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Nearly every investor has some amount of exsposure to the stock market, and that likely means clients have questions when things start to drag. That's to be expected in this current investing environment so what should you be telling people that want to know how to react? On this episode of the Profitable Advisor, Dan will tell you how he approaches the conversation with clients and what key points he likes to get across to those that are worried. If history is any guide, we'll find our ways to navigate these choppy waters. We always have and we always will, but that doesn't mean there's not some pain and discomfort along the way. The number one concern we have as advisors is protecting clients. Sure, there might be negative returns that happen year to year. But what we're worried about is making sure you don't run out of money in retirement and the returns in the short-term aren't a big deal in the grand scheme of things. If you struggle at all with having these conversations or just want to hear how other advisors handle bad markets, check out this episode and keep an ear out for the key points below.   Today's Key Points: 1:33 - What we're talking about today 2:54 - Market declines aren't bad news 5:22 - Markets are not linear 7:21 - Already factored into planning 8:47 - Discomfort in early stages 10:34 - This is normal 12:44 - So what?      Schedule a meeting with Dan: http://bookachatwithdan.com    Read more and get additional financial resources here: http://renegadeadvisor.net 

One of the hardest things to is actually one of the easiest. Sounds strange, right? Today we'll talk all about writing a book, which can seem like an overwhelming task for a financial advisor. We hear from people all the time that want to do it but have no idea where to start. This show will change that. We won't get into the mechanics of publishing a book on this episode. Instead, we'll focus on what the book should say and why it's so easy to do. We're going to take you through the outline for doing this so make sure you take notes along the way. You'll want to reference this later when you sit down to start your book.  Since learning the process we'll share today, we've written four books including an entire book on a single airplane flight. So settle in, grab your notepad, and let's get started.    Today's Key Points: 1:40 - The goal for this episode 3:47 - Cover and title 7:49 - Add an offer 9:45 - Testimonial page 10:20 - Next sections 11:12 - Forward page and who should read book 12:20 - My promise to you 12:53 - Introduction 14:36 - The chapters 17:10 - Sales section 19:38 - Final thoughts   Read more and get additional financial resources here: http://renegadeadvisor.net   Schedule a meeting with Dan: http://bookachatwithdan.com 

The goal for every advisor should be to manage 100% of your client’s money but that might seem easier said than done. The truth is that having the right approach with prospects makes it a logical decision to place all of their confidence in the work you do. On this episode, Dan will share his process for meeting with clients and setting expectations. This ‘co-design’ approach doesn’t just provide prospects with a clear understanding of your planning philosophy, but it also helps them see why it also makes the most sense for their retirement. We’ll also share the five areas that you’ll want to make a part of that co-design process. Hopefully by the end of the show, you’ll have a clear vision for how to achieve this goal of managing 100% of your client’s money. If you have any questions, you can get on Dan’s calendar by visiting BookaChatWithDan.com. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: Why you don’t have to work with more affluent clients. Explaining what we mean by requiring your clients to put all their money with you. What you should ask your clients before they even begin working with you. The ‘co-design’ process and how to explain that it’s illogical to not have all of your money with one advisor. The five areas that you want to take the co-design approach with a client. Why you need to be a holistic advisor to get 100% of the money. What your marketing plan should be for this year. For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at AdvisorArchitect.com   Here is today's show rundown: 0:45 – Equity markets responding to major events 1:45 – Affluent clients 3:22 – What I mean by ‘require’ 100% of money 5:41 – Show them why it’s illogical to not have you manage it all 9:18 – 5 areas to co-design with a client 10:18 – Talking with your client 13:34 – Holistic advisor 14:30 – Your marketing plan for this year 15:32 – Tools you need  

Today we want to spotlight one of the first people to enroll in the Renegade Advisor program. Not because of that early relationship but because he’s incorporated many of the strategies we talk about and his success is taking off. Ryan Fleming, MBA, RICP, CRPC has an incredible story as a former college football player and graduate of the Air Force Academy. He identified this niche and went all in on working with pilots. The business was profitable early on but the real growth came when he began trusting the marketing strategies we discuss all the time. We asked him to join the podcast to share his journey as an advisor. Along the way, we expect you’ll pick up a few things that you can use in your own practice. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: How he started reaching out to pilots and carving out this niche. His marketing systems and when it all started to click. What ways is he marketing his kit to pilots? The main things that held him back early on Uncovering landmines with prospects and how Ryan stays rigid to his approach as an advisor. Keeping the emotion out of your meetings with prospects. Generating referrals after taking a more holistic approach. For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at AdvisorArchitect.com   What we discuss in this episode:  0:45 –Background on our guest   2:10 – His credentials 3:38 – Decision to work with pilots 5:30 – Spending money to market 9:38 – Two things that held him back 12:00 – His rigid approach as an advisor 16:57 – A more holistic approach 19:38 – Writing a book 22:40 – Client appreciation event    25:22 – Growth 28:37 – Recapping everything we’ve discussed

It’s that time of the year when vendors are having their meetings and that means you need to understand what you’re walking into. The vendors want your business and they will do what it takes to keep you on board. Since they’re essentially in the commodity business, they have to come up with reasons to convince you otherwise. One of the ways they do this is to create a Financial Advisor Hall of Fame to provide you with perks and highlight the work you do. This can and should feel great, but it’s a tactic they will use to keep you locked up and make you keep pushing for these benefits. But it doesn’t always make sense to keep pushing to grow and chase this hall of fame when it comes down to the bottomline of your business. And that’s what it’s all about, right? So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: What really is vendor? The ways in which they can try to convince you can be cultish. Vendors creating a hall of fame to entice you. Be aware of this tactic. Why adding to your team and bringing on more staff doesn’t always mean more money. Hear about four Renegade Advisor members that had great success and how they did it. Understand what’s at play when you go to these vendor meetings. For more on this topic and other strategies to grow your business, join us over at AdvisorArchitect.com.   Show rundown:  0:55 – Vendor meetings 2:21 – Cultish behavior 4:22 – Financial Advisor Hall of Fame 6:08 – We’re running a business 7:37 – Four successful Renegade Advisors members 12:16 – Is it worth the time commitment

With the new year beginning, we hope you are as excited about the future of your business and what you hope to accomplish. With 2022 arriving, we’re always looking for ways to improve ourselves and our bottom lines, and that’s why we choose today’s topic.    Financial advisors are often wondering whether or not they should get a coach. Will it really help elevate your business? Can you see the impact? Let’s talk about that question and work through why it could be a tremendous business development investment. Coaches make an impact on many different aspects of life and finance is no different so if this is something you’ve been considering, you’ll want to hear today’s show. Find out what you’re looking for, what makes a successful program, and why coaches aren’t for everyone.   So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: Trying to accomplish all types of goals in life is achieved more often with the help of a coach. Why a coach isn’t the answer for every financial advisor. A coach should have experience and a background in the area you’re looking to get help with. Whatever you choose, it should have materials that allow you to work and learn on your own along with face-to-face meetings. Don’t bankrupt yourself paying for a program. Great programs should have stages that allow for beginners to experts   What we discuss in this episode: 0:55 – Finishing out 2021 2:45 – Do you need a coach? 4:40 – The primary motivator for having a coach 5:19 – Having a coach isn’t for everyone   7:10 – Your coach should have a background in the area you need help 9:40 – Necessary materials to learn on your own 12:44 – Find something affordable 14:03 – Stages to a program

We’re going to get a little political today but not in the way you would think. You might expect a show with criticism about judgment, but that’s not what this episode is about. The truth is the new administration in Washington D.C. has given financial advisors a lot of great opportunities to grow their business, and as a result, you should be ramping up your marketing efforts. Now, this isn’t a discussion about whether or not we agree with the current policies. It’s about leveraging the current environment to generate revenue for yourself. We’re going to use this episode to lay out a simple strategy for how to address the issues at hand and then provide a system to people that will help solve those problems. There’s a lot of fear and concern from Americans right now and proper planning can help ease many of those financial worries. That’s where you come in.   So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: The story behind the one and only Democrat that Dan has voted for. The reality of inflation and how to market around that issue. You want to appeal to what could be a worry or concern for your prospect. Why you should be talking about the news of the day. What questions you can ask at workshops Why you need to have a system in place For more on this topic and other strategies to grow your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net.   1:19 – Background on Dan’s political beliefs 3:29 – The marketing opportunities created by President Biden 4:14 – Inflation 5:42 – How to market around inflation 9:11 – Take advantage of the news of the day 12:19 – Questions to throw out at workshops   15:45 – Are you lacking a system? 17:56 – The takeaway from this topic

What can a financial advisor learn from their doctor? Well, the way we interact with our clients should resemble the way a doctor treats their patients. We are the professionals and we have to be able to communicate to our clients what is best for them, as a doctor would do for your health.  On today's show, we will go over 5 things we can learn from our doctors that will make us better financial professionals.  You need to understand why your prospective client is coming to you. During a doctor's visit, they would ask you "Where does it hurt?" The same thing applies to your client's financial plans. Why do they need an advisor? Where do they feel they need help in their plan?  Don't make recommendations until your client agrees to a whole holistic study of their finances and financial plan. You can't tell a doctor to just check one part of your body. You are an expert in your field, as a doctor is an expert in their field. The client needs to trust your recommendations and process! We want to be clear and confident when we are working with prospects and clients. You are getting paid for your service and your expertise. It's okay to tell clients no and to give them your honest opinion for the health of their financial plans. The more you start saying no, the more people will start saying yes to your recommendations.  So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: What questions do you need to be asking your prospective clients? Why do you need to provide a holistic opinion to your clients? Get paid for all of your time. Don't get lost in the details.  Learn how to say no when you need to. For more on this topic and other strategies to grow your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net.   What we discuss on this episode:  2:53 – Where does it hurt? 5:20 – Examine fully 6:44 – Getting paid for nothing 9:53 – Don’t overdo the science 11:37 – Willing to say no

You’ve probably heard many times that authors have credibility. Even if the books aren’t well-written, just becoming published establishes them as an expert on their subject matter. It’s just a fact of life. And there’s never a better way to establish a relationship with a prospect than with your own book. As the guest on today’s show will explain, you don’t want to become a coffee bean on a table of coffee beans. You want to do something that separates and differentiates you from the competition. One of the best ways to achieve that is by publishing your own book. Today we welcome Mike Delon, who is an author, speaker and marketing strategist that works with advisors to help write and publish books. He has the process down to a science and understands the strategy behind becoming a best-selling author on Amazon. Ultimately we want you to see just how efficient the process is and why it won’t take nearly as much time as you’d expect to write your first book. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: Why publishing your own book helps provide separation and differentiation from the competition. Is it better to aim for perfection or just get it all written? How to utilize the book to attract prospects. The approach he uses to create a book with clients. Why it only takes an hour or 1.5 hours each week to write the book. The secret to becoming a best-selling author on Amazon The way he leverages the book with podcasts For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net. What we discuss on this episode: 1:47 – The advantage of having your own book 3:33 – Aiming for perfection  4:57 – Payoff on the backend 8:04 – Referral tool 9:38 – Formula for creating the book 12:03 – The process for writing the book  14:24 – Becoming a best seller 19:27 – Using the book and podcast together 23:28 – Getting media credentials  25:24 – Orders 27:13 – How to connect with Mike    About our guest: https://paperbackexpert.com/ 

It’s that time of the year when vendors hold their annual meetings, evaluate the upcoming year, and set new sales goals. The mission, as they’ll explain, is to ramp up sales and increase the revenue you’re bringing into the business. But does that actually benefit you? While these meetings might be great for catching up with old friends and learning about new trends, they aren’t the best use of time when it comes to increasing your profit. So today we’ll going to tell you about the process you should be using to generate the revenue you need, and it’s something the vendors will never agree with. We want to make it clear that businesses that aren’t built on profit will continue carrying huge overhead managing dinner seminars and other large expenses. And that’s never going to allow you to reach the profitability you desire. The bottom line for the discussion today is determining how much money you need and how much profit you are required to generate to hit that critical mass number on your own personal net worth. This all leads to better results for you and the business. If you take care of yourself, you’ll take care of your clients even more. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: What is a closed office concept? Why you need to figure out how much money it’s going to take to have the lifestyle you want. Getting to the point where every client you bring on just becomes a bonus. Insight into the considerations you need to make to reach these goals. What do you need to know about your client base? What does it take to reach that critical mass number for your business? What they’ll tell you at the vendor meetings. For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net.   What we discuss on this episode:  1:28 – Why we’re talking about this topic 2:02 – Closed office concept 2:50 – First question to ask yourself 5:07 – Insight into what you need to consider to reach net profit you need   6:31 – Studying client base 9:12 – Reaching critical mass 11:43 – What they’ll tell you at these vendor meetings

For the first time in a while, we won’t have a guest on the show but that’s because we want to share an update on what we’ve been doing. Specifically, we want to discuss the new direct marketing strategy we’ve been utilizing. You might have heard us discuss this before but we wanted to bring everyone up to speed because it’s an important part of being profitable. Before we can talk about the strategy, let’s first define what we mean by direct marketing. To us, it’s a process where you market your services only to be who have expressed an interest at some point in your business. That’s important to remember. So this episode will take you through the process and our thought behind everything. It’s shorter than most of the shows we put out but we want to boil it down to an easy to follow explanation. In order to get someone to express interest, it starts with the ‘Shock and Awe’ kit. We talk about that all the time, but when they order your kit, it should Instantly send them a text, voicemail, and make a phone call. You want that immediate communication. The first two can be automated but you want the phone call to come from someone on your team. From there you can start the selling process, work on getting a meeting set up, and then provide the necessary follow-up communications. Another new addition to the process is the webinar. Most advisors have become familiar with these over the past year, and it’s a great tool to add to your marketing arsenal. Keep in mind that these don’t need to be used for hard selling. You’ll be working off a warm list. In this webinar, you want to bring them up to speed on something and then encourage them to set up a 15-minute call. We’ll fill in more of the details on the show, but if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. We also have a newsletter we provide so sign up if you haven’t yet. What we discuss on this episode:  1:31 – Update on the podcast 2:47 – Modified strategy on direct marketing 3:49 – Direct marketing example 6:14 – Ways Dan markets his business 7:22 – How the process works 9:32 – Follow-up communications 10:51 – Monthly webinar 11:58 – Where mistakes get made 13:10 – How to get more content from Dan

Life throws us curve balls all the time. It’s part of the journey and we all have to figure out how to overcome the challenge and keep pushing forward. Having that added pressure of being a business owner makes it even tougher, but no matter how down you get, I want you to think about June Scharf. Our guest today might be familiar to some of the people we work with because she’s a talented writer and editor that assists advisors in our program, but her story will really change your perspective on life’s challenges. As you come to find out, she’s the strongest person that I know and her story is one that will blow you away. We’ll let you listen to her tell it for herself, but it all began with a stroke at the age of 10. But through everything, she continues to come up with ways to overcome setbacks. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: How the stroke happened and what it felt like. The way she turned her tremor into a superpower. The advice her dad gave her when she became a mom and worried about her abilities in that role. Breast cancer at the age of 45. Divorce came next, which was maybe even tougher because it was out of her control. Losing her son to suicide How writing became a coping mechanism and a creative outlet You have to own your issues and that generates confidence. To learn more about June, visit her website here: https://www.junescharf.com/  We also recommend watching her Ted Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VRqm_9s9eI  For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net.   Here's today's rundown: 1:58 – Life before the stroke 3:06 – Her explanation of the stroke 7:52 – Turning weakness into power 12:07 – Dad’s advice when she became a mom 14:07 – Bodybuilding   16:18 – Breast cancer 17:42 – Divorce 19:11 – How we began working together 20:07 – Losing her son 23:15 – Coping mechanisms she’s used 28:46 – Dan’s experience dealing with Tourette syndrome

If you’ve listened to our show at all, you already know that podcasting is a very cost-effective strategy for nurturing your clients but today we want to tell you about a Certified Financial Planner that has built his business around a podcast. Our guest today is Benjamin Brandt, who started the Retirement Starts Today Radio six years ago and has grown an incredible following through simple approach to marketing and promotion. If you have a podcast or have been considering starting a show (which we recommend), then this is an interview you don’t want to miss. Brandt’s business was in dire shape back in 2015 when he shifted his focus to podcasting and now he has a beautiful work-life balance that can turn away clients that aren’t the right fit. Today we’ll learn about the strategies he’s implemented, why he doesn’t use call to actions, and how the idea of ‘less is more’ is very true for his show. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: Why he decided to start the podcast to help save his business. The approach he credits for having so much success with the show. Why he doesn’t use any calls to action on the show. Strategies to drive organic growth The way he formats his show each episode and the reasons behind it. Why he keeps his shows to 20 minutes or less Getting clients into the funnel and then how he manages that flow. Why he doesn’t do any promotion on the show and keeps everything simple. Breaking news on his future plans to work with advisors. For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net. What we discuss on the show: 1:53 – The reason for the podcast 4:46 – Why he’s had success 5:58 – No calls to action 10:29 – Creating scarcity and friction 12:55 – How he promotes the show 17:07 – Format for his show 22:06 – The length of his show 24:39 – His audience 30:15 – Brilliance of simplicity 32:12 – Never promotes the show 33:46 – Surge of meetings 37:51 – Starting to work with advisors

If you’re looking for a way to separate yourself from other advisors, tax planning just might be the answer. Most people are focused on tax preparation each year but providing tax planning as part of an overall approach to serving clients, you’ll be able to provide additional value to each person you work with. The holdup for people is not having a comprehensive understanding of tax code. But that’s where a CPA comes in. The role an advisor plays works in conjunction with a CPA and together they can really benefit a client. That’s why we asked Steven Jarvis, CPA, MBA, to come on the podcast and share the way he helps bring tax professionals and financial advisors together to reduce one of the largest expenses in retirement, which is taxes. He’s an expert in working with advisors and showing them how to implement tax planning in your business and how explain how it can strengthen your relationship with clients. Throughout the show, he’ll walk you through the difficulties in tax planning, what kind of checklist you need, and how advisors will benefit from this service. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: Why tax planning frequently gets ignored by advisors. The steps you can take as an advisor in the tax planning area. What approach can you take if you feel like you don’t have enough knowledge to take on taxes. Are you comfortable explaining the strong possibility of increased taxes in the future? Make sure your clients are bringing in a 1040 and what you should look for on it. The reason why CPAs are trusted much more than advisors and how you can overcome that frustration. The relationship between advisors and CPAs when it comes to tax planning. How Steven and his team at Retirement Tax Services helps advisors. To get more info about Steven and to sign up for his webinar, visit his website at https://retirementtaxservices.com/welcome. And if you want the checklist of what to look for on tax forms, shoot them an email at advisors@rts.tax. For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net.   Here's the rundown for this episode: 1:38 – Why our guest today 2:11 – Tax planning gets ignored 4:58 – Steps advisors should take 7:20 – Advisors that feel like they don’t know enough   10:49 – Understanding the future of taxes   16:38 – What to look for on a 1040   22:10 – Why advisors aren’t trusted   25:56 – Qualified dividends   29:02 – Conflict between advisors and CPAs 31:38 – How Steven helps advisors with tax planning 34:35 – Webinar he offers

One of the positives that came out of the COVID pandemic was the increased comfort most people now feel on virtual calls and online video conferences. While we’ll be able to transition away from doing as many of these as advisors, it’s still a valuable tool that we now have at our disposal. The Renegade Advisor program now offers up a webinar service for clients that helps you with content, design, and marketing. We’re excited about this collaboration we’re doing with Grace Fortune and want to share the ways you’ll be able to use this product to nurture. What do I mean by nurture? Marketers who understand direct marketing strategy, which is you first develop warm leads. You offer information that people will request from you. Once they’ve done that, you nurture them through a variety of strategies. The ultimate bottom of the funnel way to nurture is through some sort of presentation, which is where the webinar comes in. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: What Dan means when he says a good lead nurturer. What are the keys to making a webinar strategy work for your lead nurture. The most effective length on a presentation. Should you send your webinar to everyone on your list once it’s finished? What she feels it the best way to promote your content to get as many people to sign up. Coming up with your client avatar Designing an effective webinar What all you get from a Renegade Advisor webinar For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net. Learn more about Grace: https://www.gracefortune.com/    What we discuss on this episode:  1:40 – Introducing our guest today 3:45 – Why this topic 7:14 – Keys to making webinars work 11:03 – Length of the presentation   11:23 – Sending the presentation out to everyone in your list 15:40 – How to properly promote your content   19:46 – How you define your target client   22:58 – Designing webinars 31:04 – What you get from the Renegade webinar 37:11 – How to learn more  

Today we’re excited to bring on a good friend and a successful business owner who’s managed to merge different practices into one operation. Trent Benedetti, CPA, CFP, IAR, owner of Benedetti Financial is our guest on this episode of the Profitable Advisor and he’s a perfect example of how to provide multiple services for clients. He started with nothing and very quickly was able to wed tax planning and accounting with financial services and managing assets. It’s a model that every accountant should consider adopting and we’ll get into how he’s been able to accomplish it. We’ll discuss some of the most important topics like marketing, referrals, client relationships, and overseeing two different businesses during the conversation, and Benedetti is someone that everyone can pick up a thing or two from. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: The story behind his decision to add the financial services to his accounting business. Why referrals won’t necessarily slow down like some people fear. How to discuss strategies with clients and why the media’s role isn’t in your best interest Stock picking and market timing. Why it’s so important to run multiple simulations and prepare clients for the range of returns. Targeting small family-owned businesses and how he markets to those through marketing. The changes he’s made because of COVID and what he might continue using. How he’s gone about balancing two different businesses.   For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net.   What we discuss on this episode:  1:35 – Welcome in Trent   3:00 – How long did it take to expand into financial services?   4:16 – Blending the two together  7:03 – Referrals  9:36 – Investment advice and strategy 19:30 – Stock picking vs active management  21:46 – Stress of a market-timing approach  23:58 – Story about a vendor meeting   27:22 – Running multiple simulations   33:00 – Targeting small family-owned businesses  35:08 – The burden of COVID on the business 39:49 – Balancing two companies   43:50 – Maximizing the value of your business  

If you want a master class on marketing strategy, this might be the closest you’ll get in a single podcast episode. Today we’re talking with Kia Arian, who we’ve worked with for a few years. She’s a strategist and graphic designer to many of the biggest marketing names out there. She’s also helped with Dan’s upcoming book, Advisor VooDoo: Mastering the Dark Arts of Asset Management.  If you want a step-by-step strategy for marketing, this show will cover just about every aspect of the process in detail. By the time you get finished with the episode – and we think you might listen to it a few times – you will have a very good understanding of Kia’s approach and why she’s become so successful. Also, make sure you check out this link to Kia’s program and learn more about how it helps advisors build their business: www.TheMDDM-Advisors.com So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: How she made the transition from print shop to strategist. The Fly in the Window story Why you shouldn’t worry about a having a niche and that limiting your business. Learning certain principles and tactics allows you to apply that to any area. Her strategy to building and utilizing a Shock and Awe kit What are the things you need to have in the kit? The X-factor that will set you apart Details on the postcard strategy attornies use to get referrals For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net.   What we discuss on this episode:  2:02 – Welcome in Kia 3:15 – Evolving into her current role as strategist   6:31 – Working with attornies  12:40 – Getting pigeonholed   16:04 – Building your reputation   18:27 – Utilizing Shock and Awe kits  24:09 – What needs to be in the kit  29:57 – Testimonials   35:42 – Making it memorable  37:47 – Packaging   41:28 – Tissue paper 48:17 – Postcard strategies to get referrals 53:28 – Consistency 55:14 – Getting referrals from attornies and CPAs

It’s time to introduce you to Paul Durso. He’s one of the original members of the Renegade Advisors program and has enjoyed a lot of success after stepping out on his own. To understand Durso’s process, you have to know his background. He left a successful practice in Michigan because the partnership wasn’t working like he hoped and moved to North Carolina to begin his own business. There, he’s grown to oversee many advisors and developed his own planning software that has helped fuel that growth. Today we welcome Durso to the show to get a better understanding of his approach to planning. What you’ll learn about in detail are his three pillars to the business: service, planning and education. When you do all three of these things very well, that’s when you become their key person. They want to tell everyone about what they’ve learn and what they know because there is a sense of ownership. That’s when the referrals start rolling in without you having to chase them. His story is one of drive and a love of entrepreneurship and hopefully you can learn a lot from his business. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: What motivated him to move from Michigan to North Carolina Why he decided to start with college classes Why he doesn’t currently take any more clients on personally Their move to a referral-only business A breakdown of his three pillars for service Why it’s important to educate people as much as possible What led to him creating his own planning software Details on his planning made simple program The mastermind concept Learn more about what Paul does and get a discount for being a listener by visiting: https://planningmadesimple.com/dancuprill For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net.   What we discuss on this episode: 1:30 –  Welcome in Paul 2:32 – Why he decided to move and how it got going so quickly 4:28 – The success of his first seminar 5:42 – Direct mail early on  7:50 – The strategies his advisors use 8:45 – First pillar is service 12:00 – A great client story 14:50 – Second pillar is planning 20:45 – Third pillar is execution 24:29 – Getting clients excited when markets go down 26:19 – Planning made simple program 29:35 – What Dan loves about this 32:13 – Mastermind concept 36:08 – How to learn more about Paul’s process

When you think about the reasons you haven’t been as successful as you want to be, how often do you look to someone or something else to blame? It’s our natural inclination but what we’ve learned from mindset expert Nina Cooke is that we need to be examining ourselves. On this episode of the podcast, we have a follow up conversation with Nina Cooke. She joined us a few episodes back to explain how she helps people develop the right mindset for success. Now we want to identify the reasons why people and businesses aren’t having their desired success. For Nina, it breaks down to three key reasons: The stories we make up in our heads We don’t take responsibility for our lives. We react automatically instead of responding purposefully. We’ve partnered with Nina to create a program that we think will be the best one we’ve provided so we’re excited about it. From this conversation and our previous one with Nina, you should have a pretty good idea of how much she understands mindset and what needs to be done to change it for the better. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: Dan’s fascination with success and the people who achieve it What brought Dan to Nina Cooke Why we feel this is the most important program we’re launching. Detail on each of the three reasons we fail to have success. The program we’re rolling out For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net. What we discuss on this episode: 2:03 – Fascination with success   3:57 – 3 things that hold people back   5:13 – Take responsibility 6:11 – Reacting vs Responding 7:23 – Having a system

Every advisor wants to find ways to increase AUM and the best way to do that is by maximizing the clients you’re already working with. Few businesses do that better than the Duffy Law Office in Davenport, Iowa. Along with estate planning, attorneys Dennis Duffy and Ryan Denman also provide a variety of financial planning services for their clients as part of Abundance Financial. It was a logical expansion of the business and one they continue to fine tune over time. On this episode of the Profitable Advisor, we’re going to get into a very detailed conversation on their process for bringing clients from the law side to the financial side, how they nurture existing clients, and why they’ve been so successful with this strategy. There’s a lot of great information in this conversation and we appreciate their time. So as you go through the episode today, keep an ear out for some of these topics that we cover: The path from law to finance Why relationships and rapport are most important The process they use to bring awareness to the financial side of the business and the way they bring law clients over. The different styles that they use to work with clients Working with the entire family on planning How they nurture clients over time that haven’t moved to the financial side How they’ve been able to build a tremendous business in a small market Dan’s opinion on their business and whether they should make changes Creating a succession plan How to become more selective with clients and establishing a process for that. For more on this topic and other strategies to growing your business, join us over at RenegadeAdvisor.net.   What we discuss on this episode:  1:34 – Background on the Dennis and the business 6:28 – How clients find the financial side of the business 10:56 – Ryan’s process for bringing law clients over to finance 18:38 – How Dennis’ approach is different from Ryan 23:12 – Dealing with the family 27:50 – Tough conversations with married couples 31:15 – Nurture systems 34:50 – Only taking clients who want full package 38:24 – Building a business in a small community 46:10 – Should they change the business model? 51:15 – Two issues to address 55:40 – Becoming more selective