Category: Technology Advancements
Advisor Growth Strategies: How Synergistic Partners Help You Achieve Your Goals with Joe Duran (Ep. 16)

Advisor Growth Strategies: How Synergistic Partners Help You Achieve Your Goals with Joe Duran (Ep. 16)

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Are you ready to revolutionize your firm’s growth strategy in the wealth management industry?

Discover how to unlock the full potential of your wealth management firm with growth strategies and technology integration from industry leader Joe Duran of Rise Growth Partners.

In this episode, Rusty Sommer interviews Joe Duran, Managing Partner at Rise Growth Partners, to highlight essential growth strategies for advisory firms. They explore the critical gaps in brand innovation, technology application, and growth imagination that firms need to address. With expertise from Joe’s extensive background, this episode offers actionable insights for firms looking to evolve. 

Joe discusses: 

  • (02:37) The strongest headwinds advisors are facing that he can help them break through
  • (06:47) The importance of brand and culture within financial firms
  • (20:01) Rise Growth Partners’ strategic investment in Bleakly Financial Group and the importance of technology in financial firms
  • (27:31) How integrating technology to streamline processes improves productivity, satisfaction, and retention, ultimately benefiting client service and firm growth

Resources:

Connect with Joe Duran:

Connect with Rusty Sommer:

About our Guest:

Joe is a serial entrepreneur and an industry visionary in wealth management and wealthtech. 

Most recently Joe was a Partner at Goldman Sachs as Co-Head of the Workplace and Personal Wealth business. Joe founded and was CEO of United Capital, one of the nation’s largest independent wealth management firms, which was acquired by Goldman Sachs in July, 2019. Prior to that he built and sold Centurion Capital, one of the first Turnkey Asset Management Platforms to General Electric where he served as President of GE Private Asset Management (now NYSE listed AssetMark.) 

He has written three books on investing and entrepreneurship and has been on the New York Times and USA bestseller lists. Joe is a sought after conference speaker and appears frequently on a broad spectrum of media from CNBC to Goop.

Joe has MBAs from Columbia University and UC Berkeley, and an undergraduate degree from Saint Louis University. He is a CFA Charterholder and a member of YPO. He has been a Yogi for decades, meditates daily and is an avid beach volleyball player. 

Joe is married to Jennifer and they have three daughters that they cherish.  They live in Laguna Beach, California and Tribeca, New York. They travel frequently, love dining, dancing and live concerts.

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How AI is Changing Wealth Management with Jason Pereira (Ep. 15)

How AI is Changing Wealth Management with Jason Pereira (Ep. 15)

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Is your financial advisor about to be replaced by AI? The answer isn’t as simple as yes or no.

Tune into this episode to discover how AI is doing more than just automating repetitive tasks—it’s redefining the role of financial advisor and reshaping the entire financial landscape.

As AI drives significant change in wealth management, the industry stands at a crossroads. Join host Rusty Sommer and fintech professional and industry thought leader, Jason Pereira, as they discuss whether financial advisors are at risk of being replaced by AI, and unpacking the reasons why the answer isn’t an easy one. They also discuss what steps advisors can take to harness the benefits of AI in order to enhance their practice while preserving the vital human touch required to maintain client relationships.

Key Highlights:

  • Unpacking AI Myths: Dispels misconceptions about AI and highlights the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT in finance
  • Boosting Efficiency: Shows how AI automates tasks, freeing advisors to focus on client relationships and strategic decisions
  • Advancing Portfolio Management: AI enhances rules-based systems by reducing false positives and automating rebalancing
  • Protecting Client Data: Discusses AI tools that anonymize data, ensuring compliance while maximizing AI’s benefits
  • AI as an Ally: Emphasizes that AI enhances, but doesn’t replace, the human touch in understanding client behavior and goals
  • Industry Networking: Highlights key conferences like Future Proof, with a growing Canadian presence in US events
  • Client Care at the Core: Stresses that client care remains central, with AI aiding in more personalized financial planning
  • And much more!

 

Connect with Connect with Jason Pereira:

Connect with Rusty Sommer:

 

About Jason Pereira:

Jason is a financial planner who has lived and breathed topics related to financial planning for over 20 years. In that time, he has become a recognized writer, commentator, speaker, podcaster, teacher, and expert in the areas of financial planning, practice management, and fintech. He has also obtained two degrees, nine professional designations, been nominated for or won over 30 industry awards, and produced over 600 articles, podcasts, and interviews. www.JasonPereira.ca is his conduit for sharing his thoughts, views and learning that he has amassed over the years.

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The Winning Edge: Private Equity’s Influence in Wealth Strategies (Ep. 14)

The Winning Edge: Private Equity’s Influence in Wealth Strategies (Ep. 14)

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What factors are driving the continuing evolution of wealth management? 

In this episode, we dive into the world of private equity with industry insiders!

Explore the impactful role of private equity in the wealth management sector in this engaging episode of ‘In the Money,’ sponsored by Flyer Financial Technologies. Host Rusty Sommer sits down with Lori Hardwick, Strategic Advisor at Genstar Capital, and Noreen Beaman, Head of Leadership Development at East Bay Executive Coaching. They explore how private equity is reshaping the industry, enhancing business strategies to drive growth and efficiency.

Key Highlights:

  • Strategic Infusion: Lori Hardwick discusses how private equity boosts financial metrics like EBITDA and encourages firms to outsource, sharpening their focus on core competencies
  • Capital for Innovation: Noreen sheds light on the essential support from private equity, providing capital and strategic partnerships that enhance adaptability in a volatile market
  • Impact of Executive Coaching: Explore the critical role of leadership development in adapting to rapid changes in the wealth management field, facilitated by executive coaching
  • Outsourcing for Efficiency: Gain insights into the growing trend of outsourcing backend operations to improve operational efficiency
  • Leadership in Transformation: Learn about the importance of effective communication and robust partnerships in managing global teams and maintaining a competitive edge.
  • And much more!

 

Connect with Lori Hardwick:

Connect with Noreen Beaman

Connect with Rusty Sommer:

 

About Lori Hardwick:

Lori is a member of Genstar Capital’s Strategic Advisory Board and advises the firm in the financial services industry. She brings more than 25 years of experience of working in the financial industry as a prominent voice and is known for her intense passion for continuous improvement in the financial advisory industry. As CEO of WealthTech at RedRock Strategic Partners LLC, Lori works directly with C-suite level executives at some of the largest financial services companies, to help them create, and execute against, winning growth strategies and to improve the overall experiences for advisors and their clients. She has expertise in investment, technology, distribution and advisory solutions and is a regular speaker at industry events. Lori received a BA from The Ohio State University and graduated from the Executive MBA Program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

 

About Noreen Beaman:

Noreen D. Beaman is the Vice Chair of Orion’s Board of Directors. She most recently served as President of Orion Advisor Solutions following Orion’s 2020 merger with Brinker Capital. Prior to the merger, Noreen was CEO at Brinker Capital where she helped advisors and their clients build better outcomes for over 30 years. Noreen has received numerous accolades for her lasting impact on the financial advice industry including Philadelphia Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO, InvestmentNews’ 2017 Women to Watch, and Greater Philadelphia’s Entrepreneur of the Year, alongside Chuck Widger in the financial services category by EY.

Noreen received her Bachelor of Science from Saint Peter’s University. She earned the CPA designation in New Jersey and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. As an industry leader, Noreen is passionate about supporting culture, women, and diversity in the workplace. She is a mentor for the Money Management Institute’s Leadership Pathway, which connects members of the next generation with industry veterans to further enhance the mentee’s knowledge and insights surrounding the investment advisory industry. Noreen is an active contributor and frequently participates in panels to discuss the importance of women and greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in wealth management.

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The Winning Shot: Sports Wisdom in Wealth Tech (Ep. 13)

The Winning Shot: Sports Wisdom in Wealth Tech (Ep. 13)

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How does the high-stakes world of sports mirror the world of financial technology and asset management? 

Discover this and more in the latest episode of ‘In the Money,’ sponsored by Flyer Financial Technologies. Host Rusty Sommer welcomes Steve Lewczyk, the esteemed Managing Director for Business Development at Flyer. With an impressive three-decade career in financial technology and services, Steve discusses leveraging technology for competitive advantage and innovating for the future of finance.

Key Highlights:

  • From Veteran to Visionary: Steve shares his journey in finance, emphasizing his diverse experience and innovative tech approach
  • Parallel Playbooks: Explore the similarities between sports, particularly basketball, and finance, highlighting teamwork and strategy
  • Tech-Driven Transformation: Discover how technology, like Advent Software’s early solutions, revolutionized asset management
  • Overcoming Market Hurdles: Learn how adapting sports strategies can inform financial market navigation
  • AI: Uncover AI’s impactful role in finance, its applications, and the need for reliable data
  • Revolutionizing Trading: See how a unified tech system can boost trader efficiency
  • Embracing Change: Understand the necessity of adaptability and innovation in finance, with lessons from asset management and sports strategy
  • Plus, many more insights!

 

Connect with Steve Lewczyk:

Connect with Rusty Sommer:

 

About Steve Lewczyk: 

Steve is a leader in buy side technology, wealth management systems, trading platforms, and data management solutions. With over 25 years experience at leading fin tech and securities firms, Steve has worked at Fidelity Investments, Advent Software (SSNC), Envestnet and co-founded Nirvana Solutions. Steve’s expertise is in building and scaling successful sales organizations.

In his role at Flyer, Steve is focused on buy side asset managers that require solutions that allow for integration, ease, scale and future proofing operations.

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