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The Broken Dealer

The Broken Dealer

Written by: Carmine Corino & Daren Blonski
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Welcome to Broken Dealer with Carmine Corino & Daren Blonski. In this podcast, we help advisors stuck in constrained environments overcome the frustrations of big firm bureaucracies and restrictions. We do this by exploring the best channels for building the business of your dreams. Join us as Carmine and Daren share hard insights, compelling stories, and years of expertise—alongside guest experts—to empower you to break free, serve your clients fully, and live a life of abundance.Copyright ©️ The Broken Dealer 2025 Economics
Episodes
  • Building the Right Team: The “Who Not How” Framework for Scaling Your Practice (Ep. 23 | Pt. 5)

    Building the Right Team: The “Who Not How” Framework for Scaling Your Practice (Ep. 23 | Pt. 5)
    Mar 13 2026
    Most advisors are so buried in the day-to-day that they never stop to ask the most important question: Who should be doing this instead of me? What would change in your business if you stopped asking “how do I do this?” and started asking “who should do this for me?” In this episode, the fifth and final installment of their series on scaling financial advisory businesses, Carmine Corino and Daren Blonski break down the “Who Not How” framework and what it actually looks like to build a team that frees you to operate as the visionary in your firm. They walk through the key hires every advisor needs to scale, from executive assistants to COO-integrators to servicing advisors, and explain why the right culture matters just as much as the right candidate. They also address how AI and CRM technology function as “digital who’s” that eliminate low-level tasks and create space for higher-value relationship work. Carmine and Daren discuss: How shifting from “how do I do this?” to “who should do this?” is one of the most important mindset changes for advisors who want to scaleWhy hiring the right people is an investment, not a cost, and why the cheapest hire almost always costs you the most in the long runHow strong internal culture and trust-based leadership determine whether great hires stay and thrive or leave within monthsThe three key human roles every growing advisory firm needs: an executive assistant, a COO or integrator, and a servicing advisorHow AI platforms and CRM tools serve as technology “who’s” that automate low-level tasks and free your team to focus on client relationshipsAnd more! Resources: Broken Dealer: Navigating the Path to Financial Advisor Independence by Carmine Corino and Daren Blonski Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Ben HardyBuy Back Your Time by Dan MartellExtreme Ownership by Jocko WillinkTraction by Gino Wickman10X Is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Ben Hardy Connect with Daren Blonski: LinkedIn: Daren BlonskiSonoma Wealth Advisors Connect with Carmine Corino: LinkedIn: Carmine CorinoCornerstone Planning Group
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    30 mins
  • Why Your Ideal Client Avatar Is the Foundation of a Scalable Advisory Practice (Ep. 22 | Pt. 4)

    Why Your Ideal Client Avatar Is the Foundation of a Scalable Advisory Practice (Ep. 22 | Pt. 4)
    Mar 6 2026

    Most advisors were trained to take every client who walks through the door. But what if that habit is quietly killing your ability to scale?

    In part 4 of our series on scaling financial advisory businesses, Daren Blonski and Carmine Corino break down why defining your ideal client avatar is one of the most critical decisions you can make as an advisor. They explore how the scarcity mindset leads to burnout, why niching down creates more effective marketing and stronger COI relationships, and how big, ambitious milestones drive the behavioral changes needed to scale.

    They also share real-world strategies for setting a client floor, eliminating what no longer serves your growth, and building accountability structures that keep you on track.

    Daren and Carmine discuss:

    • How the fear of turning clients away keeps advisors stuck in a scarcity mindset that limits long-term growth
    • Why defining a clear ideal client avatar makes your operational systems repeatable and far easier to scale
    • How communicating your client floor to COIs positions you as more credible and generates better referrals
    • The power of compressing your 10-year milestone into a 3-year goal to force meaningful behavioral change today
    • Why elimination, not addition, is the most important discipline for advisors who are serious about scaling
    • And more!

    Resources:

    • Broken Dealer: Navigating the Path to Financial Advisor Independence by Carmine Corino and Daren Blonski
    • The Science of Scaling by Dr. Ben Hardy
    • 10X Is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Ben Hardy

    Connect with Daren Blonski:

    • LinkedIn: Daren Blonski
    • Sonoma Wealth Advisors

    Connect with Carmine Corino:

    • LinkedIn: Carmine Corino
    • Cornerstone Planning Group
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    28 mins
  • The Hard Truth About Client Selection and Building a Scalable Advisory Practice (Ep. 21 | Pt. 3)

    The Hard Truth About Client Selection and Building a Scalable Advisory Practice (Ep. 21 | Pt. 3)
    Feb 27 2026

    Saying no to potential clients feels risky, but what if it’s the key to unlocking exponential growth? How do you determine who deserves a seat at your table when time is your most precious commodity?

    In part 3 of our series on scaling financial advisory businesses, Daren Blonski and Carmine Corino tackle the challenging reality of client selection and value creation in financial advisory. They share how learning to say no transformed their practices from volume-driven to value-driven businesses. Carmine breaks down the math of client profitability, revealing why many advisors unknowingly lose money on relationships subsidized by larger clients.

    Daren and Carmine also explore the evolution from transaction broker to information provider to relationship concierge, emphasizing that AI will transform the industry and make human connection more valuable than ever.

    Daren and Carmine discuss:

    • Why having the courage to say no to clients actually drives business growth
    • How to calculate the true cost per household and set minimum revenue requirements
    • The conflict of interest is built into brokerage sales requirements versus independent practice
    • Creating specialized niches like VPs at Fortune 100 companies or collision shop owners
    • The evolution of advisory work from transaction gateway to AI-enhanced relationship concierge
    • And more!

    Resources:

    • Broken Dealer: Navigating the Path to Financial Advisor Independence by Carmine Corino and Daren Blonski
    • 10X Is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Ben Hardy
    • Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
    • The Science of Scaling by Dr. Ben Hardy

    Connect with Daren Blonski:

    • LinkedIn: Daren Blonski
    • Sonoma Wealth Advisors

    Connect with Carmine Corino:

    • LinkedIn: Carmine Corino
    • Cornerstone Planning Group
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    26 mins
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