FUTUREPROOF FESTIVAL, Huntington Beach, CA — September 14, 2026
With artificial intelligence making financial knowledge and information more accessible than ever,
entrepreneur Ewen Harris is launching ABI (Assets By Introduction) Methodology today with a
contrarian premise: the financial businesses that win won’t be the ones with the most
information, but the ones best at building genuine trust.
Sixty percent of Americans say trust is the most important quality when choosing a financial
planner, according to YouGov data. That -- combined with a Fortune Harris Poll survey saying
82% of bosses say Gen Z's interpersonal abilities need more development -- points to a huge
future workforce gap. Further, an Edward Jones-Gallup Poll found that 73% of Americans have
"not much" or "none at all" trust in AI for financial guidance.
Drawing on three decades of financial services client relationships, Harris’s methodology treats
communication, listening, and relationship-building not as “soft skills” but as competitive
advantages, arguing that as AI handles more of the informational work, human connection
becomes the scarcer, more valuable resource.
Harris built and sold his own wealth management practice using introductions instead of cold
outreach and personally managed $180 million in client assets over a 30-year career. ABI
Methodology distills that experience into a repeatable, three-phase framework: Position,
Validate, Execute. The framework shows advisors and business owners how to identify who to
ask, when to ask, and how to protect the relationship as trust converts into new business.
“AI can organize information faster than any human ever could,” said Harris. “But it can’t read a
room, sense hesitation, or earn someone’s trust in a follow-up conversation. The advisors who
thrive over the next decade won’t be the ones with the best chatbot — they’ll be the ones who
never let their people skills atrophy. That’s what ABI Methodology is built to teach.”
ABI positions itself as a complement to -- not a competitor of -- the wave of AI tools reaching
financial services. Where AI accelerates research, drafting, and information delivery, Harris
argues the differentiating work still belongs to people: understanding client psychology, earning
trust, and turning appreciation into action without sounding scripted or sales-driven.
ABI is available at three levels, from a self-study primer through hands-on training to private 1:1
coaching, allowing financial advisors and business owners to start with the framework and go as
deep as they need. Program details and pricing are available on the ABI Methodology website.
Advisors unsure where to start can take the free ABI Introduction Assessment to identify their
stage -- Practitioner, Grower, or Scaler -- and the program that fits their next move.
About ABI Methodology
ABI (Assets By Introduction) Methodology helps financial professionals and business owners
turn earned client trust into qualified, high-quality personal introductions -- intentionally,
professionally, and repeatedly. Founded by 30-year financial services veteran Ewen Harris, who
built and sold his own wealth management practice using this exact introduction-led approach,
ABI offers a proven three-phase, 11-step framework along with training programs and private
coaching for professionals ready to grow through relationships rather than random referrals.
Learn more at ABI Methodology.
Media Contact:
Stacey Doss, APR
SDDPR
stacey@sddpr.com
949-285-2362
Author
Ewen Harris
Client Acquisition Specialist for professional services. 30+ years as a Financial Advisor in the UK; founder of the ABI Methodology.