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;…
PFI Advisors White Paper-Exploring the Benefits of Professional Management for RIAs: A Deeper Look into Chief Operating Officers
October 29, 2018
PFI Advisors (“Promoting Financial Independence”) announced today the release of a new industry report (the sixth in its continuing educational series) on an often overlooked topic facing independent RIAs: how to leverage professional management – namely, a Chief Operating Officer – to manage the day-to-day business responsibilities. Our research details the importance of COOs to…
Five Questions to Ask About Your Technology Infrastructure
October 12, 2018
RIAs regularly review their clients’ financial goals and portfolios. They should also service themselves with the same care and consistency with an internal review of their technology infrastructure and back office. This analysis should cover the following core systems: custodian interface, performance reporting/portfolio accounting, CRM, financial planning, trading and rebalancing, and client portal. As part…
Calling All Misfits, Dreamers, and Rugged Individualists
October 4, 2018
PFI Advisors has not been around long enough for me to start giving entrepreneurial advice, but the entrepreneurial conversation does come up quite often in our day-to-day discussions with breakaway advisors thinking of starting their own RIA. As we have written in the past (see: Top 3 Questions Every Breakaway Advisor Asks), there are many…
The Age-Old Debate: Profit vs. Growth – What’s More Valuable?
September 25, 2018
At the Echelon Deal and Deal Makers conference in Newport Beach earlier this month, several sessions tackled the big question: If I’m looking to sell my firm, what is more important to a buyer – my growth rate, or my bottom line profits? From a deal makers’ perspective, I think the answer is probably both….
Dual-Contract SMAs vs. Single-Contract SMAs – Which is Best for You and Your Clients?
September 14, 2018
The most common question we receive from breakaway advisors is, “If I start an RIA, how do I recreate the products and services I’ve always had available to me during my career in the wirehouse?” This line of thinking often leads to questions around Lending and Alternative Investments, and inevitably lands at Separately Managed Accounts….
Ops Team to the Rescue! Reducing Advisor Stress During a Breakaway Transition
September 5, 2018
A wirehouse team amidst a breakaway transition requires a fast learning curve in a short period of time during which the entire advisory team-turned-RIA needs to run full speed ahead. This period of conversion is defined by a lot of pressure and a lot of moving parts. Here at PFI Advisors, we constantly look for…
Interview with Luke Sonnen, Director of Transition Amusement
August 20, 2018
While only 5 years old, Luke Sonnen plays a vital role at PFI Advisors. As Director of Transition Amusement, it is his responsibility to provide an air of calmness and fun to the ever-stressful “Break Weekend” when advisors leave their former employer and launch their own RIA. While advisors are often overwhelmed with the thought…
PFI Advisors and Laserfiche Join WealthManagement.com to Discuss “M&A Through the Operational Lens”
August 1, 2018
We have been long-time proponents of the notion that RIAs need top tier technology infrastructure to support growth through M&A. Many would-be Buyers mistakenly think, “If I’m the one writing the check, it is the Seller who needs to impress me.” What they often fail to realize is that the current M&A market for RIAs…
