paperwork. Meredith started her career as an auditor at Deloitte, moved into HR there, and later worked on the people side of bank mergers before founding Sera Business Advisors. She explains why recruiting is really sales, why structure doesn't make you "corporate," when a growing firm needs an HR process or an in-house hire, and why the best leaders act more like coaches than critics. Communication is the second of the three focus areas of EAN's Elite Model, and this conversation shows how it reaches past clients to the people who serve them. They also cover why advisors put off getting help for their own business. As Meredith puts it: "At the end of the day, people are your product." In This Episode Recruiting is sales. If you can sell a client, you can sell a candidate, so be clear about who you are and why the right person should join. Structure isn't corporate. Hiring, onboarding, reviews and training are how your culture shows up. Lead like a coach: stretch your people, support them, and congratulate them, instead of only pointing out what's wrong. Around 30 to 35 people you need an HR process; around 100, a dedicated HR person. Before that, a fractional expert can fill the gap. Waiting until you can "afford" a coach delays your full potential. Treat every new hire as a possible future leader. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 00:29 - From Deloitte auditor to HR leader 04:27 - What HR means for a firm of any size 06:49 - Hiring against a bigger offer 08:32 - Structure isn't corporate, and leading like a coach 10:55 - What AI can't replace 11:34 - When you need an HR process or an in-house hire 15:04 - Why advisors rarely ask for help 19:12 - What having a coach signals 21:48 - Why "when I can afford it" costs you 23:24 - Spotting and growing future leaders 26:29 - The movable middle and owning your career 28:12 - What Meredith is excited about Get This Week's Free Tool: The People Blueprint A one-page tool with four action steps to hire, onboard and grow your team. Sign up once to get the tool from every episode. Get the tool here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_256_meredith_jones Take the Free EliteIndex: Where do you fall between average and Elite? This free 5-minute assessment shows how the Elite Model can help you get paid for what you know instead of what you sell. Take the EliteIndex here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteindex/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_256_meredith_jones Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Sten Morgan's book shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. Claim your free copy - just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_256_meredith_jones Take the Prospecting Course: Prospecting is the first focus area of the Elite Model. Five self-guided lessons and a workbook help you find the strategies that fit you and leave with a 30-day plan you'll actually run. Start the Prospecting Course here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/prospecting-course/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_256_meredith_jones Attend Elite Advisor Live: Our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. See upcoming Elite Advisor Live events here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_256_meredith_jones Apply to ElitePlus: ElitePlus is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite: proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you grow at a higher level. Apply for ElitePlus here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteplus/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_256_meredith_jones Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://eadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_256_meredith_jones Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #HumanResources #AdvisorLeadership #FinancialPlanning #AdvisorGrowth

37 min

255 Adam Knorr / Stop Posting Into the Void: How to Turn LinkedIn Into Real Clients

In this episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Sten Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, welcomes Adam Knorr, CEO of Take Action Copy and co-founder of InfluenceLab, to unpack what it really takes to turn LinkedIn into booked meetings: realistic timelines, a clear niche, and DMs that sound like a person instead of a brochure. Adam spent six years as a wholesaler at Jackson National and AllianceBernstein before leaving in 2022 to write. He now ghostwrites LinkedIn content for financial advisors and built InfluenceLab, a tool that coaches advisors on their own drafts while keeping their voice. He explains why you should give LinkedIn 90 days before judging it, why most DIY advisors get more from outbound DMs than from posts, and why the people who never comment are often the ones who book. Prospecting is the first of the three focus areas of EAN's Elite Model, and this conversation is a practical playbook for making content one piece of your prospecting, not the whole plan. Adam also covers who shouldn't bother with LinkedIn, how to vet a content agency, and why YouTube can win on leads. As Adam puts it: "You guys preach compound interest to your clients every single day. It's no different here." In This Episode LinkedIn is the long game. Give it 90 days, and expect results to compound, not show up overnight. Two things have to be true: a posting rhythm you can keep without burning out, and a clear niche. The generalist is everybody's second option. Write DMs the way you text a friend: short messages, no paragraphs, and never the words "comprehensive" or "holistic." Most leads come from lurkers who read for months and never comment, so don't judge your content by the likes. No 30 minutes a day (or a teammate to cover it)? Don't post. If you have it, start with one post a week and build the habit. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 00:26 - From journalism to wholesaling to LinkedIn ghostwriting 02:32 - Why LinkedIn needs 90 days before you judge it 09:05 - What has to be true: consistency and a clear niche 16:33 - Content or DMs, and how to write DMs that sound human 20:14 - Who shouldn't do LinkedIn at all 21:46 - Why YouTube can beat LinkedIn for leads 23:52 - Lurkers, lead magnets and the funnel 27:31 - How to vet a content agency 29:09 - Building InfluenceLab Get the Free Episode Companion Guide: Want the cheat sheet? Our one-page companion guide covers the LinkedIn blueprint, core insights, and four action steps. Grab your free copy here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_255_adam_knorr Take the Free EliteIndex: Where do you fall between average and Elite? This free 5-minute assessment shows how the Elite Model can help you get paid for what you know instead of what you sell. Take the EliteIndex here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteindex/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_255_adam_knorr Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Sten Morgan's book shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. Claim your free copy - just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_255_adam_knorr Take the Prospecting Course: Prospecting is the first focus area of the Elite Model. Five self-guided lessons and a workbook help you find the strategies that fit you and leave with a 30-day plan you'll actually run. Start the Prospecting Course here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/prospecting-course/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_255_adam_knorr Attend Elite Advisor Live: Our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. See upcoming Elite Advisor Live events here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_255_adam_knorr Apply to ElitePlus: ElitePlus is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite: proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you grow at a higher level. Apply for ElitePlus here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteplus/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_255_adam_knorr Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://eadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_255_adam_knorr Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #LinkedInMarketing #AdvisorMarketing #FinancialPlanning #AdvisorGrowth

34 min

254 Chuck Downs / Rewiring the Advisor: Neuroplasticity & the Inner Game of Success

In this episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Sten Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, is joined by Chuck Downs, founder of Epic Success Coaching and a former Northwestern Mutual managing director, to talk about the inner game behind elite performance: why some advisors break through while others stay stuck, and what it takes to rewire the programming holding you back. After 25 years as an advisor and leader of advisors, Chuck now coaches high performers on letting go of who they're not. He explains how inherited stories become adopted beliefs and conditioned behaviors, how neuroplasticity lets you rewire fear, doubt, and regret, and why success alone just gives you a bigger stage to feel the fear. Communication is one of the three pillars of EAN's Elite Model, and this conversation shows how the inner work changes the way you show up with clients and your team - less pushing, more pulling people in. Chuck also shares a simple daily practice to start feeling the emotions you actually want. As Chuck puts it: "Nobody lives up to their potential. Everyone lives up to their programming." In This Episode Nobody lives up to their potential - everyone lives up to their programming: the stories, beliefs, and behaviors you inherited. Neuroplasticity means you can rewire old pathways of fear, doubt, and regret into empowering thoughts and productive behaviors. Success doesn't remove fear or insecurity. It just gives you a bigger stage to feel it. You can't hit a target you can't see: name the emotions you want to feel, write them into a first-person vision, and see and feel it daily. Don't let other people's reactions decide yours. Swap "that's not fair" for curiosity and compassion. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction and a full-circle reunion 01:28 - From advisor to coaching human potential 03:31 - The movable middle: why some advisors break through 05:31 - Neural pathways and neuroplasticity 13:00 - Why success gives you a bigger stage to feel the fear 18:54 - Magnetism: why people want to be around you 21:52 - Step one: name the emotions you want to feel 25:29 - Don't let others determine how you react 29:26 - Balancing the inner work with running the business Get the Free Episode Companion Guide: Want the cheat sheet? Our one-page companion guide covers the rewire blueprint, core insights, and four action steps. Grab your free copy here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_254_chuck_downs Take the Free EliteIndex: Where do you fall between average and Elite? This free 5-minute assessment shows how the Elite Model can help you get paid for what you know instead of what you sell. Take the EliteIndex here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteindex/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_254_chuck_downs Take the Prospecting Course: Prospecting is the first focus area of the Elite Model. Five self-guided lessons and a workbook help you find the strategies that fit you and leave with a 30-day plan you'll actually run. Start the Prospecting Course here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/prospecting-course/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_254_chuck_downs Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Sten Morgan's book shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. Claim your free copy - just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_254_chuck_downs Attend Elite Advisor Live: Our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. Learn more about Elite Advisor Live here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_254_chuck_downs Apply to Elite+: Elite+ is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite: proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you grow at a higher level. Apply for Elite+ here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteplus/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_254_chuck_downs Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://eadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_254_chuck_downs Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork Subscribe Subscribe for more conversations and training to help financial advisors reject average and become elite. #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #Neuroplasticity #AdvisorMindset #FinancialPlanning #AdvisorGrowth

35 min

253 Dr. Jordan Hutchison / Flow State: The Hidden Engine Behind Great Advisors

In this episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Sten Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, talks with Dr. Jordan Hutchison, VP of Technology and Operations at RFG Advisory, about what keeps great advisors in flow: time well spent, technology that removes friction, and a business built around the work that actually fulfills you. Jordan has sat in nearly every seat in the industry - advisor, coach, fintech builder, XY Planning Network, Shaping Wealth, and now RFG - while earning a doctorate in behavioral finance. He shares why a financial plan is an ongoing process rather than a static printout, and why clients still come back to one question: am I going to be okay? Communication and building a financial plan are two of the three pillars of EAN's Elite Model, and Jordan makes the case that great communication only works when you know the nuts and bolts - plus why change isn't always the answer when deciding where your practice should land. In This Episode Time well spent: build and choose tools that remove friction instead of draining your day. Planning is an ongoing process, and clients still want to know "am I going to be okay?" The future advisor is a great communicator who still knows the nuts and bolts. Beware the action bias. Change isn't always the right move - self-reflection comes first. Build around what fulfills you, and pick a platform that supports it. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction and basketball 05:06 - A senior-year wake-up call and a financial planning master's 07:51 - Trying almost every job in the industry 15:57 - What RFG does and Jordan's role 17:04 - Click One and the principle of "time well spent" 20:28 - Is financial planning the tip of the spear? 22:23 - Why planning is ongoing, not static 25:27 - The future advisor's core skill set 27:20 - "If I close that open book, do you know what you did?" 30:20 - Is change a good thing? The action bias 31:46 - Build the business that fulfills you Get the Free Episode Companion Guide: Want the cheat sheet? Our one-page companion guide covers the flow blueprint, core insights, and four action steps. Grab your free copy here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_253_jordan_hutchison Take the Free EliteIndex: Where do you fall between average and Elite? This free 5-minute assessment shows how the Elite Model can help you get paid for what you know instead of what you sell. Take the EliteIndex here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteindex/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_253_jordan_hutchison Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Sten Morgan's book shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. Claim your free copy - just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_253_jordan_hutchison Take the Prospecting Course: Prospecting is the first focus area of the Elite Model. Five self-guided lessons and a workbook help you find the strategies that fit you and leave with a 30-day plan you'll actually run. Start the Prospecting Course here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/prospecting-course/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_253_jordan_hutchison Attend Elite Advisor Live: Our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. See upcoming Elite Advisor Live events here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_253_jordan_hutchison Apply to Elite+: Elite+ is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite: proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you grow at a higher level. Apply for Elite+ here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/eliteplus/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_253_jordan_hutchison Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://eadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_253_jordan_hutchison Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #BehavioralFinance #WealthTech #FinancialPlanning #AdvisorGrowth

36 min

252 Wes Young & Gavin Filasek / From Chasing Prospects to Creating Demand

This is Part 2 of our prospecting roundtable. If you missed Part 1, go back and start with Episode 234. In this roundtable episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Sten Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, gets the band back together with Wes Young, Founder and CEO of Wes Young & Associates, and Gavin Filasek, Co-Founder and Partner of Highland Wealth, to get practical about prospecting: how to stop chasing prospects and start creating demand. Prospecting is one of the three pillars of EAN's Elite Model, alongside communication and building a financial plan, and this conversation goes deep on it. They open on the thing most producers get wrong - balance - and why you need a 90-day family plan, not just a business plan. Then they dig into how fee-based planning turns call-outs into call-ins, how each of them prices and structures their service models, and why "never a thousand" is a rule worth keeping. The heart of the episode is process and language: the three-part way to answer "what do you do?" so you are memorable and magnetic, why your process is what makes clients refer you, and the weekly system Gavin's team runs to drive growth instead of letting the market dictate it. As Gavin puts it: "I used to have to call out. Now they call in." In This Episode Stop chasing, start creating demand: why fee-based planning turns call-outs into call-ins. You need a 90-day family plan, not just a business plan. You will not default your way into great relationships. How to answer "what do you do?" in three parts so you are memorable, not forgettable. Pricing and service models: flat fees, annual retainers, and why "never a thousand." Build a weekly prospecting system and a scorecard, and do not let the market dictate your growth. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - The band is back together 00:40 - Balance, seasons, and guardrails 02:00 - The 90-day family plan 06:00 - Blending work and life instead of "balance" 08:30 - Getting practical on prospecting 09:20 - How fee-based planning creates call-ins 11:00 - Using planning to earn the AUM and insurance work 12:30 - Pricing: Gavin's flat fees (6k, 12k, 24k) 14:00 - Wes on annual retainers and moving every client to them 16:00 - The juice has to be worth the squeeze 17:10 - Why process is the foundation of demand 18:00 - Mid-years, year-ends, and strategy summaries 19:00 - Answering "what do you do?" in three parts 23:00 - Don't give a label or a book report 24:00 - Gavin's weekly team prospecting system 27:00 - Don't be an "ask-hole": how to ask for introductions 29:00 - Don't let the market dictate your growth 31:00 - Give value with ideas: the book-and-quote move 33:00 - Put yourself where your ideal clients are Missed Part 1? Start There: This is the second half of our prospecting roundtable with Wes Young and Gavin Filasek. If you have not heard Part 1 (Episode 234), listen to it first. Listen to Part 1 here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 Get the Free Episode Companion Guide: Want the cheat sheet for this episode? We turned the biggest ideas into a one-page companion guide - the demand-creation playbook, core insights, and three action steps. Grab your free copy here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_252_young_filasek Free Resources for Financial Advisors: Want to become a more elite advisor? Get our free course on how to become an Elite Advisor, plus training videos that show you how to whiteboard ideas with clients using real examples. Get the free resources here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-path-resources?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_252_young_filasek Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Most advisors were trained to sell first and hope trust shows up later. Value First Prospecting shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. You can claim a free copy of Sten Morgan's book, Value First Prospecting. Just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_252_young_filasek Attend Elite Advisor Live: Elite Advisor Live is our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. Learn more about Elite Advisor Live here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_252_young_filasek Join Elite+: Elite+ is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite. Inside Elite+, you get proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you remove resistance and grow at a higher level. Join Elite+ here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/join-ean?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_252_young_filasek Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://www.eliteadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_252_young_filasek Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork Subscribe Subscribe for more conversations, training, and practical ideas to help financial advisors reject average and become elite. #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #Prospecting #FinancialPlanning #AdvisorGrowth #CreatingDemand

21 min

251 Larry Shumbres / SEO Is Changing. Financial Advisors Need to Learn AEO.

In this episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Sten Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, sits down with Larry Shumbres, Founder and CEO of Archive Intel, to unpack a shift most advisors have not caught up to yet: the move from SEO to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), and what it takes to get found when your next client asks ChatGPT or Claude for an advisor. Larry shares his path from IBM and Wall Street to building compliance technology, and why he believes compliance is not just a box to check but the thing that frees advisors to grow. They dig into why so many advisors leave growth on the table by avoiding the apps clients actually use - text, WhatsApp, TikTok, Reddit - and how modern archiving makes those channels safe. Then they get practical on AEO: why generic "top five retirement tips" content will not rank, why specificity about who you serve and how is what answer engines reward, and how tools like Claude can help you build the content that gets you surfaced. As Larry puts it: "If you're doing everything every other advisor is doing, you're not going to rank higher on AEO." In This Episode SEO to AEO: how getting found is changing now that clients ask AI, not just Google, for an advisor. Why specificity wins. Generic content does not rank; naming exactly who you serve and how does. Compliance is not the afterthought. It is what frees you to grow into new channels. Meet clients where they already are - text, WhatsApp, TikTok, Reddit - and archive it so it is safe. Use AI like Claude to build the content that ranks in answer engines. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction and the heat wave 01:20 - From IBM and Wall Street to fintech and compliance 04:00 - Turning around a failed startup, then building Archive Intel 05:30 - Where AI actually saves time (and why you keep a human in the loop) 06:20 - Always raising the bar: the founder's drive 07:20 - Was AI a thing years before the rest of us saw it? 09:40 - The growth advisors leave on the table by avoiding apps 11:30 - When advisors realize they need to archive texts 13:20 - Compliance as a growth enabler, not just protection 14:10 - The "easy button" for compliance and marketing review 17:10 - Scaling the compliance officer with AI review 20:00 - What is hardest right now: more apps, more channels 21:30 - SEO vs AEO: getting found when clients ask AI 23:40 - Why specific content ranks and generic content does not 25:50 - Matching the right advisor to the right client 28:30 - Which advisors will adapt, and where to start with Claude Get the Free Episode Companion Guide: Want the cheat sheet for this episode? We turned the biggest ideas into a one-page companion guide - the SEO-to-AEO playbook, key takeaways, and three action steps. Grab your free copy here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_251_larry_shumbres Free Resources for Financial Advisors: Want to become a more elite advisor? Get our free course on how to become an Elite Advisor, plus training videos that show you how to whiteboard ideas with clients using real examples. Get the free resources here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-path-resources?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_251_larry_shumbres Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Most advisors were trained to sell first and hope trust shows up later. Value First Prospecting shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. You can claim a free copy of Sten Morgan's book, Value First Prospecting. Just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_251_larry_shumbres Attend Elite Advisor Live: Elite Advisor Live is our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. Learn more about Elite Advisor Live here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_251_larry_shumbres Join Elite+: Elite+ is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite. Inside Elite+, you get proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you remove resistance and grow at a higher level. Join Elite+ here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/join-ean?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_251_larry_shumbres Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://www.eliteadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_251_larry_shumbres Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork Subscribe Subscribe for more conversations, training, and practical ideas to help financial advisors reject average and become elite. #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #AEO #SEO #AdvisorMarketing #Compliance

29 min

250 Sten Morgan / PlanScore: The Advisor of the Future Sells a Process that Gets Results

In this solo episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Sten Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, introduces PlanScore - the software his team built to deliver financial plans clients actually understand - and shares the journey that took him from selling products to selling a process. Sten walks through his path into the business on the insurance and AUM side, the moment he realized advisors could get paid for their time and ideas, and the roadblocks he hit adding financial planning: it was heavy, slow, and hard to scale. His answer became a mantra - maximum value with extreme efficiency - and a clear framework for what a complete financial plan actually covers. He breaks down the categories every plan should include, why scoring each one from 1 to 5 turns a plan into something clients can see and act on, and why the advisor of the future is a communicator and coach who sells a process, not a product. As Sten puts it: "The advisor of the future delivers a process, not a product." Try PlanScore Free (Code: PODCAST): PlanScore helps you build financial plans people actually understand - the complete-plan framework, a simple 1-to-5 scoring rubric, and a proposal built for you, so you deliver maximum value with extreme efficiency. Start your free trial and use code PODCAST for your first month free. Get PlanScore here: https://www.planscore.com/?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_250_planscore In This Episode Maximum value with extreme efficiency: deliver a plan that feels like it took 30 hours in an hour or less. You can get paid for your process. When clients pay for advice, they value it and actually follow through. Define a complete plan. A cash flow report and a Monte Carlo is not a plan; do not let clients believe a collection of products is one. Score every category from 1 to 5 (red, orange, green). Clients do not want to be red, and now they can see the path to green. The advisor of the future is a communicator and coach who sells a process, not a product. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Launching PlanScore, and why we built it 00:40 - Maximum value with extreme efficiency 01:30 - Starting in insurance: trained to sell products 02:27 - The business owner I tried to talk out of his own business 03:30 - Moving to AUM: still gated by "do you have money to invest?" 04:00 - The $5,000 onboarding fee that broke my brain 05:00 - My first paid plan: $1,500 for 12 months 06:00 - Adding planning slowed the rest of the business 07:30 - Deciding what kind of advisor I wanted to be 08:30 - Where it broke down: expectations and the deliverable 10:00 - Simplicity is a gift: a plan people understand 11:00 - The categories of a complete financial plan 13:00 - Scoring each category 1 to 5 (red, orange, green) 15:00 - Building a plan in an hour instead of ten 17:00 - Pricing and the average planning fee 19:00 - Service models: 3-month, 12-month, and AUM-only 22:00 - PlanScore Light: re-energizing existing clients 25:00 - The advisor of the future sells a process 27:00 - Try PlanScore with code PODCAST Get the Free Episode Companion Guide: Want the cheat sheet for this episode? We turned the biggest ideas into a one-page companion guide - the complete-plan framework, key takeaways, and three action steps. Grab your free copy here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_250_planscore Free Resources for Financial Advisors: Want to become a more elite advisor? Get our free course on how to become an Elite Advisor, plus training videos that show you how to whiteboard ideas with clients using real examples. Get the free resources here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-path-resources?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_250_planscore Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Most advisors were trained to sell first and hope trust shows up later. Value First Prospecting shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. You can claim a free copy of Sten Morgan's book, Value First Prospecting. Just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_250_planscore Attend Elite Advisor Live: Elite Advisor Live is our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. Learn more about Elite Advisor Live here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_250_planscore Join Elite+: Elite+ is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite. Inside Elite+, you get proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you remove resistance and grow at a higher level. Join Elite+ here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/join-ean?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_250_planscore Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://www.eliteadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_250_planscore Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork Subscribe Subscribe for more conversations, training, and practical ideas to help financial advisors reject average and become elite. #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #FinancialPlanning #PlanScore #AdvisorGrowth #FinancialPlanningProcess

30 min

249 Tim White / Estate & Tax Planning: The Biggest Untapped Growth Opportunity

In this episode of the Elite Financial Advisor Podcast, Sten Morgan, CFP®, ChFC®, sits down with Tim White, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of wealth.com , to make the case that estate and tax planning is the biggest untapped growth opportunity in the advisory business. Tim shares how he and his co-founders sold their fraud-prevention fintech to LexisNexis for $500 million, then built wealth.com after living through a broken, pen-and-paper estate planning referral themselves. He explains how the platform's AI reads existing plans in minutes, generates state-specific documents across all 50 states, and now folds in tax - the peanut butter and chocolate of a connected plan. They get practical about why estate planning deepens client relationships and unlocks the next generation, how advisors can deliver a comprehensive experience without becoming experts, and why "I'm too busy to evaluate new tools" is a warning sign, not a badge of honor. As Tim puts it: "It's about giving time back. It's not taking time away." In This Episode Estate planning is the biggest untapped growth opportunity, and the fastest way to a deeper, stickier client relationship. You do not have to become the expert. The right technology puts the equivalent of 500 analysts behind every advisor. Estate conversations surface held-away assets and unlock the next generation - real AUM and real wealth-transfer opportunities. Compliance is no longer the barrier; the barrier is change. "Too busy to evaluate new tools" is a red flag. Done right, technology gives time back instead of taking it away, so advisors can have the conversations that matter. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction: how do advisors get attention differently? 01:00 - From a fintech fraud startup to a $500M exit 02:30 - Buying wealth.com (and the domain story) 04:40 - Why legal first, then tax 05:30 - "Ester": AI that read estate plans before ChatGPT existed 07:15 - Shipping a product instead of chasing perfection 08:30 - The shift from "I know a guy" to comprehensive planning 09:20 - Why estate planning is becoming a tech-stack requirement 11:00 - Adding value with efficiency: you do not have to be the expert 13:40 - Reading existing plans in minutes, not hours 17:20 - What wealth.com actually is: documents, reports, attorney network 19:15 - Proactive intelligence: the plan that updates itself 20:00 - Estate planning as a prospecting tool and AUM unlock 21:40 - Pricing: the license and how advisors monetize it 23:00 - Is AI a threat to estate attorneys? Why it is complementary 24:50 - Why advisors are slow to adopt, and how to fix it 27:00 - Giving time back, not taking it away Get the Free Episode Companion Guide: Want the cheat sheet for this episode? We turned the biggest ideas into a one-page companion guide - the estate planning growth path, key takeaways, and three action steps. Grab your free copy here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-podcast-companion-page?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_249_tim_white Free Resources for Financial Advisors: Want to become a more elite advisor? Get our free course on how to become an Elite Advisor, plus training videos that show you how to whiteboard ideas with clients using real examples. Get the free resources here: https://gobeelite.com/elite-advisor-path-resources?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_249_tim_white Get the Free Book: Value First Prospecting Most advisors were trained to sell first and hope trust shows up later. Value First Prospecting shows you how to create demand, lead with ideas, and turn first meetings into strategy conversations instead of sales meetings. You can claim a free copy of Sten Morgan's book, Value First Prospecting. Just cover shipping. Get the book here: https://gobeelite.com/free-book?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_249_tim_white Attend Elite Advisor Live: Elite Advisor Live is our in-person training where advisors get the reps, feedback, and proven system to start charging for advice and clearly communicate their value. Learn more about Elite Advisor Live here: https://www.eliteadvisorlive.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_249_tim_white Join Elite+: Elite+ is for advisors who are done dabbling and ready to become Elite. Inside Elite+, you get proximity, accountability, real-time coaching, and a complete operating system to help you remove resistance and grow at a higher level. Join Elite+ here: https://eadvisornetwork.com/join-ean?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_249_tim_white Connect With Elite Advisor Network Website: https://www.eliteadvisornetwork.com?utm_source=shownotes&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep_249_tim_white Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-elite-financial-advisor-podcast-with-sten-morgan/id1601321140 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elite-advisor-network YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EliteAdvisorNetwork Subscribe Subscribe for more conversations, training, and practical ideas to help financial advisors reject average and become elite. #EliteAdvisorNetwork #FinancialAdvisor #StenMorgan #FinancialPlanning #EstatePlanning #TaxPlanning #AdvisorGrowth