Many advisors still consider independence a “new” model, yet they are decades off the mark.
Independence has gained incredible steam recently, catalyzed by an ever-growing ecosystem born to support breakaway advisors, making the jump much less difficult and much more appealing.
While we often share the stories of advisors who made the leap to independence, many of their stories offer a perspective on a business less than a decade old.
But this story is different because Summit Financial is an independent firm that launched in 1982. With decades under its belt, the firm has demonstrated that independence is the real deal, with the staying power to thrive in an industry that notoriously it lacks stability and continuity.
And what matters most is the fact that they have continued to innovate and grow – proven by the firm's 3X growth to $10 billion in assets in the past four years.
So what's behind this incredible growth? And what does the future hold for Summit Financial?
Ed FriedmanSummit's Director of Business Development and Growth joins the episode to answer this and more.
Ed is best positioned to provide a glimpse into the secret sauce of the firm's success. He is charged with winning over advisers who have their sights set on greater freedom and flexibility but are not interested in building their own independent firm.
In the episode with Louis Diamond, Ed offers a unique perspective on the industry and his journey, as well as:
- His decades of experience with some of the biggest names in the business: Morgan Stanley, Hightower Advisors and Dynasty Financial Partners—and how that informs his work with Summit today.
- The evolution of freelance models – and how Summit's trajectory has changed over the years.
- The value of an advisor-led culture – and how this creates a difference between Summit and other supported independence models.
- The keys to Summit's incredible growth—and what made the past few years some of the most successful in the firm's history.
Plus, Ed shares actionable tips on growth, outsourcing, minority investor value, and more—with essential insights for both advisors and business owners.