Three days in Vegas. Ten sessions. One very full brain.

The thread through every room: the tech is getting faster, and the human part is what people pay for.
Here’s the quick version. Deeper dives on my favorites are coming in future posts.

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The Highlights

1. AI frees up the hours. To start, Becky Munson shared some gems in the very first session I attended. For example, with AI, her time closing the books went from nine hours down to just one. As a result, she explained, “The other eight hours are the entire advisory opportunity.” Plus, she dropped one of my favorite tips: When I can’t get Cowork to do what I want, I simply ask Claude how to get Cowork to do what I want.
   
2. Education isn’t enough. Joey Albertson, The Profitability Project, shared that across 200+ studies, financial education changed money behavior in about one-tenth of one percent of people. “I, the advisor, need to understand people better.” Ultimately, what I really got from her talk is that if I can understand the client better, I can be a better partner and advisor for them. AND, it’s like I say—EVERYONE needs a coach—even me when it comes to my numbers.
   
3. Stop doing random acts of advisory.  The “Beyond Random Acts of Advisory” panel with Geni Whitehouse, Jacob Schroeder, and Jason Blumer made the case for a repeatable advisory process. “We are not the expert in our client’s business.” Ask your clients better questions & let them answer.
   
4. Systems handle the volume. Tailor Hartman’s session on mid-market clients…and the one client who went from 100 bills a month to 700 a week overnight. “Define the role before you price it.” And be sure you’re pricing it accordingly.”
   
5. Report on what matters to the owner. For example, Michelle Rose measures one client’s spending in units of his son’s tuition. That’s because, as she puts it, “Proactive means understanding what success looks like.” Beyond that, I’m so excited to dive into the resources she gave us as well!
   
6. Say less. Say it straight. As Jefferson Fisher put it: “Sugarcoating is not for them; it’s for you.” On top of that, cut that one filler word from your emails—you know the one? 😉 In fact, I told Claude to never use it in any copy long before Jefferson mentioned it. So, tell me what word you think it is!
   
7. Build a firm that runs without you. Along those lines, Tony Proctor made this point: “Am I here because the situation requires my judgment, or because we built it to require my presence?” Admittedly, that one hits home…and I hope it does for you, too.
   
8. Meet the Ghost. Later, in Joey Albertson’s roundtable, she explained that clients who avoid their numbers aren’t lazy; instead, they’re scared. That’s why her opener is simply: “Of course you’re freaking out right now.”
   
9. Know your story. I loved listening to & interacting with Elliott Morin’s framework again this year. From the storytelling workshop: “Very rarely are you the same as your firm.” Be sure you know the difference.
   
10. Fix your situation, not your willpower. Finally, Dr. Angela Duckworth reminded us: “High performance isn’t only about who you are. It’s also about where you are.” In other words, put your phone in another room. Personally, I’ve been using Get Bricked – game changer for sure! Honestly, if I didn’t need all those TFAs, I would put my phone in another room.

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The Bottom Line

The numbers were never the whole story. The people are.

You didn’t start your business to become a bookkeeper. We did. Let’s talk.

Which of these highlights should I break down first? Tell me in the comments.