• AE’s model as the back office for independent advisers
• Simple explanation of annuities and retirement income
• How AE earns: thin margins, scale, managed assets
• Culture, events, and building a service-first team
• Handling criticism and narrowing feedback that matters
• Mastermind habits, men’s groups, and consistency
• Restaurant and hotel bets to seed downtown Topeka
• West Ridge Mall constraints, ownership, and HVAC reality
• Redevelopment vision, three entries, office anchor
• Retail headwinds, anchors, and a two- to three-year horizon
• Why invest locally and how small actions compound
• Practical ways to support Topeka’s momentum
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0:00 - Opening Banter & Setup
0:39 - Introducing Cody Foster
2:25 - Origins: Washburn, Partnership, AE
5:16 - What Advisors Excel Actually Does
8:55 - Growth, Culture, And The Weight Of Scale
12:42 - Handling Criticism And Staying Focused
15:15 - Men’s Community, Rituals, Masterminds
19:30 - Restaurants, Hotel, And Downtown Bets
23:45 - West Ridge Mall: Constraints And Vision
28:10 - Tenants, Timelines, And Retail Reality
33:20 - Economics, Bonds, And Misconceptions
37:20 - Why Invest In Topeka
41:05 - Practical Ways To Help Your City
44:20 - Rapid Fire: Local Life & Tastes
49:25 - Podcast Craft And Final Takeaways
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