The financial services industry has historically relied on in-person events to drive revenue, but the global pandemic forced professionals to rethink their approach to networking. While the in-person conference is fundamental to building a business, it can also feel transactional, overly formal, and awkward.
In this episode, Ryan Donovan and George Svagera speak with Matt Middleton, Chief Executive Officer at Advisor Circle, about modernizing the financial services industry with experiential events, such as the Future Proof festival and the Exchange ETF conference. Matt’s creative approach to networking in a post-pandemic world leads to genuine conversations that build stronger relationships, both personally and professionally.
Matt talks to George and Ryan about the successes and challenges of hosting Advisor Circle’s Future Proof event, the world’s first wealth festival bringing vibrancy, humanity, and culture to the traditional networking environment. Advisor Circle revolutionizes an industry rooted in routine and targets financial professionals looking to learn, grow, and adapt to change.
Key Takeaways
[01:49] - The uncertain fate of live events in a post-pandemic world.
[04:04] - Matt’s creative approach to revamping the events industry.
[06:18] - The history behind the world’s first wealth festival.
[10:24] - How personal interests can spark genuine professional connections.
[12:55] - The challenges of building an inclusive conference environment.
[14:49] - The importance of uplifting emerging industry voices.
[16:23] - Quire Consulting’s role in improving Advisor Circle’s event.
[24:25] - Successes and lessons learned in the Future Proof festival.
[29:26] - Misconceptions about professional conferences.
[33:10] - Conference details for 2023.
Quotes
[11:02] - “In the traditional events space, it’s already ingrained in us they’re always going to try to sell me something versus starting connection on the human level. We all have shared interests or hobbies. We’re all connected. What is it about you and I that make us want to know each other? And then we can get business done after.” ~ Matt Middleton
[29:26] - “It could be a professional conference, but we can actually be people. We can talk the way we talk to our friends and family, we can dress the way we do on weekends. And guess what? We’re still smart, we can still conduct business.” ~ Matt Middleton
[30:45] - “As I started to evolve over the last several years, I started to say my uniqueness gives me a different perspective on this industry. We need to be more of ourselves.” ~ Matt Middleton
Links
Matt Middleton LinkedIn
Matt Middleton Twitter
Matt Middleton
Advisor Circle LinkedIn
Advisor Circle Twitter
Future Proof Festival
Quire Consulting
Connect with our hosts
Ryan Donovan
George Svagera
The Fuse Show Website
Subscribe and stay in touch
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
1880-OAT-10/10/2020
