What does it really take to grow as a financial advisor?

In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Dennis Huergo of Wealth Enhancement Group to explore the mindset, career decisions, and experiences that shape successful advisors over time.

Dennis shares his journey from military service into financial services, starting in insurance and sales, and eventually transitioning toward true financial planning and independence. Along the way, he reflects on the lessons that accelerated his growth and the mistakes that slowed him down.

Together, Charlie and Dennis discuss:

• Why what you consume shapes the direction of your career
• How being the least experienced person in the room can accelerate growth
• The difference between sales-driven roles and true financial planning
• What advisors often get wrong early in their careers
• The tradeoff between short-term income and long-term development
• How mindset, discomfort, and environment impact success

Dennis also shares how his upbringing as the child of Cuban immigrants shaped his perspective on responsibility, growth, and making the most of opportunities.

This episode is especially valuable for:

• Advisors early in their career
• Professionals considering independence
• Advisors feeling stuck in sales-focused roles
• Anyone looking to grow faster by learning from others

🎧 Watch now and subscribe to RIA Collective for conversations that elevate the independent advisor profession.

Connect with Dennis Huergo

🌐 Website: https://www.wealthenhancement.com
📧 Email: dhuergo@wealthenhancement.com

Connect with Charlie Van Derven

🌐 Social Advisors: https://www.social-advisors.com
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlievanderven/

Chapters

00:00 – From military to financial services
03:30 – The impact of upbringing on financial mindset
07:10 – What you consume shapes your career
11:00 – Growth through uncomfortable environments
15:20 – Sales vs financial planning
19:00 – Lessons Dennis would do differently
22:30 – Advice for advisors considering independence

AI is everywhere in financial services, but most advisors are only scratching the surface.

In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Sam Sova, Co-Founder of Subatomic AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is moving beyond basic tools and becoming a true collaborative partner inside advisory firms.

Sam shares how RIAs can use AI to unify data across CRMs, custodians, portfolio platforms, email, and communication tools. The result is fewer manual tasks, more efficiency, and the ability to break through growth ceilings without adding headcount.

Together, Charlie and Sam discuss:

• Why AI is at a “1995 moment,” similar to the early internet
• How advisors are losing more than 40% of their time to tasks AI can now handle
• Why meeting preparation is one of the biggest hidden time drains in advisory firms
• How AI coworkers can automatically generate agendas, insights, and recommendations
• The future of personalized client journeys and proactive touchpoints
• How Subatomic approaches security, compliance, and transparency for RIAs
• Why AI is not about replacing people, but about doing more with the same team

Sam also explains how Subatomic helps firms save hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of hours per year. That time can be reinvested where it matters most: relationships, trust, and growth.

This episode is especially valuable for:

• Independent advisors and RIAs
• Firms hitting a growth ceiling
• Advisors curious about AI beyond note-taking tools
• Leaders planning for the next decade of advice

🎧 Watch now and subscribe to RIA Collective for conversations that help independent advisors grow, adapt, and lead the future of financial advice.

Connect with Sam Sova
🌐 Subatomic AI: https://subatomic.ai

Connect with Charlie Van Derven
🌐 Social Advisors: https://www.social-advisors.com
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlievanderven/

Chapters
00:00 – Why this episode is different
03:00 – AI’s “1995 moment”
07:45 – Where advisors lose the most time
11:00 – AI-powered meeting preparation explained
15:30 – Unifying data across advisor technology stacks
19:00 – Security, compliance, and transparency
22:30 – The future of AI coworkers in RIAs

What does the next generation of advisory firms actually look like?

In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Jon Henderson, Founder of Echo45 Advisors, to explore how independent firms are evolving beyond traditional investment management into fully integrated advisory businesses.

After spending 20 years at Merrill Lynch, Jon made the leap to independence and built a firm designed for where client expectations are heading - not where they’ve been. That includes adding tax and estate services, leveraging partnerships instead of doing everything in-house, and positioning his firm to thrive in a future shaped by automation and AI.

Together, Charlie and Jon discuss:

• Why adding tax and estate services is a game-changer for advisory firms
• How AI will disrupt bookkeeping and compliance - and what advisors should focus on instead
• Why clients panic more about taxes than market volatility
• The rise of the “one-stop firm” and what clients actually want today
• How to create a family-office-like experience for the mass affluent
• Why integration beats silos when it comes to long-term growth

This conversation is especially relevant for:
✔️ Independent advisors
✔️ RIAs thinking about adding tax or estate services
✔️ Firms planning for the next 5–10 years
✔️ Advisors who want to deepen client relationships without burning out

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to RIA Collective for conversations that elevate the independent advisor profession.

Connect with Jon Henderson

🌐 Website: https://www.echo45advisors.com/
💼 Firm: Echo45 Advisors
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Echo45Advisors
🔗 LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/echo45advisors/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Echo45_Advisors/
▶️ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@UCkhMC5FRtPHf4_vnYp0tEIg
🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/echo45advisors
👤 LinkedIn (Jon Henderson): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhendersonecho45/

Connect with Charlie Van Derven

🌐 Social Advisors: https://www.social-advisors.com
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlievanderven/