by Jim Stackpool | May 11, 2026 | Advice Clients, Advice Conversations, advice skills, best practice, Certainty Advice, client conversations, Client Meetings, Complexity, Consultative Approach, Delivering Value, Meetings, Quality Advice, skills, valuable advice, Valuable Lessons, value, Value of Advice
“We just want flexibility.” “We’d like some options.” “We haven’t really thought about the details yet.” Advice teams have heard versions of these responses from hundreds of clients, probably hundreds of times. And if you’re like most advice teams, you’ve accepted...
by Jim Stackpool | May 4, 2026 | Advice Clients, Advice Conversations, Advice Products, adviser fees, Best Interests, best practice, client conversations, Client Meetings, Client Offerings, Consultative Approach, Profitability, Quality Advice, Separation of advice from product, Serve the Greater Good, value, Value Proposition
“WHAT DO I GET FOR THAT?” Five words. Every adviser has heard them. A prospect sits across from you. You’ve had a good conversation. You’ve built rapport. You’ve quoted your fee. And then it comes. “Sounds OK. But what do I actually...
by Jim Stackpool | Mar 30, 2026 | Advice Clients, Advice Conversations, Best Interests, client conversations, Client Meetings, Client Offerings, Cost-To-Serve, difficult conversations, Future of Financial Advice, Ongoing Relationships, Profitability, valuable advice, Valuable Lessons, value, worth
Paul has been running his financial advice firm in South Sydney for twenty years. He enjoys his clients. A former school teacher himself, many of his pre- and post-retirement clients come from teaching and principal roles. They have been with him for years. He knows...
by Jim Stackpool | Mar 2, 2026 | Access Price, Activity v Productivity, Advice Clients, advice skills, adviser fees, Business Performance, Business Planning, Certainty Advice, Client Care, Client Meetings, Consequences, Consultative Approach, Delivering Value, Meetings, Mindsets, Quality Advice, strategy, Success Stories, Successful On Purpose, Transformations, Trust Skilling, valuable advice, Valuable Lessons, value, Wealth Management
The principals at one of our comprehensive advice firms based in Redcliffe had a problem. They were charging $15,000 for new clients. Their four associate advisers were signing new clients closer to $6,000-$8,000 for their new clients. Clients would ask: “Will I...
by Jim Stackpool | Jun 19, 2024 | Activity v Productivity, Advice Clients, Advice Clients, Advice Conversations, Advice is not a Product, Certainty Advice, Client Offerings, Future of Financial Advice, Leadership, stages of growth, Successful On Purpose, Value Proposition
I’m a COBOL programmer. We moved out of our family home of 32 years last weekend, and I found an old coding template with a few punch cards that I have kept since the late 1970s. I didn’t think I was a hoarder (maybe?). It took me back to when the talent...
by Jim Stackpool | Jan 31, 2024 | Advice Clients, Advice Conversations, Advice is not a Product, advice skills, Certainty Advice, client conversations, Complexity, Financial Complexity, Financial Paths, Financial Stress, Future of Financial Advice, Pricing Advice, skills
Bella has run her small architecture firm for over 20 years. As the demand for her work grows, so do her costs. At 52 years old, she had hoped for more options. Since a messy divorce seven years ago, she has spent all reserves from the settlement and parent’s...
