5 Strategies for Creating Extraordinary Impact

As a financial advisor, you naturally think about the future. Your job, at its core, is to help people plan, prepare, respond, and adjust. Adding another layer to that, you probably think about the future of your business, your finances, and your life beyond business (no matter how many years away that is).

In early September, AssetMark brought together 168 advisors in Santa Barbara, California at our 15th annual Platinum Summit. Advisors, guests, speakers, and sponsors discussed what it means to make an extraordinary impact.

Over three days, we brought a variety of speakers and sessions to audiences ranging in size from 30 to more than 200; from an intimate room of couches and comfortable chairs to a theater with popcorn, and of course, ballroom-style keynotes. Regardless of the audience or location, the theme of extraordinary impact was woven throughout, and we wanted to extend that beyond the walls of those sessions.

5 lessons from the 2025 Platinum Summit:

1. Embrace a pivot

Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and entrepreneur, Emmitt Smith, sat down with AssetMark’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Kim for a powerful and engaging conversation.

Smith reflected on the path from Hall of Fame football legend to inspiring entrepreneur. To extend his impact beyond the football field, he had to pivot — from trusting his teammates about stats and sacks to trusting his peers about entrepreneurship and execution.

As Smith shifted his focus to the future, he started learning a whole new game: business. Real estate became the foundation for a second act — built on vision, discipline, and long-term growth. Whether it’s succession planning or taking on a new investment strategy, he told advisors to be tough in the face of change.

2. Future-proof your business

Dana Burkhardt, Vice President, Head of Business Consulting at AssetMark, encouraged advisors to think about their future. Why? Cerulli projects the Great Wealth Transfer will see $84.4 trillion in assets transferred to heirs by 2045 with more than 70% of heirs likely to change financial advisors after inheriting their parents’ wealth.

Start building a multi-generational firm now, not when a transition event occurs. By engaging the whole family with a flexible service model, you’re establishing those lines of communication early. That can truly make all the difference in proving value and building trust and loyalty across generations. Not sure where to start? Learn more about AssetMark’s Business Consulting Team.

3. Embody warmth and competence

Drawing from her work with the U.S. Secret Service, Evy Poumpouras, journalist and bestselling author, guided our advisors on how to build trust while creating influence and impact.

Poumpouras emphasized that both warmth and competence are necessary to create a firm that your clients can trust. When clients see an advisor as someone that exhibits high warmth and high confidence, they feel much more at ease associating with you, even developing a sense of pride that you are their financial partner.

One more easy tip from Poumpouras to enhance trust? Put your phone down when you’re having conversations. Even if you’re not actively using it, your phone can be a barrier to building trust. Every interaction you have with your clients influences how they perceive your impact.

4. Lean into the trends

Alex Pape, Executive Vice President, Chief Technology & Product Officer at AssetMark, was focused on growth in his session about AI. As the world continues to shift, firms should evolve with it.

Pape discussed how AI adoption has more than doubled in some organizations over the past two years. AI can help your firm streamline operations and uncover client insights, all while keeping your focus on what matters: building client relationships.

Looking ahead to the Great Wealth Transfer, Pape suggests being proactive about connecting with future clients where they are. A Statista survey found that 41% of consumers use TikTok to as a search engine. How you use tech could be the key to future client growth, branding, and extending your impact.

5. Prioritize your goals

Seb Terry, best-selling author and founder of 100 Things, helped reframe mindsets at a talk exclusive to our Platinum Elite advisors, but the message was so inspiring that we had to give you a peek.

His biggest question to our advisors: Why do we wait?

Terry explained that the most extraordinary impact can be achieved by giving yourself permission to start centering your goals. He summed up how to start prioritizing your goals in three simple steps:

1. Identify your goal
2. Tell someone who will help keep you accountable
3. Take that first, bold step.

In his experience, prioritizing a purpose-driven goal can create limitless ripples in the lives of those around you, including your clients.

Serving the individual ignites people’s passion to share in your vision while creating a lasting legacy full of meaningful goals, connection and human possibility.

Key Takeaways

Advisors at AssetMark’s Platinum Summit were able to reflect and celebrate the extraordinary impact they bring to clients' futures every day. It’s time to think about your own legacy of extraordinary impact. Remember that impact doesn’t happen by chance, you build it using intention, adaptation, and connection.

As you think about the next quarter and the coming years, keep these strategies in mind:

1. Embrace the changes as they come
2. Plan for tomorrow as you build your business today
3. Lead your client interactions with warmth and competence
4. Keep an eye on trends and adopt the ones that make sense for you and your clients
5. Center your goals so you can take the first step to move into the bold future you deserve

You have the tools, now go be extraordinary.

©2025 AssetMark, Inc. All rights reserved.

8474837.1 | 10/2025 | EXP 10/30/2027