#59 - Building a High-Value Advisory Practice with Ken Van Leeuwen, Managing Director of Van Leeuwen & Company: Planning Fees, Team Design, and Succession (recorded 02/03/26)

In this advisor-to-advisor conversation, Jimmy Lee sits down with Ken Van Leeuwen, Managing Director of Van Leeuwen & Company, to unpack what it really takes to build a durable, high-touch wealth management practice over decades.

What you'll learn

Ken shares how comprehensive planning became the foundation of his business, why he intentionally charges for advice, and how language, positioning, and a team-based client experience can elevate both client outcomes and practice sustainability. The episode also covers organic growth through client advocacy, mentorship, and how Ken approached succession planning after a personal wake-up call. Finally, Ken offers a practical view of where AI fits in an advisory firm: efficiency, not replacing the human relationship.

• Why Ken built his practice around paid planning (and why he avoids calling it “financial planning”)
• How EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) shaped his team structure and execution
• The value of having two advisors in client meetings and how it supports continuity
• Why words matter in client communication
• How Ken drives growth through client advocacy and referrals using Voice of the Client
• The real catalyst that pushed him to formalize succession planning
• Where AI can help advisory firms immediately: notes, workflows, admin, and speed to service

Chapters

01:00 Ken’s journey into advice and why he went independent

04:40 Team structure, EOS, and building a scalable practice

08:40 Charging for planning and “Building Your Life Vision”

14:50 Why every client gets two advisors in meetings

20:00 The power of language and positioning in advice

24:40 Organic growth: referrals, Pareto, and Voice of the Client

33:20 Why corporate executives became the ideal client profile

40:10 Succession planning and the wake-up call that changed everything

45:40 Lessons Ken would tell his younger self

55:20 AI in advisory firms

Guest: Ken Van Leeuwen, Managing Director, Van Leeuwen & Company

Host: Jimmy Lee, Chief Executive Officer & Financial Advisor, WCG

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