For Rivertree advisors
Discovery Series guide
These exercises help us learn the heart behind a client's decisions: where their beliefs about money came from and what they want their wealth to do. They don't collect account data. This page covers how to send each one, how to use it in the meeting, and what to listen for.
Client Story builder →
Drop in a client's saved files and get a one-page summary in their own words, ready for the plan presentation.
Client page →
The page clients see, with every exercise in meeting order. Send this link, or link to a single exercise.
The flow
Same rhythm every meeting
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 3 to 5 days before | Copy the household's personal link from the Discovery Dashboard and send it (email templates below). When they click “Send to Rivertree”, their answers land on the dashboard within the hour. |
| The day before | Open the household on the Discovery Dashboard and read their answers (or draft a prep brief). Pick two or three answers to explore. Note any “Different views” flags for couples. |
| In the meeting | Click Presenter mode and screen-share or put it on the big screen. Let their words set the agenda: “You wrote this. Tell me more.” For couples, tick Show only where you see things differently. |
| After | Save the file and the PDF to the client's CRM record, and add your notes to the Client Story builder before Meeting 4. |
Meeting 1 · Purpose, Vision & Values
Send: Wheel of Life + Values & Vision (about 25 min total)
Email to send
Subject: Before we meet: a little homework (the good kind)
Hi [Name],
I'm looking forward to our first meeting on [date]. Before we talk about numbers, I'd love to understand what matters most to you.
When you have about 25 minutes, please work through these two short exercises:
• Wheel of Life: [personal link from the dashboard]
• Values & Vision: [personal link from the dashboard]
There are no right answers. Go with your gut. When you finish each one, click "Send to Rivertree". If you're doing this with your spouse or partner, choose "The two of us" and answer separately.
See you soon,
[Advisor]
Follow-up questions
- “Your top value is [value]. When did you first realize that mattered to you?”
- “Walk me through that Tuesday ten years from now. What's the best part of it?”
- “On the Wheel, [area] has the biggest gap. What would one point better look like?”
- “What would it take to stop putting off [the thing they named]?”
- “If we did our job perfectly, how would your life be different in five years?”
Listen for
- Words that come up again and again (freedom, security, time). Those are the threads to carry through the plan.
- Gaps between what they value and how they're living today.
- For couples: shared top values (highlighted) are your foundation. Values with no overlap are where to slow down.
Meeting 2 · Cash Flow
Send: Your Money Story (about 15 min)
Email to send
Subject: Your money story (before our cash flow meeting)
Hi [Name],
Next up is cash flow. Before we look at spending, I'd like to understand the story behind it. Everyone's habits with money started somewhere.
This one takes about 15 minutes: [personal link from the dashboard]
Click "Send to Rivertree" when you're done. Short answers are perfectly fine.
Thanks,
[Advisor]
Follow-up questions
- “You said money felt [their words] growing up. How does that show up for you today?”
- “What would you never want your kids to feel about money, and what do you hope they feel?”
- “You put yourself near [spender/saver]. Has that always been true?”
- “What would ‘enough’ let you stop worrying about?”
Listen for
- Scarcity or abundance stories from childhood. They often explain behavior that looks “irrational” on a spreadsheet.
- Anxiety triggers. These tell you what to build into the plan as a buffer (cash reserves, automation, check-in frequency).
- For couples: spectrum gaps of 3+ points (flagged). These usually explain any friction in the household budget.
Meeting 3 · Investments
Send: Your Investor Story (about 15 min)
Email to send
Subject: Your investor story
Hi [Name],
Before our investment meeting, I'd love to hear your story as an investor: the wins, the losses, and what you learned along the way. This isn't a quiz on what you know. It's about your experience.
About 15 minutes: [personal link from the dashboard]
Click "Send to Rivertree" when you're done.
Talk soon,
[Advisor]
Follow-up questions
- “Tell me more about your biggest win. How did it feel? Did it change how you invest?”
- “Your biggest loss: what would you tell yourself back then?”
- “What did watching your parents with money teach you that you've kept, or rejected?”
- “You said you'd [their instinct] after a 25% drop. What would you need from me in that moment?”
- “You told us what would make you lose trust in an advisor. What does earning your trust look like?”
Listen for
- Whether losses or missed gains hurt more. Set expectations around that in the plan presentation.
- “Understand everything” vs. “just handle it.” This tells you how detailed reports and reviews should be.
- Strong feelings about a company, an industry, or a cause. Note any values-based preferences.
Important: This exercise is a conversation tool, not a risk tolerance questionnaire. Keep using the firm's formal risk assessment for suitability and document it as usual. The Investor Story explains the “why” behind the number.
Meeting 4 · Plan Presentation
Before: build the Client Story · After: send After Your Plan (5 min)
Before the meeting
- Open the Client Story builder, drop in every file you have, and write two or three themes you're hearing.
- Open the presentation with the Client Story: “Here's what you told us matters.” Then connect each recommendation back to one of their own words.
Email to send after
Subject: Quick gut check on your plan
Hi [Name],
Thank you for today. We covered a lot! I'd love your honest reaction now that you've had a little time with it. This takes about 5 minutes: [personal link from the dashboard]
If anything worries you or doesn't sit right, that's exactly what I want to hear.
[Advisor]
Listen for
- A confidence score of 6 or lower, or a large gap between partners. Call within a week.
- “Worries” answers. Address each one personally, not with a form letter.
Meeting 5 · Estate Planning
Send: Legacy (about 15 min), about a week before
Email to send
Subject: Before our estate planning meeting
Hi [Name],
Estate planning is about much more than documents. It's about what you want to pass on and to whom. Before we meet, please spend a few quiet minutes with this: [personal link from the dashboard]
The legacy letter at the end is optional, but many people find it meaningful.
Click "Send to Rivertree" when you're done.
[Advisor]
Follow-up questions
- “What you inherited that wasn't money: how are you passing that on today?”
- “What specifically worries you about leaving wealth to [name]?”
- “You lean toward [equal / tailored]. Does everyone in the family know that?”
- “Who knows where everything is if something happens tomorrow?”
Listen for
- Family dynamics: blended families, a child who struggles with money, a caregiver child. These shape the structure, not just the beneficiary list.
- Giving while living vs. at death. This shapes gifting and charitable strategy.
- If they wrote a legacy letter, suggest they keep a copy with their estate documents.
Good practice
- Privacy: these files can hold personal family stories. Store them in the client's CRM record, and if you have a secure client portal or upload link, offer it as an alternative to email.
- Records: save the .json file and PDF with the meeting notes, following the firm's books-and-records policy.
- Annual review: have clients redo the Wheel of Life each year and use “Compare with a past wheel” to show progress.
- Editing questions: all questions live in
assets/exercises.js. Change wording freely, but don't change an item'sidonce clients have used it. - Compliance: have the CCO review the client-facing wording and disclosures before rollout, and again after any edits.