Category: Operations and Technology
17 posts categorized as "Operations and Technology"
Breakaways Should Treat Their Reporting Provider Like a Relationship: Don’t Rush Things!
May 29, 2019
As part of our work with breakaway advisory teams, we help coordinate the various RIA systems needed for advisors moving to Independence. We work with the selected technology providers to design an integrated workflow of all systems that cater to the team’s particular clients and services provided. Once their custodian has been selected, the first…
Book Review: The Financial Advisor M&A Guidebook
April 24, 2019
PFI Advisors has written a lot around the operational side of M&A, and how important it is for firms to think through not only deal structure and valuation, but the planning process around integrating the two firms into one cohesive company once the deal closes. As Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator states in his…
Why is an Ops & Tech Consultant Writing About Client Segmentation?
April 16, 2019
Anders Jones of Facet Wealth recently wrote that as RIAs approach the elusive $1 billion AUM milestone, they need to be increasingly cognizant of their profit margins and resources needed to service their clients. The goal of any RIA is to provide high-touch service to an ever-expanding client base. RIA owners will achieve this goal…
The 3 Most Common Technology Headaches RIAs Face
April 8, 2019
Technology reporter Ryan Neal’s recent article offered a refreshing (and interesting) perspective of problems RIAs often face with their technology suite of systems. He provided an entertaining spin on this common challenge for firms, likening popular Netflix star Marie Kondo’s philosophy of cleaning house to revising an RIA’s technology infrastructure. As operations and technology consultants,…
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;…
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…
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…
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…
Don’t Let the Wirehouses Lie to You About Technology…
June 20, 2018
It has become widely acknowledged and accepted that the technologies available in the RIA channel are more sophisticated and up-to-date than the technologies offered by the large wirehouses. The RIA channel is known for its freedom to shop The Street for best-of-breed solutions, and work with a variety of industry experts to best leverage integrations…
