Summary

Episode 5 of Zero Basis Points is a conversation about pressure, cycles, and why there’s never a perfect time to build. George reflects on past crises and today’s market uncertainty, and why advisors have to stay calm, zoom out, and keep moving forward. The discussion touches on tariffs, fear in markets, and how AI is quickly becoming the go-to tool for gaining clarity and efficiency. Haik and George also unpack why owning your data matters more than ever, especially as advisor tech becomes noisier and more overlapping. The takeaway is simple: pressure is part of the job — the winners simplify, stay disciplined, and use AI with intention.

Key Topics Covered

• Why there’s never a “right time” to build through market cycles and uncertainty
• How advisors should think about macro shocks, fear, and client communication
• AI as the fastest path to efficiency and insight during volatile markets
• Why owning and liberating your data is critical for decision-making and flexibility
• The growing noise and overlap in advisor tech — and why many tools don’t solve real pain
• Where automation and AI workflows actually move the needle versus surface-level features
• How pressure, discipline, and long-term thinking separate durable firms from reactive ones

Timecode

00:00 Fitness, discipline, and why “mild inconvenience” doesn’t change outcomes

02:45 Why lack of a plan hurts in both fitness and wealth management

06:00 There is never a right time to start

09:10 Tariffs, macro shocks, and how advisors should think under pressure

11:45 Why AI becomes the first lever firms pull during volatility

15:10 Data ownership, data lakes, and the real cost of waiting

21:00 Advisor tech noise, tool overlap, and solving real industry pain

27:05 Listening to advisors and building solutions around real workflows

36:00 Freedom, resilience, and what “liberating your data” really means

48:00 Where AI, automation, and finance are heading next