.png)
RIA Collective
Are you a financial advisor stuck with a firm that no longer serves your needs, fits your ideals, or gives you the flexibility to serve your clients as a true fiduciary? That is a tricky place to be, but rest assured, you’re not alone. RIA Collective Podcast is created with you in mind. We interview leaders at Registered Investment Advisory firms to learn from their wisdom and experience. It is our goal to take the fear and mystery out of going independent.Most of the industry leaders we talk with were in the exact same place you find yourself today. They too saw themselves as entrepreneurs. They became an advisor to create flexibility in their lives and help many others create financial security and peace of mind. Like you, those professionals become stifled by their captive environment. Sales quotas, proprietary products and services, the firm’s agenda, compliance, and other factors can make it difficult to grow and to act as a true fiduciary to your clients. RIA Collective podcast is hosted by Charlie Van Derven, an industry veteran who has been serving the advisor community for almost 25 years. During his time working in Financial Services, Charlie has seen trends come and go. One trend that continues with no end in sight, is the migration of advisors from the captive wire-house space to independence.The move to independence can go smoothly, or it can be a battle. Tune in to RIA Collective podcast to learn from industry leaders how to set your practice up for a smooth transition. Learn important things to consider and actions to take 3, 6, 12, or 18 months ahead of your move. Learn how to solidify key client relationships so you can retain the assets you’ve built.If you are an advisor considering a change or an industry leader who is building their firm and has wisdom to share, we would love to talk to you.Visit RIAcollective.com for more information or reach out to Charlie directly on LinkedIn. Thanks for being here.If you'd like to be a guest or connect directly with Charlie, visit https://www.riacollective.com.
RIA Collective
RIA Collective: Thomas Clawson | The AI CRM Changing How Advisors Build Relationships
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
What happens when a CRM is built for advisors with AI at its core, instead of having AI bolted on later?
In this episode of RIA Collective, host Charlie Van Derven sits down with Thomas Clawson, Co-Founder of Slant, to explore how AI-native CRM technology is changing the way financial advisors manage relationships, automate workflows, and grow their businesses.
Thomas shares how Slant evolved from a marketing automation tool into a full CRM after advisors kept asking for more powerful ways to manage workflows, notes, reviews, and client communication. He also explains why building a CRM from scratch in the AI era creates a major advantage over legacy systems that are still trying to retrofit modern functionality.
Together, Charlie and Thomas discuss:
- Why traditional CRMs are struggling to keep up with AI
- The difference between AI point solutions and AI-native platforms
- How advisors can automate client reviews, reminders, and workflows
- Creative ways to deepen relationships at scale
- How Slant approaches compliance, data protection, and security
- Why the future of advice is still rooted in relationships
Thomas also shares some of the most interesting use cases inside Slant, including AI-generated client outreach, review tracking, family relationship mapping, and workflows that help advisors stay connected not just with clients, but with spouses and the next generation as well.
This episode is especially valuable for:
- Independent advisors and RIAs
- Firms evaluating CRM and AI tools
- Advisors looking to improve efficiency without losing the human touch
- Leaders thinking about the future of advisor tech
🎧 Watch now and subscribe to RIA Collective for conversations that help independent advisors grow, adapt, and lead the future of financial advice.
Connect with Thomas Clawson
🌐 Slant: https://slant.app
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasclawson/
Connect with Charlie Van Derven
🌐 Social Advisors: https://www.social-advisors.com
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlievanderven/
Chapters
00:00 – Why this episode is different
02:00 – Why build a CRM for advisors
05:00 – Compliance, security, and protecting client data
07:00 – Moving beyond note takers
10:00 – AI workflows inside CRM
14:00 – What’s coming next for Slant
18:30 – The future of advisor growth and relationships
20:00 – Why the next generation matters more than ever
