It’s been a busy year. Zach Conway and Kelsey McKenna sit down to look back on everything that happened inside Seeds and across the advisory space. They talk about what they learned while growing the team, what surprised them, and what changed as more firms started using the platform.

They also look ahead to 2026. Not with predictions meant to sound bold, but with real questions they’re already hearing from advisors: hiring, team structure, client expectations, and how tech will shape the advisor-client relationship next year. It’s an honest conversation about what they’ve seen, what they’re still figuring out, and how Seeds plans to support advisors through all of it.

If you’re thinking about scaling your firm, improving your process, or building a team that feels aligned with your vision, this episode gives you a clear, grounded look at where the industry is heading and how you can prepare.

Here are the top three takeaways from the episode:

• We believe client experience is the competitive edge in 2026. Advisors need to step into their own client journey and see what it actually feels like. The firms that do this will deliver an experience clients remember and talk about.
• Operational excellence is no longer optional. One of the best ways to create consistent experiences is to fix the operational foundation. Rules-based frameworks will help advisors scale, reduce inconsistencies, and communicate more clearly with clients.
• AI is powerful, but intentional adoption matters more. 2025 was full of AI noise. Next year will reward firms that stay focused on clarity, humanity, and fast but thoughtful decision making. The right tools matter, but the strategy behind them matters even more.

Episode Chapters:

03:37 Reflecting on a Year of Growth and Change

10:30 Rebranding and Its Impact on the Business

17:33 Why the Future of Investing is Human

24:37 How Seeds Streamlines Operations for Advisors

27:15 Predictions for 2026: Experience Over Technology

27:42 Operational Excellence in Advisory Firms

31:06 The Chaos of Account-Level Management

33:53 Next-Gen Investor Expectations

36:07 The Competitive Landscape for Advisors

39:34 The Role of Technology in Client Experience

41:01 Strategic Decision-Making for 2026

Connect with us:

Zach Conway on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-conway

Kelsey McKenna on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kelseymckenna3

Seeds: www.useseeds.com

Our Blog: https://useseeds.com/blog/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seeds-investor

Disclosures: https://useseeds.com/terms/

Ready to scale the human side of advice with Seeds? Schedule your personalized demo today at www.useseeds.com/demo

Ask Zach and Kelsey a question!

If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to hire the right people or frustrated by how hard it is to bring more women and diverse talent into your firm, this episode gives you the roadmap you’ve been missing.

Natalie Taylor, founder and CEO of The Goodland Group and a 20-year industry veteran, joins Zach and Kelsey in the latest episode of The Advice Business Podcast to break down what is actually holding advisory firms back from building a healthier, more diverse talent pipeline.

Spoiler alert: it may not be a lack of candidates. It is oft en the structures, habits, and cultural blind spots that unintentionally push great people away.

In this conversation, Natalie reveals:

• Why the industry has a pipeline problem (and why lack of leadership representation problem could be to blame)
• How to write job descriptions that genuinely attract diverse candidates and avoid unintentional tokenism
• Simple cultural shifts that immediately make your firm a safer, more supportive place for young and underrepresented advisors
• The foundational elements firms must offer to retain talent, such as transparent compensation, clear career paths, and learning-first development
• Why moving away from sales-first roles can help position new entrants for success, especially women
• How diversity directly enhances client experience and relationship quality
• A tactical, step-by-step hiring process you can implement tomorrow, from job boards to screening to candidate evaluation

If you are building a firm for the future, this episode gives you the practical tools and the mindset shift to hire better, support people better, and grow a team that reflects the clients you serve.

Episode Chapters:

06:16: The “pipeline problem” & lack of women leadership in the wealth management industry

07:44: Inclusive hiring: avoid tokenization

10:00: Embedding diversity into firm culture

14:08: Career paths & compensation transparency

16:00: Reducing sales pressure for new advisors

17:46: Women in leadership visibility

19:50: Diverse advisors serving diverse clients

21:35: Women’s strengths in planning & relationships

30:30: Hiring steps: niche job boards & Loom screening

32:06: Interview process: case studies & feedback skills

34:28: Finding diverse talent without lowering standards

Relevant Resources:
[Article] What Does “Good” Investment Management Look Like?
https://useseeds.com/investment-management-standards/

[Article] How to Start Asking Advisors Deeper Questions
https://useseeds.com/asking-deeper-questions/

[Podcast] The Foundation of Advisor Value = Humanity + Expertise
https://useseeds.com/podcast/where-humanity-expertise-meet-the-true-foundation-of-advisor-value/

[Podcast] Advisors: Are You Confident in Your 1% Fee?
https://useseeds.com/podcast/are-you-confident-in-your-1-percent-fee/

Connect with us:
Zach Conway on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-conway
Kelsey McKenna on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kelseymckenna3
Website: www.useseeds.com
Our Blog: https://useseeds.com/blog/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seeds-investor
Disclosures: https://useseeds.com/terms/

Ready to scale the human side of advice with Seeds? Schedule your personalized
demo today at www.useseeds.com/demo

Ask Zach and Kelsey a question!

Most advisors think they’re personalizing portfolios. But what does that actually look like in practice?

In this episode, Kelsey McKenna and Zach Conway talk about how to turn investment expertise into a repeatable process that still feels personal. They walk through what true personalization looks like, how to communicate trade-offs clearly, and why efficient systems actually make client relationships stronger.
If you’ve ever struggled to scale your approach without losing the human touch, this conversation will help you create consistency, clarity, and trust across every client relationship.

Key Takeaways:

• Personalization isn’t binary — it’s a spectrum.
• Scalable personalization = consistency, not conformity.
• True tailoring starts with understanding client preferences and having meaningful trade-off discussions.
• Transparency and clarity are the fastest paths to trust.
• Efficiency doesn’t kill personalization — it enables it.
• Advisors who define their framework can delegate with confidence and focus on growth.
• The future of advisory work belongs to firms that are flexible, curious, and client-centered.

Episode Chapters:
3:55: You've reached an inflection point in your practice growth, so what's next?
6:35: What is "personalization" in investment management?
12:35: The future standard of strong investing experiences
14:00: Clarity is underrated in the wealth management industry
18:09: Why tradeoffs are under-discussed in client conversations
20:04: Real-world example: how to connect portfolios to client stories
27:54: How advisors will have to adapt to remain relevant in the future

Relevant Resources:
[Article] What Does “Good” Investment Management Look Like?
https://useseeds.com/investment-management-standards/

[Article] How to Start Asking Advisors Deeper Questions
https://useseeds.com/asking-deeper-questions/

[Podcast] The Foundation of Advisor Value = Humanity + Expertise
https://useseeds.com/podcast/where-humanity-expertise-meet-the-true-foundation-of-advisor-value/

[Podcast] Advisors: Are You Confident in Your 1% Fee?
https://useseeds.com/podcast/are-you-confident-in-your-1-percent-fee/

Connect with us:
Zach Conway on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-conway
Kelsey McKenna on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kelseymckenna3
Website: www.useseeds.com
Our Blog: https://useseeds.com/blog/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seeds-investor
Disclosures: https://useseeds.com/terms/

Ready to scale the human side of advice with Seeds? Schedule your personalized
demo today at www.useseeds.com/demo

Ask Zach and Kelsey a question!