Career planning

Advisers shouldn’t let fear of the unknown stop them from breaking out on their own.

Here are three important factors to take into consideration when breaking away.

By all means put a plan in place, but flexibility is key in case circumstances change.

Going independent is alluring, but it also has its quirks. For instance, there is usually no support staff. Finding new clients while properly serving existing ones is “a juggling act,” CFP Tom Fredrickson says.

It’s time for professional planners, as opposed to sales agents, to define themselves accurately in the public mind. To do it, you need to use key words and phrases with crystal clarity.

One used to be enough, but planners keen to move up the ladder need to develop their arsenal — and quickly. Just as importantly, however, these skills can provide a roadmap for where the firm should invest.

Firms that want to grow put each employee to work around that goal. In time, the culture will become one that prizes new initiatives.

Hiring young planners is one thing but keeping them happy is another.

Being able to prove past production means the difference between a great deal and no deal when you're switching firms.

These adviser bosses have qualities that help them grab top talent for their firms, says recruiter Mark Elzweig.