--- title: "A Tech-Driven Approach to Empowering Independent Advisors with Shannon Spotswood" description: "In this episode, Kyle talks with Shannon Spotswood, CEO at RFG Advisory, about empowering independent advisors through technology." url: https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/a-tech-driven-approach-to-empowering-independent-advisors-with-shannon-spotswood updated: 2024-08-06 --- [Now playing](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast) [Podcast**Next Mile**](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast) [Episodes](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast)[Guests](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/guests) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@milemarkerinc) [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-connected-advisor/id1691759257) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/0Lw8kHGnS1JJBMZLPYxc9S) Episode 55 · Aug 6, 2024 · 50 min # A Tech-Driven Approach to Empowering Independent Advisors with Shannon Spotswood [**Shannon Spotswood***CEO, RFG Advisory*](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/guests/shannon-spotswood) [Apple Podcasts ↗](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-connected-advisor/id1691759257) [Spotify ↗](https://open.spotify.com/show/0Lw8kHGnS1JJBMZLPYxc9S) ## About this episode In this episode, Kyle talks with Shannon Spotswood, CEO at RFG Advisory, about empowering independent advisors through technology. Shannon discusses the importance of a tech-forward approach to delivering services and optimizing internal processes and what it takes to become the RIA of the future. She also shares the foundational pillars of RFG 2.0 and offers a glimpse into the future with RFG 3.0 and the strategic initiatives driving the platform's growth. In this episode: - \[03:23\] - Shannon's money moment - \[07:39\] - Shannon's first experience with wealth management - \[09:16\] - Why Shannon left her career in wealth management - \[11:01\] - How Shannon got back into the industry - \[15:15\] - The beginnings of RFG 2.0 - \[19:04\] - How Shannon helped RFG grow more than twice the industry average - \[24:20\] - How RFG helps advisors succeed - \[32:22\] - What RFG 3.0 is and how it works - \[39:02\] - What it's like to lead a successful wealth management firm - \[45:32\] - Shannon's Milemarker Minute **Key Takeaways** - Technology allows advisors to build enterprise value and deliver a frictionless advisor experience. It empowers them to operationalize and professionalize their business. - Advisors deserve high-touch service, advanced technology, and comprehensive support to deliver exceptional client experiences. - RFG Advisory's data-driven approach and focus on operational efficiency provides advisors with the tools and resources needed to become the RIA of the future. - Becoming the RIA of the future means serving multi-generational clients wherever they are in their financial lifecycle and doing it profitably. - The client of the future needs a financial life advisor. They want to live richly, not just die rich. **Quotes** \[17:33\] - "My obligation and duty in the industry is not only to be a mentor and a champion for innovation but also for RFG to be a testimony that if you link arms with talented people, you're aligned on your mission, and you're willing to walk through that trench and that valley, you can build something reflective of these big dreams." ~ [Shannon Spotswood](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonspotswood) \[29:15\] - "Advisors deserve more. They deserve a tech stack that is as frictionless as possible. They deserve centralized operations. They deserve a team that is wrapped around them, highly trained, motivated, and force multipliers for their clients and their growth. They deserve marketing and coaching resources anchored around the business they want to build." ~ [Shannon Spotswood](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonspotswood) \[37:45\] - "We are builders. We are servants. We like to build something bigger than ourselves. That ‘service above self’ unites us all and drives us to get out of bed in the morning." ~ [Shannon Spotswood](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonspotswood) **Links** - [Shannon Spotswood on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonspotswood) - [RFG Advisory](https://rfgadvisory.com/) - [Beating the Street](https://www.amazon.com/Beating-Street-Peter-Lynch/dp/0671891634) - [Liar's Poker](https://www.amazon.com/Liars-Poker-Norton-Paperback-Michael/dp/039333869X) - [Den of Thieves](https://www.amazon.com/Den-Thieves-James-B-Stewart/dp/067179227X) - [Nuveen](https://www.nuveen.com/) - [Bobby White](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbywhite1/) - [Rick Wedell](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-wedell-0796912/) - [Jim Bowen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bowenjim/) - [First Trust](https://www.ftportfolios.com/) - [Long Ridge](https://long-ridge.com/) - [Abby Salameh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbysalameh/) - [Kenneth Kim](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenkim76/) - [Brendan Frazier](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanfrazier/) - [Jud Mackrill](https://www.linkedin.com/in/judmackrill) - [Amp It Up](https://www.amazon.com/Amp-Unlocking-Hypergrowth-Expectations-Intensity/dp/1119836115) **Connect with our hosts** - [Milemarker.co](https://www.milemarker.co/) - [Kyle on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylevanpelt/) - [Jud on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/judmackrill/) **Subscribe and stay in touch** - [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connected/id1691759257) - [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/0Lw8kHGnS1JJBMZLPYxc9S) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@milemarkerinc) **Produce game-changing content with Turncast** Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at [Turncast.com](https://www.turncast.com/). ## The write-up [Listen to this weeks episode](https://open.spotify.com/episode/5S9x9drhSwDzNH9zw94Tyo?si=aac19e160d534498) ## Episode 055 In this episode of Next Mile, I talk with [Shannon Spotswood](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonspotswood), CEO at [RFG Advisory](https://rfgadvisory.com/), about empowering independent advisors through technology. Shannon discusses the importance of a tech-forward approach to delivering services and optimizing internal processes and what it takes to become the RIA of the future. She also shares the foundational pillars of RFG 2.0 and offers a glimpse into the future with RFG 3.0 and the strategic initiatives driving the platform’s growth. #### **Key Takeaways** Technology allows advisors to build enterprise value and deliver a frictionless advisor experience. It empowers them to operationalize and professionalize their business. Advisors deserve high-touch service, advanced technology, and comprehensive support to deliver exceptional client experiences. RFG Advisory’s data-driven approach and focus on operational efficiency provides advisors with the tools and resources needed to become the RIA of the future. Becoming the RIA of the future means serving multi-generational clients wherever they are in their financial lifecycle and doing it profitably. The client of the future needs a financial life advisor. They want to live richly, not just die rich. #### **Quotes** \[17:33\] - “My obligation and duty in the industry is not only to be a mentor and a champion for innovation but also for RFG to be a testimony that if you link arms with talented people, you’re aligned on your mission, and you’re willing to walk through that trench and that valley, you can build something reflective of these big dreams.” ~ [Shannon Spotswood](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonspotswood) \[37:45\] - “We are builders. We are servants. We like to build something bigger than ourselves. That ‘service above self’ unites us all and drives us to get out of bed in the morning.” ~ [Shannon Spotswood](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonspotswood) #### **Links** [Shannon Spotswood on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonspotswood) [RFG Advisory](https://rfgadvisory.com/) [Beating the Street](https://www.amazon.com/Beating-Street-Peter-Lynch/dp/0671891634) [Liar’s Poker](https://www.amazon.com/Liars-Poker-Norton-Paperback-Michael/dp/039333869X) [Den of Thieves](https://www.amazon.com/Den-Thieves-James-B-Stewart/dp/067179227X) [Nuveen](https://www.nuveen.com/) [Bobby White](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbywhite1/) [Rick Wedell](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-wedell-0796912/) [Jim Bowen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bowenjim/) [First Trust](https://www.ftportfolios.com/) [Long Ridge](https://long-ridge.com/) [Abby Salameh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbysalameh/) [Kenneth Kim](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenkim76/) [Brendan Frazier](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanfrazier/) [Jud Mackrill](https://www.linkedin.com/in/judmackrill) [Amp It Up](https://www.amazon.com/Amp-Unlocking-Hypergrowth-Expectations-Intensity/dp/1119836115) #### **Connect with our hosts** [Milemarker.co](https://www.milemarker.co/) [Kyle on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylevanpelt/) [Jud on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/judmackrill/) #### **Subscribe and stay in touch** [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connected/id1691759257) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/0Lw8kHGnS1JJBMZLPYxc9S) [YouTube](https://youtu.be/7kCyZjBSV5A) **Please don’t forget to Download, Like, and Subscribe.** If you’d like to schedule a time to talk with me about anything we cover on our podcast or [Milemarker](https://www.milemarker.co/), [click here for 15 minutes](https://meetings.hubspot.com/kyle-van-pelt). Kyle Van Pelt [**Shannon Spotswood***CEO, RFG Advisory*](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/guests/shannon-spotswood) Next Mile Conversations with the people building the next era of wealth management, hosted by Kyle Van Pelt. New episodes every Tuesday. 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