What if the goal of independence wasn’t to build the biggest RIA possible? What if it was to build the business that gave you the life you actually wanted? In this episode of RIA Collective, Charlie Van Derven reconnects with Rachael Burns of True Worth Financial Planning to discuss how her approach to independence has evolved since her first appearance on the podcast. After working at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and Ameriprise, Rachael eventually launched her own RIA. Personal circumst...

Why do some financial advisors consistently generate introductions from clients while others struggle to get referrals at all? In this episode of RIA Collective, Charlie Van Derven sits down with Bill Utnage of Damascus Road Referral Systems to discuss how advisors can build stronger client relationships and create a more intentional system for generating introductions. Bill has spent decades owning and operating professional service businesses and now coaches business owners, including financ

What changes about financial planning when your client doesn't have children? More than many advisors realize.Somebody went first. That's usually how it starts. In this episode of RIA Collective, Charlie Van Derven sits down with Maddy Roche, Chief Growth Officer at Childfree Trust, to explore the unique financial, estate, and long-term care planning needs of people without children. After spending roughly 11 years helping build XY Planning Network, Maddy has worked closely with thousands of ...

What is your advisory practice actually worth, and what can you do today to increase that value? In this episode of RIA Collective, Charlie Van Derven sits down with Andrew Mirolli, Co-Founder of buyAUM.com, to discuss how financial advisors can build more valuable, transferable businesses and prepare for an eventual exit. With roughly 106,000 advisors representing 41% of industry assets expected to retire over the next decade, succession planning is becoming a major issue across wealth manag...

What happens when the traditional wirehouse model no longer gives you the freedom to invest and serve clients the way you believe is best? In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Haren Bhakta, CFA, to discuss his journey from selling insurance to building a book at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, launching his own RIA, and eventually creating his own investment index and ETF. Haren entered financial services during the 2008 financial crisis, when opportuniti

Most financial advisors know they need to create content. The challenge is knowing what AI should do, what it shouldn't do, and how to create authentic content that actually builds trust. In this episode of RIA Collective, Charlie Van Derven sits down with Nate Hoskin, CFP®, Co-Founder of SageContent.ai, to discuss how advisors can leverage video, AI, and personal branding to grow their businesses without sacrificing authenticity. Nate shares lessons from building his own RIA through content be