Category: Mentorship
How Simplicity Wealth Helps Advisors Scale and Plan for Succession with Mike Nimmo, CFP® (Ep. 125)

How Simplicity Wealth Helps Advisors Scale and Plan for Succession with Mike Nimmo, CFP® (Ep. 125)

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Growing an advisory business can create a new set of pressures. More clients can mean less capacity, more operational work, and harder decisions about what comes next.

In this episode, Jeremy Houser speaks with Mike Nimmo, CFP®, Senior Vice President of Simplicity Wealth, about how advisors can approach growth, scale, and succession planning. Mike explains how marketing, planning, trading, operations, tax planning, and compliance support can extend an advisor’s team while preserving their brand and independence. They also explore a $17.5 million client case, tax-loss harvesting, risk scoring, and combining wealth and insurance planning. 

Mike discusses:

  • How advisors can pursue growth through lead generation, marketing support, and stronger brand visibility
  • Why rapid growth can strain an advisor’s capacity and create a need for additional operational support
  • How back-office planning, trading, operations, and compliance teams can give advisors more time
  • How a $17.5 million client case used tax planning and a white-labeled proposal to address client needs
  • How advisors can retain ownership of their brand and book while gaining access to broader infrastructure
  • And more!

Connect with Mike Nimmo:

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

About Our Guest:

Mike is a partner at Simplicity working with financial professionals and Simplicity Partner Offices to help grow their wealth management business. His career in financial services began back in 2012. Mike previously served as Head of Sales for an IMO-owned RIA and prior to this spent seven years at Allianz Life. Mike is a CFP® professional and earned his bachelor’s degree from Saint John’s University.

Disclosure #: 5928367 – 1026

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AI, Compliance, and the New Rules of Advisor Marketing with Jared Margolies (Ep. 124)

AI, Compliance, and the New Rules of Advisor Marketing with Jared Margolies (Ep. 124)

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AI can help financial advisors create content and work more efficiently, but what happens when client data, advertising rules, and compliance enter the picture?

In this episode, Jeremy Houser speaks with Jared Margolies, Director of Compliance at Simplicity Group Holdings, about AI, cybersecurity, advertising, and advisor marketing. Jared explains what advisors should consider before sharing data with AI tools, how compliance teams can support content creation, and where testimonials, online reviews, performance claims, and social media can create regulatory concerns. 

Jared discusses:

  • How AI tools can create privacy concerns when advisors upload client information without reviewing data policies
  • Why free AI tools and note takers deserve additional scrutiny before they’re used with client information
  • How advisors can use AI as an initial content check while still relying on formal compliance review
  • Why testimonials, online reviews, and performance claims require careful disclosures and supporting context
  • How a regular content calendar and pre-reviewed materials can reduce friction between marketing and compliance
  • And more!

Connect with Jared Margolies:

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

About Our Guest:

Jared Margolies is Director of Compliance at Simplicity Group Holdings, where he has been part of the organization since 2019. Throughout his time with Simplicity, he has served in several compliance leadership roles, including Chief Compliance Officer for Simplicity Financial Investment Services, Simplicity Wealth, Simplicity Solutions, and RetireOne. Jared has also helped develop advertising workflows, cybersecurity processes, and technology initiatives across the organization. Before joining Simplicity, he worked with AXA Equitable, now Equitable, where he gained experience in front-facing supervision and retail sales oversight. Today, his work includes helping advisors address compliance considerations related to advertising, AI, cybersecurity, client communications, and emerging technology.

Disclosure #: 5928357 – 1026

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Preparing Your Advisory Practice for AI, Wealth Transfer, and Succession (Ep. 123)

Preparing Your Advisory Practice for AI, Wealth Transfer, and Succession (Ep. 123)

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Financial advisory firms are facing major changes in how clients find advisors, how practices grow, and who will serve the next generation of investors. Preparing early can make those changes easier to manage.

In this episode, Jeremy Houser explores how independent financial advisors can build stronger businesses through systems, team development, digital visibility, and succession planning. He examines the coming advisor retirement wave, the trillions of dollars expected to change hands, and how AI is changing advisor discovery. Jeremy also shares lessons from recent advisor events about leadership, client experience, content, and preparing a practice for long-term continuity.

Key points:

  • How advisor retirements and limited succession planning could put trillions of dollars of client assets in motion
  • Why independent advisors need systems and team structures that reduce dependence on the founder of the practice
  • How AI search, AEO, and website content are changing the ways prospective clients discover financial advisors
  • Why younger generations receiving transferred wealth may expect different communication and digital experiences
  • How consistent content, leadership development, and defined roles can prepare an advisory firm for future growth
  • And more!

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

Disclosure #: 5901513 – 0926

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How Financial Advisors Can Turn Content Into Clients with Thomas Kopelman (Ep. 122)

How Financial Advisors Can Turn Content Into Clients with Thomas Kopelman (Ep. 122)

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Financial advisors can publish constantly and still struggle to turn attention into trust. A clearer approach starts with being useful, consistent, easy to understand, and available when clients need help.

In this episode, Jeremy Houser talks with Thomas Kopelman, Co-Founder of AllStreet Wealth, about building an advisory business through social media and referrals. Thomas explains how educational content has created a steady flow of qualified prospects, why advisors should write the way clients actually speak, and how batching content makes consistency manageable. 

They also cover choosing the right platform, avoiding constant selling, repurposing strong ideas, delegating production, and making responsiveness part of the client experience.

Thomas shares:

  • How educational social media can attract prospects without relying on cold outreach or constant direct selling
  • Why advisors should write in the language clients actually use instead of trying to impress other professionals
  • How batching months of social content at once can make consistent publishing easier to maintain over time
  • Why focusing on one active social channel and one long-form format can be enough to build recognition and trust
  • How responsiveness and personal availability can become meaningful parts of the experience clients receive
  • And more!

Resources: 

Connect with Thomas Kopelman:

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About Our Guest:

Thomas Kopelman is the co-founder and lead Financial Planner at AllStreet Wealth. Recognized for his expertise and dedication, he has been named a Top 23 Millennial Advisor by Business Insider, a Top Young Advisor to Watch in 2023 by FA Mag, and one of the top 100 financial advisors by Investopedia in both 2022 and 2023.

Beyond his role at AllStreet Wealth, Thomas is an active blogger, podcaster, and content creator, sharing valuable insights on financial planning and wealth management.

A graduate of Butler University, Thomas has dedicated his entire career to the financial services industry. He is passionate about helping high-income business owners aged 30-50 cut through the noise and leverage their resources to achieve their life goals.

When he’s not assisting clients with their financial plans, Thomas enjoys working out, playing basketball, spending time at the lake with his family, and hanging out with his wife & dog.

Disclosure: 5717591 – 0926

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Building Trust and Attracting Better Clients Through Technology with Derek Notman, CFP® (Ep. 121)

Building Trust and Attracting Better Clients Through Technology with Derek Notman, CFP® (Ep. 121)

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Many financial advisors spend years trying different marketing tactics without feeling like they’re reaching the right people.

What if attracting better clients had less to do with chasing leads and more to do with showing who you really are, building trust online, and creating meaningful relationships before the first conversation ever happens?

In this episode, Jeremy Houser sits down with Derek Notman, CFP®, CEO of Couplr AI, to discuss how advisors can rethink client acquisition by focusing on authenticity instead of outdated prospecting methods. Derek shares lessons from building his own advisory practice, explains why niche marketing creates stronger client relationships, discusses how LinkedIn has become an essential part of an advisor’s digital presence, and introduces new ways technology is helping advisors create more meaningful connections with prospective clients.

Key takeaways:

  • How dating apps inspired the launch of Couplr.AI in the financial space
  • Why identifying a specific audience creates stronger client relationships than broad prospecting efforts.
  • How LinkedIn helps prospects build trust before they ever schedule an introductory meeting.
  • Why authentic branding consistently attracts clients who genuinely value your work.
  • How technology is improving advisor lead conversion without replacing personal relationships.
  • What Derek learned about balancing entrepreneurship, family life, and building a meaningful business.
  • And more!

Resources: 

Connect with Derek Notman:

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

About Our Guest:

Derek Notman, CFP® is the Founder and CEO of Couplr, Inc., the AI-powered advisor–client matching platform for wealth management and insurance firms. He founded Couplr to replace cold outreach and broken lead-generation models with precision growth intelligence, built on behavioral science and a 1,300-variable matching engine.

Derek is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a long-time practitioner in wealth management. He spent his pre-Couplr career watching capable advisors struggle to find clients they actually clicked with, and watching consumers settle for advisors who didn’t fit their life stage, values, or communication style. Couplr is his answer to that mismatch, an enterprise-grade system that uses behavioral science and AI to help the right advisor and the right client find each other on what actually matters.

As CEO, Derek leads strategy, partnerships, and fundraising for Couplr. He also writes regularly to his 20K+ subscribers For the Love of Money newsletter on behavioral finance.

Disclosure #5717597 – 0826

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The Future of Retirement Income with Athene CEO Grant Kvalheim (Ep. 120)

The Future of Retirement Income with Athene CEO Grant Kvalheim (Ep. 120)

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Helping clients create dependable retirement income has become one of the biggest challenges financial professionals face as pensions continue disappearing.

In this episode, Jeremy Houser welcomes Grant Kvalheim, CEO of Athene to discuss how the retirement income industry is evolving. Grant shares Athene’s approach to long-term growth, transparency, product innovation, and private credit investing while explaining why lifetime income continues to become a larger part of retirement planning. 

He also explores opportunities to improve the annuity experience for consumers and financial professionals, along with the leadership principles that have helped guide Athene’s continued growth.

Key takeaways:

  • How lifetime income solutions are evolving as fewer workers retire with traditional pension benefits.
  • Why private credit plays an important role in supporting competitive retirement income products today.
  • How transparency, financial discipline, and long-term planning influence Athene’s business decisions.
  • Why improving the consumer and advisor experience can expand access to retirement income products.
  • How leadership, vision, and continual innovation support sustainable growth over many years.
  • And more!

Connect with Grant Kvalheim:

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

About Our Guest:

Grant Kvalheim is CEO of Athene, where he is responsible for expanding market share, prioritizing innovation, entering new markets and leading the company through its next phase of growth. As CEO, he serves on Athene’s board and is a member of the Executive Committee. Grant joined Athene in January 2011 as its CFO and later served as President, a role he held until July 2025.

As President, Grant was responsible for running the company’s U.S. operations with a focus on growing organic origination. In that capacity, he led Athene’s entry into the U.S. annuity business, where it has become the market leader. He also developed Athene’s Funding Agreement program, where Athene is the largest issuer, and guided Athene’s Pension Group Annuity franchise.

Prior to joining Athene, Grant was Co-President of Barclays Capital, where he grew the European investment-grade credit business into a leading global credit franchise. Earlier in his career, he held senior executive positions in the investment banks of Deutsche Bank and Merrill Lynch.

Grant holds a B.S. degree in economics from Claremont McKenna College, and an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Chicago. Grant currently serves on the board of directors of the American Council of Life Insurers, Great Outdoors Foundation, SolHealth, Mottahedeh & Co., Inc., and a member of the Geneva Association.

Disclosure #: 5717541 – 0726

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Using AI to Build a More Efficient Financial Advisory Practice with Greg DuPont (Ep. 119)

Using AI to Build a More Efficient Financial Advisory Practice with Greg DuPont (Ep. 119)

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Financial advisors are under pressure to serve more clients, improve efficiency, and keep up with rapidly changing technology.

How do you use AI without losing the personal relationships that clients value most? And where should advisors begin if they want technology to improve their daily work instead of creating more complexity?

In this episode, Jeremy Houser sits down with Greg DuPont, JD, CFP®, CEO of Advocate Wealth Solutions and host of The March to a Million Podcast, to discuss how AI is reshaping advisory firms from the inside out. Greg shares how he’s built AI into his planning process, why he believes human relationships become even more valuable as technology improves, and how automation is helping him create better experiences for clients while operating a leaner business. They also explore estate planning, advisor productivity, and the growing need for tax education as more families prepare to transfer wealth.

Key takeaways:

  • Building AI systems that support advisors without replacing personal relationships
  • Using estate planning conversations to attract better-qualified prospective clients
  • Creating daily AI workflows that improve accountability and follow-through
  • Helping families understand retirement tax exposure before it becomes a surprise
  • Combining technology with human judgment to improve the client experience
  • And more!

Resources: 

Connect with Greg DuPont:

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

About Our Guest:

Greg DuPont is the CEO of Advocate Wealth Solutions, an attorney, financial advisor, entrepreneur, and host of the March to a Million and Your Financial Advocate podcasts. Through his work, Greg helps attorneys, professionals, and business owners reduce lifetime tax costs, manage risk, and create financial strategies that support the lives they want to live.

Driven by his mission, “The March to a Million,” Greg aims to positively impact one million U.S. families by 2030 by helping them preserve more of their wealth through thoughtful tax planning, estate planning, and comprehensive financial guidance. He believes true financial planning extends beyond today’s tax return and focuses on reducing lifetime tax exposure while improving wealth preservation and transfer.

In addition to leading Advocate Wealth Solutions, Greg has mentored financial professionals across the country, is a contributing author to The Recipe for Success, and is an Expy Award-winning presenter for Business on Broadway. Outside of work, he’s a passionate supporter of The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Columbus Blue Jackets, enjoys cooking, and unwinds with a glass of red wine or a Bombay Sapphire martini.

Disclosure #5717546 – 0826

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Building Stronger Fixed Indexed Annuity Strategies with Tom Haines (Ep. 118)

Building Stronger Fixed Indexed Annuity Strategies with Tom Haines (Ep. 118)

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Retirement planning isn’t only about finding higher returns. It’s also about deciding how different pieces of a portfolio work together over time.

What should advisors look for when evaluating indexed annuities? How can product design, diversification, and long-term thinking influence retirement outcomes?

In this episode, Jeremy Houser welcomes Tom Haines, Executive Vice President of Capital Markets and Index Solutions at Annexus, to discuss how fixed indexed annuity strategies have evolved. Tom explains the importance of portfolio construction inside FIAs, how research influences index development, why diversification continues to matter, and how product design can improve consistency for clients throughout retirement planning.

Key takeaways:

  • Building FIA portfolios around diversified index strategies instead of relying on a single allocation approach
  • Evaluating product design beyond illustrations, including renewal consistency and long-term implementation
  • Using global diversification alongside domestic exposure to improve return consistency over time
  • Looking beyond accumulation by considering income, legacy planning, and changing family needs
  • Focusing product innovation on practical retirement challenges instead of following industry trends
  • And more!

Connect with Tom Haines:

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

About Our Guest:

Tom leads the index diligence and selection process for Annexus and coordinates the firm’s relationships with asset managers, academic experts, and investment banks in conjunction with Annexus’ carrier partners. Tom is also one of the lead architects of the Lifetime Income Builder TDFs at Annexus Retirement Solutions (ARS). In his role within ARS, Tom works closely with the insurers and asset managers that partner with ARS on implementing the Lifetime Income Builder within portfolios and funds. Prior to joining Annexus, Tom led Equities Solutions Structuring at UBS Investment Bank. He began his career in index and statistical arbitrage trading within BNP Paribas’ Cooper Neff Division (Paris office) before serving as vice president in the Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) Group at NYSE Group and head of ETPs and Derivative Product Solutions at RBS. Tom’s research on index products has been published in top financial journals. He formerly served as a member of FINRA’s Investment Management Committee. Tom holds a bachelor’s degree in Quantitative Finance from James Madison University in Virginia.

Disclosure #: 5635414 – 0726

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AI, Investing, and the Future of Financial Planning with Benjamin Shiller (Ep. 117)

AI, Investing, and the Future of Financial Planning with Benjamin Shiller (Ep. 117)

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Technology is advancing quickly, and investors, business owners, and retirees are all trying to understand what it means for their future.

Will artificial intelligence create new opportunities, change career paths, reshape investing, or alter retirement planning? Understanding how innovation influences markets and personal finances may become increasingly important in the years ahead.

In this episode, Jeremy Houser welcomes Benjamin Shiller, Associate Professor of Economics at Brandeis University and Author. They explore how artificial intelligence could affect jobs, productivity, investing, and financial planning. Benjamin shares insights on market narratives, valuation concerns, the CAPE ratio, and the risks of chasing popular investments. 

The conversation also examines retirement planning, global investment opportunities, AI-related market enthusiasm, and why disciplined decision-making may matter more than reacting to headlines and trends.

Key takeaways:

  • How AI may reshape careers, productivity expectations, and long-term job stability for many workers
  • Why market narratives often influence investment decisions more than company fundamentals
  • How valuation metrics can help identify opportunities overlooked by popular market trends
  • Why diversification remains important during periods of enthusiasm around emerging technologies
  • How financial planning helps connect investment decisions to personal goals and risk tolerance
  • And more!

Resources: 

Connect with Benjamin Shiller:

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

About Our Guest:

Benjamin Shiller is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Brandeis University and the author of AI Economics: How Technology Transforms Jobs, Markets, Life, & Our Future.

His research primarily focuses on the economic impacts of digitization and new technologies. Within this domain, he has analyzed questions relating to personalized pricing, resale, and supplier coordination. His research has been covered in notable publications including The Atlantic, The Conversation, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, The Guardian, VOX EU, and The Washington Post.

Disclosure #: 5566633 – 0726

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This is How Prospects Find Financial Advisors with Samantha Russell (Ep. 116)

This is How Prospects Find Financial Advisors with Samantha Russell (Ep. 116)

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Today, clients are asking better questions online, and the firms that show up clearly may earn more attention.

What does your digital presence tell search tools, social platforms, and real prospects about who you help?

In this episode, Jeremy Houser talks with Samantha Russell, Chief Evangelist of FMG, about how financial advisors can improve their online visibility, build trust through social proof, and create content that answers real client questions. Samantha explains why niche messaging, fresh website content, reviews, podcast appearances, and strong LinkedIn activity matter as AI changes how prospects find advisors.

Samantha discusses:

  • Why advisors need clear niche messaging so AI tools can connect them with the right prospects
  • How reviews, testimonials, and LinkedIn recommendations help build digital trust signals
  • Why fresh blogs, social posts, and podcast transcripts help keep advisor content visible
  • How to use AI tools to test whether your firm appears in client-style search prompts
  • Why relatable stories and client questions can shape stronger advisor content ideas
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Samantha Russell:

Connect with Jeremy Houser:

About Our Guest:

Samantha helps financial advisors create digital marketing strategies that produce exponential growth through channels such as content marketing, SEO, website development, social media and video.

 A prolific speaker and content contributor, over 10,000 financial professionals have heard Samantha speak at industry conferences and even more have read her educational content in the pages of well-known industry publications. 

Samantha is Investment News 40 Under 40 award winner, a ThinkAdvisor Luminary, and a WealthManagement.com “10 to Watch”. 

She was part of the original five-person team that launched Twenty Over Ten and now serves as Chief Evangelist at FMG. There is nothing Samantha finds more inspiring than being able to empower advisors to market themselves effectively, and she gets a thrill from each message received from those financial advisors who are enjoying returns on their marketing investments.

Disclosure #5441228 – 0626

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