In this episode of "Gray to Great," host Dan Dal Degan is joined by Rick Unser, a managing director at Creative Retirement Planning Services. They discuss Rick's career journey, focusing on his specialization in private equity retirement plans. Rick shares insights on the importance of curiosity and specialization in career development, emphasizing the value of building relationships and becoming a trusted advisor. The conversation also touches on the complexities of retirement planning, the evolving market, and the significance of understanding both B2B and B2C dynamics. Rick offers advice for younger advisors and highlights the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the financial services industry.
More About Rick:
Rick Unser is on a mission to positively influence the retirement outcomes of 10 million people.
His experience in the trenches, insatiable curiosity and constant need to separate the forest from the trees has put him in the watchtower of an industry managing quickly shifting demographics, product and platform innovation, and everchanging regulation.
Come join Rick as he challenges conventional thinking and champions positive change:
• on Forbes: become a reader of his Forbes column on the 401(k) and workplace retirement plan topics
• on your podcast player: listen to his podcast, 401(k) Fridays, where I interview industry experts from public policy thinktanks, asset management, and leading service providers.
What is Gray to Great?
Rewrite your practice growth playbook.
Hosted by Dan dal Degan—known to many as Triple D—this bi-monthly podcast pulls back the curtain on what it takes to thrive as a corporate retirement plan advisor in an increasingly tech-centric business world.
As a former powerhouse sales leader at Salesforce and Oracle, now sitting on the board of Great Gray Trust’s holding company, Dan’s sales experience and curiosity provoke compelling conversations with top advisors.
Each episode of ‘Gray to Great’ focuses on the crucial parts of the business that often get overlooked: prospecting, referral business, challenger selling, client service, tech adoption, and cutting-edge marketing tactics.
This is where the playbook is rewritten, offering listeners sharp, actionable insights that go beyond investing to fuel lasting growth and success.
Tune in to learn the strategies that separate the leaders from the pack—because in sales, there are no gray areas.