Whether your clients are selling their businesses or you're navigating a merger and acquisition (M&A) transition in your own firm, the communication challenges are remarkably similar. Join host Dave Alison as he sits down with Stan Milovancev, Co-CEO of Prosperity Capital Advisors and C2P, to explore both sides of the M&A conversation. Stan brings over 30 years of leadership experience, including overseeing a $70 billion RIA platform at CBIZ Investment Advisory Services where he participated in hundreds of M&A transactions. This conversation revisits his concept of the "muddy middle,” that dangerous space where firms are too big to stay tightly focused yet too small to achieve meaningful scale, and examines how this same dynamic affects clients across industries who are contemplating their own exit strategies.

Resources:

• Episode referenced: Evaluating M&A Opportunities: Essential Questions for Advisors

Statistics:

• Fidelity 2024 M&A study found 40% of clients felt significant uncertainty about advisory firm transitions

ChatGPT and other AI tools regularly get financial advice wrong, but your clients don't always know that. What do you do when they bring you analysis that contradicts your recommendations? Discover practical strategies for handling AI-influenced objections and using these tools proactively on your end. Join host Matt Seitz, Chief Marketing Officer at C2P and Prosperity Capital Advisors, as he sits down with Dave Alison, Founder and CEO of Alison Wealth Management and President and Founding partner of C2P and Prosperity Capital Advisors. Dave shares his real experiences from recent client meetings where ChatGPT-generated analysis created misconceptions. Learn how to proactively address AI-influenced objections before they arise, communicate effectively when clients present contradictory information, and leverage these same tools to strengthen your planning process and client communications.

Resources:

• AI referenced: ChatGPT
• AI Software for Financial Advisors referenced: Zocks
• Training Referenced: The Bucket Plan® 2.0

Major life transitions often become inflection points in advisor-client relationships, moments where trust either deepens or dissolves. Join host Kirsten Schlumbohm, Vice President and Head of Annuity Sales at C2P, as she sits down with Grace Nicholson, BPC, founder of Akamai Advisors, to explore why women fire their advisors after major life transitions and what you can do differently to help prevent it. From proactive relationship-building strategies to adjusting your communication during critical moments, discover how to demonstrate empathy and expertise when they matter most.

Ressources:

• Books referenced: The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness by Morgan Housel, Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life―A Revolutionary Approach to Maximizing Life Experiences Over Accumulating Wealth by Bill Perkins, The Wealthy Gardener: Lessons on Prosperity Between Father and Son by John Soforic
• Processes mentioned: The Bucket Plan® and The Tax Management Journey®

Statistics:

• $125 trillion in assets is expected to transfer from Baby Boomers to younger generations over the next two decades.
• 57.9% of millennials have changed advisors or hired one for the first time after receiving significant inheritance.

What experience have you had either directly or indirectly when it comes to caring for an aging loved one? During this live recording from A Woman's Clarity® forum, we discuss the realities of long-term care and how to help your clients prepare for it with confidence, clarity, and compassion. Host Kirsten Schlumbohm sits down with Gina Ference, Managing Director of Partnership Development, and Drew Serzan, Head of Private Client and Executive Life Insurance Planning and Founding Partner at OneTeam Financial. Listen as Gina shares her two-year journey managing her mother's transition from independent living to assisted care. Drew Serzan from OneTeam Financial brings the advisor perspective, offering his proven conversation starter and coordination strategies. Discover the real-world insights and empathy-driven approach that makes difficult long-term care conversations possible with clients.

Resources:

• Book referenced: Nobody Wants Your Sh*t: The Art of Decluttering Before You Die by Messie Condo

Statistics:

• 70% of people after age 65 will need some type of long-term care

As the population ages, more families are facing the realities of caregiving, and financial advisors are often the first to see it unfold. Join host Kirsten Schlumbohm, Vice President and Head of Annuity Sales at C2P, as she sits down with Bill Cohen, CSA®, founder of Cohen Caregiving Support Consultants, to discuss how advisors can guide clients through one of life’s most emotional and financially complex journeys. Bill has spent the last decade helping families navigate dementia, long-term care, and aging. Learn how to recognize early signs of caregiver stress, approach difficult topics with empathy, and help clients plan for the costs and logistics of care.

Resources:

• Organizations with helpful resources: Cohen Caregiving Support Consultants, Alzheimer’s Association, AARP Caregiving Resource Center.
• Book: When Women Get Sick: An Empowering Approach for Getting the Support You Need by Rebecca Bloom

Statistics:

• Memory care facilities can cost over $10,000 per month

The economic landscape is shifting, and you’re probably hearing a term you haven't encountered in decades: stagflation. This toxic combination of slow growth, rising inflation, and increasing unemployment presents unique challenges for your practice but also powerful opportunities. Join guest host Greg Hammer, President and CEO of Hammer Financial Group, as he sits down with industry veteran Stoyan Petev, Senior Vice President of Advanced Markets at C2P, to decode what stagflation means for your practice and, more importantly, how you can turn this type of economic uncertainty into meaningful client conversations. Discover tactical portfolio adjustments and communication strategies to help your clients build unshakeable confidence in uncertain times.

Resources:

• Planning Framework referenced: The Bucket Plan®

Statistics:

• Last significant U.S. stagflation period occurred in the 1970s

Generation X is spending $83,000 annually compared to baby boomers' $62,000—a 33% increase that reflects their sandwich generation reality: funding college tuition while simultaneously covering parents' long-term care costs. These 45–60-year-olds are your highest lifetime value prospects, but they bring specific pressures that require targeted approaches. Join host Dave Allison as he sits down with Bryan Bibbo, President, CFO, and partner at JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, to explore the retirement realities and tax-efficient strategies that help you capture this critical demographic. From super-funding 529 plans to implementing sophisticated tax loss harvesting through SMAs, discover how to position yourself as the advisor who understands their dual financial obligations and peak earning potential.

Resources:

• Book referenced: Die with Zero by Bill Perkins
• Training program referenced: Tax Management Journey®

Statistics:

• Gen X (ages 45-60) spends approximately $83,000 annually compared to baby boomers' $62,000 annually—a 33% increase in expenses
• Gen X experienced major market downturns during prime saving years: tech bubble (2000) and global financial crisis (2008)

Gray divorce rates among Americans over 50 have surged from 8.7% in 1990 to 36% by 2019*, creating unique financial planning challenges that require specialized expertise. Join host Kirsten Schlumbohm, Vice President, Head of Annuity Sales at C2P as she interviews Jeannette Bajalia, Senior Wealth Manager at JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, and Founder of Women's Worth, to explore the emotional and financial complexities of late-life divorce. Learn how to navigate the delicate balance between hard financial truths and emotional sensitivity while helping clients rebuild their financial futures. From understanding the root causes of gray divorce to implementing modified planning approaches, this episode provides essential guidance for advisors working with clients navigating one of life's most challenging transitions.

*https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/77/9/1710/6564346

Resources:

• Book referenced: Wi$e Up, Women!: A Guide to Total Fiscal and Physical Well-Being by Jeannette Bajalia
• Organization referenced: Women’s Worth

Statistics:

• Gray divorce rates increased from 8.7% in 1990 to 36% by 2019 among individuals over 50
• 75% of nursing home residents are women
• Women initiate the majority of gray divorces, driven by changing societal expectations
• Marital stress increases during the initial two years of retirement