The top Financial Planning podcasts of 2023

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In 2023, there were very few dull moments in the fast moving and unpredictable world of wealth management. And that means that the entire industry had plenty to talk about. 

On the Financial Planning Podcast, those conversations are captured twice a month while giving listeners a closer look at the people powering the industry.

Scroll down to see 10 of Financial Planning's top podcasts of 2023. And check out all future and past episodes by subscribing to the FP Podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get podcasts.

Hartford Funds Vice President Julie Genjac

Genjac, the vice president and managing director of applied insights at Hartford Funds and co-host of the Human-Centric Investing Podcast, is passionate about fixing what she sees as wealth management's PR crisis.

With Cerulli Associates research indicating that nearly 40% advisors plan to retire in the next 10 years and overall advisor headcount growth expected to plummet through the end of 2025, Genjac believes now is the time to appeal to the next generation of talent. 

But wealth management has not done the best job of presenting itself as an attractive career path for those not already familiar with it. Lost in all the discussion about assets and market performance is the reality that advisors are in a people-first industry, one that rewards creativity and authenticity.

During the podcast, Genjac talks about why she is so excited about the future of the business, what young advisors breaking into the world of financial services need to know and how she earned the nickname "Queen of Efficiency."

Read and listen: Attracting the next generation of advisors, with Hartford Funds VP Julie Genjac

Orion Advisor Tech President Brian McLaughlin

McLaughlin, the president of Orion Advisor Technology and one of Financial Planning's 23 people to watch in wealth management in 2023, joined the FP Podcast just days before the start of Orion's National Ascent Conference in Orlando, Florida.

More than just Orion's biggest gathering of the year, Ascent made its in-person return after two years off due to the pandemic, and served as McLaughlin's first Ascent conference in his new role. When Orion announced its acquisition of Redtail early last year, the man who founded the popular client relationship management programs was named president of Orion Advisor Tech a few months later as the company announced a new strategic operating model that splits the organization into three business lines.

But McLaughlin's stop by the Financial Planning Podcast was all about passion, and why he still has just as much fun at work as he did when he first accidentally broke into the industry via a job line as a bored college kid in California in the late '90s.

During the podcast, McLaughlin talks about the focus of Ascent 2023, the tech innovations he can't wait to see make it to wealth management, and why a piece of advice his dad gave him years ago keeps him smiling all these years later.

Read and listen: Why you should always bring your joy to work, with Orion's Brian McLaughlin

Bento Engine CEO Philipp Hecker

Hecker, the CEO at Westport, Connecticut-based fintech firm Bento Engine, stopped by the podcast to go deep on what it means to be there for clients when it really matters. That next-level presence is the focus of one of his firm's launches called the Children & Wealth program.

The offering made its debut in fall 2022 and consists of educational, client-ready and age-based financial advice to help advisors connect with their book of business on a more personal level.

The program was crafted with the support of experts like Susan Doty, the director of the University of Texas at Tyler Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy, and Mac Gardner, a certified financial planner and CEO of financial literacy platform FinLit Tech. It is designed to help parents introduce their children to the concepts of money and wealth during crucial stages of their development. 

During the podcast, Hecker discusses the rising trend in human-focused wealthtech, making the business cool for the next generation of pros, and why his passion for financial services still burns after all these years.

Read and listen: Using tech to help advisors be more human more often, with Bento Engine CEO Philipp Hecker

Elements CEO Reese Harper

Harper, the CEO of Utah-based financial monitoring platform Elements and founder of Dentist Advisors, stopped by the show to share his passion for planning and explain why a fear of money is actually what kick-started his more than 20-year career in financial services.

Harper founded Dentist Advisors in 2007 with a vision to deliver fiduciary advice and help clients embrace the habits of holistic financial health. And while running his firm, he developed and launched Elements amid the pandemic to give advisors and clients a way to measure financial progress across a variety of indicators.

But Harper's journey into the world of wealth management dates back to his days as a music major while completing his undergraduate studies. As he grew as an artist, he recognized the gaps in his own financial knowledge, and witnessed the strain that money seemed to place on the lives of so many of his friends and family members.

During the podcast, Harper discusses how he overcame that fear; what it means to truly extend access in financial services; and what it has been like working with "NYT Sketch Guy" and author Carl Richards who is now part of the Elements team as the firm's chief brand officer.

Read and listen: Why financial advisors should always keep it real, with Elements CEO Reese Harper

tru Independence President and Chief Operating Officer Amit Dogra

Dogra, president and chief operating officer of Portland, Oregon-based RIA service platform tru Independence, joined the podcast to explain what his team really means when they push the idea of "experience as a service."

With more than 20 years of industry experience to pull from, Dogra said the drumbeat from advisors who need support that "just works" is growing louder as time goes on, and for good reason.

Financial professionals are expected to do more than ever these days, and they have an overwhelming number of options when it comes to selecting the right tools for the job, Dogra said. 

During the podcast, Dogra talks about how his team is working to lighten the load for advisors, why many of the so-called integrated tech experiences on the market don't pass muster, and how the lowercase "T" that leads the way for tru Independence is directly tied to the way they approach the business. 

Read and listen: Upgrading the advisor experience, with Amit Dogra of tru Independence

Retirement expert Anne Lester

Lester — a retirement expert, author and speaker who took the stage at Financial Planning's 2023 INVEST conference as a featured presenter — stopped by the Financial Planning Podcast to give listeners a sneak peek at her session.

Lester, who spent 20 years as head of retirement solutions for J.P. Morgan, aims to connect with the next generation by trying to walk in their shoes. She points out that very few Americans grew into adults without making plenty of major money mistakes along the way. 

As a result, Lester believes advisors who can help the next generation understand that those mistakes are simply stumbles on a longer journey have a better shot at making deep connections that last.

During the podcast, Lester talks about going from "failed opera singer" to industry veteran, how credentials and jargon can push some younger clients away, and why a growing lack of trust in legacy institutions is a problem all financial pros need to confront.

Read and listen: Anne Lester on why financial advisors should open a 'window of empathy' for younger clients

ACFS President George Nichols III

On a special episode of the Financial Planning Podcast sponsored by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, George Nichols III explains why his understanding of legacy started years ago with a couple of important lessons from Mom.

Nichols, the president and CEO of The American College of Financial Services, stopped by the podcast for part two of a three-part podcast series that Financial Planning rolled out in May. The weekly series focused on charitable giving and the role wealth managers play in helping the people they work with make an impact on communities and causes. 

During his conversation with FP Podcast host and lead editorial producer Justin L. Mack, Nichols discussed becoming a chartered advisor in philanthropy, dove deep into estate planning topics like testamentary gifts, and stressed the importance of helping clients give back more efficiently. 

Read and listen: The many ways to leave a legacy, with ACFS President George Nichols III

Former Nitrogen CEO Aaron Klein

Klein, co-founder and CEO of Nitrogen, stopped by the Financial Planning Podcast during a season of significant change. Just weeks before this episode, the Auburn, California-based wealthtech firm that spent the past decade as Riskalyze was reborn with a name focused on growth instead of risk.

Klein said because the company previously tailored around the "Risk Number" had evolved into a firm that offers lead generation, marketing, client engagement and compliance solutions alongside risk analysis, the old branding no longer fit.

But retaining the legacy they've established is a top priority for both Klein and advisors who use the products. So much so that Klein said some firms reached out with hang-ups about no longer being able to use the Riskalyze name on their websites.

During the podcast, Klein goes deeper on the first steps of his new chapter, shares what he thinks wealth management can learn about growth from other industries, and explains why inertia can be dangerous when pursuing progress.

Read and listen: Changing chapters and rebranding growth, with Nitrogen CEO Aaron Klein

Modern Family Finance Co-founders Jennifer and Lisa Dazols

As the founders of Modern Family Finance and members of the Equita Financial Network, the Dazolses integrate financial planning, investment management, and coaching for women and LGBTQ+ households into their practice.

The duo has the philosophy to first tackle money beliefs and then address the confidence gap when it comes to investing, but they both entered into the world of financial services with an outsider's perspective. Jennifer Dazols had a long career in tech before they launched their firm, and Lisa Dazols has a background providing psychotherapy as a licensed clinical social worker. 

The couple said a desire to achieve financial freedom and take complete control of their lives planted the seed that would eventually grow into their firm. 

That pursuit of freedom also sent them on a trip around the world in search of what they call "Supergays" — LGBTQ+ people who are doing something extraordinary in the world — to document their stories in a full-length film

During the podcast, Jennifer and Lisa Dazols talk about the ups and downs of career switching, the "Out & Around" documentary that took them to 15 countries and why financial planning is more powerful than you think. 

Read and listen: The impact of financial planning, with Jennifer and Lisa Dazols of Modern Family Finance

Snappy Kraken CEO Robert Sofia

Sofia, founder and the CEO of industry marketing firm Snappy Kraken, stops by the Financial Planning Podcast to talk about the evolving advisor marketing landscape. New innovations like AI and advanced video capabilities stand poised to change the way advisors and clients connect. But understanding the right way to leverage all these new tools is not an easy task.

He explains that when it comes to modern marketing, advisors have plenty of opportunities to work smarter and not harder.

But to make the most of those opportunities, financial pros will need to step out of their comfort zones and try something truly unique. 

During the podcast, Sofia talks about how he went from not knowing what financial services was to having an 18-year career in it, some of the practical ways AI is being used in advisor marketing today, and why video is such a powerful weapon in an advisor's arsenal.

Read and listen: The new era of financial advisor marketing, with Snappy Kraken CEO Robert Sofia
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