Most practices do not change in one giant leap. They change when you make a small decision, keep it, and stack the next one. If you have been hovering on the edge of a shift, this hour is for you.
Guests: Brooks Lindblad and George Biggar
Hosts: Andy and Ermos
Most advisors don’t pivot because a single tactic changes everything. They pivot because their mindset, systems, and community change how they work. That was the heartbeat of a recent conversation with two long-time Planswell partners, Brooks Lindblad and George Biggar, hosted by Andy and Ermos.
The moment something had to change
Both stories began with pressure.
- George had weathered a divorce, bought three tax franchises right before lockdowns, and found himself “maintaining” rather than building. He loved his clients, but the grind was winning. The real change started when he chose the life he wanted and aligned the business to match it.
- Brooks had four kids, a single-income household, and a business model that suddenly went fully virtual. Lead sources promised the moon, but delivery still required a process. He realized he needed structure, coaching, and a repeatable way to turn interest into engagement.
The common thread was not a magic lead. It was a decision to commit, then build systems that rewarded that commitment.
Why the ecosystem matters more than the lead
Plenty of companies can hand you names and numbers. What kept both advisors with Planswell was the ecosystem around the leads.
- Live coaching with Andy and Ermos
- PlanCraft sessions with real scripts and live troubleshooting
- A peer community sharing what works this week, not last year
Brooks almost quit six months in. A single call with Andy changed his framing from “chasing leads” to “running a process.” George echoed it simply: the leads are fine, but the community turns opportunities into outcomes.
Process beats volume
If your close rate is one in ten and you need three clients, you can buy 30 more leads, or you can improve your close rate to three in ten. Same hours, triple the outcome. That shift happens when your first minute builds safety, your discovery calms the nervous system, and your next step is tiny, specific, and dated.
A script that moved a 2M prospect
Brooks was stuck on a large case after multiple meetings. The breakthrough was one sentence that focused on cost of inaction.
- Old framing: “You could gain about 70K with this change.”
- New framing: “If you do nothing, it will cost you about 70K this year.”
People are twice as motivated to avoid loss as to chase gain. Same math, different human response. He got the yes.
Old leads are not old
Leads do not expire. Timing changes. Brooks booked fresh meetings from records that were many months old by dropping the “you filled this out ages ago” mindset and starting a relevant conversation today. George’s biggest client sat in his very first batch and converted two years later. If you remain present with useful micro-touches, yesterday’s maybe becomes tomorrow’s meeting.
Tools help, but you are the engine
AI dialers and call centers can warm the water. They are supplements, not replacements. The primary driver is still your voice, your questions, and your cadence of follow-through. Consistency beats intensity. Think seven small touches over seven days, not one heroic push.
Notes, snapshots, and tiny steps
Discovery is not a data dump. It is a calming, human conversation that ends with one easy commitment.
- Summarize in their words.
- Share a one-page snapshot that previews direction without overwhelm.
- Offer two time slots, not three.
- Always leave with a dated next step and who owns what.
Clarity creates confidence. Confidence creates momentum.
Community and mindset
George keeps a sticky note in view: “You will never get your business right until you get your head right.” His point was sharp and kind. Choose your five closest influences well. Look for what he calls “balcony people,” the ones who cheer you forward and tell you the truth when you need it.
Two images from the session landed hard:
- Breakfast test: the chicken was involved, the pig was committed. Results belong to the committed.
- Hound on a nail: it hurts enough to complain, not enough to move. Progress starts the moment you decide to stop hovering and act.
If you were starting today
- Brooks: plug into the community immediately. Do not try to brute-force your way alone for six months.
- George: stop waiting for permission. Decide what you want five to ten years from now and build backward. Then show up for it every week.
Quick ways to apply this week
- Rewrite one outreach using cost of inaction.
- Add a one-page plan template for discovery recaps.
- Pull 20 “old” leads and schedule a seven-day micro-touch sprint.
- Join a live PlanCraft and steal one script you will actually use.
- End every call with a dated next step, two time options, and clear ownership.
Final word
Leads open doors. Process, coaching, and community help you walk through them. If you feel stuck, you are probably closer than you think. Choose commitment over interest, make the next step tiny and dated, and let the compounding begin.
If you want to go deeper, join the next PlanCraft session with Andy and Ermos, learn from peers like Brooks and George, and put one new move into play this week. The difference between a flat month and a breakout one is often a single conversation handled with clarity and calm.
