Page 28 - Investment Advisor - September 2023

the First national Bank in sioux Falls The initial 14-day training provides 126 hours of foundational
The First National Bank inaugurated its Common learning, delivered in partnership with Northwestern Mutual’s field
Cents on the Prairie in January 2020, the first leaders. Topics include client building, practice management, risk
financial podcast in the greater Sioux Falls area. products, wealth management and financial planning. With options
Its goal was to help listeners feel like part of the community, while for virtual and in-person learning sessions, the program’s flexibility
at the same time educating them on what their next financial steps appeals to next-generation advisors and those juggling family needs or
should be. The podcast introduces listeners to two types of guests. located in remote areas. Results from initial learning cohorts showed
Financial experts provide guidance in a nonjudgmental and acces- significant increases in new clients acquired and financial plans deliv-
sible way. Regular people show listeners that they are not the only ered compared to similar new advisors trained outside the program.
ones who have money concerns or are seeking more guidance.
Another podcast is the “How We Money” series, in which couples osaic
discuss their personal finances and their relationship with money. In 2023, Osaic revamped its annual W Forum con-
ference for the firm’s female advisors and office associates. This year’s
Broker-dealers hybrid get-together was built around a vision of a future for the wealth
management industry where women lead and flourish. W Forum
Cambridge Investment explores critical growth topics ranging from business strategies to
research, Inc. practice management solutions to leadership best practices. The con-
Now in its third year, the Cambridge Stronger Podcast — hosted by ference featured a curated lineup of female presenters from around
CEO Amy Webber — provides a platform for independent profes- the country who represented a diverse mix of perspectives and topics,
sionals to discuss industry trends that affect the financial services all geared toward helping female advisors prepare for the future.
industry, and offers thought leadership and guidance to those The event featured “60 Seconds to Success,” where advisors shared
considering a career in the business. one-minute business building ideas with their peers. Osaic also part-
In July 2022, Cambridge unveiled “Let’s Talk,” an internal pod- nered with Ion Learning to offer a year-long education course for
cast specifically designed to help the firm’s more than 3,900 financial attendees in applied emotional intelligence/quotient, or EQ, so they
professionals take full advantage of the variety of offerings, resourc- can continue their W Forum experience beyond the conference itself.
es and technology at their disposal. Episodes focus on compliance,
business growth, and practice management to networking and client raymond James
experience. The firm’s website also hosts a variety of whitepapers Raymond James’ next-genera-
and one-pagers that cover business growth, transition, diversity and tion advisor programs — the Advisor Mastery Program, AMP
inclusion, ESG investing and serving next-generation investors. Foundations, the Advisor Career Path Program and the Registered
Associate Mentoring Program — are a series of educational initia-
Cetera Financial Group tives designed to engage, train and develop diverse talent for the
In 2022, when professional conferenc- financial services industry. Participants build out the processes
es could again be live and in-person, and plans critical to their business, called their “blueprint,” and
Cetera brought together its financial advisors for Connect2Peers receive feedback from their mentors, managers, coach and peers
2022, delivering three days of idea sharing, peer-to-peer collabo- in their cohort. Each cohort also has assigned diversity mentors
ration, networking — and fun. Inspired by the firm’s Growth360 via the AMP Empowerment Program to ensure the firm’s diverse
program, which empowers Cetera financial professionals to learn population’s unique needs and perspectives are met.
from and incorporate their peers’ successes, the event focused on Raymond James launched AMP Foundations to increase the
four organic growth tracks, with peer-to-peer panels, roundtables number of next-generation advisors. This program allows young
and interactive sessions featuring Cetera’s top professionals shar- advisors to preview roles of branch associate, financial planner
ing best practices and tips for success. and advisor over 18 months and make an informed decision about
Connect2Peers educated advisors about how they can best which is best for their career path.
grow their practices, reinforced connections with fellow advisors
and leveraged in-person opportunities, leaving attendees left the Consulting Firms
event with a personalized roadmap for business growth.
C2P enterprises
northwestern Mutual C2P Enterprises is a holding company that com-
Northwestern Mutual rolled prises four distinct brands, each designed to
out the National Training Program, designed to help advisors simplify financial planning for advisors and the clients they serve.
succeed faster and stay in the profession. The program offers a In October 2022, the firm launched the Advisor Career Path and
digitally enabled, data-driven, curated curriculum delivered in a Compensation Program, a two-day training for advisors to recruit,
scalable format to advisors in their first three years. reward and retain top talent to develop a self-sustaining practice.

26 Investment AdvIsor September 2023 | thinkAdvisor.com