Why Most Advisory Firms Stall And What It Takes To Grow Again — 049
Fri Jan 23 2026
New year energy is loud, but the real story here is the quiet math behind it: Higher incomes, higher complexity, and a lot more ways to get taxes wrong.
We open the hood on why inquiries spiked after the holidays and what people actually want when they reach out. Spoiler: It isn’t another model portfolio. It’s clarity, confidence, and permission to make big life moves without second-guessing.
We get honest about the most common error we’re seeing: Roth IRA contributions made over the income limits and how a 6% annual penalty can quietly compound for years. We share how we work with CPAs to unwind eight-year problems, weigh the cleanest fixes, and keep families moving forward. Then we zoom out to the bigger shift: Asset management alone is losing steam. The value now is judgment and timing. Should you buy the beach house? Take the $13,000 trip? Retire at 62 instead of 65 and gain 12 extra adventures? When planning is done well, it turns those questions into decisions that fit your life.
We hope advisors recognize the industry currents we call out: Aging books that cannibalize themselves, heirs who move assets to where they feel known, and a marketing landscape that rewards consistency over hacks. We talk practical growth, LinkedIn visibility, client experience that’s actually referable, and building expertise that estate attorneys and CPAs want to send work to. If you missed the seasonal rush, great. Start planting for the next one. Fix bottlenecks across your process, count appointments instead of views, and make every client touch feel like Chick-fil-A, not a shrug at the counter.
We hope you enjoy!
Thanks for listening!
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📄 Dollars & Diagrams Newsletter
📃 Marketing Notes Newsletter
Nic on LinkedIn
Know My Plan - YouTube
Corey on LinkedIn
Corey on YouTube
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New year energy is loud, but the real story here is the quiet math behind it: Higher incomes, higher complexity, and a lot more ways to get taxes wrong. We open the hood on why inquiries spiked after the holidays and what people actually want when they reach out. Spoiler: It isn’t another model portfolio. It’s clarity, confidence, and permission to make big life moves without second-guessing. We get honest about the most common error we’re seeing: Roth IRA contributions made over the income limits and how a 6% annual penalty can quietly compound for years. We share how we work with CPAs to unwind eight-year problems, weigh the cleanest fixes, and keep families moving forward. Then we zoom out to the bigger shift: Asset management alone is losing steam. The value now is judgment and timing. Should you buy the beach house? Take the $13,000 trip? Retire at 62 instead of 65 and gain 12 extra adventures? When planning is done well, it turns those questions into decisions that fit your life. We hope advisors recognize the industry currents we call out: Aging books that cannibalize themselves, heirs who move assets to where they feel known, and a marketing landscape that rewards consistency over hacks. We talk practical growth, LinkedIn visibility, client experience that’s actually referable, and building expertise that estate attorneys and CPAs want to send work to. If you missed the seasonal rush, great. Start planting for the next one. Fix bottlenecks across your process, count appointments instead of views, and make every client touch feel like Chick-fil-A, not a shrug at the counter. We hope you enjoy! Thanks for listening! --- 📄 Dollars & Diagrams Newsletter 📃 Marketing Notes Newsletter Nic on LinkedIn Know My Plan - YouTube Corey on LinkedIn Corey on YouTube