Advisor Talk with Frank LaRosa offers unfiltered guidance and advice for financial advisors, wealth management professionals, and entrepreneurs alike who are interested in maximizing both their business and personal potential. Informed by Frank's unique insights and his personal conversations with industry leaders, the dynamic discussion topics of Advisor Talk include business ownership, leadership, practice management, transition and recruiting, marketing and branding, as well as a host of financial services related topics related to wirehouse, regional, and RIA advisors, firms, and teams. Frank’s goal, and the goal of his team at Elite Consulting Partners, is now as ever to be the go-to resource for actionable information and trusted guidance to elevate you and your career at whatever stage you may be.
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Advisor Talk with Frank LaRosa offers unfiltered guidance and advice for financial advisors, wealth management professionals, and entrepreneurs alike who are interested in maximizing both their business and personal potential. Informed by Frank's unique insights and his personal conversations with industry leaders, the dynamic discussion topics of Advisor Talk include business ownership, leadership, practice management, transition and recruiting, marketing and branding, as well as a host of financial services related topics related to wirehouse, regional, and RIA advisors, firms, and teams. Frank’s goal, and the goal of his team at Elite Consulting Partners, is now as ever to be the go-to resource for actionable information and trusted guidance to elevate you and your career at whatever stage you may be.
In this episode of Advisor Talk with Frank LaRosa, Frank is joined by his co-host Stacey Frank for an in-depth, no-fluff conversation about what actually happens during a financial advisor’s transition. From planning timelines to the emotional rollercoaster of leaving a firm, they unpack the real-world complexities of making a move - and how to navigate them successfully.
Frank and Stacey break down the client communication do’s and don’ts, the risks of delaying a move once your mind is made up, and the often-overlooked power of viewing the transition as a growth opportunity - not just a change in scenery.
In this episode of Advisor Talk with Frank LaRosa, Brian Lutz sits down with Sue Cheema for a practical, no-fluff conversation on one of the biggest challenges facing advisory firms today: inefficient systems and the hidden cost of bad processes.
Drawing from real advisor conversations, CRM implementations, and hands-on experience working with firms at every stage of growth, Brian and Sue break down the most common operational pain points advisors face - from excessive data entry and siloed email systems to slow onboarding timelines and missed follow-ups.
Financial advisors, are you considering a transition? Too many advisors get misled by inflated recruiting deal numbers and vague promises. In this episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa and Stacey Frank break down how to negotiate financial advisor transitions the right way.
Whether you’re weighing a move, negotiating with multiple firms, or just trying to understand the real economics behind a transition, this conversation breaks down why the right information (not the biggest number) is critical for long-term success.
In this episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa and Stacey Frank tackle one of the most common decisions independent advisors face: choosing between a direct affiliation with a firm or aligning with an OSJ / large enterprise model.
Drawing from real advisor conversations and active transition work, Frank and Stacey break down how each affiliation structure actually works, where advisors often get tripped up, and why payout alone is rarely the right way to evaluate the decision. They explain how economics, compliance support, scale, culture, and time all factor into selecting the right platform - and why the “best” option depends entirely on what an advisor is trying to accomplish.
In this episode of Advisor Talk, Brian Lutz and Sue Cheema dive into one of the most important - and most misunderstood - decisions advisory firms face today: choosing the right CRM and understanding how data, integration, and automation directly impact growth, efficiency, and long-term firm value.
The conversation centers around JEDI Database Solutions’ newly released CRM Platform Comparison whitepaper, which breaks down the strengths, limitations, and ideal use cases for three of the most widely used CRM platforms in the advisor space: Redtail, Wealthbox, and Salesforce. Rather than treating CRM as “just software,” Brian and Sue explain why CRM should be viewed as strategic infrastructure - and why the wrong choice can quietly cap a firm’s growth.
In this episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa and Stacey Frank break down six of the most important themes that have shaped the financial advisory industry from 2025. These are the topics that consistently generated the most advisor questions, conversations, and feedback throughout the year - and for good reason.
Drawing from real advisor conversations, recent industry events, and hands-on experience working with firms of all sizes, Frank and Stacey explore how data quality, consolidation, deal structures, private equity, business models, and marketing strategy are directly impacting advisor valuations, growth trajectories, and long-term control.
In this Advisor Talk episode, Brian Lutz and Sue Cheema break down what financial advisors should be focusing on now to deliver a stronger, more scalable client experience in 2026 - and why technology, data, and workflow decisions are becoming key differentiators across the industry.
Drawing from recent industry research, real advisor conversations, and hands-on experience supporting firms at every stage of growth, Brian and Sue explore how advisory firms are moving beyond experimentation and into full-scale execution with their technology stacks. Brian and Sue also unpack the ongoing debate between all-in-one platforms versus best-of-breed solutions, and how advisors can make smarter technology decisions based on where their firm is today.
In this week’s episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa sits down with Chuck Failla, CEO and Founder of Sovereign Advisor Solutions and Sovereign Financial Group, as well as the host of the Go RIA podcast, for a candid conversation about one of the most misunderstood decisions in the industry: whether to go RIA - or not.
Drawing on three decades in the business, Chuck walks through his own journey from “cold call cowboy” in the 90s to independent advisor, to launching his own SEC-registered RIA and platform. He and Frank break down why “everyone should go RIA” is an oversimplification, and why factors like AUM, business mix, and personal goals matter far more than industry buzzwords.
In this Advisor Talk episode, Brian Lutz and Sue Cheema dive into one of the biggest strategic decisions advisory firms face today: choosing the right CRM - and understanding how data, integrations, and automation can transform both the client experience and the operational heartbeat of a firm.
Drawing from industry headlines, real advisor conversations, and hands-on experience implementing technology across hundreds of practices, Brian and Sue explore how the shift toward AI note-takers, integrated tech stacks, and smarter workflows is reshaping the modern advisory business. They break down the hidden costs of inefficiency, what "maturity" looks like in a firm’s tech evolution, and how to evaluate when it’s time to upgrade from platforms like Redtail to Wealthbox or Salesforce.
In this Advisor Talk masterclass, Frank LaRosa sits down with one of the industry’s most prolific acquirers, Barron’s Top 5 advisor Jon Kuttin of Kuttin Wealth Management, for an unfiltered deep dive into the real economics, strategy, and psychology behind M&A in the financial services space world.
Across more than 100 acquisitions, Jon has developed a repeatable framework for identifying the right deals, structuring them intelligently, and positioning himself as the buyer sellers gravitate toward - even when he isn’t the highest bidder. In this conversation, he breaks down why not every advisor should be a buyer, what it truly takes to be acquisition-ready, and how elite buyers think about leverage, enterprise value, debt, and multi-year glide paths.
Financial advisors, is your CRM setting you up for growth - or holding your business back?
In this episode of Advisor Talk, Jim Primiani, Chief Technology Officer, and Sue Cheema, Chief Information Officer at Elite Consulting Partners, break down how to future-proof your CRM and tech stack.
From scalability and system adoption to AI integration and data hygiene, they explain why treating your CRM as a true data warehouse can boost efficiency, improve valuations, and prepare your firm for both growth and succession. You’ll also hear how “Elite Genie,” their AI-powered tool, is helping advisors make faster, smarter decisions.
In this episode of Advisor Talk, host Frank LaRosa sits down with Mike Durbin, CEO of Cetera, for a candid, “inside baseball” look at one of the largest independent firms in the industry and how it’s positioning advisors for the next decade of change.
Drawing on 35 years across Dean Witter/Morgan Stanley, Fidelity, and now Cetera, Mike shares how his background on both the wirehouse and custody sides shapes the way he leads today. He and Frank dig into Cetera’s unique ownership and capital structure with Genstar, including why the PE sponsor effectively “re-underwrote” the business and what that means for continuity, capital, and not constantly staring at the clock for an exit event.
In this episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa sits down with Joe Greco, Director of Elite Advisor Successions, for a candid and in-depth look at what’s really happening across the M&A landscape as we move into 2026. With deal volume reaching record highs and consolidation reshaping the broker-dealer world, advisors are facing critical decisions about succession, valuation, and long-term strategy.
Frank and Joe break down why the current environment is creating urgency - yet also unprecedented opportunity - for advisors who prepare early and understand how buyers are evaluating practices. They discuss the rising interest in dual monetization, the risks advisors often overlook in partial PE sales, and the emotional hurdles that frequently derail deals at the finish line.
In this episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa sits down with Matt Hicken of Bill Good Marketing for a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood topics in the industry: the difference between branding and marketing - and why advisors need both.
Matt breaks down what a brand actually is (hint: it’s what your market thinks and feels about you), how advisors can shape that perception with intention, and why marketing is the communication engine that carries your message forward. Together, Frank and Matt explore how brand identity, messaging, and consistency work together to help advisors show up clearly in a crowded landscape.
In this Advisor Talk episode, Brian Lutz and Sue Cheema break down one of the most overlooked advantages advisors have today: truly leveraging social CRM to listen, engage, and convert in a modern, data-driven world.
Drawing from real examples and decades spent navigating the evolution of social platforms, Brian and Sue explain how today’s conversations across LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and beyond can become powerful sources of insight - not just noise. They discuss how to differentiate “insights” from actionable insights, how sentiment analysis can validate strategic decisions, and how hyper-personalized outreach dramatically increases conversion.
In this episode of Advisor Talk, host Frank LaRosa sits down with Brian Mora, Senior Vice President of Experienced Advisor Recruiting at Ameriprise Financial, for a candid discussion that challenges outdated perceptions of one of the industry’s fastest-growing firms.
From its roots as American Express Financial Advisors to its evolution into a 2025 powerhouse, Brian walks through how Ameriprise transformed through two decades of investment in technology, culture, and advisor support. He and Frank unpack what’s really behind Ameriprise’s momentum - why advisors are joining in record numbers, how its integrated tech stack drives 11% average organic growth, and what makes the firm’s ramp-up experience different from the rest.
In this episode of Advisor Talk, Brian Lutz, Chief Marketing Officer of Elite Consulting Partners, sits down with Sue Cheema, Chief Information Officer of Elite Consulting Partners and JEDI Database Solutions, for a lively debate on whether generative AI is truly the next big bet in financial services - or if advisors should proceed with caution.
From ChatGPT and Gemini to custom-built systems like Elite's Genie, Brian and Sue break down how AI is already reshaping the way advisors ideate, automate, and scale their practices. They explore compliance challenges, data integrity, prompt engineering, and the evolving trust dynamic between human advisors and machine learning models.
In this milestone 250th episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa and co-host Stacey Frank take a look back at how it all started - from recording in Frank’s office with a single camera and a pair of Marshalls chairs to hosting some of the biggest names in the financial-services industry.
They discuss the timeless conversations that shaped Advisor Talk - including W-2 vs. 1099, succession planning, private equity, and the rise of AI and data-driven business decisions - while reflecting on lessons learned, funny behind-the-scenes stories, and how authenticity continues to drive the show’s success.
Frank and Stacey also look ahead to the next 250 episodes with new guests and fresh topics.
Welcome to a Hot Mic bonus episode of Advisor Talk with Frank LaRosa, featuring Frank and Stacey in an unfiltered conversation about the uncomfortable truths behind business growth.
In the third installment of our Raymond James investment-banking series, host Frank LaRosa brings together Ken Grider (Senior Managing Director, Raymond James Investment Banking) and a roundtable of Raymond James advisors - Lisa Detanna, Zac Hersman, Ryan Bass, Will Deupree, Cody Hilbun, and Mike Tutcher - to share how they’re practically weaving investment-banking capabilities into their wealth practices.
Advisor Talk with Frank LaRosa offers unfiltered guidance and advice for financial advisors, wealth management professionals, and entrepreneurs alike who are interested in maximizing both their business and personal potential. Informed by Frank's unique insights and his personal conversations with industry leaders, the dynamic discussion topics of Advisor Talk include business ownership, leadership, practice management, transition and recruiting, marketing and branding, as well as a host of financial services related topics related to wirehouse, regional, and RIA advisors, firms, and teams. Frank’s goal, and the goal of his team at Elite Consulting Partners, is now as ever to be the go-to resource for actionable information and trusted guidance to elevate you and your career at whatever stage you may be.
