Emlen Miles Mattingley has never been afraid to experiment. What he learned the hard way is that experimentation without focus can leave advisors busy, but stuck.

In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Emlen shares the real story behind his marketing journey, from trying every platform and tactic to eventually narrowing his focus and taking control of his business. He breaks down the difference between “riding” a practice versus intentionally driving it, and why clarity around who you serve changes everything.

Emlen walks through his evolution as an advisor, including difficult decisions to walk away from revenue, rework his niche, and rebuild his marketing around retirement-focused clients. He also reflects on podcasting as a long-term growth engine, the discipline required to commit to content, and why consistency matters more than early results.

This conversation is an honest look at what it takes to build momentum, make uncomfortable business decisions, and design a practice that actually fits the life you want to live.

ABOUT ALTRUIST:

We’re on a mission to make independent financial advice better, more affordable, and accessible to everyone. As a modern custodian, Altruist helps high-growth, client-centric, and tech-forward RIAs deliver great advice to more clients at lower costs.

Want to find out how Altruist can help you grow? Talk to our team by visiting www.altruist.com/talk-to-us

STAY CONNECTED:

Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/altruistcorp/

Twitter ► https://x.com/altruist

Linkedin ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/altruistcorp/

ABOUT THE ADVISOR JOURNEY:

Real-life strategies for the modern financial advisor who’s ready to scale. Join Altruist leaders and guests as they share proven tactics, unfiltered advice, and hard-won lessons you can apply to your own practice. These conversations will propel your career to the next level—don’t miss it.

Disclaimer:

Altruist Corp ("Altruist") offers technology and tools designed to help financial advisors achieve better outcomes. Advisory and certain other services are provided by Altruist LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and brokerage related products and services are provided by Altruist Financial LLC, a member of FINRA/SI...

Yohance Harrison has built a thriving advisory practice without chasing trends or relying on constant outbound marketing. Instead, he focused on trust, vulnerability, and a repeatable referral system rooted in real relationships.

In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Yohance, founder and CEO of MoneyScript Wealth Management, shares how he scaled his firm by intentionally activating his existing client base. He walks through his “kings and queens” framework, why public recognition fuels referrals, and how asking for help the right way unlocks growth.

Yohance also opens up about the challenges that come with success, including what happens when a referral engine works too well. He explains how he refined his ideal client profile, adjusted his systems, and prepared his firm for the next phase of growth.

This conversation offers practical insight into building a referral-driven practice that compounds over time; without losing the human connection that makes it work.

ABOUT ALTRUIST:

We’re on a mission to make independent financial advice better, more affordable, and accessible to everyone. As a modern custodian, Altruist helps high-growth, client-centric, and tech-forward RIAs deliver great advice to more clients at lower costs.

Want to find out how Altruist can help you grow? Talk to our team by visiting www.altruist.com/talk-to-us

STAY CONNECTED:

Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/altruistcorp/

Twitter ► https://x.com/altruist

Linkedin ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/altruistcorp/

ABOUT THE ADVISOR JOURNEY:

Real-life strategies for the modern financial advisor who’s ready to scale. Join Altruist leaders and guests as they share proven tactics, unfiltered advice, and hard-won lessons you can apply to your own practice. These conversations will propel your career to the next level—don’t miss it.

Disclaimer:

Altruist Corp ("Altruist") offers technology and tools designed to help financial advisors achieve better outcomes. Advisory and certain other services are provided by Altruist LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and brokerage related products and services are provided by Altruist Financial LLC, a member of FINRA/SI...

Brian Portnoy believes that great financial advice starts long before portfolios and performance. It starts with understanding what actually matters to people.

In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Brian, founder of Shaping Wealth and author of The Geometry of Wealth, shares how behavioral finance, psychology, and purpose-driven conversations can transform the advisor-client relationship.

He introduces the concept of “funded contentment,” the idea that true wealth is the ability to underwrite a meaningful life. Brian explains why emotion is inseparable from money, why advisors should lean into deeper conversations, and how helping clients feel seen and understood creates stronger relationships and better outcomes.

This conversation challenges traditional approaches to advice and offers a framework for advisors who want to move beyond market commentary and toward work that is both human and enduring.

ABOUT ALTRUIST:

We’re on a mission to make independent financial advice better, more affordable, and accessible to everyone. As a modern custodian, Altruist helps high-growth, client-centric, and tech-forward RIAs deliver great advice to more clients at lower costs.

Want to find out how Altruist can help you grow? Talk to our team by visiting www.altruist.com/talk-to-us

STAY CONNECTED:

Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/altruistcorp/

Twitter ► https://x.com/altruist

Linkedin ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/altruistcorp/

ABOUT THE ADVISOR JOURNEY:

Real-life strategies for the modern financial advisor who’s ready to scale. Join Altruist leaders and guests as they share proven tactics, unfiltered advice, and hard-won lessons you can apply to your own practice. These conversations will propel your career to the next level—don’t miss it.

Disclaimer:

Altruist Corp ("Altruist") offers technology and tools designed to help financial advisors achieve better outcomes. Advisory and certain other services are provided by Altruist LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and brokerage related products and services are provided by Altruist Financial LLC, a member of FINRA/SI...

Gideon Drucker didn’t set out to simply maintain a successful practice. He wanted to build something that could grow beyond any one person.

In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Gideon, president of Drucker Wealth, shares how he helped transform a founder-led, rainmaker model into a planning-first, ensemble firm managing more than $1B in assets.

He walks through the early years of putting in the reps, finding his own voice, and building a client base from scratch, even while stepping into a legacy business. Gideon also explains how writing and long-form content unexpectedly became a growth engine, helping the firm clarify its niche and attract the right clients organically.

This conversation offers practical insight into evolving a firm’s structure, balancing autonomy with scalability, and building systems that support both client experience and long-term growth.

ABOUT ALTRUIST:

We’re on a mission to make independent financial advice better, more affordable, and accessible to everyone. As a modern custodian, Altruist helps high-growth, client-centric, and tech-forward RIAs deliver great advice to more clients at lower costs.

Want to find out how Altruist can help you grow? Talk to our team by visiting www.altruist.com/talk-to-us

STAY CONNECTED:

Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/altruistcorp/

Twitter ► https://x.com/altruist

Linkedin ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/altruistcorp/

ABOUT THE ADVISOR JOURNEY:

Real-life strategies for the modern financial advisor who’s ready to scale. Join Altruist leaders and guests as they share proven tactics, unfiltered advice, and hard-won lessons you can apply to your own practice. These conversations will propel your career to the next level—don’t miss it.

Disclaimer:

Altruist Corp ("Altruist") offers technology and tools designed to help financial advisors achieve better outcomes. Advisory and certain other services are provided by Altruist LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and brokerage related products and services are provided by Altruist Financial LLC, a member of FINRA/SI...

Aaron Sherman has never been interested in chasing growth for growth’s sake.

In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Aaron, president of Odyssey Group Wealth Advisors, shares how his firm chose a slower, more intentional path—one centered on deep client relationships, long-term clarity, and values-led decision-making.

Aaron walks through his journey from Commonwealth to full independence, the decision to register his own RIA, and why control and alignment mattered more than speed. He also explains how focusing on intentional philanthropy created stronger client trust, clearer differentiation, and organic growth without forcing scale.

This conversation offers a grounded perspective for advisors deciding what kind of firm they actually want to build—and what it takes to stay true to that vision over time.

ABOUT ALTRUIST:

We’re on a mission to make independent financial advice better, more affordable, and accessible to everyone. As a modern custodian, Altruist helps high-growth, client-centric, and tech-forward RIAs deliver great advice to more clients at lower costs.

Want to find out how Altruist can help you grow? Talk to our team by visiting www.altruist.com/talk-to-us

STAY CONNECTED:

Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/altruistcorp/

Twitter ► https://x.com/altruist

Linkedin ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/altruistcorp/

ABOUT THE ADVISOR JOURNEY:

Real-life strategies for the modern financial advisor who’s ready to scale. Join Altruist leaders and guests as they share proven tactics, unfiltered advice, and hard-won lessons you can apply to your own practice. These conversations will propel your career to the next level—don’t miss it.

Disclaimer:

Altruist Corp ("Altruist") offers technology and tools designed to help financial advisors achieve better outcomes. Advisory and certain other services are provided by Altruist LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and brokerage related products and services are provided by Altruist Financial LLC, a member of FINRA/SI...

Manish Khatta took over Potomac in 2017 with a $3M SBA loan, two young kids, and a firm that soon dropped from $185M to $140M in assets. Today, Potomac manages more than $3B.

In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Manish shares the real story behind that growth — the bets he made, the setbacks he fought through, and the discipline that shaped his leadership.

He talks about the importance of understanding your P&L, reinvesting aggressively, building a content-first brand, and hiring people who have already operated at the next level. Manish also breaks down why transparency became the core of Potomac’s marketing, how he built a scalable structure, and why speed matters when the industry shifts.

Advisors will walk away with clear insights on growth, identity, and the self-awareness required to build a firm that can keep climbing.

ABOUT ALTRUIST:

We’re on a mission to make independent financial advice better, more affordable, and accessible to everyone. As a modern custodian, Altruist helps high-growth, client-centric, and tech-forward RIAs deliver great advice to more clients at lower costs.

Want to find out how Altruist can help you grow? Talk to our team by visiting www.altruist.com/talk-to-us

STAY CONNECTED:

Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/altruistcorp/

Twitter ► https://x.com/altruist

Linkedin ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/altruistcorp/

ABOUT THE ADVISOR JOURNEY:

Real-life strategies for the modern financial advisor who’s ready to scale. Join Altruist leaders and guests as they share proven tactics, unfiltered advice, and hard-won lessons you can apply to your own practice. These conversations will propel your career to the next level—don’t miss it.

Disclaimer:

Altruist Corp ("Altruist") offers technology and tools designed to help financial advisors achieve better outcomes. Advisory and certain other services are provided by Altruist LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and brokerage related products and services are provided by Altruist Financial LLC, a member of FINRA/SI...

Khe Hy spent 15 years rising through the ranks on Wall Street, eventually becoming one of BlackRock’s youngest managing directors. Then he walked away.

In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Khe shares how he traded a high-status career for a life aligned with his values. He talks about the immigrant work ethic that shaped him, the internal voice advisors often battle, and the “magic window” that led him to prioritize fatherhood.

Khe reflects on building RadReads, developing an executive coaching practice, becoming an early Notion creator, and launching his current AI consultancy. Through it all, his focus never changed: follow what feels alive, reduce the noise, and let curiosity lead the way.

Advisors will hear a perspective that goes deeper than growth tactics — one grounded in clarity, intention, and creating a life you actually want to live.

ABOUT ALTRUIST:

We’re on a mission to make independent financial advice better, more affordable, and accessible to everyone. As a modern custodian, Altruist helps high-growth, client-centric, and tech-forward RIAs deliver great advice to more clients at lower costs.

Want to find out how Altruist can help you grow? Talk to our team by visiting www.altruist.com/talk-to-us

STAY CONNECTED:

Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/altruistcorp/

Twitter ► https://x.com/altruist

Linkedin ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/altruistcorp/

ABOUT THE ADVISOR JOURNEY:

Real-life strategies for the modern financial advisor who’s ready to scale. Join Altruist leaders and guests as they share proven tactics, unfiltered advice, and hard-won lessons you can apply to your own practice. These conversations will propel your career to the next level—don’t miss it.

Disclaimer:

Altruist Corp ("Altruist") offers technology and tools designed to help financial advisors achieve better outcomes. Advisory and certain other services are provided by Altruist LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and brokerage related products and services are provided by Altruist Financial LLC, a member of FINRA/SI...

Aaron Cirksena built one of the fastest-growing virtual advisory firms in the country by treating marketing like a real business function, not an afterthought.

In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Aaron shares how he went from a one-man shop to a multi-advisor, fully remote firm by mastering paid digital marketing, tracking key metrics, and building a repeatable system for growth.

He breaks down the early days of hustling for business, the moment he discovered scalable digital funnels, and the mindset shift that allowed him to delegate, hire, and expand the firm’s reach.

Advisors will learn the importance of knowing their numbers, reinvesting in marketing, and building a structure that creates predictable opportunities rather than relying on luck or referrals.

ABOUT ALTRUIST:

We’re on a mission to make independent financial advice better, more affordable, and accessible to everyone. As a modern custodian, Altruist helps high-growth, client-centric, and tech-forward RIAs deliver great advice to more clients at lower costs.

Want to find out how Altruist can help you grow? Talk to our team by visiting www.altruist.com/talk-to-us

STAY CONNECTED:

Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/altruistcorp/

Twitter ► https://x.com/altruist

Linkedin ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/altruistcorp/

ABOUT THE ADVISOR JOURNEY:

Real-life strategies for the modern financial advisor who’s ready to scale. Join Altruist leaders and guests as they share proven tactics, unfiltered advice, and hard-won lessons you can apply to your own practice. These conversations will propel your career to the next level—don’t miss it.

Disclaimer:

Altruist Corp ("Altruist") offers technology and tools designed to help financial advisors achieve better outcomes. Advisory and certain other services are provided by Altruist LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and brokerage related products and services are provided by Altruist Financial LLC, a member of FINRA/SI...