Ep 442: Attracting $100M Per Month Of Like-Minded Clients By Being Vocal About (Divisive) Issues You’re Passionate About with David Bahnsen

Financial Advisor Success

Michael Kitces

News, Business, Entrepreneurship, Business News

4.8 • 696 Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2025

⏱️ 90 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

David Bahnsen has built a reputation for speaking his mind, not only on issues related to financial markets, but also on topics many advisors shy away from, like religion and politics. Which has paid off for him in the form of attracting $100 million of new client assets to his firm per month as his content has built his credibility, deepened audience engagement, and drawn in both like-minded clients and those who respect his authenticity.

David is the Founder of the Bahnsen Group, an RIA based out of California that oversees approximately $7.5 billion in assets under management for 1,800 client households. In this episode, he shares how his unconventional content strategy has driven firm growth, why he made the strategic decision to step away from serving clients directly to focus on scaling the business, and how his unique compensation and development model fosters long-term success for his team. He also discusses integrating tax prep as a value-add rather than a profit center, expanding into smaller markets to build a national brand, and his commitment to mentoring his advisors as he plans for the firm’s future.

For show notes and more visit: https://www.kitces.com/442

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Financial Advisor Success Podcast, where you go behind the scenes with
0:07.1	financial planner, speaker, and consultant Michael Kitsis to hear stories of how leading
0:12.4	financial advisors navigated the inevitable challenges that arise on the path to success
0:17.4	and get insight from leading industry consultants about how to break through to the next
0:22.2	level in your advisory business. And now here's your host, Michael Kitsis. Welcome, everyone.
0:29.2	Welcome to the 442nd episode of the Financial Advisor's Success podcast. My guest on today's
0:34.8	podcast is David Bonson. David is the founder of the Bonson Group, an RIA based in
0:39.6	Newport Beach, California, that oversees approximately $7.5 billion in assets under management
0:45.0	for 1,800 client households. What's unique about David, though, is how his firm has been able to
0:50.6	attract $100 million in new client assets per month, thanks in large part to
0:55.0	his content creation and public commentary on investment markets as well as issues that advisors
0:59.4	often avoid, including religion and politics. In this episode, we talk in depth about how
1:04.5	David's weekly market commentaries, which he has written since 2008 and draws 15,000 weekly
1:09.6	viewers across blog, podcast, and video formats,
1:12.4	familiarize readers with his firm's investment approach and put it top of mind when they are
1:17.0	ready to seek out a financial advisor, how David has written multiple books on markets and his
1:22.1	other passions that not only have educated readers on his views on these issues, but also have
1:26.8	led to many television appearances that have expanded his reach further,
1:30.3	and how being public with his opinions on divisive topics has allowed David to demonstrate competence and likability,
1:36.4	attracting to his firm both like-minded consumers and some who might disagree with him, but appreciate his willingness to be candid.
1:43.3	We also talk about how David's transition
1:45.3	from focusing on both business development and client service to spend much of his time on content
	...

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