Welcome to Episode 101 of How To Go Independent

We published Episode 100 back in September of 2019, just over a year ago. If you're a longtime listener, thank you for sticking with us. If you're new... “Welcome aboard!”... I hope we can be of use.

I say “we”, but I mean “me”. My name is Sean Kernan and I’m the creator and host of the show.

When I published the last episode, I had just hit my 10th anniversary of setting up my own practice in September of 2009. I figured it was a good time to take a break, as I had simplified and streamlined my business over the last couple of years and also dialed-back some of the things I was doing personally - whether that's coaching kids soccer, kids basketball, etc. I enjoyed it. It was a blast, but my son had outgrown the extent of my soccer coaching skills... which was to say, “kick the ball into the goal.”

So, let’s reiterate who my intended audience is for How To Go Independent. The person I'm really talking to, is me.

I had explored different models on the IDEA of “independence” from 2003 to 2009. I didn't look at a lot of platforms, it was more to verify what I was hearing over and over:

Yes - going independent is the real deal.
Yes - you really do have this much flexibility, freedom, and control of your day.
Yes - you really do control who you hire, where you office is located, and how you work with your clients.

... all of which continues to be true 11 years later. So, I’m basically talking to myself, 15 years ago, when I started this journey.

Well, what does that advisor look like?

In most cases, they’ll already have a practice that can support their income needs if they move between 50 to 80 percent of it from their current employee-based structure to an independent platform.

“What is that income level, Sean??” you ask?

It's actually a lot lower than a wirehouse or other employee firms would have you think. Surprisingly, it doesn’t take a ton of revenue to generate the same income, or better, as an independent adviser.

That discovery, for me, was one of the greatest of my professional life... I love talking about it. There can be a lot of moving parts, depending on how your practice is structured, but the economics and the freedom of flexibility by themselves are well worth at least THINKING about a change.

Does this scenario sound like you?

You currently bring in between $200,000 to $600,000 of revenue at an employee firm, but don't feel like you're getting the income you need or have the flexibility to run your practice the way you see fit?

That’s who this show is for.

Now, while I say “$200,000 to $600,000 of revenue” - because, if you can retain a decent chunk of your clients, you should be in good shape at that lower end - there really is no upper limit.

In 2009, my trailing 12 month gross revenue was about $265,000. At that stage of my life, my wife was staying at home with our 2 year old and I was 34 years old.

The difference between $265,000 gross (which is about $90,000 to $100,000 net at most employee firms) and taking that exact same revenue and moving it to an independent practice where you could net an additional $75,000 to $100,000 per year of income... that was life changing was for me.

You can probably imagine what an extra $75,000 a year can do for your family. Even if you don't change your overall lifestyle - just saving for retirement, your children’s college education, or building a family legacy for future generations - that extra money can be invaluable.

The same holds true if you're towards the back-end of your career. Making the move to an independent model can allow you to hire a rock star associate or an additional adviser, or even bring on one of your children that are now grown and looking to start their own career.

Or maybe you are looking to exit the industry all together and retire? Becoming independent can provide a lot more value for the practice because you can negotiate your own deal, versus taking the one your employee-structured firm gives you.

There are so many benefits for that extra revenue... and as it goes up, they get even better.

I've touched on this in the past, but I'll also reiterate the WHY that I have for doing this show... it's just to be available for your questions and to share my life experience.

When I started this podcast, my wife told me, “You just like to hear yourself talk.” Guilty as charged. However, I have heard from enough advisors to confirm that I can be of service sharing some of what I’ve learned.

What kind of topics will I talk about in this latest “season” of How To Go Independent ?

Here's some things I have in mind for future episodes...

What are the basics I need if I'm going to go independent?
How do I know if I'm ready to go independent? How do I know if the numbers will work? How do I know if my clients will come with me? All the questions around, “Am I ready?”.
What firms or platforms should I consider?
What questions should I be asking a consultant, recruiter, or a potential platform partner? How do I know if they are a good fit?
How should I structure my practice for maximum time/energy ROI? Should I build everything from scratch or look for a “pre-packaged” solution for a faster startup?
What other industry content should I be reading and listening to?

To close this episode - just like changing a “bad habit” - it will take some time and effort to find the right team and infrastructure to support your firm, but it’s never too late to go independent and start your own practice.

I look forward to the next 100 episodes.

Let me know what’s on your mind.

Shoot me an email at kernan@hey.com

Also, check us out on Twitter: @HowToGoIndy and Facebook by clicking HERE.

HTGI 101: We're baaaaack! - Podcast Transcription