This week's Connected Adviser comes to you straight from A16 at DFW Airport, where I am waiting to board a flight from Dallas to Charlotte.

This week started in my hometown of Charleston, where I met with the Milemarker team. We conducted quarterly and annual planning and set Rocks.

This alignment time is key, especially when you are spread across the United States. Rather than trying to squeeze this into an already over-committed December, we have made it our policy to gather prior to Thanksgiving to serve as our planning time.

I was reminded about the importance of being people and organizations of action versus those that talk about action. We’ll dive in a moment.

Here’s the Connected Advisor:

1. WealthTech's Seismic Shift: Stop Trying, Start Doing

2. Strategic Marketing Techniques for Financial Advisors🎧

3. Bookmarks

   1. Talking with Trading for Tomorrow on Data Lakes 🎧️ 

   2. A16z on The Full Stack Startup

4. Milemarker On the Road ✈️

Let’s go.

WealthTech's Seismic Shift: Stop Trying, Start Doing

In today’s WealthTech landscape, ideas are everywhere. Talk of innovation, efficiency, and improvement fills conferences and strategy sessions. But here’s the reality: ideas are a dime a dozen. What matters is what’s done with those ideas, and, just as importantly, who’s doing the work.

This isn’t the time to simply plan for the future. We’re in an era where meaningful action is the only thing that moves the needle. WealthTech is undergoing a seismic shift, and only the doers will thrive. To ensure your business is on the right side of this evolution, you need to know how to find and invest in the companies driving real change—not just those that talk about it.

1. Ideas are a Dime a Dozen

It’s easy to come up with ideas, and in WealthTech, good ideas are everywhere. But if there’s one thing I’ve seen, it’s that good intentions alone aren’t enough. For every big idea, there are dozens of tech providers who won’t see it through to completion because they’re tangled in complexity or stuck in endless strategizing.

Action Step: Look beyond the ideas being pitched. Instead of simply hearing what a company plans to do, ask for their track record. How have they executed in the past? How are they actively innovating today? Ideas are only valuable if they lead to meaningful, measurable outcomes.

2. Inspiration is Perishable

Inspiration doesn’t last—it’s fleeting. Legacy WealthTech companies often start with strong visions and exciting roadmaps but fail to keep up momentum. Inspiration has a shelf life. Companies that don’t act on it quickly often lose the energy and motivation that drove their initial vision.

Action Step: Ask potential tech partners how they maintain momentum. Companies committed to staying inspired are the ones that act fast, learn quickly, and adjust as they go. Look for firms that push regular updates, engage their user community, and keep the pace on delivering improvements that matter.

3. We Are in an Era of Action

WealthTech clients want real results now. We’re no longer in a world where good ideas or long-term promises are enough to satisfy clients or investors. The businesses that will win are those delivering consistent, incremental improvements—*companies that don’t just talk about change but make it happen daily*.

Action Step: Choose partners who prioritize action over promises. Ask about recent updates, ongoing projects, and specific examples of how they respond to user feedback. Companies that prioritize doing over talking will be able to share real, tangible examples of their improvements.

4. Legacy Providers Are Drowning in Bureaucracy

Many legacy providers are drowning in layers of red tape, slowing down decision-making and preventing meaningful change. These companies are often more focused on satisfying stakeholders than innovating for clients. In this new WealthTech era, those bogged down by bureaucracy are losing ground to nimble, action-oriented companies.

Action Step: Assess a company’s agility. How quickly can they respond to client needs or industry changes? Do they have a clear path from idea to implementation, or are they hindered by excessive process? Partnering with a bureaucratic provider often means waiting in line for improvement. Avoid this by seeking companies with streamlined, adaptable processes.

Doers Will Win; Invest in the Doers

The winners in WealthTech will be those companies that consistently execute and improve—*the doers*. They’re the ones taking real steps, not just talking about potential. These are the companies worth investing in because they’ll continue to enhance your tech stack, not just maintain it.

Action Step: Focus on partnerships with companies that demonstrate a culture of doing. Look for a history of action, not just promises. Companies that move fast, learn from their clients, and iterate regularly are the ones that will keep your business competitive and prepared for what’s next.

Final Thoughts: Invest in What Gets Done

As WealthTech undergoes this seismic shift, choose to work with companies that prioritize progress over promises. Your tech stack should be built on solutions from companies that act, innovate, and improve every day. The ideas are out there, but only the doers will bring them to life.

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On the Pod: Strategic Marketing Techniques for Financial Advisors

Episode 068: Marketing is about providing value, building relationships, and earning trust. Financial advisors who want to stand out focus less on selling and more on serving. One of the most effective ways to do this is by creating content people want to engage with, whether blog posts, newsletters, social posts, podcasts, or videos.

In this episode, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Samantha Russell, Chief Evangelist at FMG Suite. Samantha teaches financial advisors how to utilize digital marketing strategies to produce exponential growth through website development, content marketing, SEO, social media, and video. Her cutting-edge thought leadership is recognized throughout the financial services industry and led to her being named to Investment News 40 Under 40, ThinkAdvisor "Luminary" and Wealth Management Top Ten to Watch.

In this episode:

[03:10] - Samantha's money moment

[05:47] - Samantha's transition from sales to marketing

[08:24] - How marketing tactics have changed over time

[11:34] - How new RIAs can stand out

[16:02] - How to scale marketing efforts

[20:07] - Choosing the right CRM

[22:22] - Effective marketing strategies

[25:25] - The power of in-person events

[28:02] - Samantha's outlook on the future of the industry

[35:21] - Milemarker Minute

Key Takeaways

1. An effective marketing strategy offers value first before asking for anything in return.

2. Marketing takes time and consistent effort, but when done right, it can lead to a steady stream of qualified leads.

3. Content marketing is a powerful tool for attracting and nurturing prospects.

4. Hosting in-person events that offer value creates meaningful connections on a personal level.

   Listen to Episode

⚡️Bookmarks

What Advisors at InvestmentNews Advice Live San Diego said About Technology

Earlier this week, Kyle Van Pelt hosted a panel of advisors from around the country in sunny San Diego to ask them some questions about the future of their technology stack.

Kyle breaks down these insights in the article below.

Data Lakes & Trading Tomorrow

Numerix released a podcast of a conversation I had with them  talking about the future of financial advisory and how the digital shift is really occurring inside of wealth management.

Milemarker on the Road

Catch our team on the road at the following events or cities:

1. November 12-15 - Arlington, TX

2. November 18-20 - San Francisco, CA

3. November 21-22 - Omaha, NE

4. December 4-5 - New York, NY

5. December 9-11 - Las Vegas, NV

6. December 12 - Baltimore, MD

7. December 17 - Birmingham, AL

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