Don't Do That

In this thoughtful and insight-packed episode of Don’t Do That, Kelly sits down with Mike Betz, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Nitrogen, for a wide-ranging conversation on wealth tech evolution, advisor workflows, AI, and one of the most common (and costly) mistakes professionals make: overcomplicating what should be simple.

Kelly and Mike cover:
00:56 Mike’s background across advisory firms and wealth tech platforms
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In this candid and fast-moving episode of Don’t Do That, Kelly sits down with Chuck Failla, Founder and CEO of Sovereign Financial Group, for a conversation about growth, operational scale, advisor support, marketing, and the technology decisions that can make or break a firm.

Kelly and Chuck cover:
01:01 Chuck shares Sovereign’s growth from a $100M lifestyle practice to a $1.2B firm
02:23 Building the platform Chuck always ...

In this energizing and forward-looking episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Reed Colley, President of Technology at Orion, for a conversation about where the advisory industry is heading and what it takes to stay ahead of the curve.

The heart of the episode, though, focuses on something more fundamental: the advisor-client relationship. Reed argues that AI should not replace the human elements of advice; inst...

In this powerful and deeply human episode of Don’t Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with history-making Broadway star Sandra Joseph to explore the pressure of performing at the highest level—and the dangerous temptation to hide behind perfection.

Sandra holds the record as the longest-running leading lady in The Phantom of the Opera, spending more than a decade in one of the most demanding roles in theater history. But at the pinna...

In this thoughtful and energizing episode of Don’t Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Bonnie Treichel, Chief Solutions Officer at Endeavor Retirement and Endeavor Law, to explore why retirement planning—and entrepreneurship—should never follow rigid, one-size-fits-all rules.

Bonnie shares her path as a multi-business founder serving financial advisors in the retirement plan and wealth management space, including why she chose th...

In this inspiring and heartfelt episode of Don’t Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Matt Schulte, the longtime head of financial planning at eMoney Advisor, who recently retired after 25 remarkable years. Together, they explore what it takes to build a world-class financial planning platform, the power of advisor-driven innovation, and why staying close to your clients is the ultimate competitive advantage.

Kelly and Matt cover:

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In this candid and deeply thoughtful episode of Don’t Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Dani Fava, Chief Strategy Officer at Carson Group, to unpack leadership, AI, career growth, and one of the most common (and dangerous) professional traps: building your identity around being needed.

Dani shares how Carson is using AI to radically increase advisor capacity, why data infrastructure is the real foundation of innovation, and wha...

In this candid, hilarious, and deeply insightful episode of Don’t Do That, Kelly Waltrich turns the microphone on longtime friend and industry creative force Matt Ackermann. Known for asking the questions, Matt opens up about his unconventional career path - from financial journalism and multimedia storytelling to shaping brand, culture, and content inside one of the fastest-growing RIAs in the industry.

At its core, this conversati...

In this powerful and wildly insightful episode, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Jack Devine, former CIA spymaster, intelligence expert, and the man who helped shape some of the most pivotal moments in modern geopolitical history. Jack opens up about the guardrails of intelligence work, the chaos of today’s global landscape, how wealth managers can navigate uncertainty, and why, despite everything, he believes we are heading toward a ...

What happens when you inflate your firm's numbers in a press release? 

Jimmy Moock, Managing Partner at StreetCred, has a simple answer: reporters will check, you'll get caught, and the damage will spread fast. In this episode, Jimmy and host Kelly Waltrich cut through the noise to reveal what actually makes news in financial services and what should stay in the drafts folder.

Kelly and Jimmy cover:

00:00 – How Kelly and Jim...

What happens when talented advisors spend significant money on marketing but see little to no results? For Lara Galloway, Head of Growth at Elevation Point, the culprit is a common misconception: mistaking activity for strategy. Volume won't fix a lack of vision, and good intentions paired with tactical execution but no underlying plan leave money on the table.

In this episode, Lara and host Kelly Waltrich explore how RIAs can ...

What's the career mistake that can derail your confidence, drain your energy, and impact every area of your life? For Graham Thomas, Chief Revenue Officer at The Compound Media, it's falling in love with a job before asking the hard questions.

In this episode, host Kelly Waltrich sits down with her friend and industry peer Graham to discuss the evolution of digital media, the power of relationship building, and the lessons...

What does it take to build a platform that attracts entrepreneurial advisors while simultaneously making strategic acquisitions that most firms wouldn't even consider?

In this episode, host Kelly Waltrich sits down with Nate Lenz, CEO and Co-Founder of Concurrent, to discuss scaling with purpose, avoiding the trap of busyness, and why the best growth strategies often come from solving problems you see right in front of you.

Nate...

What’s the one operational mistake that can quietly erode margins and stall growth? For Matt Sonnen, COO of Coldstream Wealth Management and creator of The COO Society, it’s misinterpreting fiduciary duty, a trap that leads RIAs to overserve clients at the expense of profitability.

In this episode, host Kelly Waltrich sits down with Matt to unpack lessons from his career as a COO and consultant to advisory firms. They dive into the ...

What does it really take to succeed in financial services—and in life? On this episode of Don’t Do That, Kelly Waltrich welcomes Ryan Marcus, Chief Business & Engagement Officer at Binah Capital Group, a financial services enterprise empowering RIAs and independent wealth managers.

Ryan’s journey is anything but linear: from professional baseball, to launching a corporate travel business, to building firms alongside industry lea...

What happens when marketing generates hundreds of leads but conversion rates stay stubbornly low?

In this episode, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Michelle Winkles, Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at Mission Wealth, to dive into the messy reality of digital marketing for RIAs. From her seat overseeing marketing for a national firm with $14 billion in AUM and 200+ team members, Michelle has learned what it really takes to make digi...

Host Kelly Waltrich sits down with her longtime friend and industry icon Patti Brennan, CEO of Key Financial, to talk about leadership, culture, growth, and why clarity about the future of your business is non-negotiable.

Patti shares her remarkable journey from ICU nurse to building a nationally recognized wealth management firm with over $2.7B in AUM, and the lessons that shaped her along the way—from serving on the pioneering eMo...

What’s the one trait that can make or break your growth journey? For Joe Steuter, Partner at Intention.ly, it’s resourcefulness — and he’s learned it from a lifetime of solving problems, starting with early mornings on a dairy farm in Nebraska.

In this episode, host Kelly Waltrich sits down in-person with her friend and business partner to unpack the lessons from 20+ years in financial services, including how to communicate with int...

Are you chasing marketing metrics but still feeling disconnected from your audience? 

On this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich welcomes Mark Forman, CMO of Optifino, a company rooted in one simple but transformative concept: truly knowing your audience through genuine human connection. Mark shares how his journey from poetry major to marketing leader taught him that the best marketers combine technical expertise with de...