Michael Kitces Explains How Financial Advisors Can Create Gravity to Attract Clients vs Fighting Time and Scale Constraints
Guest: Michael Kitces
Organizations: XY Planning Network | AdvicePay | Kitces.com
If there’s one person whose work has shaped how financial advisors think about building modern, scalable, and values-driven firms, it’s Michael Kitces.
From the iconic Kitces Blue blog and the Financial Advisor Success podcast to co-founding XY Planning Network and AdvicePay, Michael has spent his career helping advisors professionalize the business of advice.
In this in-person episode of the Modern Financial Advisor Podcast, recorded live at XYPN Live 2025 in Austin, Michael joins host Mike Langford to talk about how advisors can build gravity—that powerful pull that attracts your ideal clients and team members—by focusing on a clearly defined market and scalable systems.
Connect with XYPN
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why “time-based” marketing doesn’t scale
Michael breaks down why prospecting models that rely on your time—networking, referrals, cold outreach—inevitably anti-scale as your firm grows.
The “Tyranny of the Denominator”
Michael Kitces revisits one of his most enduring ideas, explaining why maintaining high growth rates gets harder as your AUM base expands, and how strategic focus can break the cycle.
How to build gravity around a clear niche
“We’re all terrified of who we’re not going to get,” Kitces says, “but you already don’t get 99.9% of the people you meet.” Focusing on one audience—like doctors in residency or young tech founders—can multiply your growth.
Why separating sales from service is essential
Kitces argues that the traditional model of advisors as both business developers and relationship managers is a relic of the brokerage era—and that scaling firms must rethink this structure.
How XY Planning Network and AdvicePay empower advisor independence
Learn how XYPN helps advisors launch and run their own RIAs, providing full compliance, tech stack, and community support—so they can focus on serving their clients, not paperwork.
The “Advicer” Mindset
Kitces also shares the inspiration behind the Financial Advicer Manifesto, a seven-point statement of values that defines what it means to be an independent, advice-centric fiduciary in today’s landscape.“Advisors who thrive are the ones who get clear on who they serve, what problems they solve, and why it matters,” he says. “That’s what creates gravity. That’s what scales.”
Why It Matters
As Michael reminds us, “Scaling isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing less, better.”
Whether you’re running a solo firm or leading an enterprise, the lesson is the same: pick a niche, build systems that serve it, and let the gravity of your reputation do the heavy lifting.
Resources Mentioned:
Kitces.com – Research, CE, and industry insights
XY Planning Network – Launch your own RIA with full compliance and tech support
XYPN Compliance Services – Support for RIAs handling registration, filings, and ongoing requirements
AdvicePay – Payment processing platform for fee-for-service advisors
Vocatus LLC – Thanks to Ray Hennessey, Lisa Aldape, and team for the introduction
Related Episodes You May Like
If you enjoyed this conversation, you’ll love these episodes too:
