Having Fun Again: How a Former Northwestern Mutual Advisor Designed a $7.5B Firm Around Cultural and Philosophical Alignment

Dustin Cali and Daniel Ventura of Praetego Private Wealth broke away to: Build a business designed for the future, poised for growth and scale, with the freedom to serve clients’ unique needs.

Expert industry attorney Corey Kupfer offers advice to all advisors, whether considering change or not, including perspectives on contractual obligations and potential landmines one might encounter in a move, plus how to prepare your business for change, with actionable best practices to adopt today.

In a world managed to the lowest common denominator and driven by heavy-handed compliance, every employee advisor is vulnerable. In this episode, Mindy and Louis break it all down, share warning signs all advisors should pay attention to and proactive steps an advisor can take to protect themselves.

Building a firm from $120mm in assets to over $7.5B in just 6 years is an incredible feat. Mike Dolberg describes how he and the team at Apollon recognized the value of culture, partnership, and the freedom to serve clients—and how that realization ultimately drove their astounding success.

After a dozen years in the wirehouse world, Reza Zamani began to recognize the limitations inherent to the model. So in 2012, he left to launch SteelPeak Wealth with $250mm in AUM. Today, they manage $3B and have 20 advisors on their team. Reza discusses how the decision to break away led to tremendous growth.

Since his last visit on the show 5 years ago, Rob Nelson’s NorthRock Partners has grown exponentially, serving a high net worth client base of professional athletes, entrepreneurs, and corporate executives. Rob offers valuable lessons derived from finding the “clearest path to excellence” for his clients and the NorthRock team.

The Director of Business Development and Growth, Ed Friedman, shares the secret sauce driving Summit’s growth surge. It’s a perspective on the evolved independent space, with actionable advice on culture, outsourcing, the value of minority investors, and other essential insights for advisors and business owners.

Attorney Matt Baum breaks down the facts on the latest FTC Noncompete Rule, the potential impact on an advisor’s business, current agreements, the ability to transition, and more.

In building a $1B business at Wells, Angie Ostendarp and Jordan Raniszeski realized they had outgrown the model, which limited their ability to serve their clients and continue their growth trajectory. They share why supported independence was the right fit and how it’s changed their path toward the future.

In looking for “better ways” to foster growth and solve for other long-term goals, advisors need to weigh the value of pain vs. gain when it comes to a transition. In this special episode, Mindy and Louis Diamond share a process for answering the seminal question: Is change really worth it?