Hiring is one of the hardest parts of building a successful advisory firm. In this episode of The Retirement Fiduciary, Adam Koós sits down with William Spengler, founder of Frederick Fox, to talk about what actually leads to better hiring outcomes, stronger teams, and healthier long-term Growth.
Will shares what he’s learned from building a fast-growing recruiting firm and explains where many companies go wrong in the hiring process. This conversation covers interviewing mistakes, compensation expectations, onboarding, retention, and the leadership habits that help firms attract and keep great people. It is especially relevant for financial advisors and business owners trying to scale without creating chaos.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 – Intro, guest background, and how Will built Frederick Fox 03:50 – How William Spengler got into recruiting 05:20 – Why traditional recruiting models are slow and outdated 07:15 – What the best firms do differently when hiring 08:20 – Common interviewing mistakes that lead to bad hires 09:20 – Why references matter more than most firms think 10:00 – Internal misalignment and how it hurts hiring momentum 10:55 – Compensation expectations in today’s market 13:30 – The systems firms need before ramping up hiring 15:00 – Retention, servant leadership, and creating a better culture 16:45 – Balancing high performance with genuine care for your team 18:05 – Rapid fire: ghosting, interview communication, case studies, and hot Yoga 21:00 – What makes Frederick Fox different 22:35 – Final thoughts and where to connect with Will
Key Takeaways
💡 Clear employer value propositions attract better talent. Firms that can clearly explain who they are, where they are going, and why someone should join them tend to win better candidates.
💡 Bad hires often come from weak validation, not weak resumes. Will emphasizes that references and backdoor references can help firms avoid costly mistakes before someone joins the team.
💡 Internal alignment matters. When stakeholders are not aligned on the role, interview process, or ideal candidate profile, strong candidates often drop out or accept other offers.
💡 Compensation is only part of the equation. Competitive pay matters, but clear growth paths, incentives, culture, and leadership also play a major role in attracting and keeping great people.
💡 Onboarding is a growth system, not an afterthought. A clear 90-day onboarding plan and measurable expectations can make a major difference in whether a new hire succeeds.
💡 Retention starts with leadership. Companies that treat people as their greatest asset and lead with gratitude, service, and alignment tend to keep strong talent longer.
Key Quotes
🗣 “Tigers can change stripes, but it’s very rare.”
🗣 “A players pick up on confidence.”
🗣 “You can’t invest enough into onboarding and learning and development.”
🗣 “People are a company’s greatest asset.”
Connect With William Sprengler
Website: https://frederickfox.com/
LinkedIn William Sprengler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-spengler-2193433a/
LinkedIn Frederick Fox: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frederick-fox/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrederickFoxGroup/
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Connect with Adam Koós:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamkoos
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