In the latest episode of Focused on the Future, Suzanne Siracuse sits down with Bryce Skaff of Dimensional Fund Advisors to explore his unique journey from aspiring marine biologist to a career in wealth management. Bryce offers an inside look at DFA’s investment philosophy, deeply rooted in academic research, and how the firm’s growth aligns with the rise of independent advisors. Drawing from DFA's extensive investor studies and advisor benchmarking research, Bryce shares his perspective on the evolving needs of today’s clients and the strategies advisors must embrace to thrive in a changing landscape. He delves into what separates top-performing firms from the rest, emphasizing keys to growth, scaling effectively, and meeting the demands of the future. Bryce and Suzanne also debate the future of smaller advisory firms, discussing whether solo advisors can still compete with larger firms expanding through mergers and acquisitions—or if the solo model is truly becoming a thing of the past.

This is a can’t miss episode.

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:
 
LinkedIn: Suzanne Siracuse: https://bit.ly/4e8Zyt0 
Twitter: Suzanne Siracuse: https://x.com/suzsiracuse 
Email: Suzanne@suzannesiracuse.com

Connect With Bryce Skaff:

Dimensional Fund Advisors: https://www.dimensional.com/ 
LinkedIn: Dimensional Fund Advisors: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dimensional-fund-advisors/ 
LinkedIn: Bryce Skaff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryce-skaff-cfa-88877b3/

About Our Guest:

Bryce Skaff is Co-Head of the Global Client Group (GCG) and serves in a leadership role on several of the firm’s key strategic committees. He helps to shape the vision and oversee the management of the GCG, a global team of professionals committed to delivering an outstanding experience to advisors, intermediaries, and institutional investors around the world.

Secrets of Top-Performing Firms: Bryce Skaff on Driving Growth and Success in Wealth Management

The buy versus build debate continues to rage on in the wealth management industry. Many of the largest wealth managers and RIAs have already created great software and technology that others can purchase and fold into their existing businesses. But Farther actually turned to creating their own in-house proprietary platforms to achieve success in a data-driven way. 

Now, with $72 million in Series C funding, Farther plans to use this investment to further support advisors and enhance their platform. 

Shannon, Taylor, and Brad discuss:

- The importance of responsible scaling to maintain high service quality for clients and advisors
- Strategies behind their remote-first company model and the benefits it brought during the pandemic
- Why AI is a tool for scaling advisors’ time, not replacing their role in building trust with clients
- The importance of clean, unified data for optimizing client outcomes and advisor efficiency

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 Taylor Matthews and Brad Genser:

LinkedIn: Taylor Matthews: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylormatthews/ 
LinkedIn: Brad Genser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bgenser/ 
Farther: https://www.farther.com/

About Our Guests:

Taylor Matthews 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.

Brad Genser sets Farther's vision for using technology to deliver an elite wealth experience for clients. Prior to founding Farther, Brad worked at Goldman Sachs in New York – where he founded and led an AI team dedicated to Private Wealth, and was an advisor on a team that managed over $1 billion in assets for clients.

Brad received both an SM in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from MIT. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he is a two-time Iraq war combat veteran who was awarded two bronze stars.

How Farther’s Custom Tech Fuels Advisor Growth with Taylor Matthews and Brad Genser

Adventure racing—an off-road, navigation-based sport that fuses endurance, strategy, and teamwork—became a life-changing journey for Ryan VanGorder. What started as a casual comment while watching The Echo Challenge with friends transformed into a relentless pursuit of his physical and mental limits.

Since 1999, Ryan and his team have tackled grueling competitions that stretch from a few hours to several days, pushing themselves against nature and their own endurance. 

But Ryan’s path took a harrowing turn when a race led to a life-threatening medical emergency, landing him in a coma. Emerging from that experience, he embraced a fierce commitment to living fully, adopting a “YOLO” mindset that fuels both his life and his approach to business.

In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton sits down with Ryan VanGorder, CEO of Opto Investments, to share his story of survival, resilience, and how his brush with death reshaped his outlook on life and work.

Ryan discusses: 
- His introduction to adventure racing and the unique allure that hooked him
- Memorable moments from races across rugged landscapes
- The life-changing near-death experience during the Primal Quest race in Moab, Utah
- How adventure racing taught him valuable lessons for managing risk in business
- How adventure racing helped him find balance and meditation

Resources: 

Listen to other episodes of The Healthy Advisor: https://www.wealthmanagement.com/featured-series/transparency 
Lessons from over two decades of adventure racing:
https://insights.optoinvest.com/article/ryan-vangorder-lessons-from-over-two-decades-of-adventure-racing
 
Connect With Ryan VanGorder:

Opto Investments: https://www.optoinvest.com/ 
LinkedIn: Ryan VanGorder: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-v-6138ba1/ 
Email: ryan@optoinvest.com 

Connect With WealthManagement.com:

https://www.wealthmanagement.com/ 
Email: diana.britton@informa.com
LinkedIn: Diana Britton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-britton-8826b53/ 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://www.linkedin.com/company/informa/ 
LinkedIn: WealthManagement: https://bit.ly/WealthManagementLI

The Healthy Advisor: How Adventure Racing Shaped My Life and Business With Ryan VanGorder

Join host Suzanne Siracuse as she sits down with Lisa Crafford, Managing Director at Constellation Wealth Capital, to explore key strategies for building successful, future-ready wealth management firms.

Drawing on her deep experience working with financial advisors, Lisa offers valuable insights into the power of mentorship, strategic growth approaches, and fostering a strong community. She also sheds light on the pivotal role of technology in positioning firms for sustained growth and resilience in an evolving industry.

Gain insight and practical tips to advance your firm as this episode highlights:

- Lisa’s three main pillars for firm growth - strategic planning, investment in people, and leveraging technology
- Ways advisors can connect with clients and niche segments to build relationships
- The benefits of technology and the challenges faced due to regulatory restrictions
- How to build financial literacy with younger generations

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:
 
LinkedIn: Suzanne Siracuse: https://bit.ly/4e8Zyt0 
Twitter: Suzanne Siracuse: https://x.com/suzsiracuse 
Email: Suzanne@suzannesiracuse.com

Connect With Lisa Crafford:

https://constellationwealthcapital.com/ 
LinkedIn: Constellation Wealth Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/constellationwealthccapital/ 
LinkedIn: Lisa Crafford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisacrafford/

Building Resilient Firms: Lisa Crafford on Growth, Talent, Tech and Client Connection

With over 62% of wealth management firms acknowledging that AI will significantly transform operations, it’s becoming imperative to adopt AI responsibly while ensuring data integrity, regulatory compliance and robust cybersecurity.

Shannon Rosic, director of WealthStack content and solutions, chats with Alec Crawford, the founder and CEO of Artificial Intelligence Risk, about how this firm is revolutionizing AI security and how the platform is working to solve challenges presented by AI.

Alec and Shannon also discuss:

- How AI will become the “command center” for firms
- The operational benefits of AI
- Key aspects of regulatory compliance and future considerations
- Actionable insights on mitigating cybersecurity threats using AI

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 Alec Crawford:

LinkedIn: Alec Crawford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleccrawford/ 
AI Risk: https://www.aicrisk.com/

About Our Guest:

Alec Crawford is the Founder and CEO of Artificial Intelligence Risk, Inc., a leader in AI safety, security and compliance. The company created the first AI governance, risk, compliance, and cybersecurity management software platform (AI GRCC), a new category of software. Their customers range from small businesses to large financial institutions.

Alec is an AI and risk management thought leader, writing his weekly publication, STAY Sustainable, and diving deep into sustainability, technology, artificial intelligence, and other related topics, and also hosts a related podcast interviewing high-profile guests in these areas. He is a frequent conference chair and speaker.

The WealthStack Podcast: The Future of AI Security with Alec Crawford

John Amos, an actor who starred in such television shows as Good Times, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The West Wing, is believed to have died from congestive heart failure, but his only daughter Shannon has doubts. She has accused her brother of elder abuse, including isolating Amos from others, impersonating him in communications and disregarding his medical needs.

Join David Lenok as he speaks with Neil Solarz, shareholder and director at Winestock Manion, about estate planning, wealth transfer and trust administration. With over 30 years of experience and a deep commitment to his clients, Neil sheds light on a topic often overlooked in financial advising—elder abuse and the complexities of end-of-life care. 

This episode highlights the delicate balance between respecting clients' autonomy and protecting them from potential abuse, offering actionable insights for advisors and families alike.

Key takeaways:

- Complexities of elder abuse and family disputes using the late actor John Amos’s estate controversies as a case study;
- How geriatric psychiatrists and lawyers can offer valuable insights to support decisions;
- Common warning signs of elder abuse;
- The importance of proactively updating estate plans; 
- And more

Resources:

Listen to the latest episodes of Celebrity Estates: https://bit.ly/3N10V10 
Trust and Estates Magazine: https://bit.ly/3XXqoPn 

Connect With David Lenok:

david.lenok@informa.com 
https://www.wealthmanagement.com/ 
LinkedIn: David Lenok: https://bit.ly/DavidLenokLI 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/InformaLI 
LinkedIn: WealthManagement: https://bit.ly/WealthManagementLI 

Connect With Neil Solarz:

Weinstock Manion: https://www.weinstocklaw.com/ 
LinkedIn: Neil Solarz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-solarz-26a32515/ 
LinkedIn: Weinstock Manion: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weinstock-manion/ 
Email: nsolarz@weinstocklaw.com

About Our Guest:

Neil Solarz counsels his clients on estate planning, wealth transfer and trust and probate administration. Applying over 30 years of experience and an empathetic, caring approach, Neil focuses on getting to know his clients, their families, business dealings and concerns. His clients appreciate this effort, as it helps Neil drive consensus among family members during the planning phases and reduces the emotional stress common to trust and probate administration.

Celebrity Estates: John Amos and Warning Signs of Elder Abuse in Estate Planning

Recorded live at the Schwab Impact Conference in San Francisco, David Armstrong, editorial director at Informa Connect’s Wealth Management Group, sits down with Michael Goodman, founder, and leader of RIA Wealthstream Advisors, an RIA Edge 100 firm, to explore how he thinks about sustainable growth and client service in wealth management. 

They delve into Goodman’s philosophy and approach behind managing a successful wealth advisory firm and serving clients with meaningful wealth and complex financial needs. Goodman emphasizes the importance of tailored support, from working with full delegators to knowledgeable individuals within financial services.

They discuss:

- What Goodman saw was missing from his accounting client relationships, which prompted him to take the leap and launch his own RIA.
- The process Wealthstream Advisors uses to decide to take on certain clients that may not always meet their minimum AUM requirement.
- How a deep understanding of certain corporate compensation plans helps Wealthstream turn executive clients at those companies into fans of the firm, fueling their referrals.
- Why Goodman encourages his advisors to dump the jargon around the sophisticated planning strategies the firm employs and simply ask the client one pertinent question. 
- How the 100% employee-owned firm approaches M&A
- Why Goodman believes that it’s important to sacrifice maximized firm profitability in order to keep some excess capacity in the organization—to accommodate future growth or cushion the inevitable sustained market downturn. 
- The key KPIs Goodman tracks to help make decisions on staffing and resources.

Resources:
 
RIA Edge Podcast: Wealthstream’s Michael Goodman on Building a $1BN RIA: https://bit.ly/3ZnakGf 
 
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 Goodman:

Wealthstream Advisors: https://www.wealthstreamadvisors.com/
LinkedIn: Michael Goodman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgoodman3/
LinkedIn: Wealthstream Advisors: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wealthstream-advisors-inc-/

About Our Guest:

Michael Goodman, founder of Wealthstream Advisors, is dedicated to fostering lifelong partnerships and helping clients achieve greater financial clarity and peace of mind. Wealthstream Advisors, an independent boutique wealth management firm in New York City, operates as a Registered Investment Advisory firm, providing objective and personalized financial planning and evidence-based investment management while adhering to a fiduciary standard.

Michael emphasizes the importance of tailored financial plans and investment strategies. Through collaboration with Wealthstream Advisors, clients gain enhanced financial knowledge and confidence, empowering them to make informed decisions about managing and growing their wealth.

Turning Clients into Fans & Designing Sustainable Growth with Michael Goodman

Jim Thorpe, revered as one of the greatest athletes in American history, exemplifies how personal wishes and legal rights can conflict posthumously. Thorpe's estranged third wife, Patricia, moved his remains to a town in Pennsylvania, which now bears his name, in a bid to create a tourist attraction, a decision contested by his sons under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990.

David Lenok speaks with Alma Soongi Beck and Professor Jo Carillo about the multifaceted legal landscape surrounding estates involving Native Americans, focusing on Jim Thorpe's controversial burial. They explore the nuanced issues of land rights, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and the increasing interest in land back movements.

David, Alma, and Jo discuss:

- The legal battles surrounding Jim Thorpe's burial controversy and what it symbolizes for Indigenous rights; 
- The impact and significance of the land back movement on traditional land ownership; 
- Common pitfalls encountered in estate planning involving Indigenous lands; 
- Recent trends in charitable giving and how they support Indigenous communities;
- How tax laws affect charitable giving to Indigenous organizations;

Resources:

Listen to the latest episodes of Celebrity Estates: https://bit.ly/3N10V10 

Trust and Estates Magazine: https://bit.ly/3XXqoPn 

Connect With Alma Soongi Beck:

LinkedIn: Alma Soongi Beck: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanfranciscoestateplanning/ 
Lathrop GPM: https://www.lathropgpm.com/ 

Connect With Professor Jo Carillo:

UC Law San Francisco: https://www.uclawsf.edu/ 

Connect With David Lenok:

david.lenok@informa.com 
https://www.wealthmanagement.com/ 
LinkedIn: David Lenok: https://bit.ly/DavidLenokLI 
LinkedIn: Informa: https://bit.ly/InformaLI 
LinkedIn: WealthManagement: https://bit.ly/WealthManagementLI

About Our Guests:

Alma Soongi Beck is certified as a specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law by the State Board of Legal Specialization. Alma’s practice focuses on trusts, charitable planning, gift and estate tax planning, and post-death administration including trust administration and probate. She also offers consultations and seminars on the legal and tax implications of domestic partnership, marriage, and property co-ownership for same-sex and unmarried couples, as well as on the evolution of parentage and gender in estate planning. Alma also advises and presents Land Back to Indigenous Tribes for titleholders, Tribes, and Indigenous nonprofit organizations.

Jo Carrillo JD/JSD is a Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Indigenous Law Center (ILC) at UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). For over three decades, Carrillo has taught and written extensively in property and property-related subjects, including Federal Indian Law. Carrillo earned her BA from Stanford University, her JD from the University of New Mexico, and her JSD from Stanford Law School. She is a member of the Order of the Coif, the American Law Institute, and a former Trustee of the Law & Society Association; she was a Visiting Scholar at The Center for the Study of Law & Society at UC Berkeley Law, and a Visiting Professor at Stanford Law School. As Faculty Director of the UC Law Indigenous Law Center, in addition to other responsibilities, Carrillo facilitates a seminar series called Law & Seminars.

Celebrity Estates: Jim Thorpe, Native Americans, and the Land Back Movement

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, David Armstrong, editorial director at Informa Connect’s Wealth Management Group, speaks with Jennifer des Groseilliers, CEO of The Mather Group. The conversation took place live during Schwab’s recent IMPACT Conference in San Francisco. 

Jennifer was recently appointed head of the $14 billion AUM firm, though she is a veteran in financial services, having worked across advisory channels, first at Ameriprise and later at MetLife and MassMutual. She came to The Mather Group just a few years after the firm was acquired by private equity investor the Vistria Group.  

She is leading a firm that has grown rapidly through a number of acquisitions in recent years, with Vistria's financial backing. The firm currently has some 14 offices around the country, 175 employees and about 4,000 clients. It focuses on financial planning for affluent and HNW individuals, with a minimum account size of $1 million and a family office service model for clients with more than $25 million. 

David and Jennifer discuss:

- The balanced approach to growth that includes scaling responsibly through both internal development and strategic acquisitions
- The Mather Group’s meticulous process that ensures new acquisitions align with their corporate values and culture
- How a recent acquisition brings an alternative investment specialist into the organization, and how alts are incorporated into client portfolios. 
- The firm’s strategy for attracting and retaining top talent in the competitive RIA space, including a popular employee equity plan and a “robust” summer internship program that feeds new talent into many of its offices. 
- Why “emotional intelligence” is a key focus for leadership at The Mather Group and how it benefits both client relations and team dynamics.

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 Jennifer des Groseilliers:

MatherGroup - https://www.themathergroup.com/ 
LinkedIn: MatherGroup: https://www.linkedin.com/company/themathergroup/ 
LinkedIn: Jennifer des Groseilliers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferadesgroseilliers/

About Our Guest:

Jennifer des Groseilliers is the Chief Executive Officer of The Mather Group. Jen cultivates a collaborative culture through inclusive and supportive leadership. Her unwavering commitment to keeping clients at the center of all efforts drives her approach.

Jen’s extensive professional experience includes joining the MetLife Premier Client Group as a Managing Partner in 2013, leading an advisor force of over 160 financial advisors. She later became the CEO of MassMutual Illinois in 2016, and in 2020, after a merger with WestPoint Financial Group, she assumed the role of Partner and Chief Experience Officer, leading various departments including Investments, Compliance, Practice Development, and Financial Planning.

RIA Edge Podcast:  Sustainable Wealth Management Firms with Jennifer des Groseilliers

Technology is no longer just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for scaling and improving client outcomes. With increasing demands on advisors, platforms like Schwab are working to simplify, integrate and anticipate the next wave of innovation to help advisors thrive in an evolving landscape.

In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, Shannon Rosic, director of WealthStack content and solutions at Informa Connect, is joined by Alison Dooher, head of digital advisor services at Charles Schwab, for a live discussion at the recent Schwab IMPACT conference in San Francisco. The conversation dives deep into the future of wealthtech, addressing how Schwab is evolving its digital ecosystem to meet the growing needs of financial advisors. With an emphasis on simplifying tools, improving integrations and leveraging AI, Schwab’s strategy focuses on empowering advisors to streamline operations and enhance the client experience.

Key takeaways include:

- Why less might be more when it comes to tech stacks
- What Schwab learned from the TD Ameritrade integration 
- Why Schwab is enhancing the quality of integrations
- How AI will empower advisors to focus more on meaningful client relationships rather than replace them

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 Alison Dooher:

LinkedIn: Alison Dooher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonpdooher/ 
Charles Schwab: https://www.aboutschwab.com/

About Our Guest:

Alison Dooher is a member of the Advisor Services Leadership Team and has spent two decades working with and in the service of registered investment advisors.

She currently leads Digital Advisor Solutions, which oversees technology platforms that help the RIAs that custody assets with Schwab serve their clients and increase the scale and efficiency of their business. Dooher and her team play a central role in advancing the custody, trading and support services Schwab provides to independent investment advisors.

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