The Future of Financial Advising: Alan Moore on XYPN's Growth, Fee-For-Service Models, and More

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford sits down with Alan Moore, CEO of XY Planning Network (XYPN) and AdvicePay, for an insightful discussion at the XYPN Live conference in Austin, Texas.

They explore topics such as the challenges of organic growth in the financial advising industry, the rise of fee-for-service models, and the different phases of building a successful advisory business. Alan shares his journey from starting his own firm to managing two large companies, emphasizing the importance of finding the right business model and staying transparent with clients. Tune in to learn valuable insights from one of the industry's most inspiring leaders.

Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, or your favorite podcast platform!

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding Market Saturation in Financial Advisory

01:08 Introduction to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

02:56 Welcoming Alan Moore to the Show

05:14 The Origin Story of XYPN

08:36 Challenges and Growth in Entrepreneurship

15:13 Phases of Business Development

20:35 Reflecting on Rapid Growth and Challenges

21:43 The Shift to Fee-for-Service Models

22:33 Exploring the AUM Model and Market Saturation

29:30 The Origin and Growth of AdvicePay

31:56 Balancing Multiple Ventures as an Entrepreneur

33:32 Building Influence and Creating Gravity

37:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Unlocking The Secrets to Scaling Your Financial Advisory Business - Michael Kitces on XYPN Live

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford sits down with Michael Kitces during the XYPN Live conference in Austin, Texas. They discuss the importance of knowing your target market, focusing on strategic planning, and the concept of 'gravity' in marketing. Michael shares insights into creating a successful, scalable financial advisory business, moving away from time-based marketing activities, and the benefits of a clear, targeted market segment.

The conversation also touches on the innovative structure and support offered by XY Planning Network to independent advisors. Michael's expertise offers transformative advice for financial advisors looking to grow and sustain their practices efficiently.

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding the Importance of Target Audience

01:14 Introduction to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

03:09 Welcoming Michael Kitces

04:46 The Concept of Creating Gravity in Wealth Management

06:43 Challenges in Scaling a Financial Advisory Business

13:15 Strategic Planning and Marketing for Advisors

19:17 The Flaws of Time-Based Marketing

20:12 Scaling Your Business with Brand Building

20:59 Challenges in Organic Growth

21:44 Reinventing Business with XYPN

23:21 Building Your Own Firm with XYPN

24:39 Support and Compliance Services

25:23 Tech Stack and Community Support

29:05 Flexible Business Models and Membership

31:34 The Importance of Niche Marketing

34:53 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford is joined by David Knoch, CEO of Docupace, to discuss the evolving landscape of financial advisory operations.

David shares his insights on the industry's archaic practices, the importance of operational efficiency, and the role of AI in future-proofing financial services. With over 400,000 users on their platform, Docupace is leading the charge in transforming back-office operations for financial advisors. Tune in to learn about Docupace's vision for intelligent automation, their strategic acquisitions, and how they are addressing the $50 billion problem of inefficiency in financial advisory firms.

Chapters:

00:00 The Archaic State of the Financial Industry

01:18 Introduction to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

02:44 Welcoming David Knoch: CEO of Docupace

03:54 The Evolution of Financial Advisory Operations

07:09 Docupace's Vision for the Future

10:41 The Role of Technology in Financial Services

14:19 The Human Element in Financial Planning

21:08 The Importance of Operational Excellence

25:56 Docupace's Growth and Acquisitions

27:03 Convergence of Leadership Perspectives

27:26 Acquisition Strategies and Integration

29:09 Docupace's Collaborative Culture

31:46 Balancing Independence and Integration

35:07 Build vs. Buy Decision-Making

42:42 The Role of AI in Financial Advisory

46:58 Future Vision and AI Implementation

56:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

How I Built and Sold My FinTech Startup: Louis Retief of Hubly on The Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford sits down with Louis Retief, co-founder of Hubly, for an in-depth conversation about his entrepreneurial journey in the wealth tech industry.

Louis shares his experience of founding Hubly right out of college, the challenges and opportunities he encountered, and what it's like to have his company acquired by Docupace. They discuss the importance of efficiency and workflows for advisory firms, the role of operations managers in decision-making, and the ongoing consolidation in the wealth management tech space.

Louis also provides insights into how Hubly and PreciseFP are working together post-acquisition and the long-term vision for integrated solutions in financial advisory firms. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in fintech, wealth management, and entrepreneurship. Don't miss it!

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Hubly and Efficient Advisory Firms

00:52 Welcome to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

02:12 Louis Retief's Journey and Hubly's Origin

03:12 The Importance of Workflow Automation

17:13 Challenges and Solutions in Financial Advisory Firms

27:20 Understanding the Financial Advisory Market

33:27 Building for the Back Office

34:43 Lessons from Social Wear

36:38 Hubly's Strategic Pivot

37:43 Acquisition by Docupace

39:15 Research and Decision Making

47:00 Post-Acquisition Integration

49:17 Future Vision and Product Development

53:27 Entrepreneurial Insights and Challenges

56:12 Importance of Long-Term Thinking

58:37 Due Diligence in Tech Partnerships

01:02:12 Final Thoughts and Farewell

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, host Mike Langford engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Steve Lockshin, founder of AdvicePeriod and Vanilla Technologies.

Steve shares insights on the shortcomings of the traditional AUM model, the rise of AI in financial advising, and the potential of technology to revolutionize the industry. They discuss estate planning, the importance of serving high net worth clients, and practical applications of AI and tokenization. Steve also opens up about his personal life, including his passion for wake surfing as a morning routine.

Join us for a deep dive into the future of financial advising and what advisors should do to stay ahead.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdote

01:20 Welcome to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

01:25 Guest Introduction: Steve Lockshin

03:00 Morning Routine: Wake Surfing

06:47 The Importance of Estate Planning

13:46 Vanilla: Revolutionizing Estate Planning

20:06 Challenges in the Financial Advisory Industry

26:58 The AUM Model: Pros and Cons

32:42 The Importance of Fee Negotiation

33:25 Client Scenarios and Advisor Conflicts

34:44 Structuring Advisory Fees

35:26 Fee Calculators and Transparency

36:46 Client Shopping Behavior

40:46 AI and Tokenization in Wealth Management

48:33 The Future of Financial Advisory

50:20 Advisors Adapting to Technological Changes

58:03 Final Thoughts and Advice for Advisors

Unlocking Scalable Growth for Financial Advisors with AI

In this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor podcast, host Mike Langford is joined by Ian Karnell, who introduces his new company, VastAdvisor, and discusses how it aims to radically transform organic growth for financial advisors and wealth management enterprises. Ian delves into the power of AI in generating predictable, scalable lead generation systems and improving compliance for digital marketing. The episode covers the current state of digital marketing for financial advisors, the challenges, and the groundbreaking solutions VastAdvisor offers. Tune in to discover how AI can drive hyper-growth in the financial industry and make lead generation more efficient and effective.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to AUM Growth Strategies

00:54 Welcome to the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast

01:00 Introducing VastAdvisor and Its Promises

01:59 Subscribe and Connect with Us

02:29 Conversation with Ian Karnell Begins

03:59 The Evolution of Digital Marketing for Financial Advisors

06:56 Challenges and Opportunities in Lead Generation

14:02 The Role of AI in Modern Marketing

18:51 The Vision Behind VastAdvisor

27:26 How VastAdvisor Enterprise Works

30:51 Building Custom Audiences

31:14 Audience Targeting and Ad Builder

32:44 AI-Powered Compliance

33:57 IQ Dashboards and Reporting

35:01 Firm Growth Insights

35:36 Agentic Framework and Autopilot Mode

36:14 Challenges in Financial Marketing

40:10 Optimizing Ad Spend and Lead Generation

44:00 AI's Role in Advisor Growth

51:37 Next Generation Advisors and Clients

56:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

On this episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, Mike Langford welcomes Kyle Zasky, the new CEO of VRGL, for his first-ever podcast appearance. The two dive deep into why so many advisors struggle with client acquisition and how VRGL’s proposal and analytics platform is designed to change that. Kyle shares candid insights on the emotional hurdles advisors and prospects face, the importance of establishing trust quickly, and why tools that demonstrate value before conversion are the future of advisor growth.

They also explore:

• Why most advisors are stuck in a comfort zone that limits growth
• The “organ rejection” risk for new CEOs and how Kyle overcame it
• How AI is both exciting and anxiety-inducing for advisors
• Why great advisors are part portfolio strategist, part therapist

Whether you’re an advisor looking to sharpen your edge or a wealth management exec planning for scalable growth, this conversation delivers actionable perspective on what it takes to thrive in the modern RIA landscape.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

01:19 Guest Introduction: Kyle Zasky

01:52 The Human Element in Financial Advice

03:27 Kyle's Journey to CEO of VRGL

08:20 Building Trust and Rapport

14:15 VRGL's Role in Client Acquisition

24:53 The Psychology of Financial Advising

30:55 Psychology of Financial Advisors

31:56 Addressing the Shortage of Financial Advisors

32:38 Reaching Younger Demographics

33:06 Expanding Financial Services Downstream

36:07 The Role of AI in Financial Advisory

38:50 The Importance of Human Touch in Financial Advisory

40:55 Building a Sustainable Financial Advisory Career

50:02 Navigating the FinTech Landscape

55:24 Future of Financial Advisory

01:00:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Join Mike Langford in this eye-opening episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast as he chats with Dan Zitting, CEO of Nitrogen Wealth, formerly Riskalyze. They discuss the evolving landscape of financial advising, emphasizing the importance of a strong digital presence, the role of AI in enhancing advisor-client interactions, and actionable strategies to tackle slow organic growth in the industry.

Dan offers fresh perspectives from his software and tech background, sharing insights on reducing advisor friction, leveraging AI for better client meetings, and the necessity of adapting sales motions for younger generations.

Key Themes:

• The strategy behind Riskalyze’s rebrand to Nitrogen
• Using Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure advisor success
• Why risk tolerance is more than just age-based assumptions
• How AI and agentic workflows are transforming client meetings
• Rethinking referrals, sales motion, and digital trust building

Don’t miss this engaging conversation on how modern advisors can deliver clarity, confidence, and scalable growth in an ever-evolving landscape.

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding Modern Sales Motion

00:43 Introduction to the Podcast

02:14 Conversation with Dan Zitting Begins

03:13 Rebranding from Riskalyze to Nitrogen

06:10 Challenges and Opportunities in Wealth Management

15:48 The Importance of Digital Presence

22:32 Adapting to Changing Client Behaviors

30:53 Injecting Value into Client Conversations

31:47 Understanding Client Risk and Confidence

33:14 The Importance of Advisor-Client Relationships

36:11 Engaging the Next Generation of Clients

38:59 Realistic Risk Communication

48:35 AI and the Future of Financial Advising

53:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts