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Published by Steve Sanduski
Host Steve Sanduski, CFP® is the founder of two financial services companies, a New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, executive coach, and speaker. Through interviews with top achievers and visionary voices, Between Now and Success brings you the strategies, tips, and tools you need to succeed at the intersection of business and life. In each episode, Steve's guests open up and share their journey and the lessons they learned on their road to the summit. So rope up and get "On Belay" as we climb the summit to success together.
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Guest: Sean Wing, the Founder and CEO of Wing. In a nutshell: How often do you provide high-value financial advice to your clients? Monthly? Quarterly? Annually? But ... how often do their lives change? How often do their feelings about their money shift? How often are they nervously staring at market drips and trade wars on social media wondering, "Am I OK?" If you're waiting around for your clients to call you every time they're pondering a career change or confused about a new tax law, then your process might be too static, too reactive. Increasingly, AI will try fill that void in your workflow and your workforce. But advisors who embrace what I call the "human plus" model can use AI to enhance their client experience and take advantage of year-round opportunities to demonstrate your true value as a coach and decision partner. On today's episode, Sean Wing explains why he set out to build a "Google Maps for your financial life." Sean and I also discuss whether AI will compress human advisor compensation or elevate the human relationship into a luxury service.
Sometimes you have to write the book you want to read. As the 2008 financial crisis was beginning to drag millions of homeowners underwater, Joseph Moore took a personal finance class at his church. He realized that conventional wisdom about renting versus owning had put his family in a dangerous spot. "We sold our house on a Saturday," Joseph remembers. "Our neighbor put her house on the market the next Saturday. It never sold. We were the last two people off the Financial Titanic in 2008." Then a light went on in Joseph's historian brain. He wasn't the only person who followed advice like "renting is throwing away money" to poor financial decisions. But while there are countless biographies about the Rockefellers of the world, no one writes books about the folks on Main Street and the strategies that have -- and haven't -- helped them build wealth throughout history. Joseph spent the next ten years writing that book, the national bestseller How to Get Rich in American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice That Worked and Didn't. On today's show, Joseph and I unpack three centuries of economic booms, busts, and shifting paradigms that have defined how Americans think about growing their money.
Financial advisors are standing at the intersection of several historic, tectonic shifts. Over the next decade, we are poised to witness a staggering $124 trillion transfer of wealth. Simultaneously, the industry could be facing an unprecedented talent shortage, due in large part to aging boomers stepping away from their companies. And then there's the rise of AI, whose rapid advances are rocking the markets and advisors' value. Many folks I talk to believe this convergence of variables has put the whole industry on shaky ground. But today's guest shares my view that while this might be a bad time to be a good advisor, it's a great time to be a great advisor, especially if you're willing to reposition your value prop from money management to high-EQ, high-end financial coaching. My guest today is John Bowen, the Founder and CEO of CEG Worldwide. John and I discuss how advisors can capitalize on the industry's massive demographic and technological shifts. We also talk about John's new book with Dan Sullivan, The Greater Game, which explores why a small fraction of entrepreneurs achieve exponential success and the vast majority get stuck on plateaus.
To borrow a phrase from recent podcast guest Alan Smith, financial advisors are facing "a Spotify moment." Just as streaming upended the traditional music business of selling records and put a premium on the live concert experience, AI is commoditizing traditional money management and raising the value of ... Well, what exactly? What is the financial advisor's equivalent of a live concert? What is that high-end experience that your prospects and clients will want to keep paying for? And how can you reframe your business around that experience so that it's replicable and scalable? On today's show, I'm joined by Duncan MacPherson, the CEO of Pareto Systems. We discuss why Duncan firmly believes that the next five to ten years will be the absolute best time in history to be a financial advisor -- as long as you're willing to adapt and evolve.
In the early 1980s, Al Ries and Jack Trout published the seminal marketing book Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind. They argued that marketing wasn't simply about products or services; it was about capturing a specific space in the consumer's mind. Think of Volvo and you immediately think of "safety." Think of Walmart and you think, "Low prices." If you want "fast food" you'll probably start looking for the nearest McDonald's. These principles of brand positioning still endure. For most people, Google is "search," Amazon is "shopping," and Apple is "cool tech." And these "spaces" can be powerful enough to cut across fragmented marketing channels. So, "what" are you as a financial advisor? What "space" does your firm occupy in your ideal client's mind? And how can you differentiate that space and highlight your unique value proposition? On today's show, I discuss the latest marketing trends with John Scianna, the Founder of Objective Brand. Whether you are a solo advisor struggling to stand out in a crowded marketplace or a billion-dollar firm trying to unify your corporate messaging, this conversation is a masterclass in building a modern brand.
Are you sure? And, perhaps more importantly, are your clients? In an increasingly polarized world, folks are becoming more and more dug-in about what they believe to be true. But an "either/or" mentality can lock out important data when we're weighing complex, real-life challenges. And when we value being "right" above all else, we may fail to recognize that not every challenge is a problem we can solve. Often, what we're really confronting are polarities: a pair of opposing, interdependent values, wants, or priorities that are in a constant tug-of-war for our attention and resources. On today's show, I talk to Kelly Lewis, the Founder of the Lewis Leadership Group and the co-author of Navigating Polarities: Using Both/And Thinking to Lead Transformation. Kelly explains why recognizing the difference between a problem to be solved and a polarity to be navigated is key to expanding a leader's capacity for complexity. We unpack the mechanics of "both/and" thinking and explore how understanding these dynamics can help leaders avoid the whiplash of pendulum swings and leverage the upside of opposing forces.
Organic growth has been stalling for years. AI is compressing basic money management into a commodity. And in this uncertain economic environment, where even the reliability of the 60/40 portfolio is in flux, advisors can't just count on long bull runs to keep their bottom lines up and their clients happy. To blast off this plateau, advisors must fundamentally rethink how they train their teams, whom they target as clients, and how they actually deliver advice. On today's show, I talk to Jamie Hopkins, CEO of Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC and Chief Wealth Officer of Bryn Mawr Trust, about how advisors should be adjusting to the realities of this new era. We discus why the "apprenticeship" model of training young advisors is driving away top talent, why business exit planning will be the single greatest organic growth engine over the next 15 years, and why the ultimate metric of a successful financial plan is the client's happiness. We also discuss Jamie's new book, Your Retirement Sketchbook, and how visual planning tools can help you clarify your process and your value to clients.
The launch of advanced AI models capable of writing code and executing complex tasks has coincided with a sharp drop in the share prices of some large financial service companies. The market is reflecting the reality that the traditional, technical, number-crunching value proposition of a financial advisor is rapidly being commoditized. But what does this mean for the individual human advisor and the RIA CEO? On today's show, I discuss the future of financial advisory with Dan Haylett, Marketing Director & Financial Planner at TFP Financial Planning, and Alan Smith, Founder and CEO of Capital Partners. Will AI cause short-term disruptions that ultimately expand the market, lower costs, and elevate the premium on human wisdom and relationship-building? Or are AI optimists suffering from an "empathy delusion" in our belief that AI can enhance -- but never replace -- the human-to-human connection that's always been an essential part of our value proposition?
According to a recent study from Schwab Advisor Services, 63% of advisors are now using AI in some capacity. However, the RIA AI landscape remains highly experimental: only about 10% of firms report having fully integrated AI into their core strategy, while 30% say they are still just experimenting. So, if 2025 was the year of the AI notetakers, how can firms take the next step and truly harness this massive technological shift through the rest of 2026? On today's show, I welcome back Lisa Salvi, Managing Director of Business Consulting and Education at Schwab Advisor Services. We discuss the current pace of AI innovation and why AI is forcing advisors to redefine their core value proposition and how they communicate it to the marketplace.
In 1984, Andy Schwartz and his twin brother Scott joined a startup Northwestern Mutual district agency in New Jersey. Four decades later, their firm, OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, manages approximately $15 billion in assets. Andy, now CEO and Managing Partner, describes their early days as operating like a "band of pirates" sharing resources and reinvesting heavily in building capacity. His firm's trajectory accelerated significantly when they left Northwestern Mutual in 2015 to become independent, and in 2024, Andy and Scott took an investment from Joe Duran's Rise Growth Partners to fuel their next stage of expansion. What makes Andy's story compelling isn't just the size of the firm he built, but his intense focus on the fundamentals: outworking the competition, relentlessly reinvesting in the business, and creating a culture where everyone -- from the newest advisor to the receptionist of 30 years -- shares in the firm's success. On today's show, Andy Schwartz and I discuss the pivotal moments in his extraordinary career, his philosophy on giving equity to team members, and how he plans to scale a $15 billion firm even as the bottom might be "falling out" for financial services.
I recently had the pleasure of joining Dave Zoller on his YouTube channel, Streamline My Practice, to discuss something I've been thinking deeply about lately: the difference between owning a business and being owned by your business. If you're a financial advisor wondering whether you've built a thriving enterprise or just created a demanding job for yourself, this conversation is for you. Dave and I discuss: The Four Levels of Advisory Business Evolution The Identity Shift That Changes Everything The Power of a Compelling Three-to-Five-Year Vision Two Real-World Examples of Extreme Freedom The Get-Keep Framework Technology, AI, and Practical Action Steps for Advisors
Most people spend their lives trying to eliminate tension: Work or rest. Control or flow. Clarity or creativity. But a well-lived life isn't free of tension—it's guided by how we hold it. In this podcast, I walk through the three polarities I'm using to guide my life and work in 2026, and reflect on how last year's polarities shaped some of my most meaningful experiences—from sailing and writing to health, family, and business. Rather than problems to solve, these are tensions to navigate—and learning to hold both sides has quietly changed how I make decisions, set direction, and define success. My three 3 Polarities for 2026 are: Mythos – Method Living a meaningful story and building the discipline to bring it to life. Compass – Wind Setting a clear direction while adapting to changing conditions. Precision – Poetry Writing and thinking with clarity without losing what moves people. Along the way, I also reflect on: Why "balance" often leads to frustration How experience earns you the right to loosen your grip What sailing teaches us about leadership and decision-making Why rest isn't laziness—and control isn't always wisdom This conversation is for leaders, advisors, creators, and anyone who senses that life is asking for integration, not optimization. If you've ever felt pulled between two good things—and wondered why choosing one never feels right—this podcast is for you.
Guest: Nikki Henderson, a world-class professional sailor. In 2018, Nikki became the youngest skipper to lead a team in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. At the age of 25, over the course of more than 40,000 miles of ocean racing, Nikki led a diverse team of mostly amateur sailors from 16 countries to an extraordinary second place finish. She's also skippered numerous transatlantic races and won the Race to Alaska. In a Nutshell: How do you define your job as a leader? Nikki Henderson says that what she does as a skipper is pull together disparate individuals, build them into high-performing amateur teams, and then compete in the most extreme sailing races in the world. I experienced Nikki's leadership first hand a few weeks ago when I sailed with her in the Caribbean 600 as part of her amateur crew. This was a grueling 600-mile race around 11 Caribbean islands. Despite long odds, we ended up finishing third and celebrated on stage with our prize: a big bottle of rum. On today's show, Nikki Henderson and I discuss making life transitions, paradoxes and polarities in leadership, and decision-making under pressure and uncertainty.
I discuss how well I executed on my 3 words from 2024 and then reveal why and how I'm changing the exercise for 2025. For 2025, I'm going to explore polarities —pairs of words that represent the tension and harmony between opposing yet complementary concepts. This shift feels like a natural evolution. Just as life is a balance of contrasts—action and rest, growth and reflection, giving and receiving—polarities allow for a more nuanced exploration of the rhythms that shape us. It's not about choosing one over the other, but about navigating the balance between the two, finding wisdom in their interplay, and allowing them to guide me in a more holistic way. This approach reflects where I am now—a stage of growth that seeks to integrate opposites and embrace the richness of life's cycles. My 3 Polarities for 2025 Horizon – Hearth : Pursuing dreams while not losing sight of what's amazing in my current day-to-day life. Slack – Flood : Adjusting my pace to optimize my energy. Control – Flow : Blending detailed planning with tapping into the universe's current. There's an old quote from Richard Branson that has stuck with me for many years. He said, "I don't think of work as work and play as play, it's all living." Similarly, in recent years, My 3 Words, and now My 3 Polarities, make little distinction between the personal and professional. I view them as a guide for living. That way, I don't have to ask myself, "Does this apply to work or to my personal life?' And if I do, the answer is, "Yes." Here are some practical tips for creating a "My 3 Polarities" exercise: Identify Key Tensions: Reflect on areas of your life where you feel pulled between two opposing but complementary forces (e.g., fear vs. courage, ambition vs. contentment, chart vs. explore, journey vs. destination, reinvention vs. continuity). Choose Meaningful Pairs: Select three polarities that resonate deeply with your values and current life stage. Ensure each pair addresses a distinct aspect of your life, such as goals, energy, or mindset. Define Each Side: Clearly articulate what each side of the polarity represents for you, including the values and behaviors they inspire. Create Guiding Questions: Develop a key question for each polarity to guide your decisions and self-reflection (e.g., "If I wasn't fearful, what decision would I make?"). Track Progress: Use a journal or weekly reflection to assess how well you're honoring both sides of each polarity. Integrate Into Daily Life: Regularly remind yourself of the polarities and apply them to real-life choices, whether at work, home, or in personal growth. Print them or have them on your computer screen and see them daily. Now it's your turn. Take a first pass at your My 3 Polarities exercise for 2025 and then set it aside. Revisit what you wrote the next day and see if they still feel good.
Guest: Dr. Preston Cherry, AFC®, CFT-I™, CFP®, Ph.D., an entrepreneur, coach and speaker. Dr. Cherry is the creator of the Life Money Balance™ approach and founder of Concurrent Financial Planning. His new book is Wealth in the Key of Life: Finding Your Financial Harmony. In a Nutshell: "Songs in the Key of Life" is one of Stevie Wonder's most famous albums. In a similar vein, Dr. Preston Cherry wants people to find that kind of harmony between their money, their values, and their lives. And advisors who can help folks create a financial life that really sings are going to connect more deeply with clients and empower them to live -- and plan -- with more intention. On today's show, Dr. Preston Cherry and I discuss his new book and his unique perspective on how to bring purpose, balance, a "permission to prosper" and a little bit of rhythm to your financial planning process.
Guest: Kendra Wright, owner of Rebel Media Agency, a marketing company specializing in financial professionals. In her prior life, Kendra worked in rock 'n roll marketing for some of the biggest names in music (Willie Nelson, Motley Crue, Matchbox Twenty, and more). In a Nutshell: Great copy means you'll never experience a failure to communicate. Great copy is simple. Great copy is found and it comes from the mouths of your clients and prospects. Your job is to transfer what you find to your website and client communication. As important as social media, podcasting, YouTube, and email have become, your marketing plan is incomplete if you don't have a professional homepage that tells prospects who you are, who you serve, and what outcomes people can achieve by working with you. And let's not forget, people come to you because they have a problem, a question, and they want help. How clearly does your website show that you know their questions, you know their pain, and you know how to solve their problems? On today's show, Kendra Wright and I do a deep dive on finding and communicating great copy and we put several financial advisor websites under the microscope and discuss what they did well and where they could improve. This one is best watched on the YouTube video.
After I left Peak Advisor Alliance (now Carson Coaching), I settled on the idea of starting my Between Now and Success podcast as part of my next chapter. I figured podcasting would be a great way to stay in touch with people in our industry, keep networking, and learn from the best of the best. Now, 10 years later, across five separate podcasts, I've recorded more than 850 episodes, the vast majority of which are interview shows. Thanks to podcasting, I went from having a handful of trusted mentors to learning from hundreds of world-class teachers. While I could easily list dozens of unique and actionable ideas I've learned from a decade of podcasting, these 10 insights stand out.
Guest: Mindy Diamond, the founder and CEO of Diamond Consultants and the author of a fantastic new book called Should I Stay or Should I Go? In a Nutshell: Between the competition for top talent at large firms and the proliferation of smaller lifestyle RIAs, many advisors feel like they need to be constantly evaluating their career options. But the grass is not always greener, and FOMO should never be the lead driver of a major career decision. Instead, advisors should follow their internal compass towards opportunities that will help them accomplish what matters the most to them in their lives and work. On today's show, Mindy Diamond shares the process she uses to help advisors clarify their goals and make the right decision for their careers. We also explore the concept of living your best business life and how aligning your personal values with your professional environment is a key to long-term success. Mindy offers practical advice for advisors at any stage of their careers on assessing your options, asking the right questions, and understanding when it's time to stay put or make a move.
Guest: Eric Brotman, CFP®, AEP®, CPWA®, is a Principal and the Chief Executive Officer of BFG Financial Advisors. Eric began his financial planning practice in Baltimore in 1994, and founded Brotman Financial Group in 2003, which later became BFG Financial Advisors. He and his team focus on supporting families and individuals by providing comprehensive financial planning and wealth management services. Eric is also the author of Don't Retire... Graduate!: Building a Path to Financial Freedom and Retirement at Any Age. In a Nutshell: As a founder/advisor, how does your role evolve over time? I frequently have these conversations with my coaching clients where we discuss what does the advisor want their role to be. In the early stages of your career, you have to do everything, but as the business grows, you have to decide what you're going to double down on and what you're going to let go of. There's no one answer that fits every advisor. Some advisors naturally and easily segue into a leadership role and give up most, if not all of their lead advisor client relationships. Other advisors do not enjoy the management role of running the business, managing people, and they prefer the relationship side of the business and business development. Regardless of which route you want to go, you have to figure out how to build the team and the infrastructure around you so that every function within the organization is getting taken care of at a high level such that you can focus on what you do best, what you enjoy the most, and that moves the needle for the company. On today's show, Eric Brotman and I have a wide-ranging conversation that touches on evolving your role over time, succession planning, transitioning clients, teamwork, scalable processes, and how to accelerate organic growth without losing a human touch.
Guest: Dave Zoller, CFP®, owner of Streamline Financial Services in Warrenville, IL. Streamline currently manages over $450 million in assets for 250 client households. In a Nutshell: Digital marketing isn't about trying to strike lighting and "go viral," although that certainly helps! The advisors I've talked to who have mastered YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook. email, and other channels turn clicks into clients through consistency, rigorous analytics, a personal touch that connects them to their audience, and yes, some luck of being in the right place at the right time. On today's show, Dave Zoller and I discuss how advisors can get started with YouTube marketing or optimize their existing channels. We cover everything from ideation and workflow to Dave's meticulous process for steering ideal clients towards that first phone call. Interestingly, Dave's biggest problem is his lack of advisor capacity to serve all the qualified leads that reach out to his firm. If the prospective clients don't have $1.5 million or more to invest, they don't get on an advisor's calendar. So, if you are looking for a sweet advisor role, reach out to Dave--he's hiring!
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Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed September 16, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
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