Episode summary
Ep 502: Managing $240M As A 3-Person Team Through A Structured Meeting Approach with Wendy Ciehanski
Financial Advisor Success (Kitces)
· · 1 hr 30 min · Hosts: Michael Kitces · Guests: Wendy Ciehanski
Summary
Wendy Ciehanski described how her Columbus-based advisory practice serves about $240 million across 156 client households with a three-person team, and how a structured quarterly review process has helped the firm stay efficient for more than 20 years. The core idea is simple: service is the lever the firm can control, so every client review uses a repeatable one-page agenda that starts with life and family updates, then moves into cash needs, portfolio performance, future commentary, and next steps.
She said meeting cadence is set by client needs rather than asset size, with reviews occurring quarterly, semiannually, or annually. The agenda is personalized before each meeting, while the back side captures only the changes that matter operationally or from a compliance standpoint, such as goals, risk profile shifts, KYC updates, and investment actions. Wendy also said the practice keeps scheduling personal rather than fully automated because client emails and calls often surface concerns before the meeting itself.
The episode also focused on the firm’s July 1, 2025 merger with Composition Wealth. Wendy said the decision was driven less by a desire to cash out and more by the need for broader resources, more support for multigenerational client needs, and less time spent on administration, compliance, and billing. She and her husband wanted equity, continuity, and a team structure that would let them keep serving clients while also creating a path for younger advisers and future client needs.
Key takeaways
- Wendy said her firm’s review process has stayed consistent for 25 plus years because service is the part of the client experience they can control.
- The practice uses one agenda for every meeting, but personalizes it for each client before the appointment so the discussion stays relevant.
- Meeting frequency is based on client needs and preferences, not just account size, and can shift from quarterly to semiannual over time.
- Wendy said phone and email scheduling still matter because clients often reveal the issues they want to discuss before the meeting starts.
- The July 1, 2025 merger with Composition Wealth was mainly about gaining resources and reducing admin, not maximizing exit value.
- Wendy said the firm wanted equity and continuity, not a short-term transition, so she and her husband could keep serving clients long term.
Notable quotes
“service was the thing we could control. You know, fees can adjust, performance can adjust, but our service level”
“we have a thing in our practice that if the phone rings, somebody answers it. It's ideally not going to voicemail”
“we always start with life and family updates”
“It was not we're going to do this merge and we have a two or three year lifespan and we're gone and done”
How the episode opens
Welcome to the Financial Advisor Success Podcast, where you go behind the scenes with financial planner, speaker, and consultant Michael Kitsus to hear stories of how leading financial adviserss navigated the inevitable challenges that arise on the path to success and get insight from leading industry consultants about how to break through to the next level in your advisory business. And now, here's your host, Michael Kitsus.
Welcome everyone. Welcome to the 5002nd episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast. My guest on today's podcast is Wendy Sahansky.
Wendy is a senior wealth adviser within the RAIA Composition Wealth, where her Columbus, Ohio based practice oversees approximately $240 million in assets under management for 156 client households. What's unique about Wendy, though, is how she and her adviser partner, who is also her husband, have built their practice as part of a three-person team in part by using a structured meeting approach that they have implemented and iterated on for 20 years. In this episode, we talk in depth about how Wendy uses a review meeting agenda that features both the client's current focus, including life and family updates, portfolio performance, and potential changes affecting their plan, as well as a look to the future, including economic commentary and to-do items.
how Wendy uses the backside of the agenda to record any changes to the client's goals, risk profile, asset allocation, or securities holdings resulting from the meeting, and how Wendy has found that the focus of her client's review meetings has shifted over the years from portfolio performance to life events and their financial planning implications. We also talk about how Wendy sets client review meetings on a quarterly, semianual, or annual cadence based on the client's needs and preferences and not necessarily the assets they bring to the table.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- client review meetings
- structured meeting agenda
- wealth management systems
- client retention
- reducing administration
Companies and tickers mentioned
- Composition Wealth
Watch the episode
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
More from Financial Advisor Success (Kitces)
-
Helping Clients Who Want A Retirement They Can't Afford - Kitces & Carl Ep 203 -
The Top Factors To Consider When A Client Plans To Move Abroad, With Ashley Murphy -
Ep 515: Crafting Deeper Client Relationships To Drive Loyalty, Referrals, And Gain Career Flexibi... -
Key Rules And Pitfalls To Execute Qualified Disclaimers Successfully, With Dave Haughton -
Ep 514: Optimizing A $160M AUM Solo Practice For Client Impact Over Scale with Nick Ibello -
Value-Based Pricing And Charging As Much As The Market Will Bear - Kitces & Carl Ep 202
Financial Advisor Success (Kitces), this episode and its artwork belong to Michael Kitces. Octagon is not affiliated with the show; this page is an independent summary.
