Posts by Melissa Angert

Concern about cybersecurity is everywhere, with investors increasingly focused on how safe their data is. It’s something that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is taking seriously, acknowledging that cyber threats pose a real danger to our financial markets. In 2022, the SEC proposed comprehensive rules that specifically address cybersecurity risk governance and disclosure requirements…

Does your firm’s current software make you feel like you’re using a flip phone in an iPhone world? Today’s technology is moving quickly, and today’s advisors need to make sure they’re keeping up. You may think your existing tech is “good enough,” but good enough rarely is from a client experience perspective. Beyond that, research…

Building efficiencies into your advisory firm will do more than just improve your bottom line. Of course, optimizing processes and reducing operational inefficiencies help to control costs and improve profitability, but there’s so much more to it. An efficient firm is a firm better equipped to deliver the kind of customer satisfaction that elevates it…

For independent advisors, achieving that critical balance between time spent working on growth strategies and time spent developing client relationships is an almost daily effort. That’s why streamlining any part of your business activities is so valuable. It’s important to note that “streamlining” client-facing activities doesn’t mean you’re taking a shortcut. In fact, making any…

For advisors looking to grow and scale their businesses, deciding how best to divide and allocate their time can be overwhelming. Striking the right balance between strengthening client relationships, portfolio/asset management, handling back-office operational tasks and prospecting new business is key, and automation is one way to ease the load. When it comes to marketing…

Alternative investments, or alts, are growing in popularity in a volatile stock market that displays higher interest rates and lower growth. Your clients may have a stake in real estate, hedge funds, or private equity, for example. Alternative investment strategies can represent a large portion of an investment portfolio, and according to PWC, global AUM…

As Millennials (age 26-41) step into financial independence, they are facing high rent and housing costs, rising inflation, student loan debt, and a difficult job market.  It’s an anxious time, especially for Millennials who remember the effects of the 2008 Financial Crisis. According to an Advisor Authority survey from Nationwide, while older generations are more…

If you’re not already using social media as a marketing tool for your advisory practice, the question is, why not? A Putnam Investments Social Advisor Study shared that 83% of advisors credit social media for shortening lead conversion times, and 87% have gained assets using social media. Even if you’ve been successful without the help…

When you think about what you want to do as an advisor, it’s probably not purchasing and maintaining disparate technology platforms, building bespoke portfolios, monitoring tedious compliance requirements, or running point on the back-office operational tasks burdening your day-to-day. It probably is focusing on your clients.   And we know that demand for those client-facing services…

Delivering an exceptional client experience is a key differentiator for advisory firms and a major part of building client trust. According to Shep Hyken research, 83% of customers trust brands or businesses more when they deliver excellent customer experience. And today’s clients are looking for more than just sound financial advice and strategy.  They want…