Tag: Relationship Building
Driving Trust, Growth, and Innovation in Wealth Management with Eric Clarke (Ep. 50)

Driving Trust, Growth, and Innovation in Wealth Management with Eric Clarke (Ep. 50)

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In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks. – John Muir

Could this saying be true with businesses as well, that oftentimes we receive a lot more than we seek?

Join Shannon Spotswood from RFG Advisory as she and Eric Clarke, the visionary Founder and CEO of Orion, discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of wealth management and the partnership between Orion Advisor Solutions and RFG Advisory. Listen in as the conversation contrasts traditional Wall Street methods with innovative financial strategies. 

Throughout the discussion, Shannon and Eric explore:

  • How Eric’s leadership style evolved over the years
  • Three key takeaways for leaders who are looking to scale
  • The importance of being willing to disrupt the status quo and traditional ways of thinking in a technology business
  • What hurdles come with scaling a business
  • The concerns and benefits of bringing in a capital partner
  • Why KPIs are essential for businesses today
  • How real success is built on genuine relationships 
  • Why every client interaction matters and where behavioral finance changes the game
  • And much more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Clarke:

Connect with Shannon Spotswood:

About our guest:

Eric Clarke is the founding CEO of Orion Advisor Tech, launching the firm in 1999 to provide portfolio accounting software to help independent financial advisors scale their businesses. Eric retired as Orion’s CEO in 2023 and continues to serve as an active member of Orion’s Board of Directors.

As a visionary leader and prominent voice in the financial advice industry, Eric is at the forefront of advancing and transforming the RIA and wealthtech industries. Eric has received numerous industry awards including WealthManagement’s CEO of the Year for 2022, ThinkAdvisor’s IA25 multiple times, received a Luminaries award in 2022 and an InvestmentNews’ Icon & Innovators Award in 2019, and lead the Orion team to four wealthmanagement.com Wealthies Awards in 2023.

In addition to serving on Orion’s board, since 2020 Eric has also served as a board trustee for the Foundation for Financial Planning, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to pro bono financial planning for people in crisis or need. Eric earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Information Systems from Brigham Young University and Master of Business Administration from their rival at the University of Utah.

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Content here is for illustrative purposes and general information only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice; nor is it a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security, or engage in any specific trading strategy.

Information here may be provided, in part, by third-party sources. These sources are generally deemed to be reliable; however, neither our guest nor RFG Advisory guarantee the accuracy of third-party sources.

The views expressed here are those of our guest. They do not necessarily represent those of RFG Advisory, its employees, or its clients. This commentary should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by RFG Advisory, or performance returns of any client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice.

Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services. Member FINRA / SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, LLC (“RFG Advisory or “RFG”), a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where RFG Advisory and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advisory services may be rendered by RFG Advisory unless a client agreement is in place.

RFG Advisory is an SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of RFG by the Commission, nor does it indicate that RFG or any associated investment advisory representative has attained a particular level of skill or ability.

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The Secret Sauce of Thriving Businesses – Focusing On Your Niche with Eric Blake, CFP® (Ep. 34)

The Secret Sauce of Thriving Businesses – Focusing On Your Niche with Eric Blake, CFP® (Ep. 34)

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“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”  – Zig Ziglar

And what better than helping people whom we can really empathize with and understand?

In this episode, Shannon Spotswood sits down with Eric Blake, CFP®, Founder and Lead Financial Planner at Blake Wealth Management. Eric shares the benefits of having a niche market, including the ability to concentrate your efforts on a specific audience and the importance of time blocking to organize your priorities. Additionally, Eric talks about the impact women have had in his life and why he has focused on helping them.

Eric discusses: 

  • His niche in serving clients five years pre-retirement
  • How having a niche specialization in his financial practice has allowed him to concentrate his time and marketing efforts on those who may not otherwise receive help
  • How partnering with his wife as a co-founder of their firm has allowed them to build stronger relationships with clients 
  • How he uses the surge concept to time block and focus on marketing during specific months
  • How his firm has integrated charitable work into their practice
  • The annual International Women’s Day event focused on giving back to women who have gone through difficult circumstances
  • And more!

Connect with Shannon Spotswood:

Connect with Eric Blake:

About our Guest:

Eric Blake started his career as a financial advisor in 1999. Over the last 24 years, he has realized that his true passion is helping women plan for a successful retirement. While many of his clients are couples, Eric’s firm prioritizes working with women, driven by the appreciation he holds for the women who shaped him into the person he is today.

Born in Amarillo, Texas, Eric now resides in McKinney, Texas, and holds a degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas. However, Eric’s most cherished accomplishment is his 26-year marriage to his wife, Dawn, and their two children, Kaitlyn and Eric.

When not focused on client retirement plans or tax strategies, Eric enjoys working out, reading, and traveling.

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Content here is for illustrative purposes and general information only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice; nor is it a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security, or engage in any specific trading strategy.

Information here may be provided, in part, by third-party sources. These sources are generally deemed to be reliable; however, neither our guest nor RFG Advisory guarantee the accuracy of third-party sources.

The views expressed here are those of our guest. They do not necessarily represent those of RFG Advisory, its employees, or its clients. This commentary should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by RFG Advisory, or performance returns of any client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice.

Securities offered by Registered Representatives of Private Client Services. Member FINRA / SIPC. Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, LLC (“RFG Advisory or “RFG”), a registered investment advisor. Private Client Services and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where RFG Advisory and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advisory services may be rendered by RFG Advisory unless a client agreement is in place.

RFG Advisory is an SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of RFG by the Commission, nor does it indicate that RFG or any associated investment advisory representative has attained a particular level of skill or ability.

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