Surfacing Leaders

In this episode of the Surfacing Leaders podcast, host Marc Koehler sits down with Joe Bert, founder, Chairman, and CEO of Certified Financial Group, Inc., a Central Florida wealth management firm that now manages about $3.5 billion and was recently named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies. CFG is also a Lead With Purpose client. A CFP® professional, former President and Chairman of the Financial Planning Association's Orlando Chapter, and longtime host of the On the Money! radio show, Joe is known to many as the "Oracle of Orlando." He brings a rare perspective on what it takes to build a firm, and a reputation, that lasts for five decades.

Joe shares how growing up around his entrepreneurial father in Cleveland, and later helping launch a frozen food company that was acquired by Heinz, gave him a taste for building something of his own. After moving to Orlando in the mid-1970s, he realized that even with a business education, his own finances were "a collection of financial accidents," and he saw a gap in the market for real financial planning. He explains why honesty and integrity come first in every relationship, why listening and asking good questions build more trust than talking, and why he has learned to "keep your mouth shut" until he has heard every point of view. Marc and Joe also dig into how working with Lead With Purpose helped CFG restructure as a larger company, set up daily huddles and quarterly and annual goals, plan for succession, and free Joe to work on the company instead of in it. Joe also explains how CFG now hires for culture and uses the platform's recognitions, celebrated at all-hands meetings, to keep their team engaged.

The conversation also covers how Joe leads through market volatility, including his belief that his team members are "as much behavioral managers as we are money managers," why CFG's phones don't ring off the hook when the market drops, and his reminder that "anybody can sail a ship when the sea is calm." He also shares his hopes and concerns for young leaders, his excitement and caution about AI, and the people he has watched surface as leaders inside CFG, including Aaron, his colleague of 18 years who now serves as president.

The episode concludes with actionable advice for leaders:

• Lead with honesty and integrity. People can tell right away when you're not being genuine.
• Listen more than you talk. Ask questions that draw people out instead of jumping in with your opinion.
• Know what you're not good at. Surround yourself with people who fill those gaps, and welcome their challenges.
• Hold a steady course in rough seas. Fear spreads, but so does confidence.
• Take care of your physical and mental health. You can't lead well if you aren't well yourself.

Join us in this episode to hear how a career spanning nearly 50 years in financial planning, broadcasting, and community service all points back to the same lesson: lasting leadership is built on trust, culture, and a steady hand when it matters most.

Connect with Joe Bert:
Website: Certified Financial Group
LinkedIn: Joe Bert