In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong chats with Andrew Leonard, founder and partner at Geometric Wealth Advisors, about how the firm has rapidly grown to over $1 billion in AUM since Leonard founded it by catering to a specific client niche: executives working inside large consulting firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG. 

In fact, many of its advisors, as well as the firm’s chief operating officer, come from those same firms. Geometric Wealth’s advantage is a deep understanding of the internal resources, career paths and investment plans available to its clients, as well as the professional trajectories and personalities of those who work there. By focusing on such a narrow pool of prospects, the firm ironically brings in twice as many referrals as it can onboard annually—a capacity problem, not a growth problem. 

Leonard talks about how the niche focus drives most strategic decisions at the firm. That includes a commitment to 100% remote work, the firm’s business development strategy (and how “marketing” looks very different when focusing on a specific niche) and the commitment to remaining an employee-owned partnership with no outside investor taking ownership.

Leonard also discusses:

- The benefit of hiring career-changers from the same consulting firms where they prospect for clients, and the advantages that brings in terms of subject-matter expertise and new client referrals. 
- Why he made the decision five years ago, as a much smaller firm, to bring not just tax planning, but tax preparation in-house and the difference that has made for his clients (many with unique tax situations that come with the partnership arrangements of the consulting firms).

Resources:
 
RIA Edge Podcast: http://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Andrew Leonard:

Geometric Wealth Advisors - https://geometricadvisors.com/ 
LinkedIn: Geometric Wealth Advisors: https://www.linkedin.com/company/geometric-wealth-advisors/
LinkedIn: Andrew Leonard: http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewscottleonard/ 

About Our Guest:

Andrew founded Geometric Wealth Advisors in 2015.  He spent the prior eight years as a Partner with Classic Capital, where he served as a Wealth Advisor for high net worth families and individuals.  He sold his stake in Classic to build a firm devoted entirely to serving his peers. Andrew lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Shelley, and daughters, Eve and Brooke.

RIA Edge Podcast: The Power of Specialization with Andrew Leonard

How can a firm truly put families first in wealth management?

Join host David Armstrong as he interviews Chris Erblich, co-founder of TFO Family Office Partners. Chris shares the origin story and evolution of TFO’s three distinct but interconnected entities: a full-service multifamily office in Phoenix, a wealth management firm in Ohio and a South Dakota-based public trust company. He explains how each was built in response to real client needs rather than a grand business plan.

It all started with a family office sparked by a gap in legal-client relationships, expanded into wealth management and ultimately the firm formed a trust company to address trustee challenges for ultra-high-net-worth families. Throughout the conversation, Chris emphasizes TFO’s purpose-driven mission: to help families, however and wherever they need it.

David and Chris discuss:

- What prompted estate attorney Elbrich to first convince his law firm to back an in-house multi-family office, and why he and his partners eventually bought it outright.
- How an opportunistic meeting with a Genspring advisor looking for a new home led him to build a separate MFO in Phoenix.
- The firm’s approach to client services, tax preparation and estate planning.
- Building an in-house South Dakota Trust company that was, at first, seen as an accommodation, but soon became a profitable business service highly valued by clients. 
- Elbrich’s mission statement and the one question that helps him decide where to focus his efforts growing the business. 
- Future growth plans, and how he feels about mergers and acquisitions in the RIA space. 

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Chris Erblich:

TFO Wealth Partners https://tfowealth.com/
TFO Family Office Partners https://tfofamilyoffice.com/
LinkedIn: Chris Erblich https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriserblich/
LinkedIn: TFO Wealth Partners https://www.linkedin.com/company/tfowealth/
LinkedIn: TFO Family Office Partners https://www.linkedin.com/company/tfofamilyoffice/
Husch Blackwell https://www.huschblackwell.com/

About Our Guest:

Chris is a nationally recognized estate planning attorney, business owner, and speaker focusing on helping individuals and families connect their wealth and purpose. His clients are those who have truly lived the American dream, and Chris values the opportunity to work with and learn from them. In addition to Chris' role as Partner at Husch Blackwell, Chris is the CEO and Chairman of TFO Family Office Partners (based in Phoenix, Arizona), CEO of TFO Wealth Partners (based in Maumee, Ohio), and President and Director of TFO Trust Company (based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota). Chris also has multiple real estate investments. It is this experience that enables him to understand firsthand the challenges and complexities of managing both companies and properties, and he readily identifies with clients' goals and desires for their own businesses. In addition to the services he provides to clients, Chris is a highly sought-after speaker in the world of high-net-worth estate planning and has delivered more than 200 presentations nationwide to attorneys, accountants, financial service professionals, and business owners.


RIA Edge Podcast: Chris Erblich on TFO’s Response to Client Needs

What if your clients could actually see how every dollar of their wealth supports their life goals, without relying on a Monte Carlo simulation or generic risk questionnaire?

In this episode of the WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic is joined by Jeff Coyle, founder and CEO of Libretto, a platform built to help advisors deliver holistic, personalized wealth strategies. Drawing on decades of experience serving ultra-high-net-worth clients, Jeff shares how Libretto takes institutional-grade planning concepts, like liability-driven investing, and makes them accessible, intuitive, and actionable for all investors.

Shannon and Jeff discuss:

- Why traditional risk tolerance tools often miss the mark—and what to use instead
- The role of LDI in hedging real-life client needs—not just targeting returns
- How Libretto empowers clients to move from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance
- Why personalization (not simulation) is the future of financial planning

Resources:

Listen to WealthStack on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/4jZQmKi 
Subscribe and listen to WealthStack on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4cXKleN 
Subscribe and listen to WealthStack on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RJwMG0 

Connect with Shannon Rosic:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonrosic/
WealthStack website: https://informaconnect.com/wealthstack/ 
WealthManagement.com: https://www.wealthmanagement.com

Connect With Jeff Coyle:
 
Libretto: https://www.libretto.io/ 
LinkedIn: Libretto: https://bit.ly/3SxpgOH 
LinkedIn: Jeff Coyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffcoylelibretto/ 

About Our Guest:

Jeff Coyle is the founder and CEO of Libretto, a powerful advice platform unifying planning, total wealth portfolios, and risk management for RIAs and family offices, offering an alternative to the risk tolerance and Monte Carlo ecosystem.
A former advisor, Jeff has 25+ years of experience managing UHNW clients and over 30 years of experience pioneering and building multi-generational and multi-disciplinary approaches to wealth management. Over his career, Jeff founded three boutique advisory firms delivering to UHNW private clients, served as Deputy Chief Investment Officer of Personal Financial Services for Northern Trust, and was Chief Strategy Officer at myCFO. In 2017, Jeff founded Libretto to streamline comprehensive advice delivery to private clients. He regularly speaks and shares his thought leadership at influential industry conferences and has been featured in prominent industry publications.

The WealthStack Podcast: Why Every Client Should Feel Like $100M with Libretto’s Jeff Coyle

Mixtape 120 - Greek Night Vibes (REMIX EDITION) 

	1.	ΚΑΤΙ ΞΕΡΕΙΣ - ΡΙΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΔΟΥ
	2.	ΧΕΙΡΟΒΟΜΒΙΔΑ (GIORGOS REISOPOULOS PRIVATE CLUB REMIX) – STAVENTO X LILA
	3.	BAM – ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙΑ
	4.	ΜΟΝΟΣ ΜΟΥ (DJ SOTIRIS REMIX) – ΠΑΝΟΣ ΚΙΑΜΟΣ
	5.	ΦΤΑΙΕΙ Ο ΕΡΩΤΑΣ (DJPOL FLASHBACK REMIX) – ΑΝΤΖΕΛΑ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ
	6.	ΒΑΛΕ – EVANGELIA
	7.	ASTEROMATA (GIORGOS REISOPOULOS THE REMIX) – KLAVDIA
	8.	ΘΑΛΑΣΣΑΚΙ (DIM ANGELO & NIKKO SUNSET) – ΕΥΗ ΚΟΥΛΚΟΥΒΙΝΗ
	9.	ΑΥΤΟ ΤΟ ΑΣΤΕΡΙ (KONSTANTINOS HALOFTIS REMIX) – ΝΙΚΟΣ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ
	10.	ΕΧΩ ΨΥΧΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ – CRYSTALLIA
	11.	ΛΟΓΙΑ (C.THEOFILOGIANNAKOS REMIX) – ΗΒΗ ΑΔΑΜΟΥ
	12.	ΑΧ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΜΟΥ – MARIANNA G
	13.	ΠΟΙΟΣ ΘΑ ΤΟΥ ΤΟ ΠΕΙ – ΕΛΕΝΗ ΧΑΤΖΙΔΟΥ
	14.	ΧΘΕΣ – ΝΑΙΡΑ ΑΛΕΞΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ & ANDREAS HABIBI
	15.	ΤΟ ΓΛEΝΤΙ (REMIX) – ΚΩΝΣΤΑΤΝΙΝΟΣ ΚΟΥΦΟΣ X DJDOC
	16.	ΑΣΤΡΑ ΜΗ ΜΕ ΜΑΛΩΝΕΤΕ (DJ PANTELIS REMIX) – ΜΑΝΩΛΗΣ ΛΙΔΑΚΗΣ
	17.	ΔΕ ΜΕ ΣΚΕΦΤΕΣΑΙ (STAIF MASHUP 2K25) – ΝΙΚΟΣ ΒΕΡΤΗΣ
	18.	ΜΑΥΡΑ ΜΕΣΑΝΥΧΤΑ – ΘΗΡΙΟ & KINGS
	19.	ΚΟΡΔΕΛΙΟ (ΤΙ ΣΕ ΜΕΛΛΕΙ ΕΣΕΝΑΝΕ) – ΧΡΗΣΤΟΣ ΔΑΝΤΗΣ
	20.	ΚΑΒΟΝΤΟΡΙΤΙΚΟ (DJ BARDOPOULOS EDIT) – ΝΙΚΟΣ ΧΑΤΖΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ
	21.	ΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΣΟΣ – ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΦΟΡΟΥ & ΚΩΣΤΑΣ ΚΑΡΑΦΩΤΗΣ
	22.	MONEY DANCE X TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGIE (DJMANOS 2025 EDIT) – FY

Mixtape 120 - Greek Night Vibes (REMIX EDITION)

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, join host David Armstrong for an insightful conversation with Susie Cranston, president and COO of Cresset, as they explore how the firm rapidly scaled to $65 billion. 

David and Susie discuss:

- How Cresset grew out of a family office for the founders, and how the firm defines “family office” services. 
- How the firm made the decision to source and offer clients private market investments via affiliate Cresset Capital Partners.
- How Cranston views the tension between growth via acquisitions and maintaining the integrity of the service model. “When you have to integrate multiple systems, when you have to be the one building those integrations, it really, really slows down your ability to grow and scale.”
- How crossing the $40B mark in AUM brings benefits to the firm and the clients by opening up “industrial scale” options for tech and service: “That is a real advantage when you can cross there because then you don't have to change out your infrastructure, you can just scale on what you have.”
- Insights on evolving advisory models and the future of the RIA. 

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Susie Cranston:

Cresset: https://cressetcapital.com/ 
LinkedIn: Cresset: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cresset-capital/ 
LinkedIn: Susie Cresset: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susiecranston/ 

About Our Guest:

Susie Cranston is President and Chief Operating Officer of Cresset, an award-winning multi-family office and private investment firm. In this role, Susie oversees Cresset’s Wealth Advisors, Client Service, Operations, and Compliance.

Susie most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer at First Republic Bank, where she was responsible for the sales, client service, operations, strategic planning, and administrative management of the First Republic Investment Management business. After the firm’s acquisition by JP Morgan Chase, Susie served as the COO and Head of Integration.

Susie originally joined First Republic in 2013 as EVP of Private Wealth Management, moving on to build one of the most successful wealth management businesses in the industry. She started her career at McKinsey & Company, where she spent 12 years consulting in various roles of increasing seniority and focused on strategy, risk management, and transformational change for financial services companies.

Active in the San Francisco business community, Susie is a “Forever Influential” honoree and three-time recipient of the San Francisco Business Times “Most Influential Women in Business” designation and a member of C200. Susie is also a board member of the Commonwealth Club. She has authored several published articles and a book on women and leadership, “How Remarkable Women Lead.”

Susie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering and an MBA in business from Stanford University.

RIA Edge Podcast: Cresset’s Susie Cranston on How an ‘Industrial Scale’ RIA Benefits Clients, the Firm

Economic uncertainty, heightened volatility and on-again, off-again trade policies are challenging for investors. But similar to the Great Financial Crisis of 2008, fiduciary advisors can use this opportunity to assert their value and give clients confidence that their broader financial plans aren’t as negatively impacted as they may think, given the daily doom-and-gloom market headlines. Some RIAs can turn volatility into a growth engine.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, Jalina Kerr of Charles Schwab shares how the most adaptive firms are expanding beyond portfolio management, into areas like estate and tax planning, which have far more profound impacts on client outcomes than marginal tweaks to an allocation model or changes in asset managers and investment funds. Top-tier RIAs are also using technology to scale more personalized client experiences, communicating to clients that their personal plans remain resilient, despite the daily ups and downs in the markets.

Kerr discusses:

- The resilience of RIAs during down markets and how bear markets can be an opportunity for growth
- The increasing demand for comprehensive wealth management beyond portfolio construction, including estate and tax planning
- Integration of technology to deliver personalization at scale and the benefits of all-in-one platforms
- The rising interest in alternative investments and how they’re being integrated into many RIAs practices
- If the wealth management industry is any closer to solving the talent shortage, and how RIAs are doing in forging career development tracks within firms.

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Jalina Kerr:

Charles Schwab: https://www.aboutschwab.com/
LinkedIn: Jalina Kerr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalina-kerr-cs/

About Our Guest:

Jalina Kerr is the Managing Director, Head of Advisor Experience for Schwab Advisor Services. Kerr’s team shapes the constantly evolving client experience with progressive technical and human resources designed to support the custody needs of a diverse advisor base.

Kerr began her career at Schwab in 1994 on the Advisor Services trading desk. During her tenure at Schwab, Kerr has held roles in client service delivery, operations, advisors in transition, strategy, and technology.

In 2016, AZ Business Magazine recognized Kerr as one of Arizona’s Most Influential Women. Kerr also serves on the Board of the Arizona Women’s Leadership Forum. Kerr holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and her Series 7, 9, 10, 24, and 63 registrations.

RIA Edge Podcast: Schwab’s Jalina Kerr on How Resilient RIAs Can Turn Market Volatility Into Growth Engines

Podcast: Introduction to Heritage Grove Wealth Management

Join host David Armstrong, fresh off the Wealth Management Edge Conference in Boca Raton, Fla., as he interviews Michael Henley, founder and chief executive officer of Brandywine Oak Private Wealth. Michael talks about the firm’s rapid growth since leaving Merrill Lynch in 2018 with the help of Dynasty Financial Partners and the focus that helped the firm double its AUM to $1.5 billion since breaking away. 

Like many serving HNW and UHNW clients, Henley’s firm takes a tax-centric approach to planning; unlike many similarly sized firms, Brandywine has brought tax preparation in-house, a service enthusiastically embraced by their clients. Henley talks about the conference panel he saw that led him and his firm to dive deep into crypto, educating clients on the technology and, for those who want it, adding a small sleeve to their portfolios. 

A culturally young firm of advisors mostly in their 30s and 40s, Henley and his team believe growing the business is important not just for the principals, but for the clients, arguing scale is needed to bring HNW and UHNW families the range of services they will come to expect. The team is grappling with the best way to make that happen and whether or not to look for a partner or a source of capital to fuel their next chapter. 

David and Michael discuss:

- Why he and his team left the wirehouse, and how opening their own firm unlocked an ability to serve clients with fewer conflicts and more opportunities.
- How the firm is “obsessed” with taxes, arguing proper tax planning moves the needle for HNW and UHNW clients like few other strategies.
- Why bringing tax preparation in-house (unique for a firm of their size) ensures advisors maintain control of the financial plan’s implementation.
- How the barriers have fallen around alternatives and structured products, and the role illiquid investments can play for clients.
- The decision to add a sleeve of cryptocurrency to their portfolios, and how clients reacted.

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 

Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Michael Henley:

Brandywine Oak Private Wealth - https://brandywineoak.com/ 
LinkedIn: Brandywine Oak Private Wealth: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brandywine-oak-private-wealth 
LinkedIn: Michael Henley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljameshenley 

About Our Guest:

Michael Henley is the Founder and CEO of Brandywine Oak Private Wealth, a distinguished private wealth management firm headquartered in Kennett Square, Pa. Over the course of his 20-year career, Michael has partnered with wealthy individuals and families to help streamline the complexity associated with significant wealth. Michael built his team with a singular purpose: to provide a preeminent private wealth management experience to executives, retirees, and their family members, founded on exceptional service, transparency, and consistency. A skilled leader, he surrounds each client with a dedicated team of credentialed professionals who are sensitive to that family’s unique needs, values, and goals. Michael resides in Chadds Ford, PA, with his two children and their dogs. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM certification, the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) designation, the Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM (CRPC®) designation, and the Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA®) designation.

RIA Edge: Building a Future-Ready Firm with Brandywine Oak CEO Michael Henley

IRAN

It’s not surprising that tech-native firms see the wealth management industry’s high margins and sticky revenue, even with its notoriously disjointed and sometimes subpar tech stacks, and think, “Good business. But it could be better.” 

At the recent WealthManagement EDGE conference in Boca Raton, Fla., David Armstrong, director of editorial strategy and operations for the Wealth Management Group at Informa Connect, spoke with Taylor Matthews, co-founder and CEO of Farther, to explore how the firm is seeking to improve the advisor experience and increase the operational efficiency of wealth management firms with home-built technology. 

Backed by a handful of well-known venture capitalists, Farther is a “tech-forward” RIA where the user experience improvements are as much for the advisor’s benefit as it is for the client: The goal was to create workflow efficiencies for advisors that translate into increased time spent with more clients than is found at a typical RIA. 

Taylor outlines how Farther also supports advisors with built-in marketing, lead generation and operational support. The conversation touches on the firm’s philosophy, use of AI, Taylor’s thoughts on the business investment environment for RIAs, and what the future may hold for his team’s firm.

David and Taylor discuss:

- How Farther’s technology was built from the ground up to solve daily inefficiencies that advisors face with disconnected tech stacks
- Why returning time to advisors is central to Farther’s strategy, enabling them to focus more on client work and growth
- The four-part growth engine at Farther, including done-for-you marketing and lead generation
- How Farther's internal teams support advisors in areas like estate planning, tax consulting and financial planning
- The firm’s long-term approach to growth without the constraints of private equity and why consolidation is reshaping the industry.

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Taylor Matthews:

Website: Farther Finance: http://www.farther.com 
LinkedIn: Farther Finance: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fartherfinance 
LinkedIn: Taylor Matthews: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylormatthews 

About Our Guest:

Taylor leads Farther’s executive team and shapes the overarching strategy for the firm. Prior to founding Farther, Taylor was a member of the leadership team at ForUsAll, where he helped build the fintech retirement advisory firm from $25 million in assets under management to just under $1 billion in his two years there.

Taylor previously co-founded Essmart, a social enterprise distributing tech-for-development products in India, and was an investment banker and management consultant in his early career. He graduated from MIT Sloan with an MBA and Yale with degrees in philosophy and political science.

Taylor lives in San Francisco with his wife, three children, and a very excitable dog. As Victor Hugo wrote, “There is nothing like a dream to create the future.”

RIA Edge Podcast: How Taylor Matthews Built Farther to Boost Advisor Efficiency by Removing Platform Friction

James Bogart, founder of Bogart Wealth, has created an organic growth machine, going from $526 million to $3 billion in assets in less than 10 years—client by client, no M&A. 

His story shows the benefits of putting in place a strategic, repeatable and intentional growth program (especially for smaller entrepreneurial advisors) and focusing on a distinct niche where those efforts are more easily amplified.

But at $3 billion, and with 40 employees, the growth path starts to look a little different. 

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, James describes to host David Armstrong what he is doing now to continue the trajectory—from letting go of some operational oversight to a trusted management executive, to building internal training programs and tapping institutional funding to support the business—all while eyeing his first acquisition.

James and David discuss: 

- His early start as a new advisor focused on ExxonMobil executives, hosting education-only retirement planning lunches and dinners—and the metrics he tracked to fine-tune the strategy.
- How COVID-inspired digital seminars dramatically accelerated the firm’s growth
- When, and how, he started to adapt the organization, including departmentalization and multi-point client servicing models. 
- Solving the human capital problem with home-grown internal training programs 
- The decision to hire Jeffrey Fuhrman, formerly head of Focus Financial firm Coastal Bridge Advisors, as president
- Taking on outside capital for the first time with Constellation Partners
- Why he’s beginning to eye M&A for the first time to continue the growth trajectory. 

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagment.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With James Bogart:

Website: Bogart Wealth - https://bogartwealth.com/ 
LinkedIn: Bogart Wealth - https://www.linkedin.com/company/bogart-wealth 
LinkedIn: James Bogart - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bogart-cfp%C2%AE-chfc-5663576/

About Our Guest:

As CEO of Bogart Wealth, James Bogart focuses on maintaining the highest level of customer service possible and seeking to deliver the most effective technology, reporting tools, and analysis to every Bogart Wealth client. A charismatic visionary and next-gen founder with seemingly endless energy, he surrounds himself with people who complement his skills. James promotes a collaborative environment, leading by example and always exemplifying Bogart Wealth’s core values. He sets a high bar for himself and his employees, encouraging everyone to acquire designations that will help them advance their careers and better serve clients. 

A seasoned wealth advisor and visionary leader, James takes personal pride in assisting executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals in pursuing their dreams through highly customized financial planning strategies. James’s practice spans wealth plan design, investment management, estate planning, family legacy planning, business succession, charitable giving, asset protection, and retirement concerns, with a special insight and focus on multi-generational strategies. He regularly addresses audiences of industry professionals and senior corporate executives on new and upcoming developments in this field.

Educated at the University of Virginia and Georgetown University, James is an Investment Adviser Representative, a Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP®).

RIA Edge Podcast: How James Bogart Grew His Firm to $3B Client-by-Client—And What Comes Next

Scaling growth isn’t just about getting bigger; it’s about vision, discipline and striking the right balance between legacy and innovation.

So how does a $30 billion-plus RIA navigate the complexities of rapid acquisitions, evolving culture and the disruptive promise of AI?

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong sits down with John Bunch, CEO of Allworth Financial, to unpack how he’s guiding a founder-led firm into a professionally managed enterprise. From people and strategy to the smart use of technology, John shares what it takes to shape the future of advisory services at scale.

John discusses:

- The evolution of Allworth from a founder-led practice to a $30 billion-plus RIA with a national footprint
- His leadership philosophy in transitioning firms from founder-driven to professionally managed organizations
- How acquisitions, large and small, fit into Allworth’s growth strategy and culture
- Why investment management, tax planning and estate services are central to serving today’s high-net-worth clients
- How the firm is using AI and why it is being employee-driven

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With John Bunch:

Allworth Financial: https://allworthfinancial.com/ 
LinkedIn: Allworth Financial: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allworth 
LinkedIn: John Bunch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-bunch-6613144 

About Our Guest:

John Bunch is the Chief Executive Officer at Allworth Financial. Universally recognized within the wealth management industry, he has accumulated an extensive 30-year history of successfully leading and expanding award-winning organizations that serve both retail and institutional clients.

Before coming to Allworth, John spent over three years as the Chief Financial Services Director at Evelyn Partners (formerly Tilney Smith & Williamson), a leading integrated wealth management and professional services firm headquartered in the United Kingdom. Prior to that, he was the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Edelman Financial Engines - where he oversaw 130 branch offices - and the Chief Executive Officer of The Mutual Fund Store. Before that, he held several key institutional sector leadership positions, including Executive Vice President at TD Ameritrade and Divisional Senior Vice President at Charles Schwab & Co.

RIA Edge Podcast: John Bunch on Scaling Up Allworth Financial

Is true independence possible at scale? In this episode of the RIA Edge podcast, host David Armstrong talks with Concurrent CEO Nate Lenz about how his fast-growing RIA platform is helping advisors stay independent while accessing the scale, capital and talent needed to grow. 

From multi-custodial flexibility to a unique minority partnership model, Lenz shares what is energizing younger advisors looking to remain independent, even as pressures to scale drive business strategy and soaring RIA valuations keep many from being able to afford the benefits of firm ownership. 

Key takeaways:

- Why Concurrent launched a “minority, non-control” capital program backed by capital partner Merchant to take ownership stakes in RIAs, arguing the approach aligns incentives with advisors and avoids the roll-up model that often strips away autonomy.
- How the firm’s “Basecamp” platform creates efficiencies that advisors could not achieve alone, even as they retain their own brands and client relationships, and how a “powered by Concurrent” co-branding with partner firms can preserve local culture while signaling national strength.
- How his firm is addressing the “talent wars” by turning inward and building training programs for new advisors. Lenz has a goal to train 100 new advisors over five years through a structured apprenticeship model.
- How Concurrent is using its large 401(k) plan sponsor base and partnerships with firms like TIFIN to create new organic growth channels.
- How higher interest rates have compressed valuations and raised the cost of capital in the RIA M&A market, yet not all firms will respond in the same way. Some well-capitalized firms with equity to deploy still have a strong edge even as they steer clear of auction-style deals where buyers pay unsustainable multiples.

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Nate Lenz:

Website: Concurrent - https://poweredbyconcurrent.com/ 
LinkedIn: Concurrent - https://www.linkedin.com/company/poweredbyconcurrent/ 
LinkedIn: Nate Lenz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-lenz/ 

About Our Guest:

With more than a decade of financial industry experience, Nate Lenz is a leader for advisors looking to realize their potential as entrepreneurs. He is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Concurrent, a $7 billion OSJ turned RIA that was named an InvestmentNews Best Place to Work in 2023. Concurrent is driven by partnering with advisors to help them grow their independent businesses.

Nate’s career has focused on supporting financial advisors, empowering them to succeed without the backing of big financial services companies. Prior to his work at Concurrent, he was a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at I&A Consulting, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and recruiting experienced advisors. Before that, he was VP of Succession Planning & Acquisitions at Raymond James Financial Services, where he led the in-house consulting team that provided support to 4,000+ RJ independent financial advisors. His previous work helped shape his vision for Concurrent and deepen his investment in guiding independent financial advisors through all phases of the business life cycle.

He graduated from Columbia University and was recognized in 2022 as an InvestmentNews 40 Under 40 honoree.

RIA Edge Podcast: Concurrent’s Nate Lenz on True Independence at Scale

In this episode of the RIA Edge podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Kay Lynn Mayhue, president of Merit Financial, about the firm’s approach to growth as it reaches $24 billion in assets under management and celebrates its 50th acquisition. Mayhue discusses Merit's recent capital partnership with Constellation Wealth and how the firm balances aggressive M&A activity with organic growth initiatives.

Mayhue explains Merit's three partnership models—succession, leadership, and growth—and how the firm has evolved to attract larger, more sophisticated advisory practices. She emphasizes Merit's philosophy that organic growth responsibility belongs at the company level rather than with individual advisors, allowing advisors to focus on client relationships while the firm develops strategic alliances and referral programs to drive new business.

Key insights:

- How Merit Financial maintains a unified brand across all 50+ offices, which Mayhue credits with creating operational efficiencies while still allowing advisors significant autonomy within established guardrails
- How the firm's approach to advisor efficiency varies based on client demographics and advisor growth potential, with top producers receiving additional support to maintain growth capacity
- How strategic partnerships with CPAs, banks, and retirement plan advisors serve as critical organic growth channels for Merit advisors
- How Merit's leadership team development has been crucial to its scaling strategy, with Mayhue advising firms to hire strategic leadership positions earlier than they think necessary

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Kay Lynn Mayhue:

Merit Financial Advisors: https://www.meritfinancialadvisors.com/ 
LinkedIn: Merit Financial Advisors: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meritfinancialadvisors/ 
LinkedIn: Kay Lynn Mayhue: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylynnmayhue/ 

About Our Guest:

Kay Lynn Mayhue, CFP®, AEP®, RFC®, has played many roles in the financial advisory industry: as a successor, partner, seller, and buyer. This unique and diverse background allows her to be able to relate to advisors in all phases of their careers and mergers and acquisitions.

With a background in financial planning and leadership, her career spans several areas, including advising clients, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic growth. Kay Lynn worked her way up from an entry-level position to earn her seat at the C-Suites table as President of Merit, which oversees $15.96 billion* in RIA and Brokerage assets under management. She holds her CFP®, AEP®, and RFC® and has been a critical decision-maker for two firms over the past twenty years.

Kay Lynn has overseen multiple mergers and acquisitions over the past four years and has been recognized for her position as a female leader in the financial services industry. She is passionate about helping people take their careers – and themselves – to exceptional levels. Kay Lynn’s influence in the industry and her drive for success a driving factors in Merit's ongoing growth and appeal to growth-oriented advisors. 

RIA Edge Podcast: Building a National RIA Brand Without Losing Identity with Kay Lynn Mayhue

Wealthcare Capital Management’s evolution from a software pioneer to a national advisory platform reveals the power of strategic reinvention.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Matt Regan, president and CEO of Wealthcare Capital Management, about Wealthcare’s journey from its roots in Richmond, Va., to its sale to Sammons Financial. Matt shares how the firm is blending technology, M&A strategy and advisor support to create growth opportunities for independent advisors nationwide.

Matt and David also discuss the firm’s acquisition approach, the rise of supported independence and the ongoing transformation of the RIA space.

Matt discusses:

- Wealthcare’s beginnings as an investment planning software firm and its evolution into a full-service wealth management enterprise with some 200 affiliated advisors and $10 billion in AUM.
- The recent transaction, which saw ownership of the firm move from private equity investors NewSpring Capital to employee-owned Sammons Financial, a mid-sized financial services firm, and the potential to set up an independent wealth management vertical inside that organization.
- Why Wealthcare still purposefully targets sub-$1 billion firms for acquisitions, and how the war for talent, particularly next-gen, is feeding into Wealthcare’s dealmaking roadmap. (In fact, Wealthcare’s advisors are, overall, younger than the industry average.) 
- Why the firm has a goal to move more affiliated advisors, largely 1099 employees, into Wealthcare’s W-2 channel.
- Regan’s view on most of the digital marketing platforms currently available to advisors, and how AI may be the answer to truly move the needle on organic growth via improved lead generation and prospect nurturing.
- Why Regan is looking for an AI-enhanced small account investment platform for advisors to offer younger prospects who don’t—yet—make profitable full-service clients. 

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Matt Regan:

Wealthcare - https://www.wealthcaregdx.com 
LinkedIn: Wealthcare - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wealthcare-capital-management 
LinkedIn: Matt Regan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-regan-17ab64/ 

About Our Guest:

Matt Regan serves as Wealthcare’s President. Most recently and prior to Wealthcare, Matt served as the Chief Operating Officer of Wescott Financial, a $2 billion RIA based in Philadelphia. With more than two decades in the financial services industry, Matt has been involved in a number of transformative business models and has remained focused on building world-class organizations with a focus on the client. As a founding partner of WR Hambrecht+Co, Matt launched the retail brokerage offering and helped to design and launch the auction-based OpenIPO system. As a consultant to Vanguard, Matt was involved in the technology and business transformation that created the infrastructure that underlies the firm’s Personal Advisor Services offering. Matt is a graduate of the University of Toronto and resides outside Philadelphia with his wife and three children.

RIA Edge Podcast: CEO Matt Regan on Wealthcare’s New Owners, Future M&A and AI’s Organic Growth Potential

Balefire Wealth’s transformation from two thriving RIAs into a unified enterprise business with national ambitions showcases the strength of shared vision and cultural alignment.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong chats with Jason Hester and John Hoffman, co-CEOs of Balefire Wealth—a new RIA formed from the merger of their two firms. They discuss combining their complementary businesses—one serving ultra-high-net-worth clients, the other focused on mass affluent and corporate retirement plans—to build an integrated wealth management platform. The conversation covers their collaborative leadership approach, focus on client and advisor growth, and plans to accelerate expansion in 2026.

They discuss:

- Why it took two years to merge their firms, yet only “32 seconds” to decide on co-CEO roles—and how they make the partnership work.
- How they built a team-based model serving clients from mass affluent to UHNW, with a unique planning process, client segmentation, and evolving family wealth services.
- How they launched with 16 advisor-owners, offering a path to ownership and no outside capital.
- Why they believe hybrid advisors focused beyond AUM will define the future and strengthen client relationships.
- Their 2026 plan to shift from recruiting to M&A growth, and how they view partnering with “smart money” investors.
- How their retirement plan business positions the firm as an HR partner helping companies tackle talent and retention challenges.

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:

WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Balefire Wealth:

Website: Balefire Wealth - https://balefirewealth.com/ 
LinkedIn: Balefire Wealth - https://www.linkedin.com/company/balefire-wealth/ 
LinkedIn: Jason Hester - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhesterbalefire/ 

About Jason Hester:

As Managing Partner and Co-CEO of Balefire Wealth, Jason Hester leads the firm’s strategic vision and oversees its multi-division growth across a national footprint. With 25 years of experience in organic growth, strategic leadership, and private wealth frameworks, he guides the development of holistic planning solutions for affluent families and corporate clients. Jason is deeply involved in capital strategy, advisor acquisition, post-merger integration, and platform optimization, while mentoring leadership and cultivating a culture of clarity, accountability, and innovation. He works closely with the Executive and Organic Growth Teams to ensure Balefire continues to set a new standard for enterprise advisory firms.

About John Hoffman:

For 20 years at Principal Financial, he excelled as an Advisor, Managing Director, and ultimately Regional Managing Director—roles where he shaped strategy, developed high-performing teams, and attracted top talent. Now, as Managing Partner of Balefire, John is responsible for the firm’s inorganic growth and has built a “one-team” culture in an industry that often operates in silos. He has created team-based values aligned with a bold new vision, ensuring talent thrives in an authentic and collaborative environment. His leadership centers on finding the right team players, creating alignment, and scaling the organization as a unified company.

RIA Edge Podcast: The Balefire Wealth Journey with Jason Hester and John Hoffman

Cresset’s rise from a family-led vision to one of the nation’s leading multifamily offices shows how purpose and culture can shape enduring organizations.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Eric Becker, co-founder and co-chairman of Cresset, about the firm’s mission to build a 100-year wealth management business focused on families, not just finances. Eric shares how Cresset was designed by clients, for clients, to combine investment excellence with family governance, education and community.

David and Eric explore how RIA principals and executives can avoid short-term thinking, especially amid the frenzy of day-to-day operational planning and the quest for the elusive “personalization with scale” client service model. Eric suggests lessons other RIA leaders can learn from his study of the world’s longest-surviving companies, which he captured in his recently published book The Long Game: A Playbook of the World’s Most Enduring Companies. 

David and Eric discuss:

• How Becker and his co-founder started Cresset because they couldn’t find a wealth management platform that met their own family’s needs, making them their own first two clients and fundamentally shaping their client-centric approach
• The goal to put the “family back into family office,” moving beyond investment management to include governance, education, health resources, concierge services and community
• Becker’s belief in pursuing “just the right amount of growth” and his four-pillar framework for managing expansion without sacrificing service quality or burning out teams—that includes culture, people, numbers and business model.
• Cresset’s unique employee-ownership model (60% employee-owned, 30% client-owned, 10% strategic investor) and how this structure aligns incentives for long-term thinking
• 100-Year Business Thinking: Drawing from his book The Long Game, Becker explains why building for longevity actually creates more valuable, attractive businesses and better serves clients who are also thinking generationally about their wealth.

Resources:

Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YVhfof 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RFXCPn 
Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify: https://bit.ly/44Cbwd5 
Book: The Long Game: A Playbook of the World’s Most Enduring Companies by Eric Becker & Avy Stein - https://amzn.to/3WV6Idw 
 
Connect With David Armstrong:
 
WealthManagement.com: http://bit.ly/3RKHvyY 
LinkedIn: WealthManagement.com: https://bit.ly/3YkoRAv 
LinkedIn: David Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djamesarmstrong/ 
Twitter: David Armstrong: https://twitter.com/djamesarmstrong 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/3leEF9g 

Connect With Eric Becker:

Cresset Capital - https://cressetcapital.com 
LinkedIn: Cresset - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cresset-capital/ 
LinkedIn: Eric Becker - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebecker1 

About Our Guest:

Eric Becker is the Founder and Co-Chairman of Cresset, an award-winning multi-family office with more than $70 billion in assets under management. Alongside Founder and Co-Chairman, Avy Stein, Eric was one of Cresset’s first two clients. He and his team designed the firm to meet a specific need, and also for growth and sustainability; His desire to build a “100-year-old” firm led him to study some of the longest-running companies across different industries, and recently published The Long Game: A Playbook of the World’s Most Enduring Companies, which captures his observations on what they all have in common. 

RIA Edge Podcast: Cresset’s Eric Becker on the Power of Purpose-Driven Growth

DJ Renato Ramos, D.H.D Project x RIA - Mente Limpa (Original Mix)
https://youtu.be/jgQa_ueHtGo

▶ youtube.com/@djrenatoramos
☁ soundcloud.com/@dhdproject

#mentelimpa #afrohouse #RIA #techhouse #house #dj #remix #suno #virtualdj


DJ Renato Ramos, D.H.D Project x RIA - Mente Limpa (Original Mix)

Entertainment purposes only  
  Instagram @smbtrece

D.H.D Project

Dirty House Dutch Project

Criado em Dezembro 2009 pelo
DJ RENATO RAMOS . O projeto divulga a diversidade da música eletrônica e suas vertentes com MASHUP E BOOTLEG em seu LIVE MIX e DJ SET.

Contato:

https://www.facebook.com/djrenato.ramos

Instagram: @djrenatoramosdhdproject

https://youtube.com/@djrenatoramos?si=w6jqLH9lpxK2TQFT

Curated playlists and mixes* by Phariseos
(Ο Φαρισαίος δημιουργεί  μιξ και κασσετες.)
*All rights belong to the original artist and producers. These mixes are for entertainment purposes only

New tracks tagged #RIA