As I write this I’m flying back to Charleston after a couple of days with my business partners in Manhattan.

Great meetings with even better people.

I turn 43 tomorrow and I’m truly thankful for so many things. I travel a lot and it would not be possible without my in-laws, my ridiculously responsible kids and Kim who makes everything in my life good. 

My heart is full and my ambition continues to grow. So far, my forties have been fantastic.

This week I’m going to focus on the yellow coating on everything in the beautiful city of Charleston - pollen.

I think it has a lot to teach us and I’m unpacking it for myself and advisors in this week’s newsletter.

Grab your Zyrtec. Let’s go.

1. Progress Looks Like Pollen

2. On the Pod: Serving Small Markets, Making a Big Impact 🎧

3. Bookmarks

   1. Switzerland Sets the New Standard for Passport Design

   2. The Definitive List of the Top Shows of All Time

4. Milemarker On the Road ✈️

Progress Looks Like Pollen

This week, Charleston is talking about one thing. Not the markets. Not geopolitics. Not even the spring break traffic.

It’s pollen.

That yellow, powdery dust that coats our cars, porches, and the insides of our noses. The pollen collects on the side walks, looking like yellow chalk drawings from a week ago. It clings to everything, reminding you of allergies you didn’t even know you had. Every one is swallowing Zyrtec with our morning coffees, just waiting for the winds to shift and for life to get back to normal.

But here’s the thing about pollen—while it’s unbelievably annoying, it’s part of the process.

I grew up as the son of a beekeeper, so I saw pollen a lot differently. In our family, pollen wasn’t just something to wipe off your windshield—it was essential to honey production, a signal of growth. We collected it, studied it, used it. Pollen meant something good was coming.

During this time of year, we would have 6,000+ hives of honey bees in the central valley of California, specifically for the purpose of pollinating almonds—a first step for you to enjoy handfuls of delicious, roasted almonds.

For most people, though, pollen is just an obstacle. A cloud to complain about. A disruption before we can sit on furniture outside without being covered.

And yet, pollen is required for growth.

Pollen Is Part of the Process

In business, in leadership, in life—we all have seasons of pollen.

The inconvenient, messy moments before progress happens. The hiring process that drags on longer than expected. The operational bottleneck that forces a hard conversation. The stretch where revenue stalls, motivation dips, and nothing seems to work.

Pollen moments can feel chaotic, unproductive, even frustrating. But they’re necessary. They’re the things that lead to new growth, fresh ideas, and stronger businesses.

The Difference Between Those Who Win and Those Who Wait

The people and businesses that succeed are the ones that recognize pollen for what it is—not an obstacle, but a phase. A signal. A precursor to something better.

You’ll be tempted to only focus on the inconvenience. Don’t do it. You’ll miss the opportunity for growth.

Great leaders push through. They know that what feels like a setback today is often laying the groundwork for the next breakthrough. They don’t get stuck complaining about the pollen—they look ahead to the flowers.

So here’s to you. Here’s to the pollen in your business, in your career, in your life.

Here’s to pushing through.

And yes—don’t forget the Zyrtec.

________________________

On the Pod: Serving Small Markets, Making a Big Impact

Episode 085: In this episode of The Connected Advisor, Kyle Van Pelt talks with with Daniel Spurgeon, Managing Partner at Commonwealth Financial Services.

They discuss how to build a thriving RIA in a small market, overcome the challenge of establishing trust as a young advisor, and how focusing on specific niches can fuel dramatic growth. Daniel also shares the journey of Commonwealth Financial Services from its humble beginnings to becoming one of the two fastest-growing firms in West Virginia, along with the technology strategy that helped scale operations and enhance client service.

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:07) - The story behind Commonwealth Financial Services' name

(02:45) - Daniel's money moment

(04:03) - How Daniel got into the financial services industry

(07:03) - The lab rat experience

(08:43) - Daniel's career journey and growth

(11:37) - Establishing trust as a young advisor

(13:42) - The influence of college basketball on Daniel's work ethic

(15:54) - The secret to Commonwealth's success and growth

(17:46) - Commonwealth's niche markets

(19:25) - The Wealth Wednesday program

(23:14) - Commonwealth's technology strategy

(26:33) - Daniel's outlook on the future of the industry

(34:53) - Daniel’s Milemarker Minute

⚡️Bookmarks

Switzerland Sets the New Standard for Passport Design

In case you missed it, Switzerland recently announced its latest passport design.

You can see this absolute work of art featured by its design partner here: https://retinaa.ch/

The Definitive List of the Top Shows of All Time

While it is no surprise to me that Breaking Bad has taken the cake, this list may be a fun discussion topic with your friends and family over the weekend. Aggregating the scoring of all major review sources, this list gives a fun definitive average score across the top TV shows of all time.

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

1. March 24-26 - Denver, CO

2. March 26 - Phoenix, AZ

3. March 28 - Omaha, NE

4. April 1-2 - Nashville, TN, RIA Edge

5. April 3-4 - New York, NY

6. April 9-10 - Las Vegas, NV, Envestnet Elevate

7. April 28-29 - Tampa, FL, Csenge Advisor Summit

8. Aprill 29-30 - Boston, MA, Tiburon

9. May 7-8 - 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