On this episode of Host Mark Wickersham sits down with Tom Nicholson of Aleta to unpack the democratization of family offices and what it takes to run one well today. The conversation covers why families stay stuck on Excel too long, what makes the COO or CFO role so critical, and the common mistakes new family offices make when standing up their structure.

We cover:
✅ The democratization of family offices and the shrinking barrier to entry
✅ Why Excel becomes a liability the longer families rely on it
✅The evolving role of the COO/CFO in a modern family office
✅ Buy vs. build: when to build your own tech, and when not to
✅ Data aggregation challenges across custodians, alternatives, and illiquid assets
✅ Where AI fits (and doesn't) in family office operations
✅ The future of the family office industry over the next five-plus years

📢 Connect with Us:
🔗 Thomson Nicholson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaslnicholson/
🔗 Aleta: https://aleta.io/
🔗 Mark Wickersham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwickersham/
🔗 Asseta AI: https://www.asseta.ai/
🔗 WealthTech Podcast AI: https://www.thewealthtechpodcast.com/

About Thomas Nicholson
Tom Nicholson is Director of Sales, Americas at Aleta. A decade of hands-on family office experience, including roles at STP Investment Services and inside a single-family office in Philadelphia, shapes his perspective on tech, data, and operations. Based in the Philadelphia area, he mountain bikes when he can and stays current on markets through his favorite podcasts.

About Aleta
Aleta is purpose-built family office software for forward-thinking families.

The Aleta platform delivers an intuitive, verified picture of total wealth for the Principal, deep investment reporting for the teams overseeing the wealth, and an open data layer built for the age of AI.

About The WealthTech Podcast:
The WealthTech Podcast is bi-monthly family office technology and best practices focused podcast hosted by family office technology expert Mark Wickersham. Mark interviews the movers and shakers in the family office and wealth management industries sharing their years of experience and insights into the topics that are important to the industry. The podcast is produced by Brad Oliver.

The WealthTech Podcast is brought to you by the generous support of Asseta AI.

About Asseta AI
Asseta AI is The Intelligent Family Office Suite™, a purpose-built accounting and bill pay platform designed for family offices managing complex, multi-entity wealth. Asseta AI brings modern architecture and intuitive design to a market long underserved by traditional enterprise systems.

To learn more please visit www.asseta.ai

Disclaimer
The information provided on The WealthTech Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or investment advice. All opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not reflect the views of their employers, affiliated organizations, or sponsors.

The WealthTech Podcast makes no representations as...

Host Mark Wickersham sits down with Tanmai Sharma (Founder & CEO) and Sinan Biren (CRO) of Collation AI to dig into what a truly modern tech stack for family offices and RIAs looks like in 2026.

In this episode:
✅ Why the traditional SaaS model is broken for family offices
✅ What it actually means to own your data
✅ Vibe coding
✅ The best-of-breed approach vs. all-in-one platforms
✅ Why the golden age of family offices is just getting started

🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IJBAzCm4OEc

About Collation AI
Collation AI provides AI infrastructure that automates reporting, analytics, and workflows for family wealth firms making process improvements and driving business efficiency.

About The WealthTech Podcast:
The WealthTech Podcast is bi-monthly family office technology and best practices focused podcast hosted by family office technology expert Mark Wickersham. Mark interviews the movers and shakers in the family office and wealth management industries sharing their years of experience and insights into the topics that are important to the industry. The podcast is produced by Brad Oliver.

The WealthTech Podcast is brought to you by the generous support of Asseta AI.

About Asseta AI
Asseta AI is The Intelligent Family Office Suite™, a purpose-built accounting and bill pay platform designed for family offices managing complex, multi-entity wealth. Asseta AI brings modern architecture and intuitive design to a market long underserved by traditional enterprise systems.

To learn more please visit www.asseta.ai

Disclaimer
The information provided on The WealthTech Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or investment advice. All opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not reflect the views of their employers, affiliated organizations, or sponsors.

The WealthTech Podcast makes no representations as...

Lessons learned on how advisory firms can scale through smarter systems vs bodies.

Host Mark Wickersham sits down with Jeff Rusin, Co-Founder of Advisor Tech Partners, to talk about scaling advisory firms through smarter systems, not more headcount.

In this episode:
✅Why most RIAs are stuck in reactive, manual chaos
✅How to build a CRM that actually works for your firm
✅Workflow automation and SOPs that create consistent client experiences
✅AI note-takers and how they integrate with your CRM
✅Where AI is taking CRM reporting next

🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/G2OVEth4Wrs

📢 Connect with Us:
🔗 Jeff Rusin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyrusin/
🔗 Advisor Tech Partners: https://www.advisortechpartners.com/
🔗 Mark Wickersham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwickersham/
🔗 Asseta AI: https://www.asseta.ai/
🔗 WealthTech Podcast AI: https://www.thewealthtechpodcast.com/

About Advisor Tech Partners
Advisor Tech Partners empowers RIAs to streamline their operations, enhance client experiences, and scale effectively with cutting-edge automation solutions. From automating service models and workflows to customizing operational processes, we ensure your firm operates at peak efficiency.

About The WealthTech Podcast:
The WealthTech Podcast is bi-monthly family office technology and best practices focused podcast hosted by family office technology expert Mark Wickersham. Mark interviews the movers and shakers in the family office and wealth management industries sharing their years of experience and insights into the topics that are important to the industry. The podcast is produced by Brad Oliver.

The WealthTech Podcast is brought to you by the generous support of Asseta AI.

About Asseta AI
Asseta AI is The Intelligent Family Office Suite™, a purpose-built accounting and bill pay platform designed for family offices managing complex, multi-entity wealth. Asseta AI brings modern architecture and intuitive design to a market long underserved by traditional enterprise systems.

To learn more please visit www.asseta.ai

Disclaimer
The information provided on The WealthTech Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or investment advice. All opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not reflect the views of their employers, affiliated organizations, or sponsors.

The WealthTech Podcast makes no representations as...