Former Prudential regional director Jay Duffy shares his bold decision to walk away from a near-seven-figure guaranteed income to co-found Frame Wealth, a culture-first advisory firm built on ownership, equity, and strategic leverage. In this conversation, Jay breaks down the leadership principles that guided his transition from managing 53 advisors to building his own practice—including why culture eats strategy for breakfast, how to protect white space for strategic thinking, and the critical shift from working harder to creating systems that scale. He reveals his approach to asking for introductions (not referrals) by treating top clients as advisors, explains the "who not how" framework that keeps him focused on high-impact work, and shares the books and mental models that helped him embrace failure, step out of the fog of business, and design a practice with 70% growth potential. If you're ready to think like a CEO instead of just an advisor, this episode is packed with actionable insights on delegation, leadership development, and building a firm you actually own.

Chapters:

• (00:00:00) - Opening: Clients Become Your Advisors
• (00:01:25) - Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast
• (00:02:42) - Burning the Boats: Walking Away from Guaranteed Income
• (00:04:10) - Control, Equity, and Building Something You Own
• (00:06:00) - Working Hard vs. Creating Leverage
• (00:08:18) - The Science of Scaling: Thinking Beyond Linear Growth
• (00:10:45) - Building Leaders to Scale Your Firm
• (00:14:38) - Protecting White Space and Strategic Time
• (00:18:02) - The Fog of Business: Stepping Out to See Strategy
• (00:21:20) - Who Not How: Finding Experts Instead of Becoming One
• (00:22:45) - Asking for Introductions: Replicating Your Top 10 Clients
• (00:26:35) - Must-Read Books for Advisors and Leaders
• (00:28:00) - Embrace Failure and Keep Moving Forward

Links and Resources

• Website
• Jay Duffy on LinkedIn
• 7 Figure Advisor
• Nick Davies on LinkedIn

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In this episode, Nick introduces the Diamond of Success framework—a powerful lens for building a seven-figure advisory business without sacrificing family and health. He breaks down the four critical areas that shape your life: business, relationships, health, and contribution. Most advisors achieve early success by running hard and doing more than others, but eventually that approach runs out and creates an imbalanced, misshapen diamond. The key isn't static balance—it's dynamic equilibrium, where you're intentionally moving between areas with clear purpose. Nick shares real examples from recent client calls about being present, making intentional trades, and remembering that success isn't just about the money—it's about becoming the person you want to be while living life on your terms.

(00:00:00) - Introduction: Success Through Running Hard Eventually Runs Out

(00:00:23) - Introducing the Diamond of Success Framework

(00:01:17) - The Four Points: Business, Relationships, Health, Contribution

(00:02:28) - Why Early Success Comes From Going Fast

(00:03:12) - When the Diamond Gets Misshapen

(00:03:59) - Business Merit vs. Most Important Relationships

(00:04:37) - Balance Is Not Stationary: Dynamic Equilibrium

(00:06:27) - Making Intentional Trades in Your Life

(00:07:24) - Real Client Examples: Being Present vs. Vacation Mode

(00:08:42) - Living Life on Your Terms with Intention

Links and Resources

• 7 Figure Advisor
• Nick Davies on LinkedIn

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to 7-Figure Advisor? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify and leave us a review!

In this episode of 7 Figure Advisor, host Nick sits down with Brant Shrimplin, founder of 626 Financial and author, to explore his journey from getting unexpectedly fired during the 2009 market crash to building a nearly $400M advisory practice. Brant shares the story of how he started his career with a single share of Disney stock as a child, built his business through seminars in his twenties, and eventually expanded into commercial real estate and venture capital. He reveals why he believes advisors should master multiple asset classes to truly serve clients as fiduciaries, discusses his unconventional approach to referrals (hint: stop asking for them), and explains why work-life balance isn't just a nice-to-have—it's the secret to sustained success. Brant also opens up about the importance of friendship, being present, and how turning your values into daily habits can elevate both your happiness and your business results.

Chapters:

• (00:00:00) - Introduction and Getting Fired
• (00:01:00) - The Importance of Friendship in Business and Life
• (00:03:00) - Brant's Early Career and Starting with Disney Stock
• (00:06:00) - Going Independent in 2009
• (00:08:00) - The Day Everything Changed: Getting Fired and Starting 626 Financial
• (00:11:00) - Expanding Beyond Stocks and Bonds: Real Estate and Venture Capital
• (00:13:00) - Current Practice Overview: Nearly $400M Under Management
• (00:17:00) - Advice for New Advisors: Join an Established Team
• (00:20:00) - Breaking Through Ceilings: Learning What You Don't Know
• (00:26:00) - The Right Way to Get Referrals: Stop Pushing
• (00:31:00) - Living with Balance: Turning Values Into Daily Habits

Links and Resources

• Website
• Brant Shrimplin on LinkedIn
• 7 Figure Advisor
• Nick Davies on LinkedIn

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to 7-Figure Advisor? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify and leave us a review!