Top Advisor Podcast #104: Building an 8-Figure Financial Practice with Julia Carlson

Host: Bill Cates
Guest: Julia Carlson, Founder of Financial Freedom Wealth Management Group
Date: December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Bill Cates interviews Julia Carlson, the founder of Financial Freedom Wealth Management Group. Julia shares her journey of building an eight-figure financial advisory practice from scratch, emphasizing holistic client care, entrepreneurial consulting, and a culture of generosity. The discussion covers the evolution of her business, her unique value proposition for clients (especially entrepreneurs and business owners), the importance of team dynamics, business scaling, frameworks for leadership and delegation, and Julia’s bold mission to inspire $1 billion in charitable giving by entrepreneurs.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

Julia's Background & Firm Evolution

• Origins in Finance:
  • Julia began her career as a bank teller at 19, drawn to investments due to her parents' healthy money attitudes and early exposure to investing.
  • "I actually started my first mutual fund account when I worked at McDonald's when I was a teenager…at the time, it was very normal for me." (06:12, Julia)
• Career Progression:
  • Started as a registered assistant at 20, became a financial advisor at 23.
  • Left the bank for an insurance company but, after the 2009 recession, realized the need for a more holistic approach.
  • Founded Financial Freedom Wealth Management Group, rebuilding from scratch while having her third child.
• Team and Structure:
  • "Today we have a team of about 20. We serve about 1,400 families nationwide… We are team-led." (08:23, Julia)
  • Core values: Respect, integrity, delight clients, and generosity.

Integration of Insurance and Investments

• Julia’s experience in both realms (insurance and investments) creates a holistic approach.
• "How do we protect what they're building, what their legacy is…we get to integrate all of this into a plan for our clients." (10:07, Julia)

Scaling to Eight Figures

• Vision and Growth:
  • Not a predetermined goal, but the result of “doing good work” and building a strong team.
  • Key inflection point: Doubling business by hiring advisors and finding empowerment in letting go.
• No Acquisitions:
  • "We've done no acquisitions. It's just…every day a little bit better." (13:00, Julia)
• Letting Go to Grow:
  • “I had to get out of my own way, and I had to fire myself…allowing other people to rise with me. That was the magic.” (12:11, Julia)

Right-Fit Client & Differentiators

• Core Clients:
  • Initially cast a wide net, now focused on retirement planning for individuals and families.
  • Five years ago, Julia began specializing in entrepreneurs and exit planning, later expanding to strategic consulting for business owners.
  • “Working with entrepreneurs, it's a specialty, right? It's like an all in.” (15:53, Julia)
  • Firm has carved out 3–4 advisors focused solely on entrepreneurs.
• Internal Referrals & Teamwork:
  • Clients belong to the firm, and referrals happen internally to ensure the right fit with specific advisors or services. (17:07)

Organic Marketing & Client Acquisition

• Retirement Readiness Checklist:
  • Developed as a lead magnet via Meta (Facebook/Instagram) ads, which prospects download after answering qualifying questions about their retirement readiness.
  • Followed by educational webinars and complimentary consultations.
  • “And what does the tool do? The tool exposes a gap, right?” (21:02, Bill)
  • Julia’s approach ensures the checklist is holistic, covering emotional and relational aspects of retirement. (21:19, Julia)
• Client Referrals:
  • Still a major driver of growth.

Entrepreneurial Consulting & Brand Separation

• Personal Brand vs. Firm Brand:
  • Julia describes developing Financial Freedom’s independence from her personal brand, giving both space to grow.
  • “That's actually been really beneficial because it's actually made financial freedom more independent… taking me out of the day-to-day.” (18:30, Julia)
• Focus on What Brings Joy:
  • Julia now works primarily with entrepreneurs because “when you're financially independent, you only want to do what makes you happy.” (16:39, Julia)

Book: Let's Get You Fired

• Premise:
  • Encourages entrepreneurs to “fire themselves” from day-to-day operations and scale by empowering others.
  • “The firing yourself is letting go of doing all of the things that we think we have to do as the founder… and really letting go so you can step into this visionary leadership role.” (27:04, Julia)
  • Framework: Hustle → Surrender → Harmony → Legacy.
• Applicability:
  • Bill: “It seems like this is a book that applies to financial advisors as well…” (26:51)
• On Hiring:
  • “I fired myself from hiring because… I always want to see the best in them. …You want them to be activated by themselves.” (28:49, Julia)
• Book's Origin:
  • Written during a five-day reality TV show retreat for authors on "Writers Island."
  • “They put us in a very grounded, almost like spiritual place for these books to really just come through and have our creativity opened. And it really worked.” (30:53, Julia)
• Contact:
  • thejuliacarlson.com & Writers Island for more about her story and book.

Mindset and Scaling Insights

• Key Levers for Growth:
  • “First, you as the leader. It's the mindset that it's possible… you have to keep expanding you as a leader and invest in yourself in that way.” (32:49, Julia)
  • Operationally, founders generally shouldn’t manage more than 5–6 employees—bring in management layers to elevate yourself.
• Letting Go to Scale:
  • “I don't need to be in control to be in charge. I can still be in charge, but I don't have to control anything.” (35:13, Julia)
• Discipline Enables Freedom:
  • “In discipline is where you find freedom.” (35:03, Julia)
  • Bill echoes: “From structure comes freedom.” (35:36, Bill)

Tools & Frameworks

• FIRE Yourself Framework:
  • Four business stages: Hustle, Surrender, Harmony, Legacy.
  • Tailored recommendations and tools for each stage. (35:57)
• Freedom Dashboard:
  • A team-centric dashboard tracking key business metrics (prospects, new business, content creation, etc.), ensuring each team member owns outcomes and expectations are clear.
  • “The founder is just showing up and seeing the data, but the team actually has the expectations right there.” (37:32, Julia)

Giving & the $1 Billion for Good Mission

• Giving as Growth Catalyst:
  • Julia’s mission: Inspire 1,000 entrepreneurs to give $1 million each as they grow.
  • “If you're in a position to give and you don't, it's worse than stealing.” (38:51, Julia)
  • Giving deepens relationships, enhances purpose, and motivates greater impact.
  • Personally involved in anti-trafficking organizations and encourages giving throughout the journey, not just upon arrival.
• Broader Impact:
  • “It's just expanding that more purposeful work beyond the money, beyond the business.” (40:00, Julia)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Firm Values:

  • “Treat all people with respect, never compromise our integrity and delight our clients.” (08:36, Julia)

• On Empowering Others:

  • “Allowing other people to rise with me. And then I saw the power of like, oh gosh, like, we can build anything here.” (12:22, Julia)

• On Organic Growth:

  • “We've done no acquisitions. It's just, you know, a little bit every day a little bit better.” (13:00, Julia)

• On Personal & Firm Brand:

  • “It's actually made financial freedom more independent and have its own personality.” (18:30, Julia)

• On Book Writing Experience:

  • “They put us in a very, like, grounded, almost like spiritual place for these books to really just come through and have our creativity opened.” (30:53, Julia)

• On Giving Back:

  • “I don't want my entrepreneurs to arrive and then give. Like, I actually want them to give all along their journey.” (38:53, Julia)

• On Mindset:

  • “You as the leader, it's the mindset that it's possible.” (32:49, Julia)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [06:04] Julia’s early career and inspiration
• [08:23] Current firm structure, culture, and core values
• [11:03] Growth to 8 figures—hiring and letting go
• [13:05] No acquisitions, organic journey
• [15:21] Right-fit clients: Retirees and entrepreneurs
• [18:02] Personal and firm brand separation
• [19:09] The firm’s marketing and lead generation funnel
• [21:19] The retirement readiness checklist
• [24:05] Perspective: Financial advisor vs. entrepreneur
• [26:59] Relevance of Julia’s book to advisors
• [29:31] Book-writing via Writers Island, the reality show retreat
• [32:49] Scaling mindsets and operational shifts
• [35:57] Frameworks: FIRE Yourself and Freedom Dashboard
• [38:31] Philanthropy and the $1 billion mission

Resource Links Mentioned

• Julia Carlson: thejuliacarlson.com
• Writers Island: Writers Island
• Bill Cates: ReferralCoach.com
• Julia’s Book: "Let’s Get You Fired" – releasing Feb 13, 2026
• Financial Freedom Wealth Management Group: Website
• Oberle Risk Strategies: Website
• The Hidden Heist (Bill’s new book): thehiddenheist.com

Recap & Takeaways

• Julia Carlson’s story provides a playbook for organically growing a financial practice through holistic service, a team-first approach, specialization, and ongoing personal growth.
• Her frameworks empower founders to let go, allowing their companies—and people within them—to thrive.
• Strategic generosity and meaningful client relationships are central to her definition of success.
• The conversation is direct, inspiring, and actionable for advisors at every stage.

“It's who you become going through all the hardships, going through the challenges, like, and rising through all of that... That's the biggest gift.”
— Julia Carlson ([27:18])