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

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

By |

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
RIA Edge Podcast: Turning Clients into Fans, and Designing Sustainable Growth, with Wealthstream Advisors’ Michael Goodman

RIA Edge Podcast: Turning Clients into Fans, and Designing Sustainable Growth, with Wealthstream Advisors’ Michael Goodman

By |

Recorded live at the Schwab Impact Conference in San Francisco, David Armstrong, editorial director at Informa Connect’s Wealth Management Group, sits down with Michael Goodman, founder, and leader of RIA Wealthstream Advisors, an RIA Edge 100 firm, to explore how he thinks about sustainable growth and client service in wealth management. 

They delve into Goodman’s philosophy and approach behind managing a successful wealth advisory firm and serving clients with meaningful wealth and complex financial needs. Goodman emphasizes the importance of tailored support, from working with full delegators to knowledgeable individuals within financial services.

They discuss:

  • What Goodman saw was missing from his accounting client relationships, which prompted him to take the leap and launch his own RIA.
  • The process Wealthstream Advisors uses to decide to take on certain clients that may not always meet their minimum AUM requirement.
  • How a deep understanding of certain corporate compensation plans helps Wealthstream turn executive clients at those companies into fans of the firm, fueling their referrals.
  • Why Goodman encourages his advisors to dump the jargon around the sophisticated planning strategies the firm employs and simply ask the client one pertinent question. 
  • How the 100% employee-owned firm approaches M&A
  • Why Goodman believes that it’s important to sacrifice maximized firm profitability in order to keep some excess capacity in the organization—to accommodate future growth or cushion the inevitable sustained market downturn. 
  • The key KPIs Goodman tracks to help make decisions on staffing and resources.  

Resources:

 Connect With David Armstrong:

Connect With Michael Goodman:

About Our Guest:

Michael Goodman, founder of Wealthstream Advisors, is dedicated to fostering lifelong partnerships and helping clients achieve greater financial clarity and peace of mind. Wealthstream Advisors, an independent boutique wealth management firm in New York City, operates as a Registered Investment Advisory firm, providing objective and personalized financial planning and evidence-based investment management while adhering to a fiduciary standard.

Michael emphasizes the importance of tailored financial plans and investment strategies. Through collaboration with Wealthstream Advisors, clients gain enhanced financial knowledge and confidence, empowering them to make informed decisions about managing and growing their wealth.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS

Archives

Categories