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Only Fee-Only

Broc Buckles and Peter Ciravolo

146 episodes

2 weeks ago

A simple spreadsheet for his dad sparked a complete career pivot. In this episode, Andy Cole breaks down his move from civil engineering to fee-only financial planning—and how he built a lean, resilient practice while working full time and raising a family. What began as a deep dive into risk-adjusted returns evolved into a planning-first firm serving engineers with a flexible, transparent fee model. Andy shares the early challenges of running a solo RIA—compliance, invoicing, endless paperwo...

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Entrepreneurship

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A simple spreadsheet for his dad sparked a complete career pivot. In this episode, Andy Cole breaks down his move from civil engineering to fee-only financial planning—and how he built a lean, resilient practice while working full time and raising a family. What began as a deep dive into risk-adjusted returns evolved into a planning-first firm serving engineers with a flexible, transparent fee model. Andy shares the early challenges of running a solo RIA—compliance, invoicing, endless paperwo...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship

Episodes (20/146)

Only Fee-Only

#145 - The Engineer’s Path to Fee-Only Planning with Andy Cole

A simple spreadsheet for his dad sparked a complete career pivot. In this episode, Andy Cole breaks down his move from civil engineering to fee-only financial planning—and how he built a lean, resilient practice while working full time and raising a family. What began as a deep dive into risk-adjusted returns evolved into a planning-first firm serving engineers with a flexible, transparent fee model. Andy shares the early challenges of running a solo RIA—compliance, invoicing, endless paperwo...

2 weeks ago

30 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#144 - Roadie. Atlantic Crossing. RIA Founder: The Shane Mason Story

Want a founder story that includes spreadsheets, a stint as a roadie, an Atlantic crossing, and a will-signing party that packed the room? Meet Shane Mason of Brooklyn FI — a CPA/CFP who went from Big Four tax to touring life, then teamed up with AJ to build a 20-person advisory firm rooted in transparency, productized service, and genuine hospitality. We dig into the early days: running a tax practice out of a bar booth, pricing low to get at-bats, and taking weekend prospect meetings to sha...

3 weeks ago

39 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#143 - Building A Virtual Firm While Raising Four Kids On The Road - Hamilton Brandenberg

How do you go from knocking on doors in the snow to running a referral-driven, tax-focused retirement firm? Hamilton Brandenburg shares his path from Chick-fil-A’s “my pleasure” culture, to prospecting at Edward Jones, to launching a fee-only practice built around tax-smart retirement planning. A near-lapsing whole life case pushed him toward a model where taxes, decumulation, and clear service rhythms give clients real value they can feel. Hamilton talks about the habits that mattered early,...

1 month ago

22 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#142 - From Cold Calls to Community: Krystal Fortner on Building a Client-First Firm

Krystal Fortner built a thriving, advice-only firm by choosing clarity, community, and client-first values over sales pressure. In this episode, we trace her path from cold-calling at a wirehouse to launching her RIA with same-day state approval, and how learning product sales made her a stronger fiduciary. Krystal shares how witnessing a "don't ask questions" sales culture shaped her ethical approach and how one generous Saturday conversation sparked a lasting referral flywheel. We also dig ...

1 month ago

23 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#141 - The Secret to Scaling Your Firm Without Losing Your Sanity with Michelle Wong

What if you could scale your advisory firm without rushing to hire and manage a full team? In this episode, we talk with Michelle Wong, founder and CEO of Nifty Advisor Support, about how solo and small RIAs can build lasting capacity through remote support, strong processes, and a culture-first approach. Michelle shares how Nifty grew from a pre-COVID launch to supporting more than 60 firms today, and how the rise of remote work changed the way advisors handle client service, marketing, and ...

2 months ago

24 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#140 - We stopped undercharging and the business worked - Sean Gillespie

How does a fee-only firm grow without losing its purpose? In this episode, we talk with Sean Gillespie, president of Redeployment Wealth Strategies, about the lessons behind raising fees, building the right team, and serving military families with care and consistency. Sean explains why their first-year planning fee reflects the real work of sorting through insurance, TSP choices, and transition planning, and how they keep ongoing service affordable for younger service members. One story sums...

2 months ago

35 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#139 - Two kids, three master’s, and one $4 coconut water debate - Prudence Zhu

Prudence Zhu (pronounced "zoo"), CPA, CFP®, CFT™, is the founder and CEO of Enso Financial, a fee-only financial planning firm dedicated to helping couples, families, and entrepreneurs thrive through open communication and values-driven money management. Born in rural China, Prudence moved to the U.S. in 2012 alone with few belongings and achieved financial freedom nine years after through conscious spending and smart investment decisions. She transitioned from a successful corporate fi...

2 months ago

26 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#138 - Mastering the Income Rollercoaster: Austin Preece’s Approach to Real Estate Pros

Austin Preece went from selling insurance to building a thriving fee-only financial planning firm—by doing things differently. He rejected the traditional AUM model in favor of charging 0.5% of net worth, aligning his fees with client outcomes. When he realized a 100% prospect close rate meant his pricing was too low, he raised his fees and built a sustainable practice around clients who truly value his expertise. Rather than broad marketing, Austin carved out a niche with real estate profess...

3 months ago

27 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#137 - From FinTech Sales to Financial Advisor: Clark Jeffries' Journey

What happens when someone who used to sell financial technology decides to become a financial advisor? Clark Jeffries, founder of Jeffries Wealth Management, takes us inside his transition from FinTech sales to running his own independent practice. After five years at Hidden Levers (later acquired by Orion Advisor Tech), Clark worked closely with hundreds of advisory firms and noticed a major gap. High-earning professionals weren’t being well served—many were managing money on their own, stic...

4 months ago

28 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#136 - Momentum Over Perfection: Fran Walsh on Growing a Business Step by Step

How do you build a financial planning practice that succeeds without losing your values? Fran Walsh, co-founder of Opulus LLC and one of Investopedia’s Top 100 Advisors, believes the key is authenticity. From a football award that unexpectedly introduced him to his future business partner to launching his firm just before COVID hit, Fran’s path has been anything but straight. His mindset has stayed the same: “The people who never quit and just keep going are going to be inevitably successful....

4 months ago

32 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#135 - Finding the Right Fit: Dev Thompson Joins BC Brokerage

Meet Dev Thompson – the newest addition to the BC Brokerage team. Dev’s journey to insurance is a unique one—from college football player to strength coach at Purdue and Kentucky, to fee-only financial planner, and now a trusted resource for advisors across the country. His background blends a passion for personal finance with the discipline of athletic coaching, giving him a thoughtful and client-focused approach to planning. Dev brings a deep understanding of how insurance fits into the big...

5 months ago

23 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#134 - Off the Grid, On a Mission: Ryan Sullivan’s Bold Leap from Engineering to Financial Planning

What does it take to build a successful financial planning firm—while living off the grid in a cabin-caboose hybrid? Ryan Sullivan of Off the Beaten Path Financial did just that. After leaving a career in engineering that lacked the flexibility and impact he wanted, a chance meeting led him to financial planning. Despite industry warnings, he launched his RIA while still working full-time. He and his wife bought 20 acres in remote Montana, where their home—half log cabin, half 1890s train cab...

5 months ago

32 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#133 - Garden Glove Planning: Getting Real with Matt Zeigler and Ben Tuscai

Matt Zeigler and Ben Tuscai of Sunpoint Investments take a different approach to wealth management. Instead of just managing money, they combine deep financial planning with investment consulting to build real relationships and help clients make smarter decisions. Their paths into the industry were unique—Matt was a music major, and Ben worked for the Phillies before spending eight years at Vanguard. That experience helps them think more broadly about client needs. At Sunpoint, they helped re...

6 months ago

45 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#132 - Advice Only: A Platform for Planners Who Want to Just Plan with Steven Fox, CFP®, EA

A lot of financial planners don’t actually want to run a business. They just want to help people. But when the only way to do that is to launch your own firm… you end up becoming an accidental entrepreneur—juggling compliance, operations, tech, and marketing instead of focusing on clients. Stephen Fox saw that problem firsthand. Marine Corps veteran. Financial planner. Firm builder. And now, the founder of Advice Only—a platform built for planners who want to offer advice without managing as...

6 months ago

27 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#131 - Cutting Through the Tech Stack Noise with Joe Moss

Choosing the right tech for your advisory firm can feel overwhelming. In this episode, we talk with Joe Moss, COO at January Capital Advisors and founder of Connector, about how to build a tech stack that actually improves your client experience. Joe shares his story from mowing lawns to helping advisors cut through the noise of outdated and overpriced software. He explains how to evaluate tools based on ease of use, real value, and what people actually use—not just name recognition. Joe also...

6 months ago

27 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#130 - Unlocking Growth with WealthTender and Online Reviews - Brian Thorp

The way financial advisors market themselves is evolving—and testimonials are leading the charge. Brian Thorp, founder of WealthTender, joins us to break down how SEC rule changes have opened the door for compliant client reviews. WealthTender, the first SEC-compliant review platform, helps over 500 advisors use testimonials effectively. For just $49/month, advisors gain visibility without referral fees or commissions—making it accessible and authentic for both advisors and the 500,000+ annua...

6 months ago

19 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#129 - Cutting Complexity and Growing Community with Guy Penn

What if financial planning could be simpler—and better? Guy Penn, founder of Core Planning, joins us to share how building the simplest version of an RIA has led to something powerful: a close-knit community of advisors built on generosity, trust, and support. At Core, everything starts with one question: “What can we remove to make this better?” Instead of adding layers of complexity, the firm focuses only on what helps clients and advisors. The result? A place where people come first and re...

7 months ago

22 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#128 - From 250 Clients to a Purpose-Built Practice with Tommy Blackburn and John Mason

What happens when two advisors decide to completely rebuild their firm from the ground up? In this episode, Tommy Blackburn and John Mason share how they transformed Mason & Associates from a commission-based practice to a thriving fee-only RIA focused on federal employees. Driven by a desire for stronger client relationships and a clear vision for the future, they took on the challenge of “rightsizing” their client base—John had been serving over 250 families. The transition allowed them...

7 months ago

41 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#127 - This Wasn’t the Plan: Andy Panko on Intentional Growth and True Freedom

What happens when your lifestyle practice takes off faster than you ever expected? Andy Panko, founder of Tenon Financial, didn’t set out to build a firm. After leaving the corporate finance world in 2019, his goal was simple: work with 50 clients, enjoy flexibility, and ease into retirement on his own terms. But within two years, he was at capacity—and suddenly facing a new question: Now what? In this episode, Andy shares how he navigated that inflection point and grew Tenon Financial withou...

7 months ago

32 minutes

Only Fee-Only

#126 - Planning, Building, and Putting Yourself Out There with Taylor Stewart

Taylor Stewart didn’t set out to build software. He created a simple spreadsheet to help with his own planning, and it quickly caught the attention of other advisors. When one offered to buy it, he named a price that felt too high—and they said yes without hesitation. That moment sparked the creation of Income Mapper, and later, the tools that would become the foundation of Partheon, where Taylor now leads financial advice. He also runs his own fee-only firm, Adaroke Wealth. As a second-gener...

8 months ago

27 minutes