# Ep 152: 🔥 Small But Mighty: Building a Lean, Independent RIA

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-9innings-podcast-2707213/ep-152-small-but-mighty-building-a-lean-independent-ria
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-9innings-podcast-2707213/ep-152-small-but-mighty-building-a-lean-independent-ria.md
Podcast: [The 9Innings Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-9innings-podcast-2707213)
Published: 2025-10-21T11:30:13+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.com/podcasts/9inningscapitalgroup/2280791
Audio file: https://content.rss.com/episodes/40859/2280791/9inningscapitalgroup/2025_10_21_01_34_30_c0d5ca7f-4552-4686-93e4-2ed46bcbf7f9.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-9innings-podcast-2707213/episodes/ep-152-small-but-mighty-building-a-lean-independent-ria
Duration seconds: 1959

## Resource

In this episode of the 9Innings Podcast, Kevin Thompson sits down with Andy Panko of Tenon Financial to reflect on their experiences at the Future Proof Festival — an innovative outdoor conference designed for the next generation of financial advisors. They dive into: The event’s unique format and open-air networking vibe The collaborative, rising-tide culture of the RIA community The power of specializing in client niches and knowing your lane Real-world strategies for adopting technology without getting overwhelmed The impact of mentorship, mastermind groups, and shared knowledge Why authenticity, intentional growth, and intentionality matter more than “hustle culture” Conference Participation & Value (00:02:17) Collaboration in the RIA Industry (00:04:09) Niching Strategies in Advisory Firms (00:06:39) Debate on the value of niching, how niches develop naturally, and different approaches to specialization. Technology in Advisory Practices (00:08:39) Tech Choices and Compliance (00:11:04) Mentorship and Community Support (00:16:15) Knowing Your Why & Defining Success (00:18:30) Cyclical Nature of Advisory Business (00:23:41) Intentionality and Running Your Own Race (00:29:10) NEWSLETTER (WHAT NOW): https://substack.com/@9icapital?r=2eig6s&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page Follow Us: youtube: / @9icap Linkedin: / kevin-thompson-ricp%c2%ae-cfp%c2%ae-74964428 facebook: / mlb2cfp Buy MLB2CFP Here: https://www.amazon.com/MLB-CFP%C2%AE-90-Feet-Counting-ebook/dp/B0BLJPYNS4 Website: http://www.9icapitalgroup.com Hit the subscribe button to get new content notifications. Corrections: Editing by http://SwoleNerdProductions.com Disclosure: https://sites.google.com/view/9idisclosure/disclosure

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