1. The Final Frontier Is Finally Open for Business
I was only 10 years old, so I took my dad along for the ride. As a former aerospace engineer for Grumman (now Northrop Grumman) who worked on a bunch of NASA projects, including space shuttle design and mission analysis, I figured he’d fit in just fine. We were there to see the first-ever close-up images of Neptune that NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft would beam to Earth from nearly 3 billion miles away as it flew by. Even though I was just a kid, I distinctly remember thinking how cool it was when I saw the first real-time images of the blue ice giant appear on the screens at JPL. The experience affected me as much as seeing Halley’s Comet a few years earlier and my first total solar eclipse a couple years later. And it was all thanks to Voyager 2 and the folks who made its mission possible. Voyager 2 continues to race away from us at about 35,000 mph. It’s now in interstellar space about 13 billion miles from earth. — Chris Wood
2. Why ‘Let Me Explain’ Makes Clients More Anxious—Not More Confident
There’s a moment every Advisor recognizes. A client leans back in their chair. Their brow tightens just a bit. They’re nodding, but you can tell they’re not really with you. You sense confusion. Concern. Maybe even a little fear. Instinctively, you lean forward and say the words that feel helpful, professional, and responsible: “Let me explain.” It sounds harmless. Supportive. Exactly what a good Advisor should say. And yet, it may be the most dangerous phrase an Advisor can say. Not because you’re wrong. Not because you lack expertise. But because of what the client hears, even when you don’t intend it. — Don Connelly
3. Standing Out Without Ego: A New Year’s Guide To Values-Led Growth
Standing tall has many meanings, but in business, it’s about standing out on a crowded playing field by attracting admiration. However, many people undermine their initial efforts to stand out the minute they receive recognition and admiration, as their ego takes over. It’s up to each of us to imagine ourselves standing tall among those we serve, both individuals and communities at large, but all the while remaining approachable and willing to listen to those we encounter. — Elinor Stutz
4. From Invisible to In-Demand: Build a Firm Clients Can’t Overlook
Let’s be honest. We’ve all felt that little pang of anxiety. You see one of your top experts killing it at a conference, their LinkedIn is blowing up with engagement, and a rival firm’s CEO just liked their latest article. The pride you feel is quickly followed by a cold knot in your stomach. — Elizabeth Harr
3. Politics Are Loud. Clients Are Nervous. Why Investing Isn’t Stopping
Last year was another one of, shall we say, “uncivil” political discourse, but that doesn’t stop people from engaging in that discourse. More importantly all that political chatter didn’t prevent the S&P 500 from gaining 17.7% when accounting for paid dividends. For better or worse, there’s no escaping politics when investing and that scenario will be amplified in 2026 because this is a midterm election year and like the other recent election years, this will be a contentious one. Advisors should acknowledge as much while also noting that politics are top-of-mind for many clients. Obviously, partisan political conversations are no-no’s with clients. In an ideal world, advisors wouldn’t care about clients’ voting proclivities as long as they’re engaged clients bringing assets to the table. Likewise, clients wouldn’t care how advisors vote provided those advisors are communicative, trustworthy and delivering results. — Todd Shriber
4. Is the Market Ready for a 2026 Correction? What Wall Street Isn’t Telling You
It’s that time of year when Wall Street polishes up its crystal balls and begins predicting returns for 2026. Since Wall Street never predicts a down year, which would be unwise for fee-based product revenues, these forecasts are often inaccurate and sometimes significantly wrong. Let’s review some previous years. For example, on December 7th, 2021, we wrote an article about the predictions for 2022. “There is one thing about Goldman Sachs that is always consistent; they are ‘bullish.’ Of course, given that the market is positive more often than negative, it ‘pays’ to be bullish when your company sells products to hungry investors. It is important to remember that Goldman Sachs was wrong when it was most important, particularly in 2000 and 2008. However, in keeping with its traditional bullishness, Goldman’s chief equity strategist David Kostin forecasted the S&P 500 will climb by 9% to 5100 at year-end 2022. As he notes, such will “reflect a prospective total return of 10% including dividends.” — Lance Roberts
5. How To Stop Chasing Clients and Start Attracting Them
Chasing clients is exhausting. It’s a cycle that leaves you feeling drained, frustrated, and often empty-handed. The harder you push, the more resistance you face. But what if you could flip the script? What if, instead of chasing clients, they started coming to you? The truth is, attracting clients isn’t about luck or flashy marketing. It’s about creating an environment where trust naturally draws people in. And it starts with one critical shift: stop focusing on yourself and start focusing on them. When you chase clients, the energy is all wrong. You’re trying to convince, persuade, or prove your value. But clients don’t want to feel hunted. They want to feel understood. — Ari Galper
6. 25 Growth Leaks Financial Advisors Must Fix to Win in 2026
Real sustainable growth doesn’t come from doing more; it comes from knowing the client's journey and being intentional about how you guide them there. The advisors who make the most progress are the ones who stop chasing tactics and start building clarity — for themselves first and then for their clients. When the path is clear, decisions get easier, trust builds faster, and momentum follows naturally. That’s the work ahead in 2026. Not louder marketing, but clearer leadership. — Joel Crampton
7. The Future-Ready Advisory Firm: Strategies To Dominate 2026
For practice owners, the questions are straightforward: What did we set out to achieve? What slipped? What will we do differently as we step into 2026? The ground is shifting quickly. Tech is maturing, client expectations are rising, and AI is no longer a sideshow. The firms that win aren’t just keeping up—they’re looking ahead, adapting early, and making bold, well-judged moves. Here’s a clear look at what the best are doing, backed by current research and lived experience. — Stewart Bell
8. Authenticity, AI, and Community: The Real Marketing Trends That Will Win 2026
If 2025 taught us anything, it is that the playbook is officially changing. The old rules of marketing, the ones built on perfection, control and predictable funnels, no longer match the world we are operating in today. This year demanded more honesty, more creativity and more humanity from brands and leaders alike. As we close out 2025, here are the lessons that will define how we show up in 2026. — Anna Crowe
9. Reality Checks, Resolutions, and Reviews: Making Real Changes vs Believing Last Year’s Lies
At the end of this year, Spotify added a new wrinkle to their popular Wrapped feature: your listening age. My Listening Age is 35, meaning that my listening habits aligned with those of people 20 years younger than me. It’s a fun and playful feature, perfect for social media posting as well as a little roasting among friends and family. In my case, it also gave me a bit of a thrill, that still got it energy that makes me think I am still plugged into what the kids are into. My knees and medication bottles tell a different story, however. My Joints-and-Prescription Wrapped is very much aligned with my chronological age. No amount of Sabrina Carpenter on repeat will let me hide from those aches and pains. — Tom West
10. AI in 2026: The Inflection Point for Financial Advisors and Investment Consultants
Artificial intelligence is no longer a novelty for financial advisors and investment consultants — it is now embedded in portfolio construction, manager due diligence, risk modeling, client communication, and governance oversight. But the real shift in 2026 is not technological…it is behavioral and governance‑driven. AI now exposes whether financial advisors and investment consultants possess the clarity, discipline, and defensible reasoning required to act prudently under uncertainty. It raises expectations for documentation, transparency, and judgment. It does not replace professional accountability — it amplifies it. — Don Trone
11. Success Isn’t a Mystery—It’s Math: The Weekly Targets Every New Advisor Must Hit
Let’s stop sugarcoating it. Success as a new financial advisor isn’t about your brand colors, your logo, or how poetic your LinkedIn headline sounds. It’s not about your IQ, your CFP®, or how many acronyms trail behind your name. It’s about ambition and hard work. Ambition and hard work are directly related to connections, which, translate into business. It's these real, courageous, client-centered conversations that will pave your path to success. And the truth is: if you’re not having enough of them, you’re not going to make it. Every top advisor knows this: your future is determined by your activity. Activity that you are making vs. the numbers that you’re posting. — Jeff Thorsteinson
