David Bahnsen: What Advisors Need to Rethink About Work, Purpose, and Retirement

What if work isn’t something to escape, but a core part of your purpose?

Top 100 Barron’s Advisor and CIO of The Bahnsen Group, David Bahnsen, joins Rob Brown to challenge how financial advisors think about success, calling, and the myth of retirement. Drawing from his book Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life, David shares why work is inherently meaningful—and how faith and purpose can reshape how we serve clients, lead teams, and live well.

Key Takeaways: 

• Work is worship. Avodah means work, worship, and service—your daily work is how you glorify and enjoy God. (03:00, 06:58)
• Don’t run dental-visit reviews. Want deeper engagement? Ask better questions. Make every review a meaningful conversation, not just a numbers update. (31:00)
• Retirement is not the reward. The 30-year vacation myth is setting clients up for disappointment. Purpose doesn’t stop at 65. (22:30)
• Workaholic isn’t a dirty word. Passion is a gift—when it’s rooted in the right identity. (11:20)
• Ask about legacy, not just assets. If you're not helping clients define purpose, you're only doing half the job. (30:00)

 

David Bahnsen: "Work is not something we do so we can support Kingdom causes—our work is a Kingdom cause.”

Rob Brown: "Clients don’t have to agree with your worldview, but if you have that conversation, you know you’ve done your best to help them truly think through what they want.”

About David Bahnsen: David L. Bahnsen is the Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Investment Officer of The Bahnsen Group, a national private wealth management firm overseeing more than $7 billion in client assets. He is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox Business, and Fox News, and a regular contributor to National Review. David also hosts Capital Record, a popular weekly podcast dedicated to defending free enterprise and capital markets. He is the author of several best-selling books, including his most recent, Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life, released in February 2024.

Connect with David Bahnsen:

Book: Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life – https://www.fulltimebook.com/

Substack: https://b2bahnsen.substack.com/

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