In this episode, we sit down with Steve Tenney, CEO of Grandview and Company, to explore his remarkable journey from Morgan Stanley Asset Management to launching his own RIA and ultimately coaching firm owners. Steve shares lessons from four decades in the industry, including how to standardize processes, delegate wisely, and unlock sustainable growth.

Key Topics Covered:

• Steve’s early career path through London, Boston, and New Hampshire
  
  

• Founding an RIA with Dynasty Financial Partners
  
  

• Why Steve pivoted from client work to coaching other RIA owners
  
  

• The real bottlenecks in RIA growth: customization and inefficiency
  
  

• Delegating with intention and playing to your strengths
  
  

• Why managing energy is as important as managing time
  
  

• The mindset shift that helps advisors fall back in love with their work
  
  

Whether you’re an RIA owner looking to scale or a solo advisor feeling stretched too thin, this episode offers practical strategies to streamline operations and build a business that runs with (not on) you.

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Connect with Steve:

• Email: steve@grandviewandco.com

• Website: https://grandviewandco.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steventenney/

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams.

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered.

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

This week David DeCelle, CEO of ModelFA, interviews Sarah Ecklein, owner of Trust and Honor, about her journey from cooking to becoming a professional fiduciary. Sarah discusses her work in end-of-life care, serving as a conservator, trustee, and agent for clients, particularly in complex cases that corporate trustees may avoid. She highlights the importance of proactive estate planning, noting that only one in three Americans have an estate plan. Sarah emphasizes the need for clear communication and understanding of estate documents, and shares her efforts to educate the public through her podcast, "The Legacy of Love."

In this episode:

1. Only 1 in 3 people in the United States have an estate plan

2. Acts as a neutral third party for trust administration, conservatorship, and decision-making

3. Move from a place of fear to a place of love when considering estate planning

4. Changing family structures increase estate planning challenges

5. Estate planning is not just about after-death distribution

Connect with Sarah:

• Learn more at https://www.trustandhonor.co/

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams.

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered.

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.

This week, David is joined by Nick Davies, a coach aiming to serve 100,000 advisors in three years. They discuss the importance of masterminds for advisors, emphasizing the need for a relationship-centric approach. Nick shares his journey from banking to coaching, highlighting the significance of people and relationships. They explore the structure of masterminds, recommending a cadence of bi-weekly hour-long meetings for groups of 4-7. Nick also introduces a tool that integrates with CRM systems to help advisors build deeper client relationships through automated prompts and email templates.

In this episode:

• Nick Davies, from Seven Figure Advisor, discusses his ambitious goal of serving 100,000 advisors in three years

• The power of masterminds is explored, highlighting how peer groups can drive business growth and personal development

• A deep dive into relationship-centric business approaches, emphasizing the importance of human connections over purely transactional interactions

• An introduction to a new AI tool designed to help advisors proactively maintain and deepen client relationships

• Nick shares insights from his diverse background, from banking in London to coaching financial advisors, and the key lessons learned about motivation and business success

Connect with Nick:

• Learn more at https://7-figureadvisor.com/

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams.

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered.

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

If you like this podcast, you will love our community! Join the Model FA Community on Facebook to connect with like-minded advisors and share the day-to-day challenges and wins of running a growing financial services firm.