Josh Brown on the Future of Advisors, AI, and Wealth Management | The Informed Investor 59

Dimensional's Mark Gochnour and Jake DeKinder interview Josh Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, in an episode recorded live at the Future Proof Festival. Brown traces his path from selling financial products to fee-based advice, describes how that shaped Ritholtz's approach to advice, technology and client communication, and explains why he and his partners created Future Proof as an alternative to the traditional conference. The conversation also covers AI, integrated technology, custody, direct indexing and the push to free advisors from administrative work, plus his advice on differentiation, storytelling and choosing an audience.

1. Brown describes moving from selling financial products to fee-based advice, built around the view that advisors should sit on the same side of the table as clients.
2. He and his partners started the Future Proof Festival after the pandemic, aiming for an experience centered on community, networking and purposeful meetings rather than a traditional conference format.
3. He says the event evolved through experimentation, by learning what attendees valued and doubling down on what worked.
4. For advisors looking to grow, he advises finding what makes you different, developing a compelling story and identifying a specific audience you can serve, using media such as blogs, podcasts, television and social media.