Writing your own retirement speech can be a special kind of intimidating and awkward! This is your career signoff, and there might be some big emotions involved. My father retired early due to his health. Using what I learned from my dad’s beautiful speech, check out these 5 tips to help advisors write their retirement speeches!

Younger advisors want to become successors but often feel that it’s “not their place” to bring it up. Senior advisors want to pass the torch but may not know how to start the conversation. I get that it can be intimidating to talk succession. So here are my conversation starter tips for sellers and buyers to gain the insights needed to start the succession dialogue!

Sellers in internal succession plans assume that their successor already knows how to run a firm and manage clients, and if they don’t, they start to look for a new buyer. This week, I'm sharing my most popular Meeting Agenda Template, which both buyers and sellers have come to love!

What would happen to your business if you were to get hit by the proverbial bus today? I have seen first hand what can happen and it's not pretty. Our online Continuity Course for financial advisory firms is now live! This is your emergency exit planning solution!

If I were to get hit by a bus today, there would be a lot of loose ends in my life and business. I think that's not right, which is why I've been creating a course to help advisors everywhere solve this problem. Read this week's blog to learn what to expect when you take our course!

Completing an annual valuation on your business is the financial service industry equivalent of undergoing your annual physical. Unlike an annual physical, your valuation results should get better as your business matures. It provides data to set the right business goals, and a starting point to create an exit strategy. Keep reading to learn all that your valuation can do for your business today and in the future!

The foundation of the financial services industry is in historical data and facts. This is both a blessing and a curse! Instead of focusing only on IQ, we’ve found that embracing your EQ (Emotional Intelligence) and TQ (Transition Intelligence) makes you a better advisor, and greatly increases your happiness during your succession plan. Here are a few tips on how you can improve your TQ starting today!

Happy almost St. Patrick's Day! It's fun to celebrate the "luck of the Irish" but are you relying on luck in your financial plan? Read more to find out the 3 threats of luck to avoid!

These are my favorite 7 books on exit planning for advisors! Whether you're contemplating your exit, or in the middle of a transition right now, this list lays a fantastic foundation for any succession plan!

We're celebrating our 1st birthday with a quick update on where the M&A market stands now, in terms of average deal terms and the most common challenges for financial advisors in the succession planning space, according to DFA's annual survey!

In life, some decisions are made for us, but your exit should NOT be one of those things! Here are two stories which illustrate the beauty of exit planning, in being prepared to find the right buyer at the right price.

The complexities of succession planning often mean that deals take years to develop, only to end in disaster. Investing the time and money to build your team could be the one thing that carries your deal through, at the end of the day.

What is a “failed” succession plan? That answer depends on how the partners define success or failure. Here are 7 red flags to watch for, and take action to save your succession plan!

What actually happens when an advisor doesn’t have a written continuity plan in place? We can plan for our succession plan, but we can’t adequately control a continuity situation. Here’s a real life story.

A Buy-Sell Agreement is like having a Revocable Living Trust for your business. For Advisory Firm Owners looking to start transitioning out of the business in the next 12-18 months, here are the key components of an Advanced Succession Plan.

Congratulations! If you’re reading this, you’re starting to get serious about exiting your advisory firm. While a continuity plan provides for emergencies, a succession plan allows you to control the contingencies. Here are the key components of a Beginner’s Succession Plan.

Exit planning for your advisory firm may seem overwhelming, but we’ve made an Advanced Continuity Planning checklist, for established businesses with an owner, or owners, still years away from exiting.

Exit Planning is like estate planning, but for your business! Sometimes you just need a Living Will, but sometimes you need a Trust. Whether you’re just starting out, or seriously considering your exit, it’s your fiduciary duty to have an exit plan in place for your clients.

Drama exists in every succession plan. Recognizing and overcoming drama is a tool you need to have if you want to secure a succession plan for your financial advisory firm.

Exit planning not only helps your business while you are in it. It’s also the best way to leave the company on your own terms! So why is it so hard to get started? We’ve debunked the top 4 myths advisors believe about succession planning.