Mercer Advisors M&A Webcast Series

Navigating Your Biggest Business Decision

You've spent your career building a successful RIA business and are enjoying the many fruits of your labor as you serve clients well and provide meaningful employment for your staff. But have you thought about the next chapter in your journey?

Unfortunately, our industry has done a poor job at planning for the future, and the lack of succession planning is starting to directly impact RIA businesses as founders are approaching retirement age. Combined with a more complex regulatory and competitive environment, many advisors are looking to get out of the back office, compliance and HR issues that seem to increase each year so that they can return to what they do best: helping clients reach their goals.

So, it is no surprise that the dramatic increase in the purchases and sales of independent RIA firms in 2020 has raised significant, strategic questions for RIA business owners as they grapple with the legal, financial, and emotional issues for what the future holds for their businesses.

Welcome to the Mercer Advisors M&A Webcast Series that has been specifically designed to help RIA business owners find answers to the key strategic questions:

Am I prepared for success?
Do I know what my options are?
What is my business worth?
How can I optimize my value, while ensuring my clients and staff are cared for?
What are the steps in the process?
What have similar advisors experienced?

Join us for a three-part educational series as we help you navigate the many issues, tradeoffs, and opportunities available to you as you look to the next chapter in your career. A complimentary valuation will be offered from the Mercer Advisors experts to webinar registrants. Valuation will be provided to qualified firms.

Webinar 1 – Your Options
Now Available On Demand

Ranging from an internal succession to a merger with a like-minded firm to a third-party sale or even just an orderly winding down of the business, we’ll review the many strategic options available, including the tradeoffs, pros, cons and what to look for in a partner. Led by Dave Barton, Vice Chairman for Mercer Advisors, he will share his experiences in completing 44 transactions these past several years for how to evaluate your options and choose what is right for you. Joining Mr. Barton will be Scott Kays, Founder of Kays Financial Advisory Corporation. He will share his first-hand experiences in going through the process, pitfalls to avoid, questions to ask and his advice if he had to do it all over again.

Speakers:

Dave Barton, Vice Chairman of Mercer Advisors and Head of the M&A Practice
Scott Kays, Founder of Kays Financial Advisory Corporation
Moderated by Tim Welsh, CEO of Nexus Strategy

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Webinar 2 – Your Valuation
Now Available On Demand

In this second webinar, we answer the key question as to how RIA firms are being valued, the various methods and approaches, and the key aspects of the current deal environment. Led by Dave Barton, Vice Chairman for Mercer Advisors, with 44 transactions, Mr. Barton will detail the valuation process, which components of your business are value drivers, and how you can optimize your business for success. Joining Mr. Barton will be Cathy Miller, Co-Founder of Atlanta Financial Associates, who has recently joined Mercer Advisors. Cathy will share her first-hand experiences in going through the valuation process, what to look for, key documents to have ready, what financial information is needed, and her advice for a successful valuation.

Speakers:

Dave Barton, Vice Chairman of Mercer Advisors and Head of the M&A Practice
Cathy Miller, Co-Founder of Atlanta Financial Associates
Moderated by Tim Welsh, CEO of Nexus Strategy

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Webinar 3 – Your Transition
Now Available On Demand

Once you have made a decision, post-deal considerations are imperative in order to ensure a smooth transition so that clients have a good experience, staff have a future role and you as the business owner have a clear direction and values alignment for the next chapter in your career. Essential to the process, and to ensure full value is received, is the orderly transition of clients to the new combined firm. Led by Dave Barton, Vice Chairman for Mercer Advisors, who has successfully completed 44 transactions, Mr. Barton will outline the success factors for integration. Joined by Mark Smith who will share his first-hand experience with a recent integration, including what he expected vs. reality. Also, Rick Weyers will highlight aspects of integration: operational, technology, and client service and regulatory communications that are crucial for a seamless integration. Finally, Kara Duckworth will discuss her journey as an acquired leader and her career progression.

Speakers:

Moderated by Dave Barton, Vice Chairman of Mercer Advisors and Head of the M&A Practice
Kara Duckworth, Managing Director of Client Experience, her firm Duckworth Wealth Advisors was acquired by Mercer Advisors in 2017
Mark Smith, Founder of M.J. Smith & Associates, his firm was acquired by Mercer Advisors in 2020
Rick Weyers, Director of National Operations, M&A Integration Team

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REGISTER NOW – Please select the webcast(s) you wish to attend and enter your contact details

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Mercer Advisors M&A Webcast Series: Webinar 1 – Your Options

Mercer Advisors M&A Webcast Series: Webinar 2 – Your Valuation

Mercer Advisors M&A Webcast Series: Webinar 3 – Your Transition

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Mercer Global Advisors Inc. is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and delivers all investment-related services. Mercer Advisors Inc. is the parent company of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and is not involved with investment services.