Brian Ouellette

9:07 AM Tuesday. Two advisors. Same message from a top client: “Told a friend about you.” One had an ODP™ link. One did not. 1:18 PM Friday. One closed dream client. The other? Crickets. Why’d one win?👇Click below

"The best clients come from referrals, there is no exception."

Brian Ouellette, a University of Washington graduate, began his career on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) as a runner before returning to Seattle to build his private client practice at PaineWebber. In 2000, he became the Market Commentator for Q13 FOX News This Morning, reporting live daily for over 3 ½ years and making more than 3,000 live TV appearances during one of the most significant boom-and-bust cycles in stock market history.

In 2004, he sold his book of business and founded Shoewallet Active Gear, a product featured on NBC's Today Show, CNN, NY1, and over 250 radio stations, as well as in publications like Shape and Runner's World. Shoewallet produced private label versions for Boeing, the Department of Defense, Skechers, and more across the U.S. and Canada.

In 2010, after reading Sports Illustrated’s "How & Why Athletes Go Broke," Brian recognized the urgent need for athletes to have better advisors. This led him to create Pro Athlete Direct™, an education-based marketing service for advisors to help athletes manage their finances, taxes, legal matters, and real estate needs. His experience helped him develop a system that allowed advisors to build strong connections with sports agents and their athlete clients, guiding them in making strategic financial decisions.

Brian has coached a range of trusted advisors across the U.S. and internationally, including former pro athletes, Barron's Top 100 advisors, Forbes Top Wealth Advisors, and top-producing realtors.

After over 20,000 hours of coaching and R&D, the AskMyAdvisor® referral app was born. This software provides trusted advisors—financial advisors, attorneys, realtors—with a simple way for their top clients to connect them with the people in their lives, making recurring referrals effortless.

“Let’s get straight to the point. After a career as a financial advisor and a coach to the industry’s best, I turned to software for one reason: I discovered how to increase referrals by 800%. The secret? Strip away the complexities that kill referrals. Focus on one thing—a single, exclusive pathway for referrals, accessible only by the top 20% of your client and COI relationships. This approach isn’t just a shift from the old way; it’s revolutionary. And it led directly to the creation of the AskMyAdvisor® Method & OS. Once you see it, you won’t just use it—you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.” – Brian Ouellette

Learn more at tip.askmyadvisor.co/webinar

Founder

After 10 years & +20,000 hours of R&D, we have built the first Q&A app for you (accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, realtors) to share with your top 25 clients to strengthen those relationships & tap into new ones, quickly. 

How does it work? AskMyAdvisor Referral Method Software provides client-facing accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, realtors, venture capitalists, and other trusted advisors with a frictionless method of retaining and growing their best clients. By using the software, they can avoid tech overwhelm, resulting in 5-10 times more referrals on a recurring basis, while working only with clients they love.

It's a simple solution to the problem, "Oh, you've got to call my guy!" Or,  "My financial advisor's great, email her." 

Instead you just share your dedicated URL (format follows: askmyadvisor.app/YOURNAMEOFCHOICE) as a dedicated channel to Q&A where your top clients & the people in their lives can easily ask their questions, get second opinions, etc. 

Members also receive the Phone App (for instant notifications allowing our members to reply to questions within minutes) & get access to The Network. 

This is our private community of our advisor members, who are elite accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, realtors from the US & abroad, to come together. 

This is a private think tank.

Think of it as a Facebook Group  on steroids (BTW, it's our community built from the ground up, so no FB login).

America made 911 a standard in 1968. That standard has changed lives. Advisor referrals? Still running like it's 1967.

Founder, AskMyAdvisor®. 90% of clients would refer their advisor. 80% still don’t. One link. Bottleneck gone.

View newsletter: The AskMyAdvisor Newsletter

Picture this. A building is in flames, and someone is still figuring out who to contact. Referrals shouldn’t work this way, but they do. The building 

Open article: 🚨 If 911 Emergency Calls Worked Like Advisor* Referrals, People Would Die by Brian Ouellette • 5 min read

🚨 If 911 Emergency Calls Worked Like Advisor* Referrals, People Would Die

+5.6M US advisors* accept the complexity of intros (aka referrals) as normal. It's not. Nor it is complicated.

Ask yourself this... Why is a referral ever needed? 

Someone has a question (tax, legal, financial, real estate).
Advisors are experts who can answer. That's it.

Advisors spend +$50B/yr. (avg. of $9k per advisor) putting lipstick on a pig with marketing/sales hacks, tips, etc. 

A few are doing this...
Make it simpler to ask them questions.

That is all.
*Advisors who are accountants, attorneys, consultants, financial advisors, realtors, and other trusted advisors.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬:
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐤 "The greatest gift you can give me is ten referrals..."
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 "Send three referrals that become clients, get your choice of toaster ovens"
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 Networking events where everyone pretends to like each other

𝐀𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐤. "The greatest gift you can give me is ten referrals..." 
(Said to the client who already pays you.)

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞. "Send three referrals that become clients, get your choice of toaster ovens." 
(No joke. These were real.)

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞. Networking events where everyone pretends to enjoy standing in a hotel ballroom eating cold shrimp and exchanging cards they'll never look at again.

𝐍𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬.
Ok. That's dramatic. It sometimes works.

And because it sometimes works, over 5.6M accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, realtors, and trusted advisors in the US... accept it.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬.
Two people are talking. One (referral) has a question. 

The other knows someone (advisor) who can answer it.

That's it. That's a referral.

It was never about you asking. It was always about them having a question.

Stop asking. Stop bribing. Stop mingling.

Start making it easy for the question to reach you.

We have a simple one page blueprint. 
For the ones who want a clearer picture what I am talking about. And how to fix it, while the other 5.6M advisors stay satisfied with sometimes.

Enter the secret password in the comments below:
𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭

We take the financially complex and make it simple

Merlin Wealth Management is a comprehensive wealth management practice with a proprietary investment management unit embedded within. We provide personal investment and financial planning, along with a suite of family office & advisory services. Generations of families and businesses have given us a unique perspective on how to
manage complexity, providing customized advice to our clients, one relationship at a time.

Our goal is for you and your future generations to enjoy wealth without worry. Our consultative approach leads us to
seek to understand your vision, your preferences and your unique circumstances before we formulate the wealth
strategy that helps to achieve your specific objectives.

Merlin Wealth Management has represented entrepreneurs, family businesses, corporate executives, high net worth
families and family offices for over two decades, assisting our clients in the creation and maintenance of significant net
worth. Talk to us about creating your customized wealth and investment strategy today.

Michael Merlin

INVESTING MYTHS vs LONG-TERM RETURNS
Why Most Investors Chase Noise (and Miss the Real Drivers)

Most investors don’t lose money because they’re unintelligent.
They lose money because they react instead of following a process.

What myths convince people they’re being “smart”:
➤ Trying to time the market
➤ Chasing hot stocks and trends
➤ Trading more to feel productive
➤ Waiting for “enough” capital to start
➤ Believing diversification limits returns
➤ Using headlines as investment signals

What actually builds wealth over decades:

❌ Don’t: Try to predict market tops and bottoms
✔️ Do: Stay invested and let time compound

❌ Don’t: Make big, emotional bets
✔️ Do: Invest consistently, even in small amounts

❌ Don’t: Ignore fees and taxes
✔️ Do: Keep costs low—returns compound, fees do too

❌ Don’t: Concentrate on a single story
✔️ Do: Diversify across assets and markets

❌ Don’t: Spend gains
✔️ Do: Reinvest dividends and growth

❌ Don’t: React to volatility
✔️ Do: Practice behavioral discipline

Long-term returns are rarely driven by brilliance.
They’re driven by behavior.

Patience > Prediction
Process > Panic
Discipline > Drama

Find out more in my book, Financial Longevity: Increase Your Wealth Span, Spend Money Guilt-Free, and Gain the Confidence to Enjoy Your Bigger Future - https://lnkd.in/e2Gt8ZKg

The challenge isn’t picking the best investment.
It’s picking the right investment.

It starts with clarity:

“I need the highest return.”
“Everyone says this is the best option.”
“I’ll follow the trend.”
“What if I miss out?”

But the truth:

→ Best doesn’t always mean right for you
→ Alignment with goals and risk matters more than hype
→ Understanding your timeline beats chasing returns
→ Patience compounds better than impulsive choices

What smart investing really looks like:

✓ Knowing your financial goals clearly
✓ Matching investments to your risk tolerance
✓ Considering liquidity, timeline, and purpose
✓ Avoiding decisions based solely on popularity
✓ Staying disciplined, even when markets fluctuate

The choice you make today,
determines the freedom you have tomorrow.

Start asking:
Is this investment truly right for me, or just the “best” I see?

Find out more in my book, Financial Longevity: Increase Your Wealth Span, Spend Money Guilt-Free, and Gain the Confidence to Enjoy Your Bigger Future - https://lnkd.in/e2Gt8ZKg

Spend less than you earn.
It sounds simple, but it’s the magic elixir of financial success.

Because:

→ Overspending kills momentum quietly
→ Small, consistent savings compound faster than big, rare wins
→ Discipline beats motivation every single time
→ Financial freedom starts with control, not income

What builds lasting wealth:

✓ Track every dollar you earn and spend
✓ Automate savings before spending
✓ Prioritize needs over wants
✓ Let consistency, not luck, grow your assets

Money grows when habits lead.
Not when income tries to keep up with lifestyle.

Start asking:
Are my spending habits building my freedom, or stealing it?

Find out more in my book, Financial Longevity: Increase Your Wealth Span, Spend Money Guilt-Free, and Gain the Confidence to Enjoy Your Bigger Future - https://lnkd.in/e2Gt8ZKg

Wallet Activism, the term coined by Tanja Hester, but a practice that’s been going on for quite a while, is about aligning capital with values

Let’s be clear:
Money is never neutral.

Every dollar supports a system, a behavior, a future.
The only difference is whether you’re intentional about it.

1️⃣ Define Your Values
Know what you actually stand for.
→ Undefined values lead to accidental investments.

2️⃣ Audit Your Money Flow
Track where your money earns, spends, and grows.
→ Capital always supports something, whether you notice or not.

3️⃣ Screen With Discipline
Filter opportunities through your principles.
→ Returns without alignment create long-term tension.

4️⃣ Own With Intention
Don’t just hold assets. Engage with them.
→ Ownership can influence direction, not just dividends.

5️⃣ Reward What You Want More Of
Invest in and buy from aligned businesses.
→ Markets respond to consistent capital signals.

6️⃣ Accept the Trade-Offs
Alignment isn’t always optimized for speed.
→ Integrity often requires patience.

7️⃣ Review and Realign
Values evolve over time.
→ Alignment is a practice, not a one-time decision.

Capital is never neutral.
Every dollar is a vote.

The real question isn’t whether you practice wallet activism.
It’s whether you do it consciously.

Where do you see the biggest gap between values and capital today?

Find out more in my book, Financial Longevity: Increase Your Wealth Span, Spend Money Guilt-Free, and Gain the Confidence to Enjoy Your Bigger Future - https://lnkd.in/e2Gt8ZKg

Align your money with your values.
Spend, save, and invest with purpose.

Most people focus on numbers.
Smart people focus on alignment.

1. Know your core values
→ Money decisions reflect beliefs and priorities
↳ List your top 5 values, rank spending by alignment, and review regularly

2. Track spending mindfully
→ Awareness prevents unconscious misalignment
↳ Use apps, categorize expenses weekly, and reflect monthly

3. Budget according to principles
→ Structured plans ensure consistent value-driven spending
↳ Allocate essentials, assign discretionary funds, and limit misaligned areas

4. Invest with intent
→ Growth should reflect ethics, not just returns
↳ Focus on sustainable funds, avoid conflicting investments, and rebalance regularly

5. Give and share purposefully
→ Generosity amplifies your values
↳ Donate to causes, volunteer time, and involve family in shared impact

6. Align lifestyle with purpose
→ Daily spending signals priorities
↳ Review subscriptions, reduce unnecessary purchases, emphasize experiences over things

7. Educate about value-based decisions
→ Knowledge strengthens long-term alignment
↳ Teach children principles, share reasoning, and encourage discussion

8. Review and adjust regularly
→ Financial alignment is an ongoing practice
↳ Quarterly reviews, adjust allocations, celebrate value-driven consistency

Money isn’t just about earning.
It’s about living and investing in what truly matters.

Which of these steps is most overlooked by most people?

Find out more in my book, Financial Longevity: Increase Your Wealth Span, Spend Money Guilt-Free, and Gain the Confidence to Enjoy Your Bigger Future - https://lnkd.in/e2Gt8ZKg

Align your money with your values.

Chasing money makes you busy.
Managing money makes you free.

One day, your paycheck will end.
Your bonuses will fade.
Your financial apps will reset.

But the habits you built.
The control you claimed.
The future you secured.

That’s the wealth no one can take.

7 shifts that make money work for you

1. Awareness over ignorance
↬ Track every dollar. Knowing is the first step to control.

2. Safety over risk
↬ An emergency fund shields you from life’s surprises.

3. Consistency over effort
↬ Automate savings. Small steps repeated build lasting wealth.

4. Simplicity over status
↬ Live below your means. Freedom starts when spending is intentional.

5. Action over avoidance
↬ Pay off high-interest debt.  Don’t let it drain your growth.

6. Time over timing
↬ Invest early and regularly. Compounding rewards patience.

7. Review over neglect
↬ Check your finances monthly. Adjust, improve, and stay aligned.

Because in the end, no one remembers your balance sheet.
They remember:
↬ the freedom you built.
↬ the security you created.
↬ the future you prepared.

That’s the kind of financial habit that lasts.
The only kind worth building.

Which of these 7 shifts do you wish more people practiced consistently?

Find out more by checking out The Financial Longevity Podcast. Each episode breaks down real-world topics from retirement planning and wealth span to investing and legacy-building, so you can make smarter financial choices, one conversation at a time. - https://lnkd.in/e2Gt8ZKg

You’re the CEO of your financial future.

Stop letting uncertainty dictate your money moves.

Most people make financial decisions like:
↳ “I’ll see what feels right”
↳ “Everyone else seems to be doing it”
↳ “I’ll decide later”

But clarity changes everything.
It guides action, builds confidence, and protects wealth.

Here’s how goal clarity boosts both confidence and financial outcomes:

1. Define your why
↳ Know your top goals and what success looks like personally before every decision.

2. Align spending with priorities
↳ Track expenses against what truly matters and cut what doesn’t.

3. Invest with clear objectives
↳ Choose assets that match your risk tolerance and personal targets.

4. Negotiate confidently
↳ Clear goals create leverage and reduce uncertainty in high-stakes discussions.

5. Simplify financial planning
↳ Break goals into milestones, automate savings, and review quarterly.

6. Reduce stress and decision fatigue
↳ Goal-based checklists and weekly reflection free mental energy.

7. Build a stronger money mindset
↳ Celebrate milestones and use clarity to guide risk and growth.

8. Accelerate decision-making
↳ Rank choices by relevance and avoid distractions outside defined boundaries.

Clarity isn’t optional.
It’s the framework that turns uncertainty into confident, wealth-building action.

Find out more in my book, Financial Longevity: Increase Your Wealth Span, Spend Money Guilt-Free, and Gain the Confidence to Enjoy Your Bigger Future - https://lnkd.in/e2Gt8ZKg

You’re the CEO of your financial future.

AI is one of the most exciting forces we’ve seen in a long time.

And I don’t want to diminish that — not for a second.

Both personally and professionally, we’re genuinely excited about the benefits AI will bring:

to the businesses we invest in

and to our own business as well

And yes… we’re already seeing some of those benefits today.

But here’s the honest truth:

AI is still in its infancy.

Right now, to some extent, AI is more of a novelty than it is a true profit-making enterprise.

That doesn’t mean it won’t get there.

It just means we need to keep our perspective.

What we’re watching closely is how AI evolves into something more:

✅ more able to reason
✅ more capable of increasing efficiency
✅ more powerful in boosting productivity
✅ more meaningful in improving profitability

And until that transformation happens?

We’ll do what we always do:

Hope for the best… and prepare for other scenarios.

Because optimism is good.

But preparedness is better.

Find out more by checking out The Financial Longevity Podcast. Each episode breaks down real-world topics from retirement planning and wealth span to investing and legacy-building, so you can make smarter financial choices, one conversation at a time. - https://lnkd.in/e2Gt8ZKg

Planning Is the Foundation of a Good Retirement

Retirement isn’t just about stopping work.
It’s about designing a life you actually want to live.

The truth?
Without a plan, freedom becomes uncertainty.
With a plan, it becomes a choice.

Smart retirement planning looks like this:
→ Setting clear financial goals
→ Understanding income streams and expenses
→ Protecting health and well-being
→ Designing days around purpose, not obligation

Practical ways to start today:
✔ Calculate your ideal retirement lifestyle
✔ Identify gaps in savings or investments
✔ Automate contributions to secure your future
✔ Revisit and adjust your plan regularly

The challenge isn’t reaching retirement age.
The challenge is making retirement truly worth living.

Plan well,
and your future becomes a reward, not a risk.

Find out more in my book, Financial Longevity: Increase Your Wealth Span, Spend Money Guilt-Free, and Gain the Confidence to Enjoy Your Bigger Future - https://lnkd.in/e2Gt8ZKg

“Buy low, sell high.”
Sounds simple enough.

But the hard part?

→ Knowing what’s actually low
→ Spotting when “high” is truly the peak
→ Resisting fear when markets drop
→ Avoiding greed when prices climb

The truth is,
Timing is never perfect.

What matters most:

✓ Discipline in your strategy
✓ Patience to ride through cycles
✓ Clarity on long-term goals
✓ Courage to act when others hesitate

Wealth isn’t built on shortcuts.
It’s built on judgment, consistency, and control.

Master those,
and the simple advice finally makes sense.

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