Episodes

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Andy Busser, president and CEO of Pitcairn, about how the century-old firm has evolved from a single-family office into an RIA serving approximately 150 families and overseeing roughly $12 billion on their behalf. Andy shares how Pitcairn combines investment management with trust, tax, accounting, insurance, family education and governance services to support families across generations. He also explains why the firm prior...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Matt Adams, chief executive officer and managing partner at Mission Wealth, about how the firm has grown into a national RIA managing $17.5 billion while continuing to prioritize client service and culture. Matt shares how Mission Wealth combines organic growth, referral programs, digital marketing and carefully selected mergers and integrations while maintaining a relatively low client-to-advisor ratio. He also explains h...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Mike LaMena, CEO of Wealthspire, about how the firm is bringing together private wealth, institutional advisory, retirement services and family office capabilities as it continues to grow. Mike shares how Wealthspire structures advisor teams around deeper client relationships, uses a “cross-solving” approach to connect needs across different parts of the firm, and invests in areas such as trust, estate planning, tax and te...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Ralph Haberli, CEO of Edelman Financial Engines, about how the firm connects workplace retirement relationships with broader wealth planning and continues to grow at scale. Ralph shares how retirement plan participants can develop into long-term planning clients, why the firm has made planner ownership a priority, and how recruiting and M&A fit into its growth strategy. He also explains how Edelman Financial Engines is usi...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Kristen Bauer, CEO of Laird Norton Wetherby, about the firm’s approach to serving multigenerational families while managing about $18 billion in assets across six offices and two trust companies. Kristen explains how the firm evaluates growth based on its impact on clients, employees and owners, rather than pursuing scale alone. She also shares how trust services, impact investing, advisor development, employee ownership a...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Gregg George, founder and managing director of Crescent Grove Advisors, about how the firm grew to approximately $6 billion without acquisitions, outside investors or debt. Gregg shares how the firm builds relationships with executives and business owners before major liquidity events, maintains a low advisor-to-client ratio and develops a talent pipeline internally. He also explains how Crescent Grove protects its culture...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Jason Ozur, co-CEO of Lido Advisors, about the firm’s growth from a six-person team managing roughly $400 million to one of the largest RIAs in the country with nearly $50 billion in assets under management. Jason discusses how a strong focus on organic growth, standardized investment processes and client service helped lay the foundation for expansion before the firm accelerated its growth through acquisitions and strateg...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Jim Kaufman, managing partner and senior wealth management advisor at OpenArc Corporate Advisory, about leading one of the largest breakaways in the wealth management industry and what the future looks like for the independent firm.. He shares how years of due diligence, a deeply rooted client-first culture, and a strong internal leadership structure helped OpenArc transition nearly 130 associates and 70 advisors. Jim also...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Andrea Broughton, CEO and founder of WealthCrossing, about the firm’s growth from an Ernst & Young spinout to a $1.5 billion RIA. Andrea shares how the firm grew through client referrals, built tax planning into its client experience, and recently expanded its growth strategy through branding and digital marketing. The conversation explores WealthCrossing’s approach to financial planning and tax strategy, its recent rebran...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong sits down with Marty Bicknell, president and CEO of Mariner Wealth Advisors, to discuss how the firm has grown into one of the biggest RIAs in the country. Marty shares how Mariner approaches acquisitions with a strong focus on culture, builds in-house capabilities across tax, trust and insurance services, and structures business development to support advisor growth. He also explains how artificial intelligence and operational system...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Randy Morris, founder and CEO of Summit Wealth Group, about the firm’s transition from a long-standing broker/dealer affiliate to launch its own independent RIA platform. He explains how the decision was shaped by a desire for greater autonomy, improved client experience and long-term growth potential. Randy also shares how leadership structure, internal ownership and a minority capital partnership are helping guide the fi...

In this episode of the RIA Edge podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Phil Fiore, co-founder and CEO of Procyon, about how he and his team transitioned from a wirehouse environment to build a fast-growing independent firm. He shares how that growth has been driven by a commitment to delivering fully integrated client services, a disciplined approach to scaling resources to enhance the client experience and a focus on combining organic growth with selective acquisitions that align culturally ...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Oliver Cross, founding partner, senior advisor and head of growth at Verum Partners, about the firm’s path from a breakaway team to a rapidly growing independent RIA managing over $1 billion. He shares how early growth was driven by focusing on a core group of founding clients, building a strong internal structure through systems like EOS and creating a team-based client service model. Oliver also explains how hiring, tech...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Stephen Rigali, executive managing director at Kayne Anderson Rudnick, about the firm’s evolution from a family office into a $55 billion platform and how it has approached growth with intention over four decades. He shares how the firm prioritizes organic expansion, structured advisor development and long-term client relationships, along with how it balances high-touch service with scalability, uses specialized partners t...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong interviews Peter Mallouk, president and CEO of Creative Planning, about his journey from leading a small company with 30 clients to becoming one of the largest independent wealth management firms in the United States. He talks about how that growth was fueled by a focus on consistent, repeatable workplace processes, turning clients into vocal advocates for the firm, and how his acquisition strategy is largely guided by where he sees u...

What does it really take to grow an advisory firm without losing control of culture or client experience? Growth can look attractive from the outside, but building something sustainable requires discipline, structure and long-term thinking. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong interviews JC Abusaid, president and CEO of Halbert Hargrove, about building a $4.2 billion RIA through disciplined organic growth. He shares how centralized operations, a well-structured internshi...

Modern advisory firms are being reshaped by technology, changing client expectations and the need for deeper personalization. How do firms scale while keeping the advisor-client relationship at the center? What role does technology really play in growth without replacing the human element? In this episode, host David Armstrong speaks with Alex Farman-Farmaian, CEO of Compound Planning, about building an all-digital, integrated RIA—with human advisors at the center—that provides clients with a un...

Growth can mean very different things depending on how a firm is built and who it is built for. What does it really take to evolve from a small advisory practice into a professionally managed firm without losing culture, client focus or identity? In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Tom Orecchio, CFA, CFP, ChFC, AIF, chief executive officer, wealth manager and principal at Modera Wealth Management, about building an employee-owned RIA designed for long-term g...

How do advisory firms continue growing once scale introduces complexity? What does it take to build a structure that supports independence, client experience, and long-term flexibility? In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Jordan Raniszeski, CFP, CPA,  senior managing partner at Carnegie Private Wealth, about the strategic decisions behind the firm’s rapid growth after its transition to independence. He talks about early investments in human capital and junio...

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Arthur Ambarik, CEO of Perigon Wealth Management, about the firm’s growth from a small Bay Area RIA into a multi-state, $12 billion firm with a partnership-driven model and large ambitions for the future. Ambarik shares how cultural alignment shapes mergers, why specialization within firms is becoming a critical growth driver and how long-term thinking around talent and capital structure is redefining the future of wealth ...

How do leaders of wealth management firms balance advisor independence with the need for centralized efficiency? What does it take to build a platform that serves both traditional RIAs and advisors seeking a more integrated model? In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong interviews Larry Restieri, CEO of Hightower Advisors, about Hightower’s evolution from a wirehouse lift-out platform to a comprehensive wealth management firm managing over $300 billion in assets. He discuss...

Cresset’s rise from a family-led vision to one of the nation’s leading multifamily offices shows how purpose and culture can shape enduring organizations. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Eric Becker, co-founder and co-chairman of Cresset, about the firm’s mission to build a 100-year wealth management business focused on families, not just finances. Eric shares how Cresset was designed by clients, for clients, to combine investment excellence with family ...

The future of RIAs is being shaped by technology, talent, and a renewed focus on client-centric leadership. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong talks with Jon Beatty, head of advisor services at Charles Schwab, on the eve of Schwab Impact, about how the industry is adapting to the accelerating pace of technological change and what qualities differentiate the most successful advisory firms. In the conversation, you’ll hear: What Beatty looks forward to the most at Schwa...

Balefire Wealth’s transformation from two thriving RIAs into a unified enterprise business with national ambitions showcases the strength of shared vision and cultural alignment. In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong talks with Jason Hester and John Hoffman, co-CEOs of Balefire Wealth, a new RIA born earlier this year from the merger of their two established firms. The episode explores how the duo combined their complementary businesses—one focused on ultra-high-net-worth...