152: The 4-Step Playbook to Retain Your Clients During a Firm Transition

Most financial planning is built around goals.  Goals like:  Retiring at 60  Spending more time traveling  Leaving a legacy through philanthropy   But there’s a structural flaw in that model: human beings are notoriously poor predictors of their future preferences. What we think will make us happy at 60 often looks very different once we get there.  Yet as Advisors, we routinely ask clients to define long-term goals without fully pressure-testing the assumptions behind them.   In this episode, Meghaan Lurtz explains how we can shift away from the shortcomings of goals-based planning by focusing on the power of experiments.  Instead of asking our clients to commit to big, static goals, we can help them design small, intentional experiments.  Help them test the retirement, test the travel, and test the hobbies they “think” they’ll enjoy one day.  Because a client who has tried something knows what they want. And an Advisor who helps them get there becomes indispensable.  If you want deeper conversations, more engaged retirees, and clients who actually use their money in ways that improve their lives, then this episode offers a practical framework you can implement immediately.  You’ll Learn:  Why goals-based planning may be unintentionally limiting your clients’ happiness  The simple 4-step experiment framework that unlocks confident spending and clearer decisions  How to help chronic under-spenders safely test higher spending without triggering fear  Why debriefing client experiences may be more powerful than the financial plan itself  Subscribe to the Wired Advisor newsletter packed with behavioral-backed resources to help you grow your business → Click Here    Links To Resources Mentioned:  “Helping Underspenders and Savers Understand They Can Spend More With 4 Stages Of Experiments”  Connect With Brendan:  RFG Advisory  LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier  About Our Guest:  Meghaan Lurtz, Ph.D., FBS™ is a globally recognized expert on the psychology of financial planning and the human dynamics of money. She is a partner at Beyond The Plan®.  Dr. Lurtz is also a Professor of Practice at Kansas State University, teaching in the Advanced Financial Planning and Financial Therapy Certificate Programs, and a Lecturer at Columbia University, where she teaches Financial Psychology. Her academic and professional contributions include published research in Journal of Financial Planning, Journal of Consumer Affairs, and Financial Planning Review, as well as regular columns on Kitces.com.  Her expertise has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Million Dollar Roundtable, New York Magazine, and more. She has co-authored chapters in the CFP Board’s textbook Client Psychology and serves on multiple fintech boards bridging financial advice with mental health. Meghaan is a past President of the Financial Therapy Association.

When you’re thinking about making a move to a new firm, there’s always a lingering question:  “Will my clients come with me?”  You think they will, but there’s no way to know for sure.  In this episode, Brendan Frazier shares a practical four step framework to help Financial Advisors confidently communicate a firm transition while maximizing client retention.  You’ll Learn:  Why client attrition is as much emotional as it is financial  How to communicate a firm transition so clients are retained and trust is protected  The 5C Framework for communicating a firm transition with confidence  Additional Resources & Links:   Downloadable PDF: The 5C Framework  Learn More About RFG: www.rfgadvisory.com

Most of your clients’ financial planning goals don’t fail because they’re unrealistic. They fail because behavior hasn’t changed. In this episode, Brendan Frazier breaks down why clients struggle to follow through and achieve their most important financial goals and what Advisors can do to change that. If you want to help your clients maximize the likelihood of accomplishing their goals, you have to understand the psychology of goals. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why understanding motivation matters more than setting better goals How clarity, confidence, and small wins increase follow-through Why identity-based change leads to more sustainable client behavior At RFG Advisory, our Chief Behavioral Officer, Brendan Frazier, helps Advisors improve prospecting, communication, and client relationships using proven behavioral frameworks that lead to sustainable growth. Subscribe to the Wired Advisor newsletter packed with behavioral-backed resources to help you grow your business → Click Here Connect with Brendan Frazier: RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier Links to Additional Resources: Blog Article: Busy Isn’t Strategic: How Time Fragmentation Sabotages Financial Advisor Growth Downloadable Playbook: Reactive to Intentional: The Financial Advisor Playbook for Sustainable Growth

This year’s “Best of” episode is a highlight reel of the most impactful, yet practical strategies discussed in this year’s Human Side of Money podcast episodes. These strategies are designed for Financial Advisors who want human-centric steps they can implement into their business’ growth plan. What You’ll Learn: Why generic “don’t worry” emails can backfire How a repeatable framework can help calm anxious clients How efficiency could harm the client experience How to deepen client trust between meetings Learn more at www.rfgadvisory.com

Most Advisors build plans around numbers. Emily Rassam builds them around people. In this episode of The Human Side of Money, Brendan sits down with Emily Rassam, Partner and Senior Financial Planner, to explore how she infuses purpose and emotion into every aspect of the planning process. Emily’s approach goes beyond spreadsheets and projections. It’s about helping clients clarify their values, align their decisions, and live intentionally with their wealth. The conversation goes deeper into helping clients define “enough,” connect values to goals, and navigate trade-offs that honor what matters most. Emily offers a window into how she integrates behavioral insights and purposeful planning to make every plan a living, evolving reflection of a client’s life. You’ll Learn: How to uncover the deeper motivations behind client goals The importance of connecting values and money decisions Ways to help clients spend intentionally and celebrate financial joy  How to apply behavioral principles to deepen planning conversations Practical scripts to guide clients through trade-offs and “enough” conversations Listen now to learn how to turn every plan into a purpose-driven partnership that reflects the human side of advice. To sign up for Brendan’s newsletter packed with resources to master the human side of advice → Click Here About Our Guest: Emily Rassam is a Partner and Senior Financial Planner known for blending technical expertise with the emotional intelligence required to guide clients through life’s biggest financial decisions. With nearly two decades in the industry, Emily has become a recognized voice in behavioral finance and intentional planning. She’s been featured by Investopedia for her insight on creating purpose-driven financial strategies and was recently named a Partner at Archer Investment Management. Her work centers on helping clients move beyond accumulation toward alignment, using money as a tool to live richer, more meaningful lives.  Connect with Brendan: RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier 

At 38, Rick Foerster became financially independent after helping build a healthcare startup that went public. By every external measure, he had “enough.” But internally, he felt restless, disoriented, and unsure of what came next. In this candid conversation, Rick and Brendan Frazier explore what happens on the other side of enough, when financial freedom collides with the deeper human questions of identity, belonging, and purpose. Rick shares how he went from chasing the next big venture to intentionally disrupting the rhythms of his life, creating the space to explore meaning, creativity, and fulfillment. He opens up about the messy middle of transition, the trap of tying self-worth to productivity, and why freedom without direction can quickly feel like emptiness. You’ll Learn: ► Why reaching “enough” can trigger confusion instead of clarity ► How to help clients find meaning beyond achievement and accumulation ► The difference between financial independence and psychological independence ► Why true fulfillment often starts where financial independence ends ► How clients can discover identity when work is no longer their defining role About the Guest: Rick Foerster Rick Foerster is a writer, investor, and former healthcare executive exploring the intersection of work, meaning, and identity. After helping grow a healthcare startup through an IPO and reaching financial independence at 38, Rick turned his focus toward understanding what comes after success. His writing project, The Other Side of Enough, investigates the emotional and psychological journey of people who’ve achieved financial freedom, and what it truly means to live a fulfilling life.

Winning more clients and creating a more client-centric planning experience requires a shift. A shift away from the numbers. A shift towards the human. In this episode, Tim Maurer, Chief Advisory Officer at Signature FD shares his insights on building a human-first approach to transform both your prospecting and your planning. Instead of relying on advisor-driven presentations, Tim focuses on connecting with what truly drives people – values, stories, and emotions – so that clients feel ownership of their plan. And they trust that you’re the person to guide them along the way. You’ll Learn: Tim’s 4 steps for human-first prospecting that converts Ideas for building plans that clients embrace and act on How to shift from advisor-driven to client-inspired advice Why removing emotions from money is actually a mistake A philosophy for using money to create memorable experiences  *To sign up for Brendan’s newsletter packed with resources to master the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: 55: Infusing Life Into The Financial Planning Process with Tim Maurer 141: The Power of Storytelling: How To Craft Stories That Convert Prospects Into Clients with Stacy Havener Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman  Blink by Malcolm Gladwell Die With Zero by Bill Perkins Nudge by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein  Give to Grow by Mo Bunnell The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga  The Wim Hof Method by Wim Hof Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier Connect with Tim Maurer:  SignatureFD LinkedIn: Tim Maurer About Our Guest:  As the Chief Advisory Officer at SignatureFD, Tim acts as the coach and advocate of their experienced corps of advisors in pursuit of the optimal delivery of their unique client experience. They partner with clients to “activate” their wealth in four key areas: Grow, Protect, Give, and Live. Anchoring in these core pillars offers a level of transparency to wealth management, enabling clients to better understand how they can use their wealth to achieve their goals and impact the things that matter most to them – what SignatureFD calls Net Worthwhile™. A graduate of Towson University, Tim taught financial planning at his alma mater for seven years. His third book, Simple Money, is an exploration of prescriptive personal finance through the lens of behavioral science. He is a regular CNBC contributor and writes for Forbes.com. A central theme drives his writing and speaking: Personal finance is more personal than it is finance. Regardless of income or net worth, Tim believes it is our underlying values and goals that drive our behavior with money, which ultimately determines our satisfaction in work and life. Couching timely application in timeless wisdom, he educates at private events as well as in television, radio, print, and online media. With a passion for relational communication, he has been featured on NBC’s TODAY Show, CNBC, and ABC’s Nightline; on NPR programs The Diane Rehm Show and Marketplace; as well as in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, U.S. News & World Report, and Money magazine, among others. Tim is a husband and father first and lives in Charleston, South Carolina, where his wife Mika and two boys, Kieran and Connor, are active members of their community. Outside of personal finance, his favorite pursuit is music, whether consuming or contributing on the drums, keys, or, only occasionally, the upright bass. He is also part of a group dedicated to serving the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere, Nicaragua, through micro-finance and entrepreneurial ventures. – Content here is for illustrative purposes and general information only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice; nor is it a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security, or engage in any specific trading strategy. Information here may be provided, in part, by third-party sources. These sources are generally deemed to be reliable; however, neither our guest nor RFG Advisory guarantee the accuracy of third-party sources. The views expressed here are those of our guest. They do not necessarily represent those of RFG Advisory, its employees, or its clients. This commentary should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by RFG Advisory, or performance returns of any client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services. Member FINRA / SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, LLC (“RFG Advisory or “RFG”), a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where RFG Advisory and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advisory services may be rendered by RFG Advisory unless a client agreement is in place. RFG Advisory is an SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of RFG by the Commission, nor does it indicate that RFG or any associated investment advisory representative has attained a particular level of skill or ability.

Most Advisors rely on technical expertise (IQ). But when you work with human beings, IQ alone often isn’t enough. You have to combine IQ and EQ (Emotional Intelligence). Shannon Harris, Managing Partner at Ecclesiastes Wealth Partners, has developed an approach that blends IQ with EQ by delivering values-based advice designed to reshape every client conversation. In this episode, she shares why she completely rebranded her firm to focus on values-based advice and the framework she uses to deliver that value in every conversation. You’ll Learn: Why IQ alone often isn’t enough and how EQ can elevate your business How she applies values-based conversations in every meeting How she uncovers a client’s top 5 values with a simple exercise How she uses the client’s values to help them make better decisions The common quantitative and qualitative results of embracing this approach To sign up for Brendan’s newsletter packed with resources to master the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: Values Exercise – Think2Perform The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer Equipping for Impact – Coaching program tailored to financial professionals Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier Connect with Shannon Harris:  Website: Ecclesiastes Wealth Partners LinkedIn: Shannon Harris About Our Guest:  Shannon Harris is the Managing Partner and an advisor at Ecclesiastes Wealth Partners, recognized by Forbes as one of the Top Women Wealth Advisors. With over 25 years of experience, she blends financial planning with emotional intelligence, delivering values-based advice that aligns money with what matters most. Her unique approach is rooted in behavioral finance and life coaching, helping clients make meaningful, purpose-driven financial decisions. – Content here is for illustrative purposes and general information only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice; nor is it a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security, or engage in any specific trading strategy. Information here may be provided, in part, by third-party sources. These sources are generally deemed to be reliable; however, neither our guest nor RFG Advisory guarantee the accuracy of third-party sources. The views expressed here are those of our guest. They do not necessarily represent those of RFG Advisory, its employees, or its clients. This commentary should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by RFG Advisory, or performance returns of any client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services. Member FINRA / SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, LLC (“RFG Advisory or “RFG”), a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where RFG Advisory and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advisory services may be rendered by RFG Advisory unless a client agreement is in place. RFG Advisory is an SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of RFG by the Commission, nor does it indicate that RFG or any associated investment advisory representative has attained a particular level of skill or ability.

What if everything you’ve been taught about preparing clients for retirement is only half the story? Fritz Gilbert spent a decade writing over 400 articles about life after work on his blog The Retirement Manifesto. But the real transformation happened after he actually retired. In this episode, Fritz reveals the surprising emotional challenges retirees face — from losing structure and identity to silently wondering, “Is this all there is?” If you want to help clients move from simply retired to truly thriving, this conversation will teach you how to guide clients through the non-financial side of retirement. You’ll Learn: The 4 psychological phases of retirement The 90/10 rule of retirement no one prepares you for How Fritz shifted from a saving to spending mindset The #1 mindset that helped him create a thriving life after work The emotional transition most retirees go through and how to prepare for it         *To sign up for Brendan’s newsletter packed with resources to master the human side of advice → Click Here Resources: Book: Keys to a Successful Retirement by Fritz Gilbert Book: Control Your Retirement Destiny by Dana Anspach Book: Purpose Code by Jordan Grumet Charity: Freedom for Fido Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier Connect with Fritz Gilbert:  LinkedIn: Fritz Gilbert Website: The Retirement Manifesto About our Guest:  Fritz Gilbert is a writer focused on helping people achieve a great retirement. Following his 33-year career in Corporate America, he has dedicated his retirement to writing on the topic and has become one of the leading bloggers on the subject of retirement, with a focus on both the “harder” (financial) and “softer” (lifestyle) issues that are critical to success after crossing “The Starting Line”. His award-winning blog, The Retirement Manifesto, captures “the present before it becomes the past” as it chronicles his journey to and through retirement. His large following is primarily comprised of people approaching, or living in, retirement. His first book, Keys to a Successful Retirement, is a summary of the 24 keys he has identified and experienced in his own successful transition to retirement and is a “must-read” for anyone within five years of retirement. Fritz and his wife, Jackie, reside in the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia with their four rescue dogs. They enjoy cross-country travel in their RV to visit their daughter and her family in the Pacific Northwest and are active in charitable work in their local community. When he’s not writing, Fritz enjoys a focus on physical fitness and spends as much time as possible in the mountains surrounding their retirement cabin. – Content here is for illustrative purposes and general information only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice; nor is it a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security, or engage in any specific trading strategy  Information here may be provided, in part, by third-party sources. These sources are generally deemed to be reliable; however, neither our guest nor RFG Advisory guarantee the accuracy of third-party sources. The views expressed here are those of our guest. They do not necessarily represent those of RFG Advisory, its employees, or its clients. This commentary should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by RFG Advisory or performance returns of any client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services. Member FINRA / SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, LLC (“RFG Advisory or “RFG”), a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where RFG Advisory and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advisory services may be rendered by RFG Advisory unless a client agreement is in place. RFG Advisory is an SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of RFG by the Commission, nor does it indicate that RFG or any associated investment advisory representative has attained a particular level of skill or ability.

What if the most important trust-building moments with clients aren’t during meetings, but actually in between them? It turns out that your communication between meetings ( texts, emails, calls, etc.) can significantly impact trust, satisfaction, and client retention. In this conversation, Dr. Megan McCoy shares her breakthrough research on the power of between-meeting communication and how Advisors can create a “web of support” plan to help improve trust, satisfaction and client retention. You’ll Learn: Ways to personalize communication at scale A framework for “between meeting” communication How to balance task-based and relationship-based outreach Signs your client has financial anxiety (even when they say they’re “fine”) Why you need the right message delivered through the right medium *To sign up for Brendan’s newsletter packed with resources to master the human side of advice → Click Here *To get the “Affiliation Guide” outlining a business model designed to help build your business ->Click Here Resources: Book: Financial Planning Counseling Skills Book: Facilitating Financial Health: Tools for Financial Planners, Coaches, and Therapists Book: Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending Connect with Brendan Frazier:  RFG Advisory LinkedIn: Brendan Frazier Connect with Dr. Megan McCoy:  LinkedIn: Dr. Megan McCoy About Our Guest:  Megan McCoy, Ph.D., LMFT, AFC®, CFT-I™, is an Assistant Professor at Kansas State University’s Department of Personal Financial Planning. She teaches courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels focused on financial well-being, financial therapy, and couple dynamics regarding finances. Dr. McCoy holds a B.A. in Psychology from The University of North Carolina and an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Drexel University. Dr. McCoy also attended the University of Georgia, where she earned a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, an Accredited Financial Counselor®, and a Certified Financial Therapist-I™. During her doctoral program, she developed a specialization in financial therapy and client psychology. She had the opportunity to work with clients alongside financial planning students to treat clients’ financial well-being together. Observing and learning from financial planners’ work with clients enabled Dr. McCoy to gain more insights into the psychology of financial planning. She serves on the Financial Therapy Association’s Board of Directors and was the past Associate editor of the Journal of Financial Therapy. She is currently co-editor for the Financial Planning Review. She was also a guest editor on a special issue on finances for Contemporary Family Therapy. Dr. McCoy’s research interests focus on financial therapy, financial well-being, and financial communication, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. She has published over forty articles in top-tier mental health, family science, financial counseling, and financial planning journals. This year, her research has won awards from the National Council of Family Relations and the Financial Therapy Association. Dr. McCoy has been awarded grants from the Financial Planning Association, the National Endowment for Financial Education, and FP Canada to continue research on how to integrate client psychology topics into financial planning to foster trust and commitment with clients. Dr. McCoy has also been featured as a financial well-being expert on the Today Show, NPR, BBC, the Wall Street Journal, and many other media outlets. – Content here is for illustrative purposes and general information only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice; nor is it a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security, or engage in any specific trading strategy. Information here may be provided, in part, by third-party sources. These sources are generally deemed to be reliable; however, neither our guest nor RFG Advisory guarantee the accuracy of third-party sources. The views expressed here are those of our guest. They do not necessarily represent those of RFG Advisory, its employees, or its clients. This commentary should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by RFG Advisory, or performance returns of any client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services. Member FINRA / SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, LLC (“RFG Advisory or “RFG”), a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where RFG Advisory and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advisory services may be rendered by RFG Advisory unless a client agreement is in place. RFG Advisory is an SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of RFG by the Commission, nor does it indicate that RFG or any associated investment advisory representative has attained a particular level of skill or ability.