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Managing Your Practice

Managing Your Practice

Dimensional Fund Advisors 70 Episodes Sep 25, 2026

Managing Your Practice is a podcast for financial professionals and advisors. It shares best practices for growing a practice, improving business efficiency, and enhancing client experience. Episodes draw on Dimensional Fund Advisors' benchmark studies and client surveys. The show helps advisors apply those insights to critical business decisions. It is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

Episodes

Using Data and Stories to Build a More Intentional Practice
Using Data and Stories to Build a More Intentional Practice Sep 25, 2026 43:00 What does it look like when an evidence-based approach shapes every aspect of an advisory firm? In this episode of Managing your Practice, Dimensional host Stephen de Man sits down with Dr. Nikolaus Braun, founder and managing partner of Neunundvierzig, in Germany. They discuss how the Munich-based firm was built on a strong conviction about whom their firm was for (and whom it wasn't) and a commi
The Human Side of Mergers and Acquisitions
The Human Side of Mergers and Acquisitions Aug 21, 2026 41:27 The success of a merger or acquisition depends on more than just the details of the transaction. Equally important is how the people involved experience the change—the founders, staff, and clients alike. In this episode, host Stephen de Man welcomes Amy DeTolla, founder and CEO of Aureus Advantage, and Josh Bartholomew, head of business development at Bluespring Wealth Partners, to discuss best pr
Building Trust Beyond Referrals: Testimonials and AI Search
Building Trust Beyond Referrals: Testimonials and AI Search Jul 24, 2026 01:01:23 In today's landscape, a referral is no longer the finish line. While referrals remain one of the most powerful drivers of new business, prospective clients search online, read reviews, and form opinions long before they ever schedule a meeting. On this episode of Managing your Practice, host Stephen de Man is joined by Brian Thorp, founder, CEO, and editor in chief of Wealthtender, to explore how
Leading Through Change: Human Leadership in the Age of AI
Leading Through Change: Human Leadership in the Age of AI Jun 23, 2026 48:28 How can financial professionals become and remain effective leaders in a landscape that is rapidly evolving? In this episode of Managing your Practice, Dimensional host Stephen de Man welcomes Jack Swift, author of Level 7 Leadership: The Blueprint for the Human + Machine Era, to discuss the importance of human leadership amid the growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI). Stephen and Jack
Managing Family Wealth: Moving Beyond the Portfolio
Managing Family Wealth: Moving Beyond the Portfolio May 29, 2026 58:07 How can advisors play a more meaningful role in helping affluent families make informed, values-driven decisions? In his debut episode, Dimensional host Stephen de Man welcomes Dave Specht and Jeff Coyle to explore wealth management for highly affluent families. Dave is the Senior Fellow of the Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurs, author of The Family Business Whisperer, and founder of A
The Strategic Role of Boards in Today's Advisory Firms
The Strategic Role of Boards in Today's Advisory Firms Apr 10, 2026 45:27 What role should a board of directors play in shaping the future of your business? In this episode, Lindsay Jordan, Senior Manager in Financial Accounting Advisory Services at Ernst & Young LLP, joins host Catherine Williams, Dimensional's Head of Practice Management, to explore how advisory boards can become a powerful catalyst for growth, governance, and strategic alignment. They emphasize that
Strengthening Your Service Offering: How Brand Strategy Can Support Firm Growth
Strengthening Your Service Offering: How Brand Strategy Can Support Firm Growth Mar 20, 2026 53:22 What role should marketing play in the growth of a modern advisory business? In this episode, Dimensional's Head of Practice Management, Catherine Williams, sits down with Lauren Hong, founder and CEO of Out & About Communications and host of The Out & About Podcast, and Megan Carpenter, co-founder and CEO of Ficomm Partners and host of Growth Leaders of Wealth Management Podcast, to explore how b
Strengthening Your Service Offering: The Role of Annuities
Strengthening Your Service Offering: The Role of Annuities Mar 2, 2026 30:36 How can advisors better meet their clients' needs and preferences when it comes to insurance and annuities? In the first episode of a new miniseries exploring the key services advisors can offer to strengthen their practice, Head of Practice Management Catherine Williams sits down with DPL Financial Partners Founder and CEO David Lau. They discuss what DPL is doing in the insurance space, dispel c
Navigating M&A Decisions in a Changing Advice Landscape
Navigating M&A Decisions in a Changing Advice Landscape Jan 16, 2026 44:47 What's really driving mergers and acquisitions in the financial advice industry today? In this episode, Dimensional's Head of Practice Management, Catherine Williams, is joined by Chris Frieden and Brian Hamburger for a conversation on M&A, succession planning, and the role of outside capital in the industry. They unpack how buyer expectations are evolving, why preparation matters long before a tr
Practice Management Year-End Wrap-Up
Practice Management Year-End Wrap-Up Dec 19, 2025 54:36 Cue the podcast takeover! In this year-end roundtable, Dimensional Practice Management Regional Directors Stephen de Man, Livia Ramirez, Mark Colaço, and Peter Wozniak share the top practice management themes and advisor insights from 2025. Covering human capital, operations, and firm growth, the team highlights what resonated most with advisors this year and closes with a forward-looking conversa
The Impact of Guiding Principles: A Conversation with Dave Butler
The Impact of Guiding Principles: A Conversation with Dave Butler Nov 21, 2025 23:48 Recorded live at the Practice Management Symposium, Dave Butler, Co-CEO of Dimensional Fund Advisors talks with Catherine Williams, Dimensional's Head of Practice Management, about developing and sustaining an organization's mission, vision, and values and why this work matters to advisors. Dave discusses how guiding principles shape culture, decision-making, and the client experience and offers i
What the Most Admired Leaders Do Differently
What the Most Admired Leaders Do Differently Oct 24, 2025 46:26 What is an "admired leader," and how can you become one? Dr. Suzanne Peterson, partner at CRA | Admired Leadership, has been studying and advising businesses for over 20 years on how senior leaders can create influence and develop trust within their organizations. She joins Dimensional's Catherine Williams for an episode of Managing your Practice to discuss the traits, behaviors, and communication

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