--- title: "Thriving Through Disruption: Building a Future-Ready RIA with Jay Tarno" description: "This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Jay Tarno. Jay is the COO of Cornerstone Planning Group. This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Jay Tarno. Jay is the COO…" url: https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/thriving-through-disruption-building-a-future-ready-ria-with-jay-tarno updated: 2025-05-20 --- [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 94 · May 20, 2025 · 33 min # Thriving Through Disruption: Building a Future-Ready RIA with Jay Tarno [**Jay Tarno***COO, Cornerstone Planning Group*](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/guests/jay-tarno) [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 Jay Tarno. Jay is the COO of Cornerstone Planning Group. A former advisor turned operator, he helped lead Cornerstone’s transition to independence and rapid growth. Jay specializes in scaling operations, building advisor support systems, and leveraging technology to enhance client experience, all while maintaining a people-first, fiduciary approach. Kyle and Jay discuss the risks and rewards of building a tech-forward firm from scratch. From navigating the choppy waters of the 2008 financial crisis to transitioning to independence during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Jay shares his path and the key strategies behind Cornerstone Planning Group's scalable growth. In this episode: - (00:00) - Intro - (01:31) - Jay's money moment - (05:16) - Going independent during the pandemic - (07:47) - Building a tech stack from scratch - (13:02) - How Cornerstone supports advisors with niche markets - (16:42) - What it takes to be a great COO - (18:42) - Creating Cornerstone’s service team and its impact on growth - (21:51) - Cornerstone's approach to recruiting and developing talent - (24:08) - Jay’s outlook on the future of financial advice, tech, and client relationships - (26:50) - Jay's Milemarker Minute **Key Takeaways** - Despite launching its RIA during the pandemic, Cornerstone Planning Group thrived, demonstrating the power of adaptability and a strong value proposition. - Building a technology foundation from scratch allowed Cornerstone to select best-in-class solutions, enhancing efficiency and the client experience. - Cornerstone fosters a culture where advisors with niche markets are empowered and supported alongside more generalist practices. - By creating a dedicated service team, Cornerstone has freed up advisors to focus on client relationships and business development, leading to significant revenue growth. **Quotes** "When you're jumping into a new technology, it's nerve-racking. You have to really dive into it and use it to learn it." ~ Jay Tarno "We like to pride ourselves on technology. We are nimble enough and have the autonomy to choose who we feel is best for us and our clients." ~ Jay Tarno "On the tech side, you're going to have to lean into any tech that's going to improve client experience and make your lives easier. Save on labor costs and save on helping your team just make their work more efficient." ~ Jay Tarno **Links** - [Jay Tarno on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jontarno/) - [Cornerstone Planning Group](https://www.joincornerstoneplanninggroup.com/) - [Carmine Corino](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carminecorino/) - [Charles Schwab](https://www.schwab.com/) - [Extreme Ownership](https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057) **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/0kUzKN5yc6bczahTLQVhC4) ## Episode 094 On this week’s episode of The Connected Advisor, I speak with [Jay Tarno](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaytarno), COO of [Cornerstone Planning Group](https://www.cornerstoneplanning.com/). A former advisor turned operator, Jay helped lead Cornerstone’s transition to independence and rapid growth. We discuss the risks and rewards of building a tech-forward firm from scratch. From navigating the choppy waters of the 2008 financial crisis to transitioning to independence during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Jay shares his journey and the key strategies behind Cornerstone Planning Group’s scalable growth. #### Key Takeaways **Despite launching its RIA during the pandemic, Cornerstone Planning Group thrived, demonstrating the power of adaptability and a strong value proposition.** **Building a technology foundation from scratch allowed Cornerstone to select best-in-class solutions, enhancing efficiency and the client experience.** **Cornerstone fosters a culture where advisors with niche markets are empowered and supported alongside more generalist practices.** **By creating a dedicated service team, Cornerstone has freed up advisors to focus on client relationships and business development, leading to significant revenue growth.** #### Quotes > “When you’re jumping into a new technology, it’s nerve-racking. You have to really dive into it and use it to learn it.” > — Jay Tarno > “We like to pride ourselves on technology. We are nimble enough and have the autonomy to choose who we feel is best for us and our clients.” > — Jay Tarno > “On the tech side, you’re going to have to lean into any tech that’s going to improve client experience and make your lives easier. Save on labor costs and save on helping your team just make their work more efficient.” > — Jay Tarno #### Links & Resources #### **Featured:** - [Jay Tarno on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaytarno) - [Cornerstone Planning Group](https://www.cornerstoneplanning.com/) **Companies Mentioned:** - [Charles Schwab](https://www.schwab.com/) **Books Mentioned:** - [Extreme Ownership](https://echelonfront.com/extreme-ownership/) by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin #### Connect With Our Hosts - [Milemarker.co](https://www.milemarker.co/) - [Kyle on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylevp) - [Jud on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/judbergman) #### Subscribe and Stay in Touch - Apple Podcasts - [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/nextmile) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@milemarkerinc) If you’d like to schedule a time to talk with me about anything we cover on our podcast or Milemarker, click here for 15 minutes. *— Kyle Van Pelt* [**Jay Tarno***COO, Cornerstone Planning Group*](https://www.milemarker.co/podcast/guests/jay-tarno) Next Mile Conversations with the people building the next era of wealth management, hosted by Kyle Van Pelt. 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