About What Works - 2,500+ Years of Experience in Financial Planning
Tune in to "What Works" hosted by Don Patrick where we tap into 2,500+ years of experience in running financial advisory practices. In each episode, Don sits down with an experienced financial planner, uncovering the unique insights and experiences that have shaped their careers. From navigating market fluctuations to building successful client relationships, Don and his guests share invaluable business tips and strategies for financial planners looking to thrive in the industry.
Join us every other Thursday, as we explore the wealth of knowledge accumulated from over 2500+ years of combined experience in financial planning.
How Tom Stark Went From Running Blockbuster Stores to Building a Coastal Advisory Practice
What happens when an independent advisor builds the lifestyle practice he wants, only to realize the business itself has become too isolated? In this episode, Tom Stark of Golden Isles Financial Advisors in Brunswick, Georgia, shares how he went from a blue-collar upbringing in Columbus, Ohio, to discovering investing as a kid, building a financial planning career, going RIA-only, and eventually moving his life and practice to Jekyll Island.
Tom reflects on the early lessons that shaped his approach to business, including his time managing Blockbuster Video stores, his lifelong interest in investing, and his early exposure to advisory accounts and holistic planning. He also discusses what changed when he went RIA-only, why he eventually wanted more collaboration and support, and how he now runs a remote, planning-focused practice with a strong technology stack, a defined client service model, and a clearer path toward continuity and succession.
1 Oct 2026
How Kevin Garrett Turned a Midlife Career Change Into a Successful Financial Planning Practice
What does it look like to leave a high-growth corporate career and build a financial planning practice designed around clarity, discipline, and relationships? In this episode, Kevin Garrett shares how he moved from telecom and technology leadership into financial planning after realizing he wanted a more entrepreneurial path and a more personal way to make an impact.
Kevin reflects on helping grow a fast-moving telecom business, starting over as a midlife career changer, and building a practice that is now fully virtual and national in reach. He also discusses why he chose to stay lean, why he only brings on clients who value financial planning, and how tools like MoneyGuidePro, Wealthbox, Jump, ScheduleOnce, and MyRepChat support a process-driven client experience. From marketing experiments and referral conversations to next-generation clients, outsourced investment management, and behavioral coaching, Kevin offers a practical look at building a focused advisory business without chasing every shiny object.
24 Sept 2026
How Wes Littlejohn Left Corporate Accounting to Build His Own Financial Planning Firm
What does it take to leave the corporate world and build a financial planning firm rooted in relationships, persistence, and long-term client care? In this episode, Wes Littlejohn of Marathon Financial Strategies in Atlanta, Georgia, shares how his background in accounting, tax preparation, audit, and corporate finance eventually led him to the advisory profession.
Wes reflects on earning his CPA, working in corporate roles, and realizing that he wanted the smaller, more relationship-driven environment he had seen in his father’s entrepreneurial career. He also shares how his practice evolved from investment-focused work into comprehensive financial planning, why tax planning has become an important part of his value to clients, and how working with his wife, Sally, helped bring more structure, process, and consistency to the business.
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