Shows
Don't Do ThatDon’t Chase Recognition; Be Worth Knowing with Chris Schembra, 7:47Are you chasing achievement but still feeling disconnected?On this episode of Don’t Do That, Kelly Waltrich welcomes Chris Schembra, founder of 7:47, a company rooted in one simple but transformative concept: human connection through gratitude. Chris shares how a bowl of pasta and one powerful question sparked a global movement bringing people together in meaningful ways.This conversation explores how marketers, leaders, and founders can ditch performative storytelling and instead build real community, uncover deeper “whys,” and lead with vulnerability. From emotional intelligence to overcoming burnout, this is a masterclass in building purpose-driven connections.2025-07-2547 minDon't Do ThatDitch the Weekly Scorecard and Focus on What Matters with Sara Baker, Allworth FinancialAre you beating yourself up over work-life balance every single week?On this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Sara Baker, Head of M&A at Allworth, for a candid conversation about leadership, career pivots, and redefining balance. With a background that spans corporate law, financial services, and M&A, Sara shares her unique perspective on navigating growth, both professional and personal.Kelly and Sara cover:00:00 Introductions and Sara’s new role at Allworth01:00 How a career in law led to a passion for solving business problems...2025-07-1840 minDon't Do ThatDon't Abandon Your Vision to Keep the Peace with Chris Shuba, Helios Quantitative ResearchAre you compromising your company's vision to avoid difficult conversations?On this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Chris Schuba, CEO and Founder of Helios, for an honest discussion about the challenges of maintaining your entrepreneurial vision while building a team. Chris shares his unique approach to "insourcing" investment management for financial advisors, the dramatic origin story behind his company name (involving a near-death experience at sea), and his biggest leadership lesson learned the hard way. From the importance of loving problems over solutions to the reality of entrepreneurial struggles, this conversation digs...2025-06-1332 minDon't Do ThatDon't Let the Noise Drown Out Your Inner Voice with Penny Phillips, Journey Strategic WealthAre you letting everyone else's opinions shape your decisions? On this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Penny Phillips, Founder of Journey Strategic Wealth, for a brutally honest conversation about entrepreneurship, motherhood, and building a financial advisory firm. Fresh off maternity leave with a three-month-old, Penny shares her unfiltered thoughts on the evolving financial services landscape, the challenges of being a woman in leadership, and why listening to too many opinions can derail your success. From the irony of independent advisors rolling up to PE-backed firms to the importance of trusting your instincts o...2025-06-0628 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Pick Up Other People’s Trash with Heather Fortner, SignatureFDAre you walking around with a bag full of other people's opinions about who you should be?On this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Heather Fortner, CEO of SignatureFD, for a refreshingly honest conversation about authenticity, leadership, and the messy reality of balancing it all. Heather shares her journey from trying to be everything to everyone to embracing her quirky, authentic self, and why that shift has made all the difference in her leadership and life. Kelly and Heather cover:01:07 The evolution of SignatureFD's "Net Worthwhile" messaging and p...2025-05-3037 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Compare Yourself to the Average with Jamie Hopkins, WSFS, Bryn Mawr Capital ManagementIs benchmarking your business by the "industry average" holding you back? In this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Jamie Hopkins, Chief Wealth Officer at WSFS Bank, to discuss leadership, talent development, and why average benchmarks might be limiting your growth potential. Jamie shares his experience transitioning from frequent travel to a more balanced life, his work with the FinServ Foundation helping young professionals enter the financial industry, and why he believes comparing yourself to averages is a recipe for mediocrity. Throughout their conversation, Kelly and Jamie explore the changing landscape of...2025-05-1738 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Create an Echo Chamber with Marwa Zakharia, MZ Global ConsultingAre you creating a culture where your team feels comfortable giving you honest feedback?As a seasoned Turnaround and Growth CEO, Marwa leads organizations through pivotal stages of their development across various industries, with a specialization in financial services and technology. Marwa’s approach combines deep operational insight with innovative strategies, empowering teams to execute on a clear vision while tackling complex market dynamics, particularly in the fast-evolving fintech space.Kelly and Marwa cover:01:22 Marwa's background as a "business nerd" 02:52 Her diverse industry experience and people-first leadership 04:05 How they...2025-05-1236 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Go At It Alone with David Wood, Gateway Financial PartnersAre you trying to build your advisory business without the right support systems?In this episode of Don't Do That, David Wood, Chief Visionary Officer at Gateway Financial, joins Kelly Waltrich to discuss why advisors shouldn't go it alone in today's changing financial services landscape, particularly as scale becomes increasingly important for success.During the episode, David highlights the impact of implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) at his firm, shares his perspective on firm culture amid industry consolidation, and explains why advisors need partners to thrive in a rapidly evolving environment with unprecedented opportunity.2025-05-0233 minDon't Do ThatStop Hiring Experts and Micromanaging Them with Molly McClure, intellifloDo you trust the experts you hired?In this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich is joined by Molly McClure, Head of North America Marketing at intelliflo. Molly shares her experience building intelliflo's U.S. marketing presence from the ground up, the importance of balancing creativity with data-driven results, and why events like Future Proof Festival are game-changers for financial services branding. Molly's "Don't Do That" message: Stop hiring experts and then not trusting them to do what they do best.Kelly and Molly discuss:00:56 Molly's background and nearly 20 years i...2025-04-2541 min
WealthTech on DeckStrategies for Sustainable Business Growth with Randy LambertIn this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Randy Lambert, EVP and Head of RIA Solutions at Intention.ly. Randy shares how his experience scaling Orion informs his work helping FinTech and RIA firms streamline operations, align marketing, and enhance client engagement. He highlights the importance of eliminating silos, implementing intelligent automation, and transforming operations from a cost center to a strategic growth engine.In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(01:39) - Randy’s journey at Orion
(07:10) - The transition to Intention.ly
(11:54) - Integrating marketing, sales, and operations
(14:41) - Growing and scaling RIAs
(18:43) - Bridging the...2025-04-2229 minDon't Do ThatStop Waiting for Your Turn to Talk with Jack Sharry, SEI LifeYieldAre you listening to understand, or just listening to respond?In this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich is joined by Jack Sharry, who shares his journey from LifeYield to Managing Director at SEI following their December acquisition. Jack discusses his excitement about building the industry's first full Unified Managed Household (UMH) platform, reveals the philosophy behind his book on authentic and ethical persuasion, and explains why truly listening is one of the most powerful skills anyone can develop.Kelly and Jack discuss:01:20 Jack's journey from corporate life to entrepreneurship with LifeYield2025-04-1837 min
In the SuiteEP 94 From CMO to CEO: How Kelly Waltrich is Redefining Intentional Growth Strategy in Fintech and Financial Services at Intention.ly (Don't Do That Podcast)Send us a textIn this debut episode of the Don’t Do That podcast, host Kelly Waltrich—CEO and Co-Founder of Intention.ly—sits down with her friend, partner, and colleague Tina Powell for a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about building businesses, leading with heart, and the hard-won lessons that fuel long-term growth.Kelly shares how her unconventional path—from selling to her grandmother as a kid to running marketing at two of fintech’s fastest-growing firms—shaped her vision for Intention.ly. She opens up about why she launched this podcast, what it means to be a foun...2025-04-0333 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Do All the Decision-Making Yourself with with Adrian “AJ” Johnstone, PractifiAre you carrying the weight of every business decision on your shoulders?In this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich chats with Adrian “AJ” Johnstone, CEO and co-founder of Practifi, about the delicate balance of leadership decision-making. AJ shares his journey of leading Practifi back to its roots serving RIAs and why growth should be purposeful rather than pursued at all costs. With refreshing candor, AJ discusses the privilege of supporting financial advisors who help clients achieve their personal outcomes while offering practical advice about building strong teams and making confident decisions in the face...2025-04-0328 minDon't Do ThatStop Avoiding the Hard Conversations with Jason Early, RISRAre you tiptoeing around what really needs to be said?In this episode of Don’t Do That, Jason Early, CEO and founder of RISR, joins Kelly Waltrich to talk about why tough conversations are so important. “Bad news doesn’t get better with time,” Jason points out, and saying the thing that needs to be said often leads to breakthrough moments.During the episode, Jason highlights the growing industry challenge that led him to found RISR, shares his approach to recruiting and hiring, and explains the importance of assuming positive intent during difficult discussions.Kel...2025-03-2822 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Wait to Start Marketing with Mark Gilbert, ZocksWhat if AI could give you back nine hours a week—would you take it?Mark Gilbert, CEO and founder of Zocks, joins host Kelly Waltrich for a conversation about the transformative potential of AI, a platform that actually delivers on its promise of saving advisors time, and the costly mistake of waiting too long to build marketing momentum. During the discussion, Mark explains how Zocks is helping advisors reclaim up to nine hours per week by eliminating the tedious administrative tasks they hate: meeting prep, documentation, follow-up, and data entry. Mark and Kelly also exp...2025-03-2022 minDon't Do ThatAvoid Hiring Brilliant Jerks with Ainslie Simmonds, BNYAre you compromising your company's culture by hiring brilliant jerks? In this episode of Don't Do That, host Kelly Waltrich is joined by Ainslie Simmonds from BNY to discuss the importance of hiring for culture, avoiding toxic influences, and the power of loving the problem rather than the answer. Ainslie shares her journey from the fintech world to starting a fintech within BNY Mellon, outlining her insights on innovation, advisor productivity, and cultural transformation. She emphasizes the key to success is surrounding yourself with the right people and avoiding those who may be talented yet da...2025-03-1831 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Ignore Organic Growth in Favor of Inorganic Growth with John Wernz, Great Hill PartnersIs your firm too focused on acquisitions while neglecting the power of organic growth? Kelly Waltrich welcomes John Wernz, a "reformed CMO" who now works with private equity firm Great Hill Partners as an Entrepreneur in Residence. Together, they explore a common pitfall in the financial advisory industry: prioritizing acquisitions and inorganic growth at the expense of developing strong organic growth capabilities. John shares insights from his experience working with firms looking to grow organically and sitting on several industry boards, offering a valuable perspective on balancing growth strategies.Kelly and John discuss:0:32 J...2025-03-0628 minDon't Do ThatStop Thinking Small with Billy Hopkins, Silver Oak SecuritiesAre you limiting your growth potential by thinking too small? In this episode of Don't Do That, host Kelly Waltrich sits down with Billy Hopkins, CEO of Silver Oak Securities, to discuss the importance of thinking big, taking uncomfortable steps, and adopting an enterprise mindset to accelerate business growth.With 25 years of experience building Silver Oak Securities from a small Tennessee firm to a thriving enterprise, Billy shares his "Dave Grohl moment" that changed everything and the pivotal decisions that transformed his business.Kelly and Billy discuss:0:44 Introduction to Billy Hopkins a...2025-02-2726 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Assume the Best Ideas Always Win with Brian Portnoy, Shaping WealthThink having the best idea guarantees success? Think again. On this episode of the Don’t Do That podcast, Kelly Waltrich and Brian Portnoy, CEO of Shaping Wealth, explore why great ideas alone aren't enough and how to ensure your message actually lands with your audience. Brian shares hard-earned insights from his 30-year journey from academia to entrepreneurship, revealing why everything—whether you like it or not—is ultimately sales.Kelly and Brian discuss:02:56 The myth that the best idea or catchiest phrase always wins05:48 How the "attention economy" has changed the game09:3...2025-02-2022 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Take a Top-Down Approach to New Initiatives with Randy Lambert and Jason Mirabella, Intention.lyAre you making the biggest mistake in your business by failing to scale strategically?Kelly Waltrich sits down with Randy Lambert and Jason Mirabella, the visionaries behind Intention.ly’s recently launched Deliver Advice operating system, to discuss how RIAs and fintech firms can overcome growth challenges, optimize operations, and build thriving businesses.With decades of leadership experience—Randy as former President of Orion and Jason as a strategic operations expert—the duo shares how to implement the Deliver Advice framework to scale human capital, improve customer experience, and avoid common leadership pitfalls.Kelly...2025-02-1328 minDon't Do ThatStop Trying to Do Everything Yourself with Joel Bruckenstein, T3 Technology Tools for TodayAre you making the biggest mistake in your business by trying to do everything yourself?In this episode of Don't Do That, host Kelly Waltrich sits down with fintech legend Joel Bruckenstein to discuss the evolution of technology in wealth management, the role of AI, and the critical mistakes advisors make when building their tech stacks.With over 21 years at the helm of the T3 Technology Conference and decades advising firms on technology adoption, Joel shares his insider perspective on the rapid advancements in AI, cybersecurity, and operational efficiency.Kelly and Joel discuss:2025-02-1122 minDon't Do ThatHow AI is Revolutionizing the Advisor-Client Journey with Eric ClarkeAre you scrambling to keep pace with the AI revolution?Kelly Waltrich sits down with Eric Clarke, a renowned influence in the financial services arena, to explore how AI is poised to transform the advisor-client journey. Eric shares insights from his adventures, from sitting on multiple boards to advising companies on leveraging technology for growth. With AI still in its first inning, its potential to personalize client communication and scale advisory services is immense.Kelly and Eric discuss: 04:08 The untapped potential of AI in the advisor-client journey05:40 How Eric is staying on th...2025-02-0721 minDon't Do ThatDon’t Assume You Know What Your Clients Want with H. Adam Holt, Asset-MapDo you really know what your clients are looking for? Kelly Waltrich and H. Adam Holt, CEO and Founder of Asset-Map Holdings, explore the often overlooked gaps between what clients want and what advisors deliver. Adam offers candid insights from his transformation as a “recovering advisor,” emphasizing the critical need to address real client pain … Read More Read More 📩 Stay Informed – Join Our Newsletter!Stay ahead of industry trends and get exclusive updates straight to your inbox: Sign Up Now https://intention.ly/💬 Let’s Talk!Have questions or ready to start...2025-01-2220 minDon't Do ThatIntroducing the Don’t Do That Podcast with Kelly Waltrich, Intention.lyWelcome to the Don’t Do That podcast, where we flip the script on financial and business advice. Instead of another playbook on what works, we’re diving into the don’ts—the missteps, pitfalls, and hard lessons that every professional wishes they could’ve avoided. If you’ve ever wondered about the challenges behind polished success stories, this is your backstage pass. Let’s learn from what went wrong, so we can get it right.Join host Kelly Waltrich, CEO and Co-founder of Intention.ly as she uncovers the secrets behind impactful growth strategies, explores buildi...2025-01-0832 minWealthTech on DeckLeading with Purpose: Championing Growth and Advocating for Health with Tina PowellGrowth isn't just about numbers. It's about driving change, creating meaningful connections, and making a purposeful impact. It comes from challenging the status quo and aligning with partners who understand the journey ahead. Whether championing innovation in the financial sector, cultivating a culture of resilience in businesses, or advocating for health, growth depends on clarity of purpose and bold, intentional steps.In this episode, Jack Sharry talks with Tina Powell, Partner & Chief of Community at Intention.ly. Tina is a trailblazer in the digital marketing industry, with more than 20 years of experience driving growth for financial services...2024-12-0334 min
The Power of the AskEmpowered by the Ask: Navigating Growth, Mindfulness, and Life’s Challenges with Tina Powell of Intention.lyOn this episode of “The Power of the Ask,” financial services veteran Tina Powell joins co-hosts Lisa and Precious for an inspiring conversation about her personal and professional journey. Tina is the Chief of Community at Intention.ly, a growth engine design firm transforming the way fintech and finserv organizations approach growth, and the founder and former CEO of C-Suite Social Media. Growing up, Tina watched her single mother juggle two jobs to make ends meet, which inspired her to pursue her own financial empowerment through education and a career in wealth management. She credits her aunt, an es...2024-09-0649 min