Built By and For Mon, 24 Aug 2026 18:38:34 -0400 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2502018 en-us © 2026 Built By and For yes 532e6500-844d-5829-9ecb-978856a81aa4 Founders Financial episodic false The Founders Financial Built By and For podcast is created by and for independent financial advisors to empower them with knowledge and insights across a range of relevant topics.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) independent financial advisor Founders Financial https://storage.buzzsprout.com/cd6deiuugrh3vxejdwh05wolmg0y?.jpg Built By and For https://www.buzzsprout.com/2502018 Steven Watts EP11 - Legacy is not a monetization event EP11 - Legacy is not a monetization event Most advisors do beautiful legacy work for their clients. Almost none do it for themselves.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial President and CIO Peter Murphy and CEO Brad Shepherd to reframe what legacy and succession should actually mean for an independent advisor. They unpack why most advisors aren't actively planning, what's at stake for clients and team members when planning gets pushed off, and the real differences between selling to an external roll-up and building internal succession. The conversation distinguishes the practitioner from the enterpriser, the clients from the relationships, and closes with rapid-fire prompts on first steps and common mistakes. 

More from Founders Financial:

Strategic Enterprise Program: (the development pathway behind internal succession): https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Most advisors do beautiful legacy work for their clients. Almost none do it for themselves.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial President and CIO Peter Murphy and CEO Brad Shepherd to reframe what legacy and succession should actually mean for an independent advisor. They unpack why most advisors aren't actively planning, what's at stake for clients and team members when planning gets pushed off, and the real differences between selling to an external roll-up and building internal succession. The conversation distinguishes the practitioner from the enterpriser, the clients from the relationships, and closes with rapid-fire prompts on first steps and common mistakes. 

More from Founders Financial:

Strategic Enterprise Program: (the development pathway behind internal succession): https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19696625 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 18:00:00 -0400 1783 1 11 full false EP03 - The golden age of boutique EP03 - The golden age of boutique The independent channel is bifurcating. Mega utility firms on one end, boutique relationship firms on the other, and the middle is quietly disappearing.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd and President / CIO Peter Murphy to unpack how leadership of a broker-dealer and RIA has changed amid waves of M&A, fintech disruption, and shifting advisor expectations. They contrast the "utility" model of mega firms with the relationship-driven approach of boutiques, argue that technology has leveled the table stakes, and explore why the affiliation choice now comes down to who advisors actually want as a partner. The closing leadership truth: the most important word these days is no.


More from Founders Financial:

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> The independent channel is bifurcating. Mega utility firms on one end, boutique relationship firms on the other, and the middle is quietly disappearing.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd and President / CIO Peter Murphy to unpack how leadership of a broker-dealer and RIA has changed amid waves of M&A, fintech disruption, and shifting advisor expectations. They contrast the "utility" model of mega firms with the relationship-driven approach of boutiques, argue that technology has leveled the table stakes, and explore why the affiliation choice now comes down to who advisors actually want as a partner. The closing leadership truth: the most important word these days is no.


More from Founders Financial:

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19696612 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 18:00:00 -0400 2294 1 3 full false EP15 - The impact of AI on technology EP15 - The impact of AI on technology Artificial intelligence is moving faster than any technology our industry has seen — and the temptation is to race ahead. This conversation makes the case for the opposite.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd and Senior Compliance Officer Jane Maccubbin to separate the hype from the practical reality of AI in an independent practice. They explore what it means to truly employ AI rather than simply have it, why a computer can never be a fiduciary, and where the real, defensible use cases live for advisors today. The throughline is a caution worth heeding: in a moment of AI gold rush, the firms that slow down, stay curious, and put the right guardrails in place are the ones that win.

A partner-to-partner conversation about using AI with intention — and keeping the human relationship at the center. 


More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS: https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Artificial intelligence is moving faster than any technology our industry has seen — and the temptation is to race ahead. This conversation makes the case for the opposite.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd and Senior Compliance Officer Jane Maccubbin to separate the hype from the practical reality of AI in an independent practice. They explore what it means to truly employ AI rather than simply have it, why a computer can never be a fiduciary, and where the real, defensible use cases live for advisors today. The throughline is a caution worth heeding: in a moment of AI gold rush, the firms that slow down, stay curious, and put the right guardrails in place are the ones that win.

A partner-to-partner conversation about using AI with intention — and keeping the human relationship at the center. 


More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS: https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624665 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 2124 1 15 full false Brad Shepherd CHFC Jane Maccubbin Steven Watts EP14 - What a real firm transition looks like EP14 - What a real firm transition looks like The fear of moving firms is rarely about the paperwork. It's about the unknown — and the worry that the clients won't come.  

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Christine Walsh, Head of Transitions, and Philip Dubay, Director of Integrations at Founders Financial, to pull back the curtain on what a real, supported transition actually looks like. They walk through the 192-item checklist, the human side of the work, and what makes the difference between figuring it out alone and walking through it with a partner. The closing word for advisors who sense it's time is as direct as it is warm: if you're thinking about it, you're probably ready. 

More from Founders Financial: 

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

TRU Enterprise OS: https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial


© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> The fear of moving firms is rarely about the paperwork. It's about the unknown — and the worry that the clients won't come.  

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Christine Walsh, Head of Transitions, and Philip Dubay, Director of Integrations at Founders Financial, to pull back the curtain on what a real, supported transition actually looks like. They walk through the 192-item checklist, the human side of the work, and what makes the difference between figuring it out alone and walking through it with a partner. The closing word for advisors who sense it's time is as direct as it is warm: if you're thinking about it, you're probably ready. 

More from Founders Financial: 

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

TRU Enterprise OS: https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial


© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624663 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 1858 1 14 full false Christine Walsh Philip Dubay Steven Watts EP13 - Sell the firm, or hand it down? EP13 - Sell the firm, or hand it down? Two doors on succession. M&A — sell to a roll-up, take the check, walk away. Or apprenticeship — bring someone alongside you and hand the relationships forward.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd unpack the two dominant paths advisors face when planning succession. They explore the operational, financial, and emotional risks at stake, the difference between exit planning and legacy planning, and why a gradual, proactive approach almost always beats a reactive one. The conversation lands on a central question every advisor must answer for themselves: is this about maximum economic value, or continuity of care for the clients you've served for decades? Brad closes by sharing how Founders blends the strengths of both models through its Strategic Enterprise Program.

More from Founders Financial: 

Strategic Enterprise Program: (the apprenticeship pathway): https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Two doors on succession. M&A — sell to a roll-up, take the check, walk away. Or apprenticeship — bring someone alongside you and hand the relationships forward.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd unpack the two dominant paths advisors face when planning succession. They explore the operational, financial, and emotional risks at stake, the difference between exit planning and legacy planning, and why a gradual, proactive approach almost always beats a reactive one. The conversation lands on a central question every advisor must answer for themselves: is this about maximum economic value, or continuity of care for the clients you've served for decades? Brad closes by sharing how Founders blends the strengths of both models through its Strategic Enterprise Program.

More from Founders Financial: 

Strategic Enterprise Program: (the apprenticeship pathway): https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624649 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 3397 1 13 full false Brad Shepherd CHFC Steven Watts EP12 - Fall in love again, or pass the torch EP12 - Fall in love again, or pass the torch Every independent advisor reaches a moment where they have to ask one of two questions. Either fall in love with the business again, or honestly start thinking about who comes next.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial President and CIO Peter Murphy explore the deeply personal decision every advisor eventually faces — and how to tell which path you're actually on. They reframe succession not as a transaction but as a legacy decision rooted in passion, continuity of care, and what you want clients to say about you when the work is done. The conversation closes with the most useful piece of advice in the entire episode: build the plan the same way you build a client's, starting with the destination in mind.

More from Founders Financial: 

Strategic Enterprise Program: (succession and apprenticeship pathway): https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial


© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Every independent advisor reaches a moment where they have to ask one of two questions. Either fall in love with the business again, or honestly start thinking about who comes next.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial President and CIO Peter Murphy explore the deeply personal decision every advisor eventually faces — and how to tell which path you're actually on. They reframe succession not as a transaction but as a legacy decision rooted in passion, continuity of care, and what you want clients to say about you when the work is done. The conversation closes with the most useful piece of advice in the entire episode: build the plan the same way you build a client's, starting with the destination in mind.

More from Founders Financial: 

Strategic Enterprise Program: (succession and apprenticeship pathway): https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial


© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624641 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 2654 full false Peter Murphy CFA Steven Watts EP10 - What is peacefulness worth? EP10 - What is peacefulness worth? There's a question every advisor eventually wrestles with: do I manage investments myself, or do I outsource to a TAMP? In this episode, we look at the decision through a different lens — not performance, not cost, but peace.

Steven Watts and Founders Financial President and CIO Pete Murphy unpack the trade-offs of self-managed and outsourced portfolio management — control versus capacity, scale versus story, brand versus generic experience. They introduce the concept of second-party investment management (the model behind Founders' Freedom Capital Management Strategies, or FCMS) and land on the question that decides everything: what are you convicted in, and why?

More from Founders Financial: 

Freedom Capital Management Strategies (FCMS): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/investment-management/outsourced-investment-management/

TRU Enterprise OS: https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> There's a question every advisor eventually wrestles with: do I manage investments myself, or do I outsource to a TAMP? In this episode, we look at the decision through a different lens — not performance, not cost, but peace.

Steven Watts and Founders Financial President and CIO Pete Murphy unpack the trade-offs of self-managed and outsourced portfolio management — control versus capacity, scale versus story, brand versus generic experience. They introduce the concept of second-party investment management (the model behind Founders' Freedom Capital Management Strategies, or FCMS) and land on the question that decides everything: what are you convicted in, and why?

More from Founders Financial: 

Freedom Capital Management Strategies (FCMS): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/investment-management/outsourced-investment-management/

TRU Enterprise OS: https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624622 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 2682 1 10 full false Peter Murphy CFA Steven Watts EP09 - Cybersecurity as a moat, not a cost EP09 - Cybersecurity as a moat, not a cost Bridges don't break at their strong points. They break at the weak ones. In our industry, the weak point is usually the advisor — and the actual target is usually the client. 

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Justin Neria, Chief Technology Officer at Founders Financial, and Jane Maccubbin, Senior Compliance Officer, to unpack why cybersecurity has become the defining infrastructure question for independent advisors. They explore why post-COVID networks demand a zero-trust architecture, why most advisors radically underestimate the threat (6,000+ attempted attacks per user, per day), and how Reg SP is raising the regulatory bar. The closing thesis: when cyber is built into the platform, it stops being a cost center and becomes a quiet growth enabler.

More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS: (cybersecurity is built into the platform): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Bridges don't break at their strong points. They break at the weak ones. In our industry, the weak point is usually the advisor — and the actual target is usually the client. 

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Justin Neria, Chief Technology Officer at Founders Financial, and Jane Maccubbin, Senior Compliance Officer, to unpack why cybersecurity has become the defining infrastructure question for independent advisors. They explore why post-COVID networks demand a zero-trust architecture, why most advisors radically underestimate the threat (6,000+ attempted attacks per user, per day), and how Reg SP is raising the regulatory bar. The closing thesis: when cyber is built into the platform, it stops being a cost center and becomes a quiet growth enabler.

More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS: (cybersecurity is built into the platform): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624615 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 2476 1 9 full false Brad Shepherd CHFC Jane Maccubbin Justin Neria Steven Watts EP08 - Serve, protect, defend EP08 - Serve, protect, defend For many independent advisors, "compliance" falls somewhere between necessary and adversarial. It doesn't have to.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Joe Krcma, Chief Compliance Officer, and Jane Maccubbin, Senior Compliance Officer at Founders Financial, to explore what a relationship-driven compliance team actually looks like — and how that approach can serve, protect, and defend an advisor differently than a rules-only "no department." They dig into where regulators are honing in right now (cyber and AI), why "clarity through enforcement" forces firms to read the tea leaves, and the well-intentioned mistakes that trip advisors up. The conversation closes with concrete habits — current U4s, disciplined notes — that meaningfully reduce risk.

More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS (compliance is part of the integrated platform): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> For many independent advisors, "compliance" falls somewhere between necessary and adversarial. It doesn't have to.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Joe Krcma, Chief Compliance Officer, and Jane Maccubbin, Senior Compliance Officer at Founders Financial, to explore what a relationship-driven compliance team actually looks like — and how that approach can serve, protect, and defend an advisor differently than a rules-only "no department." They dig into where regulators are honing in right now (cyber and AI), why "clarity through enforcement" forces firms to read the tea leaves, and the well-intentioned mistakes that trip advisors up. The conversation closes with concrete habits — current U4s, disciplined notes — that meaningfully reduce risk.

More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS (compliance is part of the integrated platform): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624607 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 2608 1 8 full false Jane Maccubbin Joe Krcma Steven Watts EP07 - A tech stack that actually stacks up EP07 - A tech stack that actually stacks up Massive innovation, massive choice, and massive confusion. That's the tech landscape for an independent advisor in 2026.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd and CTO Justin Neria to unpack how the technology landscape for independent advisors has shifted — from years-long, capital-heavy builds to a fast-moving, AI-accelerated marketplace of best-of-breed tools. They explore the strategic decision every firm faces (build versus partner), why most advisors use only a fraction of the tools they already pay for, and what to ask of a firm partner in 2026. The closing thesis: revolutionary in human history, evolutionary inside a well-run practice.


More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS: (the integrated tech platform discussed): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Massive innovation, massive choice, and massive confusion. That's the tech landscape for an independent advisor in 2026.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd and CTO Justin Neria to unpack how the technology landscape for independent advisors has shifted — from years-long, capital-heavy builds to a fast-moving, AI-accelerated marketplace of best-of-breed tools. They explore the strategic decision every firm faces (build versus partner), why most advisors use only a fraction of the tools they already pay for, and what to ask of a firm partner in 2026. The closing thesis: revolutionary in human history, evolutionary inside a well-run practice.


More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS: (the integrated tech platform discussed): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624602 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 1698 1 7 full false Brad Shepherd CHFC Justin Neria Steven Watts EP06 - How mature is your practice? EP06 - How mature is your practice? You can't lead what you haven't honestly diagnosed. And most advisors don't pause long enough to do it.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd walk through the maturity model Founders uses with Member Partners — five common areas, fifty-three principles, and five stages: limited, developmental, functional, performing, and optimal. They discuss why most advisors are accidental business owners, the trap of chasing GDC and AUM at all costs, and the shift from people-dependent to process-dependent that defines a sustainable, transferable enterprise. The closing argument: leadership is the single biggest driver of every outcome that follows.


More from Founders Financial: 

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

Strategic Enterprise Program: https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> You can't lead what you haven't honestly diagnosed. And most advisors don't pause long enough to do it.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd walk through the maturity model Founders uses with Member Partners — five common areas, fifty-three principles, and five stages: limited, developmental, functional, performing, and optimal. They discuss why most advisors are accidental business owners, the trap of chasing GDC and AUM at all costs, and the shift from people-dependent to process-dependent that defines a sustainable, transferable enterprise. The closing argument: leadership is the single biggest driver of every outcome that follows.


More from Founders Financial: 

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

Strategic Enterprise Program: https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624599 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 3339 1 6 full false Brad Shepherd CHFC Steven Watts EP05 - When the business runs you EP05 - When the business runs you There's a moment in the life of a growing practice where the advisor realizes the business is running them, not the other way around.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial President and CIO Peter Murphy explore why so many independent advisors hit a wall as their practices mature. The conversation traces the cathartic moment when an advisor realizes they're done running a bootstrap startup, the operational drift that pulls them away from the relationships they love, and the time-reallocation choices that separate stagnation from scale. Pete reframes "peace" as harmony — a living, intentional discipline of leading rather than doing — and shares how Founders' platform was built by and for Member Partners walking through exactly this terrain.

More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS (the integrated platform Pete references): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/ 

Strategic Enterprise Program: https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/ 

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> There's a moment in the life of a growing practice where the advisor realizes the business is running them, not the other way around.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial President and CIO Peter Murphy explore why so many independent advisors hit a wall as their practices mature. The conversation traces the cathartic moment when an advisor realizes they're done running a bootstrap startup, the operational drift that pulls them away from the relationships they love, and the time-reallocation choices that separate stagnation from scale. Pete reframes "peace" as harmony — a living, intentional discipline of leading rather than doing — and shares how Founders' platform was built by and for Member Partners walking through exactly this terrain.

More from Founders Financial: 

TRU Enterprise OS (the integrated platform Pete references): https://foundersfinancial.com/tru-enterprise-os/ 

Strategic Enterprise Program: https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/ 

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624595 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 1627 1 5 full false Peter Murphy CFA Steven Watts EP04 - Is your next firm a partner, or a paycheck? EP04 - Is your next firm a partner, or a paycheck? Nearly one in ten financial advisors moved firms last year — roughly double the historical average. So what's actually changing, and how should an advisor think about choosing a partner firm in 2026?

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Brad Shepherd, CEO of Founders Financial, to unpack the forces behind the wave: industry M&A, private equity ownership, and the shift from service-and-care to scale-and-profit. They examine why technology has flattened the differentiation game, what sub-$100M advisors face inside the mega firms, and how to read the difference between a short-term transition check and a long-term partnership.

A partner-to-partner conversation for any advisor weighing a move — and a reminder to start with the destination, not the details.

More from Founders Financial: 

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial


© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Nearly one in ten financial advisors moved firms last year — roughly double the historical average. So what's actually changing, and how should an advisor think about choosing a partner firm in 2026?

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Brad Shepherd, CEO of Founders Financial, to unpack the forces behind the wave: industry M&A, private equity ownership, and the shift from service-and-care to scale-and-profit. They examine why technology has flattened the differentiation game, what sub-$100M advisors face inside the mega firms, and how to read the difference between a short-term transition check and a long-term partnership.

A partner-to-partner conversation for any advisor weighing a move — and a reminder to start with the destination, not the details.

More from Founders Financial: 

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial


© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19624591 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 1533 1 4 full false Brad Shepherd CHFC Steven Watts EP02 - The myth of independence EP02 - The myth of independence "Independent" is one of the most used and least examined words in our industry. Most advisors who call themselves independent are quietly very dependent.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd and Chief Compliance Officer Joe Krcma to unpack how the meaning of advisor independence has shifted as the industry consolidates around mega firms and private equity capital. They argue that the real question isn't whether you're dependent — every advisor is — but whether your firm is a transactional utility or a genuine partner. The conversation explores the bifurcation of the industry, the warning signs of an eroding firm relationship, and why Founders frames its model as interdependence rather than independence.


More from Founders Financial: 

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> "Independent" is one of the most used and least examined words in our industry. Most advisors who call themselves independent are quietly very dependent.

In this episode, Steven Watts sits down with Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd and Chief Compliance Officer Joe Krcma to unpack how the meaning of advisor independence has shifted as the industry consolidates around mega firms and private equity capital. They argue that the real question isn't whether you're dependent — every advisor is — but whether your firm is a transactional utility or a genuine partner. The conversation explores the bifurcation of the industry, the warning signs of an eroding firm relationship, and why Founders frames its model as interdependence rather than independence.


More from Founders Financial: 

Our Difference: https://foundersfinancial.com/our-difference/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19615782 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 -0400 2127 1 2 full false Brad Shepherd CHFC Joe Krcma Steven Watts EP01 - Would you hire yourself as CEO? EP01 - Would you hire yourself as CEO? Most independent advisors hit a wall — and it's rarely a market wall. It's a complexity wall. The work of running the business slowly crowds out the work of serving clients.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd unpack the paradox at the center of growing an independent practice: the more you grow, the more complexity you create, and complexity is the silent killer of growth. They look at the 53-hour advisor work week, why most independent advisors are "accidental business owners," and what it actually takes to step into the CEO role of your enterprise. The conversation closes with a challenge advisors can sit with: would you hire yourself as the CEO of your own firm?

A partner-to-partner conversation for any advisor whose enterprise has outgrown how they were running it.

More from Founders Financial:

Strategic Enterprise Program (leadership development for advisors): https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Most independent advisors hit a wall — and it's rarely a market wall. It's a complexity wall. The work of running the business slowly crowds out the work of serving clients.

In this episode, Steven Watts and Founders Financial CEO Brad Shepherd unpack the paradox at the center of growing an independent practice: the more you grow, the more complexity you create, and complexity is the silent killer of growth. They look at the 53-hour advisor work week, why most independent advisors are "accidental business owners," and what it actually takes to step into the CEO role of your enterprise. The conversation closes with a challenge advisors can sit with: would you hire yourself as the CEO of your own firm?

A partner-to-partner conversation for any advisor whose enterprise has outgrown how they were running it.

More from Founders Financial:

Strategic Enterprise Program (leadership development for advisors): https://foundersfinancial.com/strategic-enterprise-program/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/founders-financial

© 2014-2026 Founders Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. All Rights Reserved.

]]> Founders Financial Buzzsprout-19471589 Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:00:00 -0400 3198 1 1 full false Brad Shepherd CHFC Steven Watts