At the end of 2022, I found myself at a crossroads.

I didn’t know if I wanted to keep working with registered investment advisers (RIAs).

I’d learned so much over the years working with firms of all sizes and in various situations. I went from a massive, nationally known firm to a smaller firm … that grew quickly into a more established firm and then a spin-off of that firm.

I gained experience and knowledge, but the fire wasn’t there anymore.

I went into 2023 looking for jobs in tech, as well as with the providers and custodians I previously worked with. A friend in the industry encouraged me to contact a firm that was looking for someone to lead their operations. During my first interview, I was honest about not knowing whether I wanted to keep working with RIAs. My honesty led to them to, in their words, “lay all their cards on the table.” We were able to have a conversation as peers rather than interviewer and interviewee. This led to an in-person interview where I respectfully told them I couldn’t see myself commuting to their office.

But I still wanted to work with them in some way. I gave them feedback on why they hadn’t located the right new hire, and one of the interviewers blurted out, “Have you thought about consulting?”

That question cracked the door open, and I realized that’s where I could help: They could use my experience and expertise to help them in the same way that they help their clients.

Over the next few months, I worked to build out their operations department, but I was still interviewing for other roles. Unfortunately (or fortunately), 2023 wasn’t a great time to look for a job in tech or at a custodian. The banking mini-panic didn’t do me any favors.

As we got to the end of my consulting engagement, the managing director took me aside and said, “You’ve done a fantastic job for us. If consulting is something you want to do full time, we’ll support you.” I took those words to heart and rediscovered my love and passion for doing this work. I realized that I could share my knowledge and experience with many different firms. I could give them a head start by having an experienced operations professional that would otherwise take them years to develop.

I’ve discovered that, as a firm grows, they have a problem and they look for a solution – whether it’s software, a process or a person. But then another problem comes up, then another, and another. Eventually, you wind up with a bundle of solutions that worked well individually, but not together. There was no overarching vision in mind when each decision was made – just the needs of the moment.

I provide the vision and help firms implement that vision moving forward. Just as RIAs give their clients a framework for making financial decisions, I provide a framework to make sound operations decisions. You benefit from my years of experience with advisors, clients and knowledge about how systems impact both.

By aligning systems and processes with a firm’s growth goals, I help create an operations department that isn’t just functional, but a true driver of business success.

Is your wealth management firm interested in streamlining its operations and minimizing technology bottlenecks? Contact me for an introductory consultation.