Building a Personal Brand That Outperforms the S&P 500
In the kickoff episode of The Financial Wholesaler Podcast, Executive Scheduling Associates CEO Mitch Santala and longtime industry veteran Mark Warren sat down to talk about something every professional should care about: building your own personal brand—and doing it with purpose.
Let’s be honest—being a wholesaler today isn’t just about products, data, or even strong relationships. All of those matter, of course, but they’re not enough on their own anymore. In this episode, Mark introduced three thought-provoking concepts that challenge the way many of us approach personal branding. His perspective on performance in particular shines a light on something that often gets overlooked in the day-to-day hustle.
To illustrate the point, Mark kicked things off by asking Mitch a seemingly ridiculous question: “Do you control the S&P 500?”
Wait, what? Why would anyone ask that?
Of course Mitch doesn’t control it. No one does. That’s the point.
And yet—advisors and investors compare themselves to it constantly. They hold themselves to the performance of an index that is completely out of their control.
It’s a powerful insight: great brands don’t let someone else define or control their message. They take ownership of their narrative—and that includes defining what success looks like.
Instead of trying to match or beat the S&P 500 (or any other benchmark pulled from Wall Street headlines), Mark suggested a better path: help advisors create personalized performance standards that align with their clients’ real-world goals.
What kind of goals?
Do they want to retire five years earlier than planned?
Do they hope to send their kids to college debt-free?
Do they dream of leaving a meaningful legacy through charitable giving?
When those personal goals become the benchmark, performance becomes purpose-driven. It’s no longer just about quarterly returns—it’s about how the portfolio is progressing toward what actually matters to the client.
Once those targets are clearly defined and the right investments are in place, advisors can step back and look at the bigger picture:
“Individual stocks may be fluctuating, but your family index continues to increase because we set a standard tailor-made for you.”
That kind of clarity builds confidence. It reframes the conversation. And more importantly, it helps advisors stand out—because they’re not just talking numbers. They’re helping clients make progress toward a life they’ve imagined.
Having conversations like this—about personal performance standards and what they represent—is a huge step in building a meaningful, trustworthy personal brand.
Want to hear the rest of Mark’s insights? Listen to the full episode of The Financial Wholesaler Podcast. Available now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.
