What a Good Retirement Plan Service Actually Looks Like with Shawn Van Winkle (Ep. 10)

What a Good Retirement Plan Service Actually Looks Like with Shawn Van Winkle (Ep. 10)

What happens when no one explains the rules, and everyone assumes someone else is handling it? In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp sits down with Shawn Van Winkle, a retirement plan advisor whose path into financial services began with a personal mission to help others avoid the financial struggles he faced growing up.  Shawn shares how his early experience in large institutions shaped his perspective, what he learned about both good and bad client service, and why education is often the missing piece in retirement planning.  They talk about what a retirement plan advisor actually does, how small incremental changes can change outcomes over time, and how a lack of communication can quietly cost employees and employers more than they think.  What to expect: * Why most employees feel stuck or unsure when it comes to retirement plans * How small, consistent increases, even 1%, can change long-term outcomes * The hidden risks employers take on when retirement plans aren’t clearly structured * The difference between transactional service and true partnership in financial planning * And more! Connect with us! * Boyum Wealth Architects [https://myboyum.com/about-boyum-wealth-architects/] * LinkedIn: James Knapp, CFP® [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knapp-cfp%C2%AE-1183474/] * LinkedIn: Boyum Wealth Architects [https://www.linkedin.com/company/boyum-wealth-architects/] * info@boyumwa.com [info@boyumwa.com] * Subscribe to the podcast here! [https://zombieadvisor.blubrry.net/] Connect with Shawn Van Winkle: * Boyum Wealth Architects [https://myboyum.com/about-boyum-wealth-architects/] * LinkedIn: Shawn Van Winkle [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-vanwinkle/] * info@boyumwa.com [info@boyumwa.com] About Our Guest: Shawn Van Winkle is a retirement plan advisor at Boyum Wealth Architects. He began his career in law enforcement before transitioning into financial services, joining Principal Financial Group in 2017. There, he focused on retirement education and later expanded into executive compensation strategies, working with stock options and equity-based planning. Today, Shawn focuses on helping business owners and their employees better understand and engage with their retirement plans through education, efficiency, and partnership-driven service.

Planning Beyond the Sale: Flexible Strategies with David Soczek, CLU, ChFC (Ep. 9)

What happens when plans meet reality and reality changes everything? How do you prepare for outcomes you cannot predict while still making confident decisions today? In this episode, James Knapp interviews David Soczek, CLU, ChFC, Owner and Vice President of National Benefits Group, about building flexible strategies for business owners. They explore how planning for multiple outcomes, not just ideal scenarios, shapes better decisions. David explains the importance of collaboration with advisors, attorneys, and CPAs, along with balancing simplicity and complexity. The conversation also highlights how insurance, estate planning, and business succession intersect in real client situations. Key takeaways: * Why planning must account for unexpected life events like death, divorce, or shifting business outcomes * How collaboration between advisors, CPAs, and attorneys leads to more complete client solutions * The challenge of balancing simple strategies with complex financial realities and client comfort levels * Why fairness in family business transitions often requires separating business control from financial outcomes * How flexibility in insurance and estate structures can create better long term outcomes for business owners * And more! Connect with us! * Boyum Wealth Architects [https://myboyum.com/about-boyum-wealth-architects/] * LinkedIn: James Knapp, CFP® [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knapp-cfp%C2%AE-1183474/] * LinkedIn: Boyum Wealth Architects [https://www.linkedin.com/company/boyum-wealth-architects/] * info@boyumwa.com [info@boyumwa.com] * Subscribe to the podcast here! [https://zombieadvisor.blubrry.net/] Connect with David Soczek: * LinkedIn: David Soczek [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsoczek/] * Website: National Benefits Group [https://nbgllc.com/home] About Our Guest: Dave joined National Benefits Group (NBG) in 2004 and became an owner in 2009. His responsibilities include guiding clients through the design, implementation and administration process of non-qualified plans for both private and public companies. Dave began his financial services career in 1992 with a local office of a national firm where he specialized in the design and implementation of individual financial plans. In 1995, Dave joined the original NBG, with an emphasis in plan administration of non-qualified plans. In 2000, when NBG was purchased by Marsh & McLennan, Dave remained with their national executive and non-qualified plan group as a client executive. While at Marsh, Dave specialized in the design and implementation of corporate owned life insurance and non-qualified plans. Dave holds the professional designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and is an active member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU). Dave resides in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis with his wife, Janet, and has survived raising two children, Samantha and Sydney, both of whom now have graduated college and on to their next adventures in life.

From CPA Track to Client-First Advice with Stewart Rallis (Ep. 8)

Great advisors do more than present information. They listen closely, stay steady when conditions shift, and build relationships that last. What separates a responsive advisor from one who simply goes through the motions? In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp talks with Stewart Rallis, Managing Principal at Stairway Partners, about his path from studying accounting to building a long career in financial advice. They cover early lessons from Doug Lennick, why goals still matter, how advisors can avoid becoming disconnected from clients, and why discipline, curiosity, and genuine human connection remain central to meaningful long-term advice. Key takeaways: * Stewart shares how an accounting path and a small business pushed him toward financial advice and client work * A spontaneous job offer from Doug Lennick changed his direction and started his advisory career * The episode explains how goal setting and focusing on what you control still shape planning today * Stewart describes zombie advisors as people who show up, report out, then fail to truly engage * James and Stewart stress discipline, emotional control, and real curiosity about clients’ lives * And more! Connect with us! * Boyum Wealth Architects [https://myboyum.com/about-boyum-wealth-architects/] * LinkedIn: James Knapp, CFP® [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knapp-cfp%C2%AE-1183474/] * LinkedIn: Boyum Wealth Architects [https://www.linkedin.com/company/boyum-wealth-architects/] * info@boyumwa.com [info@boyumwa.com] * Subscribe to the podcast here! [https://zombieadvisor.blubrry.net/] Connect with Stewart Rallis: * LinkedIn: Stewart Rallis [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewart-rallis-13002417/] * Website: Stairway Partners [https://www.stairwaypartners.com/] About Our Guest: Stewart Rallis is the Managing Principal at Stairway Partners. Stew is responsible for institutional strategy, business development, and client relationship management at Stairway Partners. Previously, Stew held senior advisory and management positions at several large financial institutions, including American Express, Prudential, and Morgan Stanley. Stew has served as manager and portfolio liaison for a variety of institutional investment relationships, and in his role, worked closely with their investment boards and financial committees to develop and implement portfolio strategy. Prior to joining Stairway Partners, Stew was Managing Principal of a private investment firm, where he led the firm’s institutional consulting and advisory business. Stew has over 35 years of investment experience and holds a Bachelor of Science Business degree in Accounting from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

Building a Client-First Practice in the RIA Space with Haris Kopic (Ep. 7)

Choosing the right business model can shape your entire career as a financial advisor. But what drives someone to leave commissions behind and embrace independence? In this episode, James Knapp sits down with Haris Kopic, CFP®, who recently joined Boyum Wealth Architects after 16 years in the industry. Haris shares his journey from graduating during the 2008 financial crisis to finding his footing in the RIA space, driven by a desire for client-centric service and fiduciary responsibility. Together, they explore memorable client experiences, the importance of curiosity in financial planning, and how going above and beyond creates lasting trust. Haris discusses: * His transition from commission-based sales to the independent RIA model and why fiduciary duty matters * A creative airport solution that saved a client $10,000 annually on life insurance premiums * Common mistakes advisors miss, from outdated policies to overlooked tax strategies * How curiosity and problem-solving define the best client relationships * Advice for new advisors and those looking to specialize and find their niche * And more! Connect with us! * (651) 289-6444 * Boyum Wealth Architects [https://myboyum.com/about-boyum-wealth-architects/] * LinkedIn: James Knapp, CFP® [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knapp-cfp%C2%AE-1183474/] * LinkedIn: Boyum Wealth Architects [https://www.linkedin.com/company/boyum-wealth-architects/] * info@boyumwa.com [info@boyumwa.com] * Subscribe to the podcast here! [https://zombieadvisor.blubrry.net/] Connect with Haris Kopic: * LinkedIn: Haris Kopic [https://www.linkedin.com/in/haris-kopic-cfp%C2%AE-b77863173/] About Our Guest: Haris Kopic, CFP®, is a Wealth Architect at Boyum Wealth Architects with 16 years of experience in the industry. After graduating from Iowa State University in 2008, Haris navigated the challenges of the financial crisis before finding his way to the RIA space in 2011. His approach to financial planning is rooted in curiosity, teamwork, problem-solving, and a commitment to fiduciary responsibility. Haris specializes in helping clients navigate complex financial decisions by understanding their motivations, values, and long-term goals, while delivering the kind of white glove service that builds lasting trust.

Dead Wrong Tax Decisions Business Owners Keep Making with Chris Wittich (CPA Perspective) (Ep. 6)

What if better tax planning started long before April, or even before you decide to sell your business? This episode pulls back the curtain on how small business owners and advisors can think differently about taxes, compensation, and long-term planning. In this episode of Zombie Advisor, James Knapp sits down with Chris Wittich, MBT, CPA, and partner at Boyum, to talk through real-world tax planning strategies for business owners at every stage. Chris shares how his career in tax started at age 15, preparing returns by hand, and how that early experience shaped his practical, people-first approach today. Together, they identify common gaps James and Chris see when reviewing new business tax returns, especially in owner compensation and retirement planning. The conversation also explores how tax strategy changes when a business owner is preparing for an eventual sale, whether to private equity, family, or internal successors. The episode wraps with an important look at estate organization, Minnesota estate tax considerations, and why clarity and preparation matter just as much as tax savings. What to expect: * Why the owner pay strategy is often the first sign of missed tax planning * How compensation decisions impact retirement plans, FICA taxes, and flexibility * What business owners should consider years before selling their company * Estate planning realities, organization tips, and common pitfalls families face * And more! Resources: * Estate Organization [https://myboyum.com/services/tax/estate-trust/] Connect with us! * Boyum Wealth Architects [https://myboyum.com/about-boyum-wealth-architects/] * LinkedIn: James Knapp, CFP® [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knapp-cfp%C2%AE-1183474/] * LinkedIn: Boyum Wealth Architects [https://www.linkedin.com/company/boyum-wealth-architects/] * info@boyumwa.com [info@boyumwa.com] * Subscribe to the podcast here! [https://zombieadvisor.blubrry.net/] Connect with Chris Wittich: * LinkedIn: Chris Wittich, CPA [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswittich/] About Our Guest: Chris Wittich is a partner at Boyum Wealth Architects and holds both an MBT and a CPA designation. With nearly 20 years of experience working with individuals and small business owners, Chris specializes in tax planning, business strategy, estate tax matters, and advisory support for the beauty and salon industry. His approach focuses on helping clients make informed decisions through clarity, organization, and long-term thinking.