Episode 221 – Global Markets: Why Japan and India Are Standing Out with Jeremy Schwartz

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WisdomTree works to create a better way to invest, offering a leading product range that offers access to an unparalleled selection of unique and smart exposures.

In this podcast, we are joined by Jeremy Schwartz,  the Global Chief Investment Officer at WisdomTree. Jeremy and Doug discuss international investment opportunities, with a focus on the promising markets of Japan and India, and strategies to effectively navigate and hedge risks in these regions.

They also discussed:

  • Japan and India as promising markets, noting their favorable economic fundamentals and significant growth potential.
  • Japan is identified as a strong investment prospect due to the benefits of currency hedging, robust corporate governance, and dividend growth.
  • India stands out with its rapid economic expansion, large population, and pro-business reforms under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.
  • Schwartz emphasizes the importance of currency hedging to mitigate the risks associated with fluctuating foreign currencies, which can significantly impact investment returns.
  • The pivotal role of technology in driving economic growth in India, especially in enhancing financial inclusion and efficiency.
  • Using ETFs like DXJ for Japan and EPI for India to effectively capture growth opportunities while managing associated risks

 

Resources: 

WisdomTree

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Episode 220 – Model Portfolios for Modern Investing with Kunal Shah

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Kunal Shah is the Managing Director and Head of Private Asset Research and Model Portfolios at the Global FinTech firm – iCapital.

In this podcast, Doug and Kunal explore the rising interest in alternative investments, emphasizing the importance of education, data-driven model portfolios, and technological advancements to simplify and optimize advisor investment strategies.

Topics discussed:

  • The abilities of alternative investments, citing their capabilities to provide lower correlation, enhanced returns, and different income sources compared to traditional public markets.
  • Educational barriers and structural challenges advisors face when incorporating alternative investments.
  • Introduction to a new model portfolio focusing on alternative investments, which provides guidance on allocation among different asset classes such as private equity, private credit, and real assets.
  • The development of the model portfolio which involved extensive data analysis, performance review, and optimization to ensure high risk-adjusted returns through a diversified and balanced approach.
  • The model portfolio availability on the iCapital marketplace for all advisors, with plans to introduce more portfolios targeting different outcomes and allowing for customization based on client needs.
  • How model portfolios simplify the integration of alternative investments, helping advisors meet client demands, diversify portfolios, and potentially attract more clients.
  • Upcoming technology enhancements, including a multi-investment workflow, and the launch of the new portfolio analytics solution, Architect, aimed at making the investment process more efficient and seamless for advisors.

 

Resources: 

iCapital

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Episode 219 – The Impact of Digital Innovation and the Future of Fintech with Mohan Gurupackiam

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Mohan Gurupackiam is the Chief Information Officer at Steward Partners Global Advisory: an employee-owned, full-service partnership that caters to family, institutional, and multigenerational investors.

In this podcast, Doug and Mohan discuss the latest technological advancements in the financial industry, talking through the impact of digital innovation and the future of fintech.

Topics discussed:

  • Mohan’s extensive 25-year career in the finance industry, including roles at E-Trade, Cetera, and AssetMark.
  • The significant technological advancements in the financial industry, such as the rise of FinTech and the shift towards a paperless office.
  • Tailoring technology solutions to meet the unique needs of individual advisors rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach.
  • The potential of artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency in areas like client meetings, portfolio construction, and investment management.
  • How technology benefits investors by improving efficiencies and enabling more sophisticated investment management and seamless interactions.
  • Gurupackiam praises the collaborative and partnership-driven culture at Steward Partners, which fosters open and respectful conversations and includes everyone as a partner.
  • The critical importance of cybersecurity infrastructure in protecting firm data and assets from increasing cyber threats.

 

Resources: 

Steward Partners

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Episode 218 – Identifying Advisor Pain Points with Adam Holt

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Adam Holt is the CEO and Founder of Asset Map, a platform providing interactive financial overviews for informed and empowered decision-making. 

Asset Map surveyed 175 advisors on challenges like accessing next-gen clients, the role of technology, and the industry’s current state. On this episode, Adam breaks down the data and offers his insights into their future impact on advisors and the industry.

Topics discussed:

  • The need for financial advisors to improve communication and demonstrate their value to younger generations, who often mistrust or do not understand the benefits of financial advising.
  • Leveraging technology and modern tools to enhance client engagement and financial literacy, aligning with evolving client expectations.
  • AI’s potential impact on the financial services industry with a focus on how it could transform tasks like communication, workflow management, and possibly even the advisor-client dynamic.
  • Asset Map’s integration with Holistiplan, a tool that helps advisors quickly analyze tax returns, enhancing the platform’s capability to offer comprehensive financial insights on a single screen.
  • Asset Map’s strategic vision to provide a holistic view of clients’ financial situations by layering various types of data, enabling more interactive and insightful financial planning sessions.

 

Click here to view Asset Map’s Advisor Insights Survey!

 

Resources: 

Asset Map

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Episode 217 – Why Annuities Matter More Than Ever with Tim Seifert

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Tim Seifert is the Senior Vice President and Head of Retirement Solutions Distribution at Lincoln Financial Group: a firm that has been helping millions of people plan, protect, and retire for over a century. 

In this podcast, Tim and host, Steve Gresham, dive into the implications of millions of Americans retiring each year, the challenges they face to secure their financial future, discussing the crucial role of annuities providing protected income.

They also discussed:

  • The “Peak 65” trend, where over 4.1 million Americans are retiring annually until 2027*, raising concerns about insufficient protected income and the risk of outliving savings.
  • Annuity Awareness Month and the importance of annuities in securing retirement income, emphasizing the need for comprehensive financial planning.
  • The significant knowledge gap among both consumers and financial professionals about their benefits and features, despite the record-breaking popularity of annuities.
  • Financial professionals being urged to educate clients about the value of annuities for protected income, highlighting protection and guarantees over potential market returns.
  • Lincoln Financial Group’s offerings with a range of annuity products to help meet diverse needs, stressing the importance of evolving and innovative solutions for retirement planning.
  • How crucial effective communication, education, and action by financial advisors are in helping clients understand what annuities offer, leading to increased client satisfaction.

 

* Source: www.protectedincome.org/peak65

Annuities are long-term investment products that offer tax-deferred growth, access to a lifetime income stream, and death benefit protection. There is no additional tax-deferral benefit for an annuity contract purchased in an IRA or other tax-qualified plan. All investing involves risk.

Lincoln annuities are issued by the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Fort Wayne, IN, and in New York are issued by Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York, Syracuse, NY, and distributed by Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc., a broker-dealer. The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company does not solicit business in the state of New York, nor is it authorized to do so.

Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln Financial Corporation and its affiliates. Affiliates are separately responsible for their own financial and contractual obligations.

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Episode 216 – Reaping the Benefits of an Independent Partner with Chris Reaney

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Chris Reaney is the Managing Director of High Water Wealth Group at Steward Partners. Steward Partners is an employee-owned, full-service partnership that caters to family, institutional, and multi-generational investors.  

In this podcast, listeners can expect an insightful discussion on Chris Reaney’s career journey from a traditional wirehouse to joining and growing with Steward Partners. The episode highlights the evolution of the financial advisory landscape and the critical importance of support and entrepreneurial freedom for advisors.

Topics discussed:

  • Chris’ early career, highlighting the support for entrepreneurial advisors and contrasting it with less flexible environments at other firms.
  • His decision to leave a traditional wirehouse and join Steward Partners, motivated by dissatisfaction with the corporate culture and a lack of support at his previous firm.
  • Reaney explains the initial challenges and rapid growth of Steward Partners, emphasizing the freedom to run his business and the comprehensive support the firm provides.
  • The importance of personal touch in client relationships, noting that despite advancements in technology and AI, clients value the human element in financial advising.
  • The evolution of Steward Partners from a small, ambitious firm to a large organization, noting the continuous enhancements in support and resources available to advisors.
  • Reaney outlines his future plans, including succession strategy and a long-term commitment to the firm, while also balancing personal interests and values.

 

Resources: 

Steward Partners

 

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Episode 215 – What Does Freedom Mean to You? with Scott Danner

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Scott Danner is the Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Street at Steward Partners. Steward Partners is an employee-owned, full-service partnership that caters to family, institutional, and multi-generational investors.  

In this episode, Scott shares the inspiring journey of founding his company to revolutionize financial advising with a focus on relationship-building and personal impact. 

They also discussed:

  • Scott’s journey of founding the firm in 2016 to address the lack of succession plans among aging financial advisors.
  • The rapid growth of Freedom Street and their goal of building a national brand with a compelling identity to attract top talent and clients.
  • The Life Optimization model, which prioritizes love, impact, faith, and energy over traditional financial metrics.
  • Benefits of joining Steward Partners, which provided support in HR and legal while maintaining a collaborative culture.
  • Scott talks about the importance of balancing high performance with self-awareness and achieving personal equilibrium.

 

Resources: 

Steward Partners

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Episode 214 – Building the Firm of Today and the Future with Jim Gold

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Jim Gold is the CEO and Co-Founder of Steward Partners Global Advisory. Steward Partners is an employee-owned, full-service partnership that caters to family, institutional, and multi-generational investors.  

In this podcast, Jim reflects on Steward Partners’ exponential growth over the past decade, exploring its unique culture of partnership, and its mission-driven approach to financial advisory services. 

Also discussed:

  • Steward Partners’ rapid expansion, including the need for scale and the importance of legacy preservation.
  • The firm’s equity story, where every employee is an owner with the same equity, creating a culture of alignment and happiness.
  • The firm’s past milestones, including survival during early days, financial accolades, and great culture, with a focus on evolution and listening to people.
  • The importance of transparency, talent, and resources in making the right decisions.
  • The evolution of the advisor role and the importance of technology in providing accessible, trusted advice.
  • Jim Gold provides leadership advice, emphasizing honesty, integrity, and compliance.

 

Resources: 

Steward Partners

 

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Episode 213 – Here’s a Solution for Your Organic Growth Problem with Steve Gresham

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Steve Gresham is the Managing Principal of NextChapter: an industry community and a tech-enabled solutions company focused on creating better retirement outcomes for everyone. 

In this episode, we’ve invited Steve to share his insights on organic growth, exploring what fuels it, why it’s crucial, and how advisors can harness its power effectively. 

 

Also discussed:

  • Why some advisors are experiencing growth while others are not, prompting an examination of the underlying dynamics.
  • The significance of both willpower and skill in an advisor’s success.
  • The distinction between organic and inorganic growth within the industry and the importance of organic growth as a measure of the business’s health.
  • The impact of aging demographics on advisor practices, noting the challenges posed by an aging client base and the implications for organic growth.
  • The dissatisfaction of private equity firms with industry returns.
  • The industry’s responsibility toward investors’ well-being.
  • Strategies for advisors to achieve organic growth effectively, emphasizing the importance of client retention, understanding evolving client needs, and improving share of wallet by offering new services and consolidating assets.

 

Resources: 

Next Chapter

 

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Episode 212 – Data-Driven Decisions: Key Insights from Hamilton Lane’s Market Overview with Jackie Rantanen

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Hamilton Lane is a firm with a mission to offer superior financial well-being through tailored private market solutions, driven by over 30 years of client focus and innovation. 

Jackie Rantanen sits as the Head of Investor Solutions within the Evergreen Portfolio Management team, also serving as a member of the Investment, Responsible Investment and Executive Committees. 

In this episode, Jackie guides us through Hamilton Lane’s global client service, providing insights on their evolving strategies as well as navigating the world’s volatile 2024 landscape. 

Topics also discussed:

  • Hamilton Lane and its over $900 billion in assets under management, serving institutional and private wealth investors worldwide.
  • The shift in the investment landscape with alternatives gaining prominence due to shrinking public markets and increasing opportunities in private markets.
  • How Hamilton Lane adapted, creating accessible structures for advisors and investors, simplifying processes, and providing education and transparency.
  • Hamilton Lane’s commitment to education and information-sharing, leveraging its extensive database and technology to empower advisors and clients with knowledge about private markets.
  • Key findings from Hamilton Lane’s comprehensive market overview, including persistent outperformance of private markets, fair valuations, and the importance of data-driven analysis.
  • Challenges such as global elections and technological advancements, emphasizing the resilience of private markets and the importance of data-oriented decision-making for investors.

 

Resources: 

Hamilton Lane

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