Next Mile

Episode 150: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Kathy Longo, President & Founder at Flourish Wealth Management. Kathy has a remarkable talent for distilling complex financial concepts into simple, easily digestible concepts. She built Flourish Wealth Management out of a passion for making financial management more enjoyable.  Kathy talks with Kyle about how building a strong operational foundation early paves the way for sustainable growth. She shares how her early experiences at large firms shaped her approach to leadership, operations, and long-term growth. From implementing enterprise-level systems as a solo founder to navigating the tension between visionary thinking and operational execution, Kathy offers an inside look at building a firm from the ground up, leadership growth, and team development. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:09) - Kathy's money moment and career journey (05:34) - Key operational lessons Kathy learned from big firms (07:36) - Bringing generational planning and philanthropy into client relationships   (10:55) - Managing the natural tension between the visionary and integrator seats (15:37) - Flourish's hiring matrix (18:36) - Flourish's growth strategy  (20:18) - How Kathy uses technology and AI to improve client experience (22:39) - Kathy's outlook on the future of the financial services industry (26:16) - Kathy's Milemarker Minute Key Takeaways Build the foundation before you need it. Don't wait for revenue or asset milestones to establish mature processes. Implementing robust operating systems, strategic planning, and clear cultural guidelines in the early years lays the foundation for seamless scaling in the future.  Decouple the visionary and integrator roles. As a founder, it's easy to get trapped trying to be both the big-idea generator and the daily executor. Founders must learn to balance big ideas with the reality of getting things done, whether that means stepping into operational roles or empowering others to do so. Protect team culture with rigorous hiring frameworks. Emotional interviewing leads to bad hires. Utilizing objective, multi-layered personality and behavioral assessments helps ensure that candidates fit the team's technical and behavioral needs. Let technology automate, let humans connect. AI cannot replace the true value of a leader or advisor. The ultimate goal of integrating advanced tech and AI should be to eliminate administrative friction, allowing professionals to focus 100% of their energy on emotional intelligence and deep human connection.  Quotes "Coming from big firms, I knew that the earlier you create systems and processes and think about how to run a business, will give you that foundation to really run it like a well-established firm." ~ Kathy Longo "Let the technology take away all of the parts that don't really need as much thinking, and really get the advisors to be so attuned to the emotional conversation." ~ Kathy Longo "I would love to see us spend all our time developing our planner skills and being present for those clients. Because the piece I don't think will ever get replaced is human interaction with our clients and the value we add—to hold space for them through all of life's ups and downs and transitions." ~ Kathy Longo Links  Kathy Longo on LinkedIn Flourish Wealth Management Deloitte  Future Proof The Prophet Connect with our hosts Milemarker.co Kyle on LinkedIn Jud on LinkedIn Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Produce game-changing content with Turncast Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.

Episode 149: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Ben Carlson, Director of Institutional Asset Management at Ritholtz Wealth Management.  Ben is the author of five books on investing, including his newest, Risk and Reward. He's the creator of the blog A Wealth of Common Sense and co-host of the Animal Spirits podcast. Ben talks with Kyle about how content has become a powerful engine for growth, clarity, credibility, and connection. He discusses the value of consistency, how to structure content for different generations, and why showing up to solve client problems before they even arise builds an enduring business.  Ben also talks about why in-person connection still matters in a digital-first world and how AI is changing the advisor-client dynamic. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:07) - Ben's money moment (03:45) - How content became a growth engine for institutional business  (05:19) - Inside Ben’s content creation process  (07:13) - Why Ben started blogging  (09:13) - Why blogging became Ben’s medium of choice (10:15) - Why podcasts create a stronger audience connection  (12:06) - How Ritholtz approaches content strategy  (17:03) - How Ben came up with the idea for his book  (24:10) - Future Proof: Building a conference that almost never happened  (27:08) - Why in-person experiences matter more than ever  (31:11) - Ben's outlook on the future of wealth management (35:12) - Ben's Milemarker Minute Key Takeaways Create before you're ready and keep going longer than feels comfortable. Most content starts in silence. The early phase, where no one is watching, is actually an advantage. It lets you refine your voice without pressure. Consistency compounds, even when feedback doesn't.  Make complexity understandable, not simplified. Clients don't need jargon. They need clarity. The ability to explain complex ideas in plain language is a competitive advantage, especially in industries built on trust.   You can't predict what will resonate. So, publish anyway. The best strategy isn't perfection. It's volume, variety, and consistency.  Play the long game with audience building. People don't convert overnight. They show up after years of listening, reading, and observing, often triggered by a life event. Content builds familiarity long before action.   Quotes "Whatever format you use for content, make sure it's something that you enjoy first and do it for yourself first and foremost before thinking about trying to build an audience or build a brand." ~ Ben Carlson "You never really know what piece of content is going to resonate with someone. You never really know what will work and what will not. And that's why I think casting such a wide net is helpful." ~ Ben Carlson "No piece of technology is ever going to help people get more comfortable with the 'Am I going to be okay' question. That's what everyone wants to know when they get advice." ~ Ben Carlson Links  Ben Carlson on LinkedIn Ritholtz Wealth Management Risk and Reward Michael Batnick Joshua Brown  Barry Ritholtz Matt Middleton Future Proof Band of Brothers Connect with our hosts Milemarker.co Kyle on LinkedIn Jud on LinkedIn Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Produce game-changing content with Turncast Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.

Episode 148: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Dan Johnson, Senior Managing Director and Head of Wealth Management Practice at F2 Strategy. Dan is an industry leader in portfolio management systems implementation, investment performance conversions, centralized portfolio management, and integrations with advisor-driven toolsets.  Dan talks with Kyle about scaling the wealth and asset management business without technology overload. From the pitfalls of shiny object syndrome in tech to the discipline required to scale, Dan discusses the real role of technology, not as a collection of tools, but as a strategic amplifier of a firm's value proposition. He also shares the powerful shift in the industry from "next best actions" to "next best experiences," where advisors use technology and data not just to optimize operations but to create meaningful, human-centered client relationships.  In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:13) - Dan's money moment (03:56) - Are RIAs just reinventing wirehouses?  (06:06) - The challenges of becoming the accidental CEO and CTO  (10:22) - Scaling through discipline and reducing tech bloat (14:18) - How to evaluate technology effectively  (19:40) - How AI is driving change in wealth management today (27:52) - Why data strategy is the foundation of AI  (31:38) - Dan's outlook about the future of the financial services industry (32:31) - Dan's Milemarker Minute Key Takeaways Stop trying to be great at everything. The best firms intentionally choose two to three areas where they'll be exceptional and accept being average everywhere else. Focus creates differentiation. The firms that scale well identify their true differentiators and build their tech stack around those.  "Interesting" doesn't build your business—"useful" does. It's easy to get caught in the hype of AI and emerging tech. But if it doesn't improve efficiency, increase margin, or drive revenue, it's just noise. There's a difference between being curious about AI and actually deploying it in a way that moves the needle.  The next frontier isn't efficiency, it's experience. AI is already proving its worth in the back office. The real opportunity now is using that freed-up capacity to create genuinely memorable client experiences. Think less "next best action" and more "next best experience."  Data is no longer optional. It's the foundation. AI is only as powerful as the data behind it. Firms that own, structure, and govern their data effectively will be the ones that actually unlock value from AI.   Quotes "Technology is meant to amplify your value proposition to your client." ~ Dan Johnson "You can't be exceptional at everything. Pick two or three areas where you're going to hang your hat, and they're going to be unique components when it comes to technology." ~ Dan Johnson "If you don't invest, take it seriously, and put together proper data structures, you're never going to get the AI." ~ Dan Johnson Links  Dan Johnson on LinkedIn F2 Strategy  Joshua Brown  Doug Fritz Dennis Moseley-Williams Unreasonable Hospitality Connect with our hosts Milemarker.co Kyle on LinkedIn Jud on LinkedIn Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Produce game-changing content with Turncast Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.

Episode 147: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Patrick Kelly, Co-Founder and CEO of Signal Advisors. Patrick started his career as a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual before becoming an independent advisor. Before Signal, Patrick founded RepPro, the first electronic application platform for fixed and fixed index annuities in the IMO business. Patrick talks with Kyle about the hidden economics behind high-growth advisory firms. He discusses why some of the fastest-growing advisors integrate insurance, annuities, and investment management into a cohesive strategy, and how pairing this with recurring revenue can unlock both growth and enterprise value. Patrick also explores how technology simplifies operations, improves visibility into marketing performance, and ultimately helps advisors make better business decisions and enhance client experiences. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:02) - Patrick's money moment (05:06) - Where Signal Advisors fits in the modern advisor ecosystem  (07:11) - Why insurance technology still lags behind wealthtech (10:52) - The hidden limitations of basic data feeds  (15:12) - Rethinking the commission vs. fee-based debate  (17:10) - The evolution of fee-based annuities and advisor adoption  (19:47) - The real engine behind advisor growth and enterprise value (21:07) - How Signal Advisors survived its early cash flow challenges  (28:25) - Building a tech stack around advisor economics and visibility (34:01) - Why advisors work with so many carriers (36:14) - Patrick’s vision for the future of Signal Advisors (40:35) - Why AI should improve experience before efficiency  (43:37) - Patrick's Milemarker Minute Key Takeaways Great advisors solve for human outcomes, not just portfolio performance. Clients are often seeking confidence, stability, income, or peace of mind—not simply maximum returns. The firms growing fastest understand how to align financial solutions with real human concerns. The divide between insurance and investments is disappearing. High-growth advisory firms increasingly integrate annuities, insurance, and investment management into a single client strategy instead of treating them as competing business lines. Enterprise value comes from scalable growth, not just recurring revenue. Predictable revenue matters, but the firms commanding premium valuations are the ones pairing recurring income with strong acquisition systems, marketing visibility, and operational leverage AI’s biggest opportunity is improving the client experience. Efficiency matters, but the real long-term advantage comes from creating smoother, faster, and more personalized experiences for both advisors and clients. Efficiency is simply the downstream effect. Quotes "In a world where you don't differentiate on products, where you really differentiate is on your financial planning prowess and how you actually help individuals solve problems in their lives." ~ Patrick Kelly "If you're taking commissions, you're reducing the enterprise value of your business because people who buy businesses want recurring revenue." ~ Patrick Kelly "You shouldn't use AI to create efficiency. You should use AI to create a better user experience. Efficiency is a second-order effect of AI." ~ Patrick Kelly Links  Patrick Kelly on LinkedIn Signal Advisors Northwestern Mutual American Equity DTCC Michael Kitces Empire of the Summer Moon Connect with our hosts Milemarker.co Kyle on LinkedIn Jud on LinkedIn Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Produce game-changing content with TurncastTurncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.

Episode 146: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Vib Arya and Sean Meighan of Envestnet. As Head of Strategic Relationship Management, Vib is a seasoned wealth and investment management leader with more than 25 years of experience driving innovation and efficiency across RIA, institutional, wirehouse, and fintech channels. As Head of RIA Distribution, Sean has spent his career helping advisory firms navigate growth, technology adoption, and operational strategy within the evolving RIA landscape. Vib and Sean talk with Kyle about how modern RIAs can scale fast. They explore how technology has evolved from a support function into a true growth multiplier, powering efficiency, enabling personalization at scale, and helping firms navigate complexity. They also discuss the ongoing battle against tech sprawl and how Unified Managed Accounts (UMAs) act less like a product and more like an automated trading chassis capable of handling everything from high-net-worth personalization to account efficiency.  In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:11) - How technology fits into the RIA growth equation  (02:34) - Designing the ideal advisor workflow (04:00) - What shaped Sean’s and Vib’s technology philosophy (08:49) - Diagnosing tech stacks and aligning them with firm strategy  (13:00) - The hidden cost of tech sprawl  (18:01) - How UMAs are evolving for modern RIAs  (24:29) - Separating AI hype from practical application in wealth management  (31:49) - Vib’s and Sean's Milemarker Minute Key Takeaways The best tech decisions begin with a clear vision of the client and advisor experience. Workflow clarity should dictate your tech stack, not the other way around. Don't let tech sprawl slow you down. Chasing best-in-class tools can create fragmented systems that are hard to manage. At some point, simplicity and integration become a competitive advantage. UMAs are evolving into a flexible growth engine. What used to be a high-net-worth solution is now becoming a scalable infrastructure for firms of all sizes, handling everything from simple ETF models to complex multi-manager portfolios.  Ground AI in workflow and data basics. With AI moving at a rapid pace, firms seeing the most meaningful AI opportunities are the ones that already have clean data, intentional systems, and clearly defined processes. Quotes "RIA growth is going to be driven by scale, consistency, and risk control. But you can't do that without technology." ~ Sean Meighan "The UMA is a tech chassis that can solve a myriad of problems an RIA faces today." ~ Sean Meighan "There's an opportunity for Envestnet to provide RIAs and advisors with as much complexity, personalization, and sophistication as they would like, and as simple a form as possible, with one account having multiple strategies and multiple sleeves." ~ Vib Arya "As client demands become more sophisticated and complex, the UMA is a perfect ecosystem to provide all of that, and we're proud to offer it." ~ Vib Arya Links  Vibhaw Arya on LinkedIn Sean Meighan on LinkedIn Envestnet  Shufro Rose Tamarac | Envestnet Good to Great The Game Connect with our hosts Milemarker.co Kyle on LinkedIn Jud on LinkedIn Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube The information, analysis and opinions expressed herein are for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views of Envestnet. These views reflect the judgement of the author as of the date of writing and are subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing contained in this piece is intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting, securities, or investment advice, nor an opinion regarding the appropriateness of any investment, nor a solicitation of any type. Intended for investment professionals only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.