Build a Better Business Workshop

Four-Day Virtual Workshop—February 6, 13, 20, 27

Transform Your Business into a Profit Machine with the Capacity, Systems, and Services to Attract a Whole New Level of Clients

Revolutionize your business with the virtual Build a Better Business Workshop, February 6, 13, 20, and 27, led by advisor and growth master, Debra Taylor, CPA/PFS, JD, CDFA

Please note, attendees who sign up after January 23 will have access to digital versions of the classroom material. Your hard copy materials may not arrive until after the workshop begins.

Dear Colleague,

Value!

That’s what wealthy clients want. However, managing money isn’t a skill valuable enough to hire or keep you around these days. Prospects can turn to Vanguard, robos, and a lot of other advisors if all they need are investment services.  

Just ask Debbie Taylor…Debra Taylor

In 2016, after years and years of double-digit growth, Debbie lost a couple of very wealthy, very important clients. Without warning, they moved all their accounts to another advisor—a devastating blow that knocked Debbie for a loop given the excellent service she had delivered over the years.

At the same time, she noticed growth was flattening out, referrals were drying up, and fee compression was taking its toll. Her approach had been to service the heck out of clients, and referrals would come.

Until they didn’t.

Not ready to stagnate, Debbie embarked on some soul-wrenching analysis, evaluating every system in her business. She discovered she needed to move up the “value chain” to provide more personalized and complex services—not easily automated—if she wanted to grow her practice to the next level.

Today her business is thriving! She manages over $175 million in assets, 95% fee based. She has a manageable client list of 90 very wealthy investors, with an average account size of over $2 million. And she runs it all with a staff of six!

How did she do it?

She discovered four key solutions that helped her organically grow her practice into a profitable million-dollar business. She found ways to add capacity so she could deliver all the services wealthy clients expect.

And she’s ready to step you through her business to show you how to achieve the same – maybe even better results.

Join Debbie for her brand-new masterclass, The Build a Better Business Workshop, where she walks you through the nuts and bolts of taking your business to the next level.

Why Reinvent the Wheel?

Debbie’s learned, after much trial and error, that there are four major solutions that if properly implemented, can add capacity and grow your business.

Instead of you taking six months off to analyze your firm, Debbie can show you the shortcuts in just four days, from the comfort of your home or office.

You’ll learn how to:

Solution 1: Build a Sustainable Firm

The goal is to have a firm that runs itself, so that the advisor can direct all his attention on the clients, financial planning, and wealth management.

But day-to-day matters often get in the way, and a good team can be hard to find.

Learn how to build your practice so that neither staff nor clients ever want to leave.

  • Why you need to move beyond investments to offer more to your clients…
  • How to provide true wealth management and all the services that come with it…
  • Why doing more for your clients will build a strong, sustainable business…
  • The secrets to moving up the value chain and what that means for your firm…
  • Your team is the core of your firm. Learn how to successfully lead them…
  • How you can improve your practice management and boost productivity…
  • Tips for positively and efficiently managing people and creating the best possible output…
  • The tools you need to make sure your firm stays in business and continually increases revenue

Solution 2: Design a Better Digital DNA

These days, if you don't have a good digital strategy, you are already behind the competition. Clients expect a decent-looking website at a minimum. But there is so much more to your digital DNA: social media, search engine marketing (SEO), prospecting, client portals, communications, and more.

The good news is, technology can make your life and practice management easier; once you learn how to implement it you’ll have a digital strategy working for you.

  • Why you need to digitize the entire client journey – from sales to onboarding to continuing communication…
  • One advisor's lessons in how to beef up your digital footprint, a necessity in today's world…
  • Tips for a clearer, more attractive, and more appealing website that will convey your ideas to people you want to reach…
  • How to drive prospects to your office and keep them there…
  • Why you need to consider online client portals for self-service in order to stay viable…
  • How to create a comprehensive, successful technology plan

Solution 3: Create the 5-Star Client Experience

There are a lot of financial advisors in the marketplace. The good news is that most of them don’t understand how to stand out in a marketplace where most advisors’ offerings sound the same.

The key is to differentiate yourself and market to your niche. Don't be shy! Show your market and prospects why it's so great to be your client. You do that by treating your current clients with five-star service. They'll never leave, and they'll refer their friends, a nice “problem” to have.

  • Why you need to drop reticence and humility, and market yourself…
  • The market is a crisis of differentiation – find your place and shine in it…
  • How to successfully market to a niche audience, ensuring that you always have a core group of clients happy to refer others like them…
  • Why you need to create a sense of community between your clients and your firm, and what you can do to accomplish that…
  • How to get clients in the door by offering them what they want and need…
  • One advisor's tips for closing so that prospects are delighted to become your clients, and bring you more…
  • How to develop a strategic, no-fail onboarding process that you and your staff know by heart…
  • Why you need to segment your clients, defining and delineating the value that you are able to provide…
  • Why you need a service matrix, and tips for creating a fair, workable classification of services
  • What practices and actions are essential to improving client review meetings…

Solution 4: Make Planning the Cornerstone of Your Practice

Today's consumers want so much more from advisors than just investment advice. The robos can give them that, to a certain extent. But only a caring, invested human can develop and implement a good financial plan. There is so much more to consider than retirement – financial planning is an on going process, providing you with an opportunity to service your clients continually.

  • Learn the key items to think about when putting together an initial financial plan…
  • Think financial planning is one-and-done? Learn what quarterly planning services you can offer…
  • Why you should offer additional planning services as a way to differentiate yourself and stand out in a crowded market…
  • What to consider when debating between fee-based and a service matrix, or full-service planning…
  • How to effectively plan for most major life events, and demonstrate true care for your clients…

Get the Results You Want

After four-days of the The Build a Better Business Workshop, you’ll be able to:

  1. Identify areas of your practice you can modernize
  2. Review expenses for areas of improvement
  3. Create your Core Values and Mission Statement
  4. Develop an attention-grabbing Unique Value Proposition
  5. Identify and define short- and long-term goals for you and your team
  6. Review and evaluate human capital issues
  7. Hold more productive internal meetings
  8. Improve technology and usage
  9. Modernize your website and digital messaging
  10. Define your client experience and market to a niche
  11. Identify the types of clients you serve best
  12. Segment your client list to add capacity
  13. Develop and implement a communication plan for current clients
  14. Create a marketing plan to show appreciation and educate clients
  15. Set up and conduct more meetings with predictive prospects
  16. Utilize a disciplined interview process for conducting discovery with prospects and clients
  17. Use a presentation format to make customized recommendations to prospects and clients
  18. Gain insights into current clients’ situations, futures, feelings, and family dynamics
  19. Reposition with current clients by introducing additional high value services

Best of all, Debbie provides a 366-page workbook and all the concrete tools you need to analyze, redesign, and innovate your business in the shortest time possible.

Checklists and Templates

Worksheets

  1. Financial Futures Planning Chart
  2. Present the Financial Futures Chart
  3. New Employee Checklist
  4. Employee Exit Checklist
  5. 6 Most Template
  6. Weekly Team Meeting Agenda
  7. Weekly Admin Meeting Agenda
  8. Weekly Investment Meeting Action Items
  9. Team Retreat Agenda
  10. Business Plan Builder Sample
  11. Firm Technology Plan
  12. Workshop Checklist
  13. Lead & Prospect Initial Contact Checklist
  14. Prospect Packet Contents (Mailed) Checklist
  15. Prospect Discovery Meeting Prep Checklist
  16. Discovery Meeting Agenda Template
  17. Proposal Template
  18. New Client Onboarding Checklist
  19. Contents for Welcome Packet (New Client)
  20. Segmented Communications Plans
  21. 45-Day Review Checklist Template
  22. 45-Day Meeting Checklist Template
  23. Client Meeting Agenda Template
  24. Client Meeting Prep Sheet
  25. Meeting Notes
  26. Marketing Plan Checklist
  27. Spring Wine Dinner Checklist
  28. Holiday Party Checklist
  29. Client Advisory Board Checklist
  30. Client Advisory Board Agenda
  31. TFG One-Question Survey
  32. TFG Client Survey
  33. TFG Workshops Surveys
  34. WealthMatch Meeting Agenda Template
  35. Quarterly Planning Checklists
  36. New Year Planning Checklist
  37. Year End Checklist
  38. Life Event Planning Checklists
  39. 39.  Life Event Planning Checklists – Advisor Use
  1. SWOT Analysis
  2. Introduce the Financial Futures Chart
  3. Expense Management
  4. Identify Your Values
  5. Developing Your Meaningful Purpose
  6. Personal Mission Statement
  7. Professional Mission Statement
  8. Your Unique Value Proposition
  9. Self-Assessment/Performance Improvement Worksheet
  10. Team SWOT Analysis
  11. Business Plan Builder
  12. Wrap-Up: First Solution
  13. Are You Leveraging These Solutions?
  14. Wrap-Up: Second Solution
  15. Defining Your Niche
  16. Client Experience Absolutes & Touch Points
  17. Wrap-Up: Third Solution
  18. Client Appreciation Events Plan
  19. Wrap-Up: Third Solution, Part 2
  20. Wrap-Up: Fourth Solution
  21. Action Plan
  22. Self-Evaluations

What Former Attendees Say!

Ready-made so I don't have to reinvent the wheel

"I came for ideas on creating better systems in my office. One of the facts of life is that in your day-to-day business you're working on the whirlwind of stuff that comes around and you don't have time to implement or put those systems and procedures in place. You don't have the time to create this book of "here's a checklist for everything we do" and this is ready-made so I don't have to reinvent the wheel.

"What's been helpful for me are the checklists of what Debbie's team does, how they systematize their meetings, their review meeting agendas. All of this stuff I can adapt to my practice.

"There are so many things for me to implement right away. Developing a better fee schedule is something I've had a hard time with, and I'm glad we're discussing it. I also want to put in place a review agenda and the whole process of following up with the client by sending them meeting notes the day after.

"I think everything has been very helpful. There's a lot of content, obviously, but I loved every minute."

—Gretchen Brown, Boise, ID

Great insight on the best practices she's used

"I think this workshop is good for anyone who's looking to take their business to the next level, who is looking to grow, to build a team, to robo-proof their practice, and to really make financial planning a focus of the practice. There was no fluff and no wasted time. I thought it was great that Debbie banged out topic after topic. I don't think she spend too much time on any one topic.

"Being an independent RIA, I don't have a corporate training system, so I came here to improve my practice and get some ideas from different advisors.

"One of the things I've struggled with is getting my practice to scale. I've come to capacity with the amount of work that I can do and need to figure out some best practices around financial planning and how to build a team. This has been very helpful for me.

"The most valuable part of this workshop is the experience Debbie has. It allows me to not reinvent the wheel and to see the best practices she's used to build her business.

"The book, with its templates and checklists, is great. There are a lot of books out there on how to build and grow a financial advisory practice. None go through as much detail as the book Debbie put together. But better still, her speaking perfectly complemented the book. She didn't just go through it cover to cover, but gave us great insight on the best practices she's used to build her practice."

—Marc Bautis, Montclair, NJ

There wasn't a second I felt tired

"My first action step will be implementing Debbie's "6 Most" checklist. That, and her template for giving bonuses to the team, are worth the whole meeting.

"Usually when you sit in these things all day it's hard to pay attention, and I have to say there wasn't a second yesterday that I felt tired. I was just trying to keep up with Debbie!

"In particular I wanted to hear about Debbie's digital footprint and how she uses social media and Facebook advertising. She also has a lot of information about her client service model, and that's something I'm always tweaking.

"I've done a few of these programs before and they are usually very good quality. I've been in the business for a little over 20 years and I'm looking to get to the next level, so everything here has been what I'm focusing on."

—Stacey Spedden-Irrgang, Baltimore, MD

Concrete tools

"What I liked most about the workshop was the concrete tools that were shared. I also appreciated the way that the workshop was organized into different areas of importance. The backup articles provided were amazing!

"Debbie herself was the strongest feature of the workshop, and there really isn't anything I'd like to see changed about the workshop."

—Robin Lovely, Marshfield, MA

This has been the best two days covering critical aspects of how to service clients

"Debbie shared a lot of her experience with us, including her challenges, which helps us to realize there is no perfect way to run a practice.

"I've been trying to smooth out all the challenges of getting a business up and running. I've been firing on all cylinders, trying to improve the efficiency and SOPs. I came to learn "how-tos" and how successful people are doing it.

"In particular I've been struggling with the same things as Debbie, how to charge and communicate fees. It's important to have multiple ways to charge different clients. I definitely learned some valuable stuff there. She's provided a lot of insight.

"Debbie shared some great marketing ideas, but also included valuable “How to” tips for servicing your existing clients and presented some clear ideas, which is hard to find from other coaching sessions. Most help for advisors is centered on marketing. This is amazing. There is not enough information on servicing clients like this. This has been the best two days covering critical aspects of how to service clients.

"Plus, we got a great workbook and take-home materials to help us implement some action items quickly. The sample emails and checklists were one of the strongest parts of the workshop.

"When I get home, I'm going to review my fee schedule and get it in writing, so that I can communicate it to my clients and prospects quickly."

—Tim Hudson, Houston, TX

4 Reasons Why You Should Attend the Build a Better Business Workshop Led by Advisor and Growth Master, Debra Taylor, CPA/PFS, JD, CDFA

1. Debbie’s 25 Year Track Record. Debbie is the Principal and Founder of Taylor Financial Group, and while she didn’t always know she wanted to be a financial advisor, she did always have the desire to help people get through life’s challenges and live life to the fullest.

She may have started off small, but with passion and perseverance, Debbie grew her business to about $300 million in assets under management, with eight team members and a 99% client retention ratio.

Debbie has won many industry honors, has been featured on national television, and is the author of a book about industry best practices, Million Dollar Solutions. Debbie is often quoted in national publications including Barron’s, Smart Money, The Wall Street Journal, Investment News, and Horsesmouth.She has written over 300 articles in over two ecades of work, and appeared on dozens of podcasts to discuss practice management issues, and taxes and portfolio management.

She is a frequent lecturer at national conferences including Thrivent Top Producer Conference, Peak Advisor Excel Conference, Horsesmouth Women’s Workshop, and ONESCO Top Producer Conference. She is also the co-founder of the Savvy Tax Planning program with Jeff Levine.

During her career, her achievements have been recognized by Chairman’s Club of LPL Financial, a distinction bestowed on only the top 6% of LPL Financial’s more than 14,000 advisors, from 2007-2016; Five Star Wealth Manager 2012-2021; and Women’s Choice Award 2013-2021.

2. Powerful, Actionable Ideas Ready to Implement Now.  Debbie has the skills and insights from years of practice and study to share with you the industry trends and best ways to maximize your potential. We will immediately learn about great processes, the newest marketing insights, how to use technology, and ways to connect to clients so that our practices can grow profitably.

If only one or two of the ideas discussed at the workshop get implemented (such as how to onboard a client and best ways to use Facebook for marketing), it can easily pay for the time and cost involved. If all you do is attend a workshop like this once or twice a year, you will transform your practice, as you will leave after four days with immediately actionable ideas.

3. You Need a "Brain Trust” Experience (especially if you work largely by yourself). The best leaders and most innovative thinkers take time away from their busy and crowded lives to ruminate, read and discuss with their "brain trust" about what is around the corner and what they should be doing next.

This is your time to do just that. When you spend four days with an industry leader and your peers who are also dedicated to learning about the next and best things, and who are also dedicated to growing their practices, you’ll enjoy a lasting boost to your professional outlook and your specific plans to grow your business now.

4. Sharing to the Third Power and More. The interaction between you and your peers will help propel your practice to the next level, as you will not only hear Debbie's insights, but you will have a chance to share and hear the best ideas among the group. Some of the most exciting work is done in this type of interactive setting that promotes give and take. In fact, the workshop is designed to include group and partner exercises so that everyone is able to gather feedback from the group regarding their situation and how to create the best practice possible.  

Intensive 4-Day Virtual Workshop

In order to survive and thrive in this industry, advisors must learn to systematize their practices as much as possible so that they can remain competitive and highly profitable, and be in a position to grow in a disruptive and fee-sensitive environment. That’s the organizing principle of this workshop.

Who should attend:

  1. Advisors new to the business who want to understand what systems and processes you need to have in place, and how to develop them.
  2. Veteran advisors struggling to get past management of the day-to-day tasks. You want to plan ahead to the future, where your firm will grow, and bring you top dollar when you sell. You know you need better systems.

  3. Industry professionals who are looking for new insights and new skills that they can bring back to their colleagues to help them get on a new track to growth and profitability.
  4. Any advisor who feels your business is stagnant. You need to find a way to push forward to sustainability and growth.

  5. Seasoned advisors who enjoy sharing their insights and experiences, and want to pick up a few new business-growing skills along the way.

  6. Advisors who are looking to maximize the enterprise value of their practice.

How the Virtual Build a Better Business Workshop Works?

  • The workshop will be live-streamed from 12 pm-3 pm ET and accessible from your computer/tablet
  • Attendees will be able to ask questions and interact throughout the presentation
  • Sessions will be recorded and replays will be available for 90 days
  • Workshop materials will be shipped to you

Each day’s instruction is designed to fit into your daily schedule giving you time to take care of business and family while you learn.

The workshop takes place over four days, covering four critical growth strategies. Each day’s instruction period last three hours starting at noon Eastern Time (9 am Pacific), with a 15-minute break scheduled between sessions. 

All sessions will be live with Debbie streaming in to your location. You will be able to see all her materials and videos as well as talk to Debbie, ask questions in real time, and chat with other attendees and workshop leaders.

Total instruction time amounts to three hours per day for a total of 12 hours. The entire workshop will also be recorded and available to attendees for later viewing and scheduling flexibility – an advantage you usually don’t get when you attend a physical event.

What Will Be Covered

A complete discussion of the systems and processes Debbie Taylor uses to build her business to $13 million and beyond, including idea sharing, best practices regarding the client experience, how to communicate, themes and trends in the industry, succession planning, prospecting, closing, client service, financial planning, and digital presence. Learn how to do more for your clients at a higher volume and more efficiently.

Workshop Goal

Know how to systematize your practice so you can remain competitive, highly profitable, and positioned to grow in a disruptive and fee-sensitive environment. Your practice will run more smoothly, and you will be more confident in your staff and the delivery of services to your happy, referring clients.

Agenda

DAY 1 (Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 12:00 pm ET/9:00 am PT)

  1. Growth and Probability Trends
  • Discussing the foundation for sustainable growth
  • Creating accountability: meetings, procedures, and workflow
  • Business plan and analytics
  1. Know Your “Why”
  • Firm values, meaningful purpose, and mission statements
  • Define your niche
  • Build and develop your team

DAY 2 (Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 12:00 pm ET/9:00 am PT)

  1. Build an Amazing Marketing and Communications Strategy
  • Marketing plan
  • Webinars and virtual client events
  • Onboarding clients digitally
  1. The Client Experience
  • Client meetings and follow-up
  • Seeking feedback
  • Stay top of mind with 12 months of ideas
  • Client communications

DAY 3 (Tuesday, February 20, 2024, 12:00 pm ET/9:00 am PT)

  1. Protect Your Fees, Attract Prospects, and Keep Clients by Adding Services and Providing What Investors Value
  • Discussing fees and being transparent
  • Expanding services and climbing up the value ladder
  1. Build Better Digital DNA
  • Technology: basic client management tools
  • Social media tools

DAY 4 (Tuesday, February 27, 2024, 12:00 pm ET/9:00 am PT)

  1. Make Financial Planning the Cornerstone of Your Practice and How to Do It
  • eMoney
  • Social Security tools
  • Holistiplan
  • Riskalyze
  • Covisum
  • LifeYield
  • Income Solver
  • Vanilla
  • FP Alpha

 

Debra Taylor

Meet Your Growth Master: Debra Taylor, CPA/PFS, JD, CDFA

Your workshop will be led by Debra Taylor, CPA/PFS, JD, CDFA. Debra Taylor is Horsesmouth’s Director of Practice Management and the principal and founder of Taylor Financial Group, LLC, a full-service wealth management firm located in Franklin Lakes, NJ. Debra’s education and career has spanned many fields including legal and public accounting.

In addition to being the author of Horsesmouth’s top-selling practice management book, My Journey to 1 Million: The Systems and Processes That Will Get You There, Debra has been featured on national TV and is often quoted in national publications such as Barron’s, Smart Money, andThe Wall Street Journal.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Cancel and contact Horsesmouth's Member Support team 30 business days or more before the event. You must call to receive a cancellation confirmation number. You can reach Member Support at 1-888-336-6884, ext. 1.

 

credit cardsCancellations received between 7-29 days prior to the event will receive a Horsesmouth store credit of 50% of purchase price towards a future event, subscriptions or products, minus $100 processing fee. For cancellations received 6 days or less prior the event, no refunds will be made nor store credits given. 

Your fee will be charged directly to your credit card. Our online process is secure and you can safely provide your credit card information. Substitutions/name changes may be made at any time prior to the event without penalty.

Can’t Make It Now?

Click this link and we’ll add you to our workshop information list. When a new workshop date is announced, you’ll be notified.

About Horsesmouth

Since 1997, Horsesmouth has been helping financial advisors succeed by providing timely guidance on key topics such as business development, practice management, financial planning and investment strategies.

FOR INSTANT SERVICE Call Toll Free: 1-888-336-6884 ext 1 (Outside U.S.: 1-212-343-8760)

 

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