Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Greg Opitz
Do Stocks Want the Eagles or Chiefs to Win?
First things first, don’t ever invest based on who wins the Super Bowl. Or the coin toss, or how bad the refs will be, etc. With that out of the way, it is Super Bowl season and that means it is time to talk about the always-popular Super Bowl Indicator! The Super Bowl Indicator suggests stocks rise for the full year when the Super Bowl winner has come from the original National Football League (now the NFC), but when an original American Football League (now the AFC) team has won, stocks fall.
David DeVoe: The Ultimate Business Rollercoaster
David DeVoe is CEO and Founder of DeVoe & Company, an investment bank and consulting firm. He has more than 20 years of experience in the business strategy and banking world and is passionate about helping entrepreneurs make the most of their business-life decisions. “It’s not like putting a deck on the back of the house or something,” he says. “So, yeah, it’s a fascinating space, and it’s pretty dynamic these days.
Amie Agamata: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
Amie Agamata has big plans as she steps into her latest role: President-Elect for the Financial Planning Association (FPA)’s NextGen community of new and aspiring financial planners. Amie has a multi-year goal to create a career pathway and resources to support new entries into the profession. She wants to open up NexGen gatherings to further encourage connection and network building. And she wants to create a repeatable process for succession planning within NexGen.
Journal: August 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS STARTING THOUGHTS by Danielle Andrus COVER STORY by Mark L. Prendergast, CFP®, CPA, CDFA Gray divorces are on the rise, and the documents that protected clients’ interests upon their death will likely become outdated. Learn what changes you can—and can’t—make regarding these emotional planning decisions.
A Plan for When Your Personal Battery Just Won’t Hold a Charge
In mid-December 2021, I was sitting on the couch with my husband when I turned to him and said, “I don’t know what’s wrong. All this year, I haven’t had the energy for or interest in things I normally love, like gardening and decorating for Christmas.
The Power of Reframing When Things Go Right - and When Things Go Wrong
When was the last time you asked to speak to a manager about an employee’s performance? Was it because the service was bad or because it was great? Likely because it was bad. But how wonderful would it be if when we had a great customer service experience, we called the manager to tell them about the positive experience?
Dr. Jen Welter: Leveling the Playing Field for Women
In today’s episode of Framework, Carson’s Jamie Hopkins and guest host Brodrick Lothringer talk with Dr. Jennifer Welter, first female coach in the National Football League and founder of the Gridiron Girls. Being considered a disruptor in the sports industry wasn’t something Dr. Jen dreamt about as a child – being a female coach in a male-dominated profession is not exactly the norm.
Are You Sure You Need a Business Coach?
As someone who has coached and consulted in the financial services industry for more than 25 years, I feel equipped to address this question. And, yes, I’m laying on the sarcasm pretty thick in the title. So, let me cut to the chase and make my case – yes, you need a coach. Let’s talk about why that’s true. Your Perspective Is…Yours We all appreciate the value of a second opinion. You and I will never look at things completely objectively.
Luis Rosa: Addressing Disparities and Inequities in Finance
In today’s episode of Framework, Carson’s Jamie Hopkins and Ana Limón talk with Luis Rosa, Certified Financial Planner and founder of Build a Better Financial Future LLC. Community involvement was an important value in Luis’ family while living in the Dominican Republic.
Andrew Komarow: Financial Independence for Neurodiverse People
On today’s episode of Framework, Jamie and co-host, Ana Trujillo Limon, chat with Andrew Komarow, CEO and Founder of Planning Across the Spectrum. Having been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Andrew understood firsthand the finance-related challenges those with autism face.
Shane Westhoelter: The Importance of Mentoring and Building a Legacy
In today’s episode of Framework, Jamie talks with Shane Westhoelter, President and CEO of Gateway Financial Advisors, Inc. Shane joined the financial industry in 1988. Before Gateway Financial Advisors, he was selling life insurance policies door to door. Today, Shane and his team focus on providing dignity planning and comprehensive full financial planning services. Shane believes that we all leave a legacy by default or by design and we must do the planning to get it right.
The Formula for Finding the Right Fit For Your Team
You meet a candidate for a position in your firm and absolutely love them. You forgo a deliberate screening process and bring them on as quickly as possible. A few weeks later, you find out they’re not a good fit for your team. Now what? You don’t want to embark on a new search, so you let your stakeholder stay until they decide to leave. By that time, you’ve already spent a tremendous amount of time with someone who wasn’t working out.
Theodora Lau: Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter
In today’s episode of Framework, Jamie talks with Theodora Lau, Founder of Unconventional Ventures. Theodora is a public speaker, writer, and advisor who sparks innovation and drives difficult conversations about discrimination across different industries. With her experience in IT and financial services, Theodora is also keen on helping financial institutions, entrepreneurs, startups, and venture capitalists be strategic when meeting their customers’ needs.
Dr. Daralee Barbera: The Access Point to Financial Literacy
In today’s episode of Framework, Jamie talks with Dr. Daralee Barbera, the President of Diversified Professional Coaching, LLC. Dr. Daralee Barbera is a professor, a professional business coach, and a consultant. Daralee began her career as a teacher and never thought she’d enter the finance world. While practicing teaching, she explored and did financial planning on the side—this signaled a career shift. Clients were piling up quickly and she made the shift to full-time financial planner.
The 6 Types of Advisors Who Should Attend Excell 2021
Whether you’re looking for career inspiration, insight into where the industry is now and where it’s headed, or practical tips on specific topics, Excell is a must-attend conference for advisors. Sessions are designed with growth in mind – actionable takeaways are coated in innovation. Alongside general sessions, we offer deep dives into subjects that advisors care about.
Encouraging Diversity and Lessons from the Kitchen with Chef Lauren Owens
In today’s episode of Framework, Jamie talks with Lauren Owens, a private chef based out of New Jersey. Lauren has been a line cook, an executive chef, and everything in between. She now cooks for clients in their homes and works to pass on her love of vegetables to others. Though she didn’t realize it at first, the joy she found in cooking from a young age put her on the path to make food her career.
Changing the System and Conscious Investing with Phuong Luong
In today’s episode of Framework, Jamie talks with Phuong Luong, the founder of Just Wealth Planning — a mission-oriented wealth planning firm. Phuong is the first member of her family to be born in the U.S. and has had an interesting path to being recognized as the future of the financial planning industry. Phuong was interested in personal finance from a young age. Being a first-generation American meant she had to navigate the U.S. financial system on her own, mostly out of necessity.
The 7 Fundamental Tactics That Can Make Or Break Your Growth in 2021
After being at Carson for 15 years, it never ceases to amaze me how advisors are easily distracted. Competent entrepreneurs allow themselves to forget why they are so successful. Either they experience so much present-day success that they stop pursuing growth or they’re keen on trying new ideas, focusing too much attention on what’s next. Advisors need to wear bifocal glasses when they look at their business – keeping their eyes on the day-to-day as well as their long-term strategic vision.
Shaping How We Learn and Top-to-Bottom Value with Tom Rollins
In today’s episode of Framework, Jamie talks with Tom Rollins, the founder of The Great Courses and The Teaching Company. Through his work with The Great Courses, Tom has helped shape the way millions of people learn. As a student at Harvard Law School, Tom found himself in need of some last-minute information for an exam. After watching 10 hours of tapes on the subject from a world-class teacher, he realized the power that having the best teachers in the world could have on someone’s education.
3 ways for advisers to prepare for growth in the next decade
The advisers I coach who are growing rapidly are winning new business (and retaining existing clients) by doing more to enhance the client experience. Integrated technology helps deliver the substantive pieces of their firm — comprehensive planning and more avenues of communication — while also adding ease and sizzle that enrich client-facing deliverables. Your value needs to be more robust today, and it will need to be even more impressive tomorrow.
Minimize Execution Error in Your Practice’s Vital Processes
Can you recall the last major initiative that died in your office? Did it crash and burn or did it slowly suffocate from competing priorities? Most often the whirlwind of pressing day-to-day activities devour all the time and energy needed to properly execute strategies for activities that could lead to future growth. In our 20 years of experience working with highly successful advisors at Peak Advisor Alliance, we have found top achievers are exceptionally well organized. In the article, Busy?
Coaches Corner: Profiting From Unprofitable Clients
The subject of profitability can be difficult for some advisors. In fact, it’s not as black and white as you may think. You may be making a good living, covering your expenses and providing necessary services to people who really need your help. However, less profitable clients can pose problems in areas such as portfolio management and ongoing service. Most important, it can impact your firm valuation when it comes time to sell.
Coaches Corner: How to Get a Good Human Capital ROI
More than ever, advisors need great people who can deliver and support a great client experience. In fact, it may be the single biggest reason for your success in increasing revenue, gaining new assets and achieving a work-life balance. In nearly 20 years of working with advisors, it has been my experience that the advisors who view human capital as an investment rather than a cost tend to experience more success and grow their business at a faster rate.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Greg
Contact Greg, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack