Episode 186

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Published on:

10th Sep 2026

What Changes as Your Firm Grows with James Spinelli.

Today we talk with James Spinelli about how he helps scale Great Valley Advisor Group from a startup into a community supporting 200+ advisors and more than 400 people. We break down what changes as growth accelerates, from hiring and meetings to data, culture, and the hard work of letting go.

Key topics discussed in this episode:

• Building trust through one-on-one conversations and shared transition experience

• The leadership shift after 100+ advisors, managing time and expectations

• Creating advisor success and business strategy roles to stay connected at scale

• Reinforcing mission and values through department leads and consistent communication

• Stepping into the CEO role by getting out of the weeds and upgrading seats

• Handling tough people decisions, documenting processes, and avoiding “drag”

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About James

James Spinelli is Co-Founder and CEO of Great Valley Advisor Group (GVA), a Pennsylvania-based RIA supporting nearly 200 advisors and managing more than $12 billion in assets. James built GVA from the ground up, growing it from a start-up RIA into a nationally recognized firm focused on helping independent advisors grow, build enterprise value, and achieve true ownership. Before launching GVA, he worked at Comcast Corporation in capital forecasting, financial systems, and operational efficiency. James is also the founder of AdvisorBOB, a fintech platform designed to simplify advisor compensation and business management, which was acquired by AdvicePay in 2025.

Connect with James

Website

LinkedIn

About Kristin Burke

Kristin Burke works with financial advisors and leaders in financial services who are building and scaling firms. She helps them lead more effectively, develop their team, and execute consistently on the priorities that drive growth.

Work with Kristin

If you are building a firm and want a strategic partner to help you think through leadership, team development, and execution, you can learn more about working with Kristin here:

Website

Connect on LinkedIn

LinkedIn

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About the Podcast

Elite Achievement
A leadership and execution podcast for financial advisors and firm leaders
Elite Achievement with Kristin Burke

You’re a financial advisor. Your calendar is booked with back-to-back client meetings. You have a vision to grow your firm. You’re not sure if you have the right team in place. You’re holding on to work you know you should be delegating. You want to spend more time doing complex planning and working with your best clients, but you’re still trying to deliver for every client in your book.

At the end of the day, you’re still the one driving the revenue.

Or…

You’re leading a team of financial advisors or a firm. You’re responsible for growth, but don’t produce the results yourself. They come through the people you recruit, develop, and retain. And many of them aren’t traditional employees, which means you’re leading as much through influence as you are through expectations and accountability.

Your calendar is full, but your time doesn’t always feel well spent. You start the day with a plan, and it quickly shifts as people come to you with questions, challenges, and decisions that need your input.

You’re constantly balancing competing priorities. Attracting and bringing in new talent. Launching and developing new financial advisors. Supporting career advisors as they continue to grow. Having difficult conversations when someone isn’t performing. Protecting the culture and keeping everyone aligned to the vision.

At the end of the day, you’re still accountable for the results.

Different roles. Same challenges.

How do you create clarity around your vision and get others aligned to it?

How do you focus on the right priorities when everything feels important?

How do you develop people and hold a high standard of performance?

How do you lead effectively while still driving results?

This is the work of Elite Achievement.

A leadership and execution podcast for financial advisors and firm leaders who are building and scaling a firm and being challenged to lead at a higher level as success becomes less about your individual effort and more about how you lead.

Kristin Burke brings over 20 years of industry experience and works closely with financial advisors and firm leaders as they build firms, develop people, and navigate the challenges that come with growth.

Elite Achievement is about setting a bold vision, executing consistently, and becoming the kind of leader capable of building a legacy.