--- title: "How to Build Deep Client Relationships at Scale with Michael Vedders" description: "This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Michael Vedders, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Enterprise Resources at NorthRock Partners." url: https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/how-to-build-deep-client-relationships-at-scale-with-michael-vedders updated: 2026-03-31 --- [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 138 · Mar 31, 2026 · 34 min # How to Build Deep Client Relationships at Scale with Michael Vedders [**Michael Vedders***Vice President of Marketing & Enterprise Resources, NorthRock Partners*](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/guests/michael-vedders) [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 Michael Vedders, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Enterprise Resources at NorthRock Partners. In his role, Michael is responsible for extending NorthRock's reach and reputation. With more than a decade of experience in marketing and leading complex organizational projects, Michael has helped build teams, launch major branding initiatives, produce compelling creative, develop multi-channel planning, and use insights to inform strategy. Michael talks with Kyle about how wealth management firms can build deep client relationships at scale. He discusses the importance of storytelling in creating a strong brand narrative, how NorthRock's personal office business model works, and why the future belongs to firms that use data and automation to serve more people and build deeper human connections. In this episode: - (00:00) - Intro - (02:38) - Michael's money moment - (04:58) - Michael's frustration with traditional wealth management - (07:24) - What marketing really means in wealth management - (10:02) - How to build trust and deeper client relationships - (12:48) - The "quarterback" model of financial advice - (16:42) - How NorthRock manages deep relationships at scale - (21:52) - NorthRock's personal office business model - (22:54) - Michael's outlook on the future of financial advice - (29:03) - Redefining performance beyond returns - (30:57) - Michael's Milemarker Minute **Key Takeaways** - Don't rush to promote. Get your story right first. It's tempting to jump straight into marketing tactics, but without a clear, compelling story, even the best campaigns fall flat. Take the time to define what truly sets you apart before amplifying your message. - If you want deeper client relationships, create space for them. You can't force meaningful connections, but you can design for them. Offload technical tasks to specialists so advisors can focus on what matters most. - Use technology to create time, not just efficiency. AI and automation aren't the end goal. The real opportunity is what you do with the time they create. The best firms will reinvest that time into deeper relationships and better service. - The future belongs to firms that balance tech and humanity. Efficiency through data and automation is table stakes. The real edge comes from using that efficiency to deepen human connection, not replace it. **Quotes** "Marketing is the privilege of telling the story, the story of your firm and what differentiates you. You can spend a lot of money and generate a lot of activity without results if you don't provide a clear story for people first." ~ Michael Vedders "Deep relationships lead to better advice." ~ Michael Vedders "The future of our industry belongs to those who can create efficiencies and space through data and automation, and then use that space to serve people more effectively and deepen relationships." ~ Michael Vedders **Links** - [Michael Vedders on LinkedIn](https://linkedin.com/in/michael-vedders) - [NorthRock Partners](https://northrockpartners.com/) - [Think Again](https://www.amazon.com/Think-Again-Power-Knowing-What/dp/1984878107) - [Switch](https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Change-Things-When-Hard/dp/0385528752) - [Unreasonable Hospitality](https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573) - [Love Does](https://www.bobgoff.com/books/love-does/) - [The Ideal Team Player](https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Team-Player-Recognize-Cultivate/dp/1119209595) **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/32qLHqmTBaxcePjVRv2dss) ## Episode 138 On this week’s episode of *Next Mile*, I sit down with [Michael Vedders](https://linkedin.com/in/michael-vedders), Senior Vice President of Marketing & Enterprise Resources at [NorthRock Partners](https://northrockpartners.com/). With more than a decade of experience in marketing and leading complex organizational projects, Michael has helped build teams, launch major branding initiatives, produce compelling creative, develop multi-channel planning, and use insights to inform strategy. We discuss how wealth management firms can build deep client relationships at scale. Michael discusses the importance of storytelling in creating a strong brand narrative, how NorthRock’s personal office business model works, and why the future belongs to firms that use data and automation to serve more people and build deeper human connections. #### **Key Takeaways** - If you want deeper client relationships, create space for them. You can’t force meaningful connections, but you can design for them. Offload technical tasks to specialists so advisors can focus on what matters most. - Use technology to create time, not just efficiency. AI and automation aren’t the end goal. The real opportunity is what you do with the time they create. The best firms will reinvest that time into deeper relationships and better service. - The future belongs to firms that balance tech and humanity. Efficiency through data and automation is table stakes. The real edge comes from using that efficiency to deepen human connection, not replace it. #### **Quotes** “Marketing is the privilege of telling the story, the story of your firm and what differentiates you. You can spend a lot of money and generate a lot of activity without results if you don’t provide a clear story for people first.” ~ [Michael Vedders](https://linkedin.com/in/michael-vedders) “Deep relationships lead to better advice.” ~ [Michael Vedders](https://linkedin.com/in/michael-vedders) “The future of our industry belongs to those who can create efficiencies and space through data and automation, and then use that space to serve people more effectively and deepen relationships.” ~ [Michael Vedders](https://linkedin.com/in/michael-vedders) #### **Links** - [Michael Vedders on LinkedIn](https://linkedin.com/in/michael-vedders) - [NorthRock Partners](https://northrockpartners.com/) - [Think Again](https://www.amazon.com/Think-Again-Power-Knowing-What/dp/1984878107) - [Switch](https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Change-Things-When-Hard/dp/0385528752) - [Unreasonable Hospitality](https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573) - [Love Does](https://www.bobgoff.com/books/love-does/) - [The Ideal Team Player](https://www.amazon.com/Ideal-Team-Player-Recognize-Cultivate/dp/1119209595) #### **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/g50peMRuLXE) **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 [**Michael Vedders***Vice President of Marketing & Enterprise Resources, NorthRock Partners*](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/guests/michael-vedders) 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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