Need an up-to-the-minute 2016 RIA model? Read the large print in Brooke's hypothetical Southall Advisors RIA brochure

Brooke, Bravo on this “experiment” of sorts. In a world where advisors are harsh to DIY investors, it amazes me the number of DIY marketers.

It’s not good to “copy” someone else’s site, materials or anything in a world where trust and authenticity mean everything.

Messaging to your target audiences is will attract the right type of clients, COI’s referral sources that are a good fit.

Applause!

Nicely done, Brooke. Getting away from catchphrases and owning the words that can be backed up by behavior will be in high demand in the future. Also the advisor must understand the difference between portfolio alpha and advisor alpha. (I expect to see a link to my article added) ;-p

Good Stuff!

Its amazing how liberating truth may be rather than being complicit in big firm mechanics at cross purposes with the investor..
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Stephen Winks

If you need help contact your Relationship Manager at your custodian. I know Schwab has ITAPs (Insight to Action Programs) that address some of these questions. I’m Fidelity, TD Ameritrade and Pershing have something similar.

Brooke, it is refreshing to find we are doing things right, at least from your perspective. We wrote our own, original documents as we filed and have continued to do so for nine years. We wrote our own optimization program, based on Markowitz’s original paper, and we have done all the things you recommended since day one. The best part of that is that we understand what we are doing and why we are doing it. We are not selling someone else’s ideas or relying on an operations manual made up by someone who doesn’t know what we are doing.

What does that give us? Probably the most important thing is a fundamental confidence that everything we do is up-front, transparent, and real. I think that sincerity is what comes across most strongly. No, we do not attempt to beat the market. We do attempt to have portfolios that match each client’s goals. Frankly, it is very inefficient. Designing each portfolio separately, including going though the drill of researching and selecting funds in 403b and 401k programs with some of the most screwed up choices you could imagine is a real challenge, but this is something we love, and that comes across too.

Our firm is called “The Personal Wealth Coach®” and as long as the personal stays there I think we will do well.

Happy New Year Brooke, what a great way to start the new year. I appreciate your fresh and always honest take on our profession. Our firm is in the middle of an intensive Strategic Planning effort and I have asked my key team members to read your post before our next meeting, hopefully to get them to think a bit more outside the box. You’ve given some really important thought points. But, the real question is, is it snowing in Mill Valley?

This is spot-on, Brooke. Too bad, Southall Advisors is hypothetical. We strongly believe that finding these touchpoints with clients is the key to RIA success. You covered it all and covered it well!

On point, Brooke. Investor distrust is RIAs’ Achille’s heel and your hypothetical RIA ADV offers the secret to winning investors back. This same secret that is a major inspiration for the Institute’s Best Practices for Financial Advisors.