Tag: Advisory Firm
RIA Edge Podcast: CEO Michael Nathanson Pulls It Together, Putting Focus Back on Fast Growth Track

RIA Edge Podcast: CEO Michael Nathanson Pulls It Together, Putting Focus Back on Fast Growth Track

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In this episode, host David Armstrong, managing director of editorial and content strategies for the Wealth Management Group at Informa, sits down with Michael Nathanson, CEO of Focus Financial Partners, to discuss Focus’ pulling out of the public markets in favor of private equity partners, their recent rebranding and the team’s hub consolidation strategy. 

Michael reveals how Focus is evolving its approach from a consortium of 90 independent firms into efforts to bring at least some of them together under one roof, which, he bets, will pay off in greater efficiencies, a wider set of services for clients and accelerated organic growth. 

Highlights include:

  • The rationale behind Focus’ recent rebranding, its “hub” organization strategy and the continuing consolidation among firms
  • What “interdependence” means for Focus advisors, and how Nathanson’s team thinks about balancing efficiencies against advisor autonomy
  • Focus’ experience as a publicly traded company and the bet that the firm’s private equity backers are making.
  • How the firm plans to drive organic growth.
  • What he looks for when hiring executive leaders or partnering with RIAs.
  • What to expect from Focus now when it comes to M&A.  

Resources:

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About Our Guest:

Michael is a highly respected and experienced leader in the wealth management industry. As Chief Executive Officer, he plays a pivotal role in driving organizational change and spearheading a range of firm-wide initiatives. He is relentlessly dedicated to bringing meaning and joy to the lives of clients, his team, and throughout the Focus Partnership, by fostering a culture that values lifelong learning, cultivates innovation, and offers opportunities to live lives full of passion and purpose.

Michael’s passion is reflected in the recognition he has received, having been selected ten times by Barron’s magazine as one of the top 100 independent financial advisors in the nation, included in Worth magazine’s list of the country’s top 250 wealth advisors and recognized as one of ThinkAdvisor’s 2022 LUMINARIES winners for Executive Leadership. He also was selected six times as a “Super Lawyer,” as published in Massachusetts Super Lawyers. During his tenure as Chief Executive Officer and Chair of The Colony Group, he is most proud of the firm being named one of 50 firms as a Best Place To Work for Financial Advisors by InvestmentNews.

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RIA Edge Podcast: Ken Stern on Lido Advisors’ Path to $20B in AUM

RIA Edge Podcast: Ken Stern on Lido Advisors’ Path to $20B in AUM

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Ken Stern’s journey with Lido Advisors started almost a decade ago with a chance meeting at a family office conference. His initial connection with Lido’s founders quickly evolved into a shared vision of providing unmatched client service and scaling a national brand. In some ways, the Lido story is a bit different among RIAs—instead of a firm starting with retail clients and moving upstream to high and ultra-high net worth, Lido started in the family office space and under Stern’s operational guidance has brought the family office-style suite of services to a broader base of clients and prospects. 

In this episode, David Armstrong, managing director of editorial and content strategies for the Wealth Management Group at Informa, talks with Ken Stern, president of Lido Advisors, to delve into the approaches they’ve taken to scale, how he thinks about growth as almost a mandate to bring clients a top-tier experience, and how they’ve balanced organic growth and acquisitions. 

David and Ken discuss:

  • Lido Advisors’ impressive growth to over $20 billion in AUM and the strategies behind their rapid expansion.
  • Why cracking the code on multi-generational planning has become a key driver in the firm’s overall growth strategy.  
  • Why Lido Advisors chose to bring services like trust management and tax preparation in-house to provide better control and a seamless client experience
  • One potential, highly valued client-service area that remains largely untapped by most RIAs and is on Lido’s strategic roadmap. 
  • Lido’s approach to mergers and acquisitions and the role of partnerships with private equity firms like Charlesbank Capital Partners and Constellation Partners in fueling expansion

Resources:

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Connect With Ken Stern:

About Our Guest:

Ken Stern is the President of Lido Advisors. Ken is focused on executing Lido’s vision of growing Lido Advisors into a nationally recognized leader in advanced wealth management and investment strategy. After working with and helping grow various financial institutions, Ken saw a need for a client-centric financial advisory firm focused on comprehensive planning and dynamic investment management. As a result, he founded both Asset Planning Solutions, Inc. and Ken Stern & Associates. Ken has authored seven personal finance books and appeared in or been quoted on several TV and radio shows including The Today Show, CNBC, and CNN.

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