“We believe we’ve developed a referral software that will forever change how advisors engage with their top 20% of client and advisor relationships. By addressing the real reason referrals don’t happen, AskMyAdvisor® has automated referral onboarding with a simple, always-on OS; just as Amazon simplified shopping and Netflix transformed video streaming. AskMyAdvisor® simplifies client building.”--Brian Ouellette

It’s been just over three years since we last checked in with Brian Ouellette, and his passion remains as strong. He’s releasing his first book, Inner Circle Secret for the Elite Trusted Advisor, which introduces the AskMyAdvisor® Method. As he explains in the book, this method is “a referral onboarding and client discovery system built exclusively for established accountants, attorneys, consultants, financial advisors, and realtors and their top 20%.” The system, running 24/7/365, automates referral onboarding, making it simple to activate a formal referral funnel on autopilot.

Since our last story in 2021, Brian and his team have refined the software to make it as simple as possible. It can be turned on in just 10 minutes and is designed to be the first pick-up-and-play client-building software for advisors. While many software apps can potentially be transformative, they often collect dust because they’re too complex to set up. AskMyAdvisor® is different. If you can type your name, you can use our software.

Brian explains their core premise, the AskMyAdvisor® 9010 Referral Factor. "Back when I was a financial advisor at PaineWebber, I noticed financial advisor magazines would come out with annual surveys, and year after year these surveys would show that while 90% of clients said they would refer their advisor, only 10% actually followed through and did. The reason? When many of the 80% were asked why they weren't referring their advisor, they simply said that nobody had ever asked them to," he says. But that wasn't the real reason. The problem wasn’t about advisors asking enough or offering incentives. It went deeper; clients were simply confused about how to actually make these referrals. Confusion leads to delays. Delays are the death of referrals. 

Yet what happens if you remove the confusion? The 80% who already said they would refer could start doing so. Few advisors, if any, have taken this approach; until now. The book shows advisors how to eliminate confusion using the AskMyAdvisor® Method. By simplifying the referral onboarding process, advisors increase referrals, strengthen their best relationships, and focus on what matters; being an advisor. Clients receive better service and advisors free up valuable time to be what they’re meant to be: trusted experts, not part-time marketers. 

Currently your time is often split between being the expert you are and the marketer you’re forced to be, but this method helps you reclaim that balance. What becomes possible? Better relationships, higher-quality referrals (remember, they come from your top 20%), and a better life working only with people you love working with. The book shares both DIY and DFY (software) paths to activate the AskMyAdvisor® OS in just 10 minutes. Brian says, “Both work; it’s up to the advisor to choose what’s best for them.” The book is a must-read for any advisor looking to formalize their referral onboarding and client discovery systems with an always-on OS.

In today’s fast-paced world, even slight delays in communication can kill opportunities. Brian emphasizes throughout the book:

While Brian's career is centered on AskMyAdvisor®, his family comes first. Outside of work, he engages in various significant roles. As Chairman of the Clyde Hill Civil Service Commission, he actively supports the CHPD. As a Knight and co-head of sponsorship for the Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus, he reinforces his dedication to the KOC's four pillars: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. In his latest position as a board member for Rick Rizz and Dave Henderson’s Toys for Kids, he extends his service to the community. Brian believes these overlapping roles enable him to help others better achieve remarkable outcomes, with him as a connector.

Brian balances work and family life with his wife, Megan, and their three kids: Nick, a senior, and Sofia, a junior, both at Eastlake High School; and Luke, a fifth grader at Sacred Heart. He often chooses his local coffee shop, Queen Bee, as his go-to workspace, where the top-level staff and his neighborhood friends are akin to an office water cooler.

“Focusing on the things that move the needle the most helps me stay productive,” Brian says. “Just as the AskMyAdvisor® Method focuses on the top 20% of relationships that generate 80% of results, I prioritize the top 20% of tasks that deliver the biggest impact. My publisher, Steve Gordon, has kept me on track, though he’s ready to strangle me at this point. This book was 95% done two years ago. Writing a book is personal; you want it perfect, but it never gets there.

As Steve notes, 'That’s what second editions are for.'”

In our 2021 article, The Points Magazine: Introducing Brian Ouellette and His Entrepreneurial Family, AskMyAdvisor® was bootstrapped and not open to investors. That article prompted a prominent Clyde Hill family to reach out to Brian the same day, with an unsolicited request to invest. "We decided to accept and have been building a strong partnership ever since. In July, we opened up to one more local family, whose legacy includes being one of the founders of NASDAQ," he says.

While we live in an age where human connection is easier than ever through social media, smartphones, and other forms of communication, reaching out can still feel overwhelming. Consumers are bombarded with choices, often unsure where to start or who to talk to. Brian’s AskMyAdvisor® Method helps bridge this gap, bringing clarity to both consumers and businesses. His goal is simple: to make meaningful connections as effortless as possible.

In conclusion, Brian shares this special message with our readers: