Advisors Off Script: Stories of the Independent Frontlines with Shelby Nicholl
Advisors Off Script is the podcast where financial advisors step away from the polished talking points and get real about what it takes to build, break away, and boldly grow. Every advisor has a choice: follow the script laid out by the industry—or write your own.
Formerly known as Kick It Open, the show is hosted by Shelby Nicholl, founder of Muriel Consulting and known as the “RIA Whisperer.” She brings candid conversations, insider insights, and practical strategies that help advisors move from uncertainty to clarity and from frustration to freedom. Because this isn’t just a podcast—it’s your playbook for building boldly and living off script.
Get ready for amazing guests, including advisors who have tread the journey before, leaders from the firms serving independent advisors and partners who help advisors create thriving practices.
Here at Muriel Consulting, we're helping advisors kick the door open on their personal success by living a life off script.
About the Host
Shelby Nicholl is the founder and lead consultant at Muriel Consulting, where she helps financial advisors break free from limits, align their businesses with their ambitions, and build thriving practices. With 25 years in leadership roles at firms like LPL Financial and Edward Jones, she combines deep industry experience with her passion for empowering advisors to take bold steps toward independence and success.
She is also the founder of Muriel Network, a digital community for women in wealth management seeking connection, inspiration, and growth.
Episodes
31 episodes
Introducing Advisors Off Script
After 30 episodes, Kick It Open is evolving.🎙️ Introducing Advisors Off-Script — Stories from the Independent Frontlines.When our podcast launched and we named it Kick It Open, it was podcast about opportunity — about pushing open d...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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1:42
Are Financial Advisors Failing at Their Own Exit Planning?
On this episode of Kick It Open, Shelby Nicholl of Muriel Consulting sits down with Brooklyn Brock—a third-generation CFP®, succession planning expert, and founder of
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45:03
Can You Scale Faster With a Better Tax Plan?
Shelby Nicholl of Muriel Consulting sits down with Catherine Tindall, CPA and CEO of Dominion Enterprise Solutions, a tax planning firm dedicated to financial advisors. In this episode, Catherine ou...
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46:59
Can Consistency Be Your Secret Weapon for Growth?
In this episode of the Kick It Open podcast, host Shelby Nicholl of Muriel Consulting welcomes financial advisor and Perfect RIA founder
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39:42
Does Life End with Retirement, or Can We Rewire?
For many high-performing professionals (yes, even financial advisors), exiting a career isn’t the easy slide into golf, leisure, and legacy we imagine. In fact, it often triggers boredom, loss of identity, and a surprising lack of fulfillment—<...
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44:54
Do You Have the Courage to Be Curious in 2025?
Do you have the courage to be curious? In this thought-provoking episode of Kick It Open, host Shelby Nicholl sits down with Liz Schehl—executive coach, industry change agent, and ...
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39:26
Can a Joy-First Approach Fuel Long-Term Growth for RIAs?
What does it look like to build a thriving wealth management firm around the values of joy and family?In this episode of Kick It Open, Larry Sprung, founder of Mitlin Financial...
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38:19
Struggling to Scale? It Might Be Time for a Second-in-Command COO.
What if the key to unlocking your next level of growth isn't you doing more... but finding the right person to support you?In this episode of Kick It Open, Shelby Nicholl s...
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37:17
What If the Key to Practice Growth Is Actually Health, Not Wealth?
Could your next big business breakthrough come from well-being, not just your strategy? Shelby Nicholl connects with Stevyn Guinnip, founder of
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41:25
What Happens After a Failed Succession Plan? Breakthroughs, Innovation, and Resilience
What happens when a succession plan falls apart? For Leighann Miko, it became the catalyst for something even bigger. In this episode of Kick It Open, Leighann shares her journey from an advisor left stranded by a failed success...
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46:04
Are You Ready to Ditch the Hustle and Scale to 8 Figures?
Julia Carlson is a powerhouse in wealth management—leading a team of 20, serving over 1,600 families and business owners, and authoring the book Money Loves You: Transform Your Relationship with Money and Grow Your Wealth. In this epis...
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41:46
What Happens When Your Strategy, Marketing & Client Experience Align?
What happens when your strategy, marketing, and client experience align? In this episode of Kick It Open, host Shelby Nicholl sits down with business development coach Kristin Harad of
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42:02
Is There a Better Way to Go Independent Than Joining an Independent Broker-Dealer?
For many advisors, independence starts with an independent broker-dealer (IBD)—but is that really the best way to go independent? Or is there a better way to achieve the freedom, flexibility, and control you actual...
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Episode 10
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43:52
Will AI Be the Ultimate Growth Hack for Wealth Advisors?
AI isn’t just the future—it’s the now, and in this episode of Kick It Open, we’re diving headfirst into how artificial intelligence is shaking up wealth management. Host Shelby Nicholl sits down with Jeannette Kuda
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Episode 9
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36:45
How do you future-proof the legacy of a $7B RIA?
Scaling a wealth management firm is one thing—ensuring it thrives for generations is another. Chris Kerckhoff, President and CEO of Plancorp, knows exactly what it takes. During his tenure and leadership, Plancorp has grown from a small ...
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Episode 8
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45:54
What's the Secret to a Successful Acquisition Strategy? Relationships.
What happens when the next generation takes the reins of a financial practice? For Stephanie “Stevie” Green, President of Spencer Financial, the transition wasn’t just about continuing her father’s legacy—it was about expanding and evolv...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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38:01
How Can You Set Yourself Up for Crushing Your 2025 Goals?
Big goals require more than good intentions—they need a strategy. In this episode of Kick It Open, host Shelby Nicholl sits down with Kristin Burke, goal achievement coach and host of the Elite Achievement podcas...
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35:55
How Do We Stop Next-Gen Advisors from Failing?
The future of wealth management depends on the next generation—but are we setting them up for success?In this episode of Kick It Open, host Shelby Nicholl sits down with Alanah Phillips and Lindsey Lewis, co-f...
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35:58
What Should Advisors Look for to Find the Perfect Culture Fit?
In this episode of the Kick It Open Podcast, hosts Shelby Nicholl and Iyanna Harris engage in an insightful discussion with
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46:04
What Would Happen If Women Stopped Playing Small?
Kick It Open is all about bold conversations that challenge the status quo in wealth management. In this special episode, host Shelby Nichol is joined by special co-host Iyana Harris for an inspiring discussion with Shan...
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43:51
Do You Have the Courage to be CEO?
At just 21, Lauren Oschman started her career as a financial advisor. Years later, she made an even bolder move—launching her own firm and stepping into the CEO role. But leadership isn’t just about titles. It takes vision, resili...
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47:02
Should I Settle? Or, Should I Build My Own RIA?
If you can’t find the perfect firm, should you build it yourself? That’s exactly what Chuck Failla did. With over 25 years in the industry, Chuck started as a “cold-calling cowboy” in the ’90s and went on to launch Sovereign Financial...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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42:34
What Fee Model Best Captures the Value I Deliver?
The way financial advisors charge for their services is evolving—but with so many models out there, how do you choose the right one?In this episode of Kick It Open, host Shelby Nicholl sits down with Julia Lilly, f...
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34:35
How Can You Train Your Brain for Success Like an Elite Athlete?
High performers don’t just rely on talent—they train their minds for success. In this episode of Kick It Open, Dr. Ellen Reed, mental toughness expert and co-author of Relentless Solution Focus, shares the science behin...
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37:04
How Can You Stop Performing Leadership and Start Being a Leader?
Leadership isn’t something you do—it’s who you are.In this episode of Kick It Open, host Shelby Nicholl sits down with Sheila Bast, a leadership coach with the Cohen Leadership Group, to explore what it...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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39:10