Views From The Experts
Gregg Johnson
Executive Vice President of Branch Office
Development and Acquisitions
Securities America
4 Strategies That Call For Adding Associate Advisors
With the failure rate for new advisors at 80-90 percent, hiring associates can be a costly decision if not handled correctly from the start. So before jumping full speed ahead into recruiting, it’s important to first consider what you hope to achieve by adding to your practice.
Generally, there are four strategies that call for hiring associate advisors:
- Branch Leverage: Is your practice currently growing quickly with referrals coming in regularly, and is your practice reaching (or beyond) capacity to serve all clients according to your client service standards?
- Long-Term Succession Plan: Are you looking to bring in younger advisors or groom a novice to be your eventual succession partner? This is a long-term strategy that can take up to 10 years to come to fruition.
- Life Balance: Is your personal practice currently overwhelming you, and does your work-life balance seem out of control? Do you want to spend more time with family or on pursuits outside of the practice?
- Multi-Generational Focus: Are you looking to add younger advisors to bring multi-generational clients to the practice, specifically to work with the children of your top clients? Many advisors are currently at risk for their practice shrinking over the long-term as their clients age and eventually die. Heirs often move the assets they have inherited to their advisor of choice—especially if they do not have a relationship with you.
Whatever reason you have for wanting to hire associate advisors—whether to support your fast-growing practice or to help you slow down—be sure to carefully plan and weigh your options. It is not a decision to be made hastily.
Securities America is a leading independent broker-dealer with more than 2,200 financial advisors overseeing $71 billion in client assets. With over 570 employees, primarily in La Vista, Neb., we help advisors grow, protect and perfect their practice so they can provide comprehensive financial advice to their clients. Recognized for award-winning technology, proven practice management solutions and innovative advisory platform, Securities America is a subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE MKT: LTS, LTS PrA). This affiliation provides expanded services including equity research, investment banking, fixed income support, advisor-friendly trust services and insurance brokerage. For more information visit www.securitiesamerica.com.