Lia Garvin: From Winging It to Winning, Building an Unstoppable Advisory Team

In this episode of The Purpose-Focused Advisor, we welcome Lia Garvin, the "Team Whisperer," who helps business owners and financial advisors build unstoppable teams through effective communication, clear operational structures, and accountability. Lia shares insights on how financial advisors can transition from "winging it" to leading with clarity, ensuring their businesses are scalable and efficient.

Key Takeaways:

• Winging It vs. Having a Playbook (03:28) – Lia highlights the dangers of improvising leadership and why advisors need structured systems to inspire confidence.
• The Secret Sauce of Leadership (11:07) – Many business owners struggle to define what makes them successful. Lia explains how to identify and scale this "secret sauce" across a team.
• The Power of Daily Stand-Ups (18:21) – Short, structured meetings enhance team communication, create accountability, and prevent inefficiencies.
• The Role of a COO in Scaling (24:32) – Many advisors hesitate to delegate leadership, but a strong COO or operations leader can allow advisors to focus on what they do best.
• Technology Should Simplify, Not Overwhelm (28:07) – Advisors should leverage tech tools strategically, starting with essential needs before adding complexity.
• Creating a Culture of Ownership (35:48) – Building a high-performing team requires clear expectations, structured decision-making, and empowering employees with ownership over their roles.

Phil Calandra: "Most advisors are visionaries, but without a structured framework, they end up endlessly winging it."

Lia Garvin: "Your secret sauce is what makes you great, but if you don’t know what it is, how can you train your team to deliver it?"

Rob Brown: "The way to keep from winging it at the next level is to have a playbook—it keeps you grounded in what works."

About Lia Garvin: Lia Garvin, the “Team Whisperer,” helps business owners and leaders improve team communication, reduce managerial overwhelm, and boost employee performance. She is the 2x bestselling author of The Unstoppable Team and Unstuck, a TEDx speaker, and the host of the top podcast .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}