Join us in Austin September 25-27, 2025!
To get the most out of the full content schedule, check out how we’ve organized the content this year below. As you navigate through the schedule, be on the lookout for these tags—or even filter by tag so you can coordinate your schedule with the topics that interest you most.
Attending virtually? Be sure to look for the sessions with the “livestream” tag. Virtual attendees have access to livestreamed main stage events and select livestreamed content sessions. You’ll also get on-demand access to all content sessions, recorded and available to watch within 48 hours, offering you the ability to watch sessions on your own time.
As an entrepreneur, there's always a lot on your plate. Sessions with this tag will help you streamline your proccesses, maximize your technology, and implement the tools, tips, and automations that will save your time.
It takes a lot to provide a high-value experience to clients. Sessions with this tag will help you strengthen your planning knowledge, explore new service offerings, gain behavioral insight, develop interpersonal skills, and improve your communication tools and techniques.
When you're wrapped up in the day-to-day of running a firm, it's easy to lose track of the bigger picture, and once you hit your capacity limit, making the right choice for your firm can be tough. Sessions with this tag will help you learn from the experience of other firms in the Network, vision-board for your firm's future, and explore solutions to successfully meet capacity constraints you'll face on the journey.
No doubt about it—there's a lot to try to keep track of as a firm owner, and some conversations are easier than others. Sessions with this tag will help you stay on top of the stuff you need to know, from key compliance and security information to interesting industry conversations.
Need to bring in new clients? From marketing to sales skills, sessions with this tag will help you build awareness, convert more prospects to clients, and create efficiencies in your client acquisition processes.
Staying well-versed in comprehensive financial planning is key for all the CFPs in the Network. In addition to the CFP CE credits available through the live webinars and Kitces.com access that are included in Membership, sessions with this tag will give you a change to sneak in some extra CFP continuing education while at the conference.
Self-study will be available on our event platform until December 15, 2022.
Presented by Linda Leitz and Richard Salmen
Long-term financial planning relationships are beneficial for clients and provide a stable business model for financial planners. Two long-time XYPN members, Linda Leitz and Richard Salmen, will share their different approaches for planning beyond an initial engagement. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how two skilled financial planners designed their business models, translate them into a client experience, execute them as a team, and maintain their lifestyle in the process.
Linda Y. Leitz, PhD, CFP(R), EA, CDFA is the founder of Peace of Mind Financial Planning, Inc. based in Colorado Springs. While the client base of the firm is eclectic, niches include divorced individuals, widows, and intelligent people who value professional advice. Linda strongly believes in only working with clients she cares about. She has served as the Chair of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, was appointed to the CFP Board Commission on Standards, and is currently serving on the CRP Board Standards Resource Commission.
An experienced fee-only financial planner and servant leader, Richard guides a team that helps hundreds of families across the United States fulfill their dream of reaching financial independence. Their focus on middle and upper-middle class clients allows them to provide holistic, fiduciary advice on a fee-only basis to those who previously did not realize such a service existed for them. By leading their clients through understandable systems and processes they coach them to use money more effectively to realize a satisfying and fulfilling life. They strive to be a vital resource providing clarity and focus in theirr clients’ complex financial lives.
Richard's passion for leadership led to a natural transition to serving the financial planning profession. During his tenure on the Financial Planning Association (FPA) national board he served as national President in 2009. He served on the CFP® board and served as the 2018 Chair of the CFP® Board national board of directors.
Since Richard lives their message of Planning For Some Serious Freedom, he spends a few days per month enjoying his side gig which is flying Cessna Citation Jets as a professional pilot.
Presented by Michelle Walters
You started your firm because you enjoy the practice of financial planning and/or investment management. However, success breeds complexity—at some point in your growth, you will experience tension between the demands of serving clients and the demands of running the business. In this session, Michelle Walters, the Operating Partner of Summit Hill Wealth Management, will make a case for professionalizing the management function of your firm from day one, and eventually, having someone on your staff focus on running the business operations so that you can focus on generating revenue and serving clients well. Recounting their firm’s journey from a startup with zero assets to $60M in AUM three years later, Michelle will share the major milestones of growing a firm strategically and operationally and give you practical takeaways to start implementing regardless of your firm’s size.
Originally from San Diego, Michelle is the daughter of hard-working immigrant parents. She grew up in a family where innovation, risk-taking, and entrepreneurship were celebrated – and those values have been deeply ingrained in her ever since. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a BA in Psychology and worked for a technology incubator in San Diego at the very beginning of the dot-com era. A few years later, she moved to New York City and received an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business with specializations in Finance and Operations. As the Operating Partner at Summit Hill Wealth Management, Michelle is passionate about building organizations, people, and legacies. In her free time, you'll find her training for her 1st-degree black belt in taekwondo in November 2022!
Presented by AJ Ayers and Shane Mason
$0 to $4M in four-ish years—the team at Brooklyn FI has laughed, cried, and worked hard. They've made some mistakes and had some breakthroughs. In this enlightening presentation, the co-founders of Brooklyn FI, AJ Ayers and Shane Mason, will walk you through a timeline of the trials and tribulations of running a firm that's experienced 100% year-over-year growth during its first three years of existence. They'll talk through key business decisions, practice management, people management, and the major milestones they've reached along the way.
AJ Ayers is an Enrolled Agent, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and Certified Equity Professional. She's the co-founder of Brooklyn FI. As a writer and editor with a strong background in communications, AJ builds frameworks for delivering complex tax advice around equity compensation to clients and Brooklyn FI's message to our clients and the community. She's one of the only CFPs in the country to also hold the Certified Equity Professional designation and brings an unparalleled understanding of company stock plans to Brooklyn FI. AJ's path to entrepreneurship began with a financial advice podcast and currently finds her at the helm of a young company experiencing explosive growth and making a huge impact on the lives of clients.
Shane is a Certified Public Accountant, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and Certified Private Wealth Advisor™ professional who specializes in helping self-employed creatives and tech professionals foster wealth. After spending seven years in the public accounting space with PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Raich, Ende, Malter, Shane embraced his independent spirit and launched BKFI with AJ. He’s also a Certified Student Loan Professional and an Equity Compensation Associate.
He spent the early years of his accounting career working with start-ups in Austin, Texas before moving to Brooklyn to learn just how messy New York taxes can be. With a strong foundation in the technical elements of tax planning, Shane focuses on the nuts and bolts of our client's financial plans.
Presented by Nancy Bleeke
While advisors know they need to ask questions in a sales conversation, not all questions allow the prospect to understand their own compelling motivators to do something. Converting prospects is easier and more efficient when the prospect discovers, and you, the advisor, uncovers the "story" that goes beyond the data and details. Asking the right questions allows you to build credibility, trust, and the right to connect value to your service in a way that matters to them. With a framework to guide your questions, you’ll consistently provide real value early in the process that sets the stage for prospects to make a confident decision to work with you.
A passion for sales was never part of the plan for Nancy Bleeke. Who would ever want to be “in sales”? she thought. Yet, she found her calling helping people who also never saw themselves in sales, succeed in selling!
Her Genuine® branded training courses guide advisors to fill their funnel, convert prospects efficiently, and retain loyal clients with an authentic, collaborative approach.
Through her coaching, many financial advisors have increased their skills, processes, and confidence in selling, leading to increased conversion rates, sometimes by more than 50% in 16 short weeks. How? With proven best practices, systems, tools, and accountability.
And the best part? This success can be found while remaining genuine and client-focused.
Presented by Britton Gregory, Sarah Ponder, Narumi Yoshida, and Arlene Moss
You likely know that choosing a niche is one of the single most effective things you can do to supercharge your business—but how, exactly, do you use that niche to create your dream firm? In this panel, XYPN members will talk about how their niches determined their business models, marketing strategies, financial planning focuses, investment management policies, and more. They'll also discuss how their niches made our work in all of these areas both easier and more successful.
Britton is an engineer-turned-financial planner in Austin, Texas. As such, he shies away from suits and commissions and instead tends towards blue jeans, data-driven analysis, and a fee-only approach to financial planning.
Sarah founded Real Estate Wealth Planning in late 2020 serving Realtors® by providing comprehensive financial planning and investment management.
Before Sarah became a financial planner, she was a Regional Director at Dimensional Fund Advisors, and before that, spent nine years in the education sector as a middle school teacher and director at an education technology startup focused on teaching financial literacy skills.
Sarah graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 with a BA in Sociology and in 2016 with an MBA. She is married to Ross Ponder, a high-producing REALTOR® in Austin, Texas. They have three small children, Lucy, Hank, and Ruth, and two rescued German Shepherds, Bear and Molly.
Narumi Yoshida is the Founder & CEO of Yoshida Wealth Management, Inc. He is a CPA and provides tax-smart, financial life planning, and Investment Management services for individuals and families.
Mr. Yoshida was born and raised in Shizuoka, Japan. At age 19, he moved to New York in pursuit of his educational and professional goals. He is a first-generation immigrant himself, so he understands what challenges and difficulties people face by moving from one country to another. Mr. Yoshida’s unique professional and educational backgrounds give him the ability to work with clients closely and develop the most effective tax and financial strategies for them.
In addition to Yoshida Wealth Management, Inc., he owns and runs a successful CPA firm based in New York where he and his team provide tax return preparation and business accounting services.
Mr. Yoshida focuses on helping Japanese Expats in the US and Financial Life Planning for Professionals in the field of Health Care & Academics, Business Owners/Entrepreneurs, and UN Employees/G4 Visa Holders.
Arlene Moss has been coaching and nudging fee-only planners since 2004. Arlene helps financial advisors get over being overwhelmed and take on their frustrations so their businesses soar. Arlene works to ensure financial planners are able to help their clients prosper while creating a sustainable business model. Specializing in fee-for-service planners in the independent RIA space allows her to focus her development and coaching on specific issues. Through XYPN group training, public speaking, and XYPN Academy content, planners get the support they need to grow their businesses and overcome the challenges that come their way. Arlene is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Presented by Megan McCoy and Daniel Kopp
Learn from a financial therapist and financial planner how a financial therapy approach can help inform and empower you to help people reach their financial goals. Financial therapy approaches thoughtfully address financial challenges, while at the same time attending to the emotional, psychological, behavioral, and relational hurdles that are intertwined in clients' lives. You'll learn what financial therapy can look like in practice, and what differentiates it from financial psychology, behavioral finance, and life planning. You will leave with a better understanding of your own money story as it relates to your work with clients and their money, help you determine how financial therapy can inform your practice around financial topics, and give some actionable techniques that you can use with clients right away.
Megan McCoy, Ph.D., AFC®, LMFT, CFT-I™ is an Assistant Professor at Kansas State University and Director for the Personal Financial Planning Masters' Program. Her research interests focuses on financial therapy, financial well-being, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her research has been published in top tier mental health, human development and family science, and financial journals. Dr. McCoy is on the board of directors for the Financial Therapy Association. She is Associate Editor of Profiles and Book Reviews for the Journal of Financial Therapy. AShe has been featured as a financial wellbeing expert on the Today Show, NPR, BBC, the Wall Street Journal, and many other media outlets.
Daniel Kopp, CFP ®, is a fee-only financial planner, financial therapist, and founder of Wise Stewardship Financial Planning where he helps young widows and widowers as well as military members organize their financial lives by aligning money with their deeply-held values. He leverages his personal experiences as a widower and an Air Force veteran to offer a deeper level of client engagement. Daniel has been an XYPN member since 2018 and loves helping his fellow members succeed in their life and business. Daniel is now married to his wife Anna, and lives in Sarasota, Florida along with their son, Weston, where they love to explore new places, try interesting cuisines, play board games, and serve in their local church.
Presented by Dann Ryan and David Flores Wilson
In a very successful merger event during the pandemic, advisors Dann Ryan and David Wilson brought together their two client bases in a new partnership, and they've now grown to over $100M of AUM. They were both separately able to boost client acquisition growth and client service model after joining together. While "lifestyle practice" can sometimes have a negative connotation, they found starting with and staying focused on shared values was the key to success. Learn how to think through the what-ifs, plan for all aspects of the business, and navigate the personal side of partnership.
Dann is the founder of Sincerus Advisory and has over 15 years as a fee-only Financial Planner. As a CFP(r) since 2010, Dann was included on the Investopedia Top 100 Advisors list and has also been featured on CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Time, and Cheddar TV. He has a B.A. and M.A. in Economics from the University at Buffalo, and is on the Board of Directors of Chess in the Schools.
David Flores Wilson helps professionals and business owners in New York City achieve financial freedom. Named to the Investopedia 100 Top Financial Advisors in 2019 and 2020 and WealthManagement.com 2019 Thrive list of fastest-growing advisors, he is a Managing Partner for Sincerus Advisory and Writer/Editor for Planning to Wealth. His financial guidance has appeared on Yahoo!Finance, the New York Times, MSN News, CNBC, and InvestmentNews. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, he holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designations, and Certified College Financial Consultant (CCFC) designations. David represented Guam in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and sits on the Board of the Lower East Side Girls Club. He enjoys traveling, reading, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, yoga, and snowboarding.
Presented by Charesse Spiller
You might be leveraging the tech stack available through XY Planning Network, but are you maximizing all of the technology available to you as a part of your membership? In today's modern world of financial planning, having the right tools and technology at your disposal can make or break your firm, especially as you look to scale. In this session, Founder and Principal Consultant at Level Best, Charesse Spiller, will share an easy, six-step process for auditing your firm's tech stack, review the "why" behind making this part of your firm's process annually (at a minimum!), and provide tangible action items and ways to maximize your tech stack through XYPN membership.
Charesse Spiller is the founder of Level Best, a virtual process and operations consulting practice based in Houston, TX. Level Best partners exclusively with financial planners and proactively engages with each firm to analyze their current processes, create new systems, and implement them so they can seamlessly scale their business.
Charesse’s experience working with multiple firms across the United States has shown her the ins and outs of what makes a financial planning firm successful while drawing key knowledge from three core areas: the financial planning process, the client experience, and technology integrations. Charesse has been invited and spoken at XYPN LIVE, FPA, LPL, and TD Ameritrade National LINC conferences and has been featured on various industry-specific podcasts and publications.
Presented by Carolyn Dalle-Molle
The SEC’s new marketing rule (86 FR 13024) is arguably the hottest topic in advisor marketing right now. This change comes at a great time, with more communication moving online and a reported 88% of consumers trusting online testimonials and reviews as much as recommendations from friends or family. While the SEC’s new rule is invigorating for RIAs looking to strengthen their marketing message, it’s also a nerve-wracking new territory for compliance. Join FiComm's VP of Advisor Marketing Growth Carolyn Dalle-Molle for an informative, actionable session on how to start using client testimonials in RIA marketing. You’ll learn the essentials of what’s allowed under the new rule, get tips for cultivating genuine client testimonials, see examples of where and how to leverage testimonials in marketing materials, and more.
Carolyn Dalle-Molle is a professional marketer with more than a decade of front-line experience helping small businesses reach their growth goals. Her approach to marketing is both creative and analytical; helping people achieve a creative flow that’s unique and exciting while using tracking and metrics to learn what actually works for their business. Outside of work, she enjoys volunteering with Seniors, making videos, and traveling with her friends and family.
Presented by Natalie Slagle, Dan Slagle, Trent Porter, Chloe Moore, and Maddy Roche
How do you build an ideal firm? Get a look behind-the-scenes of three XYPN firms at years 3, 5+, and 10+ doing just that. They'll candidly share what they've learned, what they wish they'd known, what they'd change, and what they anticipate going forward, so that you can benchmark your own progress and get a peek at what's possible.
Natalie and Dan Slagle are partners in life and business. Together, they focus on providing financial guidance to millennial couples. Fyooz (pronounced 'fuse') Financial Planning was launched at the end of October 2019. Their firm was named #XYPNLive(ish) 2020 Firm of the Year. Natalie and Dan have had the privilege of serving over 70 households in their first 3(ish) years. New firm owners often hear "it takes 3 years". They are excited to provide real insights into this as they are only a few days from their 3 year business anniversary.
After seeing how numerous family and friends were being exploited by so-called “financial advisors,” Trent Porter wanted to offer trust worthy financial services that truly focused on clients’ needs. With this goal in mind, he founded Priority Financial Partners.
Trent is uniquely qualified as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and a certified life coach, he combines all three to manage his clients’ financial futures, enabling them to focus on what’s really important in life.
Previously as a director and CCO of nationally recognized Veritat Advisors, Trent worked closely with co-founder and Wharton professor Kent Smetters to successfully launch a fee-only financial planning platform that erased commission-based bias and put clients’ interests first, an effort that was praised by the Wall Street Journal.
From regular features in the Wall Street Journal to guest hosting the “Your Money” show on SiruisXM radio, media outlets frequently reach out to Trent for his extensive industry insight and expertise in personal finance.
Chloe is the Founder of Financial Staples, a virtual, fee-only financial planning firm based in Atlanta, GA and serving clients nationwide. Her firm is dedicated to serving tech employees who are entrepreneurial-minded, philanthropic, and purpose-driven. Chloe enjoys helping clients unpack their money history and discover how they can use money to support a life that is most meaningful to them.
In addition to promoting financial literacy through speaking, writing, and volunteering, Chloe also focuses on the cultivation of female and minority financial planners. She launched the BLatinX Internship Program (BLX) in 2020 with three colleagues. The program provides paid internship opportunities to aspiring Black and Latinx financial planners.
Maddy Roche is the VP of Getting Sh!t Done at XYPN, and has been making moves and getting sh!t done since she joined the team in May of 2014 when the Network was made up of our first 30 founding members. Since then, Maddy has worked with and welcomed each of the Network’s members, and helps all of them take advantage of XYPN membership. Together with her team, she helps advisors shine and, in true XYPN fashion, live their great lives.
Presented by Wes Shannon
401(k)s are a great business for RIAs. XYPN member Wes Shannon has had 401(k)s represent a quarter of his business for the last seven years, and in this session, he'll share how to set them up, how to manage them, the providers he uses, and what to look for. You'll walk away with new insight into how large the 401k market is, and ulitimately, understand the compelling reasons to move 401k services from where they traditionally resided with commission insurance advisors to fee-only RIAs.
After working decades in the insurance and financial services industry, Wes left insurance to do full-time financial planning and investment advising. Wes is the founder of SJK Financial Planning (SJK are the initials of Wes’ children), an independent registered investment advisory firm in Fort Worth, TX.
Wes has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Texas majoring in Financial Planning. Wes is a Certified Financial Planning Professional™. Wes is an active member of the XY Planning Network, NAPFA, and the DFW chapter of the FPA. Wes enjoys the outdoors participating in hunting, fishing, canoeing, and camping. He likes baseball, cooking, reading, storytelling, and learning new things. He has a passion for old movies and is a Turner Classic Movie fan.
Presented by Mario Nardone, CFA and Jeff Snodgrass
Join Mario Nardone, CFA, Chief Investment Strategist of XY Investment Solutions and Jeff Snodgrass, Managing Director of XY Investment Solutions, as they provide specific and actionable advice on how to talk with your financial planning clients on investment management topics. They will work through how to segment your clients based on their unique communication needs and foster more productive and thoughtful questions from clients. They will also provide conversation templates to use during bear markets and periods of high inflation. Attendees will leave with clearly defined strategies to improve their communication regarding investment management topics with clients.
Mario Nardone is Chief Investment Strategist of XYIS via a consulting engagement with the firm he founded, East Bay Investment Solutions. He began his investment career in 1999 with Vanguard mutual funds, where he spent ten years consulting institutions and advisors on investment policy and portfolio construction, specializing in ETFs. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2003. Mario is past President of CFA Society South Carolina and former Chairman of the College of Charleston Finance Department Advisory Board. His approach to investments and the industry has been featured in Investment News, NAPFA Advisor Magazine, South Carolina Public Radio, and other publications and media outlets.
Jeff Snodgrass is the Managing Director of XY Investment Solutions (XYIS), which provides turn-key investment management solutions for time-savvy advisors ready to streamline their investment process. Jeff's favorite part about his job is connecting with the advisors XYIS serves and hearing stories of the success and achievements of their clients. When he's not optimizing the XYIS client experience or sharing his vast wealth of Orion knowledge, Jeff steeps himself in music—he's played the piano for 25 years and enjoys listening to live music. He also stays busy being the "best dad ever" to his four young kids.
Presented by Michael Reynolds
Onboarding clients and scaling your firm can feel challenging as a startup RIA, but it doesn't have to be complex or difficult. With a few basic tools in place and strong processes, you can serve clients with confidence. Michael Reynolds will walk through his entire system for onboarding and serving clients using the XYPN tech stack (Wealthbox, RightCapital, Calendly) and some hidden gems (Docket, JotForm, Altruist), and learn how to put it all together in a seamless system that helps you scale your firm, spend less time on administrative tasks, and avoid reinventing the wheel every time—all while creating a great client experience. This presentation will consist of a walk-through of Michael's entire system, and will come with downloadable templates so you can implement any and all of it yourself.
Michael is the owner of Elevation Financial. He's a parallel entrepreneur and former digital marketing agency owner. After owning a digital agency for 23 years, he founded and co-founded four new businesses (including Elevation Financial) from 2015 to 2019. Michael sold his agency in 2018 to focus on his new ventures and grow his advisory firm.
Michael believes that extreme efficiency and a great client experience are not mutually exclusive, but are in fact complementary. To this end, he is relentless in his pursuit of the ideal RIA business processes. Michael hosts a weekly personal finance podcast called Wealth Redefined®. He's a sushi lover, a Star Trek nerd, and firmly in defense of one space after a period.
Presented by John Mason, Tommy Blackburn , and Ben Raikes
In 2021, Mason & Associates changed their Strategic Planning Meeting process from scheduling reviews in the client's birth month to a Surge schedule. Rather than implement in stages, Mason implemented a surge calendar immediately with 100% of clients. Together, the four advisors transitioned over 400 family relationships to the new process in 2021 and continued in 2022. John, Tommy, and Ben will provide a real world perspective on Surge implementation and provide guidance, templates, and strategies they've used to implement the schedule with clients and how they've improved from 2021 to 2022. This session will focus on implementation, the challenges, and the benefits of the surge strategy from the planner, team member, and client perspective.
John Mason is a CFP® and the President of Mason & Associates, a fee-only financial planning firm that specializes with Federal Employees. He has 12 years of experience serving as a financial planner, successfully transitioned his firm from commission based to AUM, and in 2020 transitioned the firm from independent broker dealer to a fee-only RIA registered with the SEC.
In addition to his duties as President and Lead Advisor, John is a co-host of the firm’s podcast, Federal Employee Financial Planning, and live radio show. John and his team have been hired by several Federal Organizations to provide financial planning courses and he was frequently a speaker and keynote speaker at his broker dealer education conferences. https://www.masonllc.net
Tommy Blackburn, CFP®, CPA, PFS is a Partner and Lead Advisor of Mason & Associates. Mason & Associates is a fee-only financial planning firm that specializes with Federal Employees and places an emphasis on tax planning. Tommy has 11 years of experience as a financial planner and helped lead the transition of the firm from an independent broker dealer to a fee-only RIA registered with the SEC.
In addition, Tommy is a co-host of the firm's podcast, Federal Employee Financial Planning, and a live radio show. Tommy has received recognition within the profession, is a Past President and Past Chairman of his local FPA chapter, and routinely spoke and volunteered with his alma mater, Virginia Tech. Learn more about his firm at https://www.masonllc.net.
Ben Raikes (CFP®, EA) is a Senior Financial Planner at Mason & Associates, a fee-only financial planning firm that specializes with Federal Employees. Ben has 10 years of experience serving as a financial planner and has worked with firms both large and small. Ben’s primary responsibilities consist of working directly with Mason & Associates clients in all aspects of their financial plans, with a particular emphasis on the subjects of tax, retirement, and estate planning.
Presented by Scott Frank, Meg Bartelt, Leighann Miko, and Brian Thompson
Based on the idea that a quality financial plan should support a client's essential life goals, financial life planning tools and approaches have been transformative for many XYPN members, deepening their practice and their engagement with clients. But what does it actually look like to implement a life planning approach, and how will it change your firm? In this panel, four XYPN members will explore the ways that a Life Planning approach has changed their lives and practices.
Scott Frank is the founder of Stone Steps Financial, a financial planning and investment management firm located in Encinitas, CA that helps families and professionals align their money with life. He is passionate about pursuing life-long learning in order to best serve his clients and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), and Registered Life Planner (RLP®) designations.
Scott was named to Investment News 40 under 40 in 2019 and has contributed to numerous articles on personal finance for the Los Angeles Times, CNBC, the Washington Post, and USA Today. When he's not helping clients step into their visions of a great life, you'll find Scott co-hosting, Real Personal Finance, where he and another financial advisor break down listener’s personal finance questions into easily digestible answers, training advisors on the EVOKE process at the Kinder Institute of Life Planning, surfing, or hanging out in Cardiff, where he lives with his wife and two boys.
Meg Bartelt, CFPⓇ, RLPⓇ is the founder of Flow Financial Planning, LLC, a fee-only, virtual financial planning firm dedicated to women in their early-to-mid career in tech. The firm specializes in pre-IPO and IPO planning and not making people feel bad about their finances.
Meg received a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Wellesley College and a Master's degree in Financial Planning from Golden Gate University. She is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, a Registered Life PlannerⓇ, and a member of the Financial Planning Association and the XY Planning Network. The years before Flow featured a career change from tech, one wedding, two kids, and two cross-country moves. She, her family, and Julia the dog now live and wear fleece in Bellingham, WA.
Leighann Miko, CFP ® is the founder of Equalis Financial, a Los Angeles & Portland-based independent fee-only RIA providing financial planning and responsible investment management services. With a passion to empower and equip underserved communities, Leighann works with thoughtfully ambitious mid-career LGBTQ+ creatives in entertainment. Her goal is to help them stay in their right brain by acting as a stand-in for their left brain.
With a commitment to human-centered financial planning, Leighann devotes time to understand the whole person before addressing their finances. This intentional approach was born from a desire to help others create a financially secure life she never thought she’d have. Having grown up in a household faced with constant financial volatility, Leighann recognizes the value of financial stability.
As both a tax attorney and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Brian provides comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. He helps his clients create and run businesses that are both impactful and profitable.
Brian was named to InvestmentNews' 2018 "40 under 40" and given the Inspiring Leader Award by the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). He’s a Senior Contributor to Forbes.
Presented by Kathleen Boyd and Ginger Ames
Amongst investors, interest and demand for cryptocurrencies continue to rise—it's becoming increasingly clear that digital assets aren’t “just a fad” like the Beanie Baby or tulip bulb crazes of the past. Whether you have prospective or current clients inquiring about these assets, or perhaps they're coming to your firm already owning the assets, advisors have a fiduciary responsibility to help clients understand the numerous financial planning implications of this emerging asset class, even if you’re not assisting with managing the assets directly. In this session, attendees will get an overview of some of the most common financial planning concerns regarding crypto and how to effectively help clients navigate them.
Kathleen Boyd is XYPN’s resident Financial Planning & Process Coach. She holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation and possesses over 10 years of experience working for a variety of financial services firms. Kathleen is an Investment News ‘40 Under 40’ recipient, and FA Magazine named her a "Top 10 Advisor to Watch." Outside of XYPN, Kathleen has written financial planning pieces for the Journal of Financial Planning and Michael Kitces’ Nerds Eye View blog, and currently works as an adjunct professor teaching CFP® coursework at Oklahoma State University.
We all hear whispers within us. They might guide us to a new career, towards a creative peak, or away from something at odds with our values. What we do with them is the bigger question. Ginger Ames founded Whisper Financial to help fellow creatives listen to their whispers and use the power of financial planning to create more authentically without the nagging financial limitations. Ginger’s professional life has delved into the artistic and business worlds, working as a glassblower and property manager. As she listened to (and ignored) her whispers, she developed a keen understanding of how a financial plan can support and enable one to create more deeply and truly.Amongst investors, interest and demand for cryptocurrencies continues to rise—it's becoming increasingly clear that digital assets aren’t “just a fad” like the Beanie Baby or tulip bulb crazes of the past. Whether you have prospective or current clients inquiring about these assets, or perhaps they're coming to your firm already owning the assets, advisors have a fiduciary responsibility to help clients understand the numerous financial planning implications of this emerging asset class, even if you’re not assisting with managing the assets directly. In this session, attendees will get an overview of some of the most common financial planning concerns regarding crypto and how to effectively help clients navigate them.
Presented by David Rae
Want to work less or earn more? XYPN Member David Rae will share how he's used TV appearances, podcast appearances, blogging, and writing for sites like Forbes and Huffington Post to build a highly-profitable RIA. David has appeared on over 150 segments on shows ranging from The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, ABC, KTLA, CBS News, Nightline, Fox and Friends, Bravo TV, and Comedy Central to name a few. You'll learn his top tips to leverage digital media to build your own dream practice.
David Rae, CFP® has been helping people make smarter financial decisions since 2003. Investopedia has named David one of the "100 Most Influential Financial Advisors" Five Times. David has appeared on over 150 segments for shows ranging from the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, ABC, KTLA, CBS News, Nightline, Fox and Friends, Bravo TV, and Comedy Central to name a few. He is also a contributor to Forbes.com. He launched DRM Wealth Management in mid-2017 and has more than 3x his revenue since then while utilizing the media to build his dream practice.
Presented by Danika Waddell
Scaling a solo or boutique firm can be a bumpy road. From growing the business to scaling client service, there's a lot to streamline. Danika Waddell launched Xena Financial Planning in July of 2020, and added 60 clients and $130,000 gross revenue in the first year. In this session, you'll explore a path to rapid growth with an advisor who has done it well. Danika will share some of the ways Xena scaled so quickly, her lessons learned, and perhaps most importantly, how and when to bring in outside support.
Danika entered the financial services industry in 2014 after 15+ years of working in corporate accounting. She worked at 3 RIAs in Seattle before launching Xena Financial Planning in 2020. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Oberlin College and is currently working towards a Master's Degree in Advanced Financial Planning through Golden Gate University.
Danika holds the Registered Life Planner and the Certified Student Loan Professional designations. In her spare time, Danika loves to travel, spends as much time as possible in the mountains, and does her best to keep up with her 2 teen daughters, a frisky dog (named Xena), and a couple of cats.
Presented by Jessica Goedtel and Aletta Tibbetts
Adding tax preparation services can seem like a no-brainer to help bring on clients and keep them sticky. There’s a lot to consider though before adding this to your offerings. In this session, two seasoned tax preparers will go through what you need to have in place to have a successful tax season. They'll review what you need to have in place with the IRS, go over sample tech stacks and their costs, and the tax preparation process. They'll also discuss common issues and hurdles, like how to keep clients on task, how to research tax issues that come up, and taking on more than you can handle.
Jessica is an EA and a CFP®, with 9 years of tax preparation experience working at several RIAs. She launched her own firm with XYPN in 2021 focused on financial planning for tech workers and sex workers. Her firm is virtual but is based out of Allentown, Pennsylvania. She would much rather be talking about Star Wars or Tolkien mythology than taxes, but unfortunately, New York Comic Con hasn't returned her phone calls.
Presented by Arlene Moss
Engaged, satisfied employees work harder and are more motivated to provide excellent client service. In this industry, nothing helps create an engaged and satisfied team member like understanding the path ahead of them. You must create a path to the front seat if you want to develop a strong advisory team and succession plan. In this session, you'll learn how to create that path to the front seat and to codify your client experience so the entire team knows where they fit in on delivering what your firm values. You'll learn steps you need to take to set the team up for success and will be prepared to maintain your plans as your firm evolves and grows.
Arlene Moss has been coaching and nudging fee-only planners since 2004. Arlene helps financial advisors get over being overwhelmed and take on their frustrations so their businesses soar. Arlene works to ensure financial planners are able to help their clients prosper while creating a sustainable business model. Specializing in fee-for-service planners in the independent RIA space allows her to focus her development and coaching on specific issues. Through XYPN group training, public speaking, and XYPN Academy content, planners get the support they need to grow their businesses and overcome the challenges that come their way. Arlene is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Presented by Lacey Huebel
The fast growth in ESG data has created an exciting opportunity for advisors and their clients who are interested in sustainability. At the same time, this growth has introduced significant complexity that investors may find hard to navigate. The subjectivity and opacity of ESG ratings may limit their usefulness to investors and lead to unexpected outcomes. A better approach is for investors to determine their specific ESG priorities, identify relevant data, and integrate these data into a sound investment approach. Investors are best served by establishing their sustainability priorities themselves while being mindful of the tradeoffs involved. As a result, Advisors may be able to accommodate their clients' interests in climate change in a meaningful way within their portfolio, while keeping them on track to meet their financial goals.
Lacey Huebel is Dimensional's Head of Responsible Investment, North America, as well as a Portfolio Manager and Vice President. She has been involved with the firm's social and sustainable fixed income portfolios since their inception and manages a variety of fixed income strategies. Lacey frequently represents Dimensional on ESG matters with clients and at conferences. Previously, she managed fixed income reporting as part of Dimensional's Investment Analytics and Data team.
Before joining Dimensional, Lacey was an analyst at PlanMember Financial Corporation. She is a CFA® charterholder and has two master's degrees-an MS in mathematics from Kansas State University and an MA in applied mathematics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She earned her BS from Texas State University, San Marcos.
Presented by Jerry Skapyak, Taylor West , and Jill MacNeil
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There are different types of insurance that fee-only financial advisors and their clients can benefit from. But with a long list, how do you narrow down what is needed? This presentation will dive into the fundamental types of protection that are needed at certain stages of their lives and future stages in life insurance and disability insurance along with the current changes in long term care insurance (LTCi).
Learning Objectives:
Presented by Alex Cavalieri
LinkedIn is the largest professional network in the world. It has swelled to over 800 million users globally, and 40% of monthly users are active on a daily basis. LinkedIn’s doesn’t just work to build your personal brand; it’s also a great network to build your practice's brand, establish relationships with your target audience, and drive interest in your services. But, how can you leverage it to actually drive value for your practice in a time efficient manner? Within this hands-on training we’ll cover: how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, when and how to create consistent content, how to grow your network and drive interest, and using Sales Navigator.
Alex Cavalieri serves as a Co-Founder and CEO of Seven Group, a platform to help advisors market better. He also hosts the Advisor Lab podcast, assisting advisors to build their practice the right way. Before joining CION Investments in 2017 to lead marketing, then launching Seven Group in 2019, Alex served as a Vice President at BlackRock, leading digital growth areas for iShares and BlackRock.com U.S. experiences.
Previously, Alex was responsible for developing and managing digital programs and experiences within the Retirement Marketing division and BlackRock’s Campus Recruiting. He’s also held various strategy, marketing, and sales roles at Glocal, Omni Corporation, and Workbridge Associates. Alex received his Bachelors in Communications and Rhetorical Studies from Syracuse University in 2010. Learn more about Seven Group at: www.thesevengroup.com
Presented by Sarah Fallaw
How does our personality impact how we behave and respond when it comes to money? What does it mean to have a “money type?” In this session, we'll discuss how personality and individual differences lead clients to make different types of financial decisions and leads to variations in their approach to financial management. This session will examine the "Big 5" personality model as it relates to how clients manage their financial lives, as well as how values, career interests, and competencies can be used to describe and understand different types of clients.
Sarah Stanley Fallaw, Ph.D. is the co-author of The Next Millionaire Next Door and founder of DataPoints, a behavioral assessment advisortech company. Her pioneering work in financial psychology has helped financial planners worldwide guide clients based on their unique personalities. Dr. Fallaw has been featured in numerous conferences, podcasts, and blogs, including FPA Far West Roundup, BBC Radio, and Michael Kitces’ Nerds Eye View. Her research has been featured in publications including Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the Journal of Financial Services Professionals. Dr. Fallaw received her Ph.D. in Applied Psychology from the University of Georgia in 2003.
Presented by Louis Retief, Linda Leitz , and Dani Parris-Exline
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As a financial advisory firm owner you need to understand the importance of your back office operations and the team responsible for delivering on your client promises. The best financial advisory firms are reinvesting into their back office. This includes a new focus on driving business process automation, digital transformation of the client experience, and addressing the talent gap by keeping back office workers happy and productive. Join this presentation, where we will have what is sure to be an enlightening, yet hilarious, fireside chat with Linda Leitz, PhD, CFP®, EA and Dani Parris-Exline, AFC®. Linda and Dani will have a candid conversation about their workflow woes and how they have instilled best practices and technology in the back office to overcome the “what if we get hit by a beer truck” fear.
Louis Retief has been involved in the fintech community for years and has experience working with different startups. He co-founded Hubly after working in the robo-advisory space where he developed a passion for helping advisors improve the delivery of Wealth Management Services.
Since founding Hubly, he has helped hundreds of financial advisors and their support teams optimize their operations by going back to the fundamentals of the Financial Planning Process.
Linda Y. Leitz, PhD, CFP(R), EA, CDFA is the founder of Peace of Mind Financial Planning, Inc. based in Colorado Springs. While the client base of the firm is eclectic, niches include divorced individuals, widows, and intelligent people who value professional advice. Linda strongly believes in only working with clients she cares about. She has served as the Chair of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, was appointed to the CFP Board Commission on Standards, and is currently serving on the CRP Board Standards Resource Commission.
Presented by Mike Zung
It's common knowledge that the large 80-page plans produced by our financial planning software are rarely read and quickly become out-of-date doorstops. Clicking and jumping around in planning software live with a client can be clunky, confusing, and an inefficient use of valuable meeting time. What if instead, we could provide elegantly simple deliverables that provide real clarity and promote positive action in our clients' lives? This session is for planning-focused firms who are interested in learning the why and how of developing engaging financial plan deliverables that your clients will love. It can also be the key to creating space for some of the most important conversations around time, energy, and money.
Mike is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and the founder of Java Wealth Planning, based in Lee’s Summit, MO. He has a long background in the software industry and now focuses on helping tech professionals live a life that aligns with their values. He is also passionate about financial literacy and has created a YouTube channel to provide free informational content, with a focus on equity compensation.
Mike is also the creator of the Beautiful Financial Plan package, which allows financial planning firms to create customized, visually-appealing deliverables that speak directly to their unique clients.
Presented by Frank Gerbus, EA and Sarah Leet, MBA, EA
Tax returns are an underrated financial planning tool, and they provide a wonderful opportunity to add value to your client-advisor relationship. Join XY Tax Solutions Director of Tax, Frank Gerbus, EA, and Senior Tax Specialist Sarah Leet, MBA, EA in this session, where you’ll learn how to navigate tax returns to uncover key information about your clients, identify opportunities to add value to your planning relationship, and avoid common pitfalls many advisors face in doing so.
Sarah has a diverse financial services background of over 15 years in the risk management, insurance, and tax industries. She is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in taxation. Sarah is passionate about financial literacy and helping others recognize the importance of tax planning.
Presented by Thomas Duffy
This program fulfills the requirement for CFP® Board approved Ethics CE. It has been designed to educate CFP® professionals on CFP Board's new Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct effective October 1, 2019.
Please note: This session is available for continuing education credit for in-person attendees only as self-study is not offered for this topic. If you're an XYPN member, you have access to on-demand CFP Ethics CE through your Kitces.com Premier Access, which is included in your membership!
Tom is the founder and principal of Jersey Shore Financial Advisors, LLC a New Jersey Registered Investment Advisor. Tom holds the following designations/degrees: Certified Financial Planner Professional™ (1994). Master of Business Administration (Monmouth University 2001); B.S. Management Science (Kean University (1994); Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor® (2019); Certified Divorce Financial Advisor® (2021).
Tom has been active with the New Jersey Chapter of the Financial Planning Association from 1997 to present serving as Board Chair in 2012. Tom is also a trustee of the Estate and Financial Planning Council of Central New Jersey. Since 2010 Tom has been an adjunct instructor at William Paterson University. Teaching Financial Well-Being and Intro to Financial Planning at the undergraduate and graduate level.
Presented by Michael Cocanower
Investment advisors have access to some of the most sensitive data possible, which means they make especially valuable targets for cybercriminals. At the same time, cybersecurity risks can seem like a "black box" for advisors who want to spend their time with clients. In this session we are going to cover the five critical things every investment advisor should have in place to align with regulatory priorities, but more importantly, dramatically lower your firm's cybersecurity risk. You will leave this presentation with a list of the first five things to take care of that will decrease your risk of falling victim to a cyber attack.
Michael is the founder and president of itSynergy based in Phoenix, Arizona. itSynergy focuses exclusively on providing strategic technology management and cybersecurity consulting for companies in the investment advisory space. Michael is both a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and Investment Advisor Certified Compliance Professional (IACCP) giving him unique expertise to help investment advisors navigate the complex and risky world of cybersecurity.
Michael’s services have been retained by both Microsoft and Cisco as a subject matter expert in the use and implementation of Microsoft technologies in small and medium businesses. Michael is a Phoenix native and has lived in Arizona his entire life. He graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in both Finance and Computer Information Systems.
Presented by Ryan Bouchard
Running your own financial planning process is time consuming. You are the chief coordinator for many different clients—many of which have unique needs. Somehow, you’re expected to also be the expert on investments. But how do you find the time to stay up to date on the markets and the constantly evolving landscape of new investment choices? Advisors need to establish a systematic plan for staying on top of their Chief Investment Officer (CIO) responsibilities. The adherence to a well-defined set of processes can help focus effort on what matters most and eliminate much of the noise in markets. In this presentation, advisors will learn how to create an effective CIO playbook and enhance their ability to interpret and discuss markets and investments with clients.
For more than 20 years, Ryan has served in various investment research and portfolio management roles. From generalist investment analysis, to detailed equity research, fixed income trading, portfolio management, advisory operations, and retail & institutional client management. Most recently, he served as the de-facto Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist for a 17-person RIA in St. Louis serving high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients.
Ryan received his BSBA from the University of Missouri – Columbia, and his MBA from Saint Louis University. He is a CFA Charterholder, and has earned the AIF® (Accredited Investment Fiduciary) designation. He is a lifetime learner who enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, golfing, traveling, and advancing the field of finance.
Presented by Terria Heng and Shelby Brown
XYPN’s Compliance Solutions experts will review key points within the DOL’s new prohibited transaction exemption that went into effect in 2022 and will discuss practical ways to ensure compliance when providing rollover recommendations to your clients. In this session the experts will cover the impartial conduct standards as well as the documentation and disclosure requirements that you are expected to meet as part of this rule.
Terria Heng is a Compliance Consultant on Team XY Planning Network, and she has spent her career in financial regulatory compliance. She started as a compliance consultant at a boutique compliance firm in Beverly Hills, CA, assisting breakaway brokers in transitioning from wirehouses to the independent RIA space. Terria was also a financial examiner at the Texas State Securities Board for six years. At XYPN, Terria assists firms with registrations, responding to regulatory inquiries and examinations, and provides ongoing compliance coaching to keep firms abreast of regulatory changes.
Shelby Brown joined XY Planning Network as a Compliance Consultant in May 2019. Prior to joining XYPN, Shelby gained extensive experience filing initial registration applications for state and SEC registered investment advisors of all sizes and designing and developing compliance programs for immediate implementation. Shelby’s Investment Advisor Certified Compliance Professional® (IACCP®) designation, earned in 2016 through National Regulatory Services (NRS), certifies that she is equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to implement and manage a successful compliance program at any investment advisory firm.
Presented by Brooklyn Brock, Peachie Thompson, Bridget Grimes, and Jonah Toleno
What would happen to your financial planning practice in the event of your death or disability? Who would service your clients? Would your family receive value from the business you’ve built? Join industry experts Bridget Grimes (Financial Advisor), Brooklyn Brock (Advisor & Exit Coach), Peachie Thompson (Insurance Agent), and Jonah Toleno (Attorney) to gain peace of mind about your Emergency Continuity Plan. They will discuss how to find an Emergency Continuity Partner, funding options, legal considerations, and share first-hand perspective from a planner who has gone through the process herself.
Brooklyn H. Brock, CFP®, CEPA®, ChFC®, CKA® is a 3rd generation financial advisor and founder of Ellevate Advisors LLC, specializing in Financial Planning and Exit Coaching for advisors themselves. Throughout her career, she found advisors rarely do financial planning or retirement planning for themselves like they do for their clients, which drove her to launch her own firm to serve advisors exclusively. Ellevate Advisors was named Best Exit Coaching Firm for Advisors in USA in the Wealth & Finance International Retirement Awards in 2022. Brooklyn travels across the nation as a speaker/educator, sharing her passion for helping advisors themselves.
A 25-year veteran in the insurance industry. Peachie is the founder and CEO of Peach Insurance Services, LLC., a wholly independent insurance firm recognized for technical astuteness. She serves fee-only advisors and clients nationwide. Peachie is also the host of The Just Peachie Show Podcast. Peachie is experienced in life, long-term care, disability insurance, and annuity. She has been engineering insurance solutions since 1997. A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, she is an accredited provider of insurance continuing education as well as a frequent guest speaker at the University of North Florida and other industry groups. She has written many articles and is the current president of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors NE Florida.
Bridget Grimes, CFP® is the President of WealthChoice, a boutique financial life planning firm for women executives, and Co-Founder of Equita Financial Network, a collaboration of women-led financial planning firms. She is also the author of the Best Seller Corner Office Choices: The Executive Woman’s Guide to Financial Freedom. She believes in empowering women through education, collaboration, and support so that they have the confidence to take action for a better life.
Presented by Stephanie Bogan and Adam Cmejla
In her 20+ year career, Stephanie has authored The Power of Practice Management (Bloomberg Press), written columns for Investment News and Financial Planning magazine as well as articles for Kitces.com, FA Magazine and Advisor Perspectives, has been named an Industry Influential, spoken at nearly every major conference and remains a highly sought-after speaker, business strategist and executive coach. She currently writes a monthly column for Investment News. She is also the founder of Limitless Advisor Coaching, now in its fourth successful year. In addition to her coaching work, she is a recognized industry thought leader and consults to various corporations, boards and private equity firms on trends and opportunities in the industry.
Presented by Eric Simonson, Cody Garrett, Lindsay Martinez, Brian Willet, and Ginger Ames
A significant segment of families in all life stages seek personalized financial guidance but are not interested in delegating their investment management responsibilities to an advisor. The accelerating demand for advice-only financial planning provides opportunities for advisors to build a sustainable and profitable business without managing any client investments. Through this panel discussion, discover if advice-only financial planning is a good fit for you and the clients you serve, the advantages and challenges of working with DIY investors, and how the advice-only service model can support the growth of a solo, boutique, or enterprise business.
Eric is the founder and CEO of Abundo Wealth, a growing Advice Only firm that seeks to become an enterprise firm serving thousands of clients nationwide. Their mission is to provide low cost, conflict-free, comprehensive financial planning to everyone.
Cody Garrett, CFP®, is an advice-only financial planner with a passion for helping families refine their unique path to early retirement as DIY investors. As the owner of Measure Twice Financial, he believes that personalized financial education and advice can provide families the clarity and confidence necessary to implement their own well-informed decisions.
With core values of generosity, transparency, and intentionality, Cody spends 20 hours per week developing and sharing educational resources with DIY investors traditionally underserved by the industry. His insights have been featured by Kitces.com, Forbes, Barron's, Morningstar, Yahoo Finance, CBNC, and InvestmentNews. He writes personal finance articles at MeasureTwiceMoney.com and teaches advisors how to develop comprehensive financial plans at MeasureTwicePlanners.com.
Lindsay made the leap from IT to Financial Services over 10 years ago with the desire to educate young people about managing their money wisely and making sound financial decisions. She pursued the CFP® designation immediately, working at small RIAs and large broker-dealers, including T. Rowe Price and Empower Retirement before deciding to go on her own. She focuses her practice on women similar to her: independent, career-focused Millennials and Gen Xers. Her firm, Xennial Planning, is based in San Diego, CA, but also registered in Puerto Rico, where she lived for 2 years while her husband was deployed with the Coast Guard. She enjoys being active, traveling, and trying new restaurants and breweries.
Brian's passion for financial planning all began in 2007 as he started an independent financial advisor practice. Brian's approach to client growth and service was from an innovative coaching model and coaching fee structure. His passion grew as he moved into an executive leadership position consulting with independent financial advisors and his broker-dealer to remember why they got in this industry in the first place and make drastic changes to their vision for the future.
Brian became a student of leadership, addicted to leadership topics that could transform surviving advisors into thriving advisors. As an entrepreneur of a multi-business structure, Brian started Advisor Game Plan with the goal of building an executive coaching structure purely focused on the financial advisor, their vision, and helping them align their action.
We all hear whispers within us. They might guide us to a new career, towards a creative peak, or away from something at odds with our values. What we do with them is the bigger question. Ginger Ames founded Whisper Financial to help fellow creatives listen to their whispers and use the power of financial planning to create more authentically without the nagging financial limitations. Ginger’s professional life has delved into the artistic and business worlds, working as a glassblower and property manager. As she listened to (and ignored) her whispers, she developed a keen understanding of how a financial plan can support and enable one to create more deeply and truly. Amongst investors, interest and demand for cryptocurrencies continues to rise—it's becoming increasingly clear that digital assets aren’t “just a fad” like the Beanie Baby or tulip bulb crazes of the past. Whether you have prospective or current clients inquiring about these assets, or perhaps they're coming to your firm already owning the assets, advisors have a fiduciary responsibility to help clients understand the numerous financial planning implications of this emerging asset class, even if you’re not assisting with managing the assets directly. In this session, attendees will get an overview of some of the most common financial planning concerns regarding crypto and how to effectively help clients navigate them.
XY Planning Network is the leading financial planning platform for fee-for-service financial advisors who want to serve Gen X and Gen Y clients, providing comprehensive financial planning services for a monthly subscription fee and without product sales or asset minimums. The Network offers a virtual community for new and established financial advisors who want to serve a younger clientele, and provides its members compliance support services, marketing support, business tools and templates, and a wide range of technology solutions. Learn more about XYPN >