Beyond AUM Blog
Financial Advisor Resources

Firm recognized for its Concierge Succession Planning model, built to protect legacy, culture, and growth long after a deal closes Beyond AUM, a full-service marketing, growth, and M&A advisory firm serving financial services firms nationwide, has been named a Finalist

GEO for financial advisors isn’t a new strategy. It’s another return on the work strong RIA firms have been doing for years. The advisors showing up in AI-generated answers didn’t suddenly overhaul their marketing when ChatGPT arrived. They had already

Let’s face it: M&A is big news in our industry. It’s hard to go more than a few days at a time without seeing in an industry periodical or one of your social media feeds that Firm A has been

Marketing your practice to women is different than pitching it to men, and advisors must know the differences if they are to succeed, a panel of women said at the Invest In Women conference. Women Aren’t One Audience Women are

It’s not counterintuitive or selfish — unprofitable firms forced to close their doors can’t serve clients. At first, the title of this article might seem like an impossible contradiction. After all, it is a dictum in the RIA space that

Here’s how to spend less time justifying your value and more time guiding clients to toward their hopes, values and and dreams. There’s a great story about a company with a broken-down piece of equipment. Unfortunately, the equipment was essential

Here’s a story about two houses. One belonged to a baby boomer, and it was his pride and joy. He graduated from college in the early 1970s, got his first job, and started saving. When he received a small inheritance

In his 1970 bestseller “Future Shock,” the prescient author Alvin Toffler coined the phrase, “high tech/high touch.” He was suggesting — in 1970! — what we have come to take as an assumption today: that advances in technology typically require

By the year 2030, women are projected to control $30 trillion in financial assets in the US alone. That is not just a headline. It is a call to action for an industry that, by its own metrics, still struggles

Star Trek fans of The Next Generation and later iterations of the popular sci-fi series are familiar with the motto of the Borg, the humanoid-cyborg race bent on galactic dominance: “Resistance is futile.” In some ways, the Borg have provided

The power of the visual pulls more focus than the auditory. Consider my friend, a frequent cast member in community theater productions, who shared that one of the most frequent directions given during rehearsals is that actors be mindful of

If you thought the mergers & acquisitions wave in wealth management would lose steam in 2025, think again. Last year broke records, and this year is already keeping pace. Translation: if you’re an RIA owner considering a sale, partnership, or

Women are soon projected to control $30 trillion in U.S. assets. That’s trillion with a T and yet some in the financial services industry still think “diversity” is a show for a conference panel once a year. Ahead of a

It’s no secret that M&A activity in the RIA space remains brisk. In 2024, the industry recorded a record 272 transactions. That pace isn’t expected to slow this year, if Q2 2025 is any indication. According to Echelon Partners’ Q2

As a financial advisor, you focus on providing solid advice to your clients. After all, your clients are the foundation of your business. While your financial skills are critical, though, without a sound marketing strategy to effectively drive more traffic

Scroll. Stream. Search. Shop. These behaviors are how today’s prospects navigate the world and their decision-making processes. Not in a neat little funnel. Not in the order you want. Just… all at once. The idea that someone lands on your

If change is indeed the only constant, then it makes sense that the way an enterprise presents itself to the public eye might require periodic adjustment. After all, even the most well-known companies — Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and recently Meta (née

If you think people are still Googling and clicking on links like it’s 2010, think again. The way we search online has taken a sharp turn. Instead of scrolling through pages of results, more and more people are asking AI

Though M&A activity for RIAs was down 5 percent in 2023, many observers don’t view that as a trend likely to go forward. In fact, according to Deloitte’s 2024 survey, 79 percent of C-suite respondents and 86 percent of private

Take a second to consider how often we use colors to communicate in our everyday speech. Did anything ever make you “see red”? Did some topic or decision fall in a “gray area”? Did your latest idea get a “green

While the concept of investing organized around environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles has become more broadly known in the last five or so years, the basic principle of socially responsible investing has been around, in one form or another,

A week like no other. Whether it’s the ongoing post-election anxiety, fears of a looming recession, or the latest headlines on tariffs and interest rates, investors are feeling the pressure. RIAs know the drill: tune out the noise, stick to

Think about some of the greatest communicators you’ve ever known. Maybe they were a childhood teacher, a favorite professor, an admired mentor, or a corporate, civic or political leader. Whatever their area of influence or activity, what made their words

Reddit’s latest earnings call served as a stark reminder of a hard truth: if you rely on platforms you don’t control, you’re at their mercy. The company blamed Google’s algorithm tweaks for a traffic drop that hurt revenue and user

Socrates said it well: “Know thyself.” But Yogi Berra said it better: “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else.” For RIAs, self-knowledge – which includes an understanding of the firm’s ideal client persona (the people

I have a friend who tells me that, as a boy, he was fascinated by martial arts. He read every related book in the public library of his small town, hoping to absorb the secrets of the ancient methods of

In the words of Albert Einstein, “The only source of knowledge is experience.” With the lessons of last year still fresh, we’re poised to tackle the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. As we look forward, we recognize that navigating

“If you build it, they will come.” The slogan, whispered into Kevin Costner’s ear by the spirits in the cornfield, worked out pretty well in the movie. But what if they didn’t come? What if nobody had actually been hoping

Gratitude is often viewed as a personal practice—something we reflect on during holidays or special moments. But what if we applied it more consistently in our work? As author Melody Beattie once said, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It

Yes, we know … no one really likes to be asked “How’s it going?” about a project that they’re running behind on and probably haven’t thought about for a few days. Sorry! But honestly, if your firm is like most

When it comes to marketing, financial advisors fall into one of two categories: they believe that their services don’t need marketing – after all, everyone needs help with their finances – or they are stuck in a rut of tried-and-true

Lately, our team has been discussing the peak-end rule, a psychological heuristic proposed by Barbara Fredrickson and Daniel Kahneman that says people largely judge experiences (whether positive or negative) based on how they felt at their peak (most intense point) and

A friend of ours once shared the story of a family of his acquaintance and their experience during a fierce thunderstorm. It was late at night and everyone was already in bed when the storm broke. It was a real

As temperatures cool and pumpkin spice becomes a daily staple, we bring you a curated selection of impactful content designed to help you grow your firm while engaging your clients more meaningfully. In this issue, we’re serving up a refreshing

A marketing funnel is a measurable, visual representation of the process of turning people from prospects into loyal clients. Whether or not you are aware of it, you are utilizing a marketing funnel. But are you taking full advantage of

Advisors know that it is increasingly difficult to differentiate themselves in the marketplace and maximize their resources. Balancing your love for what you do with what clients value most, while maintaining efficient and effective service models is grueling. Financial advisors

I’m making a bold claim: Data should be the top driver of your marketing strategy. To understand why, consider Bob Dylan’s lyrics, “the times they are a-changing.” Marketing for financial advisors historically meant placing an advertisement in a magazine or

Every business and industry needs data to grow and succeed. Knowing what data to collect, how to collect it, and what to do with it after collection makes all the difference in a business’s survival. As a financial advisor, you

You probably don’t need reconvincing that your digital footprint matters for the success of your practice. But just in case you could use a refresher, a survey of 2,000 U.S. respondents earlier this year by technology platform Intelliflo found that

Every day, decisions are made based off of digitally sourced information, showcasing just how large a role the digital world plays in how we connect and engage with one another, including with clients and prospects. For this reason, it’s essential

Most of us in the industry can remember the days when offering a secure client portal for uploading documents and viewing account information could be touted as a serious value-add. But today, secure client portals are considered table stakes. In

Growth is good, right? After all, nobody launches a financial advising practice or any other type of business unless they’re expecting it to grow. In business, as in horticulture, when we plant something and focus the proper care on it,

Advisors who are part of the Dimensional ecosystem have access to world-class research based on empirical evidence, and that should be of great encouragement to both advisors and their clients. But Dimensional advisors have another great tool in their belts

With marketing, we’ve all heard how the various generations are characterized: Boomers can’t use social media without the assistance of their grandchildren; Gen Xers are wary of anything that smells institutional; Millennials require coddling; Gen Z is entitled and demanding,

When you think of Apple, the first name that likely comes to mind is Steve Jobs. Yet, Steve Jobs didn’t invent personal computers, smartphones, or graphical user interfaces. What he did exceptionally well was commercialize and brand Apple’s products in

In today’s digital landscape, the attention economy reigns supreme, and capturing your audience’s fleeting attention has never been more challenging. As a financial advisor, you understand the importance of staying ahead of the curve and meeting your clients where they

Email marketing remains a cornerstone for financial advisors to connect with clients and prospects, share updates, and strengthen relationships. However, new rules put into effect by email giants Google and Yahoo in February 2024 are reshaping how bulk email senders

Picture this: a potential client with a substantial portfolio and complex financial needs—we’ll call her Sarah—is seeking a financial advisor. Intrigued by a referral from a colleague, she decides to conduct a quick online search for the advisor before scheduling

So, you think you’ve got the whole advisor-client relationship thing down, huh? Well, hold on to your spreadsheets because you might be in for a reality check. According to some recent research from Morningstar, there are a few things you

As a financial advisory firm, standing out is not just about expertise; it’s about understanding the pulse of your community. Imagine being the go-to financial advisor due not only to your financial acumen but also to your ability to connect

Success is a multifaceted pursuit that extends beyond the numbers. Advisors strive to optimize their go-to-market strategies, enhance client satisfaction and retention, and ultimately achieve positive outcomes regarding additional assets and good-fit new clients. In this pursuit, two distinct types

Are you ready for 2023 to end? Wait…don’t answer that. We can already guess your response to that question. As we put 2023 in the rearview and look ahead to what will (hopefully) be a brighter year, now is a

If you want to gain more traffic and attract more visitors to your financial advisory firm’s website, you need to rank high on search engines. Unlocking the secrets of search engine optimization (SEO) might seem like a formidable task, but

Staying ahead of the curve is essential as a financial advisor. After all, your clients trust you with their hard-earned money, and they expect nothing less than a top-notch client experience. The Balanced Scorecard can swoop in and help ready

The race to generate leads and convert them into loyal clients is like a high-stakes poker game in financial advisory. To emerge victorious, you must play your cards right. One especially important card? Landing pages. These seemingly ordinary web pages

As recently as 2006, podcasts were limited to the technological intelligentsia: only 22% of the population had even heard of them. But by 2022, 79% of Americans expressed familiarity with podcasts, with the vast majority having one or two they

Picture this: a person wanders into a physical store, browses the aisles, selects products, and just as they approach the checkout counter, they inexplicably turn around and leave. Now, transpose that scenario to the online world, and you’ve got the

In the world of design, white space is a powerful tool that often goes unnoticed. It’s that seemingly empty space between elements that can transform a cluttered design into an elegant and sophisticated one. As financial advisors, you may be

Vince Lombardi is famous for the way he started every spring training season. The new and veteran players would gather in the meeting room, and Lombardi would stand in front of them. When he had everyone’s attention, he would hold

It’s no secret that LinkedIn is an incredibly important platform for any financial advisor. With over 900 million global members, LinkedIn provides financial advisors with the opportunity to showcase their expertise, connect with potential clients and industry peers, and establish

The recent bank failures and economic gloom have caused us to reflect on the near and distant past. A certain anxiety has taken hold in our advisor community with flashbacks of 2008 and the subprime mortgage crisis, Brexit, the COVID-19

Let’s face it: M&A is big news in our industry. It’s hard to go more than a few days at a time without seeing in an industry periodical or one of your social media feeds that Firm A has been

If you’re a financial advisor, you know that maximizing your visibility online is vital to increasing your reach and credibility. Having a solid online presence on Google can help with that. A smart way to start or elevate your presence

Social media was once seen as the ultimate marketing tool for financial advisors seeking more market share. It provided a platform capable of reaching a vast audience, connecting with clients and prospects, and tracking the success of marketing initiatives. It

As a financial advisor, you know that having a blog is a great way to engage with prospects and current clients. Original content not only builds brand awareness and shows that you’re an expert in your field, but it also

Writing targeted content and providing client education around life events can be a huge growth opportunity for financial advisors. We recently facilitated the session Gray Divorce, Living Together, and Elder Care: Handling the Transitions at the 2022 FPA Annual Conference.

If you didn’t attend the FPA National Conference in Seattle, you missed an event that delivered exactly what was promised: connection, learning, and community. With the conference being so close to the holidays, I wasn’t sure if FPA could pull

It seems that in-person conferences are in full swing, and the end of the year is jampacked with people coming together to hear the financial advisory industry’s best and brightest. Last week, we were privileged to spend time participating in

According to an Investment News survey, the typical advisory firm spends less than 2% of its revenues on marketing. And it makes sense: Many financial advisors are skeptical that marketing even “works,” and they don’t have much free cash flow

It’s no secret that content marketing and PR go hand-in-hand but very few financial advisors effectively incorporate PR into their content marketing strategies. We have to ask, what’s the point in creating amazing content if no one knows about it?

You’ve heard it so much, it’s practically a meme: The baby boomer who’s always asking her grandkids to fix her smart phone or help her connect to Wi-Fi. But, while it’s certainly true that millennials, GenZers and the emerging Gen

We’re entering the dog days of summer, where we’re more likely to receive an out-of-office than a “what’s the ETA on this.” But as autumn arrives, so too does Advisor conference season and an always busy Q4. Here’s where we

Last Friday, some of the Beyond AUM team made the trek to the Lincoln Park Zoo. We had one goal in mind: get a peak at the new baby lion. We were determined and had even called off a previous

As a financial advisor, you know that the services you provide are invaluable—they literally serve as a blueprint for people’s lives. But you also know how competitive the industry can be and understand how challenging it is to stand out

RIA firms of all sizes are still in the process of coming to grips with the evolving advisory environment — especially in light of the tectonic shifts imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While it may be too soon to claim

The Invest in Women conference in Atlanta returned after a three-year hiatus and Beyond AUM was happy to represent. The financial advisory industry has sometimes lagged in building representation within the female demographic. That’s despite the largest wealth transfer currently

A down market can be a stressful time for advisors and their clients. For financial advisors, it is important to maintain communication with clients during this time and ensure that they are kept up-to-date on the latest market news. The

Deloitte conducted a study with more than 4,000 adult US professional sports fans back in 2015. The research explored the fans’ attitudes and behaviors both in and out of the stadium during both on and off-season to try and gain

Surveys show many advisors still don’t communicate well with women. Here’s how to keep them as clients. Let’s start by considering the following scenarios: A married couple, Jane and Bill, have $2 million in total retirement savings under management by

In the age of the internet, we are inundated with content. Whether we’re scrolling through LinkedIn, checking our Twitter feed, or reading our favorite blog, we are constantly consuming small pieces of information. And while there is certainly a time

Something that might surprise you. The most successful financial advisors know how to create and nurture communities – communities of clients and potential clients. When many individuals think of working with a financial advisor, they think of working one-on-one—not super

As humans, the urge to protect ourselves is built into our DNA. Just like our early ancestors carried spears and shields to keep themselves safe from predatory animals, we wear seatbelts, install home security systems, and keep mace handy when

By now, it’s widely accepted that financial advisors and RIA firms should have an active digital presence. From building brand awareness to showcasing your services to prospective clients, the internet is an invaluable tool. However, there’s another layer to the

Black History Month in February; Women’s History Month, here and now, in March. If you’ve spent any time recently on major social media platforms, you’ve almost certainly seen an abundance of companies of all shapes and sizes recognize and reflect

The world is different than it was two years ago. We recognize people by the top halves of their faces. We work from our couches. We bump elbows instead of shaking hands. And we spend more time online. Pre-pandemic, did

By now, we’re probably all sick of hearing the word unprecedented. However, once again, the word is the best way to describe how many of us are feeling about entering the third year of life in a global pandemic. The

When you think of building a brand around your financial advisory firm, what comes to mind? A logo? A color scheme? Specific imagery? We are visual creatures by nature, and as such, our minds tend to jump to what we

In normal times, we refer to the market in terms of a roller coaster, but over the past couple of years, the marketing industry has mimicked the markets, suddenly jerking off course as soon as riders get comfortable. The pandemic

Picture this. You’re running a bit late to work, forgot your lunch on the kitchen counter, stepped in gum when you were getting in the car, and now there’s a line at the local café, but you need your coffee

In our previous blog, we shared the five key benefits of Instagram for financial advisory firms and explained the importance of embracing the platform to grow your brand, business, and client base. Today, we’ll take you through various ways to

With over 500 million daily users, it’s no secret that Instagram is a valuable tool for any business. But using the platform is more than just creating a profile, throwing together some images with clever captions, and following a handful

Whether or not you’re able to run a successful advisory firm is based on a number of factors, but perhaps the most important one is your people. Leaders in the financial advisory industry often start as individual advisors themselves. Acting

As the summer of 2021 started, things were looking up. People were feeling safer, they were getting out more, and for a while, at least, we were feeling optimistic. And then came the delta variant. In her latest article for

“Tiny changes, remarkable results.” This is the tagline for James Clear’s New York Times Bestselling book, Atomic Habits. If you’ve ever dreamed about making big changes in your life, but struggled with where exactly to start, (and let’s face it,

What makes an individual want to buy a particular product? What makes a firm choose a particular service? Of course, factors such as quality and pricing matter, but the way clients can tell whether you offer high-quality services and a

Each of us has a laundry list of challenges that have been brought on by the pandemic. Add another one to your list: engaging clients virtually. Since virtual meetings and presentations have become the norm, financial advisors have been expected

It likely comes as no surprise to learn that content marketing in the digital age is highly competitive. This is partly due to the high saturation of digital content available and partly because audiences these days have short attention spans

You’ve built your business from the ground up. You’ve worked hard, put in the time, and fostered a strategic vision. And now, maybe you find yourself stuck in something of a rut. After all, it’s one thing to have lofty

Last year, as social justice movements gained momentum and marches were underway, many businesses found themselves in an uncomfortable position. They were either afraid of what to say, worried that they might utter the wrong thing, or else recognized that

It’s no secret that historically, investment advisors were seen as salespeople, with the commission-based model almost always putting the best interest of the client second. Over time, the financial services industry offered better options for financial planners and registered investment

Lifelong client relationships are the lifeblood of the financial advisory industry. As advisors, you often emphasize expertise in a specific demographic of client, and important words like differentiation, segmentation, and personalization are continually talked about in terms of how you

It’s no secret that financial advisors are concentrating on the growth of their practices. But, for a business to thrive in the digital era, it is crucial to keep up with the latest marketing trends, meaning that the path to

Let’s face it, we all spent a lot, A LOT of time on our screens in 2020. And as many of us continue to work from home, our electronics and our internet continue to be some of our most trustworthy

What’s the most effective path to success in any domain? David Epstein says it’s not what you think. Many financial advisors seek to understand how to use proven methods to scale their business, whether it be the type of hire,

Think of the word, “marketing” — what images come to mind? Maybe your mind gravitates toward a print advertisement, or a billboard, or a television commercial. Perhaps you’re thinking of the promotional image you just scrolled past on your Instagram

According to Google Statistics, there are about four billion unique users who use the Google search engine. Of course, you probably already knew that — we all use Google to find answers to just about any question we can think

Financial advisors learned a lot of lessons in 2020. The unexpected, sweeping impact of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many advisory firms to work remotely, in order to comply with statewide lockdown requirements. These guidelines challenged advisors to maintain a solid

Think of your website as the hub through which all of your financial advisory firm’s digital marketing activity is connected. Your digital marketing tactics should always be driving traffic to your website, which should engage your clients and pull your

“I don’t have time.” “My clients take first priority.” “I don’t even know how to get started.” These are all valid reasons why you may be hesitant to create and execute a content strategy for your financial advisory firm. After

You are in control of your business — surprise! This is the biggest secret that every financial advisory firm leader should know. Believe it or not, you have the power to choose which clients you serve, how to serve them,

Marketing can be a tough nut to crack. You know it’s essential to growing your financial advisory business and reaching new, potential clients. But the return on investment (ROI) for marketing activities can be difficult to quantify.  Historically, “marketing” for

Virtual Certified Financial Planner Derek N.H. Notman, CFP®, shared an interesting post on LinkedIn. With the following graphic, he posed the question, “Fellow financial advisors, what is wrong with this picture?”   The post spurred a thoughtful discussion about the

If you weren’t marketing to prospects digitally before the COVID-19 pandemic, then now is the time to get started. As the number of COVID-19 cases ramps up again, and as more states lockdown ahead of a projected holiday spike, your

If you’re a financial advisor, you already know that women and millennials are two markets that are increasing in both financial power and independence. Yet, for myriad reasons, many advisors have not tapped into or placed enough focus on these

“Curveball” — there is not a more perfect word to describe the past 11 months. Businesses and employees across industries have been challenged to leave their comfort zones and adapt to a new way of working. Financial advisors were not

Authenticity. It is a word that we see often and, likely, appreciate. Who doesn’t want to be authentic in a world of smoke-and-mirrors? Even though it may be the predominant buzzword used by a marketing professional or seasoned financial advisor,

Our Co-Founder Gretchen Halpin was featured on Databird Business Journal about how she built her way to the top of the financial services industry by overcoming fear. Gretchen Halpin discussed inspirations, goals, and how to overcome obstacles. Read the full

Let’s face it: we live in an over-communicated age. If earlier decades were an information desert, our current culture is an information rain-forest by comparison. You, your clients, and your prospects are inundated daily by the latest headlines and opinions

Your financial advisory firm is growing; you’ve got a solid client base, and you’ve built an in-house team with a shared vision and the dedication to back it up. You’re ready to take your firm’s marketing efforts to the next

Let’s start with the obvious: the financial advisory business is a personal business. Our success depends on building relationships with our clients — relationships built on trust. And then, as financial planners and wealth managers, we must perform and communicate

Even people who sell for a living don’t like to feel like they’re getting “sold,” right? Maybe that’s why so many of us find it difficult to ask for a referral. After all, we’ve just finalized the agreement, the contract

Not so many years ago, if a financial advisory firm was able to offer a secure client portal for uploading documents and viewing account information on the website, the feature could be touted as a serious value-add. But now, secure

Everybody loves a good story. And they love it even more when it helps them understand something they really need to know. As financial advisors, we sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day “busyness” of our work and our

What does success look like for you in 2021? That’s the question you want to answer for yourself when you embark on year-end planning. It always starts in November. Advisors frantically work to finish the year strong, while planning for

Crisis situations are realities that every business or organization must be prepared to deal with — whether it’s a market downturn like the one we saw this past spring, or a major global event such as the coronavirus pandemic. Often,

This is a term that needs no definition or explanation. Whether we refer to them as the popular acronym “COIs,” as referral sources, or as professional partners, it’s safe to say that “centers of influence” are an invaluable element of

Without quality content, you can’t have an effective digital marketing strategy. The right keywords, quality backlinks, and high SERP rankings can all drive traffic to your site. But the only way you will keep visitors on your site and convert

Picture it: You’re sitting in the audience of the conference you attend every year, notepad balanced on your lap, PowerPoint slides displayed on a large monitor in front of you. The speaker line-up is filled with industry experts, thought leaders

2020 has been a year of immense change and revolution when it comes to social justice and activism. For our last tip in our “30 Tips for Today’s Financial Advisor” series, we recommend having the difficult but necessary conversations with

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged all of us to think more creatively about how we do business. According to a report from Practical Perspectives surveying 525-plus advisors in early April, the dominant means of advisor-to-client communication used by advisors has

No one likes hearing and accepting difficult feedback — especially if it’s not true, not timed well or delivered poorly, or given by someone who doesn’t have the right to be offering it. But as Fast Company says, “we can’t

Right now during this COVID-19 crisis, we’re all having to learn to live in the present. As things change daily, we can only focus on today. It can feel nerve-wrecking not being able to plan everything years, months, or even

Do you know what everyone in your company does on a daily basis? When you familiarize yourself with every part of the business, you can identify what issues some departments are having and how you or another team could help.

It may seem impossible setting goals in the midst of a pandemic (and the internet has been filled with memes about how difficult it has been making concrete plans in 2020), but there are things still in your control. Career

In 1999, Amy Edmondson, professor at Harvard Business School, identified the concept of psychological safety in work teams, “a climate in which people are comfortable being (and expressing) themselves.” Since then, research has found that psychological safety can make teams

Throughout the Coronavirus crisis, we’ve seen some powerful acts of kindness, from small gestures like dropping off toilet paper at a friends’ door to companies and individuals donating millions of dollars for COVID-19 relief. How can financial advisors give back

Your morning routine can set the tone for the rest of the day. You don’t have to immediately become a productivity machine when you wake up. So how can you design an effective morning routine tailored to you? Inc. provides

The COVID-19 pandemic and multiple months of lockdown have left many of us feeling… well, stuck. Creatively drained. Tired and overwhelmed. But moments like these actually present opportunities for great renewal — whether it’s dusting off your goals document from

Though it’s hard for many of us to admit, it’s easy to get caught up in the negative when it feels like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. But instead of commiserating over a problem and harping

2020 has been a tough year, and we’re all feeling some level of anxiety, or stress, or fear. Remember that your advisory team members, clients, prospects, and COIs are dealing with these feelings, too. Now more than ever, it’s important

How can you reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in years without it coming off as awkward, desperate, or demanding? Rebecca Zucker in Harvard Business Review provides some great tips: Shift your perspective. Zucker says, “I have often

Clients don’t pick a financial advisor just for their professional knowledge. “More often than not, personal likability and trustworthiness rate much higher than professional knowledge alone,” WealthManagement.com says. So how can you build “business social” client relationships? Gather as many

It can be hard finding the motivation to network and cultivate relationships during this COVID-19 lockdown. But it’s important to keep building bridges with centers of influence (COIs) — accountants, lawyers, insurance brokers, real estate agents, and other professionals —

Many times, we let fear prevent us from trying new things. It’s easier to stay in a boring routine than entering the unknown. But when we try new things, we make progress toward getting over our fears and expand our

When’s the last time you did something for yourself? As Cara Maksimow, a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Maximize Wellness Counseling, says on Headspace, many people connect the term “self-care” with being selfish. But being selfish implies that

While rules at a company may have been created with the best intentions, over time, they can become outdated, restrictive, and futile. A recent Inc. article provided some examples of “dumb” rules that seem to suggest a lack of trust

Vulnerability can feel uncomfortable, risky, and scary. But if you want to innovate, you need to be vulnerable, according to researcher Brené Brown. This fear of vulnerability can show up in many ways in your organization — it could be the underfunding of new ideas in the name of

At Beyond AUM, our team frequently shares recommendations for books on business, entrepreneurship, leadership, and creativity. Right now, we’re reading The Outward Mindset by the Arbinger Institute, which is about the role of mindset when seeking significant and lasting organizational change. Today, we draw inspiration from this book for our “30 Tips for

How can we motivate and inspire each other when the world feels so heavy? Sometimes, it can be the small things that help. Whether it’s an inspiring blog post, video, illustration, quote, song, or photo, these small moments of joy

Wealth management is among the least diverse industries in America. According to the Government Accountability Office, less than 20% of financial advisors are people of color. This is despite the fact that companies with the most diverse executive teams are

Keith Johnstone, British and Canadian pioneer of improvisational theatre, says in his book Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre, “There are people who prefer to say ‘yes’ and there are people who prefer to say ‘no.’ Those who say ‘yes’ are rewarded

Financial planners understand the importance of developing a strong, well-thought-out plan, given that they do it every day for their clients. But financial planners also understand that they need to build in room for flexibility. Clients might face challenging and

“Failure is devastating, and it can also fuel people.” —Dashun Wang, associate professor of Management and Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management No one likes to fail, but there can be an upside to setbacks. In a study, Kellogg

Today’s tip is inspired by a quote from Stephen R. Covey, bestselling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: “The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.”   Today’s Tip: Focus on Quality, Not Quantity

We’re back with our “30 Tips for Today’s Financial Advisor” series. Today’s tip is about the importance of dedicating time and energy toward professional development. Right now, as it seems to take a Herculean effort to think about anything not

Today’s tip is about centers of influence (COIs) — in other words, “someone who can have a positive impact on your business by providing introductions to new potential clients, networking opportunities, and word of mouth,” as WealthManagement.com describes.   Today’s

We’re back with tip #3 in our “30 Tips for Today’s Financial Advisor” series, in which we’re taking the vast world of marketing, growth, and strategy, and winnowing it down to one manageable tip a day. Today’s tip is about

Welcome back to our “30 Tips for Today’s Financial Advisor” series. In these blog posts, we will be providing one small — but meaningful — thing you can do each day for your clients during this difficult time. With these

When we’re dealing with stress, some of us end up doing way too much or way too little. Dr. Brené Brown describes these patterns of behavior — “over-functioning” and “under-functioning” — in her new popular podcast “Unlocking Us.” Right now,

Let’s face it. As fiduciary financial advisors, the last thing we want to associate ourselves with is sales. But the truth of the matter is that “sales” is a big part of your business. Unlike broker-dealers, you’re not selling an

According to a survey by Everest College, the majority of Americans are stressed at work — 83% to be exact. And it makes sense; with the ability to constantly connect to the office through the internet, our work lives are

Every day, our news feeds are jam-packed with the latest headlines about the devastating Coronavirus pandemic and the significant market volatility that has followed. Many of us can’t help but feel worried about our family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and

Our Co-Founder Gretchen Halpin was featured in Databird Business Journal about marketing strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gretchen Halpin touches on how to discover what your clients need. Read the full article for more tips by clicking here.

According to an Investment News survey, the typical advisory firm spends no more than about 2% of its revenues on marketing. And it makes sense: Many financial advisors are skeptical that marketing even “works,” and they don’t have much free

Our Co-Founder Gretchen Halpin was featured on MyCorporation’s blog post where top women entrepreneurs introduce who their biggest role model is. Gretchen explained how Wonder Woman taught her lessons that she still applies to her business today. To learn more

Admit it. You’ve asked yourself this question at least once. The business world loves its buzzwords, doesn’t it? While most corporate jargon (we’re looking at you, “synergy”) can be flipped past in the dictionary for language that’s a bit more

It’s time to celebrate International Women’s Day – the annual, March 8, milestone dedicated to celebrating women’s rights and the continued quest for gender parity. The past few years have shed a new light on issues like the pay gap

It’s a love-hate relationship — the candy heart that says, “It’s complicated.” It’s equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. You know the feeling. In fact, you probably know it well. We’re talking about goal-setting — the annual activity that so many of