Recording on location at the Steward Symposium, host Ryan Nauman welcomes Scott Danner (Chief Growth Officer) and Valerie Rivera (Chief Operating Officer) of Steward Partners to discuss growth in wealth management, where organic expansion has become harder and M&A has become a major driver. Danner shares his background building Freedom Street Partners and joining Steward in 2023, noting Steward’s growth from about $30B to over $50B in AUM largely through acquisitions. They explain why Steward frames the function as “strategic growth” rather than recruiting, emphasizing attraction, culture, and relationship over transaction. Rivera highlights advisors’ priorities beyond payout—clients, employees, legacy, and transition support—while outlining due diligence, integration, communication, and repeatable operational processes. Danner addresses misconceptions, the importance of scalable, team-based practices, and Steward’s long-term goal of becoming a $100B firm.
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Learn more about Steward Partners here.
00:00 Welcome and Disclosures
00:41 Symposium Setup and Growth Theme
01:30 Meet Scott and Val
01:54 Scott Career and Steward Growth
03:26 Val Background and Partnership
04:24 Why Steward Calls It Growth
06:32 North Star Relationship First
08:34 Val Perspective on Transitions
12:18 When Advisors Truly Fit
15:35 Due Diligence Beyond Numbers
16:46 Scaling Operations for Growth
18:28 Cutting Through M&A Noise
20:56 Misconceptions and Practice Value
25:35 How Scott and Val Complement
26:53 Future Vision and Closing
Connect with Ryan Nauman:
Welcome to the Adjusted for Risk podcast.
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:Join myself, Brian Naumann, as I
talk markets, investments, economics,
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:and life as I help prepare you
for the upcoming week in markets.
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:I work for Zephyr, and all opinions
expressed by myself and my podcast
5
:guests are solely of their own opinions
and do not reflect the opinion of
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:Zephyr or Informa, its parent company.
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:This podcast is for information
purposes only and should not be
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:relied on for investment decisions
Hello, everyone, and welcome to
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:Zephyr's Adjusted for Risk podcast.
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:We are recording on location at the
Steward Symposium, which is going to be
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:a great few days of fun conversations,
great content, and great insights.
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:You know, growth within the wealth
management space has been a mixed
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:bag, with organic growth becoming
more difficult for RIAs, and which
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:has forced some RIAs to focus more
on M&A to achieve that growth.
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:Well, I have on two industry experts
who are going to share some insights
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:into Steward Partners growth team.
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:But first, today's episode is sponsored
by the award-winning Zephyr, which
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:helps investment professionals
make more informed investment
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:decisions on behalf of their clients.
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:All right, enough from me.
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:Let's go ahead and bring
on the stars of the show.
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:I'd like to give a very warm welcome
to Scott Danner and Valerie Rivera.
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:Scott is the chief growth officer,
and Valerie is the chief operating
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:officer at Steward Partners.
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:Scott, this is your second go-around.
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:I'm so glad you, uh, I didn't
scare you away after the first
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:one, so that's fantastic.
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:And Val, thank you so much for coming on.
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:It's an honor to have you on.
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:scott, can you start by telling me
a little bit more about yourself?
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:Yeah.
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:First of all, thank you so
much for having us on the show.
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:Um, it's also extremely fun and
delightful to do it with, uh,
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:my partner in so many things in,
in, uh, in business, Val Rivera.
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:Um, but we're, we're, we're here
and honored to be talking about
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:M&A, growth, and all the fun stuff.
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:The quick background is, um, you know,
I've, I've kind of been on all parts of
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:the financial wealth management journey.
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:I, I built the business from the
ground up, knocking on doors and cold
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:calling in the old Edward Jones days.
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:Um, I then built an enterprise called
Freedom Street Partners, and in
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:seven years, we built that to $3.5
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:billion and $25 million in revenue.
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:Um, and then in 2023, we came over to
Steward Partners, merged our company in a
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:full acquisition, and then Val and I led
the beginning parts of M&A at Steward.
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:We joined Steward, we were at $30 billion.
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:Today, we sit above $50 billion in assets,
and that growth trajectory is largely
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:in part, a majority of it has been M&A.
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:And so coming in fresh and being able
to continue our model and understanding
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:practice management, understanding
the advisor, understanding the,
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:the, uh, the process of what we all
go through has been a, a delight.
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:And, um, and having Val alongside as
the COO of strategic growth with us to
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:build this, it's been a, a great honor.
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:So I'll let Val give her
background as well, right?
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:Thanks, Scott, and, and
thanks for having us on today.
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:Um, I started in the industry 24 years
ago, uh, started at American Funds,
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:and then actually moved over to Edward
Jones as well as a financial advisor.
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:Uh, and then, uh, when Scott started
Freedom Street Partners, we knew that,
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:uh, not only were we good friends, but we
also wanted to continue to work together.
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:And so moved over to Freedom Street
Partners, helped manage, uh, our, uh,
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:market, going to market for Freedom
Street, and then now we are helping
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:other advisors in the industry navigate
their, uh, next steps and next chapter.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:I love it that you guys
have worked previously, had
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:your firm at Freedom Street.
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:Both of you came over and now
running the growth team here.
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:So that's probably rewarding that
you guys have done it together, and
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:also makes it that cohe- you know, a
cohesive group that you know each other.
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:It's not like you're starting over
or building something from new.
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:So, uh, that's fantastic.
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:So Scott, you know, most firms, um,
have an M&A or recruiting department.
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:Steward has a growth team.
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:What's the difference between, you
know, what you guys are doing as
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:a growth team at Steward and other
firms, how they might have a M&A team
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:or just a, you know, a separate team?
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:Can you, uh, talk about what's the
difference and, and why does it matter?
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:Yeah, I love that question because, um,
I think details matter, especially when
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:it comes to relationships and words.
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:So, um, I chose strategic growth as
the organizing set of words for our
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:Uh, group of, of growth-oriented
individuals here at Stewart because
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:I didn't wanna be a recruiter.
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:I don't believe in telling you and
selling you on why something is great.
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:I believe in attracting the
right people to the right model.
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:Building a model that attracts people
is completely different than telling
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:everyone why something is wonderful.
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:And so for me, strategic growth meant
we were building something bigger
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:than, than where you are at today.
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:People need to be going towards something,
not leaving or running from something.
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:And so, uh, we have presidents
of strategic growth.
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:I have three across the country that
Val and I have on our team, and, uh,
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:everybody is very diligent about that
word in growth, because growth, if
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:you're not growing, you're dying.
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:Yeah.
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:Every company needs a growth
and business development.
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:So I think that we're so intricate
in the growth story that it's really
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:important that we help shape the fabric
of the company and we want that to
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:be a bigger word, and growth is just
the, the biggest word we can get to.
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:Yeah, exactly.
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:And y- I love the, "If you're not
growing, you're dying," and it's so true.
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:And, you know, if there's something
going on, it's s- it's growth, right?
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:I've had numerous conversations over the
past two days, and the growth that you
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:guys have experienced in nine years, but
even more recently, is, uh, phenomenal.
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:So Scott, let's stay with
you again here real quick.
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:You know, you've been a driving force
behind Stewart's expansion, that growth.
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:What's your North Star, uh,
when evaluating whether a
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:partnership or acquisition is,
is truly right and the right fit?
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:Because I know one thing- A lot
of things I don't know, Scott and
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:Val, but one thing I do know is at
Steward, culture is very important.
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:Fit is very important.
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:So how do you, when you're going
through and, you know, looking for
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:strategic partners, um, what is
that one thing you're looking for
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:to make sure that fit is right?
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:So the first thing I'm looking for
is relationship over transaction.
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:So any time you look at it as a
transaction, you're looking for a deal.
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:That means somebody's looking to
take something from another person.
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:That is not what we're looking for.
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:We're looking for a partner.
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:So you said the word
strategic partnership.
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:Those words go together.
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:Again, the power of those words, looking
for strategic partners to then make up
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:the equity component of Steward Partners
is extremely important and dynamic.
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:So we were just, uh, talking in our board
meeting about the benefits of not adding
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:one advisor from one place, but adding the
advisor from one place, the 10X person,
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:the one that's gonna expand the scope,
that's gonna bring everybody they know
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:with them, and that's because they're
dynamic, they're energetic, they're the
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:right human, and they have a personal
story, not just a professional story.
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:Nothing drives me crazier than someone
whose identity is only their profession.
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:That is not enough, and that's not
something that I wanna get into.
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:I wanna actually build a relationship
and develop it on a much greater scale.
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:Yeah, that's so spot on.
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:Everyone … I feel everyone's
got a story, you know, and
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:I love the unique stories.
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:Everyone has their own unique story.
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:Tell it, you know?
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:And, and kind of be proud of it, um,
because, uh, Scott, to be honest with
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:you, some of the, some of the, all the
professional stories are kind of boring.
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:They get boring.
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:Yeah, exactly.
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:Val, you bring a unique lens to this
role as a woman leading operations
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:on the growth side of a wealth
management firm, an area that
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:historically is very male-dominated.
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:How has your perspective shaped how a
Steward approaches growth differently,
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:especially, like you said, in a
very male-dominated, uh, industry?
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:Sure, and I think Scott, what
Scott mentioned earlier is, is key.
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:We really look at this as a relationship
and a long-term relationship, so
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:coming at it from that perspective and
really listening to what the concerns
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:are for advisors, um, what I find it
mostly, it's not financial at all.
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:Um, most of the concerns for advisors in
their next chapter is, you know, what is
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:it gonna mean to the employees that work
for them, the clients that they serve?
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:Um- Leaving a legacy for their family
or transitioning wealth to their family
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:is some of the most important things.
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:So working with them directly to
build that strategy, um, walk them
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:through the process, understanding,
and ultimately, that's what is
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:gonna drive a better outcome.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:That's fantastic.
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:So do you think people don't, or like
an advisor who's thinking about moving
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:their book over to Stewart, they don't
focus on the relationships enough?
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:Or not even coming to Stewart, just
in the industry, they focus too
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:much on dollar signs, getting a
payout, and do you think that's one
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:of the biggest mistakes they make?
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:I think, and a lot of our competitors
will look, like Scott said, will look
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:at the transaction slowly- Mm … and
try and close a deal, and that's not
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:what an advisor's really looking for.
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:The hardest part for them is
navigating change- Mm … and
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:having, knowing that there's somebody
to help walk them through that.
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:So as a female in the industry, I feel
like that's where I bring, um, you
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:know, have a, a little bit of advantage.
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:Maybe women are, are better
listeners sometimes- … especially
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:where- Yes, they are.
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:… it's male-dominated, so you have a lot of
older gentlemen that are looking to make
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:this transition, and then someone that's
helping them walk through that process.
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:You have more of a care factor?
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:Sure.
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:Is that…
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:I mean.
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:I just want to jump in.
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:I think it's, it's really interesting
because maybe it doesn't get noticed
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:enough, but the nurturing benefit
of, of Val's demeanor and her ability
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:to be patient in the process is
something that's extremely valuable.
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:So I think this is something that,
you know, I could tell you right now,
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:I have a lot less patience for the
crazy and the one-offs and the…
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:There's been moments where I'm
like, "Hey, Val, you take it over.
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:I'm done."
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:"This, this is, uh, getting frustrating."
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:And so, yes, I think to that extent
it's very valuable in that, um, we
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:definitely can bring two different sets
of eyes to the way that we, um, we work
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:together, and sometimes it has nothing
to do with being a man and a woman.
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:Sometimes it has
everything to do with that.
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:It depends on the human that we're
sitting across from, and, and
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:what we find is we can usually
connect with the person sitting
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:across, whether it's her or myself.
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:We have a, a tendency to find
that, that common ground.
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:You, and you're exactly right, Scott.
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:At the end of the day, it
ju- that teamwork between the
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:two of you works really well.
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:You know what you're good at, Val, you
know the strengths that you bring to
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:the table, and how to make it all work,
and because I'm sure that transition,
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:that process for a financial advisor and
their clients and their team can be very
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:stressful, and it's the biggest decision
that they're gonna make in their career.
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:So having, you know, a team that
shows compassion in a relationship
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:is probably very important.
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:So Scott, the, y- when an advisor and
their team is considering joining Steward,
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:what's the moment in the conversation
where you, you can tell, you know what?
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:They get it.
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:You know, that is different
from any other team.
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:They get it.
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:They understand the value
that Steward can bring.
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:They understand the culture.
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:Is there a point where it's like,
all right, you're, you're a good fit?
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:Well, I think, I think the point starts
out in an intro conversation when they're,
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:when, when we ask them a, a question about
their lives, and if they go right into
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:only the business, I know right out of
the gate this is gonna be a transaction.
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:If they have the ability to open
up and tell me a little bit about
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:themselves, give me a little insight
into who they are and what they
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:stand for, why are they doing this?
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:How can we help them accomplish
what their goals are?
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:So many times, they're, they're, they're
chasing the dollar, and then the dollar's
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:empty, and then they don't understand what
they did wrong, but chasing the dollar
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:will never, ever give them what they want.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:So if we help them achieve a greater
good, and we work at s- at something
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:that's a little bit, uh, deeper, we
know that in that, that part of the
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:conversation, we kind of know that,
that this relationship is pretty good.
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:We got, we got a, a email the other
day from large team we had met with,
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:and, and the lead partner sent us a
message that just said, "You know,
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:we've, we've done 15 to 20 of these,
uh, interviews, and that was the first
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:one where we felt connected to anybody.
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:Your questions went deeper than
just our, our, our day job.
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:It allowed me to open up about my kids,
about our life, about what we're trying
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:to actually accomplish, and I just wanted
to thank you for making this process
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:feel different than everybody else."
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:Mm-hmm.
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:I think that is a complete testament
to what we do that's a little bit
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:unique, and I'm, I'm very proud
of, of how our team does that.
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:Yeah.
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:That's fantastic.
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:And Val, you said it earlier
too that most financial advisors
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:They want the relationship.
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:Do you think it's a misconception?
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:Because a lot of people think,
"Oh, financial advisors are
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:just looking, oh, for money.
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:They're just want power and money."
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:And do you think that's a misconception?
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:There's a lot of financial advisors
out there that actually want more than
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:that, want the relationship, they want
with the firm that they're moving to.
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:Yeah, 100%.
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:I, I mean, most of these, you know,
most of the clients that you serve
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:over decades become not only just your
clients, but you've built, you know,
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:advisors have built really strong
relationships, and they really care
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:about who they're handing that off to.
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:And so I feel like as advisors go through,
um, a transition, they're most concerned
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:about not themselves or the monetary
aspect of the deal, but they're really
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:concerned about making sure they're
making the right decision for not only
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:their clients, but also their team
and people that have worked with them.
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:So they carry that burden on
their shoulders- Mm-hmm … that
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:they're making the right decision
for all these other people.
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:Yeah, that's fantastic.
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:And I, I, it's spot on because
especially now with, you know, so
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:many advisors getting older, they've
got to look at succession planning.
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:A lot of times that might be with their
family, maybe their kids, daughters, sons.
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:So they gotta look at it beyond
themselves, um, in that move.
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:So Val, the due diligence process
for M&A and recruiting is very
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:competitive, very intense.
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:You guys know it better than anyone.
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:Walk us through what Stewart
looks for beyond the numbers.
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:Scott, you kind of mentioned it before,
there's more than just recurring revenue,
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:you know, what's in the book of business.
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:What are the intangibles
that make or break a deal?
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:So yeah, we're gonna look
at how the business is run.
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:Um, we wanna understand how the
practice operates, so when we're
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:integrating the practice, that we
can make it as smooth as possible.
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:So that might come down to certain
technologies that are very important in
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:the bus- to run and operate the business
on a daily basis, certain team members,
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:how do they fit into the new, uh,
infrastructure that they're coming into.
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:And then we have a great
team that surrounds us.
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:So Scott and I don't do it ourselves.
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:We have great department heads.
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:We all work together.
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:I mean, I think the key in due diligence
and integration is communication
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:amongst all of us at Stewart Partners
to really deeply understand how that
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:practice is functioning, and that when
they come over, that they can continue
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:to run their business the way they
operate and run the business today.
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:Val, you brought up operations.
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:Obviously, you're the chief
operating officer, so you're
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:very good at operations.
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:What … You know, growth at this
pace, like we've talked about, uh,
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:Stewart is experiencing huge growth.
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:F- um, the pace of growth
is very fast and steep.
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:How do you make sure that
that infrastructure within the
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:operations and the processes can
keep up with the pace of growth?
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:So we've certainly adapted some
technology, right, and tools to make
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:sure that communication is flowing.
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:That's, I would say, the most key point of
an integration and due diligence process,
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:is making sure that, um, everybody on
the team understands this team coming
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:in, and that we know that, uh, we are
set up and ready to bring them on board.
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:So having the right people in
place, having the systems and
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:processes, checklists, there's lots
of checklists and tests that we
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:go through, um, and everybody has
that r- that role in the process.
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:And then it's more of a rinse and repeat.
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:Okay.
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:Now, transitions are
always different, right?
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:There's always gonna be something.
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:Um, I tell advisors this all
the time when they onboard.
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:You know, everybody says, "Okay, we
want you to have a smooth transition."
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:Is there gonna be things
that come up unexpected?
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:Sure.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Every single time.
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:But it's really managing the
expectations of the advisors as they
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:come over, and then knowing that
we're gonna solve for it as a team.
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:I think that's fantastic, and it's
so important to whether a financial
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:advisor has their client talking about
investments is manage expectations.
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:And if you don't set those expectations
at the beginning, it probably
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:causes issues down the road, or it
could cause issues down the road.
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:Scott, there's a lot of noise in the M&A
space right now, private equity, private
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:equity, whether we're investing, wanna
get it in portfolios, or private equity
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:is investing in, um, getting a piece of
the M&A pie, consolidators, aggregators,
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:all competing for the same talent.
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:How does Stewart cut through that
noise and kinda separate yourself
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:from all these other folks out there?
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:Listen, I think it's,
it's like anything else.
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:I don't believe anything is competition.
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:I believe the only competition
we have is within ourselves.
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:So at the end of the day, knowing who
we are, how we put ourselves out there
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:in the open market, what we stand for,
what we don't stand for, and standing
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:by it, is what differentiates us.
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:I don't need to be like anybody else.
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:I don't want to be like anybody else.
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:Steward is unique.
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:Steward is growing at a unique pace, and
we stand out because we are different.
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:And so I don't…
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:Uh, I think just knowing that is a,
is a major benefit to this process.
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:I love that.
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:If…
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:When you're confident in what you
do, it's like, who cares what's
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:going on in the outside world, right?
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:Like, this is what we do,
and you know who you are.
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:Um, you might know what maybe
you're not good at, what you can't
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:do, but you know what you can do.
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:And you know what?
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:If you like it, jump on board.
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:If not, then you know what?
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:We'd find somewhere else.
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:Yeah.
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:I, I celebrate, um, the wins of our,
of our, of our counterparts, the
347
:people that I know in the industry,
when they're- when they take on a
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:team, maybe we both talk to that team.
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:I celebrate it for them because if
it's the right fit for that human and
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:it's the right relationship for them,
then I'm rooting for them to win.
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:If the industry's winning,
we're all winning.
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:Another thing that's
really important, you know?
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:That's, that's a, that's a
very, um, important part.
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:I'm not rooting against anybody.
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:I'm rooting for the industry- Mm-hmm
… rooting for wealth management, and
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:rooting for the individual that's
looking for the right fit in their lives.
357
:Yeah.
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:No, that's a very good point.
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:What's the saying?
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:A rising sea lifts all boats, right?
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:100%.
362
:So if the industry is rising, everyone
should hopefully benefit, right?
363
:And like you said, it makes for a better
industry and better everyone involved.
364
:Every- hopefully even a podcaster.
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:Um- 100%.
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:What's, uh, stay with you, Scott,
what's the biggest misconception
367
:advisors have when they first engage
with Steward about a transition or a
368
:partnership, and how do you address it?
369
:It's a great question.
370
:The, the biggest misconception I think
is, excuse me, maybe they, maybe they
371
:struggle with understanding the value of
the entire team and the entire process.
372
:So I think, I think sometimes
there's a lot of education
373
:that goes with this process.
374
:They're not often, uh, maybe as prepared
going to market, and so we spend
375
:a lot of time helping and coaching
them in the process, f- whether it's
376
:from, uh, understanding the economics
to understanding team dynamics.
377
:Um, one of the other things we talk a lot
about is the value of the team and making
378
:sure the entire team is winning in an, in
an, in a, uh, a transaction of any kind.
379
:So if we're gonna be building a
relationship and it's gonna be about
380
:the future, we have to make sure that
every single human as a part of this
381
:is gonna be winning in some capacity.
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:And so I think those are often
little surprises that pop up.
383
:I don't think there's, there's as
big a surprise as today as maybe
384
:several years ago, but today I
think that's, that's a big one.
385
:The, the last point I'll say, and, and you
asked Val a question a, a few minutes ago,
386
:um, about what are we looking for and what
are the things that really stand out, I
387
:think I always say I want the individual
to not be the god of their practice.
388
:I want them to be a prophet for their
practice, meaning that when they come
389
:to us, they have a solid next gen.
390
:They have systems and processes.
391
:The practice is bigger
than them That adds value.
392
:Mm-hmm.
393
:And so educating people on that,
not everything running through you.
394
:If everything runs through
you, that's dangerous.
395
:And, and believe it or not, in those
intros, in those very first conversations,
396
:we often can tell if they're the
god of the practice or if they've
397
:built a system and a process around
the practice to serve their clients.
398
:You know, that's a really good point.
399
:I've had a lot of conversations about
this, and it's all about th- the value
400
:of a practice increases when you have
more processes and it's not just, like
401
:you said, on one person, that one god.
402
:If it is spread across multiple people,
there's efficiencies, technology, they've
403
:got pro- it makes practice more valuable,
and probably a lot easier to transition.
404
:Yeah, integrate.
405
:Yeah.
406
:And also, too, do you think…
407
:You mentioned, Scott,
there's less surprises.
408
:Do you think it's because advisors now
are doing a better job planning and
409
:just preparing, thinking about, you
know, more so than maybe 10 years ago,
410
:they're thinking about what are they
doing, what do they want, and that
411
:planning process is more comprehensive?
412
:I, I don't, I don't know if…
413
:I, I'll, maybe I'll take
it a different direction.
414
:I don't know if they're
doing any more planning.
415
:I think advisors often
plan last for themselves.
416
:So they, they're great at planning
for their clients, and quite frankly,
417
:if their clients brought them some of
the deals that we've put in front of
418
:people, they would tell their clients
they're crazy to not take them, right?
419
:There's, there, there's an…
420
:It's a, it's a miracle how hard it is for
them to make the decision, but for their,
421
:for them to tell their clients the same
situation, it's like a, a no-brainer.
422
:I actually just think the topic,
conversations like this, podcasts
423
:like this, s- uh, stages at, at
major conferences, this is the
424
:number one most requested topic.
425
:So I think now, three years, four
years later, we're finally seeing
426
:people listening- Mm-hmm … opening
up, communicating, actively talking
427
:about what's working and what's not.
428
:And, and I think that is, is the, uh…
429
:I'm a big soccer fan, and, you know,
growing up and, and playing soccer for
430
:30, 40 years in this, in this country,
there's been a progression of soccer.
431
:And now more people understand
it, more people are going to
432
:games all over the country.
433
:I kinda feel like M&A is like that.
434
:In our industry, people are now starting
to talk about something that's always
435
:been an option, it's always been cool-
Yeah … it's always been something
436
:that can solve, uh, you know, your,
your biggest challenges, and it's
437
:fun, and it's fun to talk about.
438
:And the more we talk about it,
the more people are educated, and
439
:then it becomes better planning.
440
:No, that's fantastic,
because you're right.
441
:We talk about it a lot.
442
:You know, wealthmanagement.com,
443
:they, their front page is
covered with just M&A deals
444
:and, and whatever, um, it is.
445
:So it is a hot topic.
446
:So Val, the two of you, you and
Scott, you guys operate as a team,
447
:a very good, a cohesive team.
448
:I can tell just by this conversation
how well you two work together.
449
:At the top of the growth
function, you guys work as a team.
450
:How do your roles complement each other?
451
:You kinda s- mentioned it at the beginning
how you complement each other, and what
452
:does that dynamic produce that maybe a
single leader can't, where maybe there's
453
:just one growth officer and that's it?
454
:How, why is it better to have a team?
455
:Yeah, 'cause we, we're both
great at different things, right?
456
:So Scott is exceptional
at seeing what's possible.
457
:I'm focused on making sure what's
possible becomes a reality.
458
:Um, so Scott's really great at painting
a picture, vision planning with advisors,
459
:um, focusing on what's most important
to them, and then I think about things
460
:like strategy, execution, delivering
on our commitments to advisors.
461
:Um, we balance each other really well,
and we, we, we've worked together for
462
:over 20 years, um, and we just, we've
always worked well together because we
463
:balance each other in different aspects.
464
:We're great at different things.
465
:Mm-hmm.
466
:Yeah, that's fanta- and like I said, I
could tell just during this 30-minute
467
:conversation, you guys work well together.
468
:Lastly, Val, we'll just start
with you, then go over to Scott.
469
:Where is Steward's growth story headed?
470
:Where are we going from here maybe
three, four, five years from now?
471
:Let's get our crystal,
crystal balls out here.
472
:What does success look like for your
team, you know, into the future?
473
:I think we're just starting.
474
:I mean, Scott and I started this
M&A division here at Steward
475
:two and a half years ago.
476
:We've seen huge momentum since then, and
it's just rapidly continuing to grow.
477
:Um, I'll let Scott s- Scott answer, uh,
pick up from where Steward's future is,
478
:but it's bright, and, uh, we're just
enjoying the ride as, as we work each day.
479
:Yeah, I, I…
480
:Listen, I think the, um, we've, we've
seen 30 billion to 50 billion in AUM,
481
:ninth on Barron's list, growth of our,
of our teams, all of our back office
482
:integration is, is becoming more and
more, um, just connected and cohesive.
483
:Mm-hmm.
484
:All those things are great, and that
just means the foundation is strong.
485
:I see us, you know, at $100 billion firm.
486
:I see us growing to a place where, um,
you know, we continue to attract the
487
:next level talent and yesterday's talent.
488
:If you are the best at your firm,
this is the place you wanna work.
489
:This is the place you
wanna actually retire.
490
:This is the place that you
don't have to sell out- Mm-hmm
491
:but you can sell and be a part of
something bigger than yourself.
492
:Very few places are like that.
493
:And so I think, I think
it's really exciting.
494
:Um, you know, and it's exciting to
do it with, with the right team.
495
:So for us, watching, uh, Jim and High
have found this company and build it, but
496
:be open enough to take it in different
directions, that's also, that also
497
:shows you a lot about this board, a lot
about our leadership, and about what
498
:we've been able to do within a system.
499
:So this system and this infrastructure
was existent before we joined.
500
:We are very grateful to be building upon
it, but now we're building something
501
:that is rapidly growing, and if someone's
listening out there and they're, they're
502
:not attracted to this, I think they're
missing where the industry's heading.
503
:Yeah.
504
:That's fantastic.
505
:Scott I think that's a
great way of wrapping it up.
506
:It's like you have your own podcast
the way you wrapped it all up.
507
:Yeah.
508
:Real quick, where can our audience get
more information about your podcast?
509
:So, uh, my podcast is The
High Performance Life.
510
:Um, and, uh, it's Scott
Danner is the name.
511
:And so if you just, if you just
put in Scott Danner on, on Apple
512
:Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, anywhere.
513
:Um, believe it or not, we
don't talk about the industry.
514
:We talk about life, love- Mm-hmm
… impact, faith and energy, and the
515
:four parts and components that I
believe make up an imbalanced life.
516
:We're all imbalanced.
517
:And so, you know, I just had one of the
top Alzheimer's doctors on my show the
518
:other day who had just done a presentation
of 5,000, uh, doctors and neuroscientists
519
:in the space, but how valuable that can
be to adding value to our clients or our
520
:relationships or our business partners.
521
:And so that's the part that I really love.
522
:It's all unified.
523
:It's all part of it, and, uh,
we, we appreciate any listeners.
524
:I love it.
525
:Fantastic.
526
:Awesome.
527
:Thank you so much, Val.
528
:Thank you, Scott.
529
:Really fun conversation.
530
:I love to just listening to
you guys chat back and forth.
531
:Um, very insightful, fun conversation.
532
:Thank you for coming on.
533
:It was an honor.
534
:Thank you everyone for listening
to this episode of Zephyr's
535
:Adjusted for Risk podcast.
536
:You can watch all of our other episodes
on the Zephyr YouTube channel, Spotify,
537
:and wherever else you get your podcasts.
538
:And please be sure to like, subscribe
and give us a follow on LinkedIn.
539
:Thank you very much, and have
a great rest of your week.
540
:Get started.