Ask an Advisor: How did you land your first high net worth client?

Published August 21, 2026 3:54 PM

1 Min Read

Landing a first high net worth client —often elusive — can be a turning point for an advisor. The added assets can fuel growth, while referrals from that first high net worth client can open the door to others.

Breaking into that insular world can prove difficult, but it isn't impossible. Nick George, founder of Columbus, Ohio-based ClearMind Capital, learned that firsthand. He has been in the industry since 2018, and like many advisors on the hunt for high net worth clients, he was told that one way in is to network with CPAs. But such advice is "wallpaper at this point," he said. "Everyone says it, and they're not wrong, but cold-connecting with a random CPA is its own sport for many reasons."

Established CPAs, he found, often already have a set of chosen advisors to work with. There's "no real reason to add you," he said. "A CPA is putting their own reputation on the line every time they refer someone."

Nick George of ClearMind Capital

Courtesy of Nick George

His cold calls, requests for coffee meetups and other attempts to get in front of CPAs went nowhere. Some prospective referral partners didn't even have a clear idea of his role.

"There are more CPAs than you'd think who have no idea what financial advisors actually do," said George. "Without that clarity, it's hard for them to even know when a referral is needed."

His breakthrough came not from a networking tactic but from an opportunity to show a CPA his skills in action. When a mutual client needed both George's services alongside those of a CPA, George was able to demonstrate how he worked well with the client and managed their specific needs. Rather than pitch the CPA as a referral source, he won them over by letting the client interaction play out in front of them.

The CPA "got to watch how I handle a real situation instead of hearing me pitch it," he said. "Trust was established quicker than any networking event I ever went to."

That led to a relationship with the CPA, and from there, the high net worth referral. "Showing the work before you ever ask for anything [builds] trust," he said. "It gives [CPAs] clarity on how you actually work with clients."

Advisors can take any number of paths to their first high net worth relationship. For this installment of Ask an Advisor, we asked: How did you land your first high net worth client? Here is what they said:

Personal experience becomes a professional differentiator

Bridget Borel, CEO & founder of

Clairwell Financial Planning

in Annapolis, Maryland:

"My first high net worth client came to me while I was at my previous firm. Even though I was the only advisor at my firm without the CFP designation (yet!) she sought me out because she was planning to divorce her husband and while looking for an advisor, she read in my bio that I had gone through divorce myself.

"That was several years ago and we have been through a lot together in all of her life changes — navigating the divorce process, selling her home, buying and renovating a new one, revamping her estate plan and building out her new life on her terms. Having her hire me was the nudge I needed to commit to the divorce niche for my target market. I think the fact that she sought me out because of my experience points to the value of being our authentic selves as advisors."

Chatter on the green

Joon Um, advisor at

Secure Tax & Accounting

in Beverly Hills, California:

"Golf has helped me land not just one, but many high net worth clients. Spending several hours together on the course builds trust naturally. We talk about business, tax investments and family without it feeling like a sales meeting. Many of those relationships later became clients or led to referrals. For me, golf has been one of the best ways to build genuine long-term professional relationships."

Proving the worth by doing the work

Leah Granger, advisor at

Thorley Wealth Management

in Rochester, New York:

"My first high net worth client wasn't actually high net worth when we started working together. They came to me for basic retirement planning and paid me on an hourly basis because they weren't interested in asset management. Near the end of our engagement, they unexpectedly inherited significant wealth. Even then, they weren't ready to hire someone to manage the assets, so we continued working together on an hourly basis.

"As their situation became more complex, I was able to demonstrate the value of ongoing planning and investment management, and eventually they transitioned into a full wealth management relationship. What started as a modest planning engagement became my largest client within a year. It was a good reminder that you never know where a client relationship may lead, and that doing great work for every client can open unexpected doors."

Spreading the word on internet

Didi Chen, founder of

Everleap Financial Planning

in New Castle, Washington:

"I'm a career changer who launched my independent, advice-only practice this year. I made an early decision not to sign on friends or family, even though that's the easy path for a lot of new advisors. I didn't want to risk those relationships. Instead, my first clients came through my website, which I built around a specific niche: immigrant professionals navigating decisions around money, career and families all at once.

"After launching in April, I started getting steady inbound leads (one per week on average), mostly from advisor directories, and a few from online search, AI and LinkedIn. Not all of these are qualified leads, but a few converted as my first high net worth clients. Many of my prospective clients said the same thing when they reached out: they had read my story on the website and felt like it resonated deeply. Here is a direct quote from them: "Your website and how you talk about immigrants and upward mobility was really refreshing, it's what drew me to your services!

"They also felt aligned with my service model and liked that they could start with an initial engagement before committing to an ongoing relationship. I think this combination is what got them to book: A clear niche, an authentic story/branding and a transparent service model that resonate together help build trust."

Partnerships and trust

Nicole Farbo, senior vice president & advisor at

Johnson Financial Group

in Racine, Wisconsin:

"I was fortunate to begin my career within a bank-based wealth management framework, so my first high net worth client was introduced to me by one of my private banking partners. One of the greatest advantages of these introductions is that a foundation of trust already exists. The client trusts their banker, and by extension, is often willing to view the advisor as another trusted professional who can add value to their financial team.

"That trust creates both an opportunity and a responsibility. Clients come into the relationship with the expectation that you will deliver meaningful guidance and expertise, and it is essential to meet or exceed those expectations. I learned early on that the fastest way to lose high-quality referrals is to fail to deliver on the value your partner has promised. Strong partnerships are built on consistently providing exceptional service and advice, which ultimately benefits both the client and the referral relationship."