An objective source to learn about independent business models
As an employee advisor, you may be given some staff help---but is it the RIGHT staff help? As an independent advisor, you get to choose who and how people work for you. Here are two examples of people that work for me and how they've made my business (and life!) better.
Once you have explored the options, you have to pick one and GO! However, you need to spend as much time as you need to properly plan and execute your transition....but not so long that you find reasons to not make the move.
We review some interesting articles about recruiting from industry publications.
Once you've found a trusted guide (Part 2), you are ready to start narrowing the field of potential opportunities. Your search for the right way to go independent for you should be specific to what you want out of your business and the partners/providers you use to run it.
The Path To Independence part 1 (Episode 60): http://howtogoindependent.com/htgi/episode60
The Path To Independence part 2 (Episode 62): http://howtogoindependent.com/htgi/episode62
Mindy Diamond has spent 20 years helping advisors explore and decide about which firm is the best fit. In this conversation, she outlines how she walks her clients through a process to truly understand what they want out, both from business as a financial advisor and their life as a whole. Her industry reputation is second to none, so if you're not sure how to look around the landscape at your options, this episode will allow you to tap into Mindy's wisdom.
Sean was a guest on episode 93 of XYPN Radio, the XY Planning Network's podcast, discussing the option of going independent as a hybrid as a step towards an RIA arrangement.
XYPN Show Notes: http://blog.xyplanningnetwork.com/podcast-blog/ep-93-path-from-commission-hybrid-fee-only-interview-with-sean-kernan
XYPN for advisors: http://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/advisor/
Here on HTGI, we like being independent -- so we may tend to gloss over the fact that it is not for everyone. This episode is the first in a series walking you through the whole process: from the first awareness that being independent is possible to the day you make a move. I cover some obvious reasons to continue down the path researching independence as well a few reasons that you probably shouldn't.
Steve Diamond as been an independent advisor for 15 years---and most of that has been spent working far away from the bulk of his clients. When his wife got a job offer she/they couldn't refuse, Steve moved from Texas to California. He expected to eventually use ALL of his clients--but instead, his business has steadily grown. Listen to learn the key reasons Steve has been so successful with his "location independent" business.
Have you done a cursory analysis of the benefits of setting up your own practice? If you have, you probably compared your net payout now to your potential net payout on your own. While that is useful, there are also very intangible and unknowable benefits that can emerge with the flexibility of being a business owner. I talk about 6 of the big ones that have made an enormous benefit in my business and life.
When you first contemplate what setting up your own practice would entail, it can seem overwhelming. I've been there, done that, felt that way, etc---and lived to tell about it. However, I can boil the vital ingredients down to just 3: make sure you learn from OTHER people's experiences (and mistakes), make sure you have a backup plan for your business (or more accurately, for your LIFE!), and make sure you build in optionality and flexibility in the early stages of your new business.
This episode is an interview with Desmond Henry, one of the first listeners of the podcast that I connected with. By the time HTGI started, he was already full speed ahead researching his options much like I had 7 years earlier. He made the move from bank channel to his own practice in June 2016. Listen to hear his lessons learned and how he is enjoying the journey so far.
I took over a business from a colleague last year that has worked out very well for both of us so far (as well as the clients I now serve). The existing relationship I had with the seller allowed us to quickly and smoothly come to terms on a mutually beneficial arrangement. Listen to the details, which included NO down payment and tax advantaged payments for me.
We hear a lot about buying a practice, but we don't often hear from advisor that has successfully sold a business. Leesa Cattley retired from the industry at the end of 2012 and has not looked back. She has some great insights with the benefit of several years of distance from the transaction. Listen in to hear how she did it and the lessons she learned.