#69 - Julia Carlson, Founder and CEO of Financial Freedom Wealth Management Group: Building a Scalable Advisory Business With Purpose (recorded 04/16/26)

Jimmy Lee sits down with Julia Carlson, founder and CEO of Financial Freedom Wealth Management Group, for a conversation about growth, leadership, and building an advisory firm that is designed to serve clients at scale.

Julia shares how her business grew from approximately $25 million in assets after moving to LPL Financial in 2009 to more than $600 million today. She discusses the lessons that shaped that journey, including the importance of hiring early, trusting a team, and stepping out of the way so others can lead. A pivotal part of that evolution came after a serious accident involving her daughter, which forced Julia to spend time away from the office and revealed that her team was capable of much more than she had allowed.

The conversation also explores how Julia built a broader ecosystem around her advisory firm, including a tax business, a business consulting practice, coaching programs, retreats, and a growing personal brand. Throughout the discussion, she emphasizes that sustainable growth comes from knowing the numbers, building the right team, creating repeatable processes, and staying connected to a larger purpose.

What You’ll Learn

• How Julia Carlson scaled an advisory business from approximately $25 million to more than $600 million in assets
• Why building a team based model changed the trajectory of her firm
• Why understanding profitability by household can improve decision making
• How tax services and business consulting can deepen client relationships
• What role social media and personal branding can play in business development
• Why coaching and mastermind communities can accelerate business growth
• How Julia thinks about purpose, philanthropy, and long-term impact through her “one billion for good” vision

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Julia Carlson and her businesses

02:43 The early years and learning she could not do it all herself

04:13 Her daughter’s accident and the turning point in leadership

07:10 Expanding the team and creating a business that can run without her

08:09 Freedom Tax and building a more comprehensive planning model

10:12 The women’s mastermind, retreats, and coaching entrepreneurs

12:20 Financial planning, service models, and household profitability

16:19 Why knowing firm economics matters for growth

18:22 How tax services support retention and lead generation

21:20 Technology, planning tools, and AI adoption

23:49 Client appreciation events, workshops, and business development

25:55 The origin of “one billion for good”

30:10 The value of coaching and learning from peers

34:20 What is next for the business and where Julia wants to focus

37:44 Social media, authenticity, and attracting the right clients

40:02 Mistakes made along the way and lessons for advisors

48:52 AI, vibe coding, and the future of client experience

50:50 Differentiation, team culture, and building a values based firm

Guest

Julia Carlson, Founder and CEO, Financial Freedom Wealth Management Group

Host

Jimmy Lee, Founder & CEO, The Wealth Consulting Group

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