As Season 1 of CMOs Without Borders comes to a close, we step back to reflect on what defined marketing in financial services in 2025 — and what leaders need to prepare for as we head into 2026.
In this episode, Joel Crampton and Mandy MacPhee unpack the realities behind AI adoption, the evolution of search and digital trust, and why strategy, not shiny tools, will separate winners from noise in the years ahead.
AI dominated the conversation in 2025, but not in the way many feared. Rather than replacing marketers or advisors, AI has become a powerful copilot — accelerating research, content drafting, note-taking, and operational efficiency.
The real risk isn’t adoption. It’s blind reliance. As Joel and Mandy emphasize, AI gets you 60–70% of the way there. Human judgment, context, and authenticity still do the rest.
They also explore how the rise of AI-driven search is fundamentally changing how prospects discover and evaluate firms. Traditional SEO is giving way to AEO (answer engine optimization) where clarity, authority, and plain-language content determine visibility — not keyword tricks. This shift makes digital first impressions more critical than ever, especially in trust-based industries like financial services.
Along the way, the conversation returns to a consistent theme from the entire season: trust is not built through tactics alone. It’s built through cohesive systems, clear positioning, consistent messaging, and human-centered experiences that AI cannot replicate.
🔑 Key Takeaways
AI won’t replace you — but it will replace inefficiency.
Firms that use AI as an assistant, not a substitute, gain speed, insight, and leverage. Those who ignore it risk falling behind. The future belongs to AI + humans, not one or the other.
Search is no longer about keywords — it’s about answers.
Prospects now do the majority of their decision-making before ever reaching out. If AI tools can’t clearly understand who you serve, what you do, and why you’re credible, you won’t show up when it matters.
Authentic storytelling beats generic content every time.
As AI-generated content floods the market, real voices stand out more than ever. Founder-led stories, lived experience, and human perspective are becoming the ultimate differentiators.
Niching down creates leverage.
Trying to serve everyone leads to sameness. Firms that define a clear niche, identify their white space, and speak directly to a specific audience will grow faster and more efficiently.
Marketing is a long-term trust engine, not a campaign.
Shortcuts, viral hopes, and “spaghetti-on-the-wall” marketing fail without strategy. Sustainable growth comes from systems that compound over time.
💡 What This Means for Financial Services Leaders
For RIAs, wealth managers, fintech founders, and financial services executives, the path forward is clear:
🧭 Parting Thought
“The future isn’t AI versus humans. It’s AI plus humans — anchored by clarity, confidence, and trust.”
Joel Crampton — Fractional CMO for RIAs and Wealth Managers
cmoalpha.com
Mandy MacPhee — Fractional CMO for Founder-Led Companies
illuminationcmo.com
Every financial services leader eventually reaches the same truth: your products don’t set you apart — your client experience does.
We sat down with Glenn LaCoste, founder of Surviscor Group, whose team has spent over two decades evaluating client experience across banks, credit unions, brokerages, and digital-first financial brands.
Glenn breaks down why the client experience is far more than a slick digital interface. It’s the sum of every task, interaction, and moment of friction — and it quietly determines whether a client feels confident, frustrated, or ready to leave.
He shared how his team measures thousands of data points through ongoing mystery shopping, why most firms overestimate how “good” their experience actually is, and how internal bias, not capability, is the biggest barrier to improvement.
Along the way, he unpacked why trust is built one completed task at a time, how to avoid chasing new “rabbits,” and why consistency beats complexity in today’s competitive landscape.
Clients trust firms who help them effortlessly complete what they came to do — whether that’s placing a trade, fixing an issue, or accessing an account. Every successful task builds confidence. Every roadblock erodes it.
People start online, but the human element still matters. Younger clients eventually want face-to-face advice for bigger decisions. Older clients may prioritize phone support. The winning firms integrate both intentionally.
Glenn sees the same pattern year after year: teams assume they’re delivering excellence, even when external data shows otherwise. Improvement starts when leaders finally confront their blind spots.
You can’t out-feature big banks. You can outperform them with clarity, specialization, and a client experience that feels custom-built for your ideal audience.
AI can enhance personalization and speed, but it can’t replace human judgment, nuanced advice, or true Know Your Client responsibility. Advisors who fear replacement misunderstand what clients value most.
Glenn’s insights map directly to the challenges faced by independent advisors and growth-minded firms:
Before a prospect ever calls, they’ve already judged your website, messaging, resources, and ease of navigation.
Clients will still need experts to ask the questions AI can’t, interpret nuance, and ensure advice aligns with real life.
“Trust comes from doing. If I can complete what I came to do — and you help me when there’s a problem — trust builds. It’s that simple, and that hard.”
Joel Crampton — Fractional CMO for RIAs and Wealth Managers
LinkedIn
cmoalpha.com
Mandy MacPhee — Fractional CMO for Founder-Led Companies
LinkedIn
illuminationcmo.com
Every great leader eventually runs into the same realization: expertise alone doesn’t set you apart — your story does. We sat down with Will Severns, co-founder of ShareYourStory.com, to explore how books, personal narratives, and authentic storytelling are becoming the next major differentiator for founders, financial advisors, and thought leaders.
Will shared how he and his team have helped more than 200 authors turn lived experiences into powerful narratives that build trust, deepen relationships, and strengthen brands.
Along the way, he unpacked why so many leaders doubt their own story, how to overcome the fear of “self-promotion”, and why authenticity is quickly becoming one of the rarest skills in business.
Story is your strongest competitive advantage.
In industries where everyone looks the same on paper — especially financial services — your personal story becomes the emotional anchor that sets you apart.
Books aren’t about fame — they’re about impact.
Will encourages authors to write for the one person whose life or perspective might change because of their story. That shift removes pressure and unlocks clarity.
AI helps you work faster, but it can’t replace your voice.
AI can outline, brainstorm, and organize, but it can’t replicate empathy, humor, vulnerability, or lived experience. Leaders who rely solely on AI risk losing the very thing readers connect with most.
Will’s insights map directly to the challenges faced by RIAs, wealth managers, fintech founders, and financial-services executives:
A book deepens trust before you ever meet the prospect.
It allows clients to connect with your values, philosophy, and story... long before you show them a single planning tool or presentation.
Compliance is less intimidating than advisors fear.
Books focused on story, purpose, or the “why” behind your work tend to avoid the regulatory pitfalls that come with investment commentary.
You don’t need to be a celebrity to matter.
“You’re not a somebody or a nobody — you’re an anybody,” Will says. And anybody with a meaningful life experience has a story worth sharing.
A handful of titles came up as influential or widely recommended by the hosts and guest:
“Someone you haven’t met yet is counting on you to get better today — and your story might be the thing that helps them.”
Joel Crampton — Fractional CMO for RIAs and wealth managers
LinkedIn
cmoalpha.com
Mandy MacPhee — Fractional CMO for founder-led companies
LinkedIn
illuminationcmo.com
In this episode we sit down with Clay Hicks, founder and CEO of H7 Global Network, to unpack what authentic networking really looks like and how founders, financial advisors, and entrepreneurs can build relationships that actually move the needle.
Clay shares the story behind H7’s rise from a regional Ohio-based network to a global community spanning 23 countries, all grounded in one simple philosophy: “Connect. Serve. Ask.”
Clay offers practical advice that applies directly to client acquisition and retention:
As H7 continues its international expansion, Clay is preparing for the network’s annual virtual holiday extravaganza in December and an in-person global conference in Nashville in April 2026.
“Before you network at all, think about what you really want to accomplish — and focus on earning trust with every person you meet. That one shift could change everything.”
Connect with Clay
https://h7network.blog/
Connect with Hosts
Joel Crampton — Fractional CMO for RIAs and wealth managers
LinkedIn profile
https://cmoalpha.com
Mandy MacPhee — Fractional CMO for founder-led companies
LinkedIn profile
https://www.illuminationcmo.com/
In this episode of CMOs Without Borders, hosts Joel Crampton and Mandy MacPhee tackle one of the most persistent problems in financial-services marketing: why most funnels still don’t convert.
From RIAs to fintechs, firms spend heavily on awareness and ads — but too often, those efforts fail to translate into meaningful conversations or new clients. Joel and Mandy break down what’s really going wrong and share how to build a full-funnel marketing system that works in today’s multi-channel, compliance-bound environment.
They dive into how top-of-funnel visibility connects with middle-funnel nurturing and bottom-funnel conversion, why too many firms stop at “getting names in the door,” and how to close the gap between activity and results. You’ll hear practical strategies for building awareness that earns trust, nurturing prospects through value-added content, and aligning marketing and sales so every touchpoint feels intentional, not random.
Along the way, they unpack how AI, social proof, and modern buyer behavior are reshaping the customer journey — and why the middle of the funnel is where most revenue quietly dies. This episode goes beyond theory, offering step-by-step ideas for optimizing your campaigns, tightening your messaging, and creating a repeatable system for scalable growth.
The New Shape of the Funnel: Why today’s buyer journey isn’t linear and what that means for your marketing strategy.
Top-of-Funnel Reality: How to build awareness that earns trust — even when it’s hard to measure.
The Missing Middle: Why nurture and consideration phases make or break conversion outcomes.
Bottom-of-Funnel Fixes: How to align sales and marketing around value-based CTAs instead of “schedule a call.”
Social Proof That Converts: How reviews, certifications, and third-party validation drive trust (and even influence AI search).
Reddit, Reviews, and Real Talk: Why unfiltered peer conversations matter more than polished brand copy.
Full-Funnel Optimization: The continuous feedback loop that keeps campaigns improving instead of stalling — and the metrics that matter most to prove it.
In financial services, trust is everything — and yet too many firms chase short-term conversions while neglecting the systems that build credibility and nurture long-term relationships. The result? Bloated ad budgets, cold leads, and inconsistent growth.
A well-designed funnel doesn’t just generate names — it builds belief. It helps prospects feel confident enough to take the next step with you. That’s the difference between a disconnected campaign and a marketing system that scales.
👉 If your marketing system feels disjointed — or your funnel isn’t converting the right leads — Joel and Mandy can help.
Reach out to learn more about their 30-Day Clarity Sprint, designed to audit and optimize your entire marketing funnel — from awareness to conversion — so you can build predictable growth that lasts.
Joel Crampton — Fractional CMO for RIAs and wealth managers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelcrampton/
https://cmoalpha.com
Mandy MacPhee — Fractional CMO for founder-led companies
EPISODE OVERVIEW
In this episode, hosts Joel Crampton and Mandy MacPhee sit down with Randy Frisch, founder of Trusty, an AI-powered estate planning platform redefining how families manage, document, and pass down their legacies. With $84 trillion set to change hands in the coming decades, Randy shares how technology, emotion, and storytelling can transform estate planning from a cold, legal process into a deeply personal, human experience.
This conversation explores how advisors and families alike can move beyond wills and trusts to create meaningful legacy plans — ones that connect generations, reduce conflict, and capture the stories behind the assets.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Randy Frisch is the founder and CEO of Trusty, an AI-driven estate planning platform helping families document and communicate their wishes with clarity and connection. Before Trusty, Randy co-founded Uberflip, one of Canada’s most successful SaaS companies, which scaled globally and was later acquired.
KEY TOPICS COVERED
● Why traditional estate planning is broken and how Trusty is making it more human.
● The “letter of wishes” revolution: How families can leave behind video messages and stories that give deeper meaning to their gifts.
● AI’s role in legacy planning: Real-world ways Trusty uses “quiet AI” to simplify, summarize, and guide complex estate decisions without overwhelming users.
● Why storytelling matters: How focusing on narratives — not just features — builds trust and emotional resonance.
● Advisor opportunities: How financial advisors, estate attorneys, and planners can use legacy tech to differentiate, retain heirs, and deepen client relationships.
● Privacy & legal clarity: What’s binding, what’s not, and how to keep sensitive information secure while still making it accessible.
NOTABLE INSIGHTS
WHO SHOULD LISTEN
Financial advisors, RIAs, and wealth managers looking to differentiate their services and retain next-gen clients Estate attorneys and planners interested in modernizing legacy planning Families navigating estate planning who want to go beyond the will and leave meaningful stories behind.
RESOURCES & LINKS
Explore Trusty: https://mytrusty.ai
Connect with hosts:
Joel Crampton — Fractional CMO for RIAs and wealth managers
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelcrampton/
CMO Alpha: https://cmoalpha.com
Mandy MacPhee — Fractional CMO for founder-led companies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandymacphee/
Illumination CMO: https://www.illuminationcmo.com/
When founders tell their story, they don’t just market their product or service, they create demand and separate their company from the competition.
In this episode, Joel Crampton and Mandy MacPhee sit down with fellow fractional Chief Marketing Officer Chris Downey to unpack a modern, founder-led approach to building pipeline — show up where your buyers already consume content, earn trust with your authentic voice, and make conversion dead simple when they’re finally ready.
Top Takeaways:
Engage With Us:
Financial institutions are waking up to the power of AI in accelerating their marketing engines.
In this episode, Heather Gerdes, co-founder of Promode.ai, joins Joel and Mandy to unpack what real adoption looks like inside banks, credit unions, and RIAs. We dig into customer-driven demand for better digital experiences, how to keep compliance tight while moving faster, and why AI is an amplifier that still needs human strategy.
We also get technical about context windows, RAG, workflow bottlenecks, and the culture shifts leaders must drive.
Key takeaways:
Guest:
Heather Gerdes, co-founder, Promode.ai
Hosts:
Joel Crampton — cmoalpha.com
Mandy MacPhee — illuminationcmo.com
In this episode of CMOs Without Borders, hosts Joel Crampton and Mandy MacPhee dive into one of the biggest challenges facing financial services marketing today: the Sea of Sameness.
From fintechs to RIAs to credit unions, firms are sounding more and more alike, shouting the same claims about being “client-focused,” “digital-first,” or “fee-only.” But if everyone is saying the same thing, how do you actually stand out?
Joel and Mandy share personal stories, cross-border perspectives (U.S. and Canada), and practical frameworks to help financial brands find their white space — the unique position in the market that competitors can’t touch.
Blending in is the fastest way to lose in financial services. When your message sounds like everyone else’s, the default choice becomes the biggest or the cheapest provider. Differentiation isn’t a luxury — it’s survival.
“What got you here isn’t going to get you there. Founders can only run on referrals and word of mouth for so long. At some point, you need a strategy that makes your marketing work harder than your competition’s.” – Joel Crampton
👉 If your firm’s marketing sounds just like your competitors, it’s time to find your white space. Reach out to Joel and Mandy to cut through the noise and build systems that align marketing with measurable growth.
Before you spend another dollar on marketing, find out if your plan is already broken.
Most marketing plans at financial services companies don’t fail because of sloppy execution — they fail before they even start.
In this first episode of CMOs Without Borders, Mandy MacPhee and Joel Crampton unpack the hidden reasons plans break down, from fuzzy positioning and misaligned teams to leadership that undervalues marketing as a growth driver.
You’ll hear real-world examples from both sides of the border, the role trust plays in fintech and advisory marketing, and the “Three C’s” framework for building resilient marketing plans: Clarity, Capacity, and Commitment.
If you’re tired of throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping for growth, this episode will help you see exactly where to start — and what to stop — so your marketing actually moves the needle.