Advisor Talk with Frank LaRosa

Is Private Equity money tempting you? Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa advises that it is best to think twice, as the pressures of taking advantage of cheap Private Equity money could prove costly to advisors.

Have you presented yourself to your clients as an asset manager? You may find yourself on the outside looking in when the market turns. Process, and your ability to communicate it, is what saves you from losing clients during a down market as Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa details in this episode along with practical guidance on redirecting client conversations away from portfolio percentage and towards long-term strategy.

It’s about what you keep, not what you get. The W-2 vs.1099 impact – which one is best for you? In this episode, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa gets granular and breaks out the white board to analyze the tax implications of both the W-2 and 1099 model and future casts the ten year production payout of each so you can make an informed financial decision for the next step in your advisor career

It's been a notable few weeks in financial services with a number of newsworthy firms going public with information on the deals and strategies which will certainly impact the industry landscape. From Advisor Group completing their merger with Ladenburg Thalmann, to Pershing lowering the requirements for firms to enter their institutional side, and Stewart Partners conducting their annual goals meeting - Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa lends his insider insight and offers informed opinions on these topics and more.

Whenever there is a big merger in financial services, there is the told and untold story behind the reasons why. In this special Hot Mic Episode, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa analyzes the latest buzz surrounding the Morgan Stanley and E-trade merger and cuts through the media noise to offer up his take on the real reasons behind the deal.

Whether you are a firm in the process of recruiting a new advisor or an advisor actively engaging a new client, the impression you create in order to move those relationships forward goes beyond the initial call or meeting. Every touch point you have with your prospect is an opportunity to create engagement and build trust and one of the most proven methods to create tangible outreach is through a thoughtfully crafted follow-up gift that embodies the values and image of your business. In this special podcast episode, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa offers a challenge to his listeners to send in your follow-up gift or outreach package. In an ongoing series of YouTube episodes, Frank will choose a package to 'unbox' and give his unbiased and candid advice on the promotional package's ability to move the needle for relationship marketing.

There is one certainty in financial services and that is markets will go up and markets will go down. For firms attempting to balance their business in light of this truth, a tried and true method for stabilizing your client base regardless of market fluctuations is clarifying and articulating your process. In this episode, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa draws on his personal experiences in the advisory trenches and defines the essentials of a successful firm process to serve as a game plan for client retention long-term.

Client Service Associates (CSA) are an essential team member of the best, and most profitable, advisory firms. The role of the CSA goes beyond paperwork and, when executed properly, is a vital component to building client rapport and fostering long-term client relationships. In this episode of Advisor Talk with Frank LaRosa, the essential elements of managing and leading a successful a CSA are analyzed by Frank and the key strategies for engaging your CSA in fostering business growth are detailed.

Many financial services firms leverage recruiting junior advisors as a growth strategy for their business while struggling to counteract the low success rate these financial advisor newcomers will experience. In this episode, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa discusses the subtleties in managing, mentoring, and training new advisors to the ultimate levels of achievement for the benefit of both the firm and the advisor.

Surrounding yourself with professionals who share your business vision, embrace a philosophy of positivity, and foster inspired action can create immeasurable success in your business and your life. In this episode, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa shares valuable insight into how to assemble and utilize your own Mastermind Group to exponentially compound your business results while transforming your professional, mental, and personal growth.

Twas the night before Christmas and not a creature was stirring - except Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa and his right-hand man Dale Dempsey recording their latest podcast episode. Listen and learn about core values and the step-by-step process and strategic implementation measures the Elite team used to positively impact their business and its culture.

How can holiday greetings and gifts for your clients impact your business? Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa explains how to set yourself apart with your corporate holiday gifts and details the logistics, gift items, and special touches that matter most while Dale Dempsey gets into the spirit of the season by playing Santa's Helper in his Santa hat.

How do you best negotiate moving your practice to a new firm? Frank LaRosa takes this episode of 'The Financial Advisor's Advisor' on the road as he details the nuances in negotiation which insure your move secures both the best price and the best long-term relationship with your new firm partner.Learn more at https://www.eliteconsultingpartners.com/the-financial-advisors-advisor-podcast/Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRjHhruwbtu1d3N-KleWR_g#TheFinancialAdvisorsAdvisor #FrankLaRosa #EliteConsultingPartners #RIA #Wirehouse #Independence #FinancialServices #WealthManagement #Success #Entrepreneur #ArtOfTheDeal #Recruiting #iamarete #wearearete #maxout #mfceo

What does looking both ways before you cross the street have to do with planning your transition? Everything, as Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa explains in this episode of 'The Financial Advisor's Advisor' where he shares the methodology by which a financial advisor can filter out the noise, avoid falling prey to shiniest sales pitch, and make their transition based on sound business reasoning as to what makes the best firm partner.Learn more at www.eliteconsultingpartners.com.Visit us on YouTube.#EliteConsultingPartners #FrankLaRosa #FinancialAdvisorsAdvisor #Recruiting #FinancialServices #FinancialAdvisor #WealthManagement #RIA #Hybrid #Wirehouse #Success #Entrepreneur

Is it the same financial services story with different names? Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa analyzes the implications of the equity purchase rumors swirling around Ladenburg Thalman and the potential industry impacts in this episode of the Financial Advisor's Advisor.Learn more at www.eliteconsultingpartners.com.Visit us on YouTube.#EliteConsultingPartners #FrankLaRosa #FinancialAdvisorsAdvisor #RIA #Practitioner #Wirehouse #BrokerDealer #M&A #FinancialServices #Entrepreneur #Success

How do you revolutionize your business using social media? You get comfortable with using Social Media outlets to attract new clients and grow your business as a brand. Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa discusses this and other new age marketing topics while Dale Dempsey practices what they preach by wearing a penguin costume in this episode of 'The Financial Advisor's Advisor'.Visit www.eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts to learn more.Watch this episode on YouTube.#EliteConsultingPartners #FrankLaRosa #socialmedia #Instagram #Facebook #Twitter #LinkedIn #YouTube #FinancialAdvisorsAdvisor #FinancialServices #RIA #Independent #Success #Entrepreneur #Business

What happens when you forget to press record on your podcast? In this week’s unedited version of ‘The Financial Advisor’s Advisor’, take a Behind-The-Scenes look at Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa breaks down the current and future implications of 0% commissions after Dale Dempsey forgets to turn on their microphones.Visit www.eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts to learn more.#behindthescenes #BTS #EliteConsultingPartners #FrankLaRosa #FinancialAdvisorsAdvisor #Independence #RIA #Wirehouse #Hybrid #WealthManagement #ZeroCommissionTrades #FinancialServices #Success #Entrepreneur

What are the top 5 do’s and dont’s of preparing your broker protocol spreadsheet and why preparing your spreadsheet correctly is essential.Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa discusses the top five do's and don'ts of broker protocol spreadsheet preparation and other important broker protocol considerations for advisors considering a transition in this episode of 'The Financial Advisor's Advisor.'To learn more visit www.eliteconsultingpartners.com

What’s the one question you should be asking every wealthy client or prospect that can bring in $50m in new assets? Find out in episode 18 of the Financial Advisor’s Advisor podcast. From increasing a firm's assets and revenue to serving as a client retention tool, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa outlines the ways in which lending can be utilized in the asset gathering mix to contribute to overall firm success.#EliteConsultingPartners #FinancialAdvisorsAdvisors #FrankLaRosa #Financial #Advisor #FinancialFirm #FinancialAdvisor #RIA #WealthManagement #Hybrid #Lending #Success #Entrepreneur

This week's episode of "The Financial Advisor's Advisor" offers up part two of a special two-part series on the home office visit and the important role it plays in the recruiting process for both the advisor and the firm. In this episode's discussion, Elite Consulting Partners Founder and CEO Frank LaRosa takes on the topic from the perspective of the firm, providing practical guidance and informed insight on how a firm can maximize the home office visit to insure recruiting the right advisor for their team.

The home office visit is an important part of the recruiting process for both the advisor and the firm. This week's episode of "The Financial Advisor's Advisor" launches a special two-part series on the topic. Part one discusses the home office visit from the advisor's point of view; part two will cover the firm's point of view. In both parts of the series Elite Consulting Partners Founder and CEO Frank LaRosa analyzes the home office visit and discusses the essential ways to make the most out of the visit.

Real estate, in particular office space, has a big business impact from its financial implications on a company's P&L, to its influence on overall operations and the image a firm projects. In this episode of the "Financial Advisor's Advisor", Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa guides financial professionals step-by-step through making the right decisions in regards to real estate, including a discussion on rent versus own and other important factors to consider in order to maximize revenue per square foot.

There are many reasons why advisors choose to go independent with their practices. From greater autonomy over business operations to branding control and, in most cases, a definitive financial upside - the attractiveness of the independent model is undeniable. Going independent; however, is not a 'one size fits all' solution and many advisors fail to ask themselves the tough questions that let them know if independence is right for them. In this episode of "The Financial Advisor's Advisor", Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa discusses the importance of understanding who you are and what you want for your business as key drivers in choosing independence and provides case studies of current advisors and teams he is working with to illustrate the analysis points every advisor or team should go through in making the decision to go independent.

The importance of being strategic and forward-thinking about your business is paramount to success. Getting down to fundamentals, there are few decisions a business owner will make more important to setting the stage for growth long-term than choosing their company name. In this episode of "The Financial Advisor's Advisor", Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa breaks down the essentials of a successful business naming process, outlining the five most common mistakes business owners make when deciding on the their company name and offering up strategic guidance on creating a business name which will foster future growth.

It's a subject being bantered about by many in the financial services industry - will Merrill Lynch leave protocol? The rumors have certainly intensified as Merrill's strategic moves - among them no longer recruiting experienced advisors and focusing on a salaried compensation program - certainly seem to indicate a change in direction. In this special 'Hot Mic' Episode of "The Financial Advisor's Advisor", Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa lends his expertise and insight to the subject, offering up his opinion and providing focused guidance as to what advisors at Merrill should be considering during these more turbulent times at the firm.

Preparation is the key to most every successful endeavor and this certainly holds true when strategizing for your business and its future. It doesn't matter whether you are in financial services or another industry, understanding where your firm is now and where you want it to go provides the solid foundation upon which you will be able to achieve your long-term business goals. In this Episode of ‘The Financial Advisor's Advisor’ podcast, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa challenges his listeners to 'act as if' and guides them through the strategic thinking and mindset practices which will position their business now for optimal growth later.

Online presence, in particular your website, is more important than many advisors give it credit for. In fact, it is the lens through which your peers and clients will view and form opinions about your business and your brand. In the case of firms who are actively recruiting or looking to acquire practices, websites can have an even greater impact, in particular to the bottom line as it is usually the first point of reference a potential firm or advisor partner will use to conduct their research. In this episode of the 'Financial Advisor's Advisor' Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa leads a discussion on the ways your website can impact your business and the do's and don'ts of creating a successful website in the financial services industry.

Compliance for advisors gets trickier and trickier every day. No advisor is a compliance expert and many - unwittingly so - will find themselves in sticky situations which ultimately result in termination. The top priority for the firms when in comes to compliance issues with an advisor is protecting themselves, even when the advisor is unaware that they committed any transgressions. In this episode of the 'Financial Advisor's Advisor', Part 2 of two-part series, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa puts the advisor first and gives practical advice on compliance-related termination, breaking down the top ten situations advisors find themselves in that will most often result in termination so an advisor can protect themselves from making any pitfalls.

You may think it will never happen to you, but as more and more advisors are discovering, being terminated by your firm is becoming an unpleasant reality for many. In a time when advisors have become more outspoken about both their practices and their client needs, larger firms are retaliating with termination as a 'keep the status quo' strategy. Alternatively, increased FINRA scrutiny has resulted in firms becoming more vigilant in their business practices and ultimately led to an increase in advisor terminations. In this episode of the 'Financial Advisor's Advisor', which is Part 1 of a special two-part series, Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa outlines the 5 practical - and immediate strategies - an advisor needs to take if they are faced with the unfortunate situation of being terminated.

Regardless of the size of your advisory practice, defining your core values as an individual, professional, and a business can be a game changer. By understanding your core values, you essentially gift yourself with a road map that gives structure to your practice, provides the guideposts for how you service your clients, and lends the framework to achieve personal long-term growth. In this episode of the 'Financial Advisor's Advisor' Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa takes you through the practical exercises and insightful processes which will guide you in defining your core values, thereby redefining your business for optimal performance at every level.

RIA and Hybrid are financial services buzz words, but do you truly understand these business models and their benefits? In this episode of the 'Financial Advisor's Advisor' Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa breaks these terms down to fundamentals and evaluates the myths surrounding each. From the faulty logic that going RIA allows you to bypass regultory over-site and grow your business faster to the illusion that an RIA guarantees an advisor more money, Frank break these myths wide open and discusses the strategic truths that will enable an advisor to evaluate their decision to go RIA or Hybrid from a place of insight and strength.

Shrinkage can be an uncomfortable subject - particularly when it comes to the 'more is better' mentality that prevails in financial services. Many large firms are eager to push their advisors for more, particularly when it comes to more clients. While on the surface this may seem to be a good strategy, in the end the concept is fatally flawed. More clients means more time spent by the advisor, which results in less time to service the clients effectively. In order to grow sometimes it is necessary to shrink. In this episode of the "Financial Advisor's Advisor', Elite Consulting Partners CEO, Frank LaRosa reviews the benefits of doing just that by analyzing how refining your customer base and targeting the right clients from the outset can result in the most sustainable and positive growth model for firms and their advisors.

When you are in negotiations with a potential new firm partner, it is easy to get enamored with the big numbers a firm may present as part of your transition package. While on the surface the number may seem like a dream come true, it's important to peel back the curtain and find out the specifics of what your offer number is comprised of and what that ultimately means for your NET income. In this episode of the 'Financial Advisor's Advisor', Elite Consulting Partners CEO Frank LaRosa does just that by diving deep into what comprises the financial components of transition offers and the potential income implications for advisors considering a move,

As the old adages go 'the devil is in the details' and 'you only get one chance to make a first impression'. Picture your own home and the mailbox outside. It's a small detail of the landscape and yet it's care and condition speak volumes about the care and condition of your home. Now flip that script to the office of your financial services firm. If you are a firm actively recruiting advisors, what do the details of your office space say about you, your company, and its values? Will your office environment help you make the first impression that attracts the best and brightest talent available? In this episode of the Financial Advisor's Advisor, Elite Consulting Partners Founder & CEO Frank LaRosa discusses the exact details and strategies a firm should focus on in order to create the right impression that ensures success at all levels of a firm's operations.

It's a seller's market in financial services and advisors interested in making a move are being offered unprecedented financial deals by independent and wirehouses firms alike . It's hard to resist the siren call of a big payday but what are the deciding factors in making a transition - other than financial - which ensure an advisor is making a move for the right reason? In this episode of 'The Financial Advisor's Advisor' Elite Consulting Partners Founder & CEO Frank LaRosa discusses just that. Learn from Frank's expertise about how evaluating culture, technology, operational support, and other business synergies in the due diligence process of your transition - and not focusing on just the money - can be in an investment in the future of your business that builds a long-term legacy.

The attraction of the independent business model for financial advisors is undeniable. Independence offers financial, operational, and lifestyle benefits that - even if an advisor is not ready to make a move - certainly has them thinking about it. For many advisors considering independence the questions become am I ready to and do I want to run my own business? This gray area has led to the rise of the Independent W-2 Model or Supported Independence, such as the one recently announced by LPL Financial, which offers the benefits of independence with the safety net of large firm operational support. Is this W-2 Model revolutionary, what do advisors need to consider when it comes to independence, and where is the industry trending for this business model are all discussed in this episode of the Financial Advisor's Advisor.

Advisors Should Eat Their Own Cooking – Are You Prepared For A Catastrophic Event With Your Business?When financial services firms and their advisors talk about succession planning, they often present a very buttoned-up scenario. An advisor builds a book of business over the course of their career, ages gracefully, and bequeaths their book of business to an eager, young advisor. This; however, is very rarely the case.Read MoreFirst and foremost, financial advisors – for all of the planning they do for their clients – rarely plan to the same extent for themselves. Secondly, there tends to be a big gap between when the advisor envisions retiring and when they actually do. It’s in that gap where much can take place that impact’s an advisor, their business, and their customers.To understand the ramifications of this “gap” period, it is important to also understand this period of time in an advisor’s life. They have gotten older, worked long hours, and may be in a position where their health is fading. They may be confronted with an illness that prevents them from continuing to work at the pace that they have previously. They may even pass away. All of these examples refer to scenarios that are catastropic in nature to both the advisor and their business and must be accounted for in any discussion of succession planning .I think firms are so focused on when and/or if an advisor is retiring that they are missing out on a huge opportunity right in front of them surrounding catastrophic planning. Catastrophic planning is best described as when an advisor has pre-selected another advisor, practice, or business to take over their book should some type of catastrophic event take place that would prevent them from continuing to run their practice.It is safe to say that catastrophic planning falls under the “it’s never going to happen to me” theory in the minds of most advisors. What these advisors fail to recognize; though, is it could very well happen to them and that their clients are very much thinking about what will happen to their account if it does. If you’re that advisor, who feels close yet far from retirement and have not yet put a plan for succession into place, you need to have a good answer for your clients, your family, and yourself if confronted with the worst case scenario of a catastrophic event.Setting up a pre-defined catastrophic event successor is something every advisor should do and articulate to their clients. Bear in mind, catastrophic planning is not a quick-fix process and the appropriate successor for an advisor should only be named after thoughtful and serious due diligence. In searching for a successor, advisors need to make sure the individual they pick aligns with the philosophical and business practicalities they themselves already have in place. Additionally, it is important to evaluate a successor’s resources such as support staff, technology capabilities, and client support programs. The last thing you would want is to hastily hand over your hard-won business under the guise of “planning” only to see it fall apart on the watch of an ill-prepared successor.On the flip-side, if you’re a firm or advisor looking to grow your business, and thinking long-term, becoming the catastrophic event solution for one or more advisors can be a great way to build your business. In this case, although you’re not asking the advisor to merge or sell their practice now, you are getting your proverbial foot in the door and will have a real opportunity to show a potential seller how good you and your practice really are for when the time comes for them to retire. Keep in mind as you go through this process that you’re going to have to define your value proposition, establish you are a fit for the advisor’s clients, and make sure your investment style is in alignment. It is only then that succession will really work to the benefit of you, the former advisor, and their client’s.Let me be clear, I’m not advocating an ambulance chasing strategy for advisors looking to grow their practices. The acquisition part of catastrophic planning is, in fact, the end result of proper planning by both the selling advisor and the acquiring advisor.Here is some food for thought I would like to leave you with on the topic of catastrophic planning. As an advisor you have inevitably taken a client through a holistic financial planning strategy, discussing the ramifications of various catastrophic events if they were to occur in your client’s lives. This discussion most certainly included the financial planning necessary so that your client’s loved ones are not severely impacted if those negative events were to happen. This is the same catastrophic planning I’m suggesting here for every advisor who cares both about their families and their clients. You owe it to yourself and it is something you seriously need to consider, well before what you think is inevitable actually occurs.The post Advisors Should Eat Their Own Cooking – Ar