Why Vision and Alignment Matter More Than Ever
As the RIA industry grows and M&A activity is poised to reach record levels, the options for firm owners seeking to scale, solve succession challenges or exit the business proliferate. Whether the motivation is increased quality of life, access to growth resources or relief from the operational burden, the decision to engage a partner—or sell entirely—is not one to be taken lightly.
As one industry expert put it:
“Because of adviser and client preferences, assets continue migrating from wire house and brokerage models to independent and fiduciary channels. The demand for human-led advice is set to explode as the baby boomer generation sets to retire. And consolidation is set to continue and accelerate as the thousands of RIAs across the country seek succession solutions and the benefits of scale.”— Josh Funt, Managing Director, William Blair1
With a growing number of options available in today’s marketplace, the structure and strategy behind each partnership or sale can vary dramatically. It is essential to step back and get clear on what you want for your future. This includes understanding your firm’s value, your goals and the kind of partner relationship that will help you achieve them.
On one end of the spectrum, a buyer may be interested in acquiring a controlling stake and integrating your firm to achieve scale. On the other, a potential partnership opportunity may offer resources and support while allowing you to maintain your brand, autonomy and client relationships. The key is alignment—between your motivations and the model.
What to Consider Before Making a Move
Many advisors are driven by life stage considerations—wanting to solve for succession or reduce day-to-day workload. Other advisors are evaluating growth paths and recognize that scaling alone is not always sustainable. They seek solutions that offer access to operational efficiency and growth resources. Shared infrastructure, central compliance and built-in technology support are becoming more attractive for advisors evaluating opportunities for the future they envision.
As we discussed in our previous blog, Defining Growth for Your Financial Advisory Firm, it is important to take time to understand:
- Your long-term goals —Do you want to reduce your workload? Grow your practice? Transition into retirement on your terms?
- Your deal-breaking non-negotiables —Are you willing to give up ownership? How important is it to control your brand or client relationships?
- Your operational strengths and gaps —Where are you most burdened, and where would a partner bring the most value?
- Your cultural fit —Do you align with your potential partner’s vision, service model, and values?
A Strategic Partnership Without the Sacrifice
The independent advisory landscape continues to evolve—and so do the needs of the advisors who call it home. Some are solo practitioners eager to build something of their own. Others are established RIA owners ready to grow but burdened by increasing complexity. Many are simply looking for a better way to serve their clients without sacrificing autonomy or control.
At Forum Financial, parent company of the Wealth Advisor Alliance, we understand these crossroads because we have stood at them ourselves. Built by advisors, for advisors, Forum offers a structure that addresses the practical realities of running a firm today—with the freedom to shape your own future and the support of a collaborative, advisor-driven community.
Whether you own an RIA (or are launching one), are exploring independence as an IAR, or are looking to step into an equity partnership with like-minded professionals, Forum provides three distinct paths designed to meet you where you are—and take you where you want to go.
- The Independent RIA: Grow Without Giving Up Control
For many advisors, launching an independent RIA represents the ultimate professional milestone. It offers the freedom to shape your brand, build your culture and make decisions that truly reflect your values and approach to client service.
But independence also comes with challenges—particularly when it comes to infrastructure, compliance, technology and operational support. Many advisors find themselves spending more time managing the business than serving clients.
Forum’s platform is designed to remove those roadblocks without requiring you to give up ownership or autonomy. Click here to read how Henry Bragg was able to onboard 70 households and over $200 million in AUM in six months for his newly established RIA by joining Forum Financial.
Whether you are building a new RIA from the ground up or looking to scale an existing practice, Forum gives you access to a full suite of institutional-level resources—trading, billing, compliance, cybersecurity, reporting and technology—while allowing you to retain full control over your brand, client experience and pricing structure.
Key advantages for independent RIAs include:
- Maintain full ownership of your firm while gaining access to Forum’s back-office, operational, and compliance support.
- Accelerate your growth without needing to build or manage your own internal infrastructure.
- Preserve and enhance your brand by controlling marketing, messaging, and service philosophy.
- Focus on client relationships, knowing that a robust, advisor-tested system supports the business of running your business.
This is an ideal path for advisors who value their independence but want to work smarter, not harder—with support behind the scenes and freedom out front.
- The Independent IAR: Build Your Practice Without Going It Alone
For Investment Adviser Representatives (IARs) who are ready to take the leap into independence, the excitement of building a firm is often matched by the weight of doing it alone.
Where do you start? How do you navigate compliance, investment operations, reporting, billing, and marketing while continuing to serve your clients? The shift from working under a larger firm to launching a solo practice can feel overwhelming. At Forum, we understand the challenges that IARs need to overcome.
Our advisor track offers a compelling alternative: the ability to build your own planning practice, own your client relationships and grow your personal brand—all without the complexity of establishing your own RIA.
Advisors who join this path benefit from internal mentorship, referrals, and the backing of a firm with $9 billion in assets. You remain independent, but you are not isolated. You are building within a proven structure, surrounded by peers who understand your journey and are invested in your success.
What makes Forum’s IAR path unique:
- You own your book of business and maintain your client relationships.
- You get the support you need—trading, compliance, operations, marketing, and technology—without the responsibility of building it all from scratch.
- You can grow at your own pace, with the option to build your own team and eventually move into an equity partnership.
- You benefit from brand credibility and operational efficiency while creating a client experience that reflects your values.
This path is ideal for advisors who want the entrepreneurial experience of running a practice but prefer to avoid the upfront cost, complexity, and risk of standing up their own RIA. Read more about the separate journeys of Nicole Campbell and Joey Schultz, who joined Forum Financial as independent advisors.
- The Forum Equity Partner: Merge, Scale, and Stay in Control
There is a point in many advisory careers when success leads to scale—and scale brings complexity. At this stage, managing a growing team, evolving tech stack, increasing compliance requirements and internal succession can begin to take a toll.
For advisors in this position, selling to a larger firm may seem like the next logical step—but selling may come at the cost of independence. Most acquisition offers involve giving up equity, becoming an employee, and losing control of the client experience you’ve spent years perfecting.
Forum’s equity partnership model offers a different option: merge your firm into Forum and become a pro-rata equity partner, while retaining control over your local practice. Bob Veres, editor and publisher of Inside Information, explored how Forum’s partnership model differs from others in the industry in the article The Fourth Option through in-depth interviews with Forum Partner Jennifer Cray, CFP®, and Forum Partner Chris Lamia, CFP®.
Here, partnership does not mean exit—it means shared ownership, aligned vision, and a seat at the table in directing the future of the firm. You bring your book, your team and your approach—and gain access to Forum’s institutional support and collaborative network.
Key benefits of the equity partnership path:
- Retain control of your P&L, hiring, pricing and client service model.
- Share in ownership of the broader firm, with equity based on your contribution to overall revenue.
- Leverage the collective expertise of other partners to elevate your planning, investment management and succession strategies.
- Accelerate growth by offloading back-office and compliance burdens, freeing you to focus on client relationships and leadership.
- Create internal succession plans within your local office, supported by Forum’s infrastructure and talent pipeline.
This is the ideal path for advisors who want to grow within a community of peers—while continuing to lead locally, maintain independence and build long-term enterprise value.
Which Path is Right for You?
Forum offers a place to grow no matter where you are in your professional journey. Whether you are launching your firm, scaling your solo practice or seeking a partnership with a like-minded network, you do not have to choose between independence and support.
You can have both.
What sets Forum apart is not just the flexibility of its structure—it is the philosophy behind it.
We believe that ownership matters. That advisors should have a voice in the direction of the firm. That scale and support should never come at the expense of freedom and authenticity. And that the best client experience begins with a business model designed to put the advisor first.
With more than $9 billion in assets under management, offices in 12 states, and a leadership team comprised entirely of advisors, Forum offers a platform built on experience, shared values and a deep commitment to excellence in client service.
Let’s talk about your goals—and find the Forum path that fits.
Source
1 Manayiti, O. M. (2025, February 11). M&A activity in the RIA industry surging to new heights. PE Hub.
We help advisors establish and grow successful wealth management practices. To learn more about how we can help you amplify your life’s work, contact us at team@waalliance.com. You can follow us on LinkedIn.