Tag: Better Practice Better Life
AI Agents Aren’t Replacing Advisors, They’re Changing How Firms Work Ft. Greg Matusky (Ep. 9)

AI Agents Aren’t Replacing Advisors, They’re Changing How Firms Work Ft. Greg Matusky (Ep. 9)

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Every week, financial advisors are introduced to another AI tool promising to save time and transform their practice. The bigger question isn’t which tool to use. It’s about using AI in a way that strengthens client relationships, supports your team, and gives you more time for the conversations that matter.

In this episode of Better Practice, Better Life, Matt Halloran sits down with Greg Matusky, Founder and CEO of Gregory Agency, to explore how AI agents are changing the way advisory firms and businesses operate. Together, they discuss the difference between AI agents and traditional AI tools, why organizational knowledge may become one of a firm’s greatest competitive advantages, and how learning loops can improve client service, team training, and day-to-day workflows. You’ll also hear why AI should help advisors become more present with clients, not less, and how thoughtful implementation can create a better practice and a better life.

Key Questions Explored

  • What’s the difference between AI agents and tools like ChatGPT for financial advisors?
  • How can advisory firms use AI to reduce administrative work without losing the human connection?
  • Why is organizational knowledge becoming one of the biggest advantages in AI adoption?
  • How do learning loops help firms improve client service and advisor productivity over time?
  • Where should financial advisors begin when implementing AI across their practice?
  • How can advisors prepare their teams for the next generation of AI technology?
  • And more!

Ready to See Zocks in Action?

If you’re exploring ways to reduce administrative work, improve client follow-up, and create more meaningful conversations, schedule a personalized demo to see how Zocks can fit into your advisory practice:

https://www.zocks.io/book-your-demo

Resources:

Connect with Matt Halloran:

Connect with Greg Matusky:

About Our Guest:

Greg Matusky is the Founder and CEO of Gregory FCA, one of the largest public relations and integrated communications firms specializing in financial services. He has spent decades helping financial organizations communicate more effectively while staying ahead of changes in technology and media. Today, Greg is leading the firm’s adoption of AI agents and organizational learning systems, exploring how artificial intelligence can help teams work more efficiently, preserve institutional knowledge, and strengthen client relationships without losing the human judgment that drives meaningful outcomes.

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Why Financial Advisors Need to Treat Health Like Wealth with Stevyn Guinnip (Ep. 8)

Why Financial Advisors Need to Treat Health Like Wealth with Stevyn Guinnip (Ep. 8)

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Why do so many successful financial advisors struggle with burnout, stress, and work-life balance, even when their businesses are thriving? Matt Halloran sits down with health strategist Stevyn Guinnip to explore why better health may be one of the most important investments advisors can make in both their practice and their life.

In this episode of Better Practice, Better Life, Matt and Stevyn discuss why advisors often prioritize their clients’ financial futures while putting their own health on hold. They explore how applying the same long-term thinking used in financial planning can help advisors build greater energy, resilience, and balance through sustainable habits rather than quick fixes.

Stevyn shares how her experience growing up in a family of financial advisors, her career as an exercise physiologist, and her own health crisis shaped her approach to helping advisors treat their health as a long-term asset. Together, they discuss practical ways to create more margin, reduce burnout, and build a healthier, more sustainable practice.

Key Questions Explored

  • Why do so many financial advisors experience burnout, even when their businesses are successful?
  • How can advisors apply long-term investing principles to their health?
  • Why do sustainable habits outperform quick fixes?
  • How can advisors create more energy and margin without sacrificing growth?
  • What does it mean to treat your health as a long-term asset?
  • How can AI and better systems help advisors create a better practice and a better life?
  • And more!

Ready to See Zocks in Action?

If you’re exploring ways to reduce administrative work, improve client follow-up, and create more meaningful conversations, schedule a personalized demo to see how Zocks can fit into your advisory practice:

https://www.zocks.io/book-your-demo

Resources:

Connect with Matt Halloran:

Connect with Stevyn Guinnip

About Our Guest:

Stevyn Guinnip is the founder of Grow Wellthy, an exercise physiologist, health strategist, and author who specializes in helping financial advisors build healthier, more sustainable careers. Inspired by growing up in a financial advisor family and informed by more than two decades of experience in health and performance, Stevyn combines evidence-based wellness strategies with principles advisors already understand, including long-term planning, systems, and consistent habits. Her work helps financial professionals improve their energy, resilience, and overall well-being so they can enjoy the lives they’ve worked so hard to build.

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What Advisors Should Do With the Time AI Gives Back Ft. Ashley Quamme (Ep. 7)

What Advisors Should Do With the Time AI Gives Back Ft. Ashley Quamme (Ep. 7)

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If you’re a financial advisor feeling overwhelmed by administrative work, back-to-back client meetings, and the constant pressure to do more, what happens when AI finally gives you some of that time back?

In this episode of Better Practice, Better Life, Matt Halloran welcomes financial behavior officer and therapist Ashley Quamme to explore why improving productivity isn’t the finish line. Together, they discuss how reducing administrative work can create space for better client conversations, stronger relationships, improved work-life balance, and a more fulfilling life inside and outside your practice.

Key Questions Explored

  • Why do so many financial advisors struggle to slow down, even after reclaiming time through AI and automation?
  • How can reducing administrative work help you become more present during client meetings and build stronger client relationships?
  • What are the early signs of financial advisor burnout, and what can you do before they begin affecting your clients, your practice, and your personal life?
  • Why do clients remember how you made them feel more than the financial advice you gave them, and how does that influence trust and referrals?
  • And more!

Ready to See Zocks in Action?

If you’re exploring ways to reduce administrative work, improve client follow-up, and create more meaningful conversations, schedule a personalized demo to see how Zocks can fit into your advisory practice:

https://www.zocks.io/book-your-demo

Connect with Matt Halloran:

Connect with Ashley Quamme:

About Our Guest:

Ashley Quamme is a financial behavior officer, therapist, speaker, coach, and founder of Beyond the Plan. She helps financial advisors better understand the psychology behind financial decision-making, communication, and behavior change. By combining behavioral science with real-world advisory experience, Ashley equips advisors to strengthen client relationships, navigate change with confidence, reduce burnout, and build healthier, more sustainable practices.

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The Hidden Value in Every Client Conversation with Mark Gilbert (Ep. 6)

The Hidden Value in Every Client Conversation with Mark Gilbert (Ep. 6)

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Most advisors aren’t worried about whether AI is coming. They’re trying to figure out how to use it without losing what makes them valuable in the first place.

In this episode of Better Practice, Better Life, Matt Halloran sits down with Mark Gilbert, CEO and co-founder of Zocks, to explore how financial advisors can use AI to reclaim time, uncover opportunities hidden in client conversations, and strengthen relationships rather than automate them away. Together, they discuss the future of advisor technology, practical AI adoption, and why the human side of advice may become even more important as technology evolves.

Key Questions Explored

  • How was Zocks built to solve the real-world challenges financial advisors face every day?
  • What valuable insights are hidden inside client conversations, and how can advisors use them more effectively?
  • How can advisory firms adopt AI without overwhelming their teams or disrupting existing workflows?
  • What role can AI play in helping advisors create more time for clients, growth, and life outside the office?
  • How can technology actually strengthen personal client relationships rather than weaken them?
  • And more!

Ready to See Zocks in Action?

If you’re exploring ways to reduce administrative work, improve client follow-up, and create more meaningful conversations, schedule a personalized demo to see how Zocks can fit into your advisory practice:

https://www.zocks.io/book-your-demo

Connect with Matt Halloran:

Connect with Mark Gilbert:

About Our Guest:

Mark Gilbert is the CEO and co-founder of Zocks. He has spent his career building and scaling technology companies, with leadership experience at Corel, Microsoft, Hearsay Social, and Twilio. Throughout his career, Mark has focused on helping organizations use technology to improve communication, efficiency, and customer experience. At Zocks, he is helping financial advisors leverage AI to automate administrative tasks, uncover opportunities hidden in client conversations, and free up time for meaningful client relationships.

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What Happens When Advisors Finally Get Time Back? With Steven Latow (Ep. 5)

What Happens When Advisors Finally Get Time Back? With Steven Latow (Ep. 5)

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What would you do with an extra 10 hours every week?

For many financial advisors, the challenge isn’t a lack of technology. It’s a lack of capacity.

As client expectations continue to grow, advisors are being asked to do more than ever before while still delivering the personalized guidance clients expect. The pressure to serve clients well, develop team members, strengthen relationships, and grow a business can leave little room for the work that matters most.

In this episode of Better Practice, Better Life, Matt Halloran sits down with Zocks’ Chief Strategy Officer Steven Latow, to explore how artificial intelligence is helping advisory firms create more capacity without sacrificing the human side of advice.

As one of the earliest leaders at Zocks, Steven has spent years working alongside advisory firms to understand where operational friction exists and where technology can create meaningful change. Together, he and Matt discuss why the real opportunity isn’t simply getting work done faster. It’s creating the time and space for better conversations, stronger relationships, more thoughtful leadership, and a more sustainable way to serve clients.

Questions This Conversation Helps Answer

  • How can financial advisors use AI without sacrificing the human side of advice?
  • How can firms reduce operational bottlenecks and spend more time serving clients?
  • What happens when advisors reclaim meaningful time every week?
  • Why are many firms missing opportunities with beneficiaries and next-generation clients?
  • How can better data improve client service, advisor development, and succession planning?
  • What role will AI play in the future of financial advice?
  • How can advisory firms scale while maintaining trust and personal relationships?
  • How can firms prepare for a growing advisor shortage while continuing to deliver a high level of service?
  • And more!

To learn more about Zocks and how we’re helping financial advisors reduce operational friction, create more capacity, and strengthen client relationships, visit: www.zocks.io/mattgpt

Resources:

Connect with Matt Halloran:

Connect with Steven Latow:

About Our Guest:

Steven Latow is the Chief Strategy Officer at Zocks, where he helps shape the company’s product vision, growth strategy, and long-term roadmap for AI-powered advisor technology. As one of the earliest employees at Zocks, Steven has played a key role in building solutions designed to help financial advisors reduce operational friction, improve client experiences, and create more capacity for meaningful work.

Prior to joining Zocks, Steven worked across financial services and financial technology, including roles at FactSet and Hearsay Systems. His experience spans product development, advisor technology, enterprise software, and workflow innovation. Today, he works closely with advisory firms of all sizes to understand the challenges they face and how artificial intelligence can help advisors spend less time on administrative work and more time serving clients, developing their teams, and building stronger businesses.

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Here’s What AI Actually Looks Like Inside A Real Advisory Practice with Chris Arnold (Ep. 4)

Here’s What AI Actually Looks Like Inside A Real Advisory Practice with Chris Arnold (Ep. 4)

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What does AI actually look like inside a real advisory practice?

In this episode of Better Practice, Better Life: Human First, Powered by AI, Matt Halloran talks with Chris Arnold, Founder of Refresh Wealth, about his experience implementing Zocks and how it has changed the way he serves clients.

As a solo advisor managing a growing practice, Chris shares how Zocks helps him stay focused during meetings, capture meaningful client details, and spend less time on administrative work. Rather than worrying about taking notes, he can concentrate on listening and having better conversations.

Chris explains how capturing a client’s exact language, whether it’s concern about a “tsunami of RMDs” or wanting the ability to “press eject” from a job, helps him deliver more personalized advice and create stronger client connections. He also discusses how Zocks supports follow-up, helps him demonstrate value between meetings, and allows him to focus more of his time on the parts of the business where he creates the greatest impact.

The conversation offers a practical look at how one advisor is using AI to enhance client relationships, improve efficiency, and build a practice that supports a better life both inside and outside of work.

Key Questions Explored

  • What does using Zocks look like in a real advisory practice?
  • How can AI help advisors stay more present during client meetings?
  • How can capturing client language improve communication and trust?
  • How do advisors demonstrate value between meetings?
  • How can technology help advisors focus on their strengths and spend less time on administrative tasks?

Ready to See Zocks in Action?

If you’re exploring ways to reduce administrative work, improve client follow-up, and create more meaningful conversations, schedule a personalized demo to see how Zocks can fit into your advisory practice:

https://www.zocks.io/book-your-demo

Connect with Matt Halloran:

Connect with Chris Arnold:

About Our Guest:

Chris Arnold is the founder of Refresh Wealth, an independent financial planning firm that helps startup employees navigate stock options, equity compensation, and liquidity events. He works closely with clients facing complex financial decisions while balancing career growth, family life, and long-term planning goals. Chris is passionate about using technology to create a more personal and effective planning experience.

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The Breaking Point Most Advisors Never Talk About with Jim Hardeman (Ep. 3)

The Breaking Point Most Advisors Never Talk About with Jim Hardeman (Ep. 3)

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Most advisors didn’t get into this business to spend their days buried in admin work, meeting notes, and compliance tasks, but over time, that invisible work began to pull attention away from clients.

In this episode of Better Practice, Better Life: Human First, Powered by AI, Matt Halloran talks with Zocks EVP of Product, Jim Hardeman, about the real pressure advisors face behind the scenes, how AI can reduce that burden, and why the best technology should help advisors be more present, not less human.

The conversation explores how AI can improve meeting prep, simplify workflows, and give advisors valuable time back, while also looking at where advisor technology may be headed next and how firms can adopt it without losing the personal relationships that matter most.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • Why so many advisors feel overwhelmed by “invisible work” behind the scenes
  • How AI can help advisors become more present in client conversations
  • Why saving time only matters if advisors use it intentionally
  • The difference between replacing human connection and supporting it
  • Where advisor technology may be heading over the next few years
  • And more! 

Connect with Matt Halloran:

Connect with Jim Hardeman:

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Why I Do This: The Moments That Pulled Me Into This Work (Ep. 2)

Why I Do This: The Moments That Pulled Me Into This Work (Ep. 2)

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Most people never see what financial advisors actually carry, and if it’s done well, they’re not supposed to.

In this episode of Better Practice, Better Life, Matt Halloran shares how he ended up working alongside advisors, and it didn’t start with a clear plan; it started with a really hard week. At the time, he was working as a therapist, dealing with more than most people could carry in a short span, and it forced him to ask a simple question, how much longer can I keep doing this? That question led him somewhere unexpected. A chance opportunity, a bold ask, and a willingness to bet on himself put him in front of financial advisors.

What he found wasn’t what most people assume about the profession. It wasn’t about stock picks or performance; it was the pressure. The kind that comes from sitting in emotional conversations, from being the person clients call when life takes a turn, and from the constant worry that something important could slip through the cracks, not market-related, human-related.

Matt talks about what happens when some of that pressure starts to lift. Tools like Zocks are giving advisors time back, hours they didn’t have before, and while that sounds like a win, it introduces a different kind of discomfort. Because when the busyness fades, a bigger question shows up: what’s been missing?

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • Why advisors often carry more emotional weight than clients realize
  • The concept of “invisible work” and how it shapes the client experience
  • What advisors gain when they get hours back in their week, and why that can feel uncomfortable
  • How better conversations, not just better tools, can change everything
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Matt Halloran:

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Meet Matt Halloran: The Human Behind the AI Conversation (Ep. 1)

Meet Matt Halloran: The Human Behind the AI Conversation (Ep. 1)

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This first episode gets into something most advisors do not really think about: how much of their attention is split during work.

You are in a meeting, trying to listen, while also taking notes and thinking about what comes next. It feels normal, but it pulls you out of the conversation more than you realize.

Matt talks through why that happens and what it actually costs you, especially in terms of how clients experience you.

He also reframes AI in a more practical way. Not as a replacement for the advisor, but as something that handles the background work so you can stay focused on the person in front of you.

The more interesting question is what you do with the time if you actually get it back.

If you actually got time back, what would you do with it?

Because when things slow down, most people realize they have not spent much time in that space.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • Why a better practice and a better life is not just about being more productive
  • The difference between surface-level listening and actually being engaged
  • How AI can support advisors without taking away the human side of the work
  • What it looks like to get real time back in your week
  • Why quiet and space are harder than they sound, and why they matter

If you are trying to build a practice that does not drain you while still doing good work for clients, this is worth a listen.

Resources:

Connect with Matt Halloran:

About the Host:

Matt Halloran, widely known as MattGPT, is the Chief Evangelist for Zocks and a trusted voice at the intersection of communication, leadership, and technology in financial services. A seasoned keynote presenter, three-time author, TEDx speaker, and industry expert, Matt brings more than 15 years of experience as an advisor, coach, and practice management consultant, helping professionals transform the way they connect with clients, teams, and themselves.

Known for his warmth, authenticity, and signature “nice-guy rebellion,” Matt challenges outdated ideas of leadership built on pressure, perfection, and posturing. Instead, he champions a more human approach rooted in empathy, curiosity, and intentional listening. Over the course of his career, he has helped thousands of advisors and business leaders build deeper relationships, create more meaningful impact, and rediscover the joy in their work through genuine human connection.

Matt is the author of Shut the F Up and Listen, a practical and deeply relatable book that blends real-world stories, actionable exercises, and proven tools to help people reconnect in an increasingly noisy and distracted world. His widely viewed TEDx talk expands on this philosophy and introduces the HOPE framework: Helping One Person Every Day, illustrating how small, intentional acts of presence and compassion can compound into lasting personal, professional, and cultural change.

With appearances on more than 1,000 podcasts, Matt is a natural storyteller who brings a rare mix of wisdom, humor, and heart to every stage, conversation, and audience. Whether speaking to advisors, entrepreneurs, or leadership teams, his message consistently resonates because it is practical, honest, and deeply human.

At the core of everything Matt does is a simple but powerful mission: to help people communicate better, listen more deeply, and lead with love; proving that, in a world increasingly driven by automation, humanity remains the ultimate competitive advantage.

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