This week, Jack Sharry talks with Mike Perry, Head of Client Solutions and Wealth Management at Guardian Life. With leadership experience spanning Guardian, Nuveen, UBS, and Merrill Lynch, Mike has spent his career helping firms evolve their wealth management strategies while expanding access to comprehensive financial planning.
Jack and Mike discuss Guardian’s protection-first philosophy and why holistic planning begins long before retirement. They explore the firm’s “living balance sheet” framework, the growing importance of strategic partnerships, Guardian’s investment in Avantos, and why AI is best viewed as a tool that helps advisors deepen client relationships—not replace them.
In this episode:
(00:00) - Intro
(02:24) - Mike’s path to Guardian Life
(05:09) - The evolution of separately managed accounts
(07:38) - Guardian’s protection-first planning philosophy
(11:20) - The “living balance sheet” approach to holistic advice
(13:28) - Why Guardian rebranded Park Avenue Wealth Management
(16:23) - Why Guardian invested in Avantos
(18:48) - AI as a force multiplier for advisors
(20:51) - Why strategic partnerships accelerate innovation
(23:01) - Mike's key takeaways
(27:51) - Mike's interest outside of work
Quotes
"What clients need is trusted advice from an advisor. So, the real engagement, where trust gets built, and problems are solved, is in that back-and-forth planning discussion with the end client." ~ Mike Perry
"Our opportunity here is protection first, because we're engaging clients earlier in their lives and marrying it with a much broader set of questions and client engagement across all of our planning." ~ Mike Perry
"Innovation has to be a constant thing you focus on, because across financial services, one day you may provide something at less cost, but it's immediately replicated. So you need to keep doing that." ~ Mike Perry
Links
Mike Perry on LinkedIn
Guardian Life
Nuveen
UBS
Merrill Lynch
eMoney Advisor
Park Avenue Wealth Management
Avantos
Vanguard
BlackRock
Connect with our hosts
LifeYield
Jack Sharry on LinkedIn
Jack Sharry on Twitter
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