Author Info
Mike Walters is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of USA Financial, leading the firm since its inception in 1988. Mike is committed to...
There are some mind-blowing statistics that make up the AUM Revenue Jeopardy Cycle. And once you understand them, you can use them to your favor – to protect your existing assets, but also to capture new assets. We’ll take a closer look at the numbers in this episode of The RARE Advisor.
The RARE Advisor is a business model supercharged by Recurring And Repeatable Events. With more than thirty years of working with and coaching successful advisors, host Mike Walters (along with other leaders in the industry), discusses what it takes to grow a successful practice. With the aim of helping financial professionals and financial advisors take their business to the next level, Mike Walters shares insights and success stories that make a real impact. Regardless of the stage of your practice, The RARE Advisor will provide thoughtful guidance, suggestions for developing systems and processes that work, and ideas for creating an authentic experience for your clients.
The RARE Advisor is part of the Advisor Advancement Network, powered by USA Financial and committed to empowering financial advisors and financial professionals since 1988. Advisor Advancement was born from a desire and a need for our contributors to communicate with the financial advice community in a much different way. Created by industry professionals committed to advancing the advisor profession one video, blog, podcast, and tweet at a time. We talk about practice management, marketing, compliance, business development, and a myriad of other things financial advisors may want to hear, rant, or lament about.
The RARE Advisor is also a podcast! Subscribe today via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcast listening service for easier on-the-go listening.
Mike Walters is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of USA Financial, leading the firm since its inception in 1988. Mike is committed to...
When people think about seminar marketing for financial advisors, the first things that come to mind are usually the venue, the presentation, and the meal (or lack thereof). Yet one of the most influential tools advisors have is often overlooked: Your seminar folder shapes how attendees experience your event before you begin speaking.
In this episode of the Financial Advisor Marketing Playbook, Mark Mersman breaks down the dramatic shift happening in lead magnets for financial advisors in 2026. Generic retirement guides and broad educational PDFs no longer convert in an AI‑driven world where consumers want speed, clarity, and personalization. Mark explains why specificity beats size, how identity‑based marketing increases engagement, and what types of modern lead magnets—micro‑guides, niche‑focused content, short explainer videos, and self‑assessment scorecards—are working today. He also shares a practical four‑question filter to help advisors evaluate whether a lead magnet is worth creating. If you’re looking to generate higher‑quality leads and improve conversion rates, this episode will reset the way you approach client acquisition.
In this episode of The Rare Advisor, host Aaron Grady explains why so many next‑gen advisors—despite being well‑trained, educated, and experienced—still hesitate when it’s time to lead client conversations. Aaron introduces the three essential components of true advisor development: materials, modeling, and mentoring. While most firms provide the first two, they often overlook mentoring, the component that transforms knowledge into judgment and judgment into trust. Aaron walks through why exposure alone doesn’t create mastery, how to compress the learning curve through guided feedback, and what leaders must do to build transferable, scalable advisory teams. If your firm is developing future advisors or preparing for succession, this episode reveals the missing link that accelerates growth.
When people think about seminar marketing for financial advisors, the first things that come to mind are usually the venue, the presentation, and the meal (or lack thereof). Yet one of the most influential tools advisors have is often overlooked: Your seminar folder shapes how attendees experience your event before you begin speaking.
In this episode of the Financial Advisor Marketing Playbook, Mark Mersman breaks down the dramatic shift happening in lead magnets for financial advisors in 2026. Generic retirement guides and broad educational PDFs no longer convert in an AI‑driven world where consumers want speed, clarity, and personalization. Mark explains why specificity beats size, how identity‑based marketing increases engagement, and what types of modern lead magnets—micro‑guides, niche‑focused content, short explainer videos, and self‑assessment scorecards—are working today. He also shares a practical four‑question filter to help advisors evaluate whether a lead magnet is worth creating. If you’re looking to generate higher‑quality leads and improve conversion rates, this episode will reset the way you approach client acquisition.
In this episode of The Rare Advisor, host Aaron Grady explains why so many next‑gen advisors—despite being well‑trained, educated, and experienced—still hesitate when it’s time to lead client conversations. Aaron introduces the three essential components of true advisor development: materials, modeling, and mentoring. While most firms provide the first two, they often overlook mentoring, the component that transforms knowledge into judgment and judgment into trust. Aaron walks through why exposure alone doesn’t create mastery, how to compress the learning curve through guided feedback, and what leaders must do to build transferable, scalable advisory teams. If your firm is developing future advisors or preparing for succession, this episode reveals the missing link that accelerates growth.