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The Authentic Advisor: Building Clients for Life in a Modern Practice
Building a Financial Planning Practice that The Authentic Advisor is the modern playbook for financial advisors who want to grow durable, profitable practices built on trust, proactive service, and fee-based growth.
Drawing on more than two decades of guiding clients and training advisors, Aaron Tanner shares a proven framework designed for today’s financial planning environment. Whether you’re in your first 10 years or transitioning away from commission-driven models, this book gives you the clarity and structure to thrive.
Inside, you’ll
How to reframe your role from salesperson to fiduciary partner.
A 12-Month Service Calendar that delivers value all year long.
The Referral Flywheel System that generates natural introductions.
A math-driven roadmap to win your first 100 clients.
The dual-revenue model that aligns your fees with client outcomes.
Steps to evolve from solo advisor → ensemble practice → enterprise firm.
This isn’t about chasing quotas or burning out with activity. It’s about building a client-centered practice that compounds in value over time — for you and the families you serve.
If you’re ready to leave behind outdated methods and build a business rooted in authenticity, service, and stewardship, The Authentic Advisor will show you exactly how to do it.
Drawing on more than two decades of guiding clients and training advisors, Aaron Tanner shares a proven framework designed for today’s financial planning environment. Whether you’re in your first 10 years or transitioning away from commission-driven models, this book gives you the clarity and structure to thrive.
Inside, you’ll
How to reframe your role from salesperson to fiduciary partner.
A 12-Month Service Calendar that delivers value all year long.
The Referral Flywheel System that generates natural introductions.
A math-driven roadmap to win your first 100 clients.
The dual-revenue model that aligns your fees with client outcomes.
Steps to evolve from solo advisor → ensemble practice → enterprise firm.
This isn’t about chasing quotas or burning out with activity. It’s about building a client-centered practice that compounds in value over time — for you and the families you serve.
If you’re ready to leave behind outdated methods and build a business rooted in authenticity, service, and stewardship, The Authentic Advisor will show you exactly how to do it.
41 pages, Paperback
Published August 27, 2025
About the author
Aaron Tanner
10 books9 followersAaron Tanner is a graphic designer, musician, and underground music archivist from Evansville, Indiana.
Tanner’s mastery of design earned him recognition within the underground music community and ultimately led him to become Ween's resident designer, a position he has held for over 20 years. He founded Melodic Virtue in 2004, a design firm catering to bands and regional businesses. While maintaining a diverse client roster that included Explosions in the Sky, Pinback, Mono, Juliana Hatfield, Tanya Donelly, Epitaph Records, Secretly Group, Temporary Residence Ltd., Joyful Noise Recordings, and pet celebs Lil BUB and Doug the Pug, Tanner created Pixies: A Visual History, Volume 1 with co-author Sean Rayburn. The acclaimed publication received multiple national awards and propelled Tanner's career in publishing.
Inspired by visually focused books devoted to mainstream artists, he recognized the absence of similar works for important yet underrepresented bands with their own rich visual histories. Determined to rectify this, Tanner delved into creating coffee table books that seamlessly combined his two passions: visual art and underground music. His unconventional design work with The Residents, Butthole Surfers, and Ministry has received critical acclaim, and each publication has earned a place in the permanent collections of esteemed institutions such as the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Punk Rock Museum, the Archive of Contemporary Music, and the Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science.
Tanner brings a DIY ethic to the books he creates, incorporating a hands-on approach into his design and production process. That, along with his enduring commitment to underground artists, has opened a window into their unique legacies through his visually captivating books, combining compelling design, rare photographs, artwork, and firsthand anecdotes from fans and contemporaries. With each project, Tanner provides a deep and genuinely authentic glimpse behind the curtain, leaving an indelible mark on the world of design at the intersection of art and music.
Tanner’s mastery of design earned him recognition within the underground music community and ultimately led him to become Ween's resident designer, a position he has held for over 20 years. He founded Melodic Virtue in 2004, a design firm catering to bands and regional businesses. While maintaining a diverse client roster that included Explosions in the Sky, Pinback, Mono, Juliana Hatfield, Tanya Donelly, Epitaph Records, Secretly Group, Temporary Residence Ltd., Joyful Noise Recordings, and pet celebs Lil BUB and Doug the Pug, Tanner created Pixies: A Visual History, Volume 1 with co-author Sean Rayburn. The acclaimed publication received multiple national awards and propelled Tanner's career in publishing.
Inspired by visually focused books devoted to mainstream artists, he recognized the absence of similar works for important yet underrepresented bands with their own rich visual histories. Determined to rectify this, Tanner delved into creating coffee table books that seamlessly combined his two passions: visual art and underground music. His unconventional design work with The Residents, Butthole Surfers, and Ministry has received critical acclaim, and each publication has earned a place in the permanent collections of esteemed institutions such as the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Punk Rock Museum, the Archive of Contemporary Music, and the Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science.
Tanner brings a DIY ethic to the books he creates, incorporating a hands-on approach into his design and production process. That, along with his enduring commitment to underground artists, has opened a window into their unique legacies through his visually captivating books, combining compelling design, rare photographs, artwork, and firsthand anecdotes from fans and contemporaries. With each project, Tanner provides a deep and genuinely authentic glimpse behind the curtain, leaving an indelible mark on the world of design at the intersection of art and music.
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