This week, I’m writing to you from the shadow of Birmingham, Alabama’s historic Sloss Furnaces—a landmark that tells the story of transformation, resilience, and reinvention.

Here’s something wild: back in 1881, Birmingham wasn’t a healthcare hub, banking, or tech scene. It was a city built on fire, iron, and sweat. At the heart of it all? Sloss Furnaces.

This place wasn’t just a factory; it was a beast of industry. Like clockwork, it churned out iron—the raw material that transformed America.

Rails and Bridges: The iron from Sloss laid down tracks and built bridges that connected cities and created trade routes throughout the Southeast.

World War II Arsenal: When America needed tanks, planes, and weapons, the iron from Sloss stepped up. If it contributed to the US part of the Allied victory, it very likely came from Birmingham’s blazing furnaces.

This wasn’t just about melting metal—it was about shaping progress. Sloss didn’t just build things; it built connections, possibilities, and futures. And while the fire burned out in 1971, the impact of what they created still burns bright.

And that’s what I want to talk about this week: landmarks. 

How do we honor the past while building toward the future?

How do we take what worked and leave behind what didn’t?

Buckle up—this week’s Connected Advisor is all about lessons from the furnace. Let’s dive in.

1. Forged in the Furnace - Your End-of-Year Opportunity

2. Brad Ball, Founder of Bison Wealth 🎧

3. Bookmarks

   1. Why Brands are Losing Their Personality

   2. Microsoft’s CEO on the Agentic Future

4. Milemarker On the Road ✈️

Forged in the Furnace - Your End-of-Year Opportunity

In Birmingham, Alabama, stands the historic Sloss Furnace.

Once an industrial powerhouse, it roared with fire, producing molten iron that fueled the South, powered the Allied effort in WWII, and defined the city’s path for generations.

Today, it’s quiet but no less significant—a preserved landmark reminding us of a time when its fire reshaped the future.

Sloss isn’t frozen in its original form. It’s no longer a factory churning iron, but its legacy endures. It’s been reinvented as a symbol of reflection, creativity, and forward-thinking. That transformation teaches us a lesson: nothing can stay as it was. To remain impactful, things must evolve.

Interestingly, I first became aware of Sloss Furnace not through its industrial history but thanks to Chad Johnson.

Over twenty-five years ago, he founded a punk and hardcore music festival at the Furnace. The rusty industrial setting gave the festival an unforgettable character and cemented Sloss in the scene’s memory. Before I worked with Birmingham’s leading wealth management firms, Sloss left its mark on me as a symbol of reinvention and impact.

Learning from the Past Without Getting Stuck

Sloss teaches us the importance of honoring history while recognizing that clinging to what was isn’t progress.

The same is true in leadership.

Each year brings wins, challenges, and moments that shape the future. Taking time to reflect on these moments—both good and bad—ensures we don’t repeat mistakes or miss opportunities hidden in our history.

Reflection isn’t about romanticizing the past or obsessing over what didn’t work.

It’s about extracting the lessons that fuel growth.

What did we build?

What processes created success?

What systems need to be reimagined?

Reinvention and Forward Momentum

Just as Sloss Furnace had to evolve, so must we as leaders.

Reinvention isn’t optional—it’s essential.

This means:

Acknowledging missteps: Mistakes are valuable teachers, but they shouldn’t define us.

Building on successes: Identify what worked, why it worked, and how to repeat it.

Embracing transformation: Old ways of working won’t always meet future needs.

Leadership is about striking a balance—learning from failures without being weighed down by them and celebrating wins without becoming complacent.

The Power of Vision

Like a repurposed landmark, your team needs clarity to move forward.

Without a clear vision:

• Success feels random.

• Challenges feel overwhelming.

• Team members disengage, becoming spectators instead of active participants.

When you cast a vision and connect the past to the future, you give your team a purpose. You transform their contributions into something meaningful and align them with the collective mission.

Building for What’s Next

As we close this year, look to Sloss Furnace or whatever your equivalent as inspiration. Let the past guide you, not as a monument to what was, but as the foundation for what’s possible.

Here’s your challenge:

1. Reflect on the lessons: Be honest about what didn’t work and what did.

2. Celebrate growth: Break down your successes to understand the systems that drove them.

3. Cast a clear vision: Help your team see the path forward and their critical role in shaping it.

Let 2025 be the year where you don’t just honor what’s been built—you use it as the fire to fuel what’s next.

Here’s to a season of thoughtful reflection and a reinvention-defined future.

________________________

On the Pod: Brad Ball, Founder of Bison Wealth

This week on The Connected Advisor, Brad Ball, founder of Bison Wealth, shares his insights on creating long-term value in wealth management. Brad’s journey—from managing large pension plans to founding Bison Wealth—highlights the importance of patient capital, sophisticated strategies, and a strong infrastructure for financial firms.

In his conversation with Kyle, Brad delves into the role of technology and AI in modern wealth management, the significance of advisor training and succession planning, and strategies for building resilient client relationships. He also provides actionable advice on integrating alternative investments, leveraging cohesive technology stacks, and adapting to industry trends.

Key Takeaways:

• Align with partners who prioritize long-term value for sustainable growth.

• Incorporate alternative investments to offer clients enhanced protection and unique value.

• Build a cohesive tech stack to streamline operations and drive success.

• Focus on personalized client solutions to foster trust and stay competitive.

Quotes to Remember:

• “If you’re not trying to create some synergy with your tech stack, with your operations, you simply bog down and you can’t be successful.” – Brad Ball

• “Aggregators are going down in value, and integrators are going up in value.” – Brad Ball

⚡️Bookmarks

Why Brands are Losing Their Personality

I found this share interesting. If you haven’t noticed, many of today’s leading retail brands have dropped a lot of their uniqueness for much more sterile-looking identities.

This thread was an interesting study on this trend.

Microsoft’s CEO on the Agentic Future

I found Satya Nadela's video to be a really great take on how AI is redefining workstreams across business operations. If you are not pushing toward this sort of thing, you are truly missing out. 

Available Data Strategy Sessions in Q1

I have one more session available in Q1 2025 to work with advisory firms on defining technology and data strategy. Space is limited, but I’d love to discuss whether this can help you make meaningful progress.

These sessions are built to align your team around technology, assess your current strategy, and design a path for you to break through barriers that may be hamstringing your scale.

Send me an email if you’re interested: [email protected] 

Milemarker on the Road
Catch my team on the road at the following events or cities:

1. December 19 - Philadelphia, PA

2. January 10 - Anchorage, AK

3. January 21 - Charlotte, NC

4. January 28 - New York, NY

If you’re in any of those cities and want to arrange a meeting time, reply to this email, and we’ll get something on the calendar.

Jud Mackrill