Work Ethic is an interview series that features candid, in-depth conversations with leaders shaping the future of wealth. Guests share not only the strategies behind their success, but the personal stories, leadership lessons, and hard decisions that shaped their paths. Join our host, Ethic CEO and Co-founder Doug Scott, and take an inside look at what it really takes to build and lead in today’s wealth management industry.
Why Great Advisors Want to Own What They Build | Ed Swenson (RFG Advisory)
Today we're going in depth with Ed Swenson. Ed has spent over 25 years helping shape the wealth management industry. Today, he serves as president of RFG Advisory, an RIA platform designed to help independent advisors launch and scale their businesses. Previously, he co-founded and served as COO of Dynasty Financial Partners.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why more advisors are choosing to build their own businesses and how technology is accelerating that shift.
Why great leaders hire for curiosity, rather than for skills alone.
Which advisors will thrive in the age of AI.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:32 - From the US Embassy in Guatemala to Wall Street
05:17 - The Biggest Mistake Investors Make
08:09 - Building Dynasty Financial Partners
11:17 - The Reality of Starting a Business From Zero
13:16 - Why Financial Advisors Are Going Independent
16:30 - What Makes a Successful Independent Advisor?
18:23 - Why Hiring for Curiosity Beats Hiring for Skills
20:42 - The Power of Servant Leadership
23:48 - The Future of Independent Wealth Management
25:28 - How AI Will Transform Financial Advisory Firms
27:31 - Will AI Change the Economics of Wealth Management?
29:48 - Why AI Can't Replace Great Financial Advisors
30:55 - Work Ethic Rapid Fire Questions
—
Just a heads up: this podcast is for information purposes only. Read more about Work Ethic and subscribe to our newsletter https://www.ethic.com/work (http://ethic.com/work)
Connect with Ethic on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ethic (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ethic))
Find out more about Ed and RFG Advisory (https://rfgadvisory.com/meet-our-team/ (https://rfgadvisory.com/meet-our-team/))
Connect with Ed on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/edswenson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/edswenson/))
Today, we're going in depth with Rafia Hasan. Rafia is the Chief Investment Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Perigon Wealth Management, an advisory firm with over $12 billion in assets under management.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why investments alone are no longer enough: How AI, rising client expectations, and the growing importance of scale are reshaping the future of wealth management
How to build a winning investment team and why communication can matter more than technical expertise
The secret to becoming a leader who fosters innovation
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:18 - Lessons from Growing up Between the U.S. and Pakistan
03:12 - Why She Chose Wealth Management
05:40 - What Clients Really Want From Financial Advisors
07:11 - Why Communication Beats Technical Expertise
09:05 - How AI Could Transform Wealth Management
12:28 - The Future of Wealth: Why Scale Matters
14:15 - Private Markets and the Rise of Alternative Investments
16:36 - Why Wealth Firms Can't Build Everything In-House
19:40 - How to Foster Innovation in Investment Teams
22:10 - The Transition From Player to Coach
24:40 - The Biggest Mistake New Leaders Make
25:30 - Building a Culture of Curiosity and Innovation
27:25 - Work Ethic Rapid Fire Questions
—
Just a heads up: this podcast is for information purposes only. Read more about Work Ethic and subscribe to our newsletter https://www.ethic.com/work (http://ethic.com/work)
Connect with Ethic on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ethic (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ethic))
Find out more about Rafia and Perigon Wealth Management (https://www.perigonwealth.com/about/team/rafia-hasan/ (https://www.perigonwealth.com/about/team/rafia-hasan/))
Connect with Rafia on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafia-hasan-cfa-cfp/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafia-hasan-cfa-cfp/))
21 Oct 2026
The Optimist Who Invests Like a Skeptic | Noelle Laing (Builders Vision)
Today, we're going in depth with Noelle Laing. Noelle is the Chief Investment Officer of Builders Vision, the investment and philanthropy platform founded by Lukas Walton that accelerates solutions across energy, oceans, food, and agriculture. Noelle oversees all of Builders Vision's portfolios across both philanthropic and market-rate investment teams.
In this episode you'll learn:
How a CIO builds a portfolio across market-rate, catalytic, and philanthropic capital
Why Noelle approaches every investment as a skeptic - even as a glass-half-full optimist
What catalyzing markets means and how Builders Vision invests where others haven't yet
Why mission investing is, in her words, just investing, and the returns myth she keeps debunking
What she looks for when hiring investors
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:16 - From Small-Town Roots to Investment Management
06:20 - Finding Purpose Through Investing
09:22 - What Makes a Great Investor?
11:35 - Why you Should Hire for Curiosity
13:09 - Building a Collaborative Investment Team
17:37 - Investing to Transform Entire Systems
20:00 - How Catalytic Capital Builds New Markets
21:21 - How Impact Investing Has Evolved
23:23 - Impact Investing, Returns and the Myth of Sacrifice
25:07 - The Next Generation of Investors
26:26 - Finding Opportunity in Difficult Markets
28:30 - Work Ethic Rapid Fire Questions
—
Just a heads up: this podcast is for information purposes only. Read more about Work Ethic and subscribe to our newsletter https://www.ethic.com/work (http://ethic.com/work)
Connect with Ethic on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ethic (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ethic))
Find out more about Noelle and Builders Vision (https://www.buildersvision.com/who-we-are/noelle-laing/ (https://www.buildersvision.com/who-we-are/noelle-laing/))
Connect with Noelle on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/noelle-laing-cfa-5b92621/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/noelle-laing-cfa-5b92621/))
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