Episode 15: Conquest of Trial and Error
November 26, 2025
52 mins
In the first episode of Zero Basis Points, hosts Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti delve into the complexities of the wealth management industry, exploring the evolution of technology, the challenges of data management, and the value of their podcast as a platform for discussion.
Summary
Episode 15 of Zero Basis Points brings Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti together with Brad Frey of Conquest Planning to unpack where financial planning is really headed. Haik and George dig into the limitations of legacy planning tools and why integration, data ownership, and enterprise flexibility have become non-negotiable. Brad shares how Conquest is approaching planning differently, using open APIs and AI to move beyond trial-and-error workflows. The conversation highlights Sam, Conquest’s smart assistant, as an example of AI that actually drives decisions and execution—not just insights. Throughout the episode, Haik and George challenge surface-level “AI” claims and emphasize trust, scale, and real operational impact. The takeaway is clear: modern planning platforms must adapt to firms—not force firms to adapt to them.
Key Topics Covered
- Why legacy financial planning tools break at enterprise scale
- The gap between “AI features” and real planning intelligence
- Where integrations fail — and why open APIs matter
- Eliminating trial-and-error planning with contextual AI
- Turning plans into action through connected workflows
- Owning the client experience inside large organizations
- Where trust, compliance, and AI intersect in wealth management
Timecode
00:00 Guest welcome: Brad Frey
01:06 From golf pro to fintech veteran
04:25 Origin story of Conquest Planning
07:08 Challenges in traditional planning tools
10:45 Fitness talk: injuries, recovery, and staying sharp
16:10 Deadlift ETF and the discipline factor
19:00 Understanding SAM and AI-driven planning
24:14 The ugly truth about legacy integrations
29:10 Inside the eMoney rocket ship
42:20 How AI converts PDFs into real planning data
49:00 What Brad loves and hates about the industry
50:45 Why the industry hesitates to change
53:20 Final takeaways and what’s coming up next
About Guest
Brad Frey
Sales Director, Conquest Planning
Brad Frey has over 20 years of experience in financial services and fintech. He currently serves as U.S. Sales Director at Conquest Planning, where he focuses on helping firms adopt modern financial planning technology at scale.
Previously, Brad held senior business development and leadership roles at eMoney, FP Alpha, Skience, Western & Southern Financial Group, and JetTrade, gaining deep exposure to the evolving wealth-tech landscape. His early career as a PGA Professional helped shape a people-first, team-oriented approach to leadership.
Where to find Brad Frey:
If you want to follow Brad’s work or connect directly:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wbradfrey/
Never Miss an Episode
Subscribe for episode drops, behind-the-scenes notes, and insights
we couldn’t say on air.
On-air archive
Featured episodes
See All Episodes
Conquest of Trial-and-Error
Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti sit down with Brad Frey, Sales Director at Conquest Planning, for a candid look at the state of financial planning tech.
15
AdviseAI Hangover
In this episode, Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti share their insights on what really stood out at Advise AI.
14
Make WealthTech Open Again
Episode 13 brings our first guest, Craig Uhlenkott, for a candid conversation on the evolution, current challenges, and future of wealth management technology.
13
Zero Basis Points
Follow Zero Basis Points on your favourite platform.
Subscribe
Subscribe to get the latest episodes and exclusive content.
© 2025 Zero Basis Points. All rights reserved.
Episode 15: Conquest of Trial and Error
November 26, 2025
52 mins
In the first episode of Zero Basis Points, hosts Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti delve into the complexities of the wealth management industry, exploring the evolution of technology, the challenges of data management, and the value of their podcast as a platform for discussion.
Summary
Episode 15 of Zero Basis Points brings Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti together with Brad Frey of Conquest Planning to unpack where financial planning is really headed. Haik and George dig into the limitations of legacy planning tools and why integration, data ownership, and enterprise flexibility have become non-negotiable. Brad shares how Conquest is approaching planning differently, using open APIs and AI to move beyond trial-and-error workflows. The conversation highlights Sam, Conquest’s smart assistant, as an example of AI that actually drives decisions and execution—not just insights. Throughout the episode, Haik and George challenge surface-level “AI” claims and emphasize trust, scale, and real operational impact. The takeaway is clear: modern planning platforms must adapt to firms—not force firms to adapt to them.
Key Topics Covered
- Why legacy financial planning tools break at enterprise scale
- The gap between “AI features” and real planning intelligence
- Where integrations fail — and why open APIs matter
- Eliminating trial-and-error planning with contextual AI
- Turning plans into action through connected workflows
- Owning the client experience inside large organizations
- Where trust, compliance, and AI intersect in wealth management
Timecode
00:00 Guest welcome: Brad Frey
01:06 From golf pro to fintech veteran
04:25 Origin story of Conquest Planning
07:08 Challenges in traditional planning tools
10:45 Fitness talk: injuries, recovery, and staying sharp
16:10 Deadlift ETF and the discipline factor
19:00 Understanding SAM and AI-driven planning
24:14 The ugly truth about legacy integrations
29:10 Inside the eMoney rocket ship
42:20 How AI converts PDFs into real planning data
49:00 What Brad loves and hates about the industry
50:45 Why the industry hesitates to change
53:20 Final takeaways and what’s coming up next
About Guest
Brad Frey
Sales Director, Conquest Planning
Brad Frey has over 20 years of experience in financial services and fintech. He currently serves as U.S. Sales Director at Conquest Planning, where he focuses on helping firms adopt modern financial planning technology at scale.
Previously, Brad held senior business development and leadership roles at eMoney, FP Alpha, Skience, Western & Southern Financial Group, and JetTrade, gaining deep exposure to the evolving wealth-tech landscape. His early career as a PGA Professional helped shape a people-first, team-oriented approach to leadership.
Where to find Brad Frey:
If you want to follow Brad’s work or connect directly:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wbradfrey/
Never Miss an Episode
Subscribe for episode drops, behind-the-scenes notes, and insights
we couldn’t say on air.
On-air archive
Featured episodes
See All Episodes
Conquest of Trial-and-Error
Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti sit down with Brad Frey, Sales Director at Conquest Planning, for a candid look at the state of financial planning tech.
15
AdviseAI Hangover
In this episode, Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti share their insights on what really stood out at Advise AI.
14
Make WealthTech Open Again
Episode 13 brings our first guest, Craig Uhlenkott, for a candid conversation on the evolution, current challenges, and future of wealth management technology.
13
Zero Basis Points
Follow Zero Basis Points on your favourite platform.
Subscribe
Subscribe to get the latest episodes and exclusive content.
© 2025 Zero Basis Points. All rights reserved.
Episode 15: Conquest of Trial and Error
November 26, 2025
52 mins
In the first episode of Zero Basis Points, hosts Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti delve into the complexities of the wealth management industry, exploring the evolution of technology, the challenges of data management, and the value of their podcast as a platform for discussion.
Summary
Episode 15 of Zero Basis Points brings Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti together with Brad Frey of Conquest Planning to unpack where financial planning is really headed. Haik and George dig into the limitations of legacy planning tools and why integration, data ownership, and enterprise flexibility have become non-negotiable. Brad shares how Conquest is approaching planning differently, using open APIs and AI to move beyond trial-and-error workflows. The conversation highlights Sam, Conquest’s smart assistant, as an example of AI that actually drives decisions and execution—not just insights. Throughout the episode, Haik and George challenge surface-level “AI” claims and emphasize trust, scale, and real operational impact. The takeaway is clear: modern planning platforms must adapt to firms—not force firms to adapt to them.
Key Topics Covered
- Why legacy financial planning tools break at enterprise scale
- The gap between “AI features” and real planning intelligence
- Where integrations fail — and why open APIs matter
- Eliminating trial-and-error planning with contextual AI
- Turning plans into action through connected workflows
- Owning the client experience inside large organizations
- Where trust, compliance, and AI intersect in wealth management
Timecode
00:00 Guest welcome: Brad Frey
01:06 From golf pro to fintech veteran
04:25 Origin story of Conquest Planning
07:08 Challenges in traditional planning tools
10:45 Fitness talk: injuries, recovery, and staying sharp
16:10 Deadlift ETF and the discipline factor
19:00 Understanding SAM and AI-driven planning
24:14 The ugly truth about legacy integrations
29:10 Inside the eMoney rocket ship
42:20 How AI converts PDFs into real planning data
49:00 What Brad loves and hates about the industry
50:45 Why the industry hesitates to change
53:20 Final takeaways and what’s coming up next
About Guest
Brad Frey
Sales Director, Conquest Planning
Brad Frey has over 20 years of experience in financial services and fintech. He currently serves as U.S. Sales Director at Conquest Planning, where he focuses on helping firms adopt modern financial planning technology at scale.
Previously, Brad held senior business development and leadership roles at eMoney, FP Alpha, Skience, Western & Southern Financial Group, and JetTrade, gaining deep exposure to the evolving wealth-tech landscape. His early career as a PGA Professional helped shape a people-first, team-oriented approach to leadership.
Where to find Brad Frey:
If you want to follow Brad’s work or connect directly:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wbradfrey/
Never Miss an Episode
Subscribe for episode drops, behind-the-scenes notes, and insights
we couldn’t say on air.
On-air archive
Featured episodes
See All Episodes
Conquest of Trial-and-Error
Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti sit down with Brad Frey, Sales Director at Conquest Planning, for a candid look at the state of financial planning tech.
15
AdviseAI Hangover
In this episode, Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti share their insights on what really stood out at Advise AI.
14
Make WealthTech Open Again
Episode 13 brings our first guest, Craig Uhlenkott, for a candid conversation on the evolution, current challenges, and future of wealth management technology.
13
Zero Basis Points
Follow Zero Basis Points on your favourite platform.
Subscribe
Subscribe to get the latest episodes and exclusive content.
© 2025 Zero Basis Points. All rights reserved.
Episode 15: Conquest of Trial and Error
November 26, 2025
55 mins
Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti sit down with Brad Frey, Sales Director at Conquest Planning, for a candid look at the state of financial planning tech. They talk about how it has evolved, why legacy stack and workflows still hold firms back, and what changes when you rebuild planning with open architecture and AI at the core.
Summary
Episode 15 of Zero Basis Points brings Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti together with Brad Frey of Conquest Planning to unpack where financial planning is really headed. Haik and George dig into the limitations of legacy planning tools and why integration, data ownership, and enterprise flexibility have become non-negotiable. Brad shares how Conquest is approaching planning differently, using open APIs and AI to move beyond trial-and-error workflows. The conversation highlights Sam, Conquest’s smart assistant, as an example of AI that actually drives decisions and execution—not just insights. Throughout the episode, Haik and George challenge surface-level “AI” claims and emphasize trust, scale, and real operational impact. The takeaway is clear: modern planning platforms must adapt to firms—not force firms to adapt to them.
Key Topics Covered
- Why legacy financial planning tools break at enterprise scale
- The gap between “AI features” and real planning intelligence
- Where integrations fail — and why open APIs matter
- Eliminating trial-and-error planning with contextual AI
- Turning plans into action through connected workflows
- Owning the client experience inside large organizations
- Where trust, compliance, and AI intersect in wealth management
Timecode
00:00 Guest welcome: Brad Frey
01:06 From golf pro to fintech veteran
04:25 Origin story of Conquest Planning
07:08 Challenges in traditional planning tools
10:45 Fitness talk: injuries, recovery, and staying sharp
16:10 Deadlift ETF and the discipline factor
19:00 Understanding SAM and AI-driven planning
24:14 The ugly truth about legacy integrations
29:10 Inside the eMoney rocket ship
42:20 How AI converts PDFs into real planning data
49:00 What Brad loves and hates about the industry
50:45 Why the industry hesitates to change
53:20 Final takeaways and what’s coming up next
About Guest
Brad Frey
Sales Director, Conquest Planning
Brad Frey has over 20 years of experience in financial services and fintech. He currently serves as U.S. Sales Director at Conquest Planning, where he focuses on helping firms adopt modern financial planning technology at scale.
Previously, Brad held senior business development and leadership roles at eMoney, FP Alpha, Skience, Western & Southern Financial Group, and JetTrade, gaining deep exposure to the evolving wealth-tech landscape. His early career as a PGA Professional helped shape a people-first, team-oriented approach to leadership.
Where to find Brad Frey:
If you want to follow Brad’s work or connect directly:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wbradfrey/
Never Miss an Episode
Subscribe for episode drops, behind-the-scenes notes, and insights
we couldn’t say on air.
On-air archive
Featured episodes
See All Episodes
Conquest of Trial-and-Error
Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti sit down with Brad Frey, Sales Director at Conquest Planning, for a candid look at the state of financial planning tech.
15
AdviseAI Hangover
In this episode, Haik Sahakyan and George Guidotti share their insights on what really stood out at Advise AI.
14
Make WealthTech Open Again
Episode 13 brings our first guest, Craig Uhlenkott, for a candid conversation on the evolution, current challenges, and future of wealth management technology.
13
Zero Basis Points
Follow Zero Basis Points on your favourite platform.
Subscribe
Subscribe to get the latest episodes and exclusive content.
© 2025 Zero Basis Points. All rights reserved.