Founded in 2017, Wellington-Altus Financial has quickly grown to more than $30 billion in assets under administration and in offices across North America. Today we have Shaun Hauser, the CEO of Wellington-Altus, to discover the driving forces behind its rise to prominence as Canada’s premier wealth advisory firm.
They also discussed:
The factors contributing to Wellington-Altus Financial’s rise, including experienced founders and technological advancements in FinTech.
Wealth management industries in Canada compared to the US, focusing on regulation and competition.
Hiring high-quality advisors and focusing on their satisfaction to ensure client success.
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in North American wealth management and future outlook.
The role of private equity in wealth management, emphasizing alignment with founders and operators.
Impacts of evolving technology on wealth management, highlighting its role in saving time and enhancing efficiency.
The importance of firm culture in the success of Wellington-Altus Financial, focusing on care for employees and clients.
Future prospects and strategic vision for Wellington-Altus Financial’s growth, particularly in the Canadian market.
Stephen Daffron is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BetaNXT, the next wave in wealth management technology and outsourcing solutions. Join Stephen as he introduces BetaNXT, its offerings, and the challenges they are helping wealth advisors and investors address.
Topics also discussed:
Stephen’s diverse background and his journey and role in co-founding BetaNXT.
The evolving wealth management landscape, emphasizing the need for better tools and real-time data to meet changing client demands.
The challenges faced by wealth advisors, such as time spent on data gathering, are highlighted, along with the potential benefits of real-time data processing.
The acquisition of Mediant, emphasizing its role in enhancing data curation and delivery, ultimately improving the advisor-client experience.
The BetaNXT commitment to investing in firms that align with its mission of elevating the wealth management ecosystem.
Jim Tennies is the President and Co-Founder of InCap Group, a boutique investment bank providing sell-side and buy-side M&A advice, valuation services and capital raising assistance.
In this podcast, Jim debunks the “myths” and misconceptions in wealth management M&A that may be holding you back from making informed financial decisions.
They also discussed:
The complexities of valuing a firm beyond just valuation multiples.
The notion that selling a company equates to immediate retirement for the owner.
The differences between various buyers and aggregators in the industry.
The state of valuations in the wealth management market over the past 12 months.
How sellers can still participate in the future growth of their company after a transaction.
Sean Murray is the Head of Retirement at Envestnet. Envestnet is a firm focused on delivering an ecosystem of technology, intelligence, and investment solutions that together can support advisors in building portfolios that align with client priorities around sustainable investing.
Doug and Sean talk through the upcoming wave of assets, data opportunities, and the role of generalist advisors in this must-listen podcast episode.
Topics discussed:
The coverage gap in smaller businesses and the impact of the Secure Act 2.0 on retirement plan creation
State mandates and tax incentives driving the need for better retirement plan solutions
The role of generalist advisors in the retirement plan space and the need for support from broker-dealers
The potential revenue opportunities and advantages of managing retirement plans
Data aggregation and access to participant-level data for advisors
Envestnet’s role in providing technology solutions, investment management, and a digital marketplace for retirement plans
Jack Swift is the CEO of TIFIN AMP, a division of TIFIN and an AI-driven platform for asset management distribution.
In this podcast, we’ve invited Jack to speak on the reshaping of the asset management space by AI and how the seasoned team at TIFIN AMP is ahead of the evolving industry and market.
They also discussed:
The key questions TIFIN AMP is looking to solve for asset managers and how the firm functions
How asset managers partner with the TIFIN AMP team and the variety in the firm’s partnerships
How the firm measures success
The capabilities and advantages of the platform compared to an asset management in-house data science team
Dr. Vinay Nair is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of TIFIN: a platform that creates engaging wealth experiences to improve financial lives. This is all accomplished through AI and investment intelligence-driven personalization for the advised or self-directed investor.
In this podcast, Vinay brings his extensive background in both the academic and business world to give us a rundown on major industry trends and the AI technology TIFIN Wealth utilizes to help advisors and firms better serve their clients.
They also discussed:
The early focus on AI by TIFIN and the evolution they foresee
The capabilities of AI and its impact on advisors
The challenges advisors are facing in terms of driving growth
Firms utilizing their existing data to find new opportunities
John Norris is the Director of Private Wealth at CrowdStreet Advisors. John is responsible for expanding relationships with wealth managers including RIAs, family offices, broker-dealers, and fintech platforms. CrowdStreet Advisors provides advisors and their clients with access to curated, private commercial real estate opportunities selected from CrowdStreet’s proprietary deal flow source from a deep network of 300 real estate sponsors, developers, and operators.
In this podcast, Doug and John discuss the capabilities and custom solutions CrowdStreet offers financial advisors interested in investing in private commercial real estate.
They also discussed:
What attracted John to CrowdStreet and his primary area of focus at the firm
How investing in commercial real estate has changed over the years
The new REIT CrowdStreet Advisors launched: C-REIT
The potential diversification benefits that investing in private commercial real estate can offer a traditional 6040 portfolio, especially in times of market volatility and inflation
What advisors may want to be focusing on in private commercial real estate
Why advisors and investors may want to consider about private commercial real estate and the kinds of investment opportunities available to them through CrowdStreet Advisors
CrowdStreet, Inc. (“CrowdStreet”) offers investment opportunities and financial services on its website. Advisory services are offered through CrowdStreet Advisors, LLC (“CrowdStreet Advisors”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CrowdStreet and a federally registered investment adviser.
Investing in commercial real estate entails substantive risk. You should not invest unless you can sustain the risk of loss of capital, including the risk of total loss of capital. All investors should consider their individual factors in consultation with a professional advisor of their choosing when deciding if an investment is appropriate. Direct and indirect purchase of real property involves significant risks, including without limitation market risks, risks related to the sale of land and risks specific to a given property, which could include the potential for property value loss, potential for foreclosure, changes in tax status and fees, and costs and expenses associated with management of such properties. All investors should consider risks specific to that given property prior to investing.
Though private real estate is, by nature, generally less volatile than the stock market. This lack of volatility does not necessarily translate to private real estate not fluctuating in or losing value. Further, the value of private real estate investments will fluctuate, and the value of real estate often lags behind general market conditions. Further, publicly traded equity REITs may offer more liquidity options than more traditional, non-traded REITs or private placement real estate investments. Non-traded REITS and private placement real estate investments typically have restrictions and limitations on overall liquidity.
This video is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an investment recommendation or advice, or as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy an investment. Though CrowdStreet believes the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, they make no guarantee, warranty or representation of it.
All information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice, or an offer to buy or sell any security or investment product. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources we believe to be reliable but is not guaranteed as to its accuracy or completeness. All examples are hypothetical and for illustrative purposes only.
Andrew Krei is the Co-Chief Investment Officer at Crescent Grove Advisors, based near their Milwaukee office with other offices in Lake Forest and Atlanta. Crescent Grove provides quality investment and financial guidance and solutions to individuals and their families, institutions, endowments, and foundations.
In this podcast, Doug and Andrew discuss how Crescent Grove Advisors differentiates itself from other firms in the advisory space, offering different business lines for different clients.
They also discussed:
The formation of Crescent Grove and the core values and experience the firm provides for their clients
How Crescent Grove meets the financial needs of the specialized client base of ultra-high net worth individuals and families, top executives, and first-generation wealth builders
Building an investment platform for a diverse group of clients
Crescent Grove’s approach to alternatives and how they fit into a client’s asset allocation
The investment strategies the firm is steering clients towards and the methodology used to identify managers that offer them
The biggest challenges for investors in 2023 and how Crescent Grove is counseling clients
The biggest mistake investors are making right now
Lincoln Ross is the CEO and President of CircleBlack. CircleBlack provides financial advisors with technology that aggregates data, seamlessly integrates other financial applications, manages data from multiple custodians, and delivers actionable intelligence about client portfolios, and more.
In this podcast, Doug and Lincoln look into the inefficiencies in advisor practice from CircleBlack’s standpoint, and the solutions their all-in-one platform provides.
They also discussed:
The demand for convenience in the financial services industry and why the transformation is needed
The advisor and client exchanges that can and should be offloaded to technology rather than be face to face
CircleBlack’s all-in-one platform, including all of the capabilities that an advisor needs to deliver advice to their clients
Tom Fields is the Founder of Fynancial, a custom mobile app that builds advisors a platform to retain clients, build trust, and provide a new service without ever reducing fees.
In this podcast, Doug and Tom explore the world of client-facing apps for advisors to leverage and how Fynancial differs from its competitors, creating a user experience the end client is actually looking for.
They also discussed:
The significance of retention for IRAs and how Fynancial is helping in this area
The difference between traditional client portals and the approach Fynancial takes
The current trend of wealth transfer and the challenges financial advisors face in engaging with the next generation of clients
How financial technology can support the shift from traditional financial advice to financial coaching
The role social media plays for the next-gen in how they will consume financial advice and how advisors can leverage the platforms
The benefits of using a client-facing app for content marketing
