While 2025 marks the 10th anniversary for 401(k) Specialist Magazine, the story of how the brand came to be—and survive some tenuous early days—while earning a reputation as a trusted resource for retirement plan advisors is a tale worth telling.
“We were small, nimble, and didn’t have to ask permission. We had a ‘go for it’ attitude that made it fun, and here we are 10 years later,” said John Sullivan, the founding Editor-in-Chief of 401(k) Specialist.
Sullivan, who held that position from the very first issue and debut of the website in 2015 until moving on to become Chief Content Officer at The American Retirement Association upon Nevin Adams’ “retirement” at the beginning of 2023, recently spoke with me, current Editor-in-Chief Brian Anderson, about the origins of 401(k) Specialist. As longtime friends and colleagues, we both put a lot of sweat equity into building the brand—but Sullivan did most of it on his own in those crucial “early days” (I joined the company as Managing Editor in 2019 before assuming the Editor-in-Chief duties in late 2022 upon his departure.)
It’s not easy to break into an established industry as an outsider/newcomer and make a mark. Opening doors as an unknown, unproven quantity isn’t easy, and it often takes a lot of work—and a little luck.
Here’s how it all happened.
How 401(k) Specialist Came to Be
The original idea for 401(k) Specialist came from Tyrone M. Clark, President and Founder of Broker’s Choice of America who has long been established as a pioneering annuity marketing specialist.
“I got the idea when I was sitting down with Bud Verfaillie, the poster boy for what a true first-class 401(k) professional would be. He had this incredible passion for 401(k)s for small business owners,” Clark said.
Clark and Verfaillie, CFP, PPC, AIFA, the CEO of Victory Wealth Partners and Victory Fiduciary Consulting in Mullica Hill, N.J. would both end up being among a small group of original investors in 401(k) Specialist.
In early 2014, Clark took the idea to veteran B2B financial media publishing executive Laura Fallbach, who researched the market and brought Alan Robinson, who would become Managing Partner of 401(k) Properties, LLC, to the table. Fallbach, the brand’s founding publisher, also brought John Sullivan into the fold, who she had worked with in prior years.
“A business plan was developed, investors pitched, and we launched at the Morningstar Investment Conference in 2015,” Sullivan recalls.
The inaugural issue made a splash with a cover featuring industry titan John C. Bogle, the founder and chief executive of The Vanguard Group—and entrepreneurial giant Tony Robbins. That 2015 cover story, “The Fight for Low Fees,” about how a mass-marketing genius and an industry elder statesman came together to reinforce the need to put plan participants first,” set the magazine on a path to a repetitious focus on championing better participant outcomes, which continues to be a cornerstone of the brand’s editorial focus today.
Putting well-known names and faces on the cover—be it an advisor, an industry icon or another high-profile individual—was something that other retirement industry magazines hadn’t really done before.
“In the 401(k) magazine world, they had not featured individual advisors on the cover,” Clark said. “They talked about industry stuff, happenings, what’s going on,” he added, but what he thinks made a huge difference and opened the door is 401(k) Specialist featured top retirement plan advisors along with articles about what makes them successful.
Building Clout with Jania Stout
Perhaps no advisor better exemplifies this strategy than Jania Stout, the only person to be featured on three separate covers of 401(k) Specialist Magazine.
“Being on the cover of 401(k) Specialist three times is something I cherish as one of my highlights in my 30-year career,” Stout said. The first one, ‘3 Billion in 3 Years,’ (2018) was a big surprise to me when I was asked to be featured. I didn’t think I did anything more special than other advisors and to get the attention for my work made me feel good about myself.”
Stout said her second cover story, “The Joy of Jania,” was her favorite. “The title was not shared with me until it hit the press and it truly makes me happy to see others see my joy. I have been blessed to be working in this industry and truly feel joyful every day,” she said.
Her third cover story, “Prime Time,” was featured in Issue 1 2025, which she said gave her a tremendous sense of pride as she moved to her current position as president of Prime Capital Retirement & Wellness. “It was a big step for me to leave my team and clients and join another firm,” Stout said. “This cover will help me remember the decision and also to highlight my friendship and partnership with Scott Colangelo.”
Stout said that being on the cover has helped her in many ways. “I have heard from advisors all over the country through emails and even letters written to me. Advisors I didn’t know will write to me and thank me for my words of wisdom and also my inspiration,” she said, adding that it’s hard for her to believe she can be looked up to by so many. “I also feel my opportunity to be a role model for other women young and old is a gift I don’t take lightly.”
While a number of the most successful retirement plan advisors have graced 401(k) Specialist covers over the past decade, Sullivan noted that contacts both inside and outside the industry meant a number of high-profile cover subjects that garnered attention, including Anthony Scaramucci, Nobel Prize-winning economist Richard Thaler, Dave Ramsey, and Senator Rob Portman, to name a few.
“One proved especially important, ‘tort terror’ Jerry Schlichter, fresh off a Supreme Court win in Tibble vs. Edison,” Sullivan said. “Tort lawyers, having exhausted their cases involving lead paint and asbestos, were looking for new targets. Financial professionals working with 401(k)s—and the revenue-sharing agreements they enjoyed—were squarely in their sights.” Advisors were concerned and looking for answers, Sullivan added.
For whatever reason, few outlets were speaking with him, so we did, and it turned out to be our highest-profile issue.”
Among many others to grace the cover are Ed Slott, Bill Chetney, Schlomo Benartzi, Fred Reish, Andrew Biggs, Liz Davidson, Preston Rutledge, the Retireholi(k)s, Dick Darian, and American Century’s Jonathan Thomas.
Chetney Bridges Bump in Road
But it certainly wasn’t instant success for 401(k) Specialist. Advertisers—the lifeblood of a B2B media brand that doesn’t charge for subscriptions or access to online content—didn’t exactly hop on the bandwagon right out of the gate.
In fact, there were even discussions about folding the magazine until a fateful meeting between Laura Fallbach and retirement industry icon Bill Chetney Sr. at the 2016 NAPA 401(k) Summit in Nashville. The two became friends, and Chetney went on to introduce Fallbach and Sullivan to a number of key contacts that opened doors and kickstarted the upstart brand’s sales efforts.
“I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t believe in what you guys were,” Chetney said of endorsing 401(k) Specialist to his peers in a recent interview for this article. “And what you’ve continued to become. You’re getting better and better all the time.”
Chetney, of GRP Advisor Alliance at the time (since renamed the Viking Cove Institute, told 401(k) Specialist for this article that he saw a lot of similarities in the independent nature of both VCI and 401(k) Specialist.
“Your product, your approach—it resonates with us. We love the independent nature of it. ‘Unbiased,’ which is kind of our mantra,” Chetney said.
Current VCI President Amy Glynn added that she and Chetney believed in the mission and unbiased nature from Day 1.
“How you’ve grown and evolved as really the marquee independent voice has been really important. We share the same DNA. There’s a true value to independent organizations that can kind of represent the collective and in the right ways,” Glynn said.
“That marquee independent entity—I think that’s the big deal,” Chetney added. “When I first met you folks, I always felt like you had the ability to sort of look around the corner. You weren’t just talking about the 3 Fs. You were saying, ‘What’s next?’ And I think that’s a voice the industry needs.”
Setting the Bar for Storytelling
Retirement industry marketing guru Sheri Fitts of Sheri Fitts & Co. and the SWAY | LIVE conference also chimed in with some congratulatory words on the 10th anniversary.
“For 10 years, 401(k) Specialist has set the bar for storytelling in our space. It’s not just about industry updates, it’s about understanding what drives the people behind them. The magazine has become the go-to for advisors and industry geeks who want context, connection, and practical insight from those actually doing the work,” Fitts said.
“I’ve always admired how you dig into the who, what, and most importantly, the why behind your features,” Fitts added. “That curiosity has made 401(k) Specialist a must-read for anyone serious about elevating their practice. Here’s to another decade of thoughtful leadership and meaningful impact!”
Lead Retireholic J.D. Carlson, President and CEO of Plan Design Consultants, was also kind enough to share a few words.
“Every morning after pouring myself a cup of coffee I first tune into 401(k) Specialist Mag to check the pulse of my industry; it keeps me tuned into all things 401(k) and helps me be a better retirement plan pro,” Carlson said. “The best plan advisors are the ones that live, breathe and sleep this stuff and 401(k) Specialist Mag has done a phenomenal job over the past decade providing up-to-the-minute content and research for advisors to stay sharp. It’s a must-have arrow in the quiver and an essential part of their practice.”
Looking back on 10 years of 401(k) Specialist, our team is filled with gratitude—for the people who took a chance on an unproven idea, for the advisors and industry leaders who shared their stories, and for the readers who continue to make this journey worthwhile. What started as a small, scrappy effort to give retirement plan specialists a true voice and vital 401(k) industry intelligence has grown into a trusted, independent platform that informs, connects and inspiresretirement plan advisors.
Of course, none of it would have been possible without the steadfast support of our advertisers and industry partners, who believed in our mission early on and continue to make our work possible today. Their commitment has helped us cover the issues that matter and shine a light on those driving the profession forward.
The next decade promises even greater opportunity, as technology, regulation, and innovation continue to reshape the retirement landscape. Through it all, 401(k) Specialist will remain dedicated to the mission that started it all: empowering advisors to help America retire better.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the cover story from Issue 3 2025 of 401(k) Specialist Magazine. Click here to read the entire digital issue.