Tag: Advisor Technology

The Tech Stack Myth: Why More Software Isn’t the Answer With Ryan George (Ep. 11)

The Tech Stack Myth: Why More Software Isn’t the Answer With Ryan George (Ep. 11)

Progress often starts with a hard look at what is actually working, not what looks good on a vendor slide. Wealth firms keep buying more technology, yet advisors still juggle too many logins, duplicate data entry, and workflows held together by workarounds.

In this episode, Chip Kispert sits down with Ryan George, CMO of Docupace, to unpack the tech stack myth in wealth management. They talk about why tech sprawl is creating friction instead of freedom, how AI can support operations and compliance without putting client data at risk, and why unstructured data has become a hidden liability that can hurt valuation, regulatory readiness, and M&A outcomes. Ryan also shares why the industry is closer to the “wealth transfer wave” than most people think, and what advisory firms may need to rethink as servicing models evolve.

Ryan discusses:

  • Why does more software rarely fix a broken process, and how simplification becomes a real competitive advantage
  • How AI is shifting from standalone tools to embedded capability, and why many firms are still hesitant to adopt
  • What “data health” looks like in practice, and how unstructured archives can create real compliance and operational risk
  • Why poor data hygiene can drag M&A timelines and impact valuation, and what acquirers are starting to pay for
  • How the advisor role may change as automation reduces admin work, and why human connection becomes even more valuable
  • Why marketing works best when it connects emotionally, not when it adds more noise to the inbox
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Chip Kispert

Connect with Ryan George:

About Our Guest:

Ryan George is the Chief Marketing Officer at Docupace, a firm that supports broker-dealers, RIAs, and hybrid firms with workflow, operations, and compliance technology. He brings a sharp, practical perspective on how firms can reduce friction, improve data quality, and build systems that support both advisors and enterprise leaders. Ryan is known for his candid take on industry trends and his focus on what actually moves the business forward.

Bringing AI Safely into Finance with Geoff Moore (Ep. 7)

Bringing AI Safely into Finance with Geoff Moore (Ep. 7)

Artificial intelligence is shaking up wealth management, but how do you separate hype from what’s actually useful? 

In this episode, Chip Kispert sits down with Geoff Moore, Chief Information Officer at ValMark Securities, to talk about how his firm is weaving AI into real processes without losing sight of what matters most: people. 

From early wins with AI-powered document extraction to advisors reclaiming hours of family time and personal time thanks to AI note-taking tools, Geoff shares both the breakthroughs and the challenges of moving from proof of concept to production.

What to expect:

  • Early wins and cautionary lessons with AI adoption
  • How Compliance leaders can embrace, not fear, new tech
  • Why context management is the next big frontier
  • Real stories of efficiency translating into quality of life
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Chip Kispert

Connect with Geoff Moore:

About Our Guests:

Geoff Moore is the Chief Information Officer at Valmark Financial Group, where he leads technology strategy and innovation across the firm’s RIA, insurance, and broker-dealer businesses. With a focus on practical, people-first AI adoption, Geoff has guided Valmark through early wins in automation and data management, earning recognition as Box.com’s Small Business AI Disruptor Award winner. He serves on the CIO Inspire Chapter Board in Northeast Ohio and shares his insights as a panelist at industry events like the Advise AI Conference. Geoff is passionate about using technology to enhance both efficiency and advisor quality of life, helping professionals spend less time on manual work and more time with clients and family.

Rebuilding Trust in Wealth: How Couplr AI Is Transforming Lead Generation with Human Connection (Ep. 5)

Rebuilding Trust in Wealth: How Couplr AI Is Transforming Lead Generation with Human Connection (Ep. 5)

When Derek Notman, CFP®, launched Couplr AI, it wasn’t just about building a better lead gen platform; it was about bringing human connection back to the center of financial advice.

In this episode, Chip Kispert talks with Derek, a former top-producing advisor turned fintech founder, about what’s broken in traditional lead generation and how his team is reimagining it through the lens of empathy, personalization, and behavioral science.

Drawing on experience from both the advisor seat and startup trenches, Derek explains how cold outreach erodes trust and why flipping the script to empower consumers, not chase them, could transform advisor growth. The conversation also explores orphan accounts, ethical leadership, and Derek’s unexpected path to masterminding with Richard Branson.

What to expect:

  • Why legacy lead gen misses the mark on human connection
  • How Couplr uses behavioral data to match clients and advisors
  • The orphan account crisis no one wants to talk about
  • What Richard Branson taught Derek about fatherhood and business

Resources:

Connect with Chip Kispert

Connect with Derek Notman

About Our Guest:

Derek Notman, CFP®, is the founder of Couplr AI and a former financial advisor with over 20 years of experience. After building a successful advisor practice and RIA, Derek turned his focus to solving one of the industry’s biggest friction points: helping clients find the right advisor at the right time. Couplr blends behavioral psychology, AI, and a dating app-like experience to deliver more meaningful advisor-client human connections. Derek is also the creator of the Dadpreneur experience, a leadership mastermind hosted on Richard Branson’s Necker Island.