New RIA COO? How to Prepare for Success on Day 1
September 17, 2019
In the eighth episode of The COO Roundtable, featuring David Canter and Scott Slater of Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions, we talked about an uncomfortable but extremely important topic: how and why COOs often fail in their role at RIAs. We’ve previously written about this unfortunate phenomenon on our blog, but with David and Scott’s…
The COO Roundtable, Episode 9 Featuring Susan Dickson & Suzanne Williamson
September 5, 2019
In the ninth episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt welcomed Susan Dickson and Suzanne Williamson, principals of Private Ocean. Susan is the Chief Operating Officer of the firm, and Suzanne is the Director of Client Services. Private Ocean, headquartered in San Rafael, CA, manages over $2 billion in client assets with 51 employees and has…
RIAs Are Struggling with Too Much Technology, Not Too Little
August 28, 2019
The objection we hear most often from prospective clients (delivered in a sarcastic tone) is, “I don’t want to hire an operations and technology consultant. Not only do I have to pay your fee, but you are going to tell me I can’t continue to do business unless I spend an additional $200,000 on new…
Integratable ≠ Integrated
August 21, 2019
In our work with new and established RIAs looking to build and/or improve their technology stack, we encounter many frustrated advisors who lament, “We were told that the benefit of being an RIA was that all of our technology systems would be integratable with one another – while that may be the case for other…
What RIAs should learn from Uber and Lyft
August 15, 2019
Most RIA owners are obsessed with growing top-line revenue at all costs, with little thought to the bottom-line profitability of each additional dollar of AUM A recent New York Times article called Uber and Lyft two of “the largest and most anticipated … companies to have gone public this year,” but in the same breath…
We’re Hiring!
August 5, 2019
PFI Advisors is excited to announce we are adding two new members to our family! Click the links below to learn more about our Associate and Administrative Assistant openings. About the Associate position: We are looking for a motivated individual to work closely with the entire team, and report directly to the CEO. Responsibilities will…
The COO Roundtable, Episode 8 Featuring David Canter & Scott Slater
August 2, 2019
In the eighth episode of The COO Roundtable, Matt sat down with David Canter and Scott Slater of Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions. David is the Executive Vice President and Head of the RIA Segment at Fidelity. A lawyer by trade, David has been in the industry for 25 years and has been involved in…
Where to Start When Developing Workflows
July 23, 2019
In our work with large RIAs looking to increase their scale and efficiency, we often begin with a review of their various systems, people, and processes. We walk through a comprehensive list of their executives, advisors, and employees to better understand the broader team’s roles and responsibilities. We then begin to dive deeper to gather…
The American Dream, Through the Life of Geremia Papa
July 18, 2019
This is my grandfather, Geremia (“Jerry”) Papa. He arrived in the United States in 1920, at the age of 18, from his homeland of Italy. My mother assures me that “Papa” is his real last name, but I’ve always fantasized that it was bestowed upon him when he was recorded coming through the turnstiles at…
Don’t Charge for Reporting On Outside Assets
July 16, 2019
Advisors looking to grow their business must constantly grapple with client acquisition costs. As advisors struggle to differentiate themselves and the services they offer, many have concluded that providing a higher touch to existing clients and working to gain a larger percentage of their investable assets is a more profitable way to grow, rather than…
