The Advisor Journey

Emlen Miles Mattingley has never been afraid to experiment. What he learned the hard way is that experimentation without focus can leave advisors busy, but stuck. In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Emlen shares the real story behind his marketing journey, from trying every platform and tactic to eventually narrowing his focus and taking control of his business. He breaks down the difference between “riding” a practice versus intentionally driving it, and why clarity around who you serve ...

Brian Portnoy believes that great financial advice starts long before portfolios and performance. It starts with understanding what actually matters to people. In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Brian, founder of Shaping Wealth and author of The Geometry of Wealth, shares how behavioral finance, psychology, and purpose-driven conversations can transform the advisor-client relationship. He introduces the concept of “funded contentment,” the idea that true wealth is the ability to underwri...

Aaron Sherman has never been interested in chasing growth for growth’s sake. In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Aaron, president of Odyssey Group Wealth Advisors, shares how his firm chose a slower, more intentional path—one centered on deep client relationships, long-term clarity, and values-led decision-making. Aaron walks through his journey from Commonwealth to full independence, the decision to register his own RIA, and why control and alignment mattered more than speed. He also exp...

Khe Hy spent 15 years rising through the ranks on Wall Street, eventually becoming one of BlackRock’s youngest managing directors. Then he walked away. In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Khe shares how he traded a high-status career for a life aligned with his values. He talks about the immigrant work ethic that shaped him, the internal voice advisors often battle, and the “magic window” that led him to prioritize fatherhood. Khe reflects on building RadReads, developing an executive coa...

Tim Farley has spent over a decade shaping what great advisory leadership looks like. In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Tim Farley, founding principal of Tempo Wealth, shares the story behind launching a new RIA with his two business partners, Bernie Garrah and Corbin Blackburn, that quickly grew to manage more than $700 million in client assets. He explains how genuine relationships, deep specialization, and a client-first mindset helped him and his partners build a firm defined by tru...

Danika Waddell’s journey from solo founder to firm leader is a masterclass in intentional growth. In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Danika—founder of Zena Financial Planning—shares how she built a practice centered on professional women in tech, the lessons learned from evolving her business model, and what it takes to create lasting partnerships. From starting her firm in 2020 to merging with another RIA five years later, Danika opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship, why she...

Shawn Tydlaska built the kind of firm most advisors dream about—steady referrals, a growing team, and over $1 million in annual revenue. But behind the milestones was a different story. In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Shawn sits down with Dasarte to talk about what happens after you hit every goal and still feel stuck. He opens up about burnout, redefining success, and the decision to stop drinking—an act that forced him to face the parts of himself he’d buried beneath constant work. ...

Ami Shah has one mission: to change the way families experience financial advice. In this episode of The Advisor Journey, Ami Shah, co-founder and CEO of Steward, shares how her path from McKinsey and Facebook led her to build a firm designed for first-generation wealth builders. She opens up about the personal story that sparked her calling, the operational systems that fueled Steward’s $60M growth, and how her “CORE” framework (Confident, Organized, Relieved, Engaged) helps families feel in...

Eden Ovadia, co-founder and CEO of Finny, joins The Advisor Journey live from Future Proof 2025 to share how her team is tackling one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: organic growth. Before starting FINNY, Eden worked in private equity and M&A at Boston Consulting Group, where she saw firsthand how unsustainable acquisition-driven growth had become for advisory firms. That experience sparked her vision for FINNY: a platform that uses AI and machine learning to make client acqui...

Torie Happe, Head of Partnerships at Holistiplan, joins The Advisor Journey to discuss how tax planning has become a cornerstone of modern wealth management and why advisors leveraging tools like Holistiplan stand out in today’s competitive landscape. In this engaging episode, Torie shares Holistiplan’s journey from a grassroots solution with just a few thousand users to a platform now serving over 50,000 advisors. She explains how the tool empowers advisors to deliver “aha moments” for clien...

Kevin Thompson, former MLB player and founder of 9Innings Capital Group, joins The Advisor Journey to share his experience transitioning from professional baseball into financial advisory and his strategic approach to building an independent advisory firm. Kevin discusses his intentional shift away from commission-based products toward holistic financial planning driven by authentic client relationships and values alignment. In this candid conversation, Kevin explores common challenges adviso...

Alex Newman returns to The Advisor Journey to share his innovative two-pronged approach to growing Grape Wealth Management: building a vibrant community of retirees through in-person events while implementing advanced AI systems for practice efficiency. Alex reveals how his "Retire Temecula" events have evolved from just five attendees to gatherings regularly drawing 80-150 people, creating powerful organic growth opportunities. Simultaneously, he explains his custom AI implementations for pe...