As a financial advisor, one of the most rewarding things you could do is leave your wirehouse to go to an independent broker dealer. Wirehouses and big firms can cause advisors to feel limited, cheated, or held back. Joining an independent broker dealer means you no longer have a sales manager or quota, you are free to pursue a spectrum of investments.

We asked a few of our advisors who recently left wirehouses for our independent broker dealer what their top reasons for going independent were. Here’s what they had to share:

1. Financial Planning as it Should Be

When you are independent, you are your own boss. At a wirehouse, you are answering to a boss, but when you’re independent you’re answering to your clients. You are truly working for them. You’re unshackled and able to find the best products and solutions for your clients specific situation. It’s truly financial planning as it is meant to be.

2. No Quotas

Without quotas, you are able to find the best product for a client’s individual and unique needs. At a wirehouse, advisors have quotas on selling that company's products, which may not always be the best fit. As an independent FA you’re able to explore a variety of products that fit your client’s needs and timeline - not a cookie-cutter product before the end of the month.

3. Access to Support 

Wirehouses tend to be enormous. Processing business can be a long and bureaucratic headache, and getting sound advice can be near impossible. At a small or mid-size broker dealer, the level of service is much more personal. Advisors have access to support simply by picking up the phone to ask a compliance question or walking into the back office.

Advisor Story:

One of our advisor noted that at his last firm, he had scheduled mandatory performance meetings with a sales manager who would interrogate him on how productive he had been over a period of time. He juxtaposed that experience with an experience he had at Vanderbilt, in a meeting with the CEO.  He was asked for both professional and personal goals and objectives, like buying a house, and was given advice and support on how to reach them.

 

4. Make an Impact!  

Unlike large firms or wirehouses, an Independent Broker Dealer can foster a real unique culture and focus. Impact Investing is gaining momentum in a big way. It's no longer a niche or specialty, rather many very successful advisors have dedicated their entire practices to Impact completely. Clients are demanding more options that are aligned with their values and goals, especially millennial clients. 

Large firms don't understand or support Impact Investing as a valid and strong strategy, but as an independent financial advisor, you gain access to impactful platforms, strategies, and investments. 

So What's Next? 

An Independent Broker Dealer provides you with the freedom to build your business with a client focused approach. It gives you a multitude of opportunities where you are encouraged to customize, innovate, share ideas, and grow how you’d like to grow.

Some financial advisors think going independent will be too free or too much of change. Stay tuned for next week’s Advisor Advice blog where we will provide tips about how to find your rhythm once you make the choice to take the dive.

This content is property of Vanderbilt Financial Group and is not to be duplicated or redistributed without prior written consent. Not an offer, recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell. Further Information is available upon request.

About Vanderbilt Financial Group: Founded over 50 years ago in 1965 and located in Woodbury, NY, Vanderbilt Financial Group is the Entrepreneurial Broker Dealer known as the Sustainable Broker Dealer and RIA committed to investing with purpose. Vanderbilt is a full service Broker Dealer and Advisory firm with a focus on Impact Investing. Vanderbilt's refreshing, unique, and innovative culture is a driving force to constantly strive to positively impact their community.