Posts by Explore Freedom Wealth Alliance

Investment Management: The Heart Of The Advisory Relationship

Do you know what your prospective clients are looking for in an advisor? Trust and a good investment track record top the list for almost half of those surveyed in a recent Financial Advisor Client Experience Report. (1) Clients come to you not only for guidance through life’s milestones and advice for their decisions, but also for you to manage their money and get them closer to their goals.

In this same survey, poor investment record was the biggest reason clients felt disappointed in their advisor. In other words, investment management matters. It’s at the heart of what you do and how you serve your clients. But in order to grow your firm, build relationships with your clients, and handle the intricacies of running a business, you may have to turn to investment management models. Unfortunately, these models are often too “off the rack” and not customized to client needs. Is there a way to rely on time-tested models while also exceeding your clients’ investment needs?

Money Management Themes

Freedom Wealth Alliance offers a best-of-both-worlds solution in the form of over 40 models based on 4 distinct themes of money management: low-cost ETF models, value-based models, flexible risk models that change with market conditions, and specialty models for clients who want a custom approach. Our structure saves you time and money because we do the heavy lifting. Here’s how we can help.

More Options For Less Money

Most models available through national third-party money managers are so costly that they are only available to large firms. As your partner, we offer this investment platform to you at a wholesale cost below even some of the largest investment companies in our industry. Even though you save money, you still receive a plethora of resources and technology to go along with your CFA-crafted models, such as direct access to the Freedom Wealth Alliance investment committee to gain deeper insights into Freedom Wealth Alliance portfolio performance and positioning and access to a Freedom Wealth Alliance portfolio manager for one-on-one meetings.

Through one easy platform, you even have the option to customize within each model, such as restricting fixed cash balances or individual securities you want the model to ignore. You’ll be able to manage your clients’ money like never before—and with less stress.

Fewer Headaches

DOL and fiduciary regulations, while necessary, can cause you stress and take your time away from your clients. With such a high standard of due diligence required to vet your process and methods, you need to invest time and money into research, cost calculations, and documentation. Thankfully, the Freedom Wealth Alliance investment management platform reduces your due diligence. Our investment managers prepare the fiduciary documentation you need to prove that what you do is in your clients’ best interest. We also give you access to our full research library for each fund manager, easing this aspect of your workload.

Client-Approved

Once you’ve done the hard work of investing your clients’ money, you still need to communicate your process and philosophy and keep your clients up to date. We give you the tools and program materials to help you explain your investment choices, provide quarterly market updates individualized to each model, and a full range of infrastructure tools built and paid for by Freedom Wealth Alliance to provide a best-in-class client experience. Our platform also offers institutional share class pricing for reduced all-in client fees. Not only will you love our investment management solution, but your clients will too.

An Investment Platform For You

The Freedom Wealth Alliance investment management platform has been designed to provide you with leverage for your business in a structure that fits your clients’ needs. Free up precious time by partnering with us to handle portfolio management, research, trading, communications, and compliance so you can focus on building and maintaining client relationships. Learn more about our firm and its unique advantages by visiting www.explorefreedomwealthalliance.com. You can also email us at krozman@freedomwealthalliance.com or call Kurt Rozman at 262-798-7979.

About Freedom Wealth Alliance

Freedom Wealth Alliance is a Registered Investment Advisor providing a home and multiple affiliation options for financial advisors seeking business growth and/or succession planning, operational excellence, and turn-key placement. We created this firm to relieve your stress no matter the stage of your firm. We take the burden of running the business off your back, so you can spend your time doing what you do best and love the most. If that means spending more time with clients and prospects, you can. If that means spending more time with your family, just do it. Visit www.explorefreedomwealthalliance.com and sign up for a free account to access all the tools and resources we have developed to help you transition to true freedom and business ownership.

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(1) https://www.qualtrics.com/customer-experience/financial-advisor-report/

Technology: Friend Or Foe?

How do you feel about technology? Are you one of the 68% of advisors who admit that learning about and keeping up with technology is their top challenge? (1) As an independent advisor, technology is a necessary evil. Think of it this way: if you don’t spend the money on the best financial and client tools, you will struggle to remain competitive and meet your clients’ needs. But because you are running your own business, and all that goes along with it, implementing and maintaining technology often ends up being a thorn in your flesh.

Despite the challenges, technology is critical for any advisor’s success. Here’s why.

1. It Reprioritizes The Client

In a survey of over 800 advisors, almost all of them said that technology has the ability to help them give the best service possible to their clients. (2) Your clients are at the core of why you do what you do. Since they are the priority, don’t you want to create systems that give you more time and energy to focus on them?

2. It Encourages Growth

You are only one person and therefore have limits on what you can do in any given day. Technology makes you more efficient and takes on some of your more administrative tasks so you can grow your firm.

3. It Sets You Apart

Your clients want to know that you are taking care of their financial needs, and that often means having software to aggregate their accounts, assess risk, and monitor their plan. This is especially true of clients in the younger generations who see technology as an integral part of their lives. In a study conducted by the CFA Institute, the results showed that 70% of millennials believe a core value any advisor brings to the table is the technology they offer. (3) If you want to stand out from the crowd, invest in technology.

Unfortunately, no matter how much advisors value technology, there are often seemingly insurmountable obstacles to adopting it.

Technology Pain Points

For independent financial advisors, not only is technology increasingly expensive but it can turn into a full-time job that has to be outsourced just to keep hardware and software running. You don’t have time for that, and your money can be used better elsewhere. In addition, you have the added pressure of maintaining cyber security to keep up with new regulations.

On the other hand, advisors who work with broker-dealers have to deal with closed architecture that typically doesn’t allow for customization or addition of technology. They also don’t allow for data integration or ownership, meaning that the advisor has to dig in several different locations to create a complete picture of a client’s finances. If you choose to leave that broker-dealer, you cannot take your client’s information with you. This may make you feel stuck and disempowered, unable to offer your clients the level of service you desire.

Is there a way to make technology work for you, not against you?

We Have A Solution

Freedom Net is our answer to the technology headaches of independent advisors. We provide the best tools and technology that are normally reserved for top advisors and large firms. We pride ourselves on the advanced technology we use to benefit our advisors, investing in the best tools to do our jobs effectively from anywhere in the world. Additionally, we’ve spent the time learning the tools inside and out so we can use them effectively and help our advisors do the same. Let us help you leverage technology and turn it into a blessing, not a curse. Learn more about our firm and our suite of technology tools we offer by visiting www.explorefreedomwealthalliance.com. You can also email us at krozman@freedomwealthalliance.com or call Kurt Rozman at 262-798-7979.

About Freedom Wealth Alliance

Freedom Wealth Alliance is a Registered Investment Advisor providing a home and multiple affiliation options for financial advisors seeking business growth and/or succession planning, operational excellence, and turn-key placement. We created this firm to relieve your stress no matter the stage of your firm. We take the burden of running the business off your back, so you can spend your time doing what you do best and love the most. If that means spending more time with clients and prospects, you can. If that means spending more time with your family, just do it. Visit www.explorefreedomwealthalliance.com and sign up for a free account to access all the tools and resources we have developed to help you transition to true freedom and business ownership.

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(1) https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2018/03/09/wealth-managers-say-technology-is-their-biggest-ch/?slreturn=20190113143919

(2) https://www.forbes.com/sites/russalanprince/2018/02/14/the-most-successful-financial-advisors-leverage-technology/#738908384602

(3) https://agreementexpress.com/what-do-wealth-clients-want-and-how-can-firms-deliver/

Bulletproof Your Clients From Other Advisors With Outstanding Service

Your clients don’t have to look far to find a financial advisor. In a saturated industry, the question is not “Who can I turn to for help?” but “Which advisor offers the most value to my financial situation?” And in our current market environment of volatility and corrections, this question is even more relevant.

Your Business Plan: Be The Best Advisor You Can Be

No one sets out on a new endeavor planning to give half-hearted effort and service. But either because of a lack of awareness about the importance of service, an inadequate service model, or the busyness of running a business, the client experience is often not where it should be. And in an industry that is saturated with financial advisors offering the same products and services, client service is what will set you apart.

What’s Your New Year’s Resolution? Grow Your Business? Start With A Top Notch Service Model

For many of us, a new year equals new goals and resolutions. As an independent financial advisor, we’re willing to bet that one of your goals is to grow your business. But with so many tools available and no lack of advice on how to do this, where do you start if you want to experience the biggest payoff? Our simple answer: start with developing a top-notch service model. Here’s why.

Independent But Not Alone

Setting out as an independent financial advisor may sound enticing. But despite the many pros of making this transition, many advisors fear the financial uncertainty, business operation risks, and the potential loss of clients. (1) These fears are grounded, as independence without the right structure and resources to support you can turn an incredible opportunity into a nightmare.

Technology That Matters

Why did you take the leap to become an independent financial advisor? Was it to make your own decisions, be in control of your time, or build a business based on your values and passions? According to an FPA Time Management and Productivity Study, only 13% of advisors surveyed said they feel in complete control of their time, (1) and that’s likely due to the many and varied responsibilities independent advisors have, such as running your business, marketing your brand, meeting with clients, and managing your team.

Why Become An Independent Advisor?

When you started your career as a financial advisor, did you have a clear vision of what you wanted your days to look like and how you wanted to serve your clients? After gaining experience and expanding your industry knowledge, did you clarify your goals and start passionately brainstorming ideas and services to take your business further and improve the lives of your clients? Now for the hard question: Are you able to carry out those dreams in your current role? If not, it might be time for you to take a leap of faith and become an independent advisor.

Instant Growth, Just Add Water

Many financial advisors juggle multiple roles as they run their business. In addition to helping clients plan for the future, they also need to stay on top of compliance, cast vision for their business, build their team, and, most importantly, attract more clients and grow their firm. But growth can be tricky because of strict compliance and emerging marketing channels. Is there a solution to achieve substantial growth in a way that will benefit all parties involved?

What Are The Main Differences Between Wirehouse Advisors And Independent Advisors?

Just as clients have to wade through an overwhelming amount of information to figure out who an advisor is, what they do, how they charge, and how they work, today’s financial advisors also have to understand the differences between various strategies, philosophies, and technologies in order to implement them in their practice. And in all of these things, the type of firm an advisor works for greatly impacts what they can offer their clients and the decisions they make on a daily basis. Let’s look at some of the differences between two primary types of firms and the advisors who work there: wirehouse advisors and independent broker-dealer advisors.