The Advisor Hunt Podcast

For many independent advisors, becoming an employee after decades of building their own business feels like a step backward. But the label doesn't tell the full story. In this episode, Darrell reframes what employment actually means in a sell and stay succession. He explains why larger firms need structure, how an employment period supports client continuity, and why advisors are compensated...

Too many advisors think succession is about maximizing a multiple. The best advisors think about something far more important. Their clients. In this episode, Darrell explains why the strongest succession plans are built around continuity of care, not just financial outcomes. Through the story of two advisors who approached succession very differently, he shows why buyer quality, client experience...

Some of the worst advisor deals look perfect on paper. The valuation is strong. The earnout is detailed. Every contingency is clearly defined. So why do they still fail? In this episode, Darrell explains why contracts are not the biggest driver of successful advisor transitions. Alignment is. Through the story of Kevin's $250 million practice sale, he explores why deals built around enforceme...

Taking equity can be one of the smartest decisions an advisor makes. Or one of the most expensive mistakes. In this episode, Darrell explains why the value of rollover equity has very little to do with the equity itself and everything to do with the platform behind it. Through the story of Brian, he breaks down why two advisors can accept similar deals in the same market and experience dramaticall...

Every acquisition starts with a valuation. The best ones start with a different question. In this episode, Darrell explains why client retention, not the headline multiple, deal structure, or valuation, is the single factor that determines whether an advisor transition succeeds. Through the story of Laura's succession, he breaks down how sophisticated buyers and sellers think about risk, why...

Two aggregators launch with similar opportunities, similar strategies, and similar access to capital. Five years later, one is compounding value while the other has quietly stalled. What happened? In this episode, Darrell explains why the difference often has nothing to do with the market and everything to do with structure. You'll learn why being a great advisor and building a scalable busin...

Many advisors see aggregators as the disruptors of the wealth management industry. But what if they are actually a symptom of something much bigger? In this episode, Darrell breaks down the structural forces driving the rise of aggregators and why their growth may be unavoidable. He explores the shrinking advisor workforce, accelerating retirements, rising acquisition costs, and the growing separa...

An all-cash offer feels safe. But sometimes safety comes at a cost. In this episode, Darrell explores why some advisors are choosing to roll equity into acquiring platforms instead of taking every dollar off the table at closing. He explains how the right platform can create a second source of value through scale, multiple expansion, operational leverage, and continued growth long after the transa...

For decades, advisors have been told the same story. Start succession planning early. Find a junior advisor. Develop them over time. Transition the business internally. The problem? That is not how most successful transitions happen today. In this episode, Darrell challenges one of wealth management's most accepted beliefs and explains why many internal succession plans quietly fail long befo...

A lot of buyers can talk about growth. Fewer can explain what happens the day after the deal closes. In this episode, Darrell breaks down the difference between a true roll up platform and an uncoordinated acquisition strategy held together by a headline multiple and a promise. Because buying firms is easy. Integrating them without breaking the client experience is the hard part. You will learn wh...

For years, consolidation in the RIA space has been framed as a scale game. Bigger firms. Bigger multiples. Bigger headlines. But that is not where this is going. In this episode, Darrell breaks down why the next wave of consolidation from 2026 to 2030 will not reward size alone. It will reward discipline. Clean operations. Transferable client relationships. Businesses that function without the fou...

That headline multiple felt like proof. Proof that the years of building, the relationships, the sacrifice, all of it was worth something. But what happens when the number that stops you cold slowly stops meaning what you thought it meant? In this episode, Darrell breaks down why the biggest risk in an advisor succession isn't selling. It's getting so fixated on the headline price that y...

Most advisors assume succession means handing over the keys and walking out the door. But what if you could capture peak value for your practice right now and still show up for your clients on Monday morning? In this episode, Darrell breaks down the "Sell and Stay" model, the fastest-growing exit strategy in the RIA M&A market. You'll learn how advisors like Robert are locking i...

Everyone assumes advisors delay succession because of money. In reality, it’s much more personal. In this video, Darrell breaks down why identity, not valuation, is the biggest barrier to succession planning. Advisors aren’t just managing portfolios; they’re confidants, coaches, and long-term partners in their clients’ lives. Walking away from that role isn’t easy. You’ll hear how delaying success...

Everyone in wealth management repeats the same stat: only 7% of advisors have a succession plan. In this episode, Darrell explains why that number doesn’t signal a crisis. Many internal successions struggle to close or drag down the value of a practice. You’ll hear why optionality gives advisors stronger leverage, how transferable practices attract better buyers, and what founders can do today to...

Are you trying to replace yourself… or strengthen your clients’ future? Succession conversations almost always start the same way. “I want someone just like me.” It sounds responsible. It feels loyal. It also shrinks your options before the process even begins. In this video, Darrell Jacobsen challenges the instinct to find a mirror image successor and helps you see that chasing similarity keeps y...

You’ve heard the advice for years. Start early. Pick a rookie. Train them. Groom them. Hand them the keys someday. Sounds responsible and smart, but now run the math. Less than 10% of new advisors make it. Then cut that number in half again. That’s your real probability that the person you groomed can actually buy your practice at full value. You’re betting your life’s work on single-digit odds. I...