Oct 24, 2022
Nic Nielsen is a certified financial planner and the Co-founder of Know My Plan, a firm that helps sales executives feel confident and reduce financial anxiety with a one-page financial plan. He is the author of Visual Finance, which shares illustrations of financial planning topics alongside corresponding QR codes to short videos that elaborate upon real-life financial planning applications. Before co-founding Know My Plan, Nic served as Vice President and Financial Advisor for SunTrust Investment Services. He was also a financial advisor for PNC, where he worked for over five years before joining SunTrust. Nic graduated from the University of Saint Francis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration.
Nic joins me today to discuss the one-page financial plan, its contents, and its impact. He shares what made him transition to the world of finance after initially studying engineering in college and the inspiration behind the one-page financial plan. He explains what his clients think about the one-page financial plan and how content creation on LinkedIn transformed Know My Plan’s business. He also highlights how creating content shortens the sales process and underscores the power of simplifying financial plans.
“There’s no one way to do a financial plan. The best financial plan is the one that somebody can stick to and implement.” - Nic Nielsen
This week on The Model FA Podcast:
- Nic’s background, how he learned about investing, and his beginnings in financial planning
- Why people transition to the independent financial advisory world
- The origins and content of the one-page financial plan
- How clients perceive the one-page financial plan
- The DIEM process and how creating content transformed Nic’s business
- The value of diversifying content and how often Nic posts on LinkedIn
- How many leads Nic would get in the early stages of creating content
- The power of networking on LinkedIn and why salespeople appreciate the one-page financial plan
- Breaking the feast/famine cycle and how creating content shortens the sales process
Resources Mentioned:
- Book: Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Our Favorite Quotes:
- “Social media, when executed properly, can really be a Swiss army knife for prospecting, lead flow, adding value, and staying relevant in between your reviews with clients.” - David DeCelle
- “Salespeople are one of the biggest groups of people that will appreciate the simplicity of a one-page financial plan.” - David DeCelle
- “The beauty of marketing is that when you put out to the world what your process is, the people you attract self-select.” - Nic Nielsen
Connect with Nic Nielsen:
- Know My Plan
- Email: nic@knowmyplan.com
- Book: Visual Finance
- Know My Plan on LinkedIn
- Nic Nielsen on LinkedIn
About the Model FA Podcast
The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams.
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Our Team:
President of Model FA, David DeCelle
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