What makes a financial advisor different? According to Andrew Winig, most advisors struggle to answer that question clearly. In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Andrew Winig, founder of Your Elevator Pitch Coach, to discuss one of the biggest challenges advisors face: explaining what they do in a way that people actually remember. Andrew has worked with hundreds of financial advisors and discovered something surprising: Most advisors are different. They j...

Most RIAs don’t think they need a CFO… until they realize they do. In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Damian Lo Basso, Founder of My RIA CFO, to discuss the financial blind spots that hold advisory firms back during transition, growth, and scaling. Damian brings a rare level of experience to the RIA space. After working in investment banking and M&A, he helped build Dynasty Financial Partners’ OCFO program, launched one of the industry’s first outsou...

What does advisor independence actually mean? In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Andree Mohr, President of Integrated Partners, to explore why the move to independence is about much more than business structure. Andree shares her unique journey from starting as a PR intern at 17 years old to becoming president of one of the largest independent firms in the country. Along the way, she explains why the best advisors are not just building businesses, they’r...

What if you don’t actually own your book of business? In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Tyson Ray of FORM Wealth Advisors to break down one of the most misunderstood topics in financial services: succession. Tyson shares the eye-opening realization that many advisors, especially in W2 or hybrid models, may not truly own the goodwill of their clients. That has massive implications when it comes time to sell, transition, or exit your business. He also int...

What happens when a CRM is built for advisors with AI at its core, instead of having AI bolted on later? In this episode of RIA Collective , host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Thomas Clawson , Co-Founder of Slant , to exp...

What does it really take to grow as a financial advisor? In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Dennis Huergo of Wealth Enhancement Group to explore the mindset, career decisions, and experiences that shape successful advisors over time. Dennis shares his journey from military service into financial services, starting in insurance and sales, and eventually transitioning toward true financial planning and independence. Along the way, he reflects on the lesson...