Most advisors don’t hit a growth ceiling because they lack effort - they hit it because their capacity is broken.

In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Dr. Jon Randall, founder of Extraordinary Financial Advisors (XFA), to unpack what truly holds financial advisors back from sustainable growth - and how to break through it.

With more than 20 years of experience coaching hundreds of top advisory firms (including many in the Barron’s Top 100), Jon brings a rare perspective that blends practice management, psychology, and real-world execution.

Together, Charlie and Jon discuss:

• Why the “more clients, more assets” script works early - then sabotages growth later
• How capacity constraints quietly kill referrals and momentum
• Why most advisors have too many of the wrong clients
• The psychology behind why it’s so hard to let go - even when you know you should
• How narrowing your ideal client profile simplifies marketing, referrals, and scale

Jon explains why demand for financial advice is increasing, while the number of advisors providing it is declining - creating massive opportunity for firms that fix their fundamentals instead of chasing shiny tactics.

This conversation is essential listening for:
✔️ Independent advisors
✔️ RIAs feeling stretched thin
✔️ Firms stuck at a growth plateau
✔️ Advisors who want to scale without burnout

🎧 Watch now and subscribe to RIA Collective for more conversations that help independent advisors grow with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Connect with Dr. Jon Randall

🌐 Website: https://www.xfa.coach/
📘 Book & Podcast: The Extraordinary Financial Advisor

Connect with Charlie Van Derven

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

Chapters

00:00 – Why advisors hit growth ceilings
02:30 – The “more clients” script and why it breaks
06:45 – Capacity constraints and referral breakdowns
11:20 – Right-sizing your book (and why it’s hard)
16:10 – Ideal client clarity and smarter growth
21:00 – Why fundamentals beat tactics every time

#RIACollective #FinancialAdvisors #AdvisorGrowth #PracticeManagement #RIA #WealthManagement #AdvisorCapacity #IndependentAdvisor #AdvisorPsychology #ClientExperience

What does it really take to build an advisory firm that aligns with your values - and lasts for decades?

In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Peter Krull, Founder of Earth Equity Advisors, to explore the long game of independence, entrepreneurship, and purpose-driven investing.

Peter shares his journey from Merrill Lynch to launching an independent RIA focused on ESG and sustainable investing - long before it became mainstream. Along the way, he breaks down what advisors don’t see coming when they leave large firms, and why building something meaningful almost always takes twice as long as you expect.

Together, Charlie and Peter discuss:

• Why independence is often a values-driven decision, not just a business one
• What wirehouse advisors underestimate when making the leap
• Why most “overnight successes” actually take 10+ years
• How advisor marketing has fundamentally changed - and what no longer works
• The role ESG and sustainable investing play in a fiduciary framework
• Why clarity, patience, and alignment matter more than tactics

This conversation is especially relevant for advisors who feel constrained by their current firm, are considering independence, or want to build a practice that reflects what they truly believe - not just what sells.

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

Connect with Peter Krull

🌐 Website: https://earthequity.com
📘 Book: The Sustainable Investor – https://sustainableinvestorbook.com
🎙 Podcast: Dollars & Change

Connect with Charlie Van Derven

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

Chapters

00:00 – From wirehouse to independence
03:30 – Why building a firm takes longer than you think
07:45 – The “10-year overnight success” reality
11:20 – ESG, sustainability, and fiduciary responsibility
15:40 – Why old-school advisor marketing no longer works
19:30 – Lessons for advisors considering the leap

#RIACollective #FinancialAdvisors #RIA #IndependentAdvisor #AdvisorGrowth #AdvisorMarketing #ESGInvesting #SustainableInvesting #WealthManagement #PracticeManagement #Entrepreneurship #PeterKrull

In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Darren Hinshaw, Managing Director at NBC Securities, to discuss the often-overlooked impact financial advisors have on the stability and wellbeing of society.

Darren shares why he believes financial services rank among the most important professions - alongside doctors and spiritual advisors. From helping clients navigate volatile markets to guiding them through life’s biggest transitions, advisors provide the steady hand that keeps families financially grounded.

Drawing on decades of experience at firms like Merrill Lynch, Darren reflects on how the industry has evolved, the trust it must uphold, and the deeper purpose behind every advisor-client relationship.

In this episode:
00:00 – Why financial services are vital to global wellbeing
03:10 – The role of advisors in providing stability through uncertainty
07:45 – Lessons from working at Merrill Lynch and other major firms
12:30 – How NBC Securities helps clients stay consistent in volatile times
18:20 – Why the advisory profession matters more than ever

This episode is a reminder that what advisors do isn’t just about money - it’s about meaning, discipline, and the ripple effect of helping people live with confidence and clarity.

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

Connect with Darren Hinshaw:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-hinshaw-cfa-34413323/

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

#RIACOLLECTIVE #FinancialAdvisors #WealthManagement #FinancialPlanning #RIA #AdvisorGrowth #ClientTrust #NBCSecurities #AdvisorLife #IndependentAdvisors #PurposeDrivenAdvisors

Independent advisors often think cybersecurity is something “the big firms” need to worry about. But the truth? RIAs are often at greater risk.

In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Carmine “Carm” Cicalese, founder of CYBER CIC (“CHICK”) and partner at Digital Privacy & Protection, to unpack what every independent advisor needs to know about protecting sensitive client data, staying compliant, and maintaining client trust.

Carm breaks down cybersecurity into three key areas - People, Processes, and Technology - and shares how most advisors are investing in the wrong one. He also explains why compliance doesn’t equal security, and what steps RIAs must take to close that dangerous gap.

In this episode:
00:00 – Why trust in financial services depends on data security
03:15 – The #1 cybersecurity mistake independent advisors make
06:42 – How hackers target RIAs and their clients

09:30 – Why “adequate compliance” isn’t the same as “protection”
13:10 – The 50/30/20 rule for cybersecurity investment
17:45 – Practical steps to protect your firm and your clients

Whether you’re a new RIA, breaking away from a wirehouse, or running a mature independent firm, this conversation will help you understand the human, operational, and tech layers of cybersecurity that protect both your clients and your reputation.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to RIA Collective for more conversations that help independent advisors grow, protect, and scale their businesses.

Connect with Carm Cicalese:
💼 linkedin.com/in/carmcicalese
🌐 https://cybercic.com/

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

Former NFL & NBA performance-nutrition lead Shawn Zell (Fruition Financial, St. Louis) shares how he pivoted from the Rams and Bucks to fiercely independent financial planning—plus what “true client alignment” really looks like. We cover rapid licensing (SIE, 7, 66, 24), rebuilding a modern RIA tech stack, navigating broker-dealer consolidation, fee transparency, and why the best client relationships are relationship-first, not sales-first. Perfect for advisors considering the leap to independence or refining their service model.

What you’ll learn

• Why Shawn left pro sports for wealth management—and how COVID clarified his “why”
• Independence vs. platform handcuffs: choosing partners without giving up control
• Replacing legacy tools (e.g., PortfolioCenter) and standardizing planning, risk, and PM workflows
• Custody choices (Schwab), transparent fees, and avoiding “nickels & dimes” hidden in products
• Practical advice to newer advisors: slow down in meetings, optimize processes, and nurture (don’t pitch)

Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-zell-cfp®-37b48a43/

Connect with Charlie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlievanderven/

Welcome to a high-energy, no-BS conversation with Jen Staben, Financial Advisor at Prime Capital and unapologetic force of nature in financial services.

In this episode of the RIA Collective, Jen sits down with host Charlie Van Derven to share how she built a client-first practice her way - and why that meant leaving behind big-name firms, scripts that didn’t sound like her, and a system that prioritized products over people.

💥 Topics Covered:

• Why Jen left a major national firm to launch her own brand
• The power of building a business around your values
• How she made the transition seamless for clients
• Why “Unapologetically Jen” isn’t just a brand - it’s a mission
• The book and podcast she’s launching to pull back the curtain on financial services

If you're an advisor who's felt out of place in a system that doesn't align with your values - this episode will hit home.

📣 Resources Mentioned:
Jen’s Website: https://www.unapologetically-jen.com
Connect with Jen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-staben-weinberg-crpc%C2%AE-6947b710b/
Connect with Charlie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlievanderven/

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode with an advisor who needs to hear it.

#RIACollective #FinancialAdvisor #IndependentAdvisor #WomenInFinance #AdvisorBranding #AuthenticAdvising #Core4 #UnapologeticallyJen #SocialAdvisors

In this engaging episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Greg Curry, founder of Pillar Financial in Louisville, Kentucky. With nearly three decades of experience spanning accounting, insurance, and independent advisory, Greg shares his unique journey from CPA and institutional product management to building a successful fee-only RIA.

The conversation dives into the lessons Greg has learned along the way—why simplicity and operational excellence are critical to client success, how a focus on planning over products builds lasting trust, and why clear processes and systems are the backbone of a thriving practice. Greg reflects on early challenges, the importance of owning mistakes and making clients whole, and the power of delivering financial advice that clients can truly understand and act on.

Listeners will gain insights into cash flow–based planning, the use of homegrown tools like Excel alongside specialized software, and Greg’s philosophy that true value lies not in predicting markets but in guiding clients confidently through them.

Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on the intersection of simplicity, transparency, and genuine client care, and how these principles can shape both a successful advisory practice and deeply rewarding client relationships.

In this insightful episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven engages in a captivating conversation with Judd Allen of Judd Allen Financial and the ICG Group. They delve into Judd's strategic transition from a broad financial advisory role to mastering a niche within the automotive sector. Reflecting on his initial uncertainties and the transformative journey to becoming a specialist, Judd shares how his passion for cars and understanding of automotive professionals' unique financial needs fueled his success.

The discussion explores the profound satisfaction Judd finds in building long-term relationships and witnessing his clients achieve their retirement dreams, highlighting that some rewards far surpass monetary compensation. They also touch on the importance of adapting to industry changes, leveraging technology, and the impact of specialized knowledge in fostering client trust and business growth.

Tune in for an inspiring look at how dedication to a niche, combined with genuine passion, can drive a fulfilling and successful career in financial advisory.