--- title: "Forging a Path to Freedom and Independence with Adam Spiegelman" description: "This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Adam Spiegelman, Founder and Wealth Advisor at Spiegelman Wealth Management, which offers investment and wealth management…" url: https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/forging-a-path-to-freedom-and-independence-with-adam-spiegelman updated: 2026-02-03 --- [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 130 · Feb 3, 2026 · 34 min # Forging a Path to Freedom and Independence with Adam Spiegelman [**Adam Spiegelman***Founder & Wealth Advisor, Spiegelman Wealth Management*](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/guests/adam-spiegelman) [Apple Podcasts ↗](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-connected-advisor/id1691759257) [Spotify ↗](https://open.spotify.com/show/0Lw8kHGnS1JJBMZLPYxc9S) ## About this episode This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Adam Spiegelman, Founder and Wealth Advisor at Spiegelman Wealth Management, which 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 talks with Kyle about 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. In this episode: - (00:00) - Intro - (01:32) - Adam's money moment - (03:18) - Navigating the LPL acquisition of Commonwealth - (06:07) - What Adam learned after going independent - (08:41) - The reality of independence - (10:09) - The challenges and rewards of building a custom technology ecosystem - (13:03) - What made Commonwealth technology user-friendly - (17:53) - Adam's vision for Spiegelman Wealth Management - (20:20) - What great service actually looks like in practice - (22:31) - Adam's growth strategies - (26:04) - Adam's outlook on the future of the wealth management industry - (28:30) - Adam's Milemarker Minute **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](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamspiegelman/) - [Spiegelman Wealth Management](https://www.spiegelmanwealth.com/) - [Fidelity Investments](https://www.fidelity.com/) - [A Gentleman in Moscow](https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Moscow-Novel-Amor-Towles/dp/0670026190) **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 week’s episode](https://open.spotify.com/episode/5CvtcpPQQ5LIctO7RDAdFr) ## Episode 130 On this week’s episode of Next Mile, I sit down with [Adam Spiegelman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamspiegelman/), Founder and Wealth Advisor at [Spiegelman Wealth Management](https://www.spiegelmanwealth.com/), 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](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamspiegelman/) “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](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamspiegelman/) “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](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamspiegelman/) #### **Links** - [Adam Spiegelman on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamspiegelman/) - [Spiegelman Wealth Management](https://www.spiegelmanwealth.com/) - [Fidelity Investments](https://www.fidelity.com/) - [A Gentleman in Moscow](https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Moscow-Novel-Amor-Towles/dp/0670026190) **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/2t6k4fK2IqU) **While there, 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 [**Adam Spiegelman***Founder & Wealth Advisor, Spiegelman Wealth Management*](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/guests/adam-spiegelman) 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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