Cambridge Investment Research has been one of the early pioneers bringing AI into financial advising.
In this episode, Chris Arnold and Mark Gilbert talk with Erica Molina, VP of Product Management at Cambridge, about how her team turned AI strategy into action—from giving advisors back their time to completely rethinking how firms operate at scale.

Erica breaks down Cambridge’s “AI-first” vision, what it takes to introduce AI safely in a highly regulated environment, and how the firm’s new agentic AI workflow is reshaping everything from account opening to client engagement.

Erica MolinaVP of Product Management, Cambridge Investment Research🔗 LinkedIn

Mark GilbertCo-Founder & CEO, Zocks – AI Assistant for Financial Advisors🔗 LinkedIn

Chris ArnoldHost of The Modern Advisor Podcast | Founder & Lead Advisor, Refresh Wealth | Brand Ambassador, Zocks🔗 LinkedIn

In this episode, host Chris Arnold is joined by Mark Cecchini, Partner at Quadrant Capital, to discuss how technology and AI are transforming the role of the modern financial advisor.Mark brings a unique perspective — having worked at startup wealth-tech companies before joining an independent RIA managing nearly $2 billion in assets. He shares how his practice leverages tools like eMoney, Addepar, and Holistaplan to serve high-net-worth tech founders and employees across the U.S., often remotely and asynchronously.They dive into:• How Quadrant Capital balances tech tools with human touch• The startup vs. traditional RIA mindset when it comes to building vs. buying software• How AI is already helping with meeting follow-ups, insights, and advisor efficiency• Why security and compliance still limit some AI use cases• The future of personal branding and digital client acquisitionWhether you're a solo advisor or part of a growing team, this conversation offers real-world insights on where the industry is heading — and how to stay ahead of the curveMark Cecchini• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markcecchini/• Twitter/X: @markcecchini• Company: https://quadcapco.com/

Chris Arnold• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisarnold20/• Company: refreshwealth.com

In this episode of The Modern Advisor Podcast, host Chris Arnold sits down with Charesse Spiller, founder of LevelBest and creator of FinOps Co-op, to dive into how financial advisors can harness technology to drive operational excellence and scale their practices effectively.

Charesse shares her expert insights on:• Essential technology audits advisors must perform regularly.• Leveraging AI tools beyond basic note-taking, from client onboarding to ongoing service management.• The importance of balancing automation and personalization for impactful client experiences.• Actionable strategies for advisors launching new practices to establish strong foundational technology and operational workflows.

Whether you're a solo advisor or leading a multi-advisor firm, this episode offers valuable perspectives on using technology strategically to enhance client satisfaction, empower your team, and facilitate sustainable growth.

Social Media Handles:• Host (Chris Arnold): ◦ LinkedIn: Chris Arnold ◦ Company: Refresh Wealth• Guest (Charesse Spiller): ◦ LinkedIn: Charesse Spiller ◦ Company: LevelBest

Host Chris Arnold talks with Chelsea Ransom-Cooper, Chief Financial Planning Officer at Zenith Wealth Partners, about building scalable processes while serving 300+ families and nonprofits with a team of nine.

Chelsea shares her journey from meeting co-founder Jason through a LinkedIn connection to building a comprehensive wealth management firm during the pandemic. Now specializing in equity compensation and serving first-generation wealth builders, she discusses how technology enables their rapid growth.

Key topics:

• Building comprehensive workflows using Hubli for team coordination
• Implementing Zox AI meeting assistant across a multi-advisor team
• Creating seamless onboarding with Altruist integration
• The "AI wishlist" including automated financial plan creation and lead nurturing
• Using modular client processes for tax planning and insurance reviews
• Vision for client success dashboards and "Spotify wrapped" for finances

Chelsea discusses their mission to create a billion dollars of wealth for clients and how technology helps demonstrate tangible progress while reducing operational overhead for their growing team.

Perfect for advisors interested in team-based operations, equity compensation planning, and leveraging AI for client success tracking and business development.

Connect with Chelsea:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ransom-cooper-cfp-6b198346/

- Zenith Wealth Partners: https://zenithwealth.partners/

Connect with Chris:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisarnold20/

- Website: https://refreshwealth.com/

- Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/65YiwfF2XMqLh2Xz2SiOxA?si=vtGBejiOSc6_u-Dl4Heumw

This Episode is presented by Zocks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgil/

Website: https://www.zocks.io/

Host Chris Arnold sits down with Samuel Deane, founder of Rora Wealth, to explore how technology enables advisors to build scalable lifestyle practices while implementing values-based investment strategies.

Samuel shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting his firm at age 26 with just $10-15K - made possible by modern SaaS tools. He recently rebranded to Aurora Wealth, honoring his Guyanese heritage by naming the firm after Mount Roraima from his parents' homeland.

Key topics:

• How modern technology democratized wealth management entrepreneurship
• Using Seeds platform for values-based investing aligned with ESG factors
• Nudge for frictionless task management (no client logins required)
• Strategic tech evaluation framework: workflow needs first, team input, client aesthetics
• AI optimism: envisioning smaller teams managing larger practices
• Content strategy evolution from written to video-first approach

Samuel discusses his philosophy of building a lifestyle practice that serves more clients through technology rather than traditional headcount scaling, and his bullish perspective on AI's potential to dramatically improve advisor productivity.

This episode offers practical insights for advisors interested in values-based investing, efficient tech stacks, or scaling practices through technology rather than headcount.

Connect with Samuel:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelsdeane/

- Rora Wealth: https://rorawealth.com/

Connect with Chris:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisarnold20/

- Website: https://refreshwealth.com/

- Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/65YiwfF2XMqLh2Xz2SiOxA?si=vtGBejiOSc6_u-Dl4Heumw

This Episode is presented by Zocks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgil/

Website: https://www.zocks.io/

In this episode of The Modern Advisor podcast, host Chris Arnold sits down with Jake Northrup, founder of Experience Your Wealth, to explore how advisors can build custom AI solutions while deepening the human elements of financial planning that technology can't replace.

Jake brings a unique perspective on team building and client experience, having grown his practice to serve 75 clients across tech and small business owners with a team that includes a fractional Chief Financial Behavior Officer - a financial therapist who helps clients navigate the emotional and psychological aspects of money decisions.

Key topics covered:

• The Human Side of Money: Why Jake hired a financial therapist to help clients uncover their relationship with money and navigate high-stakes life decisions that go beyond spreadsheets and algorithms
• Project Management Innovation: How Experience Your Wealth uses MeisterTask as both an internal system and client-facing dashboard to centralize action items, agendas, and financial life details in one visual platform
• Custom AI Development: Jake's ambitious project to build a proprietary AI chatbot that will house all company procedures, planning recommendations, and training materials - controllable data without relying on external platforms
• Team Training Revolution: Using Grain AI to record and transcribe team meetings, creating a searchable database of planning methodologies and onboarding materials
• Visual Client Storytelling: Creating life planning timelines in Miro to help clients celebrate progress and visualize future goals beyond traditional financial metrics
• The Art vs. Science of Planning: How AI handles the "science" of financial planning rules while advisors focus on the personalized "art" of individual client situations

Jake also shares his vision for proactive AI applications, from automatically flagging refinancing opportunities to sending reminders when checking accounts exceed optimal thresholds.

He discusses the importance of cybersecurity partnerships when implementing AI solutions and his philosophy that technology should enable deeper client relationships rather than simply increasing client capacity.

This episode offers a fascinating look at how forward-thinking advisors are building custom technology solutions while simultaneously investing more deeply in the irreplaceable human elements of financial planning.

Whether you're interested in project management innovations or considering building your own AI tools, Jake provides practical insights from an advisor actively experimenting at the intersection of technology and human psychology.

Connect with Jake:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakenorthrup/

- Experience Your Wealth: https://experienceyourwealth.com/

Connect with Chris:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisarnold20/

- Website: https://refreshwealth.com/

- Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/65YiwfF2XMqLh2Xz2SiOxA?si=vtGBejiOSc6_u-Dl4Heumw

This Episode is presented by Zocks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgil/

Website: https://www.zocks.io/

In this episode of The Modern Advisor podcast, host Chris Arnold sits down with Kris Barney, founder of 30-40 Wealth Partners, to explore how financial advisors are leveraging AI and technology to enhance client service delivery while maintaining the personal touch that sets boutique practices apart.

Kris brings a unique perspective to the conversation, having spent a decade in tech startups and investment banking before launching his advisory practice four years ago. Now serving 40 households of tech professionals, he shares practical insights on building and evolving a modern tech stack while navigating the complexities of equity compensation planning.

Key topics covered:

• From MVP to Scale: How Kris started with Google Sheets and gradually built a sophisticated tech stack including Salesforce/Quiver CRM, Jump.ai for meeting notes, and specialized tools for equity compensation analysis
• AI Meeting Assistants: Real-world experience transitioning from generic solutions like Fireflies to advisor-specific platforms like Jump.ai, and the productivity gains from automated meeting recaps and task creation
• Client Accountability Challenges: The ongoing struggle to find effective project management solutions that clients will actually use, and why email remains the "best bad solution" for many practices
• Privacy and Security: How tech-savvy clients respond to AI adoption and the importance of due diligence when implementing new technologies
• Content Creation at Scale: Using AI to enhance LinkedIn posting and newsletter writing while maintaining authentic voice and messaging
• Integration Frustrations: The persistent challenge of data silos between financial planning platforms and the promise of emerging technologies to solve integration issues

Kris also shares his vision for the future of advisory technology, including automated task tracking, personalized client communications, and the potential for AI to help advisors stay on top of life events and company-specific information that deepens client relationships.

Whether you're a solo advisor looking to optimize your practice or interested in how AI can enhance the client experience without replacing the human element, this episode offers actionable insights from an advisor actively implementing these technologies in his practice serving tech professionals.

Connect with Kris:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-barney/

- 3040Wealth: https://www.3040wealth.com/

Connect with Chris:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisarnold20/

- Website: https://refreshwealth.com/

- Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/65YiwfF2XMqLh2Xz2SiOxA?si=vtGBejiOSc6_u-Dl4Heumw

This Episode is presented by Zocks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgil/

Website: https://www.zocks.io/

In this inaugural episode of The Modern Advisor podcast, Presented by Zocks, host Chris Arnold sits down with Bryan Hasling of Modern Financial Planning to explore the evolving technology landscape for financial advisors.

Bryan shares insights from running a virtual wealth management firm serving 65+ tech professionals across the Bay Area and East Coast, managing nearly $90 million in assets. The conversation dives deep into the challenges of building an efficient tech stack, from CRM systems like Wealthbox to portfolio management tools like Quantis and Right Capital.

Key topics covered:

• Tech Stack Essentials: The reality of managing 15+ software solutions in a boutique advisory practice
• AI Implementation: Practical applications of meeting note-takers and how they're transforming client relationships
• The Personalization Advantage: How technology enables advisors to remember the small details that matter most to clients
• Startup Life in Financial Planning: The challenge of wearing multiple hats while scaling a practice
• Tax-Heavy Advisory: Why tech-focused advisors can't ignore the tax implications of equity compensation

Bryan and Chris discuss the balance between leveraging technology for efficiency while maintaining the high-touch, personalized service that sets boutique practices apart from robo-advisors. They explore emerging tools for equity compensation planning and the ongoing challenge of finding the "one-stop shop" solution that doesn't exist yet.

Whether you're a solo advisor looking to optimize your practice or interested in how AI is reshaping client service delivery, this episode offers practical insights from two advisors actively navigating the intersection of technology and relationship-based financial planning.

Connect with Bryan:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanhasling/

- Modern Financial Planning: https://www.modernfp.com/review

Connect with Chris:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisarnold20/

- Website: https://refreshwealth.com/

- Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/65YiwfF2XMqLh2Xz2SiOxA?si=vtGBejiOSc6_u-Dl4Heumw

This Episode is presented by Zocks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgil/

Website: https://www.zocks.io/