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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
When AdvisorHub reported that Ameriprise had raised its recruiter bounty to 16% of trailing 12-month production – the highest in the industry, well ahead of the typical 6% to 12% range – the reaction was predictable. "Recruiters cashing in." "Fees run amok." But that narrative misses the bigger story entirely. The 16% headline is about [...]
America is standing at the edge of the most consequential financial shift it has ever seen. According to a June 2025 report by Cerulli Associates, nearly $124 trillion in assets will change hands over the next 25 years, moving from Baby Boomers and older Americans to their heirs, spouses, and charities by 2048. To put [...]
Volatility, tighter margins, and rising client expectations are prompting many Advisors to reassess whether their current broker-dealer or firm is still the best long-term fit. Industry studies show growing interest in independence, RIA and hybrid models, and Advisor-friendly platforms that offer more flexibility, technology, and better economics. Experienced Advisor Transition Consultants report that teams who [...]
