Tag: Financial Planning
RIA Edge Podcast: Building a Scaled, Service-First RIA with Phil Fiore

RIA Edge Podcast: Building a Scaled, Service-First RIA with Phil Fiore

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In this episode of the RIA Edge podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Phil Fiore, co-founder and CEO of Procyon, about how he and his team transitioned from a wirehouse environment to build a fast-growing independent firm.

He shares how that growth has been driven by a commitment to delivering fully integrated client services, a disciplined approach to scaling resources to enhance the client experience and a focus on combining organic growth with selective acquisitions that align culturally and strategically.

Key takeaways:

  • How breaking from wirehouses opened the door to fully customized, client-first service models
  • Why scale allows firms to expand services and improve the overall client experience meaningfully
  • How integrating services like tax, insurance and M&A builds a true family office approach
  • The importance of a unified brand and culture when pursuing growth through acquisitions
  • How AI is being used to increase advisor efficiency while keeping client relationships central

Resources:

Connect With David Armstrong:

Connect With Phil Fiore:

About Our Guest:

Phil is a highly experienced individual with over 30 years of expertise in providing investment consulting services to institutions and high-net-worth families. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Procyon, he brings his extensive financial knowledge to the firm, focusing on firm-wide management, leadership & Nationwide expansion.

Before co-founding Procyon, Phil held the position of Senior Vice President of Wealth Management at UBS. During his time there, he led the FDG Group, which was a prominent Institutional Consulting and Private Wealth Team. He also served as a member of the Institutional Consulting Group, Advisory Council, Senior Institutional Consultant, and a Senior Retirement Plan Consultant at UBS. In addition, Phil held the role of Co-Chair of the UBS Corporate Development Advisory Board and its Retirement Advisory Council.

Phil has received several accolades for his accomplishments in the financial industry. While at UBS, the Financial Times named him one of their Top 400 US Advisors in 2014, and he was also listed as one of Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors in 2015. Due to his success and expertise, Phil is often invited to speak at national retirement conferences and media interviews, where he shares his knowledge on RIA M&A (Registered Investment Advisor mergers and acquisitions).

Phil has a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Political Science from the University of Hartford. He has also earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) and Certified Retirement Plans Counselor (CRPC®) certifications from the College for Financial Planning. These certifications were obtained through the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

Outside of work, Phil resides in Westport, CT, with his wife and their two sons. He enjoys golfing, working out, and participating in exotic car rallies and shows.

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RIA Edge Podcast: Building a Sustainable RIA with Oliver Cross

RIA Edge Podcast: Building a Sustainable RIA with Oliver Cross

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In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Oliver Cross, founding partner, senior advisor and head of growth at Verum Partners, about the firm’s path from a breakaway team to a rapidly growing independent RIA managing over $1 billion.

He shares how early growth was driven by focusing on a core group of founding clients, building a strong internal structure through systems like EOS and creating a team-based client service model. Oliver also explains how hiring, technology decisions and a long-term ownership mindset continue to shape the firm’s direction as it scales.

Key takeaways:

  • How a failed succession plan became the catalyst for launching a new independent RIA firm
  • Why focusing deeply on founding clients created strong referrals and early growth momentum
  • How implementing EOS improved structure, accountability, and long-term planning alignment
  • The importance of hiring for values and building a long-term talent pipeline from scratch
  • How AI, data control, and workflow systems are shaping the future client experience 

Resources:

Connect With David Armstrong:

Connect With Oliver Cross:

About Our Guest:

Oliver is a Founding Partner of Verum where he currently serves as a Senior Adviser and Head of Growth while also playing an active role in both the investment and financial planning committees. His penchant for prudent financial decision-making dates back to his early childhood lessons from his grandfather who often reminded him “a penny saved is a penny earned.” Oliver took this to heart and it became hardwired into his DNA, ultimately leading to career in wealth management.

As an adviser, Oliver caters to families who understand the importance of patience and discipline in building wealth and value the benefits of an independent firm structure that centers around problem-solving, thoughtful financial planning, tax-efficient and sophisticated investment solutions, and team-based client service. He and Verum promote the importance of alignment of interests which continue to plague the industry.

Prior to Verum, Oliver was an Investment Consultant and Director of Research at Carolinas Investment Consulting where he worked for nine years. Before pursuing his MBA in investment management at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, Oliver was a Vice President at Trusco Capital Management in Atlanta for six years, where he served as an Investment Manager for endowments, foundations, and retirement plans across the Southeast.

Oliver is a native of Winston-Salem where he attended R.J. Reynolds high school before heading to Davidson College where he was a member of the golf team. While still an avid golfer, Oliver spends most of his free time with his wife and two children finding any way to keep active outdoors. With a passion for mentoring youth, Oliver coaches basketball through the YMCA and soccer through Charlotte Junior soccer and taught Sunday School with his wife at Myers Park United Methodist Church.

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RIA Edge Podcast: Scaling a High-Touch Wealth Firm with Stephen Rigali

RIA Edge Podcast: Scaling a High-Touch Wealth Firm with Stephen Rigali

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In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Stephen Rigali, executive managing director at Kayne Anderson Rudnick, about the firm’s evolution from a family office into a $55 billion platform and how it has approached growth with intention over four decades.

He shares how the firm prioritizes organic expansion, structured advisor development and long-term client relationships, along with how it balances high-touch service with scalability, uses specialized partners to extend capabilities, and evaluates the role of AI in improving efficiency without replacing human decision-making.

Key takeaways:

  • How the firm grew from founder capital into a $55 billion platform through steady, organic expansion
  • Why advisor capacity is managed through defined lifecycle stages and proactive resource planning
  • How long-term client relationships are built on trust, alignment and consistent human interaction
  • Why combining in-house expertise with outside specialists strengthens the client experience
  • How AI is being tested to improve research, workflows and operational efficiency across the firm

Resources:

Connect With David Armstrong:

Connect With Stephen Rigali:

About Our Guest:

Stephen Rigali is the Executive Managing Director and a member of the Executive Management Committee at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, a Los Angeles–based investment and wealth management firm founded in 1984. He oversees business development across the firm’s institutional, retail, and wealth management platforms and works closely with the firm’s Chief Investment Officer and Chief Operating Officer to help shape the firm’s long-term investment and business strategy. He also serves on the firm’s Risk and Compliance Committee, ESG Steering Committee, and the Investment Committee for the Wealth Advisory division.

Stephen has more than four decades of experience in the investment management industry and has been with Kayne Anderson Rudnick since 1991, playing a key role in the firm’s growth and evolution. Earlier in his career, he was a Vice President at Shearson Lehman Brothers. Stephen holds a B.S. in Business and Economics from Loyola Marymount University and is a CFA charterholder.

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RIA Edge Podcast: How an Integrated, All-Digital RIA Looks at Growth with Alex Farman-Farmaian

RIA Edge Podcast: How an Integrated, All-Digital RIA Looks at Growth with Alex Farman-Farmaian

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Modern advisory firms are being reshaped by technology, changing client expectations and the need for deeper personalization.

How do firms scale while keeping the advisor-client relationship at the center? What role does technology really play in growth without replacing the human element?

In this episode, host David Armstrong speaks with Alex Farman-Farmaian, CEO of Compound Planning, about building an all-digital, integrated RIA—with human advisors at the center—that provides clients with a unified experience across multiple service offerings—including tax preparation. 

Alex explains how AI-powered workflows and integrations enable advisors to serve clients more efficiently as the human touchpoint, while providing a better experience for clients. He also shares how Compound recruits next-generation advisors, integrates tax services and drives growth by focusing on equity- and option-compensated executives of fast-growing tech firms approaching liquidity events.

Key takeaways:

  • How internal technology reduces advisor workload and increases client capacity
  • Why proactive advice across a client’s full balance sheet drives stronger relationships and accelerates organic growth
  • How the firm uses AI to support advisor work without replacing human judgment
  • How modern tech helps recruit growth-minded,  younger advisors.
  • How it partners with firms to educate execs with equity-based compensation plans on navigating liquidity events. 

Resources:

Connect With David Armstrong:

Connect With Alex Farman-Farmaian:

About Our Guest:

Alex Farman-Farmaian is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Compound Planning, responsible for growing the firm to 50+ advisors and over $4 billion in AUM since 2022, and guiding the strategic direction of the firm’s robust wealth management technology and advisory service offerings. Previously, Alex was the 20th employee at Carta, where he built numerous sales teams across the country as Carta scaled to 1,000 employees and a $7B+ valuation from Silver Lake. Alex is an expert in equity compensation and is passionate about tax-efficient equity strategies.

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RIA Edge Podcast: Schwab’s Jalina Kerr on How Resilient RIAs Can Turn Market Volatility Into Growth Engines

RIA Edge Podcast: Schwab’s Jalina Kerr on How Resilient RIAs Can Turn Market Volatility Into Growth Engines

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Economic uncertainty, heightened volatility and on-again, off-again trade policies are challenging for investors. But similar to the Great Financial Crisis of 2008, fiduciary advisors can use this opportunity to assert their value and give clients confidence that their broader financial plans aren’t as negatively impacted as they may think, given the daily doom-and-gloom market headlines. Some RIAs can turn volatility into a growth engine.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, Jalina Kerr of Charles Schwab shares how the most adaptive firms are expanding beyond portfolio management, into areas like estate and tax planning, which have far more profound impacts on client outcomes than marginal tweaks to an allocation model or changes in asset managers and investment funds. Top-tier RIAs are also using technology to scale more personalized client experiences, communicating to clients that their personal plans remain resilient, despite the daily ups and downs in the markets.

Kerr discusses:

  • The resilience of RIAs during down markets and how bear markets can be an opportunity for growth
  • The increasing demand for comprehensive wealth management beyond portfolio construction, including estate and tax planning
  • Integration of technology to deliver personalization at scale and the benefits of all-in-one platforms
  • The rising interest in alternative investments and how they’re being integrated into many RIAs practices
  • If the wealth management industry is any closer to solving the talent shortage, and how RIAs are doing in forging career development tracks within firms.

Resources:

Connect With David Armstrong:

Connect With Jalina Kerr:

About Our Guest:

Jalina Kerr is the Managing Director, Head of Advisor Experience for Schwab Advisor Services. Kerr’s team shapes the constantly evolving client experience with progressive technical and human resources designed to support the custody needs of a diverse advisor base.

Kerr began her career at Schwab in 1994 on the Advisor Services trading desk. During her tenure at Schwab, Kerr has held roles in client service delivery, operations, advisors in transition, strategy, and technology.

In 2016, AZ Business Magazine recognized Kerr as one of Arizona’s Most Influential Women. Kerr also serves on the Board of the Arizona Women’s Leadership Forum. Kerr holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and her Series 7, 9, 10, 24, and 63 registrations.

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RIA Edge Podcast: Sustainable Wealth Management Firms with Jennifer des Groseilliers

RIA Edge Podcast: Sustainable Wealth Management Firms with Jennifer des Groseilliers

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In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, David Armstrong, editorial director at Informa Connect’s Wealth Management Group, speaks with Jennifer des Groseilliers, CEO of The Mather Group. The conversation took place live during Schwab’s recent IMPACT Conference in San Francisco. 

Jennifer was recently appointed head of the $14 billion AUM firm, though she is a veteran in financial services, having worked across advisory channels, first at Ameriprise and later at MetLife and MassMutual. She came to The Mather Group just a few years after the firm was acquired by private equity investor the Vistria Group.  

She is leading a firm that has grown rapidly through a number of acquisitions in recent years, with Vistria’s financial backing. The firm currently has some 14 offices around the country, 175 employees and about 4,000 clients. It focuses on financial planning for affluent and HNW individuals, with a minimum account size of $1 million and a family office service model for clients with more than $25 million. 

David and Jennifer discuss:

  • The balanced approach to growth that includes scaling responsibly through both internal development and strategic acquisitions
  • The Mather Group’s meticulous process that ensures new acquisitions align with their corporate values and culture
  • How a recent acquisition brings an alternative investment specialist into the organization, and how alts are incorporated into client portfolios. 
  • The firm’s strategy for attracting and retaining top talent in the competitive RIA space, including a popular employee equity plan and a “robust” summer internship program that feeds new talent into many of its offices. 
  • Why “emotional intelligence” is a key focus for leadership at The Mather Group and how it benefits both client relations and team dynamics.

Resources:

 Connect With David Armstrong:

Connect With Jennifer des Groseilliers:

About Our Guest:

Jennifer des Groseilliers is the Chief Executive Officer of The Mather Group. Jen cultivates a collaborative culture through inclusive and supportive leadership. Her unwavering commitment to keeping clients at the center of all efforts drives her approach.

Jen’s extensive professional experience includes joining the MetLife Premier Client Group as a Managing Partner in 2013, leading an advisor force of over 160 financial advisors. She later became the CEO of MassMutual Illinois in 2016, and in 2020, after a merger with WestPoint Financial Group, she assumed the role of Partner and Chief Experience Officer, leading various departments including Investments, Compliance, Practice Development, and Financial Planning.

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RIA Edge Podcast: SVB Private’s DeChellis on Embracing a Growth Mindset

RIA Edge Podcast: SVB Private’s DeChellis on Embracing a Growth Mindset

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There is a “CEO state of mind” that some leaders of advisory firms have adopted to ensure that growth is front-and-center for all of its team members every day. SVB Private is one of the best examples of this and their growth mindset can provide a blueprint and framework for hundreds of RIAs to learn from. 

In this episode of RIA Edge, Mark Bruno, Managing Director at Informa Wealth Management, speaks with Anthony DeChellis, CEO of SVB Private Bank, on growth within the RIA market. Anthony reveals how a client’s financial planning needs influence who they go to for financial advice, and how RIAs can expand through organic and inorganic strategies. 

Mark and Anthony discuss:

  • How does SVB approach the market given its history in the RIA space and what are some of the unique problems it solves for.
  • What drew SVB to acquire Boston Private in 2021 and how it’s transforming the company.
  • How SVB Private approaches M&A activity and evaluates acquisition opportunities
  • Best practices for creating truly strategic – and repeatable – organic growth

Connect With Mark Bruno:

Connect With Anthony DeChellis:

About Our Guest:

Anthony DeChellis is the Chief Executive Officer of SVB Private. He served as the CEO and President of Boston Private and President and a member of the Boston Private Board of Directors for 2 years prior to the close of SVB Financial Group’s acquisition of the firm in 2021.

Anthony has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Before joining Boston Private, he was President of OurCrowd Venture Capital, an equity capital crowdfunding platform. From 2006 to 2013, Anthony was the CEO of Credit Suisse Private Banking, Americas, where he led dramatic growth of the Private Banking & Wealth Management businesses across North and South America.

 

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Wipfli’s Jeff Pierce: Strategies for Driving Quality RIA Growth

Wipfli’s Jeff Pierce: Strategies for Driving Quality RIA Growth

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While every RIA has its own unique approach to adding new clients and talent, the top-performing firms share some common strategic approaches to accelerating and driving organic and inorganic growth. 

In this episode of RIA Edge, Mark Bruno, Managing Director at Informa Wealth Management, speaks with Jeff Pierce, CEO of Wipfli Financial Advisors, about the keys to his firm’s march to $5 billion in assets. Jeff specifically shares his thoughts on how his firm is beginning to use M&A to  acquire both clients and talent that will drive future growth. In addition, Mark and Jeff discuss:

  • Creating consistent, scalable growth
  • The current “talent wars” in the RIA market
  • 2022 M&A opportunities 
  • Opportunities to add planning and advice services for Wiplfi’s accounting clients

Connect With Mark Bruno:

Connect With Jeff Pierce: 

About Our Guest:

When it comes to his client philosophy, Jeff says one key tenet has always been clear: Investing is about more than just money. It’s a guiding principle he reinforces across the business, emphasizing the importance of fostering client well-being beyond their financial lives. For Jeff, that means helping Wipfli Financial’s advisors create alignment between their clients’ resources, values and aspirations.

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