Trust and wealth management firms operate in an industry built on judgment, responsibility, and long-term decision-making. Yet many professionals feel they rarely have time to think. Packed schedules, manual workflows, and fragmented systems often pull attention away from clients and strategy.
In a conversation recorded live at the American Trust Organization’s (ATO) annual conference, Rusty Sommer speaks with Trasha Schwendener about why this tension exists and how firms can begin to address it.
Process Comes Before Technology
One of the central themes of the episode is the importance of process. Automation and new tools can help, but only when firms first understand how work actually flows. Without clear procedures, technology can slow teams down rather than help them move forward.
Areas like account onboarding, client reviews, and distribution approvals often require excessive manual effort. When these processes are inconsistent, even strong technology struggles to deliver meaningful improvements.
Defining Identity Shapes Every Decision
Trasha emphasizes that firms must clearly define who they want to be. Trust organizations face real choices about whether to remain focused solely on trust services, add RIA capabilities, or adopt hybrid models. These decisions affect everything from regulatory requirements to technology design.
Technology should support that identity rather than dictate it. Assessing the full advisor tech stack, removing unnecessary systems, and implementing automated trading and/or portfolio management workflows allows firms to operate with more clarity.
Rethinking Client Experience
Client experience means different things to different people. Some clients value digital access and transparency, while others prioritize relationships and communication. Generational differences further shape expectations.
Modern portals and data tools can support these needs when used thoughtfully. Advisors gain better visibility into client behavior, while clients gain clearer access to information. This shared clarity strengthens communication on both sides.
Creating Space for Meaningful Work
When people, process, and technology align, firms regain time and focus. Advisors spend less energy navigating systems and more time building relationships. The result is not more activity, but better use of effort across the organization.
The episode highlights that thoughtful technology use is not about doing more. It is about creating space to think, communicate, and serve clients more intentionally.
P.S. If manual processes in your trust organization are creating the bottlenecks Trasha describes, see how Flyer’s Co-Pilot helps firms automate the ‘busy work’ to focus on the ‘thought work’.
