Month: September 2026
Better Questions for Business Succession with David Foster (Ep. 10)

Better Questions for Business Succession with David Foster (Ep. 10)

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Business owners often spend years building successful companies but very little time preparing for what comes next. 

Whether they’re considering a sale, passing the business to family, or simply planning for the future, the questions asked early can shape every decision that follows.

In this episode, Vincent Munno welcomes David Foster, Senior Advanced Planning Attorney at Simplicity, to discuss why business owners are often unprepared for succession planning, estate planning, and liquidity events. They explore how financial advisors can build stronger client relationships by asking thoughtful questions about family, business goals, charitable intent, key employees, and long-term priorities instead of leading with strategies. 

They also discuss private equity activity, business valuations, creditor protection, and planning opportunities that can arise years before a business is sold.

Key topics include:

  • Asking discovery questions that uncover family goals before recommending planning strategies.
  • Why business owners often begin exit planning later than they should and what advisors can do.
  • Private equity activity creating new planning opportunities for closely held businesses.
  • Protecting family wealth through thoughtful estate and creditor planning.
  • Building lasting client relationships by focusing on people before products.
  • And more!

Connect with Vincent Munno:

Connect with David Foster:

About Our Guest:

David Foster is Senior Advanced Planning Attorney at Simplicity, where he focuses on estate planning, business succession planning, and charitable planning. He works closely with financial advisors and business owners to help them prepare for business transitions, preserve family wealth, and address complex planning needs. Throughout this conversation, David emphasizes that meaningful planning begins with asking thoughtful questions about a client’s family, goals, and concerns, helping advisors uncover opportunities and build lasting relationships before recommending strategies.

This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is intended specifically for financial professionals. The content discussed, including specific case studies or strategies such as premium financing and estate planning, does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. The opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of their respective firms. This content is not a recommendation to buy or sell any specific security or to adopt any particular investment strategy. Financial professionals should conduct their own due diligence before implementing any strategies discussed. Past performance is not indicative of future results. 5881771-0826

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How Financial Advisors Scale Their Practice with Michael Riley (Ep. 9)

How Financial Advisors Scale Their Practice with Michael Riley (Ep. 9)

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Many experienced financial advisors eventually reach a point where working harder no longer creates meaningful growth. The challenge isn’t finding more clients. It’s building a practice that can serve more people without depending on one person to do everything.

In this episode, Vincent Munno sits down with longtime advisor Michael Riley, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, to explore how redesigning his business through documented systems, estate planning, strategic partnerships, and educational marketing helped him build a practice designed to scale. Mike also shares the personal story that shaped his purpose and explains why solving complex planning problems helps advisors build deeper relationships with affluent families.

Key Takeaways:

  • Why scaling a financial advisory practice requires better systems, not longer hours.
  • Why becoming the bottleneck limits growth, and how documented systems free advisors to focus on higher-value client conversations. 
  • How estate planning helps financial advisors build trust, uncover larger planning opportunities, and create deeper client relationships.
  • Why educational seminars and one-to-many marketing can consistently attract qualified, affluent prospective clients.
  • How partnering with estate planning attorneys, CPAs, investment professionals, and technology providers creates a more scalable client experience.
  • And more!

Connect with Vincent Munno:

Connect with Michael Riley:

About Our Guest:

Michael Riley is a financial advisor with more than three decades of experience helping individuals, families, and business owners navigate estate planning, wealth management, retirement planning, and legacy planning. After watching his own family struggle financially following the loss of his father without a comprehensive estate plan in place, Mike dedicated his career to helping others avoid the same challenges. Through his trademarked My Estate Path® process, he works alongside estate planning attorneys and other professional partners to simplify complex planning decisions, coordinate financial strategies, and help families protect and transfer wealth with greater confidence. 

FOR FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION.  Premium financing allows clients to finance insurance premiums through loans, offering liquidity while retaining capital. Premium financing involves borrowing funds to pay life insurance premiums and carries unique risks, including interest rate fluctuations, collateral call risks, and underlying policy performance risks. Outstanding loans will reduce available cash values and death benefits. Evaluate client suitability based on financial situations and risk tolerance. This hypothetical example is shown for illustrative purposes only and is not guaranteed. Past performance, individual advisor production results, and client success stories presented in this podcast are hypothetical or based on unique individual experiences and are not indicative of future results or financial performance. Actual results, earnings, and policy performance will vary significantly based on individual financial circumstances, market conditions, underwriting, and timing. The compensation paid cannot be the basis for any recommendation to purchase an insurance or annuity product. Any commission figures or compensation examples referenced are shown for illustrative and discussion purposes only. 5826531-0826

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