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

Financial advisors are being pitched new AI tools almost every day.
The promise is simple: more automation, better client service, and fewer hours buried in administrative work.
But adding AI to a fragmented technology stack doesn’t automatically make your business smarter. If your client data is incomplete, trapped inside disconnected systems, or flowing through tools you haven’t properly vetted, AI may amplify the problems you already have.
Today, I’m talking with Triad’s Chief Technology Officer, Quin Kilgore, to explore why the next era of advisor technology won’t be won by the firm with the most software.
We discuss why the tools that helped build your firm may not be the tools that carry it forward, where convenience can create hidden compliance risks, and how AI could reshape everything from marketing attribution and advisor coaching to client events and everyday operations.

3 Insights From This Week’s Episode…

#1.) The Hidden Risk Beneath Every AI Tool
Advisors tend to focus on what a new AI tool can do. But the bigger risk may be hiding in incomplete client records, fragmented systems, and unclear data policies. We explore why AI adoption can make weaknesses in your firm’s foundation much harder to ignore.

#2.) Why Today’s Tech Stack May Become Tomorrow’s Bottleneck
For years, advisory firms built their businesses around software that was expensive to customize and painful to replace. Quin explains how quickly that equation is changing, and why advisors may need to reconsider what a “core” technology system even looks like.

#3.) The Client Intelligence Advisors Are Leaving Behind
Your client conversations contain far more valuable information than a traditional fact finder can capture. We explore what becomes possible when that information can be organized, understood, and used throughout the firm.

INTERESTED IN TRIAD'S AI MASTERMIND?
Triad’s AI Advisor Lab, led personally by Michael Hyatt, is built for financial advisors who want to cut through the hype, apply AI more effectively, and stay ahead as the industry evolves. Apply here to see if the mastermind is the right fit for your firm: https://bradleyjohnson.com/178-ai-advisor-lab

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/178

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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. TP07265629240

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

Here's a question most advisors can't answer honestly: if you stepped away from your business for a couple of months for more than a vacation, would it survive?
For many founders, the answer is no. And that's a bigger problem than it sounds. Not just for you, but for your team, your clients, and the long-term value of your firm.
Today, I’m talking with DJ DiDonna, founder of The Sabbatical Project and author of Big Time Off, to talk about why sabbaticals are more than extended vacations. For advisors, they can become the ultimate stress test for the firm, the team, the client experience, and the life you’re supposedly building toward.
We get into why burnout can show up even after you’ve built the “dream job,” why a business that depends entirely on you may be more fragile than it looks, and why waiting until retirement to finally live the life you’ve earned is a risky bet.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your business is giving you freedom or quietly taking it away, this conversation will hit close to home.

3 Insights From This Week’s Episode…

#1.) The Freedom Test Most Advisors Avoid
Many advisors say they’re building freedom, but their calendar, client model, and team structure make that freedom nearly impossible. We explore what your ability to step away may reveal about whether you’ve built a real company or just a more sophisticated version of a job.

#2.) Why Burnout Can Hit After You Win
Burnout doesn’t always come from failure. Sometimes it shows up after you’ve built the business you thought you wanted. DJ shares why that can be so disorienting and what advisors may be missing when they keep pushing through.

#3.) The Fear That Keeps Owners From Offering Time Off
"What if I create the exit door and my best people walk through it?" It's the first objection every owner raises, and DJ has actual data on what happens when companies make extended leave part of the deal. The numbers aren't what you'd expect.

This Week's Free Give
To Get a Free Copy of Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One, visit https://bradleyjohnson.com/177

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/177

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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. TP07265629233

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

SPONSORED BY BELAY
If you’re an advisor and you’re still scheduling your own appointments, sending your own follow-up emails, or dealing with other tasks keeping you from bringing on other clients, you’re the bottleneck. BELAY helps busy leaders find world-class Virtual Assistants who can take tasks off their plate, protect their time, and help them stay focused on the work that actually moves the business forward. Learn more about BELAY and find the right assistant for your business here: http://belaysolutions.com/dbdl

A lot of financial advisors say they want more growth, more freedom, and more time with their family. But their calendar tells a different story.
They’re still answering every email, booking every flight, handling every follow-up, managing every client detail, and trying to squeeze high-value work into whatever time is left.
The problem is that the work that feels “small” rarely stays small. It compounds. And before long, the advisor who wants to scale the business is spending too much time doing the work that keeps them stuck.
Today, I’m talking with Tricia Sciortino, CEO of Belay, about the role most advisors wait too long to hire for, why the right assistant can become a true force multiplier, and how leaders accidentally create the very bottlenecks they’re trying to escape.
We also dig into why delegation is harder than most people admit, what separates a great assistant from a basic task-taker, and how the best leaders create the trust, clarity, and systems that allow someone else to help them operate at a higher level.

3 Insights From This Week’s Episode…

#1.) The Calendar Problem Hiding In Plain Sight
Many advisors think their calendar issues are just part of running a growing firm. But Tricia and I explore why calendar chaos is often a symptom of a deeper leadership problem, and what it may be costing your business and life.

#2.) Why Doing It Yourself Quietly Caps Growth
There are tasks that feel easier to handle yourself in the moment, but those small decisions can slowly become the ceiling on your firm. We talk about why leaders stay stuck doing low-value work and how that affects everything else.

#3.) The Back-End Flywheel Most Advisors Miss
Growth is not just about more marketing and more appointments. We discuss why the service experience after the sale can become one of the biggest drivers of retention, referrals, and long-term scale.

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/176

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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. TP06265629217

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

SPONSORED BY BELAY
If you’re an advisor and you’re still scheduling your own appointments, sending your own follow-up emails, or dealing with other tasks keeping you from bringing on other clients, you’re the bottleneck. BELAY helps busy leaders find world-class Virtual Assistants who can take tasks off their plate, protect their time, and help them stay focused on the work that actually moves the business forward. Learn more about BELAY and find the right assistant for your business here: http://belaysolutions.com/dbdl

ABOUT TODAY'S EPISODE
Building the right portfolio for clients is hard enough.
But today, advisors are also trying to manage market risk, protect retirement income, navigate stretched valuations, and help clients stay confident when the next market cycle tests the plan.
That’s why I’m excited to sit down with Jason Barsema.
Jason is the Co-Founder and President of Halo Investing, an award-winning platform that helps advisors access and manage protective, outcome-based investments like structured notes, annuities, insurance solutions, and other advanced wealth strategies.
In this episode, we talk about protective investing, defined outcome strategies, and why advisors may need a broader toolkit than the traditional stock-and-bond portfolio.
Jason also shares what he learned as an advisor during the Great Financial Crisis, why private credit may deserve more scrutiny, and what it really takes to earn trust with higher-net-worth families.

3 Insights From This Week’s Episode…

#1.) The Protection Conversation Most Advisors Aren’t Having
Clients want upside, but they also want to know what happens if the market turns against them. Jason shares why protective investing, structured notes, and defined outcome strategies can open a different kind of conversation around risk, income, and client confidence.

#2.) Why Private Credit Deserves A Closer Look
Private credit has become one of the hottest areas in the market, but Jason raises an important question: do clients actually understand what they own? We talk about the risks that can get hidden behind attractive yields, especially when liquidity starts to dry up.

#3.) What High-Net-Worth Families Actually Want From Advisors
Wealthy families don’t need another advisor walking in with a product idea. They need someone who listens, understands the complexity of their world, and can help them think through legacy, liquidity, family dynamics, philanthropy, and multi-generational planning.

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/175

FOLLOW BRAD JOHNSON ON SOCIAL
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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. TP06265629210

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

Your prospect's eyes glaze over about ten minutes into the meeting. You can feel it—they're sitting right there, but they've checked out. And here's the uncomfortable part: it's usually not because your advice is bad.
Most advisors lose the room for a reason they never see coming, and they keep doing the exact thing that causes it in every single appointment.
In Part 3 of the Missing Visuals series, I break down the one skill I've watched separate the top 1% from everyone else, and why the way you're communicating your best ideas might quietly be costing you clients.

3 Insights From This Week’s Episode…

#1.) Draw: The $10M Client Story
Most advisors rely on words to explain complex ideas, then wonder why prospects nod along but never move forward. I share the story of an advisor who used a simple drawing to help close a $10M client—and why it reveals a bigger problem in how advisors communicate value.

#2.) Co-Create: Why Prospects Push Back
When a prospect feels like a plan is being sold to them, resistance naturally shows up. We explore what changes when the meeting stops feeling like a pitch and starts becoming something the advisor and prospect build together.

#3.) Teach: The Risk Of Keeping It In Your Head
A lot of advisor firms are built around the founder’s instincts, stories, and ability to explain things in the moment. That works until you need to train advisors, scale the firm, or build something that can eventually run without you. I’ll show you how to start turning what lives in your head into something your team can actually use.

Triad Sales Lab
Want to turn more great prospects into lifelong clients? Triad Sales Lab helps advisors use simple visual models to communicate more clearly, strengthen appointments, and improve the way they present their process. Learn more and apply below.

SHOW NOTES
https://bradleyjohnson.com/174

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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.