Do Business. Do Life. — The Financial Advisor Podcast — DBDL

In this episode, I sit down with Triad members Matt Dixon and Byron Hurren to break down how True North evolved from a founder-led advisory firm into a scalable, system-driven business.
Just a few years ago, Matt was still running client appointments, and growth flowed almost entirely through him. Byron was another advisor on the team, trying to keep up inside a model that relied heavily on individual talent. Today, Matt is fully out of client meetings, Byron is leading and training a five-person sales team, and the firm is pacing for over $200M in new assets this year.
We unpack exactly what changed — how they replaced personality-driven selling with a repeatable sales process, why conversations are replicated nearly word-for-word, and how training, accountability, and culture turned individual production into firm-wide scale. This episode is a clear look at what it actually takes to grow beyond the founder without losing control of the business.

3 of the biggest insights from Matt Dixon & Byron Hurren…

#1.) Scaling Requires One Process, Not Multiple Styles
True North didn’t grow by hiring more talented closers. They grew by eliminating variation. Once every advisor followed the same repeatable process, results became predictable, coachable, and scalable.

#2.) Selling the Plan Changed Everything
The shift from pitching products to selling an ongoing planning process created clarity for clients and confidence for advisors. Planning became the product, and the team became the value.

#3.) Accountability Is the Growth Multiplier
Weekly training, recorded meetings, and direct feedback created a culture where improvement was non-negotiable. Advisors either followed the process or self-selected out.

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/152

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DISCLOSURE
DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. No statements made in the episode are offered as, and shall not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations.
The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for.
Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if stronger relationships really did come down to just three things?
In this episode, I sit down with Shasta Nelson, one of the most respected voices on the science of connection. She’s a speaker, author, and researcher whose work on relationships has been featured in Harvard Business Review and TIME, whose TEDx talks have reached nearly a million viewers, and whose frameworks are used by companies like Google, LinkedIn, and Walmart.
Shasta breaks down the simple relationship triangle that explains why some connections grow deeper while others quietly drift away. We explore how this framework applies directly to the relationships advisors care about most, including clients, teams, spouses, and close friends.
We also talk about why high-performing advisors can still feel disconnected, how trust is shaped in small moments rather than big gestures, and how you can intentionally start, strengthen, or even repair relationships instead of leaving them to chance.
If you want deeper client trust, stronger teams, and relationships that actually support your life outside the office, this episode gives you a clear way to think about all of it.

3 of the biggest insights from Shasta Nelson…

#1.) The Relationship Triangle Explains Why Connections Grow or Drift
Shasta introduces a simple triangle built on positivity, consistency, and vulnerability. Every relationship, whether with clients, team members, or family, operates on these three forces. When one weakens, trust doesn’t usually break. It slowly fades.

#2.) High Performers Can Be Surrounded by People and Still Feel Lonely
Many advisors interact with people all day and still feel disconnected. Shasta explains that loneliness isn’t about a lack of relationships. It’s about a lack of depth. Without relationships at the top of the triangle, connection feels transactional instead of meaningful.

#3.) Stronger Client and Team Relationships Can Be Designed
Once you understand the triangle, relationships stop being accidental. From first impressions to final moments, rituals, and shared experiences, advisors can intentionally start, strengthen, and even repair relationships instead of leaving trust to chance.

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/151

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DISCLOSURE
DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. No statements made in the episode are offered as, and shall not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations.
The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for.
Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When clients feel understood, everything gets easier. When they don’t, even the best advice falls flat. In this solo episode, I break down three lessons we can borrow from good doctors that make a huge difference in your meetings as an advisor.
Just like in medicine, the best advisors don’t rush to solutions. They slow down, ask better questions, and explain things in a way people can actually follow. I’ll walk through why diagnosing before you prescribe matters, how your “bedside manner” shows up in financial conversations, and why a real plan is something you build with clients over time—not something you hand them once and hope for the best.
If you’ve ever left a meeting thinking, “I know I gave them good advice, so why didn’t it land?” these three simple ideas will help you connect better, simplify your process, and create a better experience for every person you serve.

3 of the biggest insights from Brad Johnson…

1.) Diagnose Before You Prescribe
Clients don’t want another advisor pushing their “favorite product.” They want someone who seeks to understand—who asks layered questions, listens deeply, and helps both spouses feel heard. This is the foundation of trust and the secret behind higher conversions.

2.) Simplify the Complex with Better Bedside Manner
Planning jargon and 80-page printouts don’t impress clients—they overwhelm them. The advisors who win are the ones who translate complexity into simple, relatable frameworks and make clients feel comfortable, safe, and cared for.

3.) Build a Planning Journey, Not a One-Time Plan
Delivering a plan is not the finish line, it’s the starting line. When you walk clients through decisions one step at a time and commit to ongoing planning, you avoid overwhelm, deepen your relationship, and increase lifetime value.

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/150

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DISCLOSURE
DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. No statements made in the episode are offered as, and shall not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations.
The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for.
Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies. TP12254981392
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do fighter pilots and financial advisors have in common?
More than you might think—especially when it comes to performing under pressure.
In this episode, I sit down with Carey Lorhenz—the first female F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot in U.S. Navy history—to talk about how the Navy trains people to perform in high-stakes environments without leaving success to chance.
We get into simulation training before live reps, checklists built for people under pressure (because even really smart people forget things), and why debriefing is one of the fastest ways to build trust and alignment on a team.
If you’re building an advisory team, trying to develop younger advisors, or tired of repeating the same mistakes as a firm, this episode gives you a playbook you can actually use.

3 of the biggest insights from Carey…

#1.) Training Should Look More Like Simulation
In the Navy, pilots don’t get thrown into real situations and told to figure it out. Carey explains why so much time is spent in academics and simulators—and why skipping this step is where a lot of advisor training breaks down.

#2.) Checklists Exist Because People Forget
Checklists aren’t about being rigid. They’re about performing when pressure is high. Carey breaks down how the Navy designs checklists for stressed humans—and why the same thinking applies to client meetings and important conversations.

#3.) The Debrief Is Where Teams Actually Get Better
Carey walks through a simple five-question debrief that builds trust, surfaces blind spots, and transfers knowledge fast—so teams improve week over week instead of repeating the same mistakes.

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/149

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DISCLOSURE
DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. No statements made in the episode are offered as, and shall not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations.
The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for.
Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do you do when doing the right thing gets you fired?
That’s the question at the center of this conversation with Keith Leverentz. Keith started his career as a high school science teacher before being recruited into a captive financial firm. He quickly became the number one producer in the organization—but he was doing something most advisors weren’t. He was putting clients first, even when it meant recommending solutions that were less profitable for the company.
In 2012, that decision cost him everything. He lost his business, his clients, his niche, and spent a season wondering if he’d ever get back on his feet.
Keith didn’t just bounce back. He rebuilt—this time with intention. Today, he leads a 25-person firm that’s on pace for more than $65M in new assets this year. He’s done it by building a real team, integrating his entire family into the business, and putting purpose, generosity, and client outcomes at the center of everything.
If you’re a founder who’s been knocked down—or you’re carrying a weight that feels heavier than it should—Keith’s story is a powerful reminder of what’s possible on the other side.

3 of the biggest insights from Keith Leverentz…

#1.) The Cost of Doing What’s Right (And Why It Paid Off Later)
Keith was the #1 producer in his captive agency — until he refused to sell products that weren’t in his clients’ best interest. That decision got him fired. Keith explains the ethical dilemma that forced him out, the fear and isolation that followed, and how starting over with nothing eventually led to building a 25-person firm. If you’ve ever felt tension between growth and integrity, this part will hit close to home.

#2.) Why Most Advisors Feel Overwhelmed (And How to Fix It)
Keith explains why hiring an Executive Assistant dropped his stress by 40% — and why this role is one of the most overlooked leverage points in advisory firms. He also breaks down a hard truth about his own business: the org chart was “a mile wide and an inch deep.” This section is a masterclass on why founders become bottlenecks, how poor structure slows growth, and what it actually takes to scale beyond yourself.

#3.) Why Undercharging Holds Advisors Back
Keith shares how he realized he was undercharging — and why raising fees actually improved client outcomes instead of hurting relationships. You’ll hear how expanding planning capabilities, trusting a bigger team, and clearly communicating value allowed him to move up-market with confidence. If you’re worried about fee pressure, higher-net-worth clients, or whether you’re “ready” for the next level, this section reframes the entire conversation.

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/148

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DISCLOSURE
DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. No statements made in the episode are offered as, and shall not constitute financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations.
The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for.
Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.