RIA organic growth systems | Fully-managed digital marketing/lead gen | Turnkey talent/software/design/ad spend/web dev/content = dead simple | Compliance focused |🗓️Secure Your Free Exec Workshop Below ⬇️

For decades, Advisories and Wealth Management Firms have been shuttered from marketing online properly. Shackled by regulation and blinded to the true essence of a great online presence:

Activities and assets that leverage the fundamentals and align with your principles.

Your industry has been tirelessly digging for gold - sweat-riddled and panic stricken - when it was never buried to begin with.

This has birthed a strange, twisted obsession with weird silver bullets; wacky, unsustainable shiny objects; online RIA directories that only represent a competitive parity; and digital marketing fads that only burn your goodwill alive.

Ironic, given that your principles are to: 
✅ ensure comprehensive fundamentals are in place
✅ respond to market activity with equanimity
✅ leverage the magic of compounding
✅ plan over long-term horizons

Yet when it comes to digital marketing and trying to grow AUM online?

Raise your hand if you've been on a roller coaster of crackpot, digital marketing tom-foolery for two decades🎢😱

Your firm deserves to market online using a diverse array of rock-solid tools and tactics, built upon a foundation of ABSOLUTELY NAILED FUNDAMENTALS.

Without the fundamentals nailed (warning: they are actually quite boring and mundane), you're running a race against Olympians with lead in your sneakers.

I'm here to pull back the wool, and show you the "secrets" that have been hiding in plain sight all along. They are no less principled than your approach to advising your clients. 

For too long, the SEC's tight grip on marketing rules was unfair, restricting you from using the most powerful, effective, and persuasive tools in the marketing toolbelt.

In 2022, the SEC officially rolled out the new marketing rule...

...but the industry is still hypnotized by shiny objects and silver bullets, having never truly understood the fundamentals of a great online presence.

So if you're ready to finally take those marketing training wheels off... 

If you're ready to stop posting links to vanilla Broadridge articles on LinkedIn that only get punished by the algorithm and drive zero engagement...

If you're ready to quit the weird silver bullets, lackluster directories, and 3rd party lead gen and appointment setters...

If you're sick of your website's "book a free consultation" button that never gets clicked...

And if you're ready to FINALLY take your own advice and build something comprehensive and diversified, to build a better future, just like you inspire and assist so many others in doing...

DM me "fundamentals".

John Swystun

We out here. #FIS26 #FearlessInvestingSummit

Growth Systems for RIAs & WealthTech | Fully-managed digital marketing/lead gen | Turnkey talent/software/design/ad spend/web dev/content​ = dead simple | Compliance focused |🗓️Secure Your Free Exec Workshop Below ⬇️

We've heard a lot of the lore around Nitrogen's Fearless Investing Summit.

How this is a conference where the mega fans come out of the woodwork to ooze satisfaction and collaborate with leadership in real time.

How the culture this organization has built stands squarely on two feet, with a twinkle in its eye, while raising a hearty toast.

How an industry-leading, scratch that, business-leading NPS score pales in comparison to the energy and enthusiasm that fills these halls.

But now, we believe it.

We know it to be true.

We've seen, felt, and heard it in the flesh.

And we too, are beyond satisfied. 

And supremely appreciative.

Thank you so very much to everyone at Nitrogen who made this happen. The sponsors and the partners. And anyone who has spent time with us, our lenses, and our microphones this week.

Special shout outs to Callie Devaney, Rachel Cameron, Regan Murray, Bridgette Olek, Dan Zitting, Nicholas Harding, MBA, Aaron Klein and so many others.

And we ain't done yet! 

Day 3 LET'S GO!

#FIS26 #FearlessInvestingSummit

PAGING ALL SNOWBOARDERS (Alright, alright, two-plankers welcome also).

Who wants to spin some laps!?

Yes, we'll be out there at Nitrogen Fearless Investing Summit, cameras in hand.

Chasing you down with a microphone. Bustin' our butts to put your hot takes in the can.

Just be ready though, because after we get the shot? I'ma be asking you:

Wanna go? Wanna go?

Duck out quick to spin some night laps at Echo? Or Keystone?

So if you're lookin' for a boardin' buddy. Or Skiier-tolerant activity compatriot.

I'm your guy. 

Let's do this 👊

Autobots assemble!

(Decepticons get nervous when Wasif Haseeb and I hit the scene!)

Fearless Investing Summit starts today.

And I keep coming back to the name Nitrogen chose for the conference.

What the heck does it mean to be fearless?

What are the tools you need?
Who are the folks you should surround yourself with?
And what should your philosophical bedrock be?

I love it. The name calls to me.

Not that I'm sure how to be fearless.

But I know what you need to arm yourself with in order to try.

And it's the trying that really matters.

Now, the agenda this week reflects the theme perfectly - talk about the people and ideas you want to be around!

Michael Kitces on what actually drives adviser productivity, not in theory, in practice.

Aaron Klein asking a simple question with uncomfortable implications: we’ve got to start meeting like this.

Joshua Brown Brown making the case that after all the noise, the human advisor is still the point of the spear.

And an AI panel moderated by Craig Iskowitz with Eric Clarke, Dan Zitting, Parker Ence, and Mark Gilbert, digging into the real issue: where automation helps, and where the human signal cannot be outsourced.

Fearless, in other words, is just competence under pressure.

We’ll be around all week.

And after the indoor experiments… we’re going to go test gravity for real.

HMU if you wanna do some snow slidin' after the big show!

I’m 5’4 on a good day.
Small man syndrome? Never heard of it.

When you’re the smallest guy in the room, you learn early:
you can disappear,
or grow teeth.

I chose the latter. Let's just say the elementary school bullies did not enjoy me.

Twelve years ago I spent a summer in Estevan, Saskatchewan working overhaul at a coal power plant.

12 hour days.
12 on, 2 off, repeat.

Most of the BC snowboard crowd got "observation".
Easy summer cash to fund the season.
Sit, read, count boilermakers in and out.

Someone saw my construction and concrete resume.
They put me on "heavy maintenance" instead.

Turbine casing top half removed.
Half joint gets descaled by hand. No machines.
That was me, honing steel for 12 hours a day.

I slept in my RV.
In the trailer park.
Posted up in front of my friends trailer.

The days off land on Canada Day.

Big dance at the community center.
Then a trailer park after party.
Across the street from my RV.

Around 2 AM, a posse of local boilermakers rolls in.
Big guys. Home turf.

Well known they weren't thrilled about the BC crew making summer cash in their town.

As they arrive, the hosts start a wet towel fight in their underwear.

Hilarious.

The ringleader doesn’t think so.

So he starts:
“Homos.”
“Some kind of gay thing?”
“Faggots.”

That’s when the teeth show up.
5'4" or 6'3", doesn't matter.
The wiring trips.

Like a breaker.

So I let it carry.
All the way to the back of the trailer.

I diagnose the motive for the tease…
...likely repressed sexual tendencies.

In an instant,
the towels didn’t matter.
Crosshairs on me.

We chirped a while.
Kitchen to deck. Deck to railing.
Him puffing up. Me barely looking up,
while sliding razors under his nails.

Finally:
“Cut it out, you’re going to get punched.”

I guess I didn’t cut it out.

Haymaker to the dome.

I stumble back. Deck goes quiet.
Rub my jaw, look up at him and say,
“Did you just throw a muffin at me?”

Like a match to a jerry can.

Tackles me into the railing.
Knees on my shoulders. 
Fist like a hammer on my forehead.
Expecting blood. Tears...

...Instead, I start laughing. Hysterically.

Not because it didn’t hurt.
Because the outcome he sought was simply not available.

He jumps off and storms to the kitchen.
Drawers flying. Metal clanking.
We all knew what he was looking for.

That was my cue. Outtie 9000.

I disappear into the trailer park and let the night cool off.

Next morning, proper shiner.

I ask around who he is.
Everyone thinks I’m hunting.

I’m not. I want to apologize.

Later that day, smoke break.
He walks out. We lock eyes.

“Yo.”

He comes over.
“Yeah, I heard you were looking for me.”

We sit.

I apologize for egging him on.
He apologizes for being so aggressive.
Turns out he’s from Brandon. My home province.

We chat. Finish the smokes.

“Alright. Back to work."

Teeth matter.

So does knowing when to sit on the bench the next day.

Ashton Thomas Private Wealth

Managing Wealth Advisor,  Woman and Wealth Ambassador

CFP Board

Serve as a resource for my local community, the media and within the financial planning profession. - See more at: http://www.cfp.net/news-events/latest-news/2014/12/11/certified-financial-planner-board-of-standards-expands-ambassador-program-to-50-ambassadors#sthash.0J4o0rLa.dpuf

Ambassador

Advisors Capital Management

2024 NASDAQ Advisor Council
2023 Investopedia Top 100 Advisor
https://www.investopedia.com/inv-100-top-financial-advisors-7556227#toc-florida024

Senior Vice President,  Director of Women and Wealth

Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management

Investment Advisory services offered by United Capital Financial Advisors,  LLC, a Goldman Sachs Company

Vice President, Head of Office

United Capital Financial Advisors

•	Partner at United Capital, which manages 20 billion in assets and while serving as a fiduciary for my clients.    
Awards 
•	2016 MVP Most Valuable Player Managing Director 2016 Investment News Winner of Women to Watch, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 Top 100 Investopedia Influential Advisors,  2019 United Capital Diamond Office Winner
•	CFP Board Ambassador,  One of 48 in the United States appointed by the CFP Board
•	Currently appointed to United Capital’s Advisory Board Council to help communicate and drive results within the organization.  
•	Leader of the Women’s Leadership Initiative and Mentorship Program within United Capital.  
•	Motivate,  lead and train staff, manage P and L.  
•	Experience working with investment advisors with a strong understanding of the investor and advisor behaviors.
•	Proven track record of cultivating sales opportunities and selling investment products towards revenue goals and targets.  
•	Sophisticated knowledge of the investment management industry, mutual funds, sales strategies and techniques, and account relationship management with a concentration on SRI.  
•	Strong organizational skills with the ability to work on several projects simultaneously.
•	Deadline oriented; results oriented and self-motivated, passionate, collaborative team leader.
•	Author of bestselling book,  The Money Queens Guide for Women Who Want to Build Wealth and Banish Fear”  listed in the “Top 10 Books to Make You Rich by Daily Worth.” 
•	Regular TV segments on WPIX Financial Fix,  NY1,  Fox and Friends,  Fox5,  quoted in hundreds of publications.  
•	FINLIFE Coach to financial advisors on the United Capital Client Experience
•	Spoke all over the world on Financial Literacy for Women,  The Power of the Purse and Women the Workplace and Money
•	Philanthropist working with multiple charities providing strategic philanthropy, consulting, fundraising and startups.

Managing Director

Stonegate Wealth Management, LLC

Partner

Family Financial Research

•	Responsibilities include all aspects of servicing clients as a Fiduciary.     
•	Review clients risk management, retirement planning, investment planning, tax planning and estate planning.
•	Advise pensions, foundations, Florida municipalities and personal clients with comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory.
•	Responsible for all PR, branding strategy and marketing communications.
•	Development of and responsibility for client’s asset allocation strategies,  Investment policy statement,  quarterly reviews, performance reporting and client education.
•	Major Contributor to “Tips from the Top” Targeted Advice from America’s Top Money Minds,  Orlando Sentinel Hotline Expert,  LI Newsday-Ask an Expert, Quoted in  Bloomberg, Money Magazine, WSJ,  Kiplinger’s and various publications,  TV Segment, “NBC-The Today Show” and  “Smart Woman are Talking.”
•	Served as an advisor to the BOD, Senior Management and the company’s strategic partners (Pershing, UVEST Investment Services, Financial Advisors Network,  National Advisors Trust Company, FSB.), regarding due diligence, 
•	Instructor for Dearborn a Kaplan Professional Company (Trained by Ken Zahn) CFP Classes and  CFP Live Review given nationally onsite at Merrill Lynch and various broker/dealers.  Trained Hundreds of Financial Advisors.  Kaiser College and Fordham University-CFP Instructor
Past Instructor at University of Phoenix Online –Graduate Level-  Marketing,  E Business

President

Lord Abbett

•	Responsible for development, deployment and growth of the Firm’s Domestic and Global Internet and E-commerce Strategic Initiatives (Internet, Extranet & Intranet), while minimizing redundancy.
•	Spearheaded the Firm’s effort to leverage its brand value into a dominate and successful “e-brand” presence throughout the US, UK, Europe and Japan.
•	Developed and Presented E-Branding and E-Strategy to Board of Directors, Strategic Partners (Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney, Paine Webber, etc.) and Strategic Business Units of the Firm.
•	Collaborated with Senior Level Management, enlisting support to develop and launch the Firm’s comprehensive global e-commerce initiative, generating an estimated savings of 72%, while cutting 12 months of development time.
•	Built department of 10 while managing a cross-functional team of 50+.
•	Developed and Managed the introduction and roll-out of a “secure” Broker/Dealer “desk top” environment with full personalization and customization using BroadVision (one to one marketing) and Talisma ECRM software.
•	Analyze all site statistics and customer web behavior to maximize ROI.
•	Consulted on and developed Internet based streaming media solutions.
•	Developed an E-commerce environment whereby Financial Advisors and Shareholders may view accounts conduct transactions (buy, sell and exchange).
•	Developed Electronic Delivery of Statements, Marketing and Compliance materials for opt- in shareholders and financial advisors, affording a projected cost saving of  $1.377 million over five years.
•	All marketing online and offline of site with PR, Inserts, Mailers, VRU, E-Mail Messages, Print Ads, Banners, Internal and Broker/Dealer Training, etc.
•	Winner of Talisma’s “eCustomer Service Award”-9/2000.
•	1st Runner up Kasina’s  “Top 20 Mutual Fund Sites”, “E-Branding” Category.
•	Published articles: “Mutual Funds Newsletter” and  “Financial Net News.”

Director of Digital Wealth

Citibank

North American Cards VP E-Acquisition, Citibank/AT&T E-Commerce Cards Division,
•	Developed and Managed the US Internet Customer Acquisition Strategy and Strategic Partnerships for all “card” products.
•	Spearheaded the growth of Customer Acquisition to 400%, with net revenues of 100 million USD. 
•	Responsible for all on-line direct response campaigns.  
•	Lead cross-functional team of 40+, managed external e-commerce and e-strategy (marketing/branding) consultancies.
•	Used web to create an electronic advantage and P&L for the business.
•	Evaluated all interactive proposals for the US Credit Card business.
•	Created database to house all on-line acquisition data for modeling, forecasting and MIS.  Member of Citibank’s Global Internet Team.

Vice President - U.S. Internet Marketing Director, New Product Development Cards, 
•	Developed and managed the strategic direction and growth of US Credit Card E-commerce Initiatives.
•	Lead cross-functional project team of 40 to provide 25 million users with secure, encrypted access to account information via the web, including the application process, statement presentation, and transactional environment.
•	Educate internal staff on Internet e-marketing/e-branding/industry trends through “Cyber lunches.”
•	Negotiate all strategic partnerships, alliances and contracts,  
•	Manage external e-commerce and e-strategy (marketing/branding) consultancies. 
Vice President - On-line Banking Senior Marketing Product Manager, Market Access Marketing Division
•	Developed and Managed the strategic direction and growth of “Direct Access” Citibank’s electronic banking platform and drafted Citibank’s interactive marketing RFP to contract with E-commerce/ E-strategy consultancies.
•	Managed and motivated a staff of 50+ at PC Expo trade shows.
•	Responsible for a five million dollar budget covering staff and E-commerce/ E-strategy consultancies. 
•	Created an on-line banking multimedia CD-Rom presentation for use at all trade shows.•

Vice President Of New Product Development

JP Morgan Chase

General Management Associate, -New Product Development Division 
•	Member of Chemical's Executive Training Program - Assignment in Electronic Commerce.
•	Analyze and market new products.  (Smart Cards, Debit Cards, EBT Cards).
•	Market development and rollout of one million Debit Cards (1/96).  
•	Negotiate with internal departments (programmers, systems managers, operations, credit, legal, training and customer service) to support rollout.
•	Responsible for development and execution of Marketing Plan for rollout of debit card. 
•	Manage the P&L for all strategic initiatives to optimize ROI.

General Management Associate

Cary Carbonaro, CFP®, MBA, is an award-winning Certified Financial Planner™ with over 25 years of experience in financial services. She is the Managing Wealth Advisor and Women and Wealth Ambassador at Ashton Thomas, where she leads a multimillion-dollar financial planning practice focused on empowering women.

Cary is the bestselling author of The Money Queen’s Guide and Women and Wealth: A Playbook to Empower Clients and Unlock Their Fortune (Wiley 2025), which offers actionable strategies for better serving women in financial services. Through her writing, speaking, and advocacy, she is helping reshape the industry to better support its fastest-growing client segment.

She has been honored as a CFP® Board Ambassador for over a decade, named a “Women to Watch” by Investment News, and ranked six times among Investopedia’s Top 100 Financial Advisors. In 2024, Cary was appointed as the first female member of the NASDAQ Advisor Council, further cementing her leadership in the field.

Before building her advisory practice, Cary held leadership roles at JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, and Lord Abbett Investment. Today, she is a respected industry voice and frequent media contributor, with appearances on dozens of TV stations.  

Through her decades of experience, Cary remains a passionate champion for financial literacy, gender equity, and empowering women to take control of their financial futures.

Social Media Disclosures: https://ashtonthomaspw.com/social-media-disclosures/

taplio

The Battle

John Swystun

Cary Carbonaro, CFP® Professional, MBA

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJohn Swystun's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

John Swystun

Cary Carbonaro, CFP® Professional, MBA

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}John Swystun's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJohn Swystun's LinkedIn Performance