Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Beyond Referrals

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why trust in institutions is declining and trust in individuals is rising, and why that is the biggest opportunity of your career right now

• Why high trust service businesses are at a unique inflection point and what to do about it

• Why digital is the gateway to trust, not a replacement for relationships

• Why the goal is not virality, it is making your ideal client feel seen

• How to blend referrals, events, and in-person connection with a digital presence that converts

• What actually goes wrong when service professionals try to build a digital presence and why most do not see results

• How to build a digital presence without it becoming another thing on your plate

• What it looks like to build a family, a business, and a brand all at the same time

  
  

Kristoff Hart is the founder of bellhart. and one of the most differentiated voices on trust, creativity, and digital presence for high trust service professionals. He has worked at the highest levels of media and marketing, The Chosen, House of David, Warner Music Group, Bruno Mars, and brings that outside-in perspective to finance, legal, real estate, and accounting.

Learn more at kristoffhart.com or hightrustcreative.com.  Connect with Kristoff on LinkedIn or Instagram at @kristoffhart. Also check out Kristoff's newsletter.

Connect more with Emily: 

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

  
  

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• How Mando went from selling sneakers during COVID to becoming a top 25 producer at MassMutual with 50,000+ LinkedIn followers and a nationwide client base

• The single decision that changed everything and what committing actually looks like versus tinkering

• Why story-driven content is the only thing that converts in the age of AI and what that means for how you show up

• How to let go of the fear of being judged by peers, colleagues, and managing partners

• How Mando's niche clarity emerged through the process of showing up consistently rather than being figured out in advance

• What Followers to Fact Finders is and how Mando is teaching advisors across the country the exact frameworks that built his business

  
  

Mando Sallavanti III is a CFP® and CEPA® and the founder of Freedom Path Wealth. He is one of the top 25 planning fee producers at MassMutual, has built a 50,000+ LinkedIn following, and serves a nationwide client base of high-earning sales professionals and entrepreneurs. He also runs Followers to Fact Finders, a coaching community where he teaches advisors the exact strategies that built his practice - he’s built all of this in his 20’s.

Learn more about Followers to Fact Finders at followerstofactfinders.com/checkout 

To connect with Mando, find him on LinkedIn.

Connect more with Emily: 

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

  
  

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com 

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• How Ben built one of the most recognized ensemble brands within Northwestern Mutual, from an intern in 1999 to $4.5B AUM across 15 cities

• The Five Capitals framework that makes LiveWell magnetic to both clients and advisors,  and why most advisors are only focused on one of them

• What "Karma Capitalism" is and why it's the simplest, most powerful content strategy most advisors aren't using

• How brand equity becomes a growth engine that attracts clients and top talent simultaneously

• What Ben's acquisition and growth machine actually looks like behind the scenes

• Who wins and who gets left behind in the future of this profession, and what separates them

Ben Beshear is the founder of LiveWell Capital, a $4.5 billion AUM ensemble firm operating across 15 cities and one of the strongest brands built within Northwestern Mutual. He started at NM as an intern in 1999 and has spent the last two decades building something that goes far beyond a book of business.

To connect with Ben, find him on LinkedIn.

Connect more with Emily:

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com

In this conversation you’ll learn:

• Why presence is a practice, and what it actually takes to build it

• How your personal brand is your reputation, and why everyone already has one whether they're intentional about it or not

• How to blend the art of personal connection with the strategy of actually building a business

• Why LinkedIn is the most powerful reputation-building tool available, and how to use it that way

• How presence shows up at home, not just in business

Kurt Kersey is a speaker, coach, and connector known for his ability to make everyone in the room feel like the most important person in it. He has built real authority, credibility, and deep relationships everywhere he goes, through intentionality, presence, and a genuine commitment to putting other people first.

To connect with Kurt, reach out to him on LinkedIn.

Connect more with Emily:

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why the sales vs. service mindset is the single biggest factor in whether referrals happen naturally or feel forced

• What makes most referral training fail, and why it's built around the wrong person

• The psychology behind a genuinely natural referral system that doesn't require a script

• Why organic growth through referrals is still the most powerful strategy in the age of AI

Dan Allison is the founder of Feedback Marketing Group and one of the most sought-after voices on organic growth and referral psychology in the financial services industry. He's keynoted over 1,000 conventions on six continents and trained hundreds of thousands of advisors worldwide.

Before financial services, Dan co-founded a mental health company serving children in crisis, scaling it to 75 facilities and hundreds of employees in five years through organic referrals alone, before an eight-figure exit. That experience gave him a ground-level understanding of why people actually refer, which became the foundation of his work.

His new book, The Organic Growth Revolution, is out now. Grab it here.

To connect with Dan, reach out to him on LinkedIn.

Connect more with Emily:

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why going narrow, not broad, is the most powerful growth strategy available to advisors

• What actually creates transferable value in a financial advisory firm (and why most advisors are building the wrong thing)

• The one line that reframes how you think about your role as a founder: "The more valuable you are, the less valuable your business is"

• Why organic growth is undervalued while the industry chases M&A and private equity

• How AI fits into the future of advisory businesses, and why ignoring it isn't an option

Nathan Donohue is the founder of Sonoran Ridge Capital, a private investment firm focused on acquiring and operating niche service businesses. He previously built Consilio Wealth Advisors into one of the fastest-growing independent RIAs, scaling to approximately $500M in AUM through organic growth alone before a successful exit in 2025.

Most recently, he served as Founding Go-To-Market Lead at Vitals AI, an advisor intelligence platform providing practice benchmarking and data visibility for financial advisors. Nathan is an active member of Entrepreneurs' Organization, where he has served on the board as both MyEO Chair and Forum Chair.

He brings a builder's perspective to entrepreneurship through acquisition, having lived both sides of buying, building, and exiting businesses.

To connect with Nathan, reach out to him on LinkedIn or visit the Sonoran Ridge Capital website.

Connect more with Emily:

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com 

Video marketing can create incredible results and build trust at scale. In this episode, Emily sits down with Nate Hoskin to talk about what actually makes video work, why so much content falls flat, and how to show up in a way that feels natural and builds real trust.

In this conversation, you'll learn: 

-Why video and content are part of your fiduciary duty as an advisor 

-What separates the advisors who fall flat from those who see success with video (it's not what you think) 

-Why genuine intent and strategy are the most critical pieces of a content strategy 

-Business advice we don't subscribe to 

Nate Hoskin is a CFP® and the CEO and co-founder of SageContent, the all-in-one video content platform for financial advisors. He started his own RIA at 22 during COVID and built it entirely through short-form video, with zero traditional selling. Today, he has 250,000 followers and over 200 million views across social media.

He's been named to Investopedia's Top 100 Most Influential Financial Advisors, won Wealth Management's Rising Star of the Year, and made Inno Colorado's 25 Under 25.

At SageContent, he and his co-founder Nick Meyer are building the tech and coaching stack that helps advisors build trust at scale with video, the same playbook Nate used to build his own firm from nothing.

To connect with Nate and his team, reach out to him on LinkedIn or visit the SageContent website.

Connect more with Emily: 

-Free Advisor Brand Assessment

-Emily's LinkedIn

-Emily's Instagram

-Emily's YouTube Channel

-Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com 

Learn why selecting a niche is crucial for business growth. Discover actionable steps to define your niche and attract the right clients.

In this conversation, you'll learn: 

- Why most advisors struggle to choose a niche and what it’s actually costing them

- How to identify a niche that aligns with your experience, relationships, and market demand

- The difference between competing for clients and attracting the right ones

- How clearer positioning leads to stronger messaging and better-fit clients

- Why trying to serve everyone is usually what’s holding your growth back

Connect more with Emily: 

-⁠Free Advisor Brand Assessment⁠

-⁠Emily's LinkedIn⁠

-⁠Emily's Instagram⁠

-⁠Emily's YouTube Channel⁠

-⁠Wonderlab Strategy⁠

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to ⁠hello@wonderlabstrategy.com⁠ 

Discover the hidden costs of relying solely on referrals for business growth. Learn why a diversified approach is crucial for sustainable success.

In this conversation, you'll learn: 

- Why referrals feel like growth but can quietly create inconsistency behind the scenes

- How relying only on referrals puts your positioning and messaging out of your control

- The real reason your client base can feel scattered or misaligned

- The difference between passive growth and intentional growth, and why you need both

- Simple ways to start taking control of who you attract and how your business grows

Connect more with Emily: 

-⁠⁠Free Advisor Brand Assessment⁠⁠

-⁠⁠Emily's LinkedIn⁠⁠

-⁠⁠Emily's Instagram⁠⁠

-⁠⁠Emily's YouTube Channel⁠⁠

-⁠⁠Wonderlab Strategy⁠⁠

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to ⁠⁠hello@wonderlabstrategy.com⁠⁠ 

Discover how AI is reshaping the advisor-client relationship and what that means for financial advisors. Learn to adapt and thrive in the new landscape.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

- How AI is already changing the way clients think, research, and show up to conversations

- Why access to information is no longer where advisors create value

- What clients actually need from advisors in an AI-driven world

- How to shift from giving generic advice to offering deeper, more strategic guidance

- Why staying visible and clearly positioned matters more than ever

Connect more with Emily: 

-⁠⁠⁠Free Advisor Brand Assessment⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠Emily's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠Emily's Instagram⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠Emily's YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠Wonderlab Strategy⁠⁠⁠

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to ⁠⁠⁠hello@wonderlabstrategy.com⁠⁠⁠ 

Emily discusses the critical need for financial advisors to adapt to AI, digital visibility, and niching to stay competitive in the evolving wealth management industry. She highlights the widening gap between those who embrace change and those who don't, offering practical steps to future-proof your practice.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

- Why a gap is forming between advisors who adapt and those who don’t

- How AI is shifting your role from information provider to strategic guide

- Why specialization is becoming non-negotiable for growth

- The real impact your digital presence has on attracting the right clients

- What to focus on now to stay competitive in a changing market

Connect more with Emily: 

-⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Advisor Brand Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠Emily's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠Emily's Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠Emily's YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠Wonderlab Strategy⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to ⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@wonderlabstrategy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Emily explores how the traditional referral-based growth model in client service firms is becoming obsolete in the digital age. She discusses strategies for adapting to industry disruption, leveraging digital marketing, and building trust in a hyper-connected world.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

- Why the traditional referral-driven growth model is starting to break down- How client expectations have shifted in a digital-first world- What today’s clients actually look for before they ever reach out- Why relying only on relationships is no longer enough to stay competitive- The key shifts needed to build trust and grow in today’s environment

Connect more with Emily: 

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Advisor Brand Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emily's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emily's Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emily's YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wonderlab Strategy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@wonderlabstrategy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why putting out content does not automatically create clients and what to do instead

• Why AI has commoditized educational content and what the only thing is that cannot be replicated

• What a content system actually looks like and how to build one that moves people toward a booked call

• The step by step process for converting content into pipeline and real business results

• How to build a content strategy inside a compliance-heavy environment like Northwestern Mutual

• How to find and own your unique point of view so your content actually stands out

• The four ways to get clients and where referrals fit into an intentional content strategy

• How to decide if content is right for you and which platform to start on

  
  

Patrick Di Cesare was a firefighter who started posting personal finance content during COVID because he genuinely cared about it. That content went viral. He built a brand called Basic Financial Literacy to over 600,000 followers and caught the attention of NerdWallet, QuickBooks, ADP, and Intuit, not for logo placements but for marketing strategy. That's how BFL Advisor Marketing was born.

To connect with Patrick, find him on Instagram at @basicfinancialliteracy or on LinkedIn.

Connect more with Emily: 

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

  
  

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com

You used to build your business on referrals. The world is different now. Beyond Referrals is a space for leaders rethinking growth, trust, and strategy, so they can build firms with greater leverage, clarity, and long-term relevance that endure today and into the next generation.

Connect more with Emily: 

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Advisor Brand Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emily's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emily's Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emily's YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wonderlab Strategy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@wonderlabstrategy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Whether the industry is creating soft advisors and what to actually do about it

• How to identify the right candidates early, beyond credentials and likability

• Why resilience is the ingredient you cannot easily teach and how to spot it before you hire

• How advisors inadvertently make themselves too comfortable too fast and why that comfort kills growth

• Why the runway to advisor success is getting shorter and what firm leaders need to do right now

• How to honor the fundamentals of building a practice while adapting to how trust is built digitally

• John Wooden's definition of success and why it reframes everything about how you measure yourself in this profession

  
  

Dave Resseguie is the founder of The Resseguie Group and one of the most impactful voices in financial services leadership. He has worked with managing partners, managing directors, and advisors across his career, and the stories of people who return to him years later to say "I'm here because of you" are the measure of what he has built.

To connect with Dave, find him on LinkedIn or visit The Resseguie Group.

Connect more with Emily: 

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

  
  

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com 

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Whether it's actually obvious when you're winning or losing at home, Cory's answer is more nuanced than you'd expect

• How to recalibrate after intense work seasons before someone else decides your priorities for you

• Practical, actionable tips for strengthening your marriage and home life right now

• The Five Capitals framework and why every high achiever needs a life scorecard, not just a business one

• Why community and friendships are non-negotiable for winning at home

• How to win at home even inside a toxic or unhealthy workplace

• The quote that stopped Emily cold: "If you don't get intentional about your home life, your work life will take over by default."

Cory Carlson is the author of two bestselling books. Win at Home First was named by Forbes as one of the seven books everyone on your team should read. Rise and Go is a practical guide to getting back up quicker after life's challenges. He hosts the Win at Home First podcast, ranked in the top 1.5% globally, and co-founded RISE, a nationwide community of 100+ male business leaders committed to excelling at work and at home.

Learn more at corymcarlson.com or connect with Cory on LinkedIn.

Connect more with Emily:

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• What it actually looks like to build something from the inside, the operational reality, the fundraising, the people, the culture behind scaling The Chosen from a four-person startup to over $100 million in annual revenue

• Why your intuition is one of your greatest assets in business, and what happens when you learn to lean into it

• Why people and culture are never a soft priority, and what the leaders who get this right do differently

• The case for fractional leadership and why Adam believes it's the future of how organizations are built

• Why niching faster than you think you need to will always serve your business

• An honest, unfiltered conversation about the real frustrations advisors face inside the industry

  
  

Adam Swerdlow started his career selling copiers, became a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual where he built a successful book of business, co-founded a training and coaching company for financial advisors that was eventually acquired, then served as Chief Operating Officer of The Chosen, the most watched Christian TV series in history. Today he runs Alpine Consulting as a fractional COO for growth-stage organizations.

To connect with Adam, find him on LinkedIn or visit Alpine Consulting.

Connect more with Emily: 

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• https://mailchi.mp/wonderlabstrategy/findyourniche

• Find Your Niche in 10 Minutes: A Free Tool for Financial Advisors

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com 

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• The early days behind David’s success that most people don't know about, $45K in credit card debt, living with his dad, driving Uber at all hours while building his business from nothing

• How getting clear on his professional identity supercharged his business and attracted the right people at the right time

• What it means to lead with a servant's heart, and why making it your mission to leave everyone better off than before they met you changes everything

• The honest debate about whether advisors actually need a digital presence to grow

• What David's section of The Organic Growth Revolution covers and why Emily recommends it to everyone

David DeCelle is the CEO of Model FA and co-founder and CEO of WealthReach. He has consulted with firms representing over $400 billion in AUM and is co-author of The Organic Growth Revolution alongside Dan Allison.

To connect with David, find him on LinkedIn. Learn more about The Model FA and WealthReach. 

📖 David’s Book: The Organic Growth Revolution is a must-read for advisors → grab your copy here

Connect more with Emily: 

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• The talent crisis statistic that every firm leader needs to hear, and why most aren't taking it seriously enough yet

• Why culture is your most powerful recruiting and retention strategy, and what the offices that are winning actually do differently

• The power of vision planning and how getting intentional about it is what separates the people who build something meaningful from the ones who stay stuck

• What GrowthSuite Consulting does and why firms go in planning to hire one person and end up placing two or three

• Emily and McCall's full circle story, and the moment that changed Emily's life

This episode is especially valuable for managing directors, managing partners, recruiters, and leadership offices responsible for developing advisor talent.

McCall Fen is the founder of Growth Suite Consulting, a recruiting and talent firm specializing in financial services. She has built a reputation for bringing exceptionally strong candidates to firms across the industry, and for helping firm leaders think more intentionally about culture, retention, and the talent landscape ahead.

To connect with McCall, find her on LinkedIn.

Connect more with Emily: 

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com

IN THIS CONVERSATION, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why LinkedIn rewards specificity,  and what that actually means for your profile, your content, and your audience

• Why good copy is simple, and how clarity is the non-negotiable that separates advisors who convert from those who don't

• Why LinkedIn is a networking tool, not a broadcasting tool, and what real engagement actually looks like

• Why personal stories are the content that converts best and builds the most trust over time

• What's coming next on LinkedIn, short-form video and LinkedIn Live, and why advisors need to pay attention now

• The honest question every advisor needs to answer before they invest another minute in LinkedIn

Evan Kuterbach is a LinkedIn strategist and entrepreneur who helps business owners turn their LinkedIn presence into real pipeline and revenue. He's generated over $80K for a single client in four months and has accumulated over 200 million views across his content.

To connect with Evan, find him on LinkedIn and his website.

Connect more with Emily:

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Email List: Weekly Branding Tips

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com 

IN THIS EPISODE:

• The niching journey, what it actually looked like to go from a general marketing agency all the way down to a specific, narrow niche, and why it wasn't always comfortable

• Leaving a stable career she genuinely loved to bet on herself,  at one of the most tender times in her life

• Becoming a second-time mother and an entrepreneur simultaneously, and how that has shaped her in ways she's still processing

• What's coming next for Wonderlab and Beyond Referrals

• Real, honest advice for advisors navigating growing their practices right now

• A moment of genuine gratitude for the guests who said yes to this show early

No guest this week,  just Emily, a mic, and an unscripted Q&A format that turned into part lessons, part honest storytelling, part therapy. This is the first installment of what will be an ongoing Unfiltered Entrepreneurship series.

Connect more with Emily: 

• Free Advisor Brand Assessment

• Emily's LinkedIn

• Emily's Instagram

• Emily's YouTube Channel

• Wonderlab Strategy - Sign up for our Email List

Want to be on the show or nominate someone? Reach out to hello@wonderlabstrategy.com