Tech Scenes Unplugged with Cody Bardo, CEO and Co-founder of Trust & Will
“Always be transaction ready.” - Cody Barbo
In this episode of Tech Scenes, Jeff Martin sits down with Cody Barbo, Founder & CEO of Trust & Will, to explore how WealthTech, AI, and thoughtful design are reshaping one of the most overlooked — and most important — areas of financial life: estate planning.
Cody shares the journey of building Trust & Will from the ground up, modernizing an industry that historically felt complex, expensive, and inaccessible. Since launching in 2017, Trust & Will has helped more than 1 million Americans start their estate plans, raised $83M+ in capital, completed the first electronic will in history, and partnered with institutions like AARP, UBS, Fifth Third Bank, Northwestern Mutual, and more.
The conversation dives into the evolution of WealthTech, what it means to be AI-first in a highly regulated industry, and how Trust & Will’s newest platform, EstateOS™, is redefining how families and professionals plan, manage, and preserve legacies. Cody also reflects on scaling teams, staying transaction-ready as a startup, and balancing leadership, growth, and family as a founder and dad of two.
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of WealthTech and AI Integration
06:35 The Journey of Trust & Will: Founding Story
13:28 Building a Digital Estate Planning Platform
19:31 Scaling Operations and Team Dynamics
35:07 Navigating Growth and Future Aspirations
47:40 Personal Reflections and Future Directions
Watch now to hear how Cody is transforming estate planning into a modern pillar of financial care — and why AI, trust, and experience design matter more than ever in building enduring companies.
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