Advisors Off Script: Stories of the Independent Frontlines with Shelby Nicholl
Advisors Off Script is the podcast where financial advisors step away from the polished talking points and get real about what it takes to build, break away, and boldly grow. Every advisor has a choice: follow the script laid out by the industry—or write your own.
Formerly known as Kick It Open, the show is hosted by Shelby Nicholl, founder of Muriel Consulting and known as the “RIA Whisperer.” She brings candid conversations, insider insights, and practical strategies that help advisors move from uncertainty to clarity and from frustration to freedom. Because this isn’t just a podcast—it’s your playbook for building boldly and living off script.
Get ready for amazing guests, including advisors who have tread the journey before, leaders from the firms serving independent advisors and partners who help advisors create thriving practices.
Here at Muriel Consulting, we're helping advisors kick the door open on their personal success by living a life off script.
About the Host
Shelby Nicholl is the founder and lead consultant at Muriel Consulting, where she helps financial advisors break free from limits, align their businesses with their ambitions, and build thriving practices. With 25 years in leadership roles at firms like LPL Financial and Edward Jones, she combines deep industry experience with her passion for empowering advisors to take bold steps toward independence and success.
She is also the founder of Muriel Network, a digital community for women in wealth management seeking connection, inspiration, and growth.
Advisors Off Script: Stories of the Independent Frontlines with Shelby Nicholl
What Happens After a Failed Succession Plan? Breakthroughs, Innovation, and Resilience
What happens when a succession plan falls apart? For Leighann Miko, it became the catalyst for something even bigger. In this episode of Kick It Open, Leighann shares her journey from an advisor left stranded by a failed succession to a trailblazer who not only built her own firm but went on to create Avise Financial Cooperative, the first RIA co-op platform for other advisors to join as an independent advisor.
We talk about:
- The hard lessons of succession plans gone wrong
- The leap from employee to independent firm owner
- Why she chose a cooperative model—and how it’s changing the game for advisors
- The future of advisor ownership and why traditional firm structures might be holding professionals back
If you’re an advisor contemplating your next move—or just love a story of resilience and reinvention—this one’s for you.
To learn more about Leighann Miko visit:
LinkedIn - Leighann Miko, CFP® | LinkedIn
Equalis - Equalis Financial | Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Financial Planner, CFP
Avise - Avise Financial — Genuine Financial Advice
Schedule a discovery call with Shelby Nicholl: Zoom Scheduler
Produced by Shelby Nicholl.
Edited by Aaron Sherman.
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-roll License code: EV5ON7Y3CSESDSEU
