Rob Shelton: Delivering Excellence Through a Superior Client Experience

Sometimes we don’t fully understand the type of help we need until we actually start getting it.

That’s the case with advisor Rob Shelton. Several years ago, Shelton was frustrated by the lack of results he was seeing from his efforts to build a stronger practice “I joined networking groups, attended events and held events, but the outcomes to my business were always mediocre,” says Shelton, founder of Axio Wealth Management in American Fork, Utah.

That began to change after a peer recommended CEG Worldwide’s advisor coaching program. Through the program, he discovered an entirely new business model that went far beyond delivering just the typical investment management services into systematically addressing the many advanced aspects of clients’ financial lives—including tax mitigation, wealth transfer, asset protection and charitable giving.

Shelton quickly realized this comprehensive, advanced approach to wealth management was the piece of the puzzle he’d been missing. “Until then, I didn’t really realize how much more I could offer clients. Once I saw how I could have a deeper, more meaningful impact on their lives, it became clear that my frustrations had been rooted in not knowing how to make that happen.”

Beyond investments

This deeper-dive approach to the client experience motivated Shelton to redesign his entire planning structure. He explains: “Rather than meet with clients annually, we now meet quarterly. We talk about investment management in every meeting, but that’s just a small part of it. At the first quarter meeting, we focus on estate planning. The second quarter is dedicated to asset protection planning. Charitable planning is discussed during the third quarter, and the fourth quarter centers on tax planning.”

Shelton realized this improved approach to client service was the right move when a client’s attorney who had been avoiding Shelton’s inquiries saw the advanced planning proposal Shelton had drafted for the client. “Suddenly I was on the phone with this attorney and he was raving about my planning recommendations and telling I needed to come to his office and share this approach with all the other lawyers,” he says. “I felt like I struck gold and overcame a barrier I never would have broken through otherwise.”

Building an expert network

To better integrate advanced planning expertise into his wealth management approach, Shelton adopted a complementary strategy from the CEG Worldwide coaching program: working in close collaboration with centers of influence—professionals in accounting, estate planning, business succession planning and other advanced disciplines to address clients’ needs beyond investment management.

This strategy enables Shelton to coordinate and work closely with a network of experts—including the aforementioned attorney—who can deliver a broad range of coordinated services to clients. Working together, this group examines clients’ needs, identifies any gaps that need to be bridged, and strategizes the appropriate action steps to solve the issues. “Clients love this because instead of me simply telling them to go see someone about their concerns, I work in partnership with the experts to address them head on,” notes Shelton.

Growth and impact

The results of implementing these strategies speak for themselves. Since 2020, AUM at Axio has quadrupled with the firm averaging nearly $30 million annually in new assets—while revenue is growing by nearly 90% a year. What’s more, the size of the firm’s client base has remained manageable. Shelton also highlights the benefits to his team. “When staff comes on board, they’re now seeing the type of growth that provides a career path, not merely a job,” he says.

Most important to Shelton, however, is the hugely positive impact he can now have on so many people. I’m most proud of is really creating an amazing life for our clients, but also for those centers of influences that we work with, as well as for our employees. There’s this synergy now that literally changes lives—not just for a select few, but everybody that’s involved,” he says.

Another key benefit—one he didn’t see coming—is his own personal growth. “I expected to get great growth out of my business by working with CEG, but I did not expect the personal growth that I’ve developed. Implementing what I’ve learned has given me greater insights and greater leadership qualities.”

Key lessons learned

Shelton’s experience—a journey he says has taken him from novice to expert—has taught him several key lessons:

1. Get comfortable with discomfort. Breaking through to a higher level of success requires you to attempt new things that will likely make you feel uncomfortable, rather than stick with the familiar actions that you’ve been doing. “Once I got comfortable doing uncomfortable things, success sure came,” says Shelton.
2. Be patient. It takes time to learn, understand and implement major shifts in a business. Results will come, but don’t be surprised or discouraged if it takes a period of sustained focus and effort. “We’ve been rewarded immensely for our patience with this new approach,” he says.
3. Get the right help. Find a mentor, coach or other person who genuinely wants you to improve and succeed. Ideally, that resource’s advice is rooted in what has been proven to work in real life. “CEG’s strategies are based on so much data and research—they’ve been tested and demonstrated their value,” he says.
4. Don’t wait. “We all want the big harvest, right? Well, you need to plant that seed and give it time to grow—so stop delaying and get moving in the direction you want to go.”