We’re back with another episode of War Room Huddle!

Today, we are joined by Steve Spaeth, CFP®, Founder and CEO of River Oak Asset Advisory out of Cincinnati, OH.  Steve recently marked his one-year anniversary of going independent after leaving a billion-dollar self-built business in the wirehouse channel. Reflecting on his more than 28 years in wealth management, Steve notes that while he had success and partners who supported his growth, ultimately the wirehouse model had limitations. His decision to go independent in 2021 was based largely on his interest in deepening client relationships and optimizing his business model.

 In today’s episode, RFG President Shannon Spotswood and Steve discuss what it’s like to create a more fulfilled, intentional, and rewarding career as an independent advisory owner. It’s never easy to leave a successful business that has taken years to build. Steve reflects upon his prior illusion of freedom, his passion for his clients, and how “each win matters.”

Through his journey to independence, Steve acknowledges improved family connections and deeper intentionality in everything he does. Instead of putting in face time at the office, his focus is now on the things that truly matter personally and professionally. One of the most important mindset shifts for Steve is that he now holds himself accountable, rather than allowing outside influences to impact where and how he invests his time throughout the day.  

Earlier growth under the wirehouse model was very different than the way independent advisors grow their clientele. “Passion Prospecting” – coined by Shannon – is something that newly independent advisors often struggle with – not because they don’t want to explore it, but because it is so different than what they are used to doing. Now, Steve can lead with what he enjoys doing while seeking others who also share those interests. There is almost zero challenge in attracting the right clients when he hosts events that surround those activities. He has experienced incredible growth from this strategy. Steve recommend advisors make an effort to know where every client likes to eat out, what they like to do in their spare time, and make an effort to connect with them outside of the office. Building a true relationship is key to earning trust and delivering advice.

In conclusion, Steve shares his advice for both younger and more seasoned advisors. For experienced advisors like himself, Steve shares that it’s easy to keep your blinders on. It may feel like you have a multitude of resources at your disposal, but you should look beyond your existing toolset for other places that may offer better technology, deeper resources and more accessible support. The big custodial name on client statements matters a lot less to clients than advisors think. In fact, all of his clients came with him when he announced his transition, and that is a reflection that relationships and quality service are the two most important catalysts for client retention.

As for his advice for younger advisors considering independence, he shares that it really is true that most independent advisors say, “I should have done this sooner.”  

Join the conversation to hear all about:

●      04:30: Why independence after building a multi-billion wirehouse practice.

●      07:55: Time management as an independent advisor.

●      09:02: Impact of the transition on family.

●      11:15: Building enterprise value on your personal balance sheet.

●      15:05: Creating the ideal base of operations.

●      17:30: Attracting the right clientele.

●      20:00: Refining your story as an independent advisor.

●   &

Welcome back to another episode of War Room Huddle! Today, we are joined by Jody Bluitt, Wealth Advisor at WFA in Shreveport, Louisiana. Recently, Jody's leadership earned him the honor of being named a finalist for the ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES Class of 2022 in the category of Community Service and the advisory board of the Shreveport-Bossier African American Chamber of Commerce. 

In today's special episode, RFG President Shannon Spotswood and Jody discuss what it means to make the climb to take your career and life to different altitudes. They talk about the importance of "owning it to the best of your ability" and being the best version of you. For Jody, this includes his colleagues Steve Carney, ChFC®, Dany Martin, MBA, and Chase Crump, CFP®–partners and wealth advisors at WFA. 

To bring this episode to a close, Jody reminds us that we are all creators of our own destiny, and that by creating our own personal legends we can inspire others to do the same. By creating a legacy for himself—one that honors his dad and pays tribute to those who came before him—Jody reminds us that no matter what happens in life, you can always find a way through it.

“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” - Paulo Coehlo, The Alchemist.

Join the conversation to hear all about:

• 01:20: Becoming firmly committed on the road to an inspiring journey.
• 04:31: Developing a skillset on how to prioritize your time.
• 08:34: Conquer yourself to be on the top.
• 10:58: The responsibility of leading the future generation.
• 15:53: When you break barriers, you can end up with a diverse team.
• 20:14: The perception of money & how to change it. 
• 26:35: Financial literacy and why it’s important.
• 28:04: Leading the future generation.
• 29:33: Catapulting your career to the next level.
• 32:44: Create your own legacy.

Referenced Materials

• War Room Huddle Podcast- Website
• Warrior Advisor Conference
• Warrior Advisor Podcast - Website 
• RFG Advisory – Website
• RFG Advisory – Facebook
• RFG Advisory – LinkedIn
• RFG Advisory – Twitter
• RFG Advisory - YouTube 
• ThinkAdvisor Class of 2022 LUMINARIES Finalists
• ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES Awards Criteria  

Welcome back to another episode of Become a Warrior Advisor! A podcast that seeks to provide turnkey solutions, analyzing ​​actionable tactics, guidance, and the tools to survive and thrive during periods of uncertainty and disruption. 

In this episode, Founder and CEO of RFG Advisory Bobby White and Navy SEAL Dom Raso discuss all things obsession, change, changing the generic way of thinking, and more. Through a customized curriculum, meant to stimulate critical thinking and quickly adapt to a new future, this podcast truly aspires to inspire and empower a new breed of advisor.

Bobby tells us that being obsessed is simply committing to something with your whole being to make yourself better, and make the people around you better. When you think of the word “obsessed”, it often can have a negative context behind it. By turning that upside down, you can look at this a different way and have a positive outlook on life. With a servant heart and a warrior mindset, you can help to make this world a better place to live in.

 Join the conversation to hear all about:

●      07:15 Accept that the hard path will only make you stronger. 

●      10:14 What is fear? How do we clearly define that? 

●      13:45 Identify what you need to put your effort into. 

●      17:40 Build your path forward. 

●      24:08 Do not become complacent and get 1% better every day.  

●      27:52 Live your life with ultimate integrity and extreme accountability.

●      30:14 Everything you do matters.

●      33:47 Your “why” can change over time. 

●      41:05 Live life to the fullest. 

●      45:35 Show up when no one else is willing to do so. 

Referenced Materials

●      Warrior Advisor Conference

●      Warrior Advisor Podcast - Website 

●      RFG Advisory – Website

●      RFG Advisory – Facebook

●      RFG Advisory – LinkedIn

●      RFG Advisory – Twitter

●      RFG Advisory - YouTube 

Welcome back to another episode of Become a Warrior Advisor! A podcast that seeks to provide turnkey solutions, analyzing ​​actionable tactics, guidance, and the tools to survive and thrive during periods of uncertainty and disruption

In this episode, Founder and CEO of RFG Advisory Bobby White and Navy SEAL Dom Raso discuss all things obsession, change, changing the generic way of thinking, and more. Through a customized curriculum, meant to stimulate critical thinking and quickly adapt to a new future, this podcast truly aspires to inspire and empower a new breed of advisors.

All of the heart-wrenching events that have shocked the world to its core have us thinking that there is only so much we can do. Or so you think. After two years of COVID, we are hopeful that everyone is coming out on the other side stronger and evolved. However, the bottom line is— nothing has changed. There are always going to be obstacles, adversity, and other circumstances that we cannot control. Bobby advises us that being able to adapt to certain situations while making a positive influence on peoples’ lives is the absolute right way to crush everything. 

Adapting to certain situations is never easy, but not impossible. Bobby and Dom clearly identify what makes us human: the three pillars being mind, soul, and body. They advise us that progressing in these areas doesn't happen without the forging. You can make gradual improvements without crushing metal, without sparks in the heat, without pain and adversity, to truly create leaps and bounds.

Join the conversation to hear about:

• 01:54 Get comfortable being uncomfortable 
• 06:49 Resilience and how to put it into practice
• 10:16 Being transparent in any community 
• 11:54 The hallmarks of effective leadership 
• 15:51 The application of After Actions Reports (AAR) in life
• 18:33 Be prepared to receive any criticism that comes your way 
• 21:22 Why you should ‘Seek Battle’ in your everyday life 
• 28:17 Adapt to your new surroundings & put everything into perspective 

Referenced Materials

• Warrior Advisor Conference
• War Room Huddle Podcast – Website 
• Warrior Advisor Podcast - Website 
• Eddie Gallagher, “The Man in the Arena: From Fighting ISIS to Fighting for My Freedom” on Amazon
• RFG Advisory – Website
• RFG Advisory – Facebook
• RFG Advisory – LinkedIn
• RFG Advisory – Twitter
• RFG Advisory - YouTube 

Rick Wedell Is Chief Investment Officer at RFG, and he’s back in War Room Huddle with Shannon Spotswood, President of RFG. Together they tackle one of the biggest challenges in the industry—how to be prepared for a succession crisis. They also identify widely held misconceptions about valuation, deal structures, and everything else in between for advisors that have a $50 - $300 million AUM practice.

Rick is Chief Investment Officer of RFG and oversees RFG’s in-house investment strategies at Bluemonte. Prior to joining us on our mission to build RFG 2.0, Rick spent 12 years at Bain Capital Partners where he crafted financing packages, negotiated deal terms, and helped design buyouts. Rick played an instrumental role in helping Bain grow to become a global investment powerhouse, serving client assets in excess of $30 billion.

Selling a practice is tough, but Rick comes to this conversation with a unique perspective not found anywhere else. In this revealing episode, he exposes the real truth about advisor succession and answers the raw, unfiltered questions. He also gives straightforward advice on one of the toughest parts of a sale: deal structure. 

Join the conversation to hear about:

•  Focusing on segmenting the market, financial packages & designing deal terms (3:21)
• What is my succession plan? (11:03)
• Protege vs. acquisitions (19:42)
• Defining your practice (25:08)
• Aligning your values & how you treat your clients goes a long way (30:08)
• Getting “cute” with deal structure (36:19)
• Do I have to accept a seller's note? (41:51)
• Developing a synopsis for your practice (53:52)
• Behavioral modification (55:20)
• Organizing a successful handoff of the client relationships (1:06:59) 

Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services (“PCS”). Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. 

Welcome Ethan Campbell to this episode of War Room Huddle! Ethan is Owner & Financial Advisor at Stones River Wealth Management, a financial planning practice that helps clients grow their assets, mitigate risk, create a lifelong plan, and be confident about their financial future.

Ethan is a 2012 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance. Prior to founding Stones River Wealth Management, Ethan was a wealth advisor with Edward Jones. Ethan is a 31-year-old entrepreneur and successful industry leader who is building a rapidly evolving practice. He digs deep into how he is taking the leap of independence in this episode. His secret to long-term success? Ethan is building a family legacy not only to help those from an income standpoint, but also to be better servants to the community.

To help understand your long-term goals, it helps to identify three key tactics to run a successful practice. Ethan discusses that, what the first two months of your business look like, and how his children are a big part of both his personal and professional life in this episode.

“You’ll be amazed at how profitable your business is because your business depends on your health,” says Ethan. “Maintaining intimacy with your clients, to maintaining emotional resilience; from the ups and downs in the market, from the mistakes that are made in the world and your clients' mistakes, your mistakes, everything that comes into play.”

Strongly rooted in his Christian faith, Ethan discusses how in the book of Proverbs, a wise man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children. Ethan knows when people, families, and businesses are financially healthy, communities can grow stronger. 

Listen more to hear conversations about staying focused, disciplined, having faith in the system, and doing whatever it takes to make it. 

Join the conversation to hear about:

• Taking your destiny into your own hands & building your own business (5:38)
• Cultivating an advisory practice in a metropolitan vs. small environment (10:15)
• How to up your game and how they can be beneficial to their clients, from an educational standpoint (14:06)
• Integrating faith into not just your business, but who you are (16:14)
• Discipline of working towards a sustainable, scalable business (19:05)
• Trust the team that you’ve built (21:26)
• Opportunities, diversity & catapulting to the next level in creating a business (27:22)
• It’s all about prospecting (32:18)
• Generational wealth transfer and the emotional connection to money (38:58)
• Understanding how to turn on and off the focus (49:49)
• Stay committed, and create something really, really special (52:42)

Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services (“PCS”). Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities.

Welcome Zane Tarence to this episode of War Room Huddle! Zane is a managing director at Founders Advisors, a middle market boutique investment bank headquartered here in Birmingham, Alabama. As a boutique investment bank, they aren’t trying to be everything for all people. Zane helps run the technology practice for Founders Advisors, and he sits at the tip of the spear in this vertical.

The differentiator for Zane is that in addition to being an investment banker, he is also a serial entrepreneur. He’s built a couple companies on his own, sold several companies, and is absolutely fearless when it comes to disrupting his industry.

In this podcast episode, Zane discusses the game-changing conference that he started called “Silicon Y’all,” which focuses on highlighting the talent and companies being built in the southeast, as well as his book “17 Reasons Your Company is Not Investment Grade and What to Do About It.” He also gives advice about how the financial advisor world and investment banker world can blend together.

Join the conversation to hear about:

• Introduction to Zane (1:58)
• The genesis of the RFG MasterClass series (7:34)
• One of the greatest opportunities for growth for advisors (9:39)
• The number one question company owners ask Zane (14:25)
• Questions advisors should ask business owners to get the ball rolling (18:00)
• Different pathways a company can take to monetize their wealth (22:46)
• How do financial advisors approach building the financial plan for these specific clients (28:13)
• How does a financial advisor forge a relationship with an investment banker? (33:01)
• Tips on how advisors can present research in a content strategy in a way that makes sense to prospects (37:05)
• 17 Reasons Your Company is Not Investment Grade and What to Do About It (41:28)
• Don’t be afraid to get into the weeds (47:22)
• Zane’s new valuation tool (48:47)
• Work done specifically around logistics (54:11)
• What is the No. 1 thing an advisor should do after this? (54:56)

Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services (“PCS”). Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities.

Welcome Matt Hottle to this episode of WRH. Matt Hottle is the Co-Founder of Redhawk Advisory, and Managing Partner of the Alabama Futures Fund, an early stage VC fund that is driving entrepreneurialism and economic development right here in the state of Alabama.

Matt has held several operating positions where he was deep in the trench in a lot of different industries, building high performing teams, and even coached Shannon Spotswood, President at RFG Advisory.

Matt is a fountain of information in this episode. If you don't have a team of people who thrive at being adaptable you're going to struggle because you're going to be dragging them every time. “Laser focus in on your culture, and what are those attributes of success within your culture.”

Listen to this episode with Matt Hottle, Co-Founder of Redhawk Advisory and Managing Partner of the Alabama Futures Fund. In this episode, Shannon and Matt discuss topics such as why teams need to define the roles and responsibilities, why you have to hire for adaptability, tracking your organization from a data perspective, and so much more.  

Join the conversation to hear about:

• Do you have the right people in the right seats doing the right things? (1:45)
• Let's talk about talent (4:30)
• What are ‘attributes’ and how does it fit into hiring? (7:00)
• It’s all about the best fit (10:35)
• Sequencing: defining the roles and responsibilities (12:35)
• Focusing on talent and diversity (16:30)
• What is opportunity cost? (20:20)
• Taking inventory of what is important: identifying team routine and impact (24:00)
•  Small, short, concise, and frequent communication (27:55)
• Creating repeatable and scalable processes (32:20)
• Preparing a team for the marathon versus the sprint (35:10)
• Why you have to hire for adaptability (36:35)
• Advisor behavior modification (38:55)
• Tracking your organization from a data perspective (41:10)
• No longer a fit: navigating underperformance (43:50)
• The power of reviews (50:00)
• Evolving your short term goals (54:50)
• 20 things you should know about me (56:15)

Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services (“PCS”). Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities.