Delivering financial planning efficiently doesn’t have to mean compromising on depth or personalization. This episode explores how a “working session” model can streamline the client experience, reduce prep and follow-up time, and still create space for thoughtful, relationship-driven planning.

Becky Walsh is the founder of Oak Maple Finance, an RIA based in Burlington, Vermont, that oversees approximately $80 million in AUM for 75 client households.

Listen in as Becky shares how she structures her onboarding into a six-month planning sprint with four real-time working sessions, drastically reducing the hours spent outside of client meetings. We discuss how this approach helps her serve Earners Wanting Advice Now (EWAN) clients with a flat complexity-based fee while maintaining a personalized experience. Becky also explains how she uses software tools like Elements and Money Quotient to assess a client’s financial picture and mindset, how she tailors service tiers after the initial planning "sprint" to match ongoing client needs, and why the support of a trusted peer study group has been a powerful driver in her own professional growth.

For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/453

Scaling an advisory firm quickly requires more than just marketing - it demands intentional infrastructure, rapid lead conversion systems, and a team built for volume. This episode explores how investing heavily in digital marketing, building internal efficiencies, and empowering advisors can drive explosive growth without sacrificing client service.

Gabriel Shahin is the CEO of Falcon Wealth Planning, an RIA based in Ontario, California, that oversees $1.4 billion in AUM for 1,500 households.

Listen in as Gabriel shares how his firm grew from $200 million to $1.4 billion in just five years by generating 2,500 leads per month and onboarding nearly 500 clients annually. We dive into how his team maximizes paid ads on Google with targeted landing pages and lead magnets, why content creation for SEO and “answer engine” optimization is central to their strategy, and how they ensure fast follow-up by assigning staff to manage inbound leads. Gabriel also discusses his firm's revenue-based compensation model for its advisors, why he views his advisors as his top clients, and how stepping out of day-to-day operations has allowed him to focus on leading the firm into its next phase of expansion.

For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/452

Running a successful advisory firm takes more than great client service - it also means learning how to lead a team and build infrastructure to support growth. This episode explores how developing leadership skills, hiring intentionally, and leaning into personal values can lay the foundation for a thriving, mission-driven business.

Maggie Kulyk is the founder of Chicory Wealth, an RIA based in Decatur, Georgia, that operates virtually and oversees $760 million in AUM for 480 households.

Listen in as Maggie shares how she grew from a self-described “terrible” manager into a visionary leader by making key hires with complementary strengths to her own, delegating wisely, and developing a strong leadership team. We discuss how her firm finds and trains homegrown advisors aligned with its values, how Maggie structured an internal ownership track for future successors, and why breaking away from a broker-dealer and going fee-only was the right move for her long-term vision.

For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/451