Tag: Wealth Management
Storytelling, Trust & Financial Journalism with Diana Britton (Ep. 27)

Storytelling, Trust & Financial Journalism with Diana Britton (Ep. 27)

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In this episode of PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast, hosts Elena Krasnow and Jimmy Moock are joined by Diana Britton, executive editor of WealthManagement.com and host of the award-winning podcast The Healthy Advisor.

 

Diana shares her journey from growing up in Los Angeles to building a career in financial journalism. She reflects on her early days covering pension plans, some of the standout stories she’s covered at WealthManagement.com and why trust between journalists and publicists is essential.

We cover:

  • Diana’s early inspirations and what eventually drew her into financial journalism
  • her experience writing about defined benefit pension plans
  • the issues surrounding 403bs and their lack of regulatory scrutiny
  • analogies and insights from Philip Palaveev, author of “The Ensemble Practice”
  • her perspective on AI in journalism and whether she can spot a ChatGPT-written pitch
  • the origin story of The Healthy Advisor and its human-centered mission
  • her personal passions, including Star Wars and a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut
  • and much more!

Diana’s journey highlights the power of trust, curiosity and connection in wealth management—don’t miss it!

 

Topics:

 

(0:15) Meet Diana Britton

(1:12) What’s for lunch?

(2:49) Never heard of a boca ribeye

(4:10) In N Out Burger reviews

(6:28) Diana’s background and growing up in Palos Verdes, LA

(7:14) Three summers in Cairo working with Sudanese refugees

(8:15) Her first foray into documentary filmmaking

(9:04) Journalism school: NYU vs. USC

(10:08) Working for Institutional Investors newsletter division

(10:37) Her experience writing about defined benefit pension plans

(11:28) The bug for financial journalism that led her to WealthManagement.com

(12:10) The openness of financial advisors to tell their stories

(12:45) First week on the job…Bear Stearns went under

(14:05) 401k vs. pension plans

(15:25) What makes for a story on pension plans?

(16:22) Looking under the hood of a teacher’s defined benefit plan

(19:35) One of the most memorable stories Diana has ever covered on 403bs

(20:25) 403bs and how they escape regulatory scrutiny; how the retirement system is failing teachers

(23:00) Shout out to Tony Isola!

(23:35) Diana’s go to sources: Joe Duran, Doug Fritz, Brian McLaughlin and others

(24:28) Incredible analogies by Philip Palaveev: describing the industry as “a monkey in a banana trap”

(25:46) “The Ensemble Practice”

(26:25) What is the “banana”?

(28:10) Technology adoption

(29:02) Wealth Management’s internal AI engine

(30:55) Can you tell when pitches are written with ChatGPT?

(31:45) What makes a story stand out to Diana: “We thought it was one way, but it’s actually this way”

(35:52) Worst interaction with a PR person (it wasn’t anyone at StreetCred!)

(37:25) The importance of respecting boundaries with journalists

(38:55) Shout out to David Armstrong!

(39:52) It’s not all bad—real relationships with journalists and publicists

(40:10) The importance of trust

(43:47) The origin story of The Healthy Advisor podcast and its important human-centered mission

(45:28) Impactful episode with George Kinder “The Father of Life Planning” on the art of mindfulness

(46:35) How do you meditate?

(47:52) Time for our Play segment!

(48:09) Dreams of being an astronaut and writing a letter to NASA

(49:20) Star Wars fandom and favorite movie

(52:05) They don’t make ‘em like they used to

(54:39) Moment of gratitude for the Wealth Management team

(56:57) Thank you to our listeners!

 

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Connect with Diana Britton:

 

 

About our Guest: 

Diana Britton is the executive editor of WealthManagement.com, covering independent broker/dealers and RIAs from all angles. She’s also the host of the Jesse H. Neal Award Winning Podcast, The Healthy Advisor, focused on advisor health and wellbeing. All told, she’s been at WealthManagement for almost 15 years, and so it’s fair to say, she’s seen it all.  Diana is a Los Angeles native native, and now lives in Rocklin, California.

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Jacqueline Martinez “The Velvet Hammer”: Her Journey Through M&A (Ep. 26)

Jacqueline Martinez “The Velvet Hammer”: Her Journey Through M&A (Ep. 26)

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In this episode of PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast, hosts Elena Krasnow and Jimmy Moock sit down with Jacqueline Martinez, managing partner at Alaris Acquisitions. Jacqueline shares her journey into M&A, her experience working at United Capital during its landmark sale to Goldman Sachs and her perspective on the human side of dealmaking. She also reflects on a decade-long partnership with Allen Darby and how their work at Alaris helps buyers and sellers find their best match.

 

We cover:

 

  • Jacqueline’s early days in M&A and her time with the United Capital team
  • the curiosity to be more neutral in the dealmaking process that brought Jacqueline to Alaris
  • how to proceed when clients learn about a sale from the headlines instead of their advisor
  • Jacqueline’s personal passions, including her secret talent as a gift wrapper and her well-earned nickname, “The Velvet Hammer”
  • and much more! 

 

Learn more about Jacqueline’s story and how the team at Alaris is changing the way buyers and sellers come together! 

 

Topics:

 

(0:15) Meet Jacqueline Martinez 

(1:23) What’s for (plot twist) breakfast? 

(2:00) Coffee or tea?

(3:07) Already thinking about happy hour 

(4:16) Jimmy and Jacqueline go way back 

(4:32) Jacqueline’s professional background and how she got her start in M&A

(4:55) Gary, Joe, Mike…the whole gang at United Capital!

(5:55) Joe Duran’s infamous holiday parties

(6:50) 10 years of partnership with Allen Darby

(7:49) Curiosity about being more neutral in the seller/buyer dynamic

(8:15) Alaris and its agnostic approach

(8:57) “The four horsemen of inorganic growth”

(10:05) An abundance of opportunity for sellers

(10:38) “So many different flavors of what partnership can look like”

(12:45) Succession planning: are advisors taking their own advice?

(13:35) Exit plans aren’t always as expedited as people think

(14:44) Alaris Acquisitions Lens

(15:45) Buyers and sellers match-making

(17:25) When clients learn about a potential sale from the headlines instead of their advisor

(20:35) Paranoia & PR go hand in hand

(21:10) The United Capital sale to Goldman Sachs

(23:15) Montage Laguna Beach David Bowie tribute on the night he died

(25:42) What Jacqueline is most excited about right now at Alaris

(27:15) Recent favorite moments from the Buyer’s Boardroom

(28:05) “The freak out moment”

(29:15) Being a calm guide to sellers

(30:15) Change is scary no matter who you are

(31:25) Our many, many listeners

(32:05) Time for our Play segment!

(32:30) An alternate life as an interior designer/professional gift wrapper

(34:00) Love of traveling

(34:25) Going to Barcelona? Hit Pallella Club

(35:30) Moment of gratitude

(36:11) Call her “The Velvet Hammer”

(37:52) From one podcast host to another

(38:22) Thank you to our listeners!

 

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Connect with Jacqueline Martinez:

 

About our Guest: 

Jacqueline Martinez is the managing partner of Alaris Acquisitions, an M&A advisory firm exclusively dedicated to the wealth management industry. Previously, Jacqueline served on United Capital’s M&A team where they executed on adding $10.5B in acquisitions to the organization in the five years leading up to the firm’s sale to Goldman Sachs in 2019. Following her two years at Goldman Sachs, she joined Allen Darby at Alaris where they led the team through executing 43 closed acquisitions in a short 3-year period with the nation’s top wealth management firms. Jacqueline is also the co-host of the podcast The Buyer’s Boardroom, where she shares insights and best practices to help sellers and buyers successfully execute their M&A aspirations.

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Transforming Networking in Financial Services: Chris Cherry’s Future-Proof Vision (Ep. 18)

Transforming Networking in Financial Services: Chris Cherry’s Future-Proof Vision (Ep. 18)

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Building meaningful connections in the finance world doesn’t need to be confined to stuffy hotel ballrooms. 

In this episode of PRess Play: The StreeCred Podcast, hosts Elena Krasnow and Jimmy Moock are joined by Chris Cherry, head of strategic partnerships at Future Proof, for a powerful discussion about how she is redefining networking with her team through unconventional experiences and the company’s proprietary Breakthru technology.

Chris discusses her surprising career transition, her role in reimagining events across the wealth and asset management community and how Future Proof is facilitating unforgettable experiences like zip-lining and falconry. 

They discuss: 

  • the role of Breakthru Meetings, Talks and Experiences in enhancing event impact
  • Chris’ career journey from dental hygienist to a leader in strategic partnerships
  • the vibrant atmosphere and networking opportunities at the Future Proof Festival
  • Chris’ favorite moments from this year’s event 
  • details about the upcoming Future Proof Citywide event in Miami
  • and more!

Learn about the lore behind the event series that is changing how our industry approaches networking for good. 

Topics:

(0:56) Host Elena Krasnow introduces Chris Cherry

(2:59) What’s for lunch? 

(5:21) A quick stroll down food truck memory lane 

(6:10) Chris’ transition from dental hygienist to public relations professional 

(7:00) Chris’ first panel at Future Proof Festival

(7:40) When Chris and Matt Middelton collide

(8:08) Emotional intelligence and reading the room

(10:40) How Future Proof is selling itself 

(12:24) When you’re comfortable, business gets done 

(14:00) The story of Future Proof and its Breakthru networking technology

(16:38) The launch of Breakthru Talks

(17:21) Fly fishing and falconry 

(19:00) Future-proofing networking

(22:22) Matt’s vision for putting the advisor in the driver’s seat

(24:47) Breakthru listing

(26:15) Chris shares a few favorite moments

(28:33) “I’ll never miss it again” 

(30:40) Future Proof Citywide teaser 

(34:00) Building a successful outdoor event 

(36:00) Love for Paula 

(37:10) Time for our play segment!

(37:30) Paddle boarding, tennis and bartending 

(38:00) Chris’ cosmopolitan with a twist 

(40:00) Moment of gratitude

 

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Connect with Chris Cherry:

About our Guest: 

Chris joined the award-winning Future Proof team in 2023 as head of strategic partnerships. Future Proof organizes a variety of events throughout the calendar year, all of which leverage cutting-edge event technology to connect people across the financial services industry. With pioneering formats such as outdoor festivals and curated retreats, Future Proof is reimagining the next era of finance events. And, the proof is in the pudding as Future Proof just earned a world-class NPS score of 74. 

Chris was recruited to be a key driver behind what could be described as Future Proof’s most innovative product, Breakthru, which consists of three distinct programs across Future Proof’s events. These include the Breakthru Meetings Program, Breakthru Talks and Breakthru Experiences. At this year’s Future Proof Festival, the technology helped facilitate over 30,000 one-to-one meetings, 166 peer-to-peer roundtables and 55 unique experiences. 

Previously, Chris spent seven years as chief engagement officer at JConnelly, a financial services communications and marketing firm. She is an expert at driving successful partnerships on a large scale and has a deep understanding of the role technology plays in accentuating in-person connections.

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From Journalist to Finance Innovator: The Remarkable Journey of Mark Bruno (Ep. 13)

From Journalist to Finance Innovator: The Remarkable Journey of Mark Bruno (Ep. 13)

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In this episode of PRess Play, Elena Krasnow and Jimmy Moock sit down with industry luminary, Mark Bruno of Emigrant Partners. Mark shares the story of his journey from an aspiring journalist to a pivotal figure at Emigrant Partners, highlighting the milestones and hurdles of fostering growth and innovation in financial services along the way. 

This episode is packed with insights for those eager to understand the complex world of financial media, spotlighting Mark’s extensive experience in navigating narratives within the finance sector through a multitude of mediums.

Discover the aspirations and driving forces behind one of the sector’s key figures as we explore the intricate dance of growing wealth management brands in today’s dynamic market. With stories about transformation and triumph, get a glimpse into the future of wealth management and fintech.

You’ll get an insider’s look at:

  • Mark’s personal and professional growth journey, shedding light on how he ultimately found himself at Emigrant Partners
  • Mark’s pioneering efforts in forming the IN Content Strategy Studio, and the role of data-driven journalism in creating engaging and educational content
  • The research Mark helped develop into a larger content strategy via InvestmentNews’ benchmarking studies purchased from Moss Adams 
  • The impact of the dot-com crash on Mark’s work in financial media and how it created room for innovation
  • Mark’s experience co-creating events like Informa’s Wealth Management EDGE and the lessons he learned along the way
  • The importance of fostering genuine connections and building a supportive community within the industry
  • And more

Resources:

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About our Guest: 

Mark Bruno is the managing director, head of strategic advisory at Emigrant Partners, where he is responsible for helping Emigrant’s partner wealth management firms identify and execute on opportunities to accelerate their growth. 

Prior to his current role, Bruno was the managing director of wealth management for Informa. During his time there, he developed strategies that ultimately advanced the brand’s position as a leading provider of media, events, and targeted business intelligence for financial advisors.

He has also served as managing director at Echelon Partners and InvestmentNews. During his time at InvestmentNews, he oversaw the growth and success of the company’s research, content strategy, digital, custom publishing and sales groups; in addition to managing and producing several events. Bruno also launched the InvestmentNews Content Strategy Studio, its dedicated marketing and custom content division.

His expertise has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune and the Chicago Tribune. Mark is also a regular speaker at industry conferences and hosts the podcast RIA+.

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Shaping the Narrative: Shannon Rosic’s Journey in Wealth Management Technology (Ep. 11)

Shaping the Narrative: Shannon Rosic’s Journey in Wealth Management Technology (Ep. 11)

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What are the forces shaping the wealth management technology narrative? Allow us to introduce Shannon Rosic, an exceptionally talented marketing specialist with expertise in video production, podcasting, social media, and event planning. She does it all!

Hosts Elena Krasnow and Jimmy Moock engage in an insightful interview exploring the dynamic world of wealthtech with Shannon, the Director of WealthStack Content and Solutions at Informa Connect. Her extensive experience and expertise positions her as a key influencer at the intersection of technology and wealth management. 

Picture a wealthtech journey filled with creativity and innovation. Shannon’s story sparks the desire to explore this space from a fresh perspective. 

This episode takes you through Shannon’s:

  • career journey and role in marketing and wealth management
  • experience in event planning and public relations in the financial industry
  • unique approach to various responsibilities in her hybrid role
  • insights on successful event planning and the importance of networking and content
  • belief in the importance of a strong partnership with PR agencies and aligning with the company culture
  • view on having a clear strategy and plan in public relations
  • passions outside of work, including barrel racing and caring for her horses
  • and much more!

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Connect with Shannon Rosic:

About our Guest: 

Shannon Rosic is an exceptionally talented and motivated marketing specialist with over nine years of proven experience in crafting impactful B2B digital content campaigns. She is a versatile professional who brings extensive skills in video production, podcasting, project management, social media, and event planning to the table.

Her multifaceted expertise and commitment to excellence make Shannon a dynamic contributor to any team or project, demonstrating a proven track record of delivering results in the ever-evolving landscape of marketing and communications.

Beyond the professional arena, Shannon’s passion extends to barrel racing at local rodeos, finding solace in the great outdoors while hiking with her two dogs, and embracing the thrill of skiing.

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An Entrepreneurial Journey Through the Tech and Financial World with Ritik Malhotra (Ep. 6)

An Entrepreneurial Journey Through the Tech and Financial World with Ritik Malhotra (Ep. 6)

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Join us as we delve into the remarkable entrepreneurial journey of Ritik Malhotra, Co-Founder & CEO of Savvy Wealth. 

From a childhood passion for technology to the successful sale of two tech companies, Ritik’s story is one of innovation, resilience, and unwavering determination. 

In this episode, he shares his experiences, including starting his first company in middle school, participating in two exits in his twenties, and the birth of his most recently founded company, Savvy Wealth. Listen in and gain insights into his thoughts during exit talks, the importance of meeting people’s needs, and why Savvy Wealth has attracted many mid-career advisors looking for more. Discover Ritik’s valuable advice on choosing the right public relations firm and get to know his interests beyond work.

Ritik discusses: 

  • His successful career as an entrepreneur and how he cultivated his passion for technology from an early age
  • His experience co-founding the company Elph and how his team explored different industries before focusing on financial services
  • His thought process during exit talks and the importance of creating something that addresses real problems and caters to people’s needs 
  • Why Savvy Wealth attracts mid-career advisors who are looking to grow and receive support in an independent model
  • The importance of being specific and understanding the industry’s unique needs when choosing a public relations firm
  • What career he would pursue if he were not an entrepreneur, and what he likes doing after work
  • And more!

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Connect with Ritik Malhotra:

About our Guest: 

Ritik Malhotra is a repeat tech founder with two prior exits (one to Box in 2014 and one to Brex in 2019). Most recently, he was Director of Product Management at Brex where he started and built Brex Cash, Brex’s second business line after the corporate card. He’s now building Savvy, a tech-enabled wealth management firm. Ritik is a Y Combinator and Thiel Fellowship alum and holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science from UC Berkeley.

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