Today's episode of Behind The Advisor is a little different because we're giving you a preview of something brand new from XYPN. Balanced PM is a new podcast hosted by XYPN Portfolio Analyst Joe Dunn, CFA, and XYPN Director of Investments Andrew Almeida, CFA, CFP®, focused on the principles behind portfolio construction and long-term investment thinking. In this special preview episode, Joe and Andrew dive into stagflation: what it is, how it shaped markets in the 1970s, and why advisors are hearing about it again today. They explore how inflation, slowing growth, and market uncertainty can influence investor behavior, portfolio design, and planning conversations in the current environment.

Greg Vojtanek went from acting and side gigs to founding Fade In Financial: a firm built for entertainment creatives who live with unpredictable income. He launched without clients or a safety net, and by month 15 he'd stopped pulling from savings. In this episode, Greg talks about making the leap, finding your niche, and why lived experience might be your biggest asset.

Alan Moore and Michael Kitces share nine years of XYPN benchmarking insights live from XYPN LIVE 2025. From year-one challenges to fee strategies, hiring, and the value of CFP® certification, this episode gives a candid, data-driven look at what works (and what doesn't) when growing a fee-only firm.

In this episode of Behind the Advisor, David Flores Wilson shares how his firm grew 5X in five years—by focusing on entrepreneurs, building community, and keeping the human side of planning front and center. From creating simple systems to boosting visibility with media, David's story is full of practical takeaways you can apply in your own practice.

In this episode of Behind the Advisor, Dan Slagle of Fyooz Financial Planning shares how he and his wife, Natalie, grew their firm from 30 to 70+ households—while redesigning their work and life for balance. From parental leave to narrowing their client focus, Dan reveals why clarity, boundaries, and aligned values matter more than scale. Advisors will walk away with insights on setting fees, serving your niche, and building a practice that supports the life you want.

In this episode of Behind the Advisor, we talk with Monica Scudieri, founder of Grab Your Slice, about how financial coaches can support advisors by helping clients build stability and confidence before entering a planning relationship. We cover the difference between coaching and advising, how partnerships can improve client outcomes, and why coaching is a powerful tool for clients in transition.

Ryan Johnson launched Hundred Financial Planning with no clients, limited experience, and a tough regulatory environment. In this episode, he shares how XYPN's Sapphire model helped him move fast, stay lean, and build a firm that truly fits his life and his clients'.

Leaving entrepreneurship doesn't mean leaving the industry for good. In this episode, Nannette Kamien, founder of Inspiration Financial Planning, shares her journey of launching, pausing, and eventually relaunching her firm nearly a decade after first joining XYPN. She opens up about the challenges that led her to close her practice, the growth she experienced while working for others, and how that clarity helped her return with renewed purpose. Now focused on supporting women over 40 through life transitions, Nannette's story is a powerful reminder that career paths aren't always linear—and that sometimes stepping back is the first step forward.

In this special episode of Behind The Advisor, Alan Moore interviews Maddy Roche, XYPN's first employee and longtime podcast host, as she prepares to depart after nearly 11 years. From her start as the "Director of Getting Sh!t Done" to becoming an executive business coach, Maddy reflects on her journey with XYPN, discussing the challenges of growing with a company, the importance of sabbaticals, and her next chapter developing services for people without children at Child-Free Legacy. This bittersweet conversation offers valuable insights for advisors on team building, organizational growth, and embracing professional transitions with grace.

Going independent doesn't mean doing it alone. In this episode, Brian Muller, founder of Momentous Wealth Advisors, shares his journey through the RIA transition and how XYPN Sapphire helped him navigate compliance, operations, and client transfers—without sacrificing his brand or autonomy. He opens up about building a lifestyle practice, overcoming challenges, and finding the right support to create the business (and life) he wanted.