#127 - This Wasn’t the Plan: Andy Panko on Intentional Growth and True Freedom

What happens when your lifestyle practice takes off faster than you ever expected? Andy Panko, founder of Tenon Financial, didn’t set out to build a firm. After leaving the corporate finance world in 2019, his goal was simple: work with 50 clients, enjoy flexibility, and ease into retirement on his own terms. But within two years, he was at capacity—and suddenly facing a new question: Now what? In this episode, Andy shares how he navigated that inflection point and grew Tenon Financial without sacrificing the lifestyle he set out to protect. Rather than hiring assistants or junior staff to “scale,” he took a different route—bringing on experienced advisors with decades of prior careers who operate independently with their own client bases. The result is a lean team of three serving more clients without compromising autonomy or quality of life. Andy opens up about his approach to hiring, compensation, and why he places intentional limits on growth. “I don’t want the business to consume me,” he says. “Since I started Tenon, I’ve never once felt like I had to go to work.” We also dive into industry-wide tensions around product sales and compensation structures. Andy, who owns an IUL policy himself but regularly calls out misleading marketing, offers a nuanced view on where insurance fits—and where it goes wrong. If you"re a solo advisor wondering what comes next—or just want to hear what it looks like to grow without giving up control—this conversation is a must-listen. As Andy puts it:  “When you take ‘just being about money’ off the table, it’s actually very liberating.” Andy"s links and Social: retirementplanningeducation.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/andypanko/