Category: Analysis

Analysis

Growing To $660M Of AUM By Leveraging SEO (And Now AEO) To Build A Durable Pipeline Of Good-Fit Prospects: #FASuccess Ep 480 With Helen Stephens

Market Expert Mar 19, 2026

Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 480th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast! My guest on today's podcast is Helen Stephens. Helen is the founder of Aspen Wealth Management, an RIA based in Fort Worth, Texas, that oversees $670 million in assets under management for 342 client households. What's unique about Helen, though, is howRead More... The post Growing To $660M Of AUM By Leveraging SEO (And Now AEO) To Build A Durable Pipeline Of Good-Fit Prospects: #FASuccess Ep 480 With Helen Stephens first appeared on Kitces.com. Click the icon below to listen.

Analysis

Why Advisor-Led Marketing Becomes Harder As Firms Grow – And How To Sustain Organic Growth (Latest From Kitces Research)

Market Expert Mar 19, 2026

In recent years, advisory firms have faced a persistent slowdown in organic growth, with average RIA growth rates declining from 9% in 2017 to closer to 3% today. At the same time, merger and acquisition (M&A) activity has surged to record highs, as firms increasingly look to inorganic growth in order to scale. While commonRead More... The post Why Advisor-Led Marketing Becomes Harder As Firms Grow – And How To Sustain Organic Growth (Latest From Kitces Research) first appeared on Kitces.com.

Analysis

Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (March 7–8)

Market Expert Mar 19, 2026

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that recent data published by Cerulli shows that the growth of assets in the RIA channel has outpaced that of broker-dealer firms over the last decade – which suggests that broker-dealers need to modernize their recruitmentRead More... The post Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (March 7–8) first appeared on Kitces.com.

Analysis

Why Clients Hire “Human” Advisors In The Age Of AI: How Advisors Can Positively Influence Clients’ Emotional States

Market Expert Mar 19, 2026

Technology presents a dual-edged sword for financial advisors. On the one hand, technology can make the advisor's job easier by expediting (or outright automating) many of the tasks that advisors do for their clients. But on the other hand, that technology can also make it easier for clients to manage their finances on their own,Read More... The post Why Clients Hire “Human” Advisors In The Age Of AI: How Advisors Can Positively Influence Clients’ Emotional States first appeared on Kitces.com.

Analysis

The 4 Components Of Senior Advisor Satisfaction: Structuring Compensation, Workload, And More For Long-Term Retention (Latest From Kitces Research)

Market Expert Mar 19, 2026

Senior advisors occupy a uniquely high-impact role within advisory firms. Typically responsible for leading client relationships, driving business development, and mentoring team members, they represent both a firm's revenue engine and its client experience core. Yet precisely because senior advisors develop portable skills – particularly prospecting and relationship management – they also have options: moveRead More... The post The 4 Components Of Senior Advisor Satisfaction: Structuring Compensation, Workload, And More For Long-Term Retention (Latest From Kitces Research) first appeared on Kitces.com.

Analysis

Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (March 14–15)

Market Expert Mar 19, 2026

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that the latest T3/Inside Information Software Survey shows an uptick in advisor use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, with approximately 52% of survey respondents using AI search and generative language functionality (up from 42% in theRead More... The post Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (March 14–15) first appeared on Kitces.com.

Analysis

Leveraging Technology To Rapidly Scale Growth Delivering Financial Planning To Next-Generation Clients: #FASuccess Ep 481 With Adam Dell

Market Expert Mar 19, 2026

Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 481st episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast! My guest on today's podcast is Adam Dell. Adam is the founder of Domain Money, an RIA that operates virtually nationwide, serving 1,400 clients and expecting to generate approximately $10 million in revenue this year. What's unique about Adam, though, is howRead More... The post Leveraging Technology To Rapidly Scale Growth Delivering Financial Planning To Next-Generation Clients: #FASuccess Ep 481 With Adam Dell first appeared on Kitces.com.

Analysis

A 5-Step Framework To Get More Out Of Discovery Meetings And Uncover What Clients Really Want

Market Expert Mar 19, 2026

Financial advisors often begin new client relationships with a long checklist of logistical onboarding tasks – transferring accounts, gathering data, completing paperwork, and integrating information into the firm's CRM. Yet focusing exclusively on these operational details risks overlooking a more important foundation: understanding what truly matters to the client. A clear picture of a client'sRead More... The post A 5-Step Framework To Get More Out Of Discovery Meetings And Uncover What Clients Really Want first appeared on Kitces.com.

Analysis

Ill-Liquidity Premium

Market Expert Mar 18, 2026

Source: Cambridge Associates/JPM assisted by Claude There’s an excess of news flow from the SCOTUS rejection of IEEPA tariffs to the current Middle East/Iran war. I suspect some important items are getting overlooked. Perhaps the biggest is the goings on in private credit. I don’t want to get distracted by gates and redemptions, belated… Read More The post Ill-Liquidity Premium appeared first on The Big Picture.

Analysis

Transcript: Matt Cherwin, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Marek Capital

Market Expert Mar 17, 2026

The transcript from this week’s MiB: Matt Cherwin, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Marek Capital, is below. You can stream and download our full conversation, including any podcast extras, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube (video), YouTube (audio), and Bloomberg. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found… Read More The post Transcript: Matt Cherwin, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Marek Capital appeared first on The Big Picture.

Analysis

MiB: Matt Cherwin, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Marek Capital

Market Expert Mar 15, 2026

This week, I speak with Matt Cherwin, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Marek Capital, an alternative asset management firm launched in 2024. He is responsible for the firm’s investment strategy, portfolio construction, research and risk management. Previously, he spent 16-years at JPMorgan Chase & Co where he held titles of Chief… Read More The post MiB: Matt Cherwin, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Marek Capital appeared first on The Big Picture.

Analysis

At The Money: Pursuing Alpha through Exchange-Traded Funds

Market Expert Mar 13, 2026

At The Money: Finding Alpha via Unique ETF Strategies (March 12, 2026) If you want market performance (beta), you buy broad index funds. But what if you want to use a portion of your portfolio to try to beat the market (alpha)? One option is to pursue alpha via quantitative ETFs. Full… Read More The post At The Money: Pursuing Alpha through Exchange-Traded Funds appeared first on The Big Picture.

Analysis

Transcript: Ed Perks, Franklin Income Investors CIO / Franklin Advisers President

Market Expert Mar 11, 2026

The transcript from this week’s, MiB: Ed Perks, Franklin Income Investors CIO / Franklin Advisers President, is below. You can stream and download our full conversation, including any podcast extras, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Bloomberg. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here. ~~~… Read More The post Transcript: Ed Perks, Franklin Income Investors CIO / Franklin Advisers President appeared first on The Big Picture.

Analysis

MiB: Ed Perks, Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Income Investors / President, Franklin Advisers

Market Expert Mar 8, 2026

This week, I speak with Ed Perks, president of Franklin Advisers, Inc. and chief investment officer of Franklin Income Investors. We discuss income based investment compared to equities, along with overall portfolio strategy. We also discuss the evolving pitch for private credit. Ed explains how he became interested in finance when he took his… Read More The post MiB: Ed Perks, Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Income Investors / President, Franklin Advisers appeared first on The Big Picture.

Analysis

MiB: Bill Gurley, Benchmark

Market Expert Mar 6, 2026

In a special bonus episode, I speak with Bill Gurley of Benchmark about his big bets investing early in now-common names like Uber, Zillow, Grubhub, OpenTable and others, plus his new book, “Runnin’ Down a Dream: How to Thrive in a Career You Actually Love“. He explains that the early days of venture… Read More The post MiB: Bill Gurley, Benchmark appeared first on The Big Picture.

Analysis

Paul Krugman in Conversation with Barry Ritholtz

Market Expert Mar 4, 2026

I always have fun chatting with Paulie. I always find it amusing to be on the other side of the mic. He wanted to discuss AI and markets in light of the Citrini Research post that caused such a fuss. He always asks thoughtful questions, and it was a fascinating conversation with Paul Krugman… Read More The post Paul Krugman in Conversation with Barry Ritholtz appeared first on The Big Picture.

Analysis

Transcript: MiB: Jeff Chang, President and Co-Founder of Vest

Market Expert Mar 3, 2026

The transcript from this week’s, MiB: Jeff Chang, President and Co-Founder of Vest, is below. You can stream and download our full conversation, including any podcast extras, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube (video), YouTube (audio), and Bloomberg. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here. ~~~… Read More The post Transcript: MiB: Jeff Chang, President and Co-Founder of Vest appeared first on The Big Picture.

Analysis

10 Sunday AM Reads

Market Expert Mar 2, 2026

Programming Note: I am traveling for a few days, and that has historically meant lighter posting and greater odds of higher volatility… Avert your eyes! My Sunday morning look at incompetence, corruption, and policy failures: • Cabinet Apocalypse: A News Review in an Imagined Conversation: “Calling this meeting to order. That was a long speech… Read More The post 10 Sunday AM Reads appeared first on The Big Picture.