Is estate planning the next frontier of wealth management? Estate planning solutions are becoming steadily more popular with advisors, especially those seeking to differentiate their services. As clients become increasingly aware of the complexities of wealth transfer, asset protection, and legacy planning, they expect comprehensive guidance from their advisors. By using estate planning tools, advisors can offer a holistic approach to wealth management, addressing not only investment strategies but also the essential aspects of estate distribution and tax implications. 

In this episode, Shannon Rosic, director of WealthStack content and solutions, speaks with Gene Farrell, CEO of Vanilla, about the emerging trends in estate planning and why it's becoming a critical part of wealth management.

Shannon and Gene also discuss:

- Why estate planning is becoming a differentiator for financial advisors 
- The biggest misconceptions around estate planning
- Why the great wealth transfer is driving technological changes
- The impact AI is having on estate planning software

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 Gene Farrell:
LinkedIn: Gene Farrell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gene-farrell/ 
Vanilla: https://www.justvanilla.com/

About Our Guest:

With over 25 years of executive leadership experience driving transformation and growth across the consumer and technology industries, Gene is a recognized thought leader and innovator known for building disruptive new businesses for global brands. He was named a 2019 Innovator of the Year by the Puget Sound Business Journal. 

Prior to Vanilla, Gene spent 4 1/2 years at Smartsheet where he helped take the company public and scale the business from $100M to over $500M in revenue. As Smartsheet’s Chief Strategy and Product Officer Gene was responsible for leading company strategy, corporate development, product management, product marketing, experience design, and strategic alliances. Gene joined Smartsheet from Amazon Web Services where he spent five years as a vice president responsible for enterprise computing. In this role, Gene pioneered new cloud businesses including Amazon WorkSpaces and Amazon Chime. Before Amazon, Gene was a vice president at the Coca-Cola Company, where he founded and led the creation of the Coca-Cola Freestyle beverage platform. His groundbreaking work on Coca-Cola Freestyle was recognized by Forbes as one of the best new products of the decade and received the Edison Gold Innovation and Catalyst Design awards.

Why Estate Planning is The Next Frontier of Wealth Management with Gene Farrell

LPL Financial has been a leader in the independent broker/dealer space for years, serving nearly 22,000 financial advisors representing over $1 trillion of brokerage and advisory assets. This means the business needs its infrastructure to be fast, reliable and secure. Everything LPL does is positioned around helping advisors take care of their clients, with technology being a driving force. 

In this episode, Shannon Rosic, director of WealthStack content and solutions, speaks with Greg Gates, CTO of LPL, about how technological advancements are driving the firm’s digital transformation.

Shannon and Greg also discuss:

- 2024 plans around tech spend 
- LPL’s stance on artificial intelligence
- How the firm prioritizes tech initiatives for advisors 
- Striking the right balance when it comes to scaling the business 

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 Greg Gates:

LinkedIn: Greg Gates: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-gates-lpl/ 
LPL: https://www.lpl.com/ 

About Our Guest:

Greg Gates is managing director and Chief Technology & Information Officer for LPL Financial. In this role, Mr. Gates is responsible for managing all aspects of the firm’s technology and systems applications. He leads a high-performing information technology organization responsible for delivering technology solutions and market-leading platforms that enable positive, compelling experiences for LPL advisors and employees.

Mr. Gates joined LPL in 2018 with nearly two decades of senior-level management experience focused on the application of technology to solve business challenges on a global scale. Before joining LPL, Mr. Gates led Product Management and Engineering teams at PayPal from 2011 to 2018, focusing on internal technology platforms, merchant and consumer experiences, risk and security, and global operations. Prior to that, at Bank of America, he led a number of technology organizations, culminating in leadership of Bank of America’s Contact Center Technology from 2002 to 2011.

Mr. Gates earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University in 1999, and successfully completed multiple leadership, continuing education, and certification programs from several organizations. He recently served on the Pega Platform Customer Advisory Board at Pegasystems, and previously served on Avaya’s customer advisory board. He is currently on Box, Inc.’s CIO Advisory Board.

The WealthStack Podcast: How LPL Approaches Digital Transformation with Greg Gates

For financial advisors, having a growth partner is essential for achieving sustainable success and scaling their business. The right partner can provide strategic insights, and enhance an advisor's operational efficiencies and client service capabilities. Through strategic partnerships, advisors can access new markets and opportunities more effectively, manage risks better, and stay ahead of industry trends, ultimately leading to increased client satisfaction and higher growth rates. 
 
In this episode, Shannon Rosic, director of WealthStack content and solutions, speaks with Andree Mohr, President of Integrated Partners, about the importance of a growth partner.

Shannon and Andree also discuss:

- Why Integrated’s CPA Alliance is a game changer 
- Successful transition stories, including an advisor who saw 96% organic growth
- How the role of technology impacted Integrated’s strategy for onboarding, training, and supporting advisors
- Tech that’s standing out in a crowded marketplace 

Resource:

Integrated Partners Promotes Andree Mohr to President: https://www.wealthmanagement.com/ria-news/integrated-partners-promotes-andree-mohr-president

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 Andree Mohr:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andree-peterson/ 
Integrated Partners: https://integrated-partners.com/ 

About Our Guest:

Andree supports growth on many levels as the President of Integrated. In this role, She oversees the day-to-day operations, manages budgets, and drives the firm’s key objectives to ensure the consistent and healthy growth of the organization. A particular passion of hers is helping entrepreneurial-minded financial advisors implement strategic operations that enhance efficiencies, foster practice growth, and bring their business visions to fruition. Through Integrated’s CPA Alliance program, she assists CPA partners in monetizing their most trusted advisor status while simultaneously aiding clients in their financial planning and tax needs.

She is also the co-author of “Center Stage: How to Become the Star of Your Practice” along with Matt Ackermann. The book focuses on operational, team building, and business processing efficiencies to help empower advisors to streamline their practices. The end result: advisors will have a roadmap to grow their business, leave a lasting legacy, and ultimately provide a boutique, concierge, memorable experience for their clients.

Her professional background includes graduating from Northeastern University, with an emphasis on experiential learning. She has been supporting advisors in various capacities for the last 13 years and truly enjoys helping them with their growth endeavors, facilitating business optimization, and ultimately watching them realize their goals.

Rounding out her life involves spending time with her husband and twin daughters, passionately cheering on the New England Patriots, traveling, and supporting charitable causes that are important to her.

The WealthStack Podcast: The Importance of a Growth Partner with Andree Mohr

Proactive client engagement through technology has become paramount, which means the role of the CRM has evolved. In an increasingly uncertain economic environment, advisors must future-proof their business models to scale operations and expand their reach. A key area to revisit is their CRM system, which has become crucial for delivering personalized services and enhancing client engagement. 

In this episode, Shannon Rosic, Director of WealthStack Content and Solutions, speaks with  Doug Fritz, CEO and founder of F2 Strategy, about the current state and future of CRM systems in the wealth management industry. 

Shannon and Doug discuss:

- The shift from traditional CRM systems to more integrated, automated solutions
- Key frustrations and wish list items for wealth management firms using CRM systems
- Differences in how firms view CRMs as either operational tools or client engagement tools
- The role of CRM maturity and workflow customization in increasing satisfaction

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 Doug Fritz:

LinkedIn: Doug Fritz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougfritz/ 
F2 Strategy: https://www.f2strategy.com/

The WealthStack Podcast: Unpacking The State of CRM with Doug Fritz

Small to medium-sized businesses make up 99% of all U.S. businesses, and most of these business owners are unaware of their enterprise value. The episode dives into how Interval provides critical insights for business owners by automating business health analytics and delivering ongoing value monitoring, ultimately helping advisors provide better guidance by integrating business health data into their planning process.

Join Shannon Rosic, director of WealthStack content and solutions, as she speaks with Trevor Greenway, Co-Founder & CEO at interVal, on how interVal is empowering financial advisors to attract, retain, and better serve high-value business owner clients through the innovative use of technology.

Shannon and Trevor discuss:

- What data is most important in business valuations
- How InterVal fits into an advisors overall tech stack
- How wealth managers can act as the “quarterback” for business owners
- The importance of having clear business goals when implementing 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 Trevor Greenway:

LinkedIn: Trevor Greenway: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-greenway-54738b25/ 
interVall: https://www.inter-val.ai/ 


About Our Guest:

Trevor Greenway is an exceptionally passionate leader who believes that when data is harnessed for good, everyone in the ecosystem benefits. He understands that business owners and their advisors can operate more efficiently when financial data is sorted and contextualized in meaningful ways. Believing that everyone succeeds with access to comprehensive information, Trevor led the development of a software platform that provides this data in real time.

Why Business Owners Deserve Better from Their Advisory Partners with Trevor Greenway

The use of testimonials creates a powerful opportunity to amplify the potential reach of positive experiences through word-of-mouth sharing to new audiences. For financial advisors, online reputation is becoming increasingly important as clients turn to digital channels for information. Understanding how to leverage testimonials effectively can be a game-changer for business growth.

In this episode of WealthStack, Shannon Rosic, Director of WealthStack Content & Solutions, chats with Andrew Johnson, CEO, and Co-founder of Testimonial IQ, about why financial advisors should care about Google reviews, the role of compliance in managing testimonials, and how to align online presence with real-world client relationships.

Shannon and Andrew discuss:

- Understanding testimonials vs. endorsements
- Overcoming the fear of feedback
- What advisors need to know about SEO
- Future trends in online reputation management and the role of AI in compliance

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 Andrew Johnson:

LinkedIn: Andrew Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-b-johnson/ 
Testimonial IQ: https://www.testimonialiq.com/

About Our Guest:

An experienced FinTech entrepreneur, Andrew previously co-founded Datalign Advisory, an RIA referral platform where he serves as a board advisor. Before Datalign, he worked in management consulting with a focus on B2C marketing and in product/operations strategy with Meta (Facebook). Andrew served for five years in the Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer, including two deployments on the world’s finest Destroyer, USS O’Kane. Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Virginia and his BS from Davidson College. He resides with his family in Denver, CO.

Harnessing the Power of Testimonials for Business Growth with Andrew Johnson of Testimonial IQ

TAMPs have evolved significantly since their inception in the 1980s, becoming essential tools for advisors seeking to enhance operational efficiency and client service. Initially, TAMPs were designed to simplify portfolio management by providing access to pre-selected investment models and third-party asset managers, allowing advisors to outsource the heavy lifting of investment management. Over time, as technology has advanced and client expectations have shifted, TAMPs have evolved to offer a wider array of services, including advanced portfolio customization, automated trading, and integrated compliance tools. The modern TAMPs now combine cutting-edge wealthtech solutions with multi-custodial capabilities, allowing advisors to serve a broader range of clients more effectively while keeping their focus on client engagement and growth.

In this episode, WealthStack Podcast host Shannon Rosic chats with Kyle Wiggs, CEO of UX Wealth Partners, about the evolving role of TAMPs in wealth management.

Shannon and Kyle also discuss:

- The evolution of TAMPs and the technology advancements driving growth
- How advisors can leverage TAMPs to manage regulatory, operational, and investment challenges more effectively
- The role of AI in enhancing decision-making and portfolio management
- How technology is redefining the client experience and helping advisors maintain control while outsourcing key functions

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 Kyle Wiggs:

LinkedIn: Kyle Wiggs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylewiggs/ 
UX Wealth: https://www.uxwp.com/

About Our Guest:

As President & CEO, Kyle is responsible for leading UX Wealth Partners' team of dedicated industry experts. He focuses primarily on business strategy, organizational management, platform & product development, and distribution strategy. With nearly two decades of industry experience, Kyle has an intimate understanding of today’s advisors, the technologies needed to modernize their businesses, and the transformative investment tools that power the UX Wealth Partners platform.

The WealthStack Podcast: The TAMP Evolution: Tech Driving Wealth Management Forward with Kyle Wiggs

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

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

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.

New tracks tagged #WealthTech,