105: Jason Wendt: Beyond the Numbers — Why Your Retirement Number Isn't Enough

111: How Financial Advisors Get Found in AI Search with Online Reviews | Brian Thorp | Wealthtender

How can financial advisors get found in AI search, build trust faster, and use online reviews in a compliant way? In Episode 111 of The Influential Advisor Podcast, Paul G. McManus interviews Brian Thorp, Founder and CEO of Wealthtender, about one of the biggest opportunities in advisor marketing today: compliant online reviews as a trust signal for Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and other AI-powered search tools. Financial advisors have always relied on referrals, reputation, and trust. But today, before a prospect reaches out, they are often searching online, reading reviews, asking AI tools who to consider, and comparing advisors before the first conversation ever happens. That means your digital reputation matters. In this episode, Paul and Brian discuss how financial advisors can use compliant online reviews, third-party credibility, Google visibility, and AI search optimization to help prospects make a more informed decision about whether you may be the right advisor for them. You’ll learn: 1. How financial advisors can get found in AI search 2. Why online reviews are becoming a major trust signal 3. How compliant reviews differ from traditional Google reviews 4. What the SEC Marketing Rule changed for testimonials and reviews 5. Why ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and other AI tools may use reviews to summarize reputation 6. How reviews can support SEO, AEO, and GEO for financial advisors 7. Why “stars” matter, but client stories matter even more 8. How advisors can ask for reviews without cherry-picking 9. How reviews can help independent advisors compete against larger firms 10. Why advisor-level reviews may matter as much as firm-level reviews 11. How niche advisors can use reviews to strengthen local and specialized visibility 12. Why a book, a website, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, and reviews all work together as authority signals This conversation is especially relevant for independent financial advisors, RIAs, wealth management firms, advisor marketing teams, and practice leaders who want to understand how trust is built in the age of AI search. If you are a financial advisor wondering how to show up when someone asks ChatGPT, “Who is the best financial advisor for me?” this episode will help you think through the credibility signals that matter. Learn more about Influential Advisor Media: https://influentialadvisor.com/ Learn more about Wealthtender: https://wealthtender.com/ COMMON QUESTIONS ANSWERED Can financial advisors use online reviews? How can advisors ask clients for reviews compliantly? Do financial advisor reviews help with SEO? Can online reviews help advisors show up in ChatGPT? What is the difference between Google reviews and Wealthtender reviews? How do testimonials work under the SEC Marketing Rule? How many reviews does a financial advisor need? Why do online reviews matter for financial advisor referrals? How can advisors build trust before the first meeting? How can financial advisors improve AI search visibility? #FinancialAdvisorMarketing [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/financialadvisormarketing] #FinancialAdvisorReviews [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/financialadvisorreviews] #AIsearch [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/aisearch] #Wealthtender [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/wealthtender] #AuthorityMarketing [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/authoritymarketing] #FinancialAdvisors [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/financialadvisors] #RIAmarketing [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/riamarketing] #AdvisorSEO [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/advisorseo] #AEO [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/aeo] #GEO [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/geo] #TheInfluentialAdvisor [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/theinfluentialadvisor] Support the show [https://www.milliondollarproducershow.com]

110: Sharpen Your Message: Guest Podcast Preparation for Financial Professionals with Gabe McManus

How can financial advisors use podcast guesting to build trust, attract ideal clients, and turn their expertise into new business opportunities? In this episode of The Influential Advisor Podcast, Paul G. McManus interviews Gabe McManus about his book, Sharpen Your Message: Guest Podcast Preparation for Financial Professionals. Gabe shares how financial advisors and financial professionals can prepare for podcast interviews, clarify their best stories, and communicate their expertise in a way that builds trust with prospects. Drawing from his background in theater, storytelling, book coaching, and podcast preparation, Gabe explains why the right message can help advisors make the most of every podcast appearance. You’ll learn why writing a book gives financial advisors a stronger foundation for podcast guesting, how to identify your “greatest hits” before an interview, and why preparation does not mean memorizing a script. Instead, it means knowing your best ideas, stories, frameworks, and client transformation examples so you can speak with confidence when the opportunity comes. Paul and Gabe also discuss how podcast guesting creates borrowed trust, why a book can serve as the “ticket in the door” to better speaking and media opportunities, and how sharpening your message can create an identity shift for advisors who want to grow their practice, raise their minimums, scale their team, and become more influential in their market. If you are a financial advisor, wealth manager, or financial professional who wants to use a book, podcast interviews, and authority marketing to attract better-fit clients, this episode will help you understand how to prepare your message before the microphone turns on. Get Gabe McManus’s book, Sharpen Your Message, at: https://influentialadvisor.com/gabe [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbU8xNnpFZ1c1dktUUVRNSmUwN2VsbzZaSnE1UXxBQ3Jtc0tuRlNYWTl0amZheEpIVWdBeVNFbmpabjRBcFVVOHlUZXpLTm1UWmZYZGtQbVNBT0M3SG1qNm5XVjMzNVlJcUFUVWszY3MtRzR0RG9qWHJCVzZYM01EU09UNHVGNHBXakowR2tJT0hSWWVENlNoNjRuNA&q=https%3A%2F%2Finfluentialadvisor.com%2Fgabe&v=NqETjFQ9ePk] Learn more about Influential Advisor Media: https://influentialadvisor.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXlkTElpVVQzdzBCbzJRVzNCbl9UZ2xlVENUZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttbXdILXIzQ2oxamR2a1Bid0R2TUx3eC15dHdFaVNjUTVUUUd3cUpiOHVmajRCU29hRWxBamQyWGxjQlptdVU3SE1uUG1CN05jLUlndGR6MVFzeGFobVI1TDUyRHdMUXM3akMzMzBiNE4xaFhsN2QtUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Finfluentialadvisor.com%2F&v=NqETjFQ9ePk] Topics covered: Podcast guest preparation for financial advisors How financial advisors can get clients from podcasts How to sharpen your message before a podcast interview Why financial advisors should write a book before guest podcasting How a book builds authority and trust How podcast interviews create borrowed trust How to prepare your greatest hits for interviews Book marketing for financial advisors Authority marketing for financial professionals How financial advisors can use storytelling to attract ideal clients #FinancialAdvisors [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/financialadvisors] #PodcastGuesting [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/podcastguesting] #BookMarketing [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/bookmarketing] #AuthorityMarketing [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/authoritymarketing] #GabeMcManus [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/gabemcmanus] #SharpenYourMessage [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sharpenyourmessage] #InfluentialAdvisor [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/influentialadvisor] #FinancialAdvisorMarketing [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/financialadvisormarketing] #WealthManagement [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/wealthmanagement] #FinancialProfessionals [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/financialprofessionals] Support the show [https://www.milliondollarproducershow.com]

109: The Zero Tax Strategy: Legally Eliminating Taxes with Jeremy Lederer, CPA

In this episode, Gabe McManus sits down with Jeremy Lederer, CPA and founder of XIT CPA, to explore what separates a tax preparer from a true tax strategist. Jeremy brings more than 16 years of experience working with entrepreneurs, business owners, and high-income professionals to zero (yes, zero) out their federal tax liability using legal, government-backed strategies. From film financing deductions to healthcare software investments, Jeremy breaks down the frameworks he writes about in his book The Zero Tax Strategy. He makes the case that implementation, not information, is the missing ingredient for most people. This is one for any financial advisor whose clients are paying more to Washington than they have to. About Jeremy Lederer Jeremy Lederer, CPA, is the founder of XIT CPA, a tax strategy firm that landed on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America in 2023. With over 16 years of experience, Jeremy specializes in helping entrepreneurs and high-income professionals legally reduce or eliminate their federal tax burden through personalized, audit-proof strategies. A former professional golfer and winner of the 2008 San Juan Open, he brings the same precision and competitive drive to tax planning that he once brought to the fairway. Jeremy is also the author of The Zero Tax Strategy and a former certified mastery-level strategist within Tom Wheelwright's WealthAbility Network. What We Cover * Why Jeremy quit his firm in 2014, and the $100,000 savings opportunity his managing partner refused to pursue for a client * Why the average age of a CPA today is close to 70, and what that means for the quality of advice most business owners are getting * The fundamental premise of the U.S. tax code: 99.9% of its 80,000 pages are about how to avoid tax legally, not how to pay it * How W-2 earners can use Section 181 film financing to create a $400,000 deduction from a $100,000 cash investment * The Amanda case study: a $2 million-per-year biotech founder who zeroed her tax with a $300,000 healthcare software investment * What "to change your tax, you have to change your facts" actually looks like in practice * The audit that went perfectly: a $500,000 deduction, a nervous client, and a "no change" outcome Resources Mentioned * The Zero Tax Strategy [https://zerotax.com/book] by Jeremy Lederer, CPA — available at zerotax.com/book [http://zerotax.com/book] * Vivid Vision [https://www.amazon.com/Vivid-Vision-Remarkable-Aligning-Business/dp/161961877X] by Cameron Herold Connect with Jeremy Lederer * Website & book: zerotax.com/book [https://zerotax.com/book] * XIT CPA: xitcpa.com [https://xitcpa.com] * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeremy-lederer-6128691b [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-lederer-6128691b/] Support the show [https://www.milliondollarproducershow.com]

108: Rob Bedinghaus on the $10 Million Tax Bill Nobody Saw Coming

A couple had done everything right — dual income, debt-free, millions saved in tax-deferred accounts — and they were on track to hand $10 million to the IRS. Not because they made bad decisions, but because nobody had ever shown them what "doing everything right" actually costs without proactive planning. In this episode, Gabe sits down with Rob Bedinghaus, Ph.D., CFP® — founder of Bedinghaus Wealth Planning and author of Beyond the Numbers — to dig into the retirement planning conversations most advisors never have. Rob brings a teacher's instinct to every client meeting, and this episode reflects that: clear frameworks, real scenarios, and a perspective on legacy that goes well beyond the balance sheet. Listeners will walk away with a clearer picture of the income gaps retirees face, a practical mental model for surviving market volatility, and a compelling case for why tax planning and retirement planning are the same conversation. About Rob Bedinghaus Rob Bedinghaus, Ph.D., CFP® is the founder of Bedinghaus Wealth Planning, an independent practice in Lebanon, Ohio affiliated with Raymond James. A second-generation financial advisor, Rob spent six years in higher education at Indiana University before joining his father's practice in 2015. He has worked with hundreds of families navigating retirement transitions, previously overseeing more than $130 million in client assets at Edward Jones before building his own independent firm. He is the author of Beyond the Numbers: Your Smart Guide to Retirement Income, Tax Efficiency, and Lasting Legacy. What We Cover * Why the shift from saving to spending is harder than most retirees expect — and how Rob helps clients break a 30-year saving mindset * The bucket framework: how organizing money by time horizon keeps clients from panic-selling during market downturns * How one couple's disciplined 401(k) savings had them on track for $700,000 in annual required minimum distributions and a projected $10 million lifetime tax bill * The Roth conversion strategy that cut one couple's projected tax bill from $10 million to $2 million * What "living a legacy" means: giving while you're alive, seeing the impact, and passing values alongside wealth * Why qualified charitable distributions are one of the most underused tax tools for charitably-minded retirees Resources Mentioned * Beyond the Numbers: Your Smart Guide to Retirement Income, Tax Efficiency, and Lasting Legacy [https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Numbers-Retirement-Efficiency-Lasting/dp/B0GMYB4KDF] by Rob Bedinghaus, Ph.D., CFP® — free e-copy available at beyondnumbersbook.com [https://www.beyondnumbersbook.com/] Connect with * Website: bedinghauswealth.com [https://www.bedinghauswealth.com] * Book website: beyondnumbersbook.com [https://www.beyondnumbersbook.com/] * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robbedinghaus [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbedinghaus] Support the show [https://www.milliondollarproducershow.com]

107: The Investor's Coach — The IRA Tax Trap Nobody Warned You About with Ira Work

Imagine going into business with a partner who tells you upfront: at the end of every year, I'll decide how much of the profits I keep. You'd never agree to that. But Ira Work says millions of Americans already did the day they opened a traditional IRA. That's one of several hard truths Ira Work, a 42-year financial industry veteran, addresses head-on in his new book and in this conversation. After 17 years working for firms like Smith Barney and Shearson Lehman Brothers, Ira walked away from the traditional brokerage model — not because he failed, but because he saw how it was failing clients. In this episode, Ira breaks down four persistent myths that quietly erode investor wealth, explains why tax-deferred retirement accounts may carry more risk than most people realize, and makes the case for financial coaching over traditional advising. Listeners will walk away with a clearer picture of what questions to ask, what costs to watch for, and what it actually means to have a financial plan built around their life and not just their portfolio. About Ira Work Ira Work is an Investor Coach and founder at First Financial Coaching, Inc., with over 42 years of experience in the financial industry. He holds multiple advanced designations including ChFC, RFC, AIF, AAMS, CASL, and CRPS. After spending his first 17 years at major wirehouses, Ira transitioned to independent financial coaching focused on investor education, behavioral science, and evidence-based investing. He is the author of The Investor's Coach: How You Can Rise Above Wall Street's Myths and Build Real Wealth. What We Cover * Why stock picking and market timing feel logical in the moment but fail investors over time * The real reason 10-year fund track records are nearly meaningless for picking investments * How hidden trading costs inflate what investors actually pay beyond the stated expense ratio * The IRA tax trap: why deferring taxes today could mean paying far more tomorrow if rates rise * The one question Ira asks every new client that most advisors never think to raise * The difference between a financial advisor and a financial coach, and why one asks about your life while the other asks about your money Resources Mentioned * The Investor's Coach by Ira Work [https://www.amazon.com/Investors-Coach-Above-Streets-Wealth/dp/B0G2KCSRSC] — available on Amazon * Come Back America by David Walker (U.S. Comptroller General) — referenced in the tax trap discussion * Navigating the Fog of Investing — documentary film featuring Morningstar's CEO on fund ratings Connect with Ira Work * Website: irawork.com [http://irawork.com] / firstfinancialcoach.com [http://www.firstfinancialcoach.com] * Email: irawork@firstfinancialcoach.com [irawork@firstfinancialcoach.com] Support the show [https://www.milliondollarproducershow.com]