Do Business. Do Life. — The Financial Advisor Podcast — DBDL Podcast By Brad Johnson cover art

Do Business. Do Life. — The Financial Advisor Podcast — DBDL

Do Business. Do Life. — The Financial Advisor Podcast — DBDL

By: Brad Johnson
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"Do Business. Do Life." is a weekly podcast dedicated to helping the independent financial advisor create unlimited growth and freedom in their business AND life.

Having been a coach for the top 1% of independent financial advisors for 15+ years, Brad Johnson has seen far too many leaders in financial services sacrifice their marriages, health, relationships, and everything else that matters to walk across an industry stage recognizing their "success." That model is broken, and Brad's on a mission to fix it.

Join Brad as he distills the best advice from top thought leaders and applies it to the world of independent financial advising. Get actionable tips/tactics on sales, marketing, entrepreneurship, business growth, lead generation, hiring, training, team building, company culture, core values, work/life integration, family, relationships, and more!

"Do Business. Do Life." is way more than just another podcast for financial advisors. It's an experience. It's a community. And more than anything, it's a movement. #DBDL

Want to discover what it truly means to succeed as a financial advisor? Subscribe to Do Business, Do Life OR visit https://bradleyjohnson.com/

© 2025 Bradley Johnson Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • 116: Triad Member - $380M Gathered in 2024 – Inside SHP Financial’s Growth Strategy with Keith Ellis Jr. & Michelle Short

    116: Triad Member - $380M Gathered in 2024 – Inside SHP Financial’s Growth Strategy with Keith Ellis Jr. & Michelle Short
    May 14 2025
    Live from Triad’s Scale Summit in Atlanta, I got the opportunity to sit down with two Triad members who are driving SHP Financial’s incredible growth—founding partner Keith Ellis Jr. and Chief Operating Officer Michelle Short.In this behind-the-scenes conversation, we unpack how SHP went from a 4-person startup to a 55-person firm who gathered $380M of total assets in 2024, growing to $1.6B of AUM. You’ll hear how they scaled without burning out, built career tracks that turned interns into $80M producers, and created a culture-backed onboarding system that scales consistency, deepens trust, and reinforces what makes SHP different. 3 of the biggest insights from Keith and Michelle… #1.) How SHP Gathered $380M of Total Assets in 2024SHP didn’t grow by grinding, they grew by stepping back. Instead of meeting with every client, SHP’s founders focused on high-net-worth clients while their team of specialists handled planning, follow-up, and client management. The result? $380M of total assets without burnout or bottlenecks. #2.) The Onboarding System That Scales Consistency, Trust, and ReferralsEvery SHP hire starts with a Vision Session, a 1:1 with a partner, and a deep dive into the firm’s culture handbook. From “Shipmates” to Enneagram walls, everything is built to align the team and protect the client experience. That’s how SHP builds internal trust—and earns referrals without ever asking. #3.) SHP’s 3-Tier Client Model That Protects Founder TimeBy segmenting clients into three tiers, SHP ensures their founders only meet with $2.5M+ prospects—while newer advisors gain reps with clients under $1M. The result? More capacity, clearer career paths, and 4x the asset growth with half the meetings.SHOW NOTEShttps://bradleyjohnson.com/116FREE GIFT + JOIN THE DBDL INSIDER CREWToday's Gift: 30 minute 1:1 coaching call with BradAre you a financial advisor who feels stuck, needs help, or simply wants to have a conversation with Brad? Text “Coaching” to 785-800-3235 to apply for a 30 minute Zoom coaching session and we’ll send you a link to Apply. That will also make you a DBDL Insider with VIP access to future resources and exclusive content. *Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP at any time to opt-out of receiving text messages.FOLLOW BRAD JOHNSON ON SOCIALTwitterInstagramLinkedInFOLLOW DBDL ON SOCIAL:YouTubeTwitterInstagramLinkedInFacebookDISCLOSURE DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations.The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for.Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    41 mins
  • 115: Solo - This Stoic Lesson Made Me a Better Leader with Brad Johnson

    115: Solo - This Stoic Lesson Made Me a Better Leader with Brad Johnson
    May 7 2025

    Setbacks aren’t a possibility, they’re a promise. Things will break. People will disappoint. Plans will unravel.

    Yet we act surprised, as if hardship wasn’t part of the deal.

    But what if the real problem isn’t the setback itself, it’s believing it wasn’t coming?

    In this solo episode, I share the single most important mindset shift I’ve made since becoming an entrepreneur—one that’s helped me lead through sleepless nights, personnel challenges, and the unpredictable highs and lows of building a business from the ground up.

    It all started with a passage from Ryan Holiday’s The Daily Stoic: “The glass is already broken.”

    That simple idea changed how I view problems. And more importantly, how I prepare for them.

    I’ll unpack what it means, how I’ve applied it in business and life, and how you can use it to build systems that keep you calm, clear, and confident—especially when things don’t go according to plan.

    3 of the biggest insights from Brad…

    1.) Setbacks aren’t optional, they’re inevitable. When things break, most leaders react with stress, blame, or panic. But those emotions disappear when you start planning for problems instead of wishing they won’t happen.

    2.) “The glass is already broken.” It’s a simple, powerful mindset shift. Accept the fall before it happens, and you won’t be rattled when it does.

    3.) Great leaders don’t avoid problems. They build systems to face them with calm, clarity, and confidence.


    SHOW NOTES

    https://bradleyjohnson.com/115


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    DISCLOSURE

    DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations.

    The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for.

    Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    13 mins
  • 114: Steven Latow - A Proven Way to ACTUALLY Integrate AI into Your Financial Practice

    114: Steven Latow - A Proven Way to ACTUALLY Integrate AI into Your Financial Practice
    Apr 30 2025
    What if AI could save you an extra 8–10 hours a week? I’m talking about actual time back. Without adding headcount or overhauling your process.That’s what today’s guest, Steven Latow, is helping advisors do. He’s the VP of Operations at Zocks, an AI assistant built specifically for financial advisors. But Zocks isn’t just a note-taker. It automates meeting prep, takes detailed notes from virtual, in-person, and phone conversations, captures action items, and even drafts client follow-ups—without recording a thing. It also integrates directly with your CRM to keep records updated, create tasks, and kick off workflows automatically.In this conversation, we unpack how top advisory firms can leverage AI tools (including Zocks) to save time, streamline operations, and scale in a way that’s actually sustainable.Steven makes one thing clear: AI isn’t here to replace you, it’s here to free you up to do more of what only you can do.If you’re looking to grow your firm without growing your hours, this one’s worth a listen.3 of the biggest insights from Steven Latow …1.) You don’t need to hire more staff to get your time backSteven shared how some advisors are saving 8–10 hours a week just by automating what happens after client meetings—like notes, tasks, and follow-ups. That’s a full workday, without adding headcount.2.) AI is becoming the ultimate utility player on your teamIt’s helping advisors tag client interests, prep for meetings, even support smooth handoffs from senior to junior advisors. Whether you're growing or transitioning your firm, this tech quietly fills the gaps.3.) Most CRMs are just holding info—AI helps make it usableSteven broke down how AI is turning flat, static data into dynamic profiles that actually fuel your planning and marketing. The data’s already there, you just need a smarter way to use it.SHOW NOTEShttps://bradleyjohnson.com/114FREE GIFT + JOIN THE DBDL INSIDER CREWToday's Gift: Get a 10% discount on the Zocks platformUse discount code DBDL10 for 10% off when you sign up to Zocks—the AI assistant built specifically for financial advisorsFOLLOW BRAD JOHNSON ON SOCIALTwitterInstagramLinkedInFOLLOW DBDL ON SOCIAL:YouTubeTwitterInstagramLinkedInFacebookDISCLOSURE DBDL podcast episode conversations are intended to provide financial advisors with ideas, strategies, concepts and tools that could be incorporated into their business and their life. Financial professionals are responsible for ensuring implementation of anything discussed related to business is done so in accordance with any and all regulatory, compliance responsibilities and obligations.The Triad member statements reflect their own experience which may not be representative of all Triad Member experiences, and their appearances were not paid for.Triad Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit Triadwealthpartners.com for more information. Triad Wealth Partners, LLC and Triad Partners, LLC are affiliated companies. Triad partners is a Zocks client and is also a Zocks Ambassador.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
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Brad and Kristin are phenomenal at producing and interviewing top notch guests on their podcast! I’ve been a loyal follower of Brad since “The Elite Advisor Blueprint” podcast days. His perspective on the industry is great and I’ve learned a ton about how to lead my firm!

Excellence

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