The firm advisors think they know is not the firm that exists today.

And if you are going to say NO, at least know what you are saying no to.

Frank LaRosa goes one on one with Brian Mora of Ameriprise for a candid conversation that challenges some of the most common misconceptions advisors carry about one of the largest and most innovative firms in the industry.

Frank and Brian break down what $1.7 trillion in assets actually means for an advisor looking for stability in a consolidating market, why Fortune named Ameriprise one of the most innovative companies in America and how their AI-powered CFP brain is giving advisors back hours of time every single week by transforming how they prep for meetings, generate recommendations and summarize client conversations.

They also get into the numbers that matter most. Advisors who transition to Ameriprise are at 101% of their hiring assets after just 12 months, compared to the industry average of 91%. The conversation also breaks down how their digital transition process moved a billion dollar team onto the platform in just 16 days and why a firm telling you it takes six months to transition your book is a red flag you should not ignore.

The episode closes with the message Frank keeps coming back to: before you say no to Ameriprise, at least know what you are saying no to. Because the firm advisors think they know is not the firm that exists today.

Questions answered in this episode include:

Why are advisors surprised by what Ameriprise has become in the last 20 years?

What does $1.7 trillion in assets mean for the stability of the firm you choose?

How is Ameriprise using AI to help advisors grow their practices and serve clients better?

What is the CFP brain and how does it work inside an advisor's practice?

Why do Ameriprise advisors move 101% of their book after transitioning when the industry average is 91%?

How fast should a book of business actually move when an advisor transitions today?

What is the impact analyzer and how does it help advisors see the real financial difference of growing faster?

Chapters:

00:00 — Know What You're Saying No To: The Ameriprise Truth

01:04 — Why Ameriprise Surprises People: 1.7 Trillion and the Innovation Awards

03:00 — How Ameriprise Changed 20 Years Ago and Why It Matters Now

06:18 — Fortune, Time, and the Case for Innovation

09:18 — The CFP Brain: AI That Thinks Ahead for Every Client

10:07 — Meeting Summarization and Giving Advisors Their Time Back

12:52 — 101% vs 91%: Why More of the Book Moves at Ameriprise

15:37 — 16 Days, a Billion Dollars, and the Digital Transition Difference

Learn more about Elite and our resources:

Elite Consulting Partners | Financial Advisor Transitions

https://eliteconsultingpartners.com

Elite Marketing Concepts | Marketing Services for Financial Advisors

https://elitemarketingconcepts.com

Elite Advisor Successions | Advisor Mergers and Acquisitions

https://eliteadvisorsuccessions.com

JEDI Database Solutions | Technology Solutions for Advisors

https://jedidatabasesolutions.com

Elite Wealth Management Insights Report

https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/insight-report

Listen to more Advisor Talk episodes

https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts/

Every firm says they have great culture.

Very few can back it up.

Raymond James can. And in this episode, they explain exactly how.

Frank LaRosa sits down with Jodi Perry, Head of Advisor Recruitment and Business Development and Todd Ferguson, Chief Information and Security Officer at Raymond James, for a wide ranging conversation recorded live at the Ignite Conference.

The group breaks down what it really means to put the advisor in the driver's seat, why the freedom versus independence distinction matters more than most advisors realize and how Raymond James has been doing for 25 years what other firms are only now starting to talk about, including putting the advisor's ownership of their business in writing through the Advisor Bill of Rights.

The conversation also gets into AI and technology in a way you will not hear anywhere else. The group breaks down how Raymond James is investing $1 billion in technology to give advisors more time for the relationship side of the business, how their opportunities platform surfaces client service gaps before they become problems and what every advisor needs to know about protecting their clients from bad actors and digital fraud in today's environment.

Questions answered in this episode include:

Why is Raymond James a strong option for financial advisors right now regardless of where they are in their career?

What is the difference between freedom and independence at Raymond James?

What is the Advisor Bill of Rights and why does no other W2 firm offer it?

How is Raymond James investing $1 billion in technology to help advisors grow their practices?

Will AI reduce headcount in an advisory practice or expand its capacity?

What should advisors do right now to protect their clients from bad actors and digital fraud?

How does Raymond James approach advisor recruiting differently from other firms?

Chapters:

01:02 – Welcome: Ignite Conference Edition with Jodi Perry and Todd Ferguson

02:03 – Why Raymond James Now: Flexibility Across Every Stage of an Advisor's Career

03:38 – Culture Is Experiential: What That Really Means at Raymond James

05:31 – Freedom vs Independence: Why W2 at Raymond James Is Different

08:29 – The Advisor Bill of Rights: Putting Ownership in Writing

10:46 – AI and Technology: How Raymond James Is Using a $1 Billion Investment

15:57 – Bad Actors and Cybersecurity: What Every Advisor Needs to Know

25:20 – Quality Over Quantity: How Raymond James Thinks About Growth

Learn more about Elite and our resources:

Elite Consulting Partners | Financial Advisor Transitions

https://eliteconsultingpartners.com

Elite Marketing Concepts | Marketing Services for Financial Advisors

https://elitemarketingconcepts.com

Elite Advisor Successions | Advisor Mergers and Acquisitions

https://eliteadvisorsuccessions.com

JEDI Database Solutions | Technology Solutions for Advisors

https://jedidatabasesolutions.com

Elite Wealth Management Insights Report

https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/insight-report

Listen to more Advisor Talk episodes

https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts/

Sometimes the money IS the right reason.

And pretending otherwise might be the most expensive mistake you ever make.

In this episode of Advisor Talk, Frank LaRosa and Stacey Frank challenge the conventional wisdom around advisor transitions and make the case that when the difference between two firms is not a few thousand dollars but millions, the economics have to come into play.

Frank breaks down the unicorn recruit concept, how asset based transition deals are creating massive opportunities for advisors whose AUM far outpaces their revenue, and why the transition window right now is unlike anything the industry has seen in decades.

He also explains why advisors should think like their wealthiest business owner clients when evaluating an opportunity, what they can do with that capital to grow their practice faster, and why getting a monster transition package is not selling your business but monetizing it without giving anything up.

Questions answered in this episode include:

What is a unicorn recruit and why do some advisors have more leverage than they realize?

What is the difference between an AUM based deal and a T12 based transition package?

Why are transition packages and practice valuations at all time highs right now?

Is it okay to make a move primarily because of the economics?

How can a large transition package help an advisor grow their business faster?

What should advisors be thinking about before a market downturn hits?

How do you know if you are leaving money on the table by staying where you are?

Chapters:

00:00 – When the Money IS the Right Reason to Move

01:04 – Welcome to Advisor Talk

02:20 – Why Most Firms Look the Same and Where the Difference Really Is

05:00 – The Unicorn Recruit: AUM Based Deals vs T12

09:00 – The $9 Million Question: When Economics Has to Come Into Play

13:00 – Think Like Your Wealthiest Business Owner Clients

27:14 – How to Reach Frank and Stacey

Learn more about Elite and our resources:

Elite Consulting Partners | Financial Advisor Transitions

https://eliteconsultingpartners.com

Elite Marketing Concepts | Marketing Services for Financial Advisors

https://elitemarketingconcepts.com

Elite Advisor Successions | Advisor Mergers and Acquisitions

https://eliteadvisorsuccessions.com

JEDI Database Solutions | Technology Solutions for Advisors

https://jedidatabasesolutions.com

Elite Wealth Management Insights Report

https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/insight-report

Listen to more Advisor Talk episodes

https://eliteconsultingpartners.com/podcasts/