What RIAs Should Build Before Chasing AI with Marcos Segrera
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Spotify Episode 167: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Marcos Segrera, Principal, Wealth Manager, and Director of Growth & Development at Evensky & Katz/Foldes Wealth Management. Marcos began his career in insurance before moving into the RIA channel, where his work now spans client advice, advisor development, growth strategy, and the firm’s next generation of leadership.
Kyle and Marcos explore why sales is really a transfer of confidence, and why RIAs need to invest more intentionally in developing young advisors. Marcos shares how Evensky & Katz is expanding its approach to marketing and content as AI makes authentic human connection more valuable. They also discuss “funded contentment,” the role of advisors as guides, and why firms preparing for AI should focus first on clean data, documented workflows, and client-facing talent.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(02:33) - Marcos's money moment
(06:31) - Why learning to sell still matters
(10:09) - Developing advisors straight out of college
(14:37) - Why Evensky & Katz is investing in content
(19:45) - Why authenticity matters more in the age of AI
(21:57) - Finding purpose beyond financial success
(27:01) - Why AI won't replace human connection
(29:49) - The value of an advisor who challenges you
(32:12) - Preparing a 40-year-old firm for AI
(35:41) - Designing the workflow before choosing the technology
(37:07) - Marcos's outlook on the future of the wealth management industry
(41:21) - Marcos's Milemarker Minute
Key Takeaways
Treat sales as a transfer of confidence. Technical expertise matters, but advisors still need the ability to connect, communicate, and help people feel confident making decisions. Developing those skills should be part of advisor training rather than something firms expect people to pick up on their own.
Use AI to strengthen the human experience, not replace it. As information and automated advice become easier to access, trusted human judgment may become more valuable. The opportunity is to let technology handle more of the mechanics while advisors spend more time understanding clients, challenging assumptions, and navigating consequential decisions.
Do the operational work before chasing the newest AI tool. Clean data and well-documented workflows determine what technology can actually improve. Before automating a process, understand how it works today, why each step exists, and whether the result improves the client experience rather than simply creating internal efficiency.
Ask clients what they want to avoid. A question about goals can feel abstract, while a question about what someone is trying to avoid often reveals what matters most. Portfolios, tax strategies, and insurance then serve those bigger conversations.
Quotes
"Sales is a transfer of confidence." ~ Marcos Segrera
“People tell you what their goals are when they tell you what they’re trying to avoid.” ~ Marcos Segrera
“The people talking about it the most are the ones doing the least with it because they’re the ones getting to the quickest solution, which is probably not where you wanted to be anyway.” ~ Marcos Segrera
“You should delegate everything that it’s humanly possible to delegate because you cannot delegate going to dinner with your wife. You cannot delegate taking your kid to school in the morning.” ~ Marcos Segrera
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