Search
Best in the Business Blog
Posts about:
Business Planning
That’s Not Growth—That’s Gravity: Why Confusing Market Returns with Real Business Growth Is Killing Your Firm’s Future
Let’s be blunt: too many advisory firms are fooling themselves. They point to a 12% increase in AUM and pat themselves on the back. They celebrate hitting “record highs”...
Ten Missteps That Keep Advisory Teams from Growing Intentionally
There’s a personal truth I hold that applies to individuals and teams alike: all behavior is truth. In other words, what you do—not what you say—is the most accurate...
The Growth Trap
From the outside, your firm may appear to be thriving. Assets have increased, referrals remain steady, and your calendar is full. But here’s the question that matters:...
The Accidental Owner’s Roadmap to Building a Lasting Firm: Why letting go to grow is the leadership strategy your firm's future depends on
Every founder begins as a builder — fueled by grit, vision, and relentless drive. The unintentional consequence of excelling at attracting clients and offering...
The Best Defense Is A Good Offense: How volatile times can help propel your business
Imagine this: your client opens their quarterly statement, and it’s all green arrows. Their 401(k) is humming. Their investment accounts look like they’ve been on a...
“What’s Your Stock Worth?” Why Billion-Dollar RIAs Should Track Their Share Price Like a Public Company
By all traditional measures, you are already winning. Year-over-year revenues and profitability continue to grow steadily. AUM and AUA are both on an upward trajectory....
Confronting the Advisor Shortage: Scaling Your Practice for Sustainable Growth
Imagine this: You’re sitting across from one of your most valued clients—the type of relationship you’ve cultivated over the years. They’re looking for clarity on their...
The Blueprint for High-Performing Teams: Six Components of Extraordinary Success in Financial Advisory Firms
In our ClientWise team coaching program for financial advisory firms, we define a true team as a group of people fully committed to the mutually defined and...
Begin the Year with a 20-Year Perspective: The Power of Taking Action Today
As the new year begins, reflecting on the past and considering the future is natural. Mark Twain's timeless wisdom—"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed...
Hold On! Strategies to stem the outflow of assets as they transition to the next generation
Let's face it – most advisors lose out when wealth passes down to the next generation. In fact, less than 20% of those assets stay with the same advisor after the...
When’s the Right Time to Hire a CEO?
“There’s no recipe for really complicated, dynamic situations.” – Ben Horowitz, The Hard Thing About Hard Things Not every owner sets out to be a CEO. Most wealth...
Do You Know Your True Value? How advisory revenue models evolve to better capture the true value and impact firms deliver to clients
As Mark Tibergien points out, financial advisors operate in a unique industry where "advisors are often paid for the value the client brings to the relationship, rather...
How Mission, Vision, & Values Impact Your Bottom Line
For many advisors, concepts such as refining their mission, vision, and values (MVV) tend to be viewed as secondary concerns—things that are somewhat useful for the firm...
The Stockdale Paradox: What is it? And how can it strengthen your year-end planning?
As we turn onto the home stretch and drive towards the finish line of 2024, you may be faced with confronting some hard truths – needing to acknowledge both internal and...