Kitces and Carl - Real Talk for Real Financial Advisors

Take a spreadsheet nerd and pair him with a Sharpie-wielding sketch artist, and you get one of the most genuinely enjoyable podcasts in the financial advisor world. Michael Kitces (yes, the same Kitces from Financial Advisor Success) teams up with Carl Richards, the guy behind those brilliantly simple napkin sketches that have appeared in the New York Times, for a biweekly conversation that feels less like a podcast and more like eavesdropping on two smart friends at a coffee shop. The episodes run 30 to 45 minutes -- a sweet spot that respects your commute time. They tackle the softer, more human side of being an advisor: how to communicate with clients without drowning them in jargon, how to build a practice that actually feels fulfilling, and how to avoid burning out in an industry that rewards workaholism. Carl brings an emotional intelligence and simplicity to complex topics, while Kitces brings the analytical rigor. The tension between those two styles is what makes the show work. With about 180 episodes and a 4.7-star rating from 235 reviews, it's built a loyal following among advisors who already know the technical stuff but want to get better at the human stuff. If you only have time for one short-format advisor podcast, this is a strong contender.