Ep. 115 – The Three Discovery Questions Every Advisor Should Ask with Jeff Thorsteinson

Creating Advocates, Practice Management, Prospecting, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What if the problem you’re trying to solve isn’t the real problem at all? How might that damage rather than help your business?

Jeff Thorsteinson argues that advisors often look for better answers when they should be asking better questions.

  1. A growth challenge may actually be a capacity problem.
  2. A referral problem may point to weak positioning.
  3. A full calendar may signal over-reliance on the advisor.

In this episode of Top Advisor Podcast, Bill and Jeff explore why questions are “the operating system of leadership.” The questions advisors ask shape their strategy, hiring decisions, client conversations, and plans for growth.

They discuss Jeff’s “stop, flip, expand” framework, a four-part test for deciding what belongs on an advisor’s plate, and three questions that can transform a discovery meeting.

As Jeff puts it, “The next breakthrough in your business may not require a better answer. It just simply requires a better question.”

3 Key Takeaways:

  • Reframe the problem before solving it. (03:35)
    An advisor who says, “I can’t grow the business,” may actually have a capacity problem. If the team is overwhelmed and every decision depends on the advisor, more clients will create more chaos.
  • Move from pursuit to attraction. (07:03)
    Instead of asking, “How do I get more affluent clients?” ask, “What would make affluent clients chase me for a meeting?” That shift changes positioning, niche marketing, authority, thought leadership, and client experience.
  • Use “stop, flip, expand.”  (31:45)
    Stop and identify the real problem. Flip the question into a more useful form. Then expand it to uncover the larger issue underneath. “How do I get more referrals?” might become, “What kind of business will naturally attract clients?”

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About Jeff Thorsteinson 

Jeff is the co-partner in the firm Advisor Practice Management.

Jeff has spent more than thirty years helping financial advisors build stronger, more profitable businesses.

He’s co-founded several advisor-focused companies, including The Newsletter Factory, YouFoundation, Agora Wealth, and Agora Dealer Services, and has worked on thousands of marketing and practice management projects with advisors across North America.

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Ep. 114 – From Practice to Enterprise: A Journey to $20 Billion with Andy Schwartz

Client Experience, Leadership, Practice Management, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We’re diving deep into what it really takes to build an advisory firm that not only grows but truly scales, without sacrificing client experience or firm culture.

Our guest is Andy Schwartz, CEO and managing partner of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, a national RIA managing over $19 billion in client assets. With more than four decades of experience, Andy shares the inside story of how he and his twin brother Scott evolved a two-person practice into a thriving enterprise with hundreds of employees and advisors across the country.

Some of the topics covered in this:

  • The difference between scale and growth
  • Andy’s transition to an independent RIA
  • The importance of creating capacity and leveraging expertise
  • How technology and a culture of gratitude are changing the client experience
  • Early adoption of planning a CFP (before more advisors)
  • The evolution from practice to enterprise
  • Building infrastructure to support multiple advisors
  • Healthy paranoia, humility, and continuous improvement
  • Regular client surveys and feedback loop
  • Local recognition versus the need for a national brand
  • Predictions for the future of financial advisory services

 

If you want actionable insights on scaling your firm while staying true to your values, this is one conversation you won’t want to miss!

Don’t forget to check out the show notes for free resources and get ready to turn great ideas into meaningful action!

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About Andy Schwartz:

Andy Schwartz, CFP® is the Co-Founder, CEO and Managing Partner of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, Joe Doran, Rise Growth Partners, a national wealth management firm overseeing approximately $16 billion in assets. With more than 40 years in the profession, Andy has built an unusual career as both an advisor and an entrepreneur—helping grow a significant personal practice while building and leading a large, growth-oriented advisory firm.

Andy has been recognized by Barron’s and Forbes among the nation’s leading financial advisors and has become a respected voice on advisor growth, leadership, client experience and building an enduring wealth management business. At the heart of his philosophy is a simple idea: great advisory firms put the client first—and build everything else around that commitment.

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Ep. 113 – 3 Must-Have Reputation Strategies for Client Acquisition with Brian Thorp

Practice Management, Referrals & Introductions, Social Media, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The way people choose a financial advisor has changed. Bill Cates talks with Brian Thorp, founder of Wealthtender, about why online reviews and internet presence and credibility now play an important role in the decision to meet with you and, hopefully, work with you. They discuss what advisors can do to make sure their digital credibility supports the trust they have built offline.

Brian shares findings from a study of 500 mass-affluent Americans. One result stands out: 83 percent of people who receive an offline referral to an advisor go online to look for reviews. A trusted introduction still carries weight, but prospects want to see that trust backed up by other forms of social proof.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

  1. A Referral Often Starts the Research:
    Prospects are checking websites, LinkedIn profiles, reviews, and even asking AI to compare advisors before they make contact.
  1. Reviews Work Like Digital Referrals:
    A strong review keeps building credibility long after it is written. It can also help Google and AI tools understand who you serve and why clients value working with you.
  1. Clients Talk About How You Make Them Feel:
    Most reviews are not (and should not be) about investment performance. Clients write about confidence, peace of mind, and the difference their advisor made during an important moment in their lives.

Listen to this conversation for a practical look at online reviews, compliance concerns, search visibility, and how to make sure the trust you have built offline also shows up online.

Don’t forget to check out the show notes for free resources and get ready to turn great ideas into meaningful action!

 

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Resources: 

 

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About Brian Thorp

Brian Thorp is the founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of Wealthtender. He believes everyone deserves trusted help with money matters, regardless of income or stage of life.

Brian is a member of the National Society of Compliance Professionals and its SEC Marketing Rule Working Group. He has written extensively about advisor testimonials, including an article published in Currents and a testimonial marketing playbook for advisors and wealth management firms.

Under Brian’s leadership, Wealthtender became the first financial advisor review platform designed to comply with the SEC Marketing Rule. His work has been featured in major publications and on numerous podcasts, and WealthManagement.com named him one of its top 10 innovators and influencers set to change the industry in 2024.

Before founding Wealthtender, Brian spent nearly 22 years at Invesco, most recently leading financial advisor platforms and overseeing strategic partnerships with wealth management firms representing more than $100 billion in assets under management.

With more than 25 years in financial services, Brian is focused on helping more people enjoy life with less money stress.

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Ep. 112 – Referrals Aren’t Dead But Are They Enough?  A Marketing Conversation with Molly McClure

Practice Management, Referrals & Introductions, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In this episode of the Top Advisor Podcast, Bill Cates sits down with Molly McClure, Executive Director of Marketing at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, to look at how prospects choose a financial advisor today.

A trusted introduction may put an advisor at the top of the list, but prospects still do their homework. They check your website. They look at your LinkedIn profile. They search Google, and increasingly, they ask AI.  Yup!  For better or worse, AI is playing a huge role in this dynamic now.

Molly shares what advisors can do to strengthen that next step and make sure their marketing supports the tried and true referral process.

Here are 3 Key Takeaways:

  1. The Referral Gets You Considered:
    A warm introduction opens the door. Your online presence helps the prospect decide whether to walk through it. The referral comes with borrowed trust. Your online presence can increase that – if done properly.
  2. Your Message Has to Be Specific:
    Does your website clearly show who you help, what makes you different, and why the prospect should call you? Do your new prospects “see themselves” in how you talk about your value?
  3. Client Surveys Can Start Better Conversations:
    Client survey results can lead you to clients who are willing to refer but maybe haven’t done so… yet. This creates a natural opportunity to follow up and help them recognize who may be a good fit.

 

Listen in for a smart, practical conversation about blending referrals and marketing, with advice on creating useful content, improving search visibility, simplifying website forms, and making sure your links and follow-up systems work, so you can become the first call clients make when life gets complex.

Don’t forget to check out the show notes for free resources and get ready to turn great ideas into meaningful action!

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About Our Guest

Molly McClure is the Executive Director of Marketing at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, where she leads the firm’s marketing strategy and brand growth.

With nearly 20 years of experience in technology, financial services, and fintech, Molly is known for making complex ideas clear and building marketing programs that deliver real results. Before joining OnePoint BFG, she led U.S. marketing for a fintech division of Invesco and helped drive significant growth in both revenue and brand awareness.

Molly was also named the 2025 Gold Stevie Award winner for Marketing Executive of the Year. A Michigan native, she credits her early years working on her grandparents’ cherry farm with shaping her hands-on approach to leadership.

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#111 – The Ideal Week for Financial Advisors with Brian Margolis

Life Balance, Practice Management, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are you running your week, or is your week running you?
Brian Margolis, founder of Productivity Giant explains why most advisors spend too much time reacting to emails, distractions, and day-to-day chaos, and how you can reverse that trend.

Key Takeaways:

  • Pillar System: Identify 5-7 weekly “pillars” – the most high-leverage activities that, done consistently, drive your long-term results. Success lies in consistency, even if the payoff isn’t immediately obvious.
  • Pro Time (Protected, Proactive Time): Schedule focused, undisturbed blocks in your calendar – ideally in the morning – to work on your business, not just in it.
  • Mold & Batch: Treat your Pro Time as your most important client. Mold your calendar around it, and batch similar tasks together to avoid the productivity-killing cost of context switching.
  • Plan Your Day: Don’t start your morning until it’s finished on paper. Brian Margolis shares his “four column” legal pad system to organize priority projects, tasks, and even personal to-dos.

  Quick Implementation Tips 

  • Set Recurring Pro Time: Make it a standing appointment with yourself on your calendar – before meetings or client work fills the space.
  • Try a Reverse Timer: When tackling email, set a 10–15-minute timer to process as much as you can, saving longer items for later.
  • Batch for Focus: Group similar tasks. For example, process prospecting emails together, handle admin tasks in one block, and reserve creative work for your freshest hours.

This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you work smarter, protect your pro time, and achieve the results you want.

Don’t forget to check out the show notes for free resources and get ready to turn great ideas into meaningful action!

Sponsor: 

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 Resources: 

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About Brian Margolis

Brian Margolis is a former environmental scientist who turned entrepreneur. He is the founder of ProductivityGiant.com and author of the book The Index Card Business Plan for Sales Pros and Entrepreneurs.

Brian’s Pillar System helps sales pros and entrepreneurs create a strategy so simple, it fits on an index card…but so powerful it’s helped create 7-figure earners and has been licensed by some of the largest companies in the world to train their teams.

Brian has been a partner or consultant in multiple ventures ranging from startups to national brands. He has worked with everyone from SharkTank entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies. Both his accomplishments and failures span a variety of industries.

In addition to his above work, and appearances on some of the largest business and sales podcasts in the world, he is still in the trenches having done thousands of individual coaching sessions with sales pros and entrepreneurs.

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#110 – Cultivating Community and Challenging Retirement Myths with Derek Coburn

Life Balance, Practice Management, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thrilled to have interviewed Derek Coburn on the latest episode of the Top Advisor Podcast!

Derek built and sold a thriving financial practice, created the renowned networking community Cadre, and is a bestselling author challenging the conventional views on retirement.

Whether you’re a financial advisor or a growth-minded professional, his journey and perspectives are a must-listen. Here are 3 key takeaways for you:

  1. Curated Networking Beats Cold Outreach:
    Derek found greater success – and deeper relationships – by moving away from mass networking events and instead hosting highly curated, small-group gatherings that create meaningful connections.Tired of large, impersonal networking events? Derek shares how hosting smaller, curated roundtable lunches led to deeper connections and eventually grew into Cadre, a thriving community for entrepreneurs and business leaders
  2. Redefining Retirement:
    Question the traditional model of retirement. The story of Derek’s Dad and his book Let’s Retire Retirement shows that maintaining purpose beyond 65 can not only improve well-being but also offer financial flexibility.Derek challenges traditional thinking about retirement, asking: Should we be steering clients toward a destination they may not truly want?
  3. It’s About Being Present, Not Just Planning:True wealth is about maximizing meaningful moments with family and friends throughout life—not deferring them until “someday.” Don’t underestimate the value of $50,000 moments.Check out this episode for practical ideas on building your network, challenging outdated industry advice, and living life more fully now and later!

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#109 – How Financial Advisors Win & Keep Business Owner Assets with Scott Bushkie

Client Experience & Loyalty, Practice Management, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Did you know? 96% of business owners are open to switching advisors right before, during, or after the sale of their business.

That’s a staggering stat from a recent study discussed on the Top Advisor Podcast with Scott Bushkie – highlighting both a threat and a huge opportunity for financial advisors.

If you’re working with business owners or want to attract more, here are three actionable takeaways from the episode:

  1. Start the Conversation Early:
    Don’t wait for your clients approach you for a conversation about selling their business. Proactively discuss their exit plans and the value of their business before someone else does.
  2. Build a Trusted Team:
    Business owners expect their advisor to have a team of experts (including tax, M&A, and legal professionals) ready to help maximize their value and minimize taxes during this critical transition.
  3. Never Accept the First Offer:
    The study revealed that business owners almost always net a significantly higher sale price (sometimes 60–100% more) when they run a competitive sale process rather than accepting unsolicited offers.

Case in Point: The Danger of Waiting

Hear what happens when a trusted advisor “waits for the call” after a client sells – only to lose out on tens of millions in new assets because they weren’t proactive.

Or discover how partnering with experts and running a competitive sale process turned an initial $31M offer into a $51M payday for both the business owner and their advisor.

Advisors: This is an immediate opportunity to be the hero your business owner clients need or risk losing them at the most pivotal moment of their financial lives.

Episode Sponsor:

 

 

 

Connect with Scott Bushkie – Cornerstone Business Services:

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About Scott Bushkie

Scott Bushkie is the Managing Partner and Founder of Cornerstone Business Services. With more than 25 years in mergers & acquisitions, Scott is a recognized leader in the lower middle market, helping business owners sell their companies, grow through acquisition, and understand the realistic value of their businesses in today’s market.

Over the years, Scott has successfully executed hundreds of transactions, domestically and internationally. He has the trust and respect of CPA and financial advisor alliances, investment banks, and other professional service firms within the M&A marketplace.

A leading authority on lower middle market M&A, Scott’s expertise is sought after by major media outlets including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Associated Press, CBS, and iHeart Media. The best-selling author of Finish Strong: Sell Your Business on Your Terms, he also guest authors content for numerous newspapers, magazines, and trade publications.

As a keynote speaker, Scott engages diverse audiences from national organizations to regional trade groups and international delegations. He focuses on empowering business owners to maximize the single largest transaction of their life: the sale of their business. Additionally, he equips financial advisors with strategies to better serve these owners and, in turn, significantly grow their AUM.

Scott is the founder and past chair of the Wisconsin chapter of Midwest Business Brokers & Intermediaries (MBBI), past chair of the International Business Broker Association (IBBA), past chair of the M&A Source, and the founding president of the Wisconsin chapter of EO.

Scott has been named Fellow of IBBA, Fellow of M&A Source, and was a 2025 inductee into the IBBA Hall of Fame—in each instance the youngest person in the world to receive these prestigious lifetime designations, recognizing industry expertise and contributions to the profession.

In 2018, Scott launched the Cornerstone International Alliance (CIA), providing member firms with enhanced buyer reach, access to industry experts, resources, and structured best practice sharing. In 2025, CIA had approximately 30 partner firms worldwide and facilitated the transition of $2 billion in enterprise value.

Scott also partnered with a third-party research firm to produce the 2025 National Study on Selling Your Business. The first of its kind, the study provides groundbreaking research into business owner attitudes, trends, and expectations about selling their business.

Scott holds designations as a Mergers & Acquisitions Master Intermediary (M&AMI), a Certified M&A Professional (CM&AP), and a Certified Business Intermediary (CBI). He is a registered representative of the broker dealer Ceiba Financial with the Series 62 & 63 securities licenses.

Scott’s diverse background includes entrepreneurial endeavors, management, finance, and marketing. He has operated small startups and worked with international corporations. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Scott and his wife Cassie live in Green Bay with their three children.

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#108 – Maximizing Client & Advisor Outcomes Through Cash Flow Management with David Mozeika

Client Experience & Loyalty, Creating Advocates, Practice Management, Referrals & Introductions, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The national average savings rate in the U.S. is a dismal 4%. 

If you could help your clients raise that rate as high as 20%, what would that mean to your clients and to your business?

Our featured guest, David Mozeika, is a top-performing financial advisor with over two decades of experience and Forbes recognition, who has revolutionized the way advisors and clients think about money movement.

Rather than relying on traditional budgeting or chasing higher rates of return, David Mozeika advocates for a proactive approach he calls “Income Under Management.”

By rethinking the flow of funds and intercepting income before it hits spending accounts, he’s helped clients and advisors unlock higher rates of saving and investing, leading to long-term financial confidence. David Mozeika also co-founded Currence, a tool designed to support this innovative method and foster a more collaborative, transformative relationship between advisors and their clients.

This is a game-changing approach to holistic financial planning that creates a huge win for your clients and for you!

Here are 3 key takeaways:

  1. Flip the Savings Script: David introduces the concept of “Income Under Management,” emphasizing that traditional budgeting is backward-looking and often ineffective. Instead, by redirecting income into a separate reservoir account before it hits the spending account, clients automatically become better savers; often without conscious effort.
  2. Create Transformative Client Value: Structuring cash flow in this way not only delivers better client results but can also transform relationships. Clients frequently report a sense of confidence and clarity, with some even saying, “You have transformed my life.” This leads to stronger engagement and higher referability.
  3. Business Impact: By helping clients increase their rate of saving and investing (from the national average of ~4% to 20%+), advisors can dramatically grow their own businesses. More client savings translates into more assets to manage. A true win-win!

 

Sponsor: 

 

Connect with David Mozeika & Currence

 

Resources: 

 

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About David Mozeika

David Mozeika has dedicated over 20 years to the financial services industry, consistently ranking in the top 1% of his peers. Recognized as a top advisor by Forbes, David has a proven track record of helping clients manage their cash flow to achieve their financial goals. His innovative approach led to the creation of Currence, a platform designed to change the direction of cash flow and introduce a “speed bump” between income and spending.

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#107 – 3 Top Advisor Growth Strategies – Part 1 with Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE

Client Experience & Loyalty, Creating Advocates, Philanthropy, Referrals & Introductions, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Welcome to a special solo edition of the Top Advisor Podcast! In this episode, host Bill Cates pulls from decades of coaching, interviewing, and his own experience to deliver a powerful session on best practices for bringing in new clients and creating real advocates for your business.

Unlike typical interview-driven episodes, today’s focus is on actionable principles, strategies, and tactics that top advisors are using right now.

Bill dives deep into what it means to be truly referable and remarkable, i.e., “worthy of remark” – exploring the vital difference between simply keeping clients happy and elevating your relationships to the level where clients enthusiastically introduce you to others.

You’ll hear real examples from standout advisors, learn about the game-changing 3 Rs of relationship marketing, and discover how targeting the right markets, building strong personal connections, and embracing your clients’ money beliefs can transform the growth and reputation of your practice.

Packed with concrete examples, episode references, and tested tools, this solo session is your roadmap to moving from incremental to exponential growth, cultivating a culture of introductions, and becoming the advisor everyone talks about.

Tune in for inspiration, insights, and practical steps you can start using today.

3 Top Takeaways

  • Being Referable Means Going Beyond Good Service: Bill Cates emphasizes that referability is about creating deeper engagement and trust with clients. It’s not just about solid financial planning; it’s about forming value connections and personal connections that turn clients into advocates.
  • Build a Clear Target Market and Reputation: Many top advisors cited in the episode have a well-defined target market, which makes their messaging more relevant, strengthens their reputation, and leads to more introductions. As Bill Cates points out, “vague intentions produce vague results; clear intentions produce clear results.”
  • Leverage Empathy & Money Stories: Helping clients explore and reframe their beliefs about money builds lasting relationships and positions you as a trusted advisor. Bill Cates shares how unpacking “broken money stories” brings a rich value to your clients that few advisors leverage. This strategy creates advocates and unsolicited referrals.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro, just starting out, or somewhere in between, these principles, strategies, and tactics are game changers for client acquisition and building a thriving practice.

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#106 – Unlocking Profitability for You & Your Clients with Mike Michalowicz

Client Experience & Loyalty, Creating Advocates, Life Balance, Practice Management, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“I actually call myself – lovingly – the angel of death because I was not an angel investor. Yeah, I destroyed businesses and, in the process, wiped myself out financially.”

– Mike Michalowicz

I believe that the message in Mike Michalowicz’ book, Profit First is both elegantly simple and powerful

I’ve adopted most of these strategies over the past 6 months and my business has already become more profitable, and my cash-flow management is clearer and smoother than ever before.

This interview of Mike is going to follow two parallel paths.  As a financial advisor YOU are a business owner AND you probably serve a lot of business owner clients.

This interview will give you ideas to bring more value to your clients, and at the same time help you reflect on the profitability of your own business.

Bill and Mike discuss:

  1. Profit First Mentality:
    Mike shared his personal story of financial reset, revealing how shifting your approach to “profit first” can change everything. Instead of waiting for profit at year-end, set it aside from every transaction – just like you pay yourself first in personal finance.
  2. Behavioral Hacks for Profitability:
    Discover the “small plates” strategy. Just as smaller dinner plates lead to smaller portions, breaking your income into dedicated accounts (profit, owner’s compensation, taxes, OpEx) naturally guides prudent spending.
  3. Why Most Business Owners Struggle:
    Did you know 83% of small businesses are living paycheck to paycheck? The traditional formula – sales minus expenses equals profit – actually sets most up for failure. With Profit First, sales minus profit equals expenses, forcing you to run your business sustainably.
  4. Debt & Profit:
    Think you need to pay off debt before saving profit? Think again – profit is the muscle you need to build to sustainably pay down debt over time.
  5. Owner’s Compensation vs. Profit:
    Mike Michalowicz clarified the crucial distinction: Owner’s compensation is your salary for running the business. Profit is a bonus for taking the risk. Don’t confuse or commingle these!
  6. Holistic Advising:
    Advisors, there’s a massive opportunity in linking business and personal finances for your clients. Don’t leave the business side to the accountant – address both for true financial independence.
  7. Commitment Devices: ! This is Powerful !
    Setting up systems (like hiding your profit in a different bank account) creates “commitment devices” – behavioral nudges that help you stick to your plan, just like leaving your gym shoes on the toilet lid to get moving in the morning.

Whether you’re a solo advisor, own a small business, or even part of a larger firm, Profit First adapts. The sooner you start, the greater the impact.

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