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Claire Akin:
Hi, and thank you so much for joining me for How to Use LinkedIn to Generate Referrals. I’m Claire Akin with Indigo Marketing Agency, and today we’re going to give you a step by step how-to guide for using LinkedIn to find qualified prospects, start a conversation with them and actually generate referrals using LinkedIn. To give you a little bit about my background, I’m a former investment advisor representative. I got into this business because my dad’s an investment advisor representative, and he started back in 1981 when he was with Linsco Private Ledger back when they called LPL Linsco Private Ledger, and he’s been in the business since 1981, and he’s really enjoyed his career, and he brought me into the business, and I love it. And so I’m really grateful for him, for that introduction into this amazing industry, where advisors like you help people to reach their goals and do really important work.
So I also have a bachelor’s degree in economics, a master’s degree in marketing. I worked for a company called FMG Suite, which is a leading provider of websites for financial advisors, before I started my own company, Indigo Marketing Agency, because so many advisors that I worked with asked me, “Can’t somebody do this for me? Can’t somebody take this off my plate? I want to outsource my marketing.” And so that’s why I created my company. Two years ago I wrote The LinkedIn Guide for Financial Advisors, which is available on Amazon now, and I also have The LinkedIn Course for Financial Advisors, an online self study how-to course.
So let’s talk about the difference that 25 years makes. So here’s me and my dad, and on the left you can see I was an angel in the school play when I was five, and on the right that was on my wedding day when I was 30. And so he has changed a lot and I’ve changed a lot in 25 years and it certainly has made a big difference. What else has changed in 25 years? Well, this is a visual representation of the internet, and so this is what it would look like if you mapped out all the connections. And it’s really changed everything from the way we communicate with our friends, to the way we find a restaurant, to the way we pay our bills. And especially it’s changed the way people find a trusted financial advisor, so we want to make sure that you’re adapting your marketing to work in an age where people’s eyes and ears are always on their phone.
So what we’re going to cover today is, what is LinkedIn? Why do you need it? How you can embrace a specialty on LinkedIn, and how you can actually prospect on LinkedIn to get new clients. So let’s get started.
First of all, what is LinkedIn? So LinkedIn is the world’s largest business networking social media site. And so there’s four main uses. Most people use it to find a job. About an equal percentage of people use it for recruiting and hiring, and then there’s also people of course using it for sales, and then for networking. So what information is on LinkedIn? Well, there’s more information about a person’s qualifications as an investor on LinkedIn than on any other social media platform, and that’s why it’s so valuable and so important to us. So it contains everything you would need to know to qualify a prospect. Where they work, their current position, who they know, where they used to work, where might they have a 401k to rollover from? Or maybe stock options that they might want to find a solution for? Their education, where they went to college, how old they are, their location, gender, hobbies, interests. All of this information is on their LinkedIn profile and it’s searchable, and so it’s very easy to find people who fit your target demographic by using LinkedIn.
Now, what is the problem that LinkedIn solves? Why was it created? Why is it valuable? Well, it’s interesting. In the old days, people used to find one job and stay at it for decades, if not at least years. And today, the average person who’s 30 years old has already had over five jobs. And so people are just moving from job to job much more quickly than they did in the old days, and the problem is that when you exchange business cards with somebody like you used to, that business card is rendered completely obsolete when somebody changes jobs. But LinkedIn is like a lifelong business card, so that you can keep connected with people no matter how many job changes they have and no matter how many job changes you have. So it’s your network that grows over time.
So why is LinkedIn important for financial advisors? Well, first of all, it’s your online resume. So it shows people your credentials, your expertise, your education. It’s also your online business card with your contact info, so if one of your clients refers you to one of their friends, that person can look you up and find your phone number and your email address. It’s also an up to date online Rolodex of your network, so of everyone you’ve ever connected with. It’s also an online search tool to find qualified prospects, and it’s just recently become a publishing platform that allows you to position yourself as a subject matter expert and share your expertise on LinkedIn, with the LinkedIn Pulse Publishing Platform.
So LinkedIn today has over 450 million users in 200 countries, and in the United States, it’s really active in the US, with more than 133 million users in the US. So one out of three professionals are members globally, and it’s the 14th most visited website in the world, which is incredible. So it’s really doing a ton of traffic, and it’s a great place to get exposure.
Now, a lot of advisors that I talk to say, “Well, LinkedIn’s great, but my prospects aren’t on there.” Well that depends. It depends on who your prospects are, of course, but just consider that the average LinkedIn user is 44 years old, so it’s not just millennials. Over 50% are college graduates. The average income is $109,000 and the average asset value is over $250,000, and 26% of ultra high net worth investors have a profile. So if you think through those kind of data points, you can see that affluent and wealthy investors are on LinkedIn. It’s not just for millennials, and so it’s an important platform to pay attention to.
The important part of creating your LinkedIn marketing campaign is really embracing a specialty. Nobody wants to be prospected on LinkedIn or have a sales call on LinkedIn for somebody who isn’t specialized. And so it’s really important to hone in on what you do, who you serve, and how it benefits them, and we want to make sure that we’re capturing this in all of your LinkedIn marketing campaigns, but especially in your LinkedIn headline, which is the first thing that people see about you.
And so here’s some examples of headlines that embrace a true specialty on LinkedIn. “Fee-only financial advisor helping business owners pursue true wealth.” That’s an advisor that helps business owners sell their business and take some chips off the table to kind of find balance in their lives. Here’s the second one, is, “A fiduciary wealth manager helping physicians catch up for retirement in a hurry.” He’s out of Albuquerque. He does a great job reaching out to doctors and dentists, and he helps them take advantage of some of the tax advantage saving vehicles to catch up for retirement, if you’re right within 10 years of retirement and you need to save a lot in a hurry. “A retirement advisor helping Intel employees secure income for life.” So this advisor is out of Portland and he does a great job serving only Intel employees. That’s what he does best and that’s what everybody knows that he does.
So let’s talk about when you’re creating your specialty on LinkedIn, let’s talk about the difference between minimum expectations and differentiation. We really want you to be different and we want to communicate what’s different about you, but a lot of advisors, when they go to write their headline and to differentiate themselves, all they’re doing is articulating minimum expectations.
So I’ll explain to you what I mean. So with an airline, the minimum expectations we have of an airline these days is to get you from point A to point B safely. Maybe they’ll get you there on time, and hopefully your bag will arrive too, but these are your minimum expectations. It doesn’t differentiate the airline, because we expect if we buy a ticket that all airlines will get us there safely.
What about a financial advisor? When somebody hires a financial advisor, they expect you to be experienced and credentialed. They expect you to be trustworthy, to have reasonable fees, and to act in their best interest. Otherwise, why would they hire you? So a lot of advisors I see are trying to differentiate themselves by using these minimum expectations, and it just doesn’t work. You really want to explain what’s different about you. So what makes you different? Southwest doesn’t have fees for baggage. They’re my favorite airline, and so that’s really what makes them different from the other airlines, which all charge you fees for bags. So who do you serve best and what makes you different? That’s really what you want to capture on LinkedIn, and those are the people that you want to go after with your LinkedIn prospecting campaign.
So to do that, let’s talk about your ideal client. So you’ll want to think through and define your ideal client. Consider your top five current clients. The ones that you absolutely love to work with and that you wish you could clone. Think about their employer, their job title, their income, their location, and their interests. Think about what they have in common, and kind of write down those criteria for your top five current clients, and see if any specialty or any patterns emerge.
And then once you’ve kind of identified your one or two ideal clients, let’s talk about identifying their most pressing need. So what’s the most important financial problem that they have? What’s the most common reason they come to you? What are the top 10 questions they ask you? What’s the most visited page on your website? This is a great way to figure out what’s important to people and why they’re hiring you, is what’s the most visited page on your site? And you can find that out through Google Analytics.
Why do clients say they chose to work with you? So take a poll of your top five clients and ask, “Why did you choose me instead of another advisor?” And that will often tell you what the most important differentiator is to your clients. And what’s their biggest fear? So are they worried about running out of money when they retire? Are they worried about dying without a succession plan for their business in place? Are they worried about their children spending their inheritance too quickly? What’s their biggest fear? That can give you a clue of the biggest problem that you solve for your clients.
So here’s some good examples of prospects’ most pressing needs. So this top one is actually from my dad’s website. People come to this page on a site that is, “Should I choose the UC San Diego 457 or 403(b) plan?” There are government institution, also an educational institution, so they have both, and people get really confused about that. So that’s a great piece that we created for him. “How can I maximize my Chevron benefits package? How can I prepare for the next round of Intel layoffs? How can I maximize my Social Security benefits as a divorced spouse? And how can I protect my same sex partner financially?” So these are all examples of really important concerns that prospects might have that you can answer.
So we’re going to take these important questions and we’re going to turn them into a prospecting campaign on LinkedIn using your specialty. So the process works like this: First, you’re going to search for and connect with qualified prospects, then you’re going to give them valuable information to address their most pressing need, and then you’re going to invite them to take the next step. So this is a repeatable process to get you new leads and clients every single month.
So first we’re going to create your bait that addresses their most pressing need. So this is an example from the Intel advisor that I spoke to you about. “Actions Intel Employees Should Take to Prepare For Downsizing.” And so this could be anything from a checklist that you have here, to a video, to a webinar, to a free report, or even maybe a free financial plan that you want to offer. Everyone who works at a certain employer. So the sky’s the limit with creating the type of content. You just want to make sure it’s really valuable to your audience and that you really give away 90% of what you know.
So this is a employer-based campaign that we did that is about How to Maximize Your Greenheck Benefits Package. Greenheck is a industrial fan company, and it’s out of Wisconsin, and it’s the largest employer in this advisor’s town, and so he aggressively targets the employees. And inside the report you can see we talk about their defined benefit plan, their 401K, paid time off, longterm disability insurance, life insurance, and also the employee stock option plan. And so we’re really giving away a lot of great information that’s extremely valuable to people that work at this company, and they follow up with specific questions about their own situation once they read the report.
Here’s another report example. A Social Security guide that’s pretty straightforward. This advisor works with certified registered nurse anesthetists, and so this is The CRNAs Investor’s Guide: Avoiding the Three Biggest Mistakes.” And so this is a totally targeted report for CRNAs. This is a webinar on Social Security, and so this is a good example. If your target demographic is within 10 years of claiming Social Security, this is a great kind of avenue to reach out to them.
So once you have your bait, you want to promote it on LinkedIn. So first you can publish it as a post, and this notifies everybody in your network that you’ve published a post, and it resides permanently on your profile where people can review it when they’re kind of browsing your profile. Then you can share it to all of your groups, and this will notify everybody in your group that you’ve shared your post. And so this is important, because people who are a part of your LinkedIn group, you may not be connected with already, but they’ll get an email alerting them to your publication within the group, and so it’s a great way to connect with people that you’re not already linked with on LinkedIn.
Then you can share your bait with daily updates on LinkedIn, and you can also ask your referral partners to share. So people who also serve clients in the same demographic, this valuable information is important to your prospects, and so your referral partners who also serve them are doing their clients a favor by sharing this report, and then of course people can follow up and ask you questions about it.
So let’s talk about sharing your bait with qualified prospects. So first of all, we want to find the qualified prospects, and then you send them a connection request, which is free to do on LinkedIn, and then we follow up with your bait or your message about your report. So let’s talk about how to do that. So first of all, you search for your qualified prospects, and you can search with company, job title, location, industry, past company, hobbies. So whatever your specific specialty is, that’s who you want to search for. And then you can even save your searches. And so here’s some examples of saved searches. “Financial advisors,” and this is in my account, so obviously I would want to reach out to financial advisors. “Executive equestrians.” I’m a big horse rider, and so that makes sense. And, “CEO’s who golf.” So this is just types of searches to give you some ideas of the types of searches you could create.
From there, you want to hit the big blue button next to their profile and send a request to connect with them. You’ll see about 25% to 35% of people who don’t know you will accept your connection request if you write a little message that goes along with it saying, “Hey, Thomas. I am an expert in helping Chevron employees make the most of their benefits package. I wanted to connect.” And 25% to 35% of cold people will connect with you. Once you connect with them, you can send them a message for free. And so you want to send a followup message thanking them for connecting and inviting them to take the next step. So here’s the ideal followup message. “Thank you for connecting. Here’s what I do, here’s how I can help. Here’s a relevant report that I think you’ll find valuable, and here’s a link to schedule a phone call if you have any questions.” So that’s kind of the ideal followup message.
And here’s an example that actually works for one of the advisors that I work with. “Hi, Thomas. Thanks for accepting my connection request. I’m an independent financial advisor that serves Greenheck employees and helps them prepare for a secure retirement. My firm specializes in Greenheck’s benefits package. We recently released a report. I’m happy to share if you’re interested. Do you need any help navigating your retirement plan?” And then he has his name, his phone number, and the link to the report.
People who download the report then get this followup email that says, “Greenheck employees save 50% on a retirement plan,” and so they can get started on their retirement plan. Once they’ve downloaded the report, they automatically get this followup email, and that’s really easy to set up using MailChimp or Constant Contact so that everyone that downloads your report gets nurtured and gets prompted to take the next step.
And so this process is really effective when you employ it on a regular basis, and here’s some ideas of the metrics that you can expect. So if you send 100 connection requests, like I said, you can expect 20 to 30 new connections, and this is great because these people remain your connections over time, so you’re growing your network and they’ll see everything that you post in the future. So even if they don’t take action with you now, they may take action with you at some time in the future. And then you send the followup messages to all 20 or 30 connections, you’ll get five to 10 responses, two to three people who actually have a question. So five to 10 people will say, “Thanks for the response,” or, “Thanks for the report.” You know, just kind of a thank you message. But two to three people on average will have a question or actually schedule an appointment. And from that, depending on your close rate, you can expect one new client.
So if you do this process every single month, you can expect to generate one new client each month from this targeted campaign. So it’s all about creating a repeatable process for your LinkedIn prospecting. I encourage you to set aside at least one hour per week to do this process, or delegate it to somebody on your team, or my favorite solution, outsource it. So I use a virtual assistant to send outbound connection requests to financial advisors on LinkedIn, and the total cost for 100 outbound messages, the 25 followup messages, and the one new client that I get each month from this is $25 to $30. And so by using a virtual assistant who maybe you pay them between $12 and $20 per hour, you can expect to get one new client from this for really a very minimal cost.
So create your repeatable process, adjust it over time to make it better, and make sure that you do it every single month. Of course you want to customize your strategy for your business and what works best for you, but this mechanism that I’ve described for you is definitely customizable and repeatable for any financial advisor out there.
So being successful on LinkedIn is a lot like diet and exercise. It doesn’t work overnight, but you have to be consistent and challenge yourself, and don’t quit. So challenge yourself to do six months of this process, and I guarantee you you’ll have success. I’ve followed up with a lot of advisors that use my process very successfully, and so I encourage you to give it a try.
If you’d like to learn more, you can get weekly marketing tips for financial advisors at indigomarketingagency.com/newsletter, and if you want to learn more about how to use LinkedIn, you can take the LinkedIn course for financial advisors, and here’s a synopsis of everything that we cover on the course. Here’s a couple of testimonials from advisors who have been really successful with the tactics used on the course, and you can take a look at indigomarketingagency.com/freecourse.
Also, if you’re more of a book person, this is The LinkedIn Guide for Financial Advisors, which is my top rated book available on Amazon. You can get it on Kindle or on paperback, and so check that out on Amazon. And if you want to see my weekly tips for financial advisers, connect with me on LinkedIn, and I share weekly posts on how advisors can improve their marketing.
Karen Sogamoso leverages her diverse skill set to manage a wide range of marketing tasks and help streamline processes for the account management team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social communication and journalism, applying her strong background in media and communications to accelerate project workflows and enhance client support.
Outside of her work at Indigo, she loves exploring new destinations through travel, catching live performances at music festivals, and spending time at the movies.
Deanna Hooker brings over 15 years of experience across digital marketing, web development, SaaS, e-commerce, and client success to her role. Over her career, she has guided project structure for brands ranging from local small businesses to household names like Macy’s and Instacart. What Deanna enjoys most about her role is building genuine, trusting relationships with advisors, taking the stress out of website builds, and helping them turn their unique stories into authentic online brands.
Deanna attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is originally from Long Island, New York. She now resides on the coast in Wilmington, North Carolina, with her husband, Jeremy, their two children, Jayden and Julianna, and their four dogs. Basketball is a huge part of family life; her husband coaches, her son plays, and together they founded a local nonprofit youth basketball organization. In her free time, Deanna enjoys traveling, cooking, heading to the beach, crafting clay magnets, collecting Jellycats, and cheering on her kids at their sporting events.
Angelica Duran’s number-one goal is for our advisor clients to feel fully supported as she assists with a broad range of marketing initiatives. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Northern Arizona University and relies on her strong educational background to help deliver seamless, high-touch assistance across client accounts.
Originally from northern Arizona, Angelica has called Colorado Springs, Colorado, home for the past two years. When she isn’t busy with marketing tasks, she loves making the most of the outdoors by snowboarding, hiking, and catching live music at concerts.
Kellie Williams collaborates across departments to keep marketing campaigns running smoothly. Her favorite aspect of her role is the team environment; she loves teaming up with other marketers to deliver creative, impactful support for clients.
Originally from Wales in the UK, Kellie earned her master’s degree in magazine journalism before bringing her passion for storytelling to digital marketing. Splitting her time between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Aruba, Kellie embraces island and coastal life through sunset beach skating, full moon sailing, and swimming with sea turtles. When she’s not working, she can be found reading, listening to podcasts, or doing pilates.
In his role, Alex Dennery focuses on driving revenue and delivering measurable growth for businesses of all sizes. He holds a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Rowan University and leverages his analytical background to build high-impact media campaigns that yield real results for clients.
Originally from New Jersey (where his parents and two younger brothers still reside), Alex currently lives in Medellín, Colombia. A true global traveler, he has lived in 3 countries and explored over 30 more. In his free time, he stays active with boxing and gym workouts, dives into podcasts and books, and enjoys creating music as well as attending live events.
Benedict Sta. Ana
Web Developer
Negros Occidental, Philippines
In his Indigo role, Benedict Sta. Ana applies his technical expertise to build and maintain client websites. What he loves most about his role is getting to dive into hands-on web development, particularly within WordPress, to create functional and efficient digital experiences. And like any true developer, Benedict always enjoys starting his workday with a good cup of coffee.
Originally from Candoni, Negros Occidental, Benedict holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. Now living in Bacolod City, he enjoys relaxing by playing computer games, watching movies, and catching up on his favorite anime series.
Nancy Martinez brings over a decade of combined in-house and agency experience to her role at Indigo. Passionate about helping brands boost their visibility and connect with target audiences, she thrives on keeping up with the fast-evolving landscapes of search engine, answer engine, and generative engine optimization. What Nancy loves most about search is that it keeps her on her toes—giving her endless opportunities to stay curious, test innovative strategies, and deliver measurable growth.
Originally from North Hollywood, Nancy holds an Associate Degree in Marketing and currently lives in Ontario, California. Outside of the office, she enjoys going to concerts, spending time with her close-knit family, and heading to the beach. Much of her free time is spent at the dog park training and playing with her rescue husky, Blue.
McKenzie Skelton loves the dynamic balance of creativity and organization that comes with supporting clients and keeping behind-the-scenes operations running smoothly. She enjoys the variety of daily projects that allow her to help both the team and advisors thrive.
McKenzie earned her Bachelor of General Studies with an emphasis in business from Brigham Young University. Originally from Pleasant Grove, Utah, she splits much of her time between northern Utah and southern Utah near the national parks. Outside of work, she loves to travel (France, South Africa, and Australia are among her favorite destinations) along with cooking and spending time with her family.
Sia Hajizadeh
In his role, Sia Hajizadeh thrives on curiosity, testing new digital tools, and finding innovative ways to refine workflows across the team. He brings a diverse, cross-industry background in operations management across fashion, retail, hospitality, and photography, as well as past experience as a registered representative in the financial services sector. Sia loves diving into hands-on problem-solving to determine which systems genuinely elevate the team’s work and streamline client strategies.
Sia studied communication studies at California State University, Long Beach, and earned associate degrees in both communication studies and photography from Santa Monica College. Born in Tehran, Iran, he has called Los Angeles home for over two decades. In his free time, Sia enjoys hiking, playing soccer, photography, reading, and spending quality time with his wife, Brianna, and their dog, Olive.
In her role, Jennifer Scorpo loves building strong client relationships, developing growth strategies, and helping businesses see measurable results. Born in the United States and raised in Bolivia, she developed a unique multicultural perspective from an early age. With parents from Brazil and Italy and experience living in several countries, Jennifer infuses her work with a global perspective and a deep appreciation for diverse experiences. For Jennifer, the most rewarding part of her role is the dynamic blend of strategy, creativity, and collaborative problem-solving that comes with partnering closely with clients to help them reach their goals.
Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Florida State University, with a specialization in International Marketing. True to her values, she prioritizes meaningful relationships, continuous learning, and bringing a positive, collaborative approach to both her personal and professional life. Today, she resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Ignacio, and is a proud girl mom to their two daughters, Gianna and Sienna. When she isn’t crafting tailored marketing strategies, she loves spending time outdoors, walking, hiking, playing tennis, traveling, and exploring Austin’s vibrant scenes with her family.
Caitlin Pacilio blends strategic thinking with relationship-building to help clients meet (or exceed!) their goals through dedicated and consistent collaboration. She started her career in branding and digital marketing, eventually discovering that her ultimate strength lies in building the backend systems, workflows, and processes that bring campaigns to life. Across hospitality, growth marketing, and AI consulting, Caitlin has built a reputation for organizing complex projects, improving operations, and designing AI agents to streamline business operations. For Caitlin, the most rewarding aspect of her work is diving into hands-on problem-solving and leveraging AI-powered workflows to drive efficiency and deliver impactful results for her clients.
Caitlin earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Marymount University and a Master’s in Marketing & Communications from Rome Business School, subsequently completing a Certificate in Brand Management from Cornell University. She is also certified in Google AI-Powered Search Ads and Google Analytics. Originally from Upstate New York, Caitlin is an active member of the CNY Women’s Network, a community dedicated to amplifying the careers of women across the region. When she isn’t optimizing client workflows, she loves staying active through golf and soccer, exploring new coffee shops, or going on hikes with her dog, Sadie.
Lisa Martinez is dedicated to building tailored strategies that help financial firms and advisors get discovered by their ideal clientele. With a career that spans 13 years in education marketing before expanding into real estate, trade services, and finance, Lisa has grown up in an evolving industry with one foot in traditional advertising and the other in digital. She finds digital marketing to be the perfect “sweet spot” for her unique professional interests, allowing her to blend her creativity in advertising with her love for mathematics.
Lisa earned her Bachelor of Arts with a minor in marketing from East Texas State University and a Master of Science in Recreation and Leisure Studies; she is currently further sharpening her industry expertise through the Texas A&M University Financial Planning Program. When she isn’t crafting strategies for her clients, she stays busy playing outdoor sports, painting, dancing, or playing board games. Originally from the Rio Grande Valley, she now resides in College Station, Texas, with her husband, two children, and their two spoiled pups.
Shelby Payne brings over 10 years of marketing experience and six years of web design and SEO expertise to her role at Indigo. With a strong background in UX/UI design and development, she specializes in reviewing and refining websites until they are polished, functional, and ready to deliver an exceptional client experience. Highly detail-oriented and addicted to problem-solving, Shelby takes pride in identifying issues that can be easily overlooked and elevating each project to a high standard of quality.
Shelby earned her associate’s degree in graphic design with a focus on UX/UI from Sessions College of Professional Design, holds certifications in Google UX/UI, Ahrefs SEO, and HubSpot, and is also an Asana Ambassador. Her well-rounded skill set allows her to approach each project with both a technical and creative perspective, adding valuable insight at the final stages of development.
Originally from Raymond, Mississippi, where she grew up on a small farm, Shelby now lives in Panama City, Florida, with her husband and their young daughter. Outside of work, she enjoys creative pursuits like painting and knitting, as well as spending time outdoors—whether walking her dog or relaxing at the beach.
In her role at Indigo, Chandler Perales focuses on building strong client partnerships and helping businesses confidently expand their reach. With a relationship-driven approach, she loves getting to know each client personally, understanding their goals, and supporting their success through thoughtful strategy and consistent collaboration. For Chandler, the most rewarding part of her work is seeing her clients flourish and knowing she played a role in that journey.
Chandler earned her degree in fashion merchandising with a minor in business from Texas Christian University, providing a strong foundation in both creativity and business strategy. Originally from Colleyville, Texas, she now lives in Austin with her husband, Brent, their daughter, Presley, and her stepdaughter, Alexa. Their home is full of energy with their mini Bernedoodle, Oakley, along with six chickens and two parakeets. When she’s not working, Chandler enjoys teaching Pilates and spending as much time outdoors as possible, hiking, paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake, playing pickleball, or relaxing at Barton Springs.
Anne Wheeler supports both clients and account managers, with a focus on delivering thoughtful service and helping bring meaningful marketing campaigns to life. She enjoys the collaborative nature of her role and values the opportunity to continue learning while contributing to strong client relationships.
Anne holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from the University of Tennessee. She’s eager to grow her career at Indigo and believes that continued learning and development are essential to doing great work and making a lasting impact. Outside of work, Anne enjoys reading, staying active, and spending time with family and friends. She and her husband, Rick, have three children (two boys and a girl) who keep life busy and fun.
With a unique background that blends creativity and technical skill, Lucas Giovannetti brings a distinctive perspective to his role. He began his professional journey as a cartoonist—a creative foundation that eventually evolved into a 10-year marketing career. That artist-to-technician trajectory shapes the way he approaches client work today: with imagination, precision, and an unwavering focus on strong results. Lucas loves working with people, and he takes great pride in helping clients bring their ideas to life and see meaningful outcomes.
A Toronto native, Lucas still calls the city home, though he often travels to Rome, Italy, where half his family lives. Caught between two cultures, he draws inspiration from both and enjoys the connection they bring to his personal and professional life. Outside of work, Lucas can often be found tending to his tomato plants, lifting weights, boxing, or even learning a new language.
Lauren Ward helps financial advisors bring their ideas to life through custom website projects. With a degree in psychology and specialized training in web design and development, she combines her technical expertise with strong communication skills to guide projects smoothly from kickoff to launch. Lauren enjoys collaborating closely with clients, translating complex needs into clear solutions, and making the process as smooth as possible. What she enjoys most is seeing clients’ visions take shape and knowing she played a role in creating a website that reflects their firm’s unique identity.
Originally from Gainesville, Florida, Lauren now lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and two sons. When she’s not managing web projects, you can find her lifting weights, tending her garden, skiing the slopes, or painting landscapes. She enjoys creative outlets that balance her professional life and fuel her problem-solving mindset.
Amy Davis draws on her deep experience in financial services and credit unions to help clients uncover fresh, exciting marketing opportunities. With a degree in English literature and an MBA in marketing from the University of Denver, Amy loves blending creativity with strategy to deliver results that make a real impact.
Originally from Southern California, Amy now lives in Golden, Colorado with her husband and their four kids. When she’s not brainstorming marketing ideas, you’ll probably find her on roller skates (she once played roller derby), out hiking Colorado’s trails, or tinkering with a new woodworking project.
Ashley Necessary brings a passion for creating clear and consistent messaging to the client onboarding process. With a Bachelor of Science in Business and Communications from Liberty University under her belt, she enjoys using her skills to help financial advisors make a strong first impression.
Originally from Slidell, Louisiana, Ashley now resides in Fort Moore, Georgia, with her husband and their three active sons. Outside of work, she loves staying active with group fitness classes, volunteering at her kids’ school and church, and cheering on her favorite teams at all kinds of sporting events.
Alyssa brings warmth, creativity, and 25 years of marketing experience to her role. She’s passionate about building genuine relationships with clients—going beyond surface-level check-ins to truly understand their goals and help their businesses thrive. Alyssa loves helping advisors amplify the great work they’re already doing in a way that feels authentic and lasting.
Originally from New Jersey, Alyssa holds a bachelor’s degree in corporate communications with minors in journalism and business from Susquehanna University, as well as a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University.
Outside of work, Alyssa is a proud single mom to three teenagers—one of whom is off to college at the University of South Carolina. Her busy household also includes two dogs, two cats, and plenty of laughter. When she’s not guiding clients or cheering on her kids, you can find her knitting, baking, hiking, writing flash fiction, crafting posts for her blog, or taking a well-earned brain break with some reality TV. She thrives on blending creativity, strategy, and personality to help clients hit their goals and build something that truly lasts.
Oleksii Pashyn has a passion for turning ideas into fully functional, polished websites. For him, the creative journey—starting from a blank canvas and transforming it into a seamless digital experience—is what makes his work so rewarding. With a background in software engineering, he thrives on problem-solving and crafting sites that blend both form and function.
Originally from Ukraine, Oleksii now lives in Torino, Italy, with his family. When he’s not coding, he enjoys scale modeling, traveling, and the thrill of high-speed driving. Above all, he values freedom and the ability to create without limits.
Kayla Whited brings over 15 years of dynamic marketing experience to the Indigo team, specializing in strategic content creation, brand messaging, and growth-driven marketing solutions for clients in the financial services and healthcare industries. Her expertise lies in developing innovative campaigns that drive engagement, build brand equity, and deliver measurable results.
Kayla was raised in Seattle, Washington, but moved to Arizona to pursue her Bachelor of Science degree at Arizona State University. Falling in love with the warm climate and beautiful landscape, she now lives in Scottsdale with her husband, two daughters, and two miniature dachshunds. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active with workouts, discovering new local restaurants, reading, and spending as much time as possible outdoors.
Joining the Indigo team with over a decade of experience in social media and marketing, Noelle Webster brings her creative energy to every project. In her role, she supports Account Managers by designing engaging social media graphics, copywriting, video editing, and scheduling posts, all while helping to bring innovative ideas to life. Noelle graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management with an emphasis in event operations. Her journey from working in professional sports to running her own e-commerce business sparked her passion for digital marketing, which she now shares with Indigo clients.
Originally from Morgan Hill, California, Noelle now lives near the beach in Carlsbad, California, with her husband, their son, and their sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Obi. An avid fiction reader and sourdough baker, she enjoys making fresh bread for her family each week and unwinding with a good book. In her free time, Noelle can often be found exploring San Diego’s beautiful beaches and outdoor spots with her family.
Sarah Harding manages the development and delivery of websites for Indigo Marketing Agency, ensuring every project runs smoothly and reflects the unique identity of each financial advisor. With a background as a psychology professor and mental health practitioner, Sarah brings exceptional communication skills and a deep understanding of client needs to her role. What she loves most is seeing clients’ excitement when their new website goes live or a marketing campaign has exceptional success.
After 16 years in the digital marketing industry, Sarah’s expertise is matched by her passion for helping businesses thrive. Originally from Iowa, she now lives in Utah with her three daughters. Outside of work, she enjoys skiing, biking, hiking, cooking, and hosting gatherings, balancing her professional drive with an active and fulfilling personal life.
Originally from Roodepoort, Gauteng, South Africa, Nicole Goosen brings a diverse skill set and a global perspective to her role at Indigo. She thrives on new challenges, values continuous learning, and is dedicated to making a meaningful impact for financial advisor clients. Nicole holds certificates in business management, accounting, virtual assistance, transcription, video captioning, and has completed a digital marketing course. As the digital world continues to evolve, she is committed to further expanding her knowledge and expertise.
Based in Jacobsdal, Free State, Nicole enjoys spending time with her husband, WJ, and their daughter, Emma. Her career as a virtual assistant has allowed her to work with clients in the U.S. and UK, building lasting professional relationships and friendships around the world.
Ethan Roberson is responsible for overseeing the development and management of various web projects, and his role involves ensuring smooth communication between teams and delivering high-quality, user-friendly websites. What Ethan enjoys most about his role is the opportunity to bring websites to life. As a self-taught web developer, he’s always been passionate about solving problems and building websites that make a difference. Ethan obtained an associate’s degree in business administration, but taking on a full-time role in digital marketing and web development shaped the path he’s on today.
Originally from a small town called Kittrell, NC, about an hour north of Raleigh, Ethan grew up in a quiet, rural area surrounded by farmland, which gave him an appreciation for simplicity. In his free time, he loves staying active and exploring the outdoors. Whether it’s playing golf, disc golf, shooting hoops, or flying his drone, he finds joy in activities that keep him connected to nature.
April Light brings a passion for thoughtful strategy, seamless project management, and compelling brand storytelling to every client engagement. She loves building strong relationships with clients, learning what makes each advisor unique, and finding creative ways to elevate their brand presence and reach. April thrives on helping clients show up with clarity and confidence, from guiding projects from concept to completion to brainstorming fresh ideas.
April studied Business Economics and Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, giving her a strong foundation in both analytical thinking and human behavior—skills she uses daily in her work. Originally from Orange County, April now lives in Ladera Ranch, California. Outside of work, she enjoys fashion, home styling, traveling, running, spending time at the beach, and discovering great food. Most of all, she loves supporting her three amazing kids, who keep her laughing, grounded, and constantly on the go.
Connect with her on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilclight/
A storyteller at heart, Celena thrives on crafting strategies that help clients connect authentically with their audience. With over 15 years of experience in marketing management, she excels in helping clients tell their unique stories and reach the right people.
Celena studied ballet choreography in Florence, Italy, and the Danish language in Copenhagen. Originally from Nashville, TN, she has also lived in Florence, Paris, Dublin, and Copenhagen, making her fluent in Danish and Italian—though she rarely uses these languages in Nashville!
When she’s not crafting compelling marketing strategies, Celena enjoys spending time outdoors with her rescue pup, Ollie, and her boyfriend, chipping away at her fiction trilogy, and indulging in plant-based cuisine. Celena also loves visiting her mom, sister, and nieces, who all live nearby.
A born strategist, Jordan always starts with “why” when brainstorming marketing tactics with her financial advisor clients. With recommendations rooted in data and industry best practices, she loves growing advisors’ awareness of their strategies’ positive impact on their business.
Jordan obtained her bachelor’s degree in business administration (with an emphasis in marketing and management) and her master’s in communication and media management from Colorado State University. Before joining Indigo, Jordan already had 6+ years of financial services experience and 8+ years of marketing/project and campaign management experience under her belt—making her a powerhouse addition to the team! Outside of strategizing for her advisors, Jordan’s hobbies include pottery, hiking (when she’s in shape), and ordering delivery or takeout. She is happily married to her husband, Max, and a dedicated dog mom to her oversized golden retriever, Kai.
Joshua spends his days developing client websites, implementing automations, and troubleshooting website issues. He enjoys the challenge of working with websites while simultaneously learning new tips and tricks to optimize them for maximum efficiency.
Originally from Pulupandan, Negros Occidental, Philippines, Joshua holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, and in his free time enjoys playing computer games and watching anime and movies.
With her marketing expertise, Melanie Valdez leaves no stone unturned when helping clients hone their marketing strategy. She loves interacting with clients and brainstorming new ideas to enhance their marketing results. No two days are ever the same, and that’s the way Melanie likes it!
Melanie holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Western Washington University as well as an MBA from Western Governors University. When she’s not rocking her role at Indigo, she enjoys cooking (trying out new recipes every week), painting, and discovering new restaurants with friends. She and her husband, Dat, love to travel and go on walks with their dog, Brutus, a pomeranian-chihuahua whose personality is definitely not proportionate to his small size!
Amanda wears a few hats at Indigo, bringing value to the team by creating custom social media posts for advisors, assisting with the onboarding process of new team members, and tackling behind-the-scenes team tasks. She loves to collaborate with our amazing clients and supportive team members.
Born and raised in Fort Myers, Florida, Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree in education from North Carolina State University. She worked as an educator for about a decade before pivoting to a career in writing and marketing. Amanda currently resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her two children, Mikayla and William, and dog, Daisy. When she’s not reading or writing fiction in her spare time, Amanda enjoys hanging out with family, hiking, trying new foods, and traveling.
Adrian Bachini works on tasks requiring technical knowledge and other various administrative tasks. A software developer by day, prior to joining Indigo, Adrian had very little knowledge on how nontechnical positions operate. His position at Indigo allows him to both learn and experience a variety of platforms and gain more knowledge about how to maximize marketing initiatives.
Adrian holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a specialization in software technology from De La Salle University Manila. Adrian considers himself somewhat of a workaholic, with a full-time day job in addition to working with Indigo. When he’s not working, he enjoys watching documentaries, action movies, and anime, and also loves cycling on muddy downhill trails or cross-country rides, playing video games, and simply resting when he can. He is also a licensed commercial pilot and flies in his free time; he obviously also enjoys traveling. Adrian lives with his family and more than a few pets (11 dogs, 6 cats, a few birds, and fish)—he has more pets than humans in his home!
Kourtney Kearney is a data-driven woman with a knack for coding. On any typical day, you can find her building web pages, troubleshooting bugs in code, and setting up automations to make life easier for our clients. Thanks to her technical background, Kourtney has a vast understanding of the inner workings of websites and the data associated with them. She’s always on the lookout for new technology that will help us improve our workflows so we can focus on what we do best—helping financial advisors grow their business. Kourtney enjoys the variation of tasks and loves the challenge of taking an existing website and making it better without completely rebuilding it.
Kourtney is originally from Newark, CA (Bay Area), but currently resides in Antelope, a suburb of Sacramento, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Curatorial Studies. Outside of work, Kourtney spends her free time reading, playing volleyball, baking with her two sons, and hanging out with family.
Sarah Robichaud uses her love of spreadsheets to create engaging content calendars for our clients’ social media pages. Sarah holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Salisbury University and a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling from Liberty University. In addition to her role at Indigo, Sarah volunteers as a virtual administrator for Army Wife Network, a nonprofit organization that aims to empower and educate military spouses through blogs, podcasts, and various other resources.
Born and raised in Maryland, Sarah currently lives in Rochester Hills, Michigan, with her husband, Andrew, two children, Emily and Logan, and two fur babies, Penny and Chewbacca. As a military spouse and mother, Sarah loves working for Indigo because of the flexibility it affords her, allowing her to continue to build her career while frequently relocating around the globe and working on her own schedule to accommodate a busy lifestyle. Sarah also loves Indigo’s supportive team atmosphere. Outside of work and volunteering, you can find Sarah enjoying time outdoors with her family, typically running, camping, or traveling. An avid traveler, she’s visited 16 countries and is always planning her family’s next great adventure.
Jennifer Farrior is Indigo’s go-to for all things proofreading and editing. Her attention to detail is unmatched, and she takes pride in making sure every article is clean and concise before it heads out to our financial advisors. She says, “Even a single typo can affect an advisor’s credibility, and we strive for perfection when it comes to how they’re presented online.” As Lead Writer, Jennifer trains and manages the team of writers, and also writes and collaborates with team members to create Indigo’s blog posts and promotional material.
Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in English from UCLA. In addition to her role at Indigo, she runs her own copy editing and proofreading business, She Proofreads LLC. Jennifer hails from San Diego, California, but now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her three kids, Joshua, Julia, and Joel, and goldendoodle, Dexter. She loves working at Indigo because it provides her with the income, flexibility, and the community she needs as a stay-at-home mom. Outside of work, you can find her spending time with her kids, friends, boyfriend, or working on a puzzle while watching Netflix.
Lisa Gaines spends her work days uploading blog posts to our clients’ websites and LinkedIn profiles, drafting emails, and making adjustments to content as advisors request. Lisa has learned a lot as a long-time member of the Indigo family and has enjoyed seeing the processes evolve to become more streamlined and efficient over time. And she loves working with the amazing Indigo team!
Lisa is a proud alum of Texas A&M University, where she received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. As a military child, Lisa feels as though she grew up everywhere; however, she claims central Texas as home where most of her family is originally from. She currently lives in Fort Hood, Texas, with her husband, Korey (an active-duty Army officer), and two kids, Madelyne and Jameson. As a military family, Lisa moves quite a bit—often to areas where the job market is small. She loves that Indigo provides her with a steady job she can take with her wherever she goes. When she’s not working, Lisa enjoys dabbling in interior design, binging a good Netflix series, and spending time with friends and family.
Read more about why Lisa loves working with Indigo.
Anne Wheeler is responsible for a variety of administrative tasks as well as updating social media pages for clients. Anne enjoys the creative side of her position and the ability to collaborate with the team to help advisors get started with Indigo.
Anne holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Tennessee. Outside of work, she enjoys walking, baking, spending time with her husband, Rick (a structural engineer), and two sons, Thomas and Turner. Anne loves being a full-time mom, and appreciates that Indigo gives her the opportunity to work part-time while still caring for her boys.
Dan Corcoran enjoys being on the front lines of financial advisor marketing, working directly with advisors to help them build a strong marketing plan to get their firm’s message out. Working remotely can be a challenge as talking to others, brainstorming, and sharing experiences recharges him; he maximizes touchpoints to connect with others to make every day at Indigo rewarding.
Dan holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He enjoys drone photography and videography (he owns his own drone business, Forward Focus Photography), sports broadcasting (he was a hockey broadcaster for four years prior to COVID), spending time with family, camping/hiking, running, swimming, and road biking.
Originally from Sun Prairie, WI, Dan has three siblings, and prior to joining Indigo’s team, he worked for an RIA in Madison for two years.
Amanda Laskey works with clients one-on-one to develop and implement marketing strategies that help spread the word about who they are and how they help. In her role, Amanda strives to deliver outstanding customer service to our clients. She is tech-savvy, an independent problem-solver, extremely organized, an excellent communicator, and thrives on helping others. She appreciates the ability to work remotely in a collaborative team environment while supporting her family.
Amanda holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Master of Arts in Inclusive Education from Seton Hill University and has over 10 years of experience in secondary classroom teaching and over 3 years as an Executive Assistant. A proud Army spouse, Amanda resides in Pittsburgh, PA, with her husband, Brandon, their two sons, Jackson and Harrison, and their sheepadoodle, Waylon, and goldendoodle, Cash. Outside of work, Amanda enjoys spending time with her family, relaxing at the beach, traveling to new places, dessert, and all things Disney.
Heidi Wilson thrives on helping advisors create an online voice and streamline their marketing efforts. With her mother being a retired financial advisor and her brother-in-law currently a CFP® professional, she’s passionate about taking the marketing pressure off of advisors so they are able to focus on their clients. She loves when advisors tell her something we did for them helped; it can be as simple as taking something off their very busy plate or helping them land a new client with one of the articles we wrote. With broad-based consumer and B2B marketing experience, Heidi is constantly thinking outside the box and brings a fresh perspective to the Indigo team.
Heidi holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Florida State University and hails from Tampa, Florida. Her husband, Chris, is in the U.S. Army, and as they are constantly moving, they take every opportunity to explore the new areas where they’re living. Some of their favorite places they’ve called home include Hawaii and New Orleans. Heidi is thankful for the opportunity to work remotely with Indigo, which allows her to take her job with her, no matter where the Army moves her family next.
Watch this video to hear why Heidi loves working with Indigo.
It’s Katie Cress’s mission to help financial advisors reach their ideal prospects through custom digital marketing. On any given day, you can find Katie meeting with new financial advisors to learn more about their marketing goals, who they love working with, and why they’re passionate about helping others. Her favorite part of her job is meeting new advisors every day and continuing to learn how each firm and individual advisor is different, and using her marketing and small business background to help them craft a game plan that empowers them to grow their business and enhance their services. Often described by loved ones as a “helper” and “caretaker,” Katie is passionate about advocating for her advisors’ needs and supporting her coworkers to help them succeed.
Katie holds an MBA from Xavier University and a BA in Economics from Ohio University. A Midwest girl for life, she lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband, Brandon (who’s also a marketing guru), and their three kids, Charli, Lucy, and Teddy. She and her husband also own Clean Eatz Cafe, where they use their collective marketing prowess and love of food to create a welcoming space for employees and hungry customers alike. Katie is passionate about and for small business owners, being raised by her father who was an entrepreneur, being one herself with her husband, and working with them every day at Indigo. She loves the spirit, creativity, and drive of entrepreneurs. When Katie’s not working or helping run the family business, she enjoys working out with her husband at Orange Theory, loving on her three kids, and cooking delicious food.
As Director of Marketing at Indigo Marketing Agency, Elizabeth brings 13+ years of hands-on experience in financial services, including time working directly inside an independent advisory office. With a career once on track to become a financial advisor—paraplanning, trading, and supporting client relationships—she understands firsthand the pressures, passions, and demands advisors manage every day. She earned her degree in Information Technology from the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business and holds a life, health, and variable annuity license, giving her a rare blend of tech, marketing, and product knowledge. In consulting with advisors, Elizabeth is consistently recognized for spotting growth opportunities that other agencies miss—thanks to her sharp eye for detail and proven strategies that drive real results.
Originally from Clearwater, Florida, Elizabeth loves to travel and has visited 12 countries, including extended trips to eSwatini, Africa, to assist with humanitarian programs. Learn more about why she loves working with financial advisors in this video. When she’s not helping advisors grow their businesses, she enjoys attending orchestral performances, visiting art museums with her son, and family nights in the backyard with their dog, Wrigley.
As the Chief Executive Officer of Indigo Marketing Agency, Sara Dressler leads the team with a strategic vision and a passion for helping financial advisors grow their businesses through innovative marketing strategies. Now in her fifth year at Indigo, Sara oversees all aspects of the company’s operations, ensuring Indigo continues to deliver exceptional results for clients while fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence.
With a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a minor in communications from Pacific Lutheran University, Sara combines her formal education with years of experience managing operations and optimizing systems to drive success. Prior to becoming CEO, she served as Indigo’s Director of Operations, where she played a pivotal role in streamlining processes and connecting teams across departments to achieve company goals.
Sara thrives on staying active, both in her professional life and at home. As a military spouse and mother to three energetic boys, she’s mastered the art of multitasking and enjoys spending time with her family. Whether working out, exploring the outdoors, or cheering on her kids during their games, Sara brings energy and enthusiasm to everything she does.
As Chief of Staff at Indigo, Kelli plays a key role in keeping the company running smoothly behind the scenes. She supports our CEO in driving strategic initiatives and oversees day-to-day operations across hiring, team development, client experience, and project execution. With a focus on organization, collaboration, and continuous improvement, Kelli helps ensure that both the team and clients have the support and structure they need to thrive.
Kelli has a bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations from Pacific Lutheran University.
Kelli lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband, Ian, who is an officer in the U.S. Army, and their two sons, Zachary and Cameron. When she’s not working, you can find her on the sidelines cheering her sons on in their sports, enjoying a pilates class, immersed in a novel, or being an active member in her church community.
Leading the Indigo team with heart, Hugo Fernandez is passionate about helping our financial advisors attract a flood of their A+ clients with sustainable marketing campaigns. He enjoys running companies that are wildly successful and wearing a black t-shirt every day of his life. When his two favorite things come together, you have an average day at Indigo.
Hugo Fernandez is also CEO of Indigo’s partner company, Just Digital, and author of The Client Acquisition Blueprint. He has personally helped hundreds of entrepreneurs grow their business through his proven blueprint for creating an EPIC marketing strategy and online presence.
Hugo Fernandez acquired ownership of Indigo Marketing Agency from founder Claire Akin in 2022. Focusing on strategic growth initiatives for Indigo, Hugo is passionate about helping our financial advisors attract a flood of their A+ clients with sustainable marketing campaigns. He enjoys running companies that are wildly successful and wearing a black t-shirt every day of his life. When his two favorite things come together, you have an average day at Indigo.
Hugo Fernandez is CEO of Indigo’s partner company, Just Digital, and author of The Client Acquisition Blueprint. He has personally helped hundreds of entrepreneurs grow their businesses through his proven blueprint for creating an EPIC marketing strategy and online presence.
To get in touch with Hugo, connect with him on LinkedIn.