Hire Smarter: 5 Traits I Use to Evaluate People
Future Zeros
In this episode of Future Zeros, Mike shares a simple but powerful five-word framework to quickly evaluate the people around you—whether it's a prospective hire, a business partner, a new customer, or even yourself. Drawing from years of experience leading teams and building partnerships, he breaks down the core traits he looks for: Gratitude, Honor, Effort, Intent, and Serve. This personal “cheat sheet” is a practical tool for leaders who want to build stronger teams, make better hiring decisions, and align themselves with the right people both professionally and personally. If you’ve...
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How Financial Advisors Can Hustle Luck Into Business Growth
Future Zeros
What if luck wasn’t random—but something you could hustle into existence? In this episode of Future Zeros, Mike Walters, CEO of USA Financial, breaks down how successful financial advisors create their own luck by combining hard work, timing, and awareness. Learn how to recognize the right opportunities, filter out the noise, and position your practice for maximum growth —both today and when it’s time to transition. If you’re a driven advisor looking to scale your business with purpose and precision, this episode is for you. Consider subscribing for continued insights from...
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Discover the Path to Business Growth via the Chain-of-Secrets
Future Zeros
Tired of chasing the elusive "magic bullet" for business growth and feeling frustrated by endless programs and gurus overpromising and underdelivering? Learn why the magic bullet is a myth and discover the real path to success – strategically combining key elements in a “chain-of-secrets”. Stop wasting time and money on false promises and start building your own chain of secrets to unlock sustainable growth. Consider subscribing for continued insights from USA Financial: https://www.youtube.com/@USA-Financial For more of Future Zeros: https://www.usafinancial.com/insights/futurezeros...
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Understanding the Four “Ships” to Grow Your Business
Future Zeros
In this episode of Future Zeros, we’ll break down the four “ships” of motoring your business forward: Ownership, Leadership, Stewardship, and Relationship. Learn how to focus on each of these distinct areas to build your practice into a valuable asset, effectively lead your team, foster a culture of trust, and nurture vital connections with both employees and customers. Strong performance in these four areas help to drive growth and long-term success in your financial advisory practice. Consider subscribing for continued insights from USA Financial:...
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Living Behind the Decimal Point
Future Zeros
Being a big fish in a small pond vs. being a small cog in a big engine – they are both opposite ends of the same spectrum and it can be unbelievably dangerous for the future growth, performance, and ultimate value of your business. In this episode of Future Zeros, we’ll talk about what it means to live behind the decimal point, how dangerous that is, and the things you need to consider. Consider subscribing for continued insights from USA Financial: https://www.youtube.com/@USA-Financial For more of Future Zeros: https://www.usafinancial.com/insights/futurezeros Future Zeros is a series...
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Don’t Bite the Hook
Future Zeros
There’s all sorts of bait in the water out there trying to tell you the valuation multiples on your practice. But, beware... If you bite down on that hook hard, you might find yourself getting reeled in on a deal that will undermine the career’s worth of work you’ve put into building your practice. We’ll talk about some of the things you should be doing in your business to avoid the smoke and mirrors when it comes to valuation in this episode of Future Zeros. Note: USA Financial is not a business valuation expert and is not responsible for any misapplication of the information...
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Take the Fork in the Road
Future Zeros
When you’re trying to build your practice for a future merger, acquisition, sale, transition, or succession – then when you come to a fork in the road, you better know how to take it. In this episode of Future Zeros, we’ll talk about how important planning for the timing of your eventual exit is depending on the path you’re looking to take. Consider subscribing for continued insights from USA Financial: https://www.youtube.com/@USA-Financial For more of Future Zeros: https://www.usafinancial.com/insights/futurezeros Future Zeros is a series for financial advisors who want to increase...
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The 80/20 Rule Works Because It’s Brutal
Future Zeros
How are you applying the 80/20 rule? What does it really mean when you look at it from a revenue lens vs. a profit/EBITDA lens? The 80/20 rule is dramatically different based on how you use it and that’s what makes it so brutal and so useful. In this episode of Future Zeros, we’ll dive deeper into client segmentation and how it impacts the bottom-line profit of your practice. Consider subscribing for continued insights from USA Financial: https://www.youtube.com/@USA-Financial For more of Future Zeros: https://www.usafinancial.com/insights/futurezeros Future Zeros is a series for...
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Book, Asset, or Practice Sale?
Future Zeros
What is the difference between selling/buying a book of business, selling/buying a financial practice, and selling/buying the assets of a business? If you don’t know the difference between these before walking into an M+A negotiation, you’re at a huge disadvantage. In this episode of Future Zeros, we’ll dive into each option and when it may be a good fit for you. Consider subscribing for continued insights from USA Financial: https://www.youtube.com/@USA-Financial Future Zeros is a series for financial advisors who want to increase the value of their firm today and in the future. Your...
info_outlineTired of chasing the elusive "magic bullet" for business growth and feeling frustrated by endless programs and gurus overpromising and underdelivering? Learn why the magic bullet is a myth and discover the real path to success – strategically combining key elements in a “chain-of-secrets”. Stop wasting time and money on false promises and start building your own chain of secrets to unlock sustainable growth.
Consider subscribing for continued insights from USA Financial:
https://www.youtube.com/@USA-Financial
For more of Future Zeros:
https://www.usafinancial.com/insights/futurezeros
Future Zeros is a series for financial advisors who want to increase the value of their firm today and in the future. Your host, Mike Walters (CEO of USA Financial), digs into the nuances of mergers, acquisitions, and succession within the financial advice industry to help you add “future zeros” to your bottom line. Whether you are nearing an exit, just entering the business, or in the middle of building your practice, the Future Zeros series (found on your favorite podcast players and YouTube) will provide thoughtful insights into how to grow your practice the right way in order to maximize your future value and minimize the risk associated with doing so.
Contact us:
Phone (888) 444-0125
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