A Prescription for Independence: A Merrill Breakaway’s “Financial Physician” Approach to Client Care and Growth

Alex Markowitz, a former Merrill advisor, shares how independence gave him freedom to build a firm defined by empathy, collaboration, and a “financial physician” approach to client care.

As TROs and lawsuits make headlines, two top attorneys who specialize in transitions share how advisors can minimize risk, protect client relationships, and make a clean move with confidence.

Having built and sold two world-class firms, the founder of Rise Growth Partners shares lessons on leadership, innovation, and how growth requires constant reinvention.

Former Edward Jones advisor Steve Davis shares how he built a lean, focused independent firm with LPL and what freedom really means.

The CEO of Sanctuary Wealth shares how the firm doubled in size, redefining supportive independence and advisor growth in wealth management.

A guide to advisor transitions: due diligence, culture, deals, client comms,and lessons from the $129B Merrill breakaway.

A $129B team left Merrill to launch OpenArc Corporate Advisory, the largest breakaway in industry history. In this special episode, Dynasty’s Shirl Penney joins Louis Diamond to share an inside perspective on why the deal is about more than scale, what drove the move, and how it signals a new era for independence and the industry at large.

Few advisors build a multi-billion-dollar RIA. John Krambeer has done it twice. In this candid conversation, the Validus Capital CEO reflects on his journey, how independence has evolved, and the hard-won lessons that guide him now.

The CEO of Cetera Financial Group shares insights on independence, private equity, and balancing scale with service, plus what the future holds for advisors and firms.

A special mid-year update with Jason and Louis Diamond on deals, transitions, and recruiting trends shaping 2025—and what advisors can expect in the months ahead.