Podcast · Business

Big Picture In Practice

by Morningstar, Ben Johnson, Julie Willoughby · English · Business

Tune in every other week to explore the latest trends across the financial sector. Joined by industry-leading guests, Big Picture in Practice will help you innovate and stay abreast of the latest information that will enable listeners to create differentiated products and foster successful client re

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 38 min
Latest: 5 Dec 2025
Language: English

Latest episode

5 Dec 2025 · 44 min

Ritholtz Wealth Management: “Tax Advice is Financial Advice"

One truth that Ritholtz Wealth Management holds to be self-evident: Clients hate paying taxes more than they like making money.

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E48 · 21 Nov 2025 · 45 min
Stephanie Drescher: The Case for Adding Private-Market Exposure to 401(k) Plans
Private investments are easier than ever to include in investor portfolios. And though they’re more in-demand than ever, they still account for only about 3% of individual portfolios, compared to approximately 20% of institutional portfolios.
E47 · 29 Oct 2025 · 34 min
How Fixed-Income ETFs Transformed Bond Markets: Lessons from BlackRock’s Steve Laipply
BlackRock’s Steve Laipply traces the evolution of fixed-income ETFs—from their skeptical early reception to becoming a core liquidity and price-discovery tool across global bond markets. He explains how innovations such as portfolio trading, electronic pricing, and active ETF strategies have helped advisors build more efficient portfolios and manage risk through even the most stressed market environments, including the COVID-19 crisis.
E46 · 15 Oct 2025 · 42 min
Planning First: Redefining Retirement Income with Schwab’s Inga Rachwald and Rob Williams
Schwab’s Rob Williams and Inga Rachwald join Ben and Julie to unpack why retirement income is first and foremost a planning challenge—one that demands balancing emotional biases, clear goals, and smart investment choices. Together, they explore how advisors can reframe conversations around income, broaden clients’ understanding of risk, and apply practical strategies that connect portfolios to real-life outcomes.
E45 · 25 Sep 2025 · 28 min
Live from MIC: Anna Snider on Private Market Opportunities
In a special live episode taped at this year's Morningstar Investment Conference, Anna Snider shares her perspective on private markets and its opportunities for advisors.
E44 · 28 Aug 2025 · 38 min
Jim Caron on Volatile Market Strategy and Global Portfolio Diversification
Jim Caron, CIO of the Portfolio Solutions Group at Morgan Stanley, breaks down how tariffs, inflation, and rising correlations are reshaping investment playbooks. Get practical insight into navigating a volatile market.
E43 · 14 Aug 2025 · 28 min
Navigating Opportunity in Volatile Markets
BNY Wealth Chief Investment Officer, Sinead Colton Grant, discusses how private markets, risk tolerance, and asset allocation can shape modern wealth strategies and how to find opportunity in today's volatile investment landscape.
E42 · 31 Jul 2025 · 41 min
The Crypto Adoption Curve: Lessons From ETFs With Grayscale Leaders
Crypto adoption is accelerating. Hear Grayscale leaders break down market trends, investor education, and how advisors can guide clients through the next wave.
E41 · 18 Jul 2025 · 45 min
How Financial Advisors Can Deliver Tax-Savvy, Evidence-Driven Value
John West has spent decades in the investment world —and he’s sharing game-changing advice for financial advisors on how they can elevate their practice with tax-efficient planning, personalized portfolios, and an honest, evidence-based approach to client success.
E40 · 6 Mar 2025 · 40 min
How Advisor Engagement Strategies and Investment Solutions Are Driving Stronger Client Relationships
Explore how modern advisor engagement strategies are transforming client relationships in wealth management. Learn from Capital Group’s innovative approaches, the evolving role of fund wholesalers, and actionable insights to strengthen financial plans and drive long-term success.
E39 · 20 Feb 2025 · 36 min
The Evolution of Model Portfolios: A Deep Dive with Envestnet
The evolution of model portfolios is underway, presenting a substantial benefit for advisors and asset managers through the simplification of operational duties and promoting enhanced client connections. Join us as we dive deep into model portfolios with Ling-Wei Hew, a Principal Director at Envestnet and a veteran in the model portfolio space.
E38 · 6 Feb 2025 · 38 min
Unlocking the Power of 351 Conversion: ETFs, Tax Efficiency & the Future of Investing
Wes Gray, founder of Alpha Architect, breaks down ETF tax efficiency, the rise of SMA to ETF conversions, and the future of tax-aware investing. Learn how Section 351 can help investors minimize capital gains taxes and optimize portfolio management.
E37 · 23 Jan 2025 · 40 min
Money Market Funds, Explained
US money market funds recently eclipsed $7 trillion in assets for the first time. For decades, investors have turned to this simple, conservative investment vehicle for cash management and capital preservation. And while the Fed eyes future interest rate cuts, Deborah Cunningham doesn’t see investor interest flagging anytime soon.
E36 · 9 Jan 2025 · 43 min
New Tech and the Future of Financial Advice
Jason Pereira, a seasoned financial planner and fintech advocate, shares his insights on the future of financial advice. From the growing impact of AI in wealth management to the evolving role of technology stacks, Pereira explores how financial advisors can navigate the complexities of the digital age while staying focused on client relationships. He also highlights key shifts in client expectations and how advisors can adapt to meet the needs of the next generation of investors.
E35 · 12 Dec 2024 · 33 min
Why AI Can’t Replace Human Financial Advisors
Brent Beardsley is the head of advisor solutions at Vanguard, which began working directly with advisors a quarter of a century ago. Since then, investors have gained access to the same investment information as the pros. With modern investment platforms, they can choose funds and see portfolio details on their own.
E34 · 2 Dec 2024 · 49 min
How Active ETFs Are Revolutionizing Investment Strategies
Are you leveraging the latest trends in ETFs to enhance your investment strategies? In this episode of Big Picture in Practice, hosts Ben and Julie sit down with Noel Archard, Global Head of ETFs at AllianceBernstein, to unpack the evolution of ETFs and their growing role in reshaping portfolio management. Noel shares insights on the rapid growth of thematic and ESG-focused ETFs, the rise of active ETFs, and how these investment vehicles continue to democratize access for both individual and institutional investors. He also delves into the impact of ETFs during market volatility and provides…
E32 · 14 Nov 2024 · 45 min
Creative Planning's Vision for the RIA Industry
Ramesh Poola, co-chief investment officer at Creative Planning, shares insights on how firms can prioritize client relationships while still achieving their growth objectives. Discover strategies that integrate client focus into every aspect of business development for long-term success.
E32 · 17 Oct 2024 · 43 min
The Growing Importance of Alternative Assets
In a rapidly evolving investment landscape, the ability to adapt and innovate is crucial for success. Phil Huber, the Head of Portfolio Solutions at Cliffwater, offers valuable insights into his career journey and the strategies that have propelled him to the forefront of alternative investments.
E31 · 3 Oct 2024 · 35 min
Lessons on Adaptability and Client-Focused Solutions with Capital Group’s CEO Mike Gitlin
Mike Gitlin, CEO of Capital Group, offers invaluable insights for industry professionals on thriving in an ever-evolving financial landscape. His candid discussion touches on adaptability, client-centric solutions, and the critical need for continuous learning.
E30 · 19 Sep 2024 · 39 min
Unified Managed Accounts and SMAs, Compared
Amid compressing fees and mushrooming fund options, asset managers are clashing for market share in a new arena: personalization. Thanks to recent technological leaps, Dimensional Fund Advisors hopes to prevail with a newly accessible investment vehicle.
E29 · 5 Sep 2024 · 30 min
Tax-Managed Separate Accounts, Explained
As high interest rates linger, investors are on the hunt for income opportunities. Investors have flocked to fixed-income separate accounts for the promise of personalized portfolios and tax management savvy.
E28 · 29 Aug 2024 · 45 min
Understanding and Meeting the Unique Needs of Different Investor Segments
Brie Williams, head of practice management at State Street Global Advisors, is addressing this challenge through her groundbreaking research, redefining the future of wealth management. Her research focuses on understanding the distinct needs of different investor segments, enabling personalized financial services to build stronger relationships and add greater value to clients' lives.
E27 · 8 Aug 2024 · 37 min
Hightower’s Bob Oros: What's Ahead for RIA Rollups
Is consolidation the answer for RIAs who want to compete in a fragmented field? Hightower’s Bob Oros talks about the industry’s future and what investors want from their advisors.
E26 · 20 Jun 2024 · 29 min
The Evolution and Popularity of Model Portfolios: A Conversation with BlackRock
What does the future hold for model portfolios? The Big Picture in Practice podcast team had an enlightening conversation with Eve Cout from BlackRock, who leads the portfolio design and solutions pillar for BlackRock's US wealth advisory. She shared some valuable insights into the growth trajectory and future potential of model portfolios.
E25 · 6 Jun 2024 · 34 min
What Financial Advisors Don’t Know About Bitcoin ETFs
Bitcoin exchange-traded funds made a long-awaited splash in the market in early 2024. Asset managers rushed out of the gate with 11 SEC-approved spot bitcoin ETFs, which have already racked up billions of dollars in assets under management.
E24 · 23 May 2024 · 29 min
Demystifying the Escalating Cost of Education and the Power of 529 Plans with Tricia Scarlata
How much do people in pursuit of higher education really know about their financial options? This week on Big Picture in Practice, Tricia Scarlata Head of Education Savings at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, shares her insights about the costs and benefits of higher education and tips for financial planning.
E23 · 9 May 2024 · 30 min
Tokenization of Real-World Assets: Definitions, Pros, Use Cases
WisdomTree’s Will Peck believes that tokenized funds could do to ETFs what ETFs did to mutual funds. In this episode, the Big Picture in Practice podcast deciphers the ins and outs of blockchain-enabled asset management.
E22 · 25 Apr 2024 · 42 min
The Ever-Changing Face of Finance with Jen Abate
Has your financial firm been keeping up with the biggest changes in the industry? In this episode of Big Picture in Practice, our hosts, Ben and Julie, sit down with Jen Abate of Lazard Asset Management to explore the shift from product to solution-based operations and what is coming next.
E21 · 11 Apr 2024 · 31 min
What Advisors Need to Know About Interval Funds
Interval funds have found a foothold in the U.S. private markets, accumulating $48.9 billion in assets under management. These complicated wrappers pull from new private-market opportunities but may be unfamiliar. When are interval funds right for a client?
E20 · 28 Mar 2024 · 38 min
The Future of Investments: A Conversation with New Edge Weath
In a recent conversation between Ben Johnson, Julie Willoughby, and Cameron Dawson, Chief Investment Officer (CIO) for New Edge Wealth, a plethora of insights were unveiled surrounding New Edge Wealth's core investment philosophy and the future landscape of investments. This invaluable discussion, packed with pearls of wisdom, shines a light on how to navigate the ever-evolving investment environment.

About Big Picture In Practice

Big Picture In Practice is a English business podcast from Morningstar, Ben Johnson, Julie Willoughby. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Morningstar, Ben Johnson, Julie Willoughby
Language: English
Category: Business
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 38 min
Latest episode: 5 Dec 2025
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1689063077
Rights: Morningstar

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