Greatest Hits: M&A Masterclass with Jon Kuttin
In this Advisor Talk masterclass, Frank LaRosa sits down with one of the industry’s most prolific acquirers, Barron’s Top 5 advisor Jon Kuttin of Kuttin Wealth Management, for an unfiltered deep dive into the real economics, strategy, and psychology behind M&A in the financial services space world. Across more than 100 acquisitions, Jon has developed a repeatable framework for identifying the right deals, structuring them intelligently, and positioning himself as the buyer sellers gravitate toward - even when he isn’t the highest bidder. In this conversation, he breaks down why not every advisor should be a buyer, what it truly takes to be acquisition-ready, and how elite buyers think about leverage, enterprise value, debt, and multi-year glide paths.
Advisor Talk with Frank LaRosa · Frank LaRosa, Jon Kuttin
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Show Notes
Frank and Jon unpack:
• Why today's competitive landscape means growth-motivated buyers must approach deals differently.
• The three core reasons advisors pursue acquisitions - and which ones actually lead to long-term success.
• How leverage, bank financing, and EBITDA-based lending really work in practice.
• Why “fixer-upper” books may offer the strongest ROI.
• How elite buyers win deals by understanding the emotional side of selling a practice.
• The art of creating a safe landing place for sellers, their teams, and their clients.
• Why phased buyouts and seller glide paths often create better retention and better economics for everyone.
Jon also shares numbers, structures, and stories that demystify the math behind buying a practice - and the mindset required to scale from practitioner to true enterprise builder.
If you're a buyer, seller, or advisor considering M&A in any form, this episode is a blueprint you can’t afford to miss.
Resources:
Jon Kuttin’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathankuttin
Elite Consulting Partners | Financial Advisor Transitions: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com
Elite Marketing Concepts | Marketing Services for Financial Advisors: https://elitemarketingconcepts.com
Elite Advisor Successions | Advisor Mergers and Acquisitions: https://eliteadvisorsuccessions.com
JEDI Database Solutions | Data Intelligence for Advisors: https://jedidatabasesolutions.com
Listen to more Advisor Talk episodes: https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts/
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/eliteconsultingpartners
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:08 Meet Jon Kuttin
04:42 What Makes a Buyer Truly Ready
13:56 Building Enterprise Value Through Acquisitions
17:20 Managing Risk, Liquidity & Debt Capacity
21:08 Where the Best Acquisition Opportunities Are
35:20 Why Seller Fit Matters More Than Price
42:02 Structuring Glide Paths, Partial Sales & Long-Term Transitions