Scaling Success: How Annie Brinckman Is Leading a $850M Wealth Firm Into the Future

By The Truth About Your Future Staff | September 23, 2025

Ric Edelman, founder of The Truth About Your Future sat down with Annie Brinckman, Wealth Advisor and Managing Partner of Capital Planning Wealth Management to talk about the process she and partner Jonathan Carpenter navigated while helping to take over and manage the $850 million-asset, 17-employee business from its two founders, one of whom is her father.

Annie, you’ve seen great benefits in aligning the team to the overall growth of the firm. What are some ways you have created that alignment?

One of the biggest ways we create alignment is through transparency and team goals. At the end of our annual all-hands meeting, we set firm-wide goals that tie into the initiatives discussed. The team brainstorms ideas for goals, ensuring they feel invested in the process.

One goal is often new AUM growth, reinforcing that bringing in new assets requires work from everyone, not just advisors. When we tie incentives to this, magic happens. All team members become aligned in referrals, not just advisors, because they see how growth impacts them directly. After setting goals, partners confirm the range for new AUM growth to ensure it aligns with long-term objectives. If/when we hit the goal, all team members receive a bonus, reinforcing the idea that we grow together.

The key is making sure people feel like partners in success, not just employees fulfilling tasks. When they see the bigger picture, engagement and results follow. We don’t just work together; we invest in each other’s success. Whether it’s celebrating wins, refining processes, or brainstorming new ways to serve clients, we operate with a shared purpose. This culture isn’t just internal; it’s something clients notice. When they see a team that’s engaged, aligned, and genuinely cares, it builds trust and strengthens long-term relationships.

How has defining the organization’s core values saved time, both in daily operations and hiring?

Defining your core values upfront simplifies decision-making. When your team knows the guiding principles, they don’t waste time second-guessing. In hiring, core values act as a filter. You find people who already align, reducing friction and increasing efficiency. If someone doesn’t align with your core values, no amount of training will fix that, it saves time to recognize that early and allows you to invest in those that are aligned. Ultimately, core values act as a self-guiding framework, allowing team members to make decisions confidently and reducing the need for constant management.

What role does the ‘say-do gap’ play in client trust and retention?

The “say-do gap” is the space between what you promise and what you deliver. The smaller that gap, the more trust you build. Trust is earned through consistency, carrying out your promises means a lot in today’s world. When clients trust you to follow through, they refer others confidently, knowing you’ll deliver for them too.

At the core, it’s simple: TRULY CARE about the people you serve, the people you serve with, and how you serve. Then, just do what you say you’re going to do.

• Execution is worth more than the best idea that never gets executed.
• Create processes that limit friction in the path to execution.

As you experience new AUM growth, how do you ensure high-quality client service while proactively managing capacity and preventing team burnout?

It starts with process. We have a clear understanding of how long it takes to onboard a new client, service an existing one, and handle ongoing needs. We continuously invest in refining our organizational chart to ensure roles and responsibilities are well-defined, with a clear understanding of the team’s capacity. By tracking capacity metrics, we can anticipate staffing needs and hire proactively, before burnout becomes an issue. Importantly, we can also recognize which role needs to be filled.

When hiring, we prioritize alignment with our core values, ensuring new team members seamlessly integrate into our culture and decision-making framework. This reduces friction and supports smoother growth. This approach enables us to maintain high-touch service without overextending individual team members, ensuring that both client experience and team well-being remain strong.

Many advisors struggle with letting go of tasks while ensuring quality remains high. How have you structured your team and processes to delegate effectively without losing the personal touch clients value?

Delegation starts with clarity, both in process and team structure. Through bi-annual team reviews, we aim to ensure that every team member understands their role, what success looks like, and how their work impacts the client experience. We create repeatable processes to remove guesswork, allowing delegation without sacrificing quality. Instead of thinking of delegation as “giving something up,” we frame it as elevating service by leaning each individual’s strengths. When the right person is handling the right task, clients get better, faster, and more thoughtful service.

The key is trust. Clients don’t just work with one person, they work with a team. We introduce clients to the team early so they see that different members handle different needs, reinforcing that they’re supported beyond just one advisor. Ultimately, delegation isn’t about losing control, it’s about scaling excellence so that client service remains high, even as we grow.

Thanks, Annie.