Small and midsize RIAs compete with larger firms by differentiating, not imitating. The strongest levers are a defined client niche, faster decisions, a distinctive service model, local reputation, and selective partnerships that add capability without adding bureaucracy. If you run an RIA, these headlines can feel like a countdown. Consolidators keep growing, and the firms [...]
Deciding to pursue independence is a major milestone. But once you move beyond the question of whether to start an RIA, the more consequential question becomes: What exactly are you building, and can it operate, grow, and serve clients without becoming an expensive job? Part 1 of this series explored whether launching an RIA, [...]
Massive AUM may earn a buyer’s attention, but it does not automatically earn a premium RIA valuation in the rapidly evolving M&A landscape. Increasingly, buyers want evidence that a firm can generate new business, retain clients, develop future leaders, and grow without depending on a single founder, a rising market, or one major client relationship. [...]
For an experienced financial Advisor, succession planning can feel like a distant concern; something to address when retirement becomes more immediate. For emerging Advisors, ownership can feel just as distant. They may be doing meaningful work, building technical expertise, serving clients, and contributing to growth, yet still have no clear idea whether they will ever [...]
This week, TERRANA GROUP proudly celebrates 34 years at the forefront of the financial services and wealth management recruiting industry. Since 1992, we’ve earned our reputation as one of the top financial Advisor transition firms in the nation. We've helped thousands of wealth management professionals find their next, best chapter. Founded by Michael Terrana, a [...]
Thinking about starting an RIA in 2026, breaking away from your current firm, or finally putting your name on the door? Founding your own independent advisory firm has many benefits: fiduciary autonomy, higher long-term income potential, and the ability to create true business equity. But before you file anything, you need clear, direct answers to [...]
Only about 20–25% of financial Advisors have a formal, documented succession plan, despite the fact that more than a third, managing roughly 40% of industry assets, plan to retire within the next decade. That gap is more than a retirement problem. It's a growth, valuation, and client-retention calamity hiding in plain sight. Let’s dive into: [...]
Your clients think the world of you. They tell their friends. They mention your name at dinner tables, golf courses, and in the family group chat. And then… nothing happens. The referral conversation happened. The follow-through didn't. Many cutting-edge advisory firms and RIAs have a referability problem. The issue is rarely luck. More often, it [...]
When Diversify Advisor Network announced its assets grew 42% to $12.2 billion in 2025 – all while maintaining full independence – it wasn't just a company success story. It was proof of a fundamental transformation in wealth management. In fact, it was a data point confirming what the industry has been quietly absorbing for years: [...]
Markets don't reveal risk tolerance during bull runs. They reveal it during uncertainty. When portfolios are climbing, nearly every client describes themselves as a long-term investor comfortable with short-term fluctuation. Then volatility hits in the form of tariff fears, rate adjustments, and recession headlines, and the same clients begin calling with urgent questions. That gap [...]
