From Startup to Street Cred: (Re)State Your Mission
February 12, 2019
In a recent conversation with an advisor who had launched his RIA the same year we launched PFI Advisors, we were discussing our business paths and how they have somewhat paralleled each other. This advisor participated in his own version of a Breakaway 3.0 in 2015, in which he left an RIA to start his…
The COO Roundtable, Episode 2 Featuring Gary Bonner and Mike Lee
January 29, 2019
In the second episode of our podcast, The COO Roundtable, host Matt Sonnen sits down with Gary Bonner of Avalon Advisors and Mike Lee of LourdMurray. Also featured in our most recent white paper, Gary and Mike are two accomplished Chief Operating Officers who have been catalysts for incredible growth at their respective RIAs. Matt,…
The COO Roundtable, Episode 1 Featuring Jeff Fuhrman & Tony Craun
January 22, 2019
In our inaugural episode, Matt sits down with Jeff Fuhrman of Coastal Bridge Advisors and Tony Craun of Sand Hill Global Advisors. These two were gracious enough to be profiled in our latest white paper, “Exploring the Benefits of Professional Management for RIAs: A Deeper Look into Chief Operating Officers.” Matt, Jeff, and Tony discuss…
Industry Coverage of PFI Advisors’ Recent COO White Paper
January 9, 2019
In late October, we released our latest white paper, “Exploring the Benefits of Professional Management for RIAs: A Deeper Look into Chief Operating Officers,” the sixth installment in our industry series. Our goal was to uncover the benefits of professional management (namely Chief Operating Officers) and lay out the responsibilities of a successful COO, as…
PFI Advisors’ 2018 Top Blog Posts
December 26, 2018
As 2018 comes to a close, we pause to reflect on the past year we’ve had here at PFI Advisors. We added a new employee to our team in June and our Director of Transition Amusement started kindergarten in August! We have continued to focus our work of achieving operational efficiencies at RIAs and helping…
Introducing The COO Roundtable Podcast
December 11, 2018
I am thrilled to announce the launch of The COO Roundtable, Powered by PFI Advisors; our latest endeavor in championing the role of operations professionals within the RIA industry. This podcast series will feature panel discussions with Chief Operating Officers at some of the country’s leading independent firms. We plan to highlight operational best practices…
Are You Serious, Wall Street? A Response to the #MeToo ‘Advice’ of Men
December 5, 2018
This open letter is a response to a Bloomberg Article InvestmentNews ran Tuesday about some male Wall Street executives whose concerns about #MeToo accusations have led them to limit the ways in which they work with female colleagues, for example by refusing to have dinner with a woman or sit next to a woman on a plane…
Should Breakaway Advisors Leverage a Wrap-Fee Program?
December 4, 2018
As breakaway advisors consider their move from a wirehouse to their own RIA, the question of whether to provide a wrap fee program will undoubtedly arise. Before we get into the weeds, what is a wrap-fee program and what are its implications? According to the SEC, a wrap fee generally involves an investment account in…
What this Millennial is Thankful for: My Introduction to the RIA Industry
November 28, 2018
If you Google the term “millennial,” the top stories don’t always show my generation in the best light. “Millennials are responsible for America’s shrinking homeownership.” “Millennials want more while doing less.” “Don’t believe the hype about Millennials.” You get the picture. Separately, if you research the average age of an advisor in the RIA space…
A Different Kind of #GivingTuesday Campaign
November 12, 2018
PFI Advisors will be participating in this year’s #GivingTuesday in a very meaningful way. Any RIA that donates $10,000 or more to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles donation page of Layla Paige Sonnen will receive a free Operational Diagnostic*. This engagement includes a full analysis of an RIA’s back office technology suite; integrations between systems;…
