Inside the Bag

Dave Nelson began his career in the late 1990s, starting as a sales rep carrying the bag before advancing into sales management roles. In this conversation, Dave shares his unique perspective on the industry—what has fundamentally changed over the decades and what has remained constant. He offers practical advice, weighs in on the latest sales strategy data from SS&C, and discusses key topics including AI-powered internal sales reps, compensation structures, the future of the industry, and much more.

Ben Utt transitioned from a career with the Indianapolis Colts to excelling as an institutional sales executive. With more than 30 years of experience in the asset management field, Ben offers perspectives on taking an institutional sales approach to the RIA channel. Ben believes, “Everything retail is becoming institutional, and institutional is moving into retail.” Ben provides insights on compensation, his approach to selling to RIAs and family offices, niche managers, his sales process, and the industry's future.

Brian Margolis has spent over twenty years building and training top-producing wholesalers. In this discussion, Brian outlines his process, the mistakes wholesalers commonly make, a new paradigm for wholesaling, and the skills needed to succeed.

Luke Theeuwes and Keith Thompson have spent the majority of their careers specializing in a unique area of the wholesaling community. While the industry is dominated by large managers with trillions in AUM, and access across all the major broker-dealers, Luke and Keith have utilized techniques to enable smaller niche managers to enter the advisory community and achieve success. In this interview, Luke and Keith share their industry insights and strategies for wholesaling success.

Mark Warren not only carried “the bag,” he also helped lead the distribution efforts of one of the industry's most successful firms. Go “Inside the Bag” with Mark Warren, as we discuss the industry's evolution and future, providing insight into compensation, channelization, and much more.

Brian Waeyaert, one of the longest-tenured sales desk managers in the industry, shares his perspective on how the internal wholesaler role has evolved over the years. He highlights the most common mistakes internals make, explains how professionals can stand out in today’s competitive landscape, and explores the future of internal wholesaling—including the rise of the hybrid model. Brian also challenges leadership teams to rethink how they value internal sales roles and why compensation should better reflect their impact.

Go inside the bag with Joe McIntyre. Joe shares the secrets behind his success; how living with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) has become a unique advantage, common pitfalls wholesalers face, his strategies for achieving work-life balance, and his perspective on how AI is set to transform the wholesaling industry.