Decision paralysis is one of the biggest silent killers of RIA growth. With hundreds of tech tools, endless surveys and no clear roadmap, many firms freeze instead of scaling. The result? Wasted time, poor implementations and missed opportunities to run their practices like true businesses.

In this episode of The WealthStack Podcast, host Shannon Rosic sits down with James Cantwell, founder of WealthTech Select, to unpack why advisors struggle to make confident tech and growth decisions—and what it takes to move past the noise. James has spent nearly three decades across wealth management, asset management and technology, and he’s now building RIA Ascent to help firms find the clarity and direction they’ve been missing.

Shannon and James also discuss:

- Why decision paralysis is so common in advisor tech and strategy
- The Cheesecake Factory effect: too many choices, not enough clarity
- How benchmarking and data can serve as a compass for firm growth
- Why most tech dissatisfaction stems from poor implementation—not the tools
- The industry’s need for better connections between RIAs, vendors and consultants

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 James Cantwell:
 
LinkedIn: James Cantwell - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescantwell/ 
Website: WealthTech Select - https://www.wealthtechselect.com/ 
Website: RIA Ascent - http://riaascent.com 

About Our Guest:

Drawing from 25 years across investment management, banking, and WealthTech, James Cantwell brings a unique 360-degree perspective to digital transformation. His journey from GAMCO Asset Management and AST Trust (now Broadridge) to leading SS&C Advent's consulting practice revealed a critical insight: firms need a better way to evaluate and implement technology.

After guiding hundreds of RIAs and family offices through implementation challenges, he founded The Cantwell Advisory and WealthTech Select to revolutionize how firms assess and adopt wealth management solutions.

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