Kyle Gray is the CEO and Story Strategist of The Story Engine, a company specializing in helping coaches, startups, and executives use storytelling to improve communication and sales effectiveness. He has authored books and developed strategies that combine timeless storytelling with cutting-edge marketing techniques, ensuring that his clients can effectively present their unique value online and offline. Beyond his professional achievements, Kyle is passionate about empowering leaders to connect with their genius and make a significant impact in their respective fields. His work is a testament to the pivotal role stories play in human-centric business paradigms.

In today's information-saturated landscape, storytelling has emerged as a powerful tool for businesses seeking to differentiate themselves and forge meaningful connections with their audience. By embracing the art of storytelling, brands can transform their communication strategies and deepen their relationship with their customers and mission. How can harnessing stories unlock the true potential of your business and create a lasting impact in a world increasingly dominated by technology?

Kyle Gray, a world-class presentation coach and story strategist, tackles these questions head-on by helping business leaders master the art of storytelling to better connect with their audiences. He believes that many talented individuals are not reaching their full potential due to an inability to communicate their unique values effectively. Through his Story Engine framework, Kyle aids entrepreneurs in crafting narratives that resonate with their audience's emotions, drawing them into a shared vision and enhancing trust. He demonstrates that storytelling is not merely about conveying facts but about creating an emotional journey that aligns with the listener's values and desires.

In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Kyle Gray, CEO of The Story Engine, about transforming communication through storytelling. Kyle discusses how The Story Engine helps businesses grow through storytelling, how storytelling builds stronger connections than credentials, and storytelling techniques to evoke emotions and engagement.

Rich Whalen is the Vice President of Technology Strategy and Execution at Equity Services Inc., a broker-dealer and registered investment adviser member company of National Life Group. Equity Services Inc. creates confidence in the financial future of its clients by supporting financial advisors with innovative technology solutions. Since joining the firm in 2018, Rich has been instrumental in enhancing its technology platform, contributing to improved efficiencies that allow advisors to focus more on client interactions. With a career that began in financial services as an advisor, he quickly became passionate about technology and its potential to improve financial planning processes. His unique perspective on using technology to give advisors the "gift of time" reflects his commitment to optimizing the customer experience and driving company growth.

In today's fast-paced financial services industry, optimizing time management and technology is crucial for staying competitive. This saves valuable time for the business and empowers clients to achieve greater efficiency in their interactions. But how can advisors implement these innovative strategies in their firms to streamline operations and significantly enhance the customer experience?

Experienced financial services technology implementation and management professional Rich Whalen shares his journey and insights into solving these challenges by leveraging technology to create what he calls 'the gift of time' for advisors. By integrating automation and efficient workflows, he emphasizes the importance of freeing time for advisors to engage more deeply with their clients rather than being bogged down by data entry and administrative tasks. Rich details how his team evaluates new technologies, ensuring their compatibility with existing systems to enable seamless data flow and minimal disruption. He also delves into the evolving role of AI in enhancing operational efficiency, sharing his forward-looking views on how AI could eventually anticipate workflows and improve decision-making processes.

In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Rich Whalen, Vice President of Technology Strategy and Execution at Equity Services Inc., about utilizing technology to optimize time management and customer engagement. Rich discusses how Equity Services gifts advisors more valuable time, strategies for evaluating and integrating new technology into an existing ecosystem, the role of tech in transaction flow and customer interactions, and the role of AI in financial services.

Andrew J. Evans is the CEO of Rossby Financial, which offers advisors a platform for market accessibility, digital transformation, leadership, and acquisition opportunities. Under his leadership, Rossby Financial has streamlined operations, allowing advisors to achieve net incomes as high as 95% after expenses, significantly improving their financial flexibility. With a background that includes executive roles at Tag Advisors and Cambridge Investment Research, Andrew is a connector and advocate for leveraging technology to enhance advisory services. He is passionate about continuous improvement and innovation and is focused on utilizing AI and other tech tools to optimize compliance and operational efficiency in the financial services industry.

In today's world, where customer expectations are at an all-time high, financial services firms face the challenge of balancing operational efficiency with exceptional service delivery. By utilizing innovative technologies and forming strategic partnerships, how can these firms streamline their processes while improving client experiences? The objective is to enable businesses to focus on what truly matters — the success of their customers.

Andrew J. Evans, an experienced financial advisor, tackles these challenges head-on by providing a unique solution through his company. He shares the importance of compliance, complexity, and competency and gives advisors more control over their capital, allowing them to reinvest in their businesses and improve client experiences. This approach saves advisors significant costs by offering services on a pay-as-you-use basis and empowers them with a flexible network of professionals. Andrew emphasizes the importance of removing unnecessary burdens from advisors, enabling them to thrive through strategic use of technology and human expertise.

In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Andrew J. Evans, CEO of Rossby Financial, about enhancing efficiency in financial services. Andrew discusses how Rossby Financial empowers advisors with control over their capital, the firm’s unique structure, how it offers flexibility and cost savings for advisors, the benefits and limitations of AI in the current landscape, and how Rossby maintains better customer experience and business outcomes.

Rob Sweas is a Certified Financial Planner at Arete Wealth, a financial advisor firm headquartered in Chicago. He began his financial planning career in 2007, working with his father until his untimely passing in 2012. Rob helps clients through significant life transitions, leveraging his personal and professional experience to offer guidance and build trust. He has led a major overhaul of his firm’s operations following a transition from TD Ameritrade to Schwab. Outside of work, Rob is a dedicated family man with five children, a baseball coach, and a passionate traveler who completed a bucket list journey of visiting every major league baseball stadium.

Facing unforeseen changes in your professional and personal life can lead to financial uncertainties. So, when everything seems to fall apart, where do you find the strength to rebuild? What secrets can you learn from an expert who has faced similar life challenges to turn your financial anxiety into a confident future?

After his father's death, Rob Sweas, a Certified Financial Planner, took over the family business and implemented a significant overhaul of the firm's operations. This included navigating a merger and adapting to major industry changes, such as the TD Ameritrade to Schwab transition. Rob emphasizes the importance of embracing change, striving for operational efficiency, and delivering value through education and technology. He shares his experiences collaborating with various professionals, utilizing powerful financial tools, and enhancing customer experiences, all of which contribute to business growth.

In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Rob Sweas, a Certified Financial Planner at Arete Wealth, about leveraging customer experience in financial planning. Rob discusses how Arete Wealth helps clients dealing with anxiety from financial transitions, techniques and technologies for delivering a standout customer experience in finance, and how he managed the challenges of transitioning firms and adapting to a new environment.

Mike Betz is the General Manager at 11thEstate, a company specializing in processing securities class action recoveries for advisors and their clients. With over 20 years of experience in wealth management, he is a certified financial planner and has served on advisory boards for prominent financial firms like Morningstar and Orion. Known for his expertise in client relations, Mike is dedicated to simplifying the complex process of class action recoveries and delivering seamless customer experiences. He leverages cutting-edge AI and innovative solutions to ensure clients effortlessly receive the funds they are entitled to, turning what is often considered a cumbersome process into a straightforward service.

In an industry where $8 billion in securities class action recoveries remain unclaimed, financial advisors and their clients miss out on significant opportunities. Most advisors are unaware of the opportunities within these settlements, and the intricate process of claims and manual documentation often deters them. Could there be a streamlined solution that educates and facilitates easy access to these recoveries?

Mike Betz, a certified financial planner, dives into the intricate world of securities class action recoveries. He sheds light on the vast, unclaimed financial recoveries from securities class actions, revealing how most investors and advisors are unaware of their slice of a multibillion-dollar pie. Mike discusses how he offers solutions to streamline the claims process with minimal friction by digitizing the process to make it as seamless as receiving dividends. His unique strategy utilizes AI technology and robust security protocols to seamlessly channel funds rightfully owed to investors directly into their accounts, streamlining the client experience.

In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Mike Betz, General Manager at 11thEstate, about transforming the securities class action recovery process. Mike discusses how 11thEstate aids advisors in claiming funds from securities class action recoveries, the workings of post-settlement distributions, the protective measures 11thEstate takes to guarantee data security, and the Future Proof conference.

Rocky Lalvani is a Profit First Professional and the Fractional Chief Probability Officer at Profit Comes First, where he helps entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their companies profitably. Certified in the Profit First method, Rocky develops the strategies and models his clients need to maximize their profit potential.

Rocky is also the host of the Richer Soul podcast and the Profit Answer Man podcast. He graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and earned his MBA from Penn State University.

Many entrepreneurs dive into their ventures focused on their passion, often neglecting the critical aspect of financial management. This can lead to serious challenges in maintaining the profitability and sustainability of their businesses. So, what strategies can these business owners employ to ensure they prioritize profit while still pursuing their passion?

Rocky Lalvani, a Profit First professional, tackles this issue head-on by implementing the "Profit First" methodology. He explains that many business owners lack the financial acumen to manage their enterprises effectively, leading to decisions that can jeopardize their success. Rocky’s approach helps entrepreneurs establish a clear plan for extracting profit from their business operations. His strategy involves setting aside a portion of profits before addressing other expenses, ensuring business owners maintain financial discipline. He emphasizes the importance of building cash reserves to cover personal and business needs, adapting to changes, and making informed decisions to pivot when necessary.

In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Rocky Lalvani, the Fractional Chief Probability Officer at Profit Comes First, about prioritizing profit in business. Rocky talks about Profit Comes First, the common misconceptions business owners have about financial management, the importance of prioritizing profit from the start, and how to anticipate different business growth phases with profit in mind.

Cheryl Dillon is a pioneering technology entrepreneur and Co-founder of Quik!, a leader in forms automation and productivity solutions. Her journey began in the early 80s with a passion for computers and problem-solving, leading to the launch of Efficient Technology Inc. with her son Richard Walker in 1999. Cheryl helped grow Quik! by tackling paper form inefficiencies in the financial industry, reducing tasks that took hours to minutes. Although retired from daily operations since 2010, she remains strategically involved with Quik! as a board member, influencing its mission to make paperwork the easiest part of every transaction.

The secrets to customer success are often hidden in plain sight, but what if the key component is as fundamental as family dynamics? Can the principles of motherhood translate to groundbreaking business acumen? When technology meets empathy, a powerful combination emerges to rewrite the rulebook on customer relations and business growth.

Cheryl Dillon, a pioneer in the tech industry, delves into her journey, harnessing her passion for computers and problem-solving to revolutionize how forms are processed in the financial sector. Alongside her son and podcast host Richard Walker, she shares her experience and the challenges of starting a tech company from the ground up, including her strategy for earning customers' trust and loyalty through transparency and service — a tactic that has led Quik! to achieve remarkably high customer satisfaction scores. She highlights her commitment to customer satisfaction, which became the cornerstone of their flourishing business.

In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Cheryl Dillon, Co-founder of Quik!, about transforming customer experiences through innovation. Cheryl discusses how Quik! revolutionized paperwork processes for financial experts, the sacrifices and behind-the-scenes work of starting a business, insights into providing empathetic and effective customer service, and how telling the tough truths can build long-term customer loyalty.

Spenser Segal is the Founder and CEO of ActiFi, a company that provides premier engagement solutions for advisors in the wealth management industry. He is recognized as one of the top 25 most influential people by Investment Advisor magazine and has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Before ActiFi, Spenser held management positions at American Express Financial Advisors, Dain Rauscher, Barrington Capital Management, and BigCharts. He is a Certified Financial Planner and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst.

Are advisors fully leveraging the myriad of solutions in the wealth management industry? By harnessing the power of AI, from real-time customer insights to automation, you can catapult advisor efficiency and client satisfaction to the next level. How are personalization and strategic engagement key to the success of financial institutions?

Spenser Segal, a Certified Financial Planner, delves into how he revolutionizes the wealth management industry by providing a SaaS-based engagement platform that helps financial institutions and advisors deliver top-tier, integrated advice efficiently. By honing in on the top three solutions from potentially overwhelming options, his model ensures that firms can maximize their offerings and achieve organic growth. Spenser's approach focuses on creating a collaborative environment where advisors are understood and their goals met, fostering a symbiotic relationship between them and institutions. This, in turn, enhances advisor retention and overall client satisfaction.

In this episode of The Customer Wins, Richard Walker interviews Spenser Segal, Founder and CEO of ActiFi, about enhancing advisor engagement in wealth management. Spenser discusses how ActiFi assists financial institutions in improving advisor engagement and organic growth, how motivation, ability, and prompts can dramatically influence the adoption of new technologies and behaviors, and the challenges wealth management firms face when encouraging growth among their advisors.