Ep. 83: Building Enterprise Value, Multi-Generational Growth, and the Case for Outsourcing, with First Trust VP Jackie Wilke (recorded 08/27/26)

<p>In episode 83, host Jimmy Lee is joined by Jackie Wilke, Vice President and Advisor Consultant with First Trust&#39;s Advisor Consulting Group, for a wide-ranging conversation on practice management for financial advisors. They discuss what actually drives enterprise value and succession readiness, how to grow through multi-generational family relationships, and how AI is starting to show up in client conversations. They also cover why outsourcing portfolio management can free up an advisor&#39;s time, what separates the fastest-growing advisor teams, and the opportunity ahead for women entering the profession. </p><ul><li><p>Jackie Wilke cites data showing 41% of industry assets are currently managed by advisors on track to retire within the next decade, and that roughly 30% of advisors planning to retire within five years don&#39;t yet have a succession plan in place. </p></li></ul><ul><li><p>In her view, enterprise value largely comes down to whether a practice could keep running smoothly for six months without its lead advisor: documented processes, clearly defined team roles, and multi-generational relationships on both the team and client side. </p></li></ul><ul><li><p>First Trust&#39;s &quot;family phone call&quot; is a low-pressure, resource-based way for a team to introduce itself to a client&#39;s family well before a wealth transfer event, rather than reaching out for the first time after a client has passed away. </p></li></ul><ul><li><p>On AI, Jackie Wilke suggests advisors who embrace the technology may gain an edge over those who don&#39;t, though she doesn&#39;t see it replacing the advisor relationship, especially for clients navigating complex, non-financial decisions. </p></li></ul><ul><li><p>Jimmy Lee and Jackie Wilke discuss how many of the strongest-growing advisor teams outsource or delegate work outside their &quot;zone of genius,&quot; such as research, trading, and portfolio construction, to protect time for client relationships. </p></li></ul><ul><li><p>Jackie Wilke references a Fidelity study suggesting advisors who outsource investment management to model portfolios can gain roughly 10 hours back per week. </p></li></ul><ul><li><p>The conversation closes on the opportunity for more women to enter financial advising, along with practical ideas for engaging female clients and their broader family and professional networks. </p></li></ul><ul><li><p> </p></li></ul><p>Host: Jimmy Lee, Founder &amp; CEO, The Wealth Consulting Grou