The idea of starting an RIA has become a recent fad for many financial advisors. Getting away from the watchful, and sometimes over-compliant, eye of their broker dealer; being able to keep 100% of their fees; having a c[...]

This month I had the pleasure of speaking with Kim Butler, Founder and Prosperity Economics Advisor for Partners for Prosperity based in Mt. Enterprise, Texas. Kim began her career in 1988 in life insurance and banking, [...]

Through AdvisorChoice, a revolutionary approach to broker/dealer affiliation, Raymond James offers financial advisors the ability to match their career goals to one of four business models, each offering a distinct combi[...]

During an on-site consultation with a 20-year highly credentialed financial advisor, I noticed he was personally entering his client data into his financial planning software. We talked about it, and he believed that he [...]

One of the most important tasks independent advisors face is one that rarely finds its way to the top of the “To-Do” list: Using business metrics as intelligence. While understanding your business metrics can make y[...]

Buying a house is different than building one from the ground up. In much the same way, wirehouse advisors entering the independent channel by joining an existing registered investment advisory (RIA) firm should take [...]

At a recent investment CEO roundtable meeting in San Francisco, we used an audience response system to ask some delicate questions that most leaders might be reluctant to answer publicly. The system’s anonymity gave th[...]

Russell Achzet realized a goal many advisors dream of: The fee-based firm he founded in 1977, AM&M Financial Services, was acquired by Tompkins Financial. While the transition involved some apprehension on the part of cl[...]

When you look at the current price levels in the financial markets, you can choose to see chaos…or tremendous opportunity. In our conversations with investment leaders around the country, we are struck by how many of t[...]

Adversity creates opportunity. The current emotion and chaos across the financial services industry can be blinding — making it difficult to see new advantages. But, defining moments of opportunity arise from choices m[...]