In this episode, Matt is joined by Dawn Claussen, Chief Operating Officer at Mutual Group, and Michael Young, President and Managing Partner at Integrated Advisors Network. Mutual Group specializes in providing operational, strategic, and advisory support to financial service firms. Their goal is to help organizations optimize their processes, scale efficiently, and focus on what they do best―serving clients. Integrated Advisors Network is a collaborative platform for independent financial advisors. They provide resources, technology, and support to help advisors grow their businesses while maintaining their independence and delivering exceptional service to their clients. Dawn and Michael share expertise in helping firms define their growth strategies, identifying their ideal clients, and serving those clients more effectively.  The conversation dives deep into essential topics for growing and scaling businesses, including:   The importance of documented processes, both for their own businesses as well as for the firms they support How their firms have navigated remote vs. in-office work, and the pros and cons of each approach The longstanding tension between Sales and Operations, and how fostering collaboration between these departments can drive businesses forward Whether RIAs should focus on building their own AI tools or rely on the AI advancements from tech vendors Real-world examples of how firms are leveraging AI in today’s business environment The views and opinions expressed by guests on The COO Roundtable are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Coldstream Wealth Management. Guest statements regarding their firms, including assets under management and business performance, have not been independently verified by Coldstream.