Listen to this week’s episode

Episode 130

On this week’s episode of Next Mile, I sit down with Adam Spiegelman, Founder and Wealth Advisor at Spiegelman Wealth Management, a firm that offers investment and wealth management programs and services for high-net-worth clients. The company’s mission is to develop enduring relationships with clients by providing professional guidance for a lifetime of financial security. 

Adam discusses what it really means to go independent and why freedom, service, and intentional scale matter more in financial services. He shares why he left large firms to build a boutique RIA, the emotional weight of the transition, and how he maintains a human-centric approach in an automated world.

Key Takeaways

• Freedom creates clarity, but also responsibility. Going independent removes bureaucracy but also challenges leaders to own every decision, especially in technology and operations.

• Great service lives in the small, thoughtful moments. Picking up the phone, anticipating confusion, and proactively helping clients through stressful situations often matter more than flashy offerings.

• Growth doesn't have to mean “bigger”. Staying intentionally small can be a competitive advantage when relationships, trust, and responsiveness are the core product.

• AI will change the work, but not remove the human role. As modeling and analysis become commoditized, judgment, empathy, and contextual thinking become even more valuable.

Quotes

"I talked to dozens of recruiters, firms, and advisors. And I did all this due diligence with one purpose in mind: to scare me out of wanting to go independent. And no one could scare me. I knew in my heart that this was the absolute right thing to do." ~ Adam Spiegelman

"I learned a long time ago that this business is not just about lining my pockets. It's not about money and fees, it's about relationships." ~ Adam Spiegelman

"People want to take more charge of their finances. Gone are the days of pension plans and the government providing all that support." ~ Adam Spiegelman

Links

• Adam Spiegelman on LinkedIn

• Spiegelman Wealth Management

• Fidelity Investments

• A Gentleman in Moscow

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• Milemarker.co

• Kyle on LinkedIn

• Jud on LinkedIn

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Kyle Van Pelt