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Next Mile

Next Mile

Written by: Milemarker
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 Next Mile is a podcast about bringing together the people and technology shaping the wealth management industry. Brought to you by Milemarker.Copyright © Milemarker Inc. Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales Personal Finance
Episodes
  • How Advisors Can Beat the Biggest Retirement Risk with Erik Brenner

    How Advisors Can Beat the Biggest Retirement Risk with Erik Brenner
    Apr 21 2026
    Episode 141: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Erik Brenner, CEO, President, and Founding Partner at Hilltop Wealth and Tax Solutions. With more than 30 years of experience, Erik has assisted thousands of individuals in integrating retirement, tax, and estate strategies. At Hilltop, he blends leadership and client advisory responsibilities, shaping the firm's future vision and strategies while providing personalized financial guidance to select clients. Erik talks with Kyle about what happens when advisory firms stop treating tax and wealth management as separate conversations and start thinking holistically. He discusses the strategic decisions that helped transform Hilltop, including integrating in-house tax services, rethinking the client experience, and doubling down on education-driven growth. Erik also shares how to run great seminars and use technology to keep up with business complexities. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:06) - Erik's money moment (03:30) - Hilltop's one-stop model: Integration of tax and wealth management (07:13) - How Hilltop manages large wealth with tax problems (09:35) - How the SECURE 2.0 Act impacts generational wealth (16:37) - Using seminars as a modern growth engine (20:28) - What makes a 5-star seminar experience (23:39) - Managing tech across multiple business lines (25:29) - Navigating the transition from being an advisor to a CEO (27:33) - Erik's outlook on the future of the financial industry (29:03) - Erik's Milemarker Minute Key Takeaways Don't outsource critical expertise that directly affects client outcomes. If a core part of your value—like tax strategy—is outside your control, alignment becomes difficult. Integrate tax and wealth management to deliver truly holistic advice. When strategy and execution live under one roof, decisions become more coordinated, proactive, and impactful for clients. For many retirees, taxes are their biggest expense. Plan accordingly. Investment returns matter, but unmanaged tax exposure can quietly erode wealth faster than most clients realize. Education builds trust faster than selling ever will. Whether it's seminars or client meetings, people lean in when they feel informed, not when they feel pitched. Teach first, and the business follows. Quotes "For most of our clients who are into retirement, taxes are their number one expense." ~ Erik Brenner "If you don't know the right questions to ask about how laws are changing, even the most powerful AI won't be able to help you." ~ Erik Brenner "Marketing is about getting the ball rolling. You want to get that ball rolling, but you do not want the snowball to melt." ~ Eric Brenner Links Erik Brenner on LinkedIn Hilltop Wealth and Tax Solutions Holistiplan The Personal CFO Revolution Connect with our hosts Milemarker.co Kyle on LinkedIn Jud on LinkedIn Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Produce game-changing content with Turncast Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.
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    33 mins
  • Serving Clients in Life's Most Difficult Moments with Anne McPhail

    Serving Clients in Life's Most Difficult Moments with Anne McPhail
    Apr 14 2026
    Episode 140: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Anne McPhail, Managing Director at Novare Capital Management. With more than 30 years of experience across corporate banking and wealth management, Anne brings deep experience in wealth management, with a focus on guiding clients through major life transitions and building advisory relationships rooted in trust, empathy, and long-term perspective. Anne talks with Kyle about what it truly means to serve clients through life's most important and often most difficult moments. She shares how genuine empathy and thoughtful financial strategy come together to create meaningful client relationships, how leading advisory firms deliver a consistent, high-touch experience at scale, and how Novare develops the next generation of advisors without compromising trust. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:43) - Anne's money moment (04:18) - Novare's life transition playbook (07:13) - Scaling personalized service across the firm (09:06) - Anne's advice for young wealth professionals (11:19) - Developing the next generation of advisors (18:28) - Staying current in a changing industry (21:17) - Integrating planning into every aspect of clients’ lives (25:00) - Building trust that lasts through life's uncertainties (25:56) - Philanthropy, community, and relationship building (30:37) - Anne's outlook on the future of financial services (33:50) - Anne's Milemarker Minute Key Takeaways Lead with empathy before expertise. When clients face major life transitions—loss, divorce, uncertainty—they don't want spreadsheets. They want reassurance. Great leaders and advisors meet people where they are emotionally before guiding them analytically. Build systems that deliver consistent excellence. Scaling a high-touch experience isn't about doing more. It's about doing things intentionally. Clear processes, defined roles, and shared standards create consistency across every client interaction. Pair experience with a fresh perspective. Blending seasoned professionals with next-gen talent creates both trust and innovation. It allows firms to evolve without losing credibility. The value isn't in the plan, but in the conversation. Financial plans change. Life changes. What matters most is the ongoing dialogue and adaptability, not the static document. Quotes "You cannot manage a client or a family's money if you do not know their goals and objectives." ~ Anne McPhail "The mistake that a lot of firms make is meeting with a client who's lost their spouse, and the first thing they do is prepare a financial plan and give a Monte Carlo analysis. That's completely overwhelming to someone." ~ Anne McPhail "When you're trying to develop centers of influence, look for people who are about your age and stage of life who are trying to build their careers alongside you." ~ Anne McPhail Links Anne McPhail on LinkedIn Novare Capital Management Wells Fargo eMoney Advisor Charles Schwab Charlotte Family Housing Good Friends Charlotte Arts+ Theo of Golden Connect with our hosts Milemarker.co Kyle on LinkedIn Jud on LinkedIn Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Produce game-changing content with Turncast Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.
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    37 mins
  • Best Of: The Hidden Cost of Fragmented Data with Kailash Duraiswami

    Best Of: The Hidden Cost of Fragmented Data with Kailash Duraiswami
    Apr 7 2026
    Episode 139: Kailash Duraiswami is the Chief Technology Officer at Milemarker, where he leads the development of data infrastructure and AI-powered solutions for modern advisory firms. With a unique blend of financial expertise and deep technical knowledge, Kailash brings his passion for innovation, data strategy, and scalable technology to help wealth management firms thrive in a multi-platform world. In this episode, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Kailash about his unconventional path from launching an RIA straight out of college to building tech that transformed data operations for financial firms. They unpack the challenges firms face with fragmented data, the importance of centralized infrastructure, and how AI will reshape wealth management. They discuss why firms need to reclaim ownership of their data, how to avoid becoming an “accidental CTO,” and how Milemarker is building scalable, simplified tech solutions for advisors navigating a multi-platform, AI-enabled world. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (03:17) - Kailash's money moment (08:20) - What is Pantenix? (11:34) - The value of a data warehouse (13:55) - Kailash's thoughts on cloud-based infrastructure (15:40) - The importance of data platforms (19:53) - Why becoming a CTO should be intentional (23:54) - AI in wealth management (26:10) - The advantage of building your own language models (33:15) - Why CTOs in RIAs need to understand wealth management (37:26) - Why all-in-one platforms limit user experiences (40:27) - Kailash's Milemarker Minute Key Takeaways Centralize your data to maximize AI and operational efficiency. Without consolidating your firm’s data into a single, accessible environment, it’s nearly impossible to generate meaningful insights or leverage AI effectively. Fragmented data limits your ability to scale and innovate. You don’t have to become an “accidental CTO”. Many firm leaders end up spending too much time wrestling with tech. Outsourcing specialized functions—like data architecture and infrastructure—can free up your time to focus on clients and growth, while still driving innovation. Owning your data is not the same as using cloud-based tools. Just because your systems are in the cloud doesn’t mean you own your data. True ownership means having control over how and where your data is stored, accessed, and used to make decisions. AI is only as smart as the data it has access to. For AI to deliver meaningful outcomes—like intelligent agents or predictive analytics—it needs clean, well-structured, and centralized data. Start with solid infrastructure before diving into advanced AI capabilities. Quotes "What we're doing here, as a help to your technology footprint, is enabling you to see and understand your business in ways you've never done before. And that requires very sophisticated technology." ~ Kailash Duraiswami "You must have your data in one place to really make use of AI because the conclusions that the model can make or the recommendations are all subject to what data is presented to it." ~ Kailash Duraiswami "The biggest thing we are making here is building a tool that is advisor-centric and executive-centric. And that means simplicity. Above all, the boldness of what we have here is to do less in an excellent way." ~ Kailash Duraiswami Links Kailash Duraiswami on LinkedIn Orion Advisor Solutions Black Diamond Tamarac Connect with our hosts Milemarker.co Kyle on LinkedIn Jud on LinkedIn Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Produce game-changing content with Turncast Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.
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    43 mins
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