Sara Grillo

Sara Grillo

Imagine if the local bakery had a 401k? Let’s solve the 401k Coverage Gap and save the American middle class!

31 min · 16 de dic de 2024
Portada del episodio Imagine if the local bakery had a 401k? Let’s solve the 401k Coverage Gap and save the American middle class!

Descripción

Today I have Brian Williams [https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandavidwilliams/] of Northshire Consulting [https://northshireconsulting.com/] and we’re going to be talking about how financial advisors can help improve 401k plan access to the American people who are working at small businesses who currently do not offer them. Let’s talk about fixing the 401k coverage gap, people! What if the local baker had a 401k plan? The neighborhood laundry? The local trucking company? Small business retirement plans are the way to save the American middle class from retirement failure! Why are small business owners not offering 401k plans? According to Brian, about 40% of workers don’t have access to one to begin with. Why? * It’s not a priority. The local bakery has 10 people working there, has turnover, has part time employees, and managing the day to day is the priority. The 401k plan is low down on the list. * There is also the perception that they are too complicated, too expensive, and that the business believes that they are too small to have a 401k plan. * Business owners don’t believe that works will actually do it. * Business owners want to plough money back into the business instead of taking a risk on the market. HOW 401K PLANS ARE IMPORTANT SOCIETALLY If the 401k system was set up to accommodate the American middle class, it could make a major difference in people’s lives. It’s important to society that these mechanisms are in place. * What about the people who aren’t financially that literate, who wouldn’t go to Charles Schwab and open a brokerage account? * What about the truck driver who, between family and work, doesn’t have time to read NerdWallet? * What about those who aren’t financially successful enough to where they are invited to the RIA firm steak dinners, increasing their scope of understanding? * What about those who don’t have the money for a financial advisor? * What about those who aren’t teachers qualifying for a pension? What about those people???? Should we just throw them off to Social Security and hope for the best? A 401(k) is the only mechanism where many Americans can get some financial literacy. According to Brian, half the country doesn’t even have more than $2,000 in their savings account. The idea they are going to go out and hire a $10,000 a year planner is ludicrous. The workplace offers the one to many model and is the best way to get financial wellness and literacy to these people. HOW ADVISORS SHOULD APPROACH SMALL BUSINESSES ABOUT STARTING UP A 401K PLAN After you inspire the business owner, then comes the typical conversation about fees, funds, and fiduciary – not before. Instead of trying to pitch lower fund fees or compliance, strike them in the heart. “Business owner, do you care about your employees?” Yes. “Do you want them to stay with you a long time?” Yes. “Do you think it would be the best thing for your business if Sheila who answers the phone of the trucking company, and who all your clients know by name, if she were still there in five months from now?” Yes. “Does Sheila have a family?” Yes, she’s got two young kids. “Does she know about 529 plans?” Huh? I dunno. “Does she know about 401k?” I dunno, I’ve never had a conversation with her. WHERE ADVISORS MISS OPPORTUNITIES WITH SMALL BUSINESSES This is about motivating the employer to want to participate in the financial wellness of their employees. That would be the conversation not the typical financial advisor pitch about fund expense ratios. That’s not it. Show them ways they aren’t caring as much about their people as they possible could. This is how Brian approaches the conversation about small business retirement plans. * How do you think lethargic or non-motivated employees affect your bottom line? * Ask them who the plan is for; them or their employees. * How expensive is turnover for your business? * How much time do your employees spend thinking about money issues? Especially at a small business, it’s a lot harder for people to put in half-effort, to look for another job, and to leave if they feel that the small business owner cares about them. Bring the spirit of entrepreneurship back to the conversation. If you want to be a financial advisor for 401k plans, do it for the right reasons; not just to get at the business owner’s assets. You have to have a passion for working with all the employees because if you are just laser-focused on the CEO and have no concern for Tony the secretary who is out front putting away $20k a year, that is not going to be a win for anybody. It’s just not a good scenario; you really should have a passion to help everyone in that company’s workforce. Brian says that what many advisors miss though is the automation. You don’t want to have the employer have to manually download payroll data every week; use technology to streamline the process and make it easier. American middle class needs more 401k plans Financial advisors have an amazing opportunity to help America. * Not have as stressful a Christmas * Not fight with their spouses over bills * To help them to get up in the morning and feel as if they are building something for their family rather than just getting a paycheck that is about to vanish * To feel they are more in control of life for their families * To seek people to acquire more financial literacy because you inspired them * To help people to seek more success financially instead of just clocking in and clocking out, to behave differently SOLVING THE 401K COVERAGE GAP Brian wonders: What if ever advisors took every Friday afternoon and went to visit a small business in a 10 mile radius of their business?  Instead of writing a check to your local charity, donate some time. Even if your goal is to break even, maybe that is your contribution to your community instead of just writing a check. If you give a business owner five good things to do for their business, you never know how they could reciprocate back. Moreover you never know what you can learn from sitting down with somebody, especially a business owner who has been through some stuff. If anything you could make a new friend. And that’s it for the show! SARA’S UPSHOT Thanks for reading my blog about 401k tips for financial advisors. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sara-grillo-marketing-services-300x169.jpg] * I am an outsourced CMO for companies who need regular, full service marketing – blogging, social media posts, newsletters, etc. * I am an hourly consultant for those who just need one-time or recurring guidance * People hire me as a ghostwriter to write content for a project fee * I have a social media training program [https://saragrillo.com/product/membership-prime-portal/] * I have a book about what to say on LinkedIn [https://saragrillo.com/product/47-financial-advisor-linkedin-messages-and-sequences/] messenger JOIN THE TRANSPARENCY ADVISOR MOVEMENT The Transparent Advisor Movement [https://saragrillo.com/2022/09/17/transparent-advisor-movement/]’s mission is to promote ideals of clarity, modesty, integrity, dignity, and client advocacy in all aspects of financial advice, with a special focus on Advice Only, Flat Fee, and Hourly service models. There is a special emphasis on clear disclosure of services and their related fees. The Transparency Movement is the future of the industry – we welcome anyone who believes in our values to join us. Join our next Transparent Advisor virtual meetup [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/swx7PMx]. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/TAM-grid-1024x560.jpg] These meetups are free and the goal is to learn from each other about how to grow and manage a transparent practice for the benefit of clients. Even if you can not make the meetup, or even attend in its entirety, please register [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/swx7PMx] for the replay and to be notified of the next one. We meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 1 PM ET. DISCLAIMER Grillo Investment Management, LLC does not guarantee any specific level of performance, the success of any strategy that Grillo Investment Management, LLC may use, or the success of any program. Grillo Investment Management, LLC will strive to maintain current information however it may become out of date. Grillo Investment Management, LLC is under no obligation to advise users of subsequent changes to statements or information contained herein. There is no guarantee that the information contained herein is accurate. This information is general in nature; for specific advice applicable to your current situation please contact a consultant or advisor. Rates may vary as a function of geographic location due to exchange rate differences, fees, surcharges, and other factors. These offers are limited to the services advertised in the promotions contained on this page. Additional services may be provided at an additional cost at rates that are subject to negotiation. The post Imagine if the local bakery had a 401k? Let’s solve the 401k Coverage Gap and save the American middle class! [https://saragrillo.com/2024/12/16/401k-coverage-gap/] appeared first on Sara Grillo [https://saragrillo.com].

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episode Imagine if the local bakery had a 401k? Let’s solve the 401k Coverage Gap and save the American middle class! artwork

Imagine if the local bakery had a 401k? Let’s solve the 401k Coverage Gap and save the American middle class!

Today I have Brian Williams [https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandavidwilliams/] of Northshire Consulting [https://northshireconsulting.com/] and we’re going to be talking about how financial advisors can help improve 401k plan access to the American people who are working at small businesses who currently do not offer them. Let’s talk about fixing the 401k coverage gap, people! What if the local baker had a 401k plan? The neighborhood laundry? The local trucking company? Small business retirement plans are the way to save the American middle class from retirement failure! Why are small business owners not offering 401k plans? According to Brian, about 40% of workers don’t have access to one to begin with. Why? * It’s not a priority. The local bakery has 10 people working there, has turnover, has part time employees, and managing the day to day is the priority. The 401k plan is low down on the list. * There is also the perception that they are too complicated, too expensive, and that the business believes that they are too small to have a 401k plan. * Business owners don’t believe that works will actually do it. * Business owners want to plough money back into the business instead of taking a risk on the market. HOW 401K PLANS ARE IMPORTANT SOCIETALLY If the 401k system was set up to accommodate the American middle class, it could make a major difference in people’s lives. It’s important to society that these mechanisms are in place. * What about the people who aren’t financially that literate, who wouldn’t go to Charles Schwab and open a brokerage account? * What about the truck driver who, between family and work, doesn’t have time to read NerdWallet? * What about those who aren’t financially successful enough to where they are invited to the RIA firm steak dinners, increasing their scope of understanding? * What about those who don’t have the money for a financial advisor? * What about those who aren’t teachers qualifying for a pension? What about those people???? Should we just throw them off to Social Security and hope for the best? A 401(k) is the only mechanism where many Americans can get some financial literacy. According to Brian, half the country doesn’t even have more than $2,000 in their savings account. The idea they are going to go out and hire a $10,000 a year planner is ludicrous. The workplace offers the one to many model and is the best way to get financial wellness and literacy to these people. HOW ADVISORS SHOULD APPROACH SMALL BUSINESSES ABOUT STARTING UP A 401K PLAN After you inspire the business owner, then comes the typical conversation about fees, funds, and fiduciary – not before. Instead of trying to pitch lower fund fees or compliance, strike them in the heart. “Business owner, do you care about your employees?” Yes. “Do you want them to stay with you a long time?” Yes. “Do you think it would be the best thing for your business if Sheila who answers the phone of the trucking company, and who all your clients know by name, if she were still there in five months from now?” Yes. “Does Sheila have a family?” Yes, she’s got two young kids. “Does she know about 529 plans?” Huh? I dunno. “Does she know about 401k?” I dunno, I’ve never had a conversation with her. WHERE ADVISORS MISS OPPORTUNITIES WITH SMALL BUSINESSES This is about motivating the employer to want to participate in the financial wellness of their employees. That would be the conversation not the typical financial advisor pitch about fund expense ratios. That’s not it. Show them ways they aren’t caring as much about their people as they possible could. This is how Brian approaches the conversation about small business retirement plans. * How do you think lethargic or non-motivated employees affect your bottom line? * Ask them who the plan is for; them or their employees. * How expensive is turnover for your business? * How much time do your employees spend thinking about money issues? Especially at a small business, it’s a lot harder for people to put in half-effort, to look for another job, and to leave if they feel that the small business owner cares about them. Bring the spirit of entrepreneurship back to the conversation. If you want to be a financial advisor for 401k plans, do it for the right reasons; not just to get at the business owner’s assets. You have to have a passion for working with all the employees because if you are just laser-focused on the CEO and have no concern for Tony the secretary who is out front putting away $20k a year, that is not going to be a win for anybody. It’s just not a good scenario; you really should have a passion to help everyone in that company’s workforce. Brian says that what many advisors miss though is the automation. You don’t want to have the employer have to manually download payroll data every week; use technology to streamline the process and make it easier. American middle class needs more 401k plans Financial advisors have an amazing opportunity to help America. * Not have as stressful a Christmas * Not fight with their spouses over bills * To help them to get up in the morning and feel as if they are building something for their family rather than just getting a paycheck that is about to vanish * To feel they are more in control of life for their families * To seek people to acquire more financial literacy because you inspired them * To help people to seek more success financially instead of just clocking in and clocking out, to behave differently SOLVING THE 401K COVERAGE GAP Brian wonders: What if ever advisors took every Friday afternoon and went to visit a small business in a 10 mile radius of their business?  Instead of writing a check to your local charity, donate some time. Even if your goal is to break even, maybe that is your contribution to your community instead of just writing a check. If you give a business owner five good things to do for their business, you never know how they could reciprocate back. Moreover you never know what you can learn from sitting down with somebody, especially a business owner who has been through some stuff. If anything you could make a new friend. And that’s it for the show! SARA’S UPSHOT Thanks for reading my blog about 401k tips for financial advisors. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sara-grillo-marketing-services-300x169.jpg] * I am an outsourced CMO for companies who need regular, full service marketing – blogging, social media posts, newsletters, etc. * I am an hourly consultant for those who just need one-time or recurring guidance * People hire me as a ghostwriter to write content for a project fee * I have a social media training program [https://saragrillo.com/product/membership-prime-portal/] * I have a book about what to say on LinkedIn [https://saragrillo.com/product/47-financial-advisor-linkedin-messages-and-sequences/] messenger JOIN THE TRANSPARENCY ADVISOR MOVEMENT The Transparent Advisor Movement [https://saragrillo.com/2022/09/17/transparent-advisor-movement/]’s mission is to promote ideals of clarity, modesty, integrity, dignity, and client advocacy in all aspects of financial advice, with a special focus on Advice Only, Flat Fee, and Hourly service models. There is a special emphasis on clear disclosure of services and their related fees. The Transparency Movement is the future of the industry – we welcome anyone who believes in our values to join us. Join our next Transparent Advisor virtual meetup [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/swx7PMx]. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/TAM-grid-1024x560.jpg] These meetups are free and the goal is to learn from each other about how to grow and manage a transparent practice for the benefit of clients. Even if you can not make the meetup, or even attend in its entirety, please register [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/swx7PMx] for the replay and to be notified of the next one. We meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 1 PM ET. DISCLAIMER Grillo Investment Management, LLC does not guarantee any specific level of performance, the success of any strategy that Grillo Investment Management, LLC may use, or the success of any program. Grillo Investment Management, LLC will strive to maintain current information however it may become out of date. Grillo Investment Management, LLC is under no obligation to advise users of subsequent changes to statements or information contained herein. There is no guarantee that the information contained herein is accurate. This information is general in nature; for specific advice applicable to your current situation please contact a consultant or advisor. Rates may vary as a function of geographic location due to exchange rate differences, fees, surcharges, and other factors. These offers are limited to the services advertised in the promotions contained on this page. Additional services may be provided at an additional cost at rates that are subject to negotiation. The post Imagine if the local bakery had a 401k? Let’s solve the 401k Coverage Gap and save the American middle class! [https://saragrillo.com/2024/12/16/401k-coverage-gap/] appeared first on Sara Grillo [https://saragrillo.com].

16 de dic de 202431 min
episode How to tell a bad life insurance pitch artwork

How to tell a bad life insurance pitch

In this podcast I talk with Broc Buckles [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brocbuckles/] of BC Brokerage [https://www.bc-brokerage.com/] about how to avoid falling for a bad life insurance pitch. For those of you who are new to my blog, my name is Sara. I am a CFA® charterholder and financial advisor marketing consultant. I have a newsletter [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/sZAIghA] in which I talk about financial advisor lead generation topics which is best described as “fun and irreverent.”  For those of you who are new to my blog, my name is Sara. I am a CFA® charterholder and financial advisor marketing consultant. I have a newsletter [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/sZAIghA] in which I talk about financial advisor lead generation topics which is best described as “fun and irreverent.”  BAD LIFE INSURANCE PITCHES ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE! If you are a financial advisor, your clients have probably been pitched bad life insurance. Learn: * What to look for in the illustration to know if it’s a bad pitch * How the life insurance should fit overall into your client’s financial plan * What happens if the life insurance isn’t a good fit for the client * How some insurance products are bad, just bad, and how to tell * “Plan before policy” according to Broc Buckles, and what that means Enjoy the show! SARA’S UPSHOT Thanks for reading my blog about how to tell if a life insurance pitch is bad. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sara-grillo-marketing-services-300x169.jpg] * I am an outsourced CMO for companies who need regular, full service marketing – blogging, social media posts, newsletters, etc. * I am an hourly consultant for those who just need one-time or recurring guidance * People hire me as a ghostwriter to write content for a project fee * I have a social media training program [https://saragrillo.com/product/membership-prime-portal/] * I have a book about what to say on LinkedIn [https://saragrillo.com/product/47-financial-advisor-linkedin-messages-and-sequences/] messenger JOIN THE TRANSPARENCY ADVISOR MOVEMENT The Transparent Advisor Movement [https://saragrillo.com/2022/09/17/transparent-advisor-movement/]’s mission is to promote ideals of clarity, modesty, integrity, dignity, and client advocacy in all aspects of financial advice, with a special focus on Advice Only, Flat Fee, and Hourly service models. There is a special emphasis on clear disclosure of services and their related fees. The Transparency Movement is the future of the industry – we welcome anyone who believes in our values to join us. Join our next Transparent Advisor virtual meetup [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/swx7PMx]. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/TAM-grid-1024x560.jpg] These meetups are free and the goal is to learn from each other about how to grow and manage a transparent practice for the benefit of clients. Even if you can not make the meetup, or even attend in its entirety, please register [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/swx7PMx] for the replay and to be notified of the next one. We meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 1 PM ET. DISCLAIMER Grillo Investment Management, LLC does not guarantee any specific level of performance, the success of any strategy that Grillo Investment Management, LLC may use, or the success of any program. Grillo Investment Management, LLC will strive to maintain current information however it may become out of date. Grillo Investment Management, LLC is under no obligation to advise users of subsequent changes to statements or information contained herein. There is no guarantee that the information contained herein is accurate. This information is general in nature; for specific advice applicable to your current situation please contact a consultant or advisor. Rates may vary as a function of geographic location due to exchange rate differences, fees, surcharges, and other factors. These offers are limited to the services advertised in the promotions contained on this page. Additional services may be provided at an additional cost at rates that are subject to negotiation. The post How to tell a bad life insurance pitch [https://saragrillo.com/2024/11/25/life-insurance-pitch/] appeared first on Sara Grillo [https://saragrillo.com].

25 de nov de 202422 min
episode “Worried I’ll exclude qualified clients if I niche down.” [Does my marketing STINK? Ep One] artwork

“Worried I’ll exclude qualified clients if I niche down.” [Does my marketing STINK? Ep One]

In this first episode of “Does my Marketing STINK?”, we’ll interview Chase Dapello [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chase-dapello-046231173/]of Westlake Private Wealth Management and answer the question of whether or not his marketing stinks. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/marketing-stink-1-1024x576.jpg] If you’d like to be a guest on “Does my marketing STINK” and have you or your company’s marketing analyzed for free, send me a note below. FIND OUT IF YOUR MARKETING STINKS [https://saragrillo.com/contact/] For those of you who are new to my blog, my name is Sara. I am a CFA® charterholder and financial advisor marketing consultant. I have a newsletter [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/sZAIghA] in which I talk about financial advisor lead generation topics which is best described as “fun and irreverent.”  And now – onto the show! “THEY’RE NOT GOING TO LIKE ME IF I GO OUT THERE AND SAY I’M A FINANCIAL ADVISOR FOR DENTISTS.” If they like you and you have the skills they need, they will actually hire you no matter what your niche is. If you are going to niche, you should go gung ho. That is the only way to do it. Otherwise you are going to exclude the people who don’t fit into that niche, but you wont have the magnetism to attract the people who do fall into it. If you are going to niche, then burrow yourself so far down into that niche that you are at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. Where the earthquakes come from. So far down that you don’t even care, that it doesn’t even cross your mind that you might be losing business. That is the only way I have seen niches really work. See Avier Advisors [https://saragrillo.com/2024/07/22/ria-firm/] for an example.  They know Microsoft benefits as well as if not better than the HR people who work at the company. Or you can specialize. Devin Carroll [https://www.youtube.com/c/DevinCarroll] is a social security specialist. Andy Panko [https://saragrillo.com/2022/03/14/flat-fee-financial-advisors/] started a taxes in retirement Facebook group. “IT’S BEEN DIFFICULT TO LEVERAGE EXISTING CLIENTS. I’VE BEEN DOING DINNERS, LUNCHES AND SEMINARS FOR CLIENTS AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO BRING PEOPLE THEY KNOW ALONG AND THEY CAN LEARN FOR FREE. IT’S BEEN DIFFICULT TO GET TRACTION ON IT.” When you go through your client base and your immediate circle and hit the point of not having anyone else to go to, that is when you really have to get creative. These events where you ask clients to bring friends are awkward and everyone is worried about not being able to meet your expectations for becoming their client. This is a hard, hard, hard way to go because clients are going to guard their relationship with their friends, and their friends are going to be guarded. It’s a masked sales call. We have to get what I call “the second wave.” How can I use my relationship with this client to open doors for me that might not directly lead to another person on the other side of the door, but will create a land of opportunity for me?   I’d suggest trying to build a community with these folks that would be more natural and focus on needs or interests they might have. If you work with film script writers, for example, find a way to help them with the inconsistencies of income they tend to face. I would get to know these writers and interview them. Instead of coming to them with a sales pitch, come to them as an advocate. Take a longer term view. Incubate and advocate. Write up the interviews. “How did you get your first writing job? “Are you part of the writer’s guild? What are the benefits of that?” “What website has been most helpful for you getting gigs?” If you could be the conduit, be the person the writers come to for these answers, it takes away the cudgel of stiff-faced dinner seminars. Show them you will walk alongside them. It should be more like this. They may be focused on the three steps ahead of them, but you are focused on the broader view including 30 years from now when you are going to retire, and that is because I talk to script writers all day and for that reason I can see a broader picture that you can not. “Oh well that’s too much work and I have a quota.” If you need leads right away, you are simply going to just have to cold call and get rejected or buy leads (insert link). People are going to see that you are not into developing a relationship with them unless you sincerely can keep the long term in mind a build something – a system, a community. If you can not do that, just resort to transactional marketing means and that is going to be a hard way to go. NOT ENOUGH IN THE PIPELINE Marketing and blogs are nice, but you need a list. And if there aren’t enough people on the list, you need to get out there and knock on doors. Yeah I know. People hate it when I say that. If you cold call a business, don’t treat the receptionist like they work for you. They are probably pretty close with the business owner, especially if it is a small business. If you make a good enough case with the admin, they may want to actually help you. Treat everyone with respect anyway. Treat everyone associated with the prospect as a valuable source of information. Just say, “ I was researching this company and I know that taxes have just onge up in the local area. I just wanted to come in and do a seminar about how to do tax planning in XYZ County. Have you ever had anybody come in here and talk about something like that? As someone who knows the company really well, is there anything you think would have a higher success rate?” Treating the gatekeeper cold will cause you to lose sales. And guess what – people do it to reporters, conference organizers, lots of people. When a reporter contacts me, I act like I work for that person. I don’t act like they act for me and I deserve for them to pick me, or that I deserve their respect. I work to earn their respect. Don’t act like you expect them to turn over their beat, or their conference, to you. Put your motives aside and be humble. Treat them like your client and you are trying to increase their business success, no matter what their title or rank is. MASS MAILINGS WITH NO OVERALL STRATEGY If you are not getting leads from the mailers, stop doing it. They are expensive and you don’t have any way to track who is actually reading them. I would create a community and serve them with a digitized newsletter that you can track. HAS A BORING, TYPICAL FINANCIAL ADVISOR LINKEDIN PAGE [https://saragrillo.com/category/financial-advisor-linkedin-2/] * Boring banner photo with company name, which means nothing to them * Boring title that says your title and the company name but doesn’t * Not building a community but instead using it as a broadcast tool. If you don’t build up a community around yourself on LinkedIn, you will get Spam messages. Postings should be made to serve your audience with answers they need. * Don’t put your birthday in your contact field. If that gets to the wrong person, it can be a compromise of private info. * Need Featured postings * About section – instead of a bland description, it should state your position of advocacy See these blogs for LinkedIn tips for financial advisors. [https://saragrillo.com/category/financial-advisor-linkedin-2/] There is also this LinkedIn message ebook [https://saragrillo.com/product/47-financial-advisor-linkedin-messages-and-sequences/] and social media training program [https://saragrillo.com/product/membership-prime-portal/]. SARA’S UPSHOT Thanks for watching, “Does my marketing stink”. If you’d like to be a guest on the show and find out if your marketing stinks, send me a note [https://saragrillo.com/contact/]. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sara-grillo-marketing-services-300x169.jpg] * I am an outsourced CMO for companies who need regular, full service marketing – blogging, social media posts, newsletters, etc. * I am an hourly consultant for those who just need one-time or recurring guidance * People hire me as a ghostwriter to write content for a project fee * I have a social media training program [https://saragrillo.com/product/membership-prime-portal/] * I have a book about what to say on LinkedIn [https://saragrillo.com/product/47-financial-advisor-linkedin-messages-and-sequences/] messenger Immersion2025 will be the second advice-only and flat fee financial advisor conference in our industry’s history. When: Wednesday, March 12th – Thursday, March 13th, 2025 Where: Four Points by Sheraton Kansas City Airport, 11832 NW Plaza Circle, Kansas City, Missouri, 64153 Join the Immersion here! [https://saragrillo.com/2024/03/16/immersion-2025/] [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/immersion-2025-tnail-300x144.jpg] I have a newsletter [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/sZAIghA] in which I talk about financial advisor lead generation topics which is best described as “fun and irreverent.” I hope you’ll join it! The post “Worried I’ll exclude qualified clients if I niche down.” [Does my marketing STINK? Ep One] [https://saragrillo.com/2024/11/11/lose-qualified-clients/] appeared first on Sara Grillo [https://saragrillo.com].

11 de nov de 20241 h 0 min
episode This $1.7BB RIA firm converted from AUM to flat fee and never looked back! artwork

This $1.7BB RIA firm converted from AUM to flat fee and never looked back!

In this podcast we interview Jamie Menges [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-menges-cfp%C2%AE-cpa-97866319/] of PDS Planning, [https://www.pdsplanning.com/] a multi-advisor flat fee RIA firm with $1.7BB in assets under management. You’ll hear the story of why they converted from AUM to flat fee, how it has bolstered the growth trajectory of the practice, how to convert your firm from AUM and achieve similar results, and more! Flat fee firms are not all solo lifestyle practices! We’re about to refute this myth!!! For those of you who are new to my blog, my name is Sara. I am a CFA® charterholder and financial advisor marketing consultant. I have a newsletter [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/sZAIghA] in which I talk about financial advisor lead generation topics which is best described as “fun and irreverent.”  Sara Grillo, CFA is a highly fun and slightly crazy marketing consultant based in NYC. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Sara-Grillo-300x149.png]I am an irreverent and fun marketing consultant for financial advisors. We’ll discuss: * What was the trajectory in terms of being an AUM firm and making the switch to flat fees * Why they made the conversion * How they went about the process of switching into the flat fee model * How it impacted their growth as an RIA firm * What Jamie would tell an RIA firm that wants to start charging flat fees but is worried * What their clients think * How excited their team is to be part of a disruptive business model * The importance of making this conversion in a controlled manner * Putting clients’ interest first as a fiduciary when assessing contract scope of work WHY THEY MADE THE SWITCH PDS Planning had 10 employees and everyone at the organization was excited to be a part of this disruptive business model. Flat fees are not just for lifestyle solo financial advisor practices. The original impetus was the brand value (flat fees being more transparent and logic) and also to gain clarity about how much revenue exactly they would be earning. They believed in it and felt that it would be a true differentiator. They love the transparency of the flat fee. They love being able to talk to their clients about the fee they are being charged in dollars and cents. > “When someone asks you ‘What are you paying your advisor,’ we don’t want you to answer like everyone else and go, ‘I don’t know. I think it’s about the industry standard. I think it’s maybe 1% or something.” – Jamie Menges WHAT THEY LEARNED They learned they had to be very careful about how they price things in order to provide the best possible counsel to their clients while also allowing for career opportunities for the team. They went from having 10 people to 16 people today -and growing. After they decided they were converting from AUM to flat fee, they had to define what the variables were that were going to drive the pricing model. * Is this client going to be serviced mostly by a lead or an associate advisor? * How much time will administrative roles play in this relationship? * Are we going to do investment management? * What areas of financial planning are we going to be providing? * Do they have outlier circumstances that are going to create a greater volume of work? (stock options, concentrated positions, unwinding insurance policies, are they going to retain another custodian than Schwab?) * Do they have family members in a younger generation that will need to be serviced? If unforeseen things such as divorce or death happens, they manage through them. Their first thought is, how do we get a solution for client? In the longer term, there is a contract adjustment for change in scope that come up. To keep up with the cost of doing business, there is an annual adjustment to the client’s contract as a matter of course. They use the meeting with the client to right size the contract to the relationship for both expected and unexpected changes that happen. Although it seems like an intimidating conversation, it gets easier over time. HOW HAS IT CHANGED THE RIA FIRM’S GROWTH TRAJECTORY? They had 400 clients when they started their flat fee conversion in 2016. They now have 600 clients. Their average growth per year in terms of top line revenue growth (organic, no acquisitions) is 11-12% per year. They want to grow in a controlled manner and work-life balance for their team is important. They turn away alot of clients who don’t fit their profile. WHAT HE WOULD SAY TO SOMEONE WHO SAYS THE FLAT FEE MODEL IS NOT SCALABLE It’s not as easy to scale as an AUM firm. But at the end of the day, PDS Planning is a profitable business that employs 16 people and provides a high quality service to its clients. They have grown. Scaling can be done; it may be challenging to maintain a 35% profit margin as a flat fee firm. It can be done with acceptable profit margins. Alot of advisors who balk at the flat fee model are looking at themselves relative to other firms. He says they should worry about taking care of what they need to take care of in their own entity. If it’s all about dollars and cents for the advisor, they should think about trying to marry their clients’ interests with their own. HOW TO MAKE THE AUM TO FLAT FEE CONVERSION EASIER Having their employees buy in and be excited about being a part of this disruptive business is a key thing. Mindset wise, they have figured out what they need to charge in order to serve the clients they like serving. They are now working with clients who have $2MM or above and are providing an incredible cost savings versus what the client would be paying an AUM advisor. They have gotten to the point of clearly recognizing what it takes for them to be successful for their clients while being able to provide employees with a fruitful place to work. Menges says this can be done on a smaller scale for flat fee firms who want to work with smaller clients. There is no one RIA firm size that flat fees work for. You can start out as a flat fee firm, you can change over from AUM to flat fees, or you can find a way to somehow make it work if you are abiding by another business model. It’s possible if you are able to understand what you do for clients, what you need to charge them, and whether or not that is a true value for the client. You have to: * Have a vision for what you want * Take intention steps to get what you * Have a sense of urgency in how you get it * Don’t be complacent – keep doing what makes you successful When have people ever been punished for doing the right thing? If you do the right thing for your clients and employees, good things will happen. SARA’S UPSHOT Thanks for reading my blog about how one RIA converted to flat fee from AUM. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sara-grillo-marketing-services-300x169.jpg] * I am an outsourced CMO for companies who need regular, full service marketing – blogging, social media posts, newsletters, etc. * I am an hourly consultant for those who just need one-time or recurring guidance * People hire me as a ghostwriter to write content for a project fee * I have a social media training program [https://saragrillo.com/product/membership-prime-portal/] * I have a book about what to say on LinkedIn [https://saragrillo.com/product/47-financial-advisor-linkedin-messages-and-sequences/] messenger JOIN THE TRANSPARENCY ADVISOR MOVEMENT The Transparent Advisor Movement [https://saragrillo.com/2022/09/17/transparent-advisor-movement/]’s mission is to promote ideals of clarity, modesty, integrity, dignity, and client advocacy in all aspects of financial advice, with a special focus on Advice Only, Flat Fee, and Hourly service models. There is a special emphasis on clear disclosure of services and their related fees. The Transparency Movement is the future of the industry – we welcome anyone who believes in our values to join us. Join our next Transparent Advisor virtual meetup [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/swx7PMx]. [https://saragrillo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/TAM-grid-1024x560.jpg] These meetups are free and the goal is to learn from each other about how to grow and manage a transparent practice for the benefit of clients. Even if you can not make the meetup, or even attend in its entirety, please register [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/swx7PMx] for the replay and to be notified of the next one. We meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 1 PM ET. DISCLAIMER Grillo Investment Management, LLC does not guarantee any specific level of performance, the success of any strategy that Grillo Investment Management, LLC may use, or the success of any program. Grillo Investment Management, LLC will strive to maintain current information however it may become out of date. Grillo Investment Management, LLC is under no obligation to advise users of subsequent changes to statements or information contained herein. There is no guarantee that the information contained herein is accurate. This information is general in nature; for specific advice applicable to your current situation please contact a consultant or advisor. Rates may vary as a function of geographic location due to exchange rate differences, fees, surcharges, and other factors. These offers are limited to the services advertised in the promotions contained on this page. Additional services may be provided at an additional cost at rates that are subject to negotiation. The post This $1.7BB RIA firm converted from AUM to flat fee and never looked back! [https://saragrillo.com/2024/10/07/aum-flat-fee/] appeared first on Sara Grillo [https://saragrillo.com].

7 de oct de 202435 min