AI for Advisors Podcast

Conversations with the people actually changing how advice gets delivered: with AI, workflows, and a little healthy skepticism.

Where AI meets AUM

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Real advisor AI. No hype. Just what works.

Every week, Mark and James sit down with RIAs, WealthTech founders, and AI operators to talk about what's actually working in advisory firms right now. No futurist keynotes, no vendor slide decks. Just real use cases, what broke, what shipped, and what moved the needle.

Your Hosts

Mark builds products. James fixes implementations. Together they host a weekly show about what's actually working in advisor AI, and what definitely isn't.

“I feel like note-taking is like the gateway drug for AI and I want to talk about the hard drugs here.”

Mark Heynen

Co-Founder & CPO, Knapsack AI

Meet Mark

“AI won't replace the relationship, but it sure as shit can enhance the relationship”

James Cantwell

Founder, The Cantwell Advisory & WealthTechSelect

Meet James

Hosts Who've Done the Work

Built companies. Sat in investment committee meetings. Led implementations and seen where they fall apart. This isn't commentary from the sidelines. It's a front-row seat to how advisor tech actually gets built and adopted.

Builders, Not Pitchers

Guests range from RIA leaders and WealthTech founders to AI researchers and product builders who live in your workflows every day. Episodes cover real implementations and the sometimes‑messy process of getting AI into advisory firms.

Every Week, No Filler

New episode every week since September 2025. Conference recaps, LinkedIn hot takes, deep dives, and fun (occasionally uncomfortable) questions founders never hear on stage.

Latest Episodes

What we've been arguing about lately

All Episodes

EP 29

Advisors Are Missing the Biggest Asset with Jason Early, Founder & CEO of RISR

Jason Early · RISR

56 minMay 19, 2026

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Most advisors say they want to work with business owners. But are they actually equipped to serve them well? In this episode of **AI for Advisors**, Mark Heynen and James Cantwell sit down with **Jason Early, Founder & CEO of RISR**, to unpack one of the biggest missed opportunities in wealth management: helping business owners understand, plan around, and eventually transition their largest asset — their business. Jason shares why many advisors still treat private businesses like a rough estimate on a balance sheet, why succession planning is often delayed until it’s too late, and how better data can unlock deeper, more valuable client conversations. They also discuss how AI is changing the advisor’s role, why relationships and trust still matter more than lead-gen automation, and how technology can help advisors provide more complete advice without replacing the human side of planning. In this episode, they cover: * Why business owners are one of the most underserved client segments * The problem with “ballparking” business valuation * How advisors can use business data to start better planning conversations * Why succession and exit planning need to happen earlier * How AI can support, not replace, relationship-driven advice * Why advisor growth still depends on trust, referrals, and centers of influence * What Jason believes is underhyped and overhyped in AI today Featuring **Jason Early**, Founder & CEO of **RISR**. #AIForAdvisors #WealthTech #FinancialAdvisors #BusinessOwners #SuccessionPlanning #RIA #ArtificialIntelligence #AdvisorTech

EP 28

Digital Employees are Already Here: Alex Schlesinger of SS&C

Alex Schlesinger · SS&C Advent

1h 17mMay 18, 2026

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AI is moving from hype into infrastructure. In this episode of AI for Advisors, Mark and James sit down with Alex Schlesinger of Advent to discuss what it actually looks like to build AI inside a large enterprise WealthTech organization — and why most firms are still approaching AI the wrong way. The conversation explores the tension between innovation and legacy systems, how large firms think about AI adoption, and why the future may belong to flexible AI platforms instead of one-size-fits-all solutions. Alex also shares a grounded perspective on what makes a “good” AI use case, why operational efficiency matters more than flashy demos, and how firms should think about AI as infrastructure instead of magic. What we cover: • Building AI inside large WealthTech enterprises • Why “AI-first” thinking often fails • AI infrastructure vs AI products • MCP, orchestration, and digital employees • Operational efficiency in wealth management • The future of advisor technology stacks • Why flexibility matters more than standardization • How firms should evaluate AI use cases Chapters: 00:00 – Dogs, tracking tech, and digital employees 07:00 – OpenClaw, AI agents, and orchestration 13:00 – Parenting, automation, and AI workflows 24:00 – Alex’s background and Advent journey 31:00 – Building AI inside large organizations 38:00 – AI infrastructure and operational impact 45:00 – Why most AI implementations fail 52:00 – AI inside enterprise WealthTech 57:00 – The future of AI platforms in wealth management About AI for Advisors: Conversations exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming wealth management, advisor workflows, and the future of financial services.

EP 27

Growth Without Losing Trust: Eden Ovadia from Finny

59 minMay 15, 2026

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Most AI conversations in wealth management focus on efficiency. This one is about something harder: growth without breaking trust. Eden Ovafia, founder of FINNY, shares how he’s building a modern, AI-native experience for financial advice — while staying grounded in the reality that trust is the product. This episode dives into: * Why most AI growth strategies feel inauthentic * How younger users actually want to engage with financial advice * The tension between scale and personalization * And why the next generation of advisors won’t look anything like the last If you’re thinking about AI purely as a productivity tool, you’re missing the bigger shift. ⸻ Key Takeaways * AI doesn’t replace trust — it amplifies it (or destroys it) → Bad implementations feel automated. Good ones feel more human * Growth in financial services is shifting from distribution → experience → The interface matters as much as the advice * Younger users expect real-time, contextual engagement → Static plans and annual reviews won’t cut it * Most advisor tech is built for firms — not end clients → That mismatch creates opportunity * The winners will balance scale + authenticity → Not easy, but that’s the game ⸻ Chapters 00:00 – Intro & Eden’s background 04:12 – What FINNY is building (and why it matters) 09:30 – Why most AI in finance feels inauthentic 15:05 – The real role of trust in AI-powered advice 21:40 – How younger users actually want to engage 28:10 – Scale vs personalization: the core tension 35:25 – Why current advisor tech misses the end user 42:50 – What “good” AI experiences feel like 50:15 – The future of financial advice interfaces 57:30 – Closing thoughts: where the space is going ⸻ Why This Episode Matters Most firms are asking: “How do we use AI to do more?” The better question is: “How do we use AI to be trusted at scale?” This episode reframes the conversation.

EP 26

Your Messaging is Broken: Allen Darby from Alaris Acquisitions

Allen Darby · Alaris Acquisitions

1h 14mMay 14, 2026

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In this episode of AI for Advisors, Mark and James sit down with Allen Darby, Founder and CEO of Alaris Acquisitions, to discuss how AI is beginning to reshape the future of RIAs, M&A, and wealth management operations. Allen shares insights from years of advising RIA transactions, including how buyers evaluate firms, why cultural fit matters more than price alone, and how AI could eventually impact valuations, staffing, growth, and advisor-client relationships. The conversation also explores the rise of AI note takers, automation in advisory workflows, and whether AI-powered firms will eventually command a premium in the market. What we cover: * The state of RIA M&A today * Why younger advisors are selling earlier * How Alaris uses AI for buyer-seller matching * The role of culture and compatibility in acquisitions * AI’s impact on advisor operations and staffing * Whether AI-ready firms could command higher valuations * The future of advisor-client relationships in an AI world Chapters: 00:00 Podcast backlog and AI workflows 03:00 Acronyms, AI meetings, and communication 06:00 Using AI to improve messaging and sales coaching 09:00 Real-time AI assistants and meeting intelligence 12:00 AI, empathy, and the future of advisory relationships 20:00 The rise of RIA M&A activity 23:00 Why younger advisors are selling 27:00 Allen Darby’s founder story 35:00 What Alaris and Lens actually do 41:00 Human guidance vs AI matchmaking 50:00 AI’s impact on valuations and staffing 57:00 Could AI create a valuation premium for RIAs? Learn more about Alaris Acquisitions: https://www.alarisacquisitions.com Connect with Allen Darby: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com About AI for Advisors: Conversations exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming wealth management, advisor workflows, and the future of financial services.

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