Category: Education
Stacy Francis: Driving Firm Growth, 100% Organically

Stacy Francis: Driving Firm Growth, 100% Organically

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Join us on this installment of “Focused on the Future” as Suzanne Siracuse sits down with Stacy Francis, the Founder and CEO of Francis Financial, and the nonprofit, Savvy Ladies™. Stacy shares the heartbreaking story of her grandmother’s life, and how it impacted her becoming a financial advisor working with women in transition such as divorce or widowhood. Stacy also discusses her firm’s growth strategy focused solely on organic growth and why every advisor should start a succession plan earlier than they think.

Key discussion points include:

  • The story of Stacy’s grandmother and its impact on her career
  • Opportunities for advisors to get involved with Savvy Ladies™ through pro bono work
  • Discovering her “superpower” through adversity
  • The benefits of early succession planning
  • The power of a niche practice focused on divorced women
  • Her role as an expert witness in divorce cases
  • Her firm’s thoughtful approach to nurturing COI’s

Resources:

Don’t miss this compelling episode filled with inspiration and practical insights from Stacy’s journey. Get inspired and informed on “Focused on the Future.”

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:

Connect With Stacy Francis:

About Stacy Francis:

Stacy is the President and CEO of Francis Financial, a fee-only boutique wealth management, financial planning, and divorce financial planning firm dedicated to providing ongoing comprehensive advice for successful individuals, couples, and women in transition such as divorce or widowhood. She is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®), and Certified Estate and Trust Specialist (CES™) with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry. Stacy is also the founder of the non-profit, Savvy Ladies™, host of the Financially Ever After podcast, and the author of the white paper, Unveiling the Unspoken Truth: The Financial Challenges Women Face During and After Divorce and Financial Help for Widows – A Complete Resource Guide.

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Shannon Eusey: Why Scale is Critical to Success in Wealth Management

Shannon Eusey: Why Scale is Critical to Success in Wealth Management

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In this episode of “Focused on the Future,” Suzanne Siracuse interviews Shannon Eusey, Founder and CEO of Beacon Pointe Advisors. Shannon opens up about her unique journey, starting from her childhood experiences as the only girl on all-boys sports teams, shares her top 5 trends in wealth management, and discusses why scale is crucial for future success. 

Key discussion points include:

  • How her childhood experiences in sports lead her to break down barriers in her career.
  • The pivotal moment when an assignment, while getting her MBA,  became the catalyst for founding Beacon Pointe Advisors. 
  • How being a woman in a predominantly male industry has shaped how she runs her business.
  • Her firm’s proactive strategies for better-serving women investors.
  • Beacon Pointe’s non-cookie-cutter approach to achieving organic growth.
  • Why scale gives you access to the best tech and talent.
  • How her firm is leveraging AI across various functions, from compliance to HR to marketing.

Join Suzanne and Shannon and get ready to be inspired!

 

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:

Connect with Shannon Eusey:

About Shannon Eusey:

Shannon is the Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Pointe Advisors (“Beacon Pointe”), which she founded in 2002. Beacon Pointe is one of the largest Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firms specializing in full-service financial planning and research-driven investments, partnering with institutions, retirement-sponsored plans, and private clients. Today, the firm has more than $30 billion in assets under advisement, with more than 55 offices and 500 employees nationwide. 

Through Shannon’s passion for financial education, she is a founding member of the Beacon Pointe Women’s Advisory Institute (founded in 2011), and Beacon Pointe Advisors is proudly the largest female-led RIA in the nation. She also co-authored Your Dollars, Our Sense, an International Best Seller, having ranked #1 in six business and finance categories. Beyond her corporate achievements, Shannon actively serves or has served on numerous boards, including Banc of California, Viewpoint Ventures, Young Presidents Organization (YPO) Orange County Chapter, the Charles Schwab Advisor Council, the TD Ameritrade Advisory Council, CNBC Financial Advisory Council, as well as the UCI Athletic Fund Board, Sisters of St. Joseph in Orange, and the Trustee for the Friends of the Girl Scout Council of Orange County.

Shannon and Beacon Pointe have collectively been recognized for many achievements, showcasing the success of Shannon’s career and the firm’s accomplishments. Some of these recent accolades include:

  • Barron’s Top 100 RIA Firms
  • Barron’s Top 100 Women Financial Advisors 
  • Forbes America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors
  • InvestmentNews Women to Watch of 2020
  • Worth Magazine’s 50 Women Changing the World
  • Top Wealth Advisor Moms by Working Mother Magazine
  • Financial Advisor Magazine Top RIAs
  • Forbes 100 Fastest Growing RIAs
  • Financial Times 401 Top Retirement Plan Advisers
  • UC Irvine Lauds & Laurels Award Recipient 

Prior to founding Beacon Pointe Advisors, Shannon played a pivotal role in Roxbury Capital’s Private Client Group, overseeing investment policy, asset allocation, and equity strategy. She also managed Roxbury’s Socially Responsible Investments Team and contributed to the firm’s strategic direction as a member of Roxbury’s Management Committee. 

Shannon earned her MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and her undergraduate degree from UC Irvine, where she also played on the Women’s Volleyball Team. She resides with her husband in Newport Beach, California, where they raised their four children.

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Dr Vinay Nair: AI and Embracing Reinvention

Dr Vinay Nair: AI and Embracing Reinvention

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In this episode of “Focused on the Future,” Suzanne Siracuse interviews Dr. Vinay Nair, Founder of Tifin, about the current landscape of AI and its implications for the wealth management industry. They delve into various facets, including the opportunities and challenges AI presents, and the importance of adaptability for achieving success. Dr. Nair offers insights and advice for advisors and firm owners on leveraging AI to their advantage without feeling overwhelmed by rapid advancements.

Key points from the discussion include:

  • Dr. Nair’s Journey: Transitioning from an academic background to becoming a fintech founder
  • Advice on Embracing AI: He emphasizes the necessity for advisors and firm owners to embrace AI technologies, highlighting that those who are open to reinvention and innovation are more likely to succeed.
  • Productionizing AI: Dr. Nair discusses the process of implementing AI in practical, scalable applications within the financial industry.
  • Open Source vs. Proprietary Models: A comparison of open source foundation models and proprietary models 
  • Tifin’s Focus: The future directions and priorities for Tifin
  • Surprising Takeaway: He shares a surprising key takeaway that underscores the importance of people.

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:

Connect with Dr. Vinay Nair:

About Our Guest:

Dr. Vinay Nair is the Founder and CEO of TIFIN, a fintech platform that drives personalization for wealth using AI and investment intelligence. TIFIN operates a collection of fully-owned subsidiaries in wealth and investments that are shaping the future of investor experience. He was also the Founder and Chairman of 55ip, which was successfully sold to J.P. Morgan. Vinay serves on multiple boards including Chairman of full-service fund administrator platform Paralel Technologies and as part of the Board of Advisors for the Center for Leadership at the University of Colorado Boulder.

A serial entrepreneur, investor, and academic, Vinay has taught at several business schools, has a portfolio of venture investments, and has started several companies in financial services. He started his career as a finance faculty member at The Wharton School. After launching and managing a quantitative hedge fund which led him to start 55ip, he started TIFIN to tap into the potential that science and technology have to deliver better investor experiences and outcomes. He continues to teach in the Wharton Executive Education Programs.

As a former finance faculty member at Wharton, with teaching experience at schools such as MIT and Columbia, he focuses on venture capital, private equity, and entrepreneurship. He is also a recognized expert in the areas of sustainable and responsible investing and has written “Investing for Change”, a book published in 2008 by Oxford University Press. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Financial Economics from the Stern School of Business at NYU with an award for the best thesis, and a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras with the Governor’s Gold Medal, an award for all-round excellence.

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Rita Robbins: The Evolution of Women in Finance, Navigating Change and The Power of Networking

Rita Robbins: The Evolution of Women in Finance, Navigating Change and The Power of Networking

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In this episode of “Focused on the Future,” Suzanne Siracuse talks with Rita Robbins, Founder and President of Affiliated Advisors, on the evolving treatment of women in the financial industry, the importance of focusing on clients’ adult children to capture next-generation wealth and the crucial role of networking in succession planning.

Specifically, Rita discusses:

  • Her Journey: From starting as a sales assistant to becoming one of the first female wholesalers and eventually founding her own firm to serve advisors.
  • Impact of Motherhood: How having her daughter inspired her to start her own firm.
  • Industry Evolution: The changes in how women are treated in the financial industry.
  • Next-Generation Wealth: How advisors can benefit by focusing on their clients’ adult children to capture the next generation of wealth.
  • Charitable Giving: Why advisors should lean into charitable giving discussions with their clients
  • AI Limitations: The key areas where AI cannot replace the human element.
  • Succession Planning: The critical role of networking in planning for business succession.

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse: 

Connect With Rita Robbins:

About Rita Robbins:

Rita Robbins combines more than 4 decades of industry experience with a proactive, personalized approach toward empowering her advisors. Since 1994, when she founded Affiliated Advisors, Rita’s passion is to support advisors grow dynamic, efficient businesses.

Rita and her partners now leads over 100 advisors with more than $4.5 billion in assets under management. Rita has been with Osaic for 20 years. Her unique insights and experience into enhancing advisors’ practice growth and marketing have made her a sought after at  industry conferences. 

Rita was honored by Investment News as a “Women to Watch” in 2019 for her distinguished leadership in advancing the business of providing advice with her passion, creativity, and willingness to help others. In 2020, Crain’s recognized Rita as a “Notable Women In Financial Services”. Last year she was honored with the Alexander Armstrong Lifetime Achievement award. 

A long time NYC resident, Rita and her family enjoy taking advantage of all that that City has to offer.

She is an avid New York City Ballet fan, and proudly serves as a Trustee of The Town Hall, a National Historic Landmark venue. Rita sits on several industry advisory board. She is a partner in the Lavender Hill Farm, one of the largest commercial lavender farms in the US.

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Andrew Altfest: AI and the Evolution of the Advisor Value Proposition

Andrew Altfest: AI and the Evolution of the Advisor Value Proposition

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In this episode of Focused on the Future, industry veteran Suzanne Siracuse sits down with Andrew Altfest, president of Altfest Personal Wealth Management and founder of FP Alpha, to explore the transformative power of AI in financial advising and how it’s reshaping the advisor’s value proposition.

Specifically, Andrew discusses:

  • His early exposure to the world of wealth management
  • Why what has worked for advisors in the past more than likely won’t work for advisors in the future.
  • Redefining your value proposition to answer client demands
  • The catalyst that drove him to create wealth tech solution, FP Alpha
  • How technology and AI are supporting holistic planning
  • The lessons learned from his mother on the importance of EQ

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:

Connect With Andrew Altfest, CFP®:

About Our Guest:

Andrew Altfest, CFP®, MBA is President and Principal Advisor at Altfest Personal Wealth Management, a $1.7B RIA based in New York City. There he advises clients about their personal finances and drives financial planning strategies across the firm.

Andrew is also the founder and CEO of FP Alpha, the first AI-driven advanced planning solution that covers more than 16 areas of financial planning. The software enables financial advisors to save time in the planning process through automation, showcase their value beyond investments, and deliver a personalized, comprehensive experience that clients require. FP Alpha provides financial advisors the scale and depth of knowledge necessary to enhance their planning practices by providing key offerings such as tax, estate, and insurance to their entire client base, usually just reserved for top-tier clients. 

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Brian Seymour on the Power of Coaching

Brian Seymour on the Power of Coaching

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In this episode of Focused on the Future, Suzanne Siracuse talks with Brian Seymour, principal and founder of Prosperitage Wealth on why his unique social media videos are really resonating with clients, the lessons he learned since launching his own RIA and the significant impact his coaches have had on his career. 

Specifically, Brian discusses:

  • His journey into the industry and the factors that affected him in starting his own RIA
  • The crucial role coaching played in shaping his career, helping him identify his unique strengths and develop his “super power.”
  • Why investing in continuing education programs and accreditations has been vital to his growth as a next-gen advisor.
  • The important lesson he learned from the Jamaican Bobsled team.
  • Why leaning into his true self on social media has been a significant marketing driver
  • His recommendations for advisors about to launch their own firm 

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:

Connect with Brian Seymour:

About Our Guest: 

Brian K. Seymour, II is the Principal and Founder of Prosperitage Wealth, , a fee-only RIA dedicated to closing the racial wealth gap by helping Black professionals make smart money decisions through unbiased financial advice. He has been a financial planner for over a decade earning the Series 6, 7, 63 and 66 certifications. He holds the Chartered Financial Consultant®(ChFC), Retirement Income Certified Professional®(RICP®), Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®) designations and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. Brian is a member of The American College of Financial Services 2024 NextGen Advisory Task Force,  Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), Association of African American Financial Advisors (AAAA), the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

In his spare time, he moonlights as a youth chauffeur, sports coach and proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. just south of the Wakandan capital of Atlanta with his wife and three kids.



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Focused on the Future: Will Trout on the Impact From Emerging Trends on the Wealth Management Industry

Focused on the Future: Will Trout on the Impact From Emerging Trends on the Wealth Management Industry

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In this episode of Focused on the Future, Suzanne Siracuse, talks with Will Trout, Director of the Securities and Investments practice at Datos Insights, on the how technology advancements are impacting our industry, why the major resurgence of alternative investments and that the client of the future will require personalization of advice.

Specifically, Will discusses:

  • The evolution of Generative AI tools 
  • The importance of data hygiene in how firms implement tech effectively.
  • Why Portfolio personalization is the future.
  • The increased adoption of alternatives by financial advisors 
  • How M&A activity is impacting the advisor’s business model and their offerings to clients

Connect with Suzanne Siracuse:

 

Connect with Will Trout:

About our Guest:

William Trout serves as Director of the Securities and Investments practice at Datos Insights, focusing on technology strategy and innovation in the capital markets. He has particular expertise in platform automation; data capture, storage and analytics; and portfolio management and optimization. Within the wealth and asset management arena, his interests include investment advisory and wholesaling and distribution services, as well as private banking and trust.

Will’s research and consulting work is informed by more than more than two decades of industry experience. Prior to joining Datos Insights, Will led wealth and asset management in the U.S. and the U.K. at Celent, a division of Oliver Wyman, before launching separate advisor- and investor-focused research practices at Javelin Strategy & Research. Prior to those roles, Will spent many years in product and segment management at BBVA Compass, where he helped guide the introduction of a pioneering managed-accounts platform and the expansion of banking and investments services targeting high-net-worth and institutional investors.

An authority on digital advice delivery, Will has been widely quoted in the trade press as well as in publications such as the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal. He is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences and gatherings



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Focused on the Future: Anna N’Jie Konte on AI, BeFi and Reframing the Money Discussion

Focused on the Future: Anna N’Jie Konte on AI, BeFi and Reframing the Money Discussion

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In this episode of Focused on the Future, veteran industry leader Suzanne Siracuse talks with Anna N’Jie Konte, president of Re-Envision Wealth, on the importance of taking a human first approach with clients, how every advisor can incorporate AI into their practices and why she is reframing the way first generation wealth builders think about money.

Specifically, Anna discusses:

  • Speaking on a “human” level to clients, especially the next generation of investors.
  • How her background influenced her decision to focus on serving women of color.
  • Why clients’ money behaviors and experiences affect her overall planning recommendations.
  • How she uses AI tools to provide advanced planning, automate manual tasks and elevate her marketing efforts
  • Her advice for firms considering merging or selling their practice
  • How she uses the DISK assessment in managing and developing her team.
  • Why underrepresented groups are leaving our industry at a higher rate and how we can combat it.

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:

Connect With Anna N’Jie Konte:

Anna N’Jie Konte BIO  

Anna N’Jie-Konte, MBA, CFP® is the President and Director of Financial Planning for Re-Envision Wealth. As President, Anna manages the firm’s financial planning, advisory, and operations strategies. She is a proud Puerto Rican, Gambian-American who is committed to building a firm where access to excellent, values-aligned financial advice is the norm, not the exception. Having spent her childhood watching the strong women around her live lives dictated by their bank balances, she’s on a mission to rewrite the money stories of women of color. 

 She is a 3x winner of Investopedia’s “Top 100 Influential Financial Advisors” and has been named “10 Young Advisors to Watch” by Financial Advisor Magazine. She serves as a CFP Board Brand Ambassador; an advisory board member to Wealth.com; and a board member of the FInserv Foundation.



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Focused on the Future: Carina Diamond on Staying in a Beginner’s Mindset and the Power of Reinvention

Focused on the Future: Carina Diamond on Staying in a Beginner’s Mindset and the Power of Reinvention

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In the first episode of Season Two of the Focused on the Future podcast, veteran industry leader Suzanne Siracuse talks with Carina Diamond, CEO of Stella Secunda and Director of Diversitas, Expanding Diversity in Wealth Management. They discuss the importance of adopting a personal approach with every client and how that leads to more business. Carina also describes why talent development and retention is everybody’s job and how having a beginner’s mindset attributes to growth both personally and professionally. 

Specifically, Carina details:

  • The critical areas firms and advisors need to consider for success now and in the future, as we navigate changing investor demographics
  • How programs such as Diversitas and the Externship play a role in attracting nextgen talent into our profession
  • Her top recommendations for firms on growing their client base; it starts with getting personal

Resources:

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse:

Connect With Carina Diamond:

About Our Guest:

An award-winning financial advisor, entrepreneur and executive, Carina Diamond is the founder and CEO of Stella Secunda, Latin for “Next Star,” which provides consultative organic growth strategies to a variety of companies in the financial services industry. Carina is the Director of Diversitas, Expanding Diversity in Wealth Management, a national initiative founded at The University of Akron. She also consults with a major insurance company on a financial wellness app, and is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences. 

Throughout her 30-year career, Carina has built and scaled successful wealth management teams, including her own. Five years after launching her RIA, she sold the business to Dakota Wealth Management, where she joined the firm first as Chief Experience Officer and was later promoted to Chief Growth Officer. 

 





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Focused on the Future: Teri Shepard on the Key to Advancing Women in Wealth Management

Focused on the Future: Teri Shepard on the Key to Advancing Women in Wealth Management

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In the latest episode of the Focused on the Future podcast, veteran industry leader Suzanne Siracuse talks with Teri Shepard, president of Carson Group, on the evolution of the role that a financial advisor plays, how she and her firm are investing in women and why constantly challenging oneself is the only way to evolve and grow.

Specifically, Teri discusses:

  • The key areas Carson Group is focused on to best serve current and future clients.
  • The evolving role of financial advisors; now more like coaches and therapists.
  • Why she and her firm are taking an active role in advancing women in our profession.
  • The top takeaways from her firms recently released Women in Wealth Management survey.
  • Her advice for men on how to be better allies and advocates for women.

Connect With Suzanne Siracuse: 

Connect With Teri Shepherd:

About Our Guest:

Teri Shepherd currently serves as the President of Carson Group, where she plays a pivotal role in enhancing operational efficiency and advancing the company’s long-term vision. As the first female executive at the firm, Teri has become a prominent role model for women within Carson and the broader financial services industry.

Teri’s commitment to advancing gender diversity within the organization and the financial services sector has garnered widespread recognition. She has been acknowledged by organizations such as InvestmentNews’ Women to Watch, Financial Planning Magazine’s Top Women in Asset Management, the Stevie Awards for Female Executive of the Year and WatersTechnology’s Women in Technology & Data Awards Gender Equality Professional of the Year.

Before joining Carson, Teri held the position of Executive VP, CFO, and COO at an independent broker-dealer, RIA and insurance company for a decade. Additionally, she served as the corporate controller of a publicly traded biotech firm for two years. Teri is an alumna of the University of Nebraska–Kearney, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Teri finds joy in spending quality time with her husband and three sons. She and her family enjoy camping, water skiing, and playing sports.



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