Referrals are not a tactic. They are the foundation of a great advisory business.

In Episode 3 of The Advisor’s Compass, Andy Schwartz and Chuck Downs break down why asking for referrals is a make-or-break skill for advisors at every stage and why most never develop a real philosophy around it.

Andy shares the exact language he used from the very beginning of his career, why he asked for referrals on first meetings, and how conviction consistently beats hesitation. They explore the beliefs that hold advisors back, the responsibility advisors have to the people their clients care about, and why avoiding the ask can quietly limit both impact and growth.

This episode also dives into:

• Why referrals shorten sales cycles and raise close rates

• How conviction changes client behavior

• Soft vs direct ways to ask without feeling salesy

• The role of centers of influence and “apostles” in exponential growth

• Why not asking has real consequences over time

  
  

If you want to build a business that grows through trust, clarity, and intention, this conversation is essential.

New episodes monthly.

Andy Schwartz and Chuck Downs unpack what “capacity” actually means in an advisory business and why it’s the difference between staying busy and truly scaling. Andy explains how capacity creates confidence in the marketplace, why great people (not you) should do the technical work, and how to build leverage through hiring, sharing, or outsourcing.

They cover: hiring smarter than yourself, paying above market to kill turnover, “hire slow, fire fast,” and viewing shared resources like electricity - you don’t need them all the time, but when you flip the switch, the power has to be there. They also hit common traps: focusing on expenses over revenue, trying to be the capacity yourself, and letting fear block the next hire.

If you want a practical path to more wins, steadier months, and calmer leadership, start here.
New episodes monthly.

Most advisors work hard. Few build something that lasts.

In this episode, Andy Schwartz and Chuck Downs talk about the moment Andy stopped thinking like an advisor and started operating like a business owner and how that one shift changed everything.

They unpack what it really takes to scale: building the right team, paying people well, staying consistent, and focusing on what actually moves the business forward.

This isn’t theory. It’s forty years of lessons, mistakes, and wins from someone who built a $15B firm from the ground up.

If you’ve ever wondered why your growth has slowed or what separates the top advisors from everyone else this is where you’ll find the answer.