Ep. 83: Building Enterprise Value, Multi-Generational Growth, and the Case for Outsourcing, with First Trust VP Jackie Wilke (recorded 08/27/26)

In episode 83, host Jimmy Lee is joined by Jackie Wilke, Vice President and Advisor Consultant with First Trust's Advisor Consulting Group, for a wide-ranging conversation on practice management for financial advisors. They discuss what actually drives enterprise value and succession readiness, how to grow through multi-generational family relationships, and how AI is starting to show up in client conversations. They also cover why outsourcing portfolio management can free up an advisor's time, what separates the fastest-growing advisor teams, and the opportunity ahead for women entering the profession.

• Jackie Wilke cites data showing 41% of industry assets are currently managed by advisors on track to retire within the next decade, and that roughly 30% of advisors planning to retire within five years don't yet have a succession plan in place.

• In her view, enterprise value largely comes down to whether a practice could keep running smoothly for six months without its lead advisor: documented processes, clearly defined team roles, and multi-generational relationships on both the team and client side.

• First Trust's "family phone call" is a low-pressure, resource-based way for a team to introduce itself to a client's family well before a wealth transfer event, rather than reaching out for the first time after a client has passed away.

• On AI, Jackie Wilke suggests advisors who embrace the technology may gain an edge over those who don't, though she doesn't see it replacing the advisor relationship, especially for clients navigating complex, non-financial decisions.

• Jimmy Lee and Jackie Wilke discuss how many of the strongest-growing advisor teams outsource or delegate work outside their "zone of genius," such as research, trading, and portfolio construction, to protect time for client relationships.

• Jackie Wilke references a Fidelity study suggesting advisors who outsource investment management to model portfolios can gain roughly 10 hours back per week.

• The conversation closes on the opportunity for more women to enter financial advising, along with practical ideas for engaging female clients and their broader family and professional networks.

Host: Jimmy Lee, Founder & CEO, The Wealth Consulting Group.

Guest: Jackie Wilke, Vice President & Advisor Consultant, First Trust Advisor Consulting Group.

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