From the Blog
Practical guidance on CRM configuration, workflow design, automations, and tech-stack optimization — written for advisors building scalable firms.
AI can help advisory firms work more efficiently, but building the back office around prompts and agents creates vendor, cost, compliance, and continuity risks.
CRM Configuration and HygieneWhat a state examiner's audit letter reveals about your CRM — and the 8-question test to run on your records before they ask.
CRM Configuration and HygieneMost firms don't have a CRM problem, they have a CRM maintenance problem. A simple daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly rhythm to keep your data clean and trustworthy.
Tasks and Workflows · Automations & IntegrationsMost SOPs fail not from bad training, but bad design. A 7-step, behavior-science framework for getting your team to actually follow procedures.
Tech Stack & Software SelectionAdvisors ask me which CRM is the best one on the market. My answer surprises most of them: it's not Redtail, Wealthbox, or Salesforce, it's whichever one you'll actually use.
Tech Stack & Software SelectionThe Kitces FinTech Map lists 400 tools for advisors. Do you need them all, or are you paying monthly for apps that don't add value to your clients?
Advisor WellbeingImposter syndrome is common among solo RIA owners, and it's not a sign of incompetence. Four practical steps to quiet the self-doubt, starting today.
CRM Configuration and HygieneA near-disaster during a coastal sailing delivery taught me why rushing to hit a launch deadline is the most dangerous thing a new RIA owner can do to their CRM.
Tech Stack & Software Selection · CRM Configuration and HygieneBefore you subscribe to another shiny advisory app, audit your CRM first. Most RIAs need optimized workflows, clean data, and better integrations, not another tool.
CRM Configuration and Hygiene · Tasks and WorkflowsA modular approach to CRM workflows can make your practice more resilient, easier to maintain, and faster to scale.
Artificial IntelligenceNot all AI-marketed software is the same — and advisors who don't understand the difference may be putting client data at risk. A plain-language guide to separating glitter from gold.
Tasks and WorkflowsMost workflows have a launch plan — but no exit strategy. Here's how to build life rafts into your processes before things go sideways.
Artificial IntelligenceAI writes content that sounds like everyone else. Your shitty first draft sounds like you. A plea for original thinking and writing that is actually yours.
Advisor WellbeingSchool is out for summer — and so is your sanity. How to find a way to enjoy the summertime with kids and still get the work done.
Advisor Wellbeing · Practice ManagementSolo RIA owners often find themselves buried in back-office tasks that have nothing to do with financial planning. Here's how to identify the trap — and build your way out.
Practice ManagementSolo RIA owners often find themselves buried in back-office tasks that have nothing to do with financial planning. Here's how to identify the trap — and build your way out.
Tasks and WorkflowsMost SOPs live in a folder and get ignored. The difference between one that works and one that doesn't comes down to structure — and who was in the room when it was written.
Automations & Integrations · Tasks and WorkflowsFrom client birthday reminders to automatic meeting prep checklists — these five automations save hours every week without replacing the advisor relationship.
CRM Configuration and HygieneMost advisory CRMs fail not because of the software — but because the configuration never matched how the advisor actually works. Here's how to diagnose and fix it.
Tech Stack & Software SelectionChoosing the right CRM and tech stack for your RIA is a lot like building a home. How to plan for data flow, scalability, integrations, and usability before you break ground.
Tasks and WorkflowsRIA advisors miss critical steps not from carelessness but from complexity. What checklists actually do for your operations and client service.
Tasks and WorkflowsA framework for identifying the 20% of operational projects that will deliver 80% of the impact — so you know where to start before we start building.
Tasks and WorkflowsWhy RIA workflows fail and how to fix them. The Rider, Elephant, and Path framework for building processes that actually stick in your advisory firm.
Practice Management · Tasks and WorkflowsCleaned up the same CRM mess twice? Recurring RIA operations problems point to system structure, not people. How to find and fix the root cause.