With Michael Nathanson — CEO, Focus Financial Partners

Overview

Michael Nathanson shares his vision for Focus, offering a unique insider’s perspective on the firm’s evolution and differentiators, and how that plays into the future of independence. Plus, he offers thoughts on his own transition to CEO and advice for advisors and business leaders.

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NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation.

“How the vision has grown.”

That’s a headline on the Focus Financial Partners website. And there’s a lot of truth in that statement.

Founded in 2004 by Rudy Adolf, Lenny Chang, and Rajini Kodialam, the American Express alums

recognized an opportunity to expand access to capital for independent advisors looking to achieve scale and increase growth, as well as monetize their life’s work.

In a conversation on this series in 2022, Rudy shared his vision and literal history of the firm’s role in transforming the independent space. Then, a year later, Rudy, Lenny, and Rajini left to explore new endeavors.

Michael Nathanson is now the CEO of Focus Financial Partners, taking the helm of a new generation of growth for the Focus ecosystem, which has grown to more than 90 partner firms in more than 38 states, plus Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and the U.K.

Michael was the CEO of one such partner firm, The Colony Group, when he was a guest on our show in 2023. Michael described how Focus was the right solution to help them grow their firm from $1B to $20B.

In this episode, Michael talks candidly with Louis Diamond about his new role as the CEO of Focus, including:

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• The firm’s evolution—and how his own experience can serve to drive further growth.
  
• The role of “interdependence”—and how that concept plays into his vision for Focus.
  
• The transition from public to privately-held company—and what that means for partner firms.
  
• Key differentiators—and what prospective advisors and firms need to know about their culture and values.
  
• Their rebranding initiative—and how it reflects their strategy, vision, and path going forward.
  

Plus, Michael shares his thoughts on the future of independence and much more. It’s rare access to a leader who built his wealth management career from the ground up—a unique lesson for advisors and business leaders alike.

Want to learn more about where, why, and how advisors like you are moving? Click to contact us or call 908-879-1002.

One-on-One with Rudy Adolf: How Focus Financial Partners Revolutionized RIA M&A—and Went Public in the Process

Industry legend Rudy Adolf describes how the idea of Focus Financial Partners came to be, filling a gap in how independent financial advisors accessed capital, resources and monetized their life’s work, plus the firm’s journey as a public company, their growth, how they are further evolving and more.

20X Growth in 10 Years: A $20B RIA on Embracing the Value of Private Equity and Interdependence

Michael Nathanson of The Colony Group discusses how “interdependence” helped to foster the growth of the RIA; the real value of equity partner Focus Financial; and their unique culture, curated services, and acquisition strategy, and more.

Michael Nathanson

Chief Executive Officer

Michael Nathanson is a highly respected and experienced leader in the wealth management industry. As Chief Executive Officer, Michael plays a pivotal role in driving organizational change and spearheading a range of firm-wide initiatives. He is relentlessly dedicated to bringing meaning and joy to the lives of clients, his team, and throughout the Focus Partnership, by fostering a culture that values lifelong learning, cultivates innovation, and offers opportunities to live lives full of passion and purpose.

Michael’s passion is reflected in the recognition he has received, having been selected ten times by Barron’s magazine as one of the top 100 independent financial advisors in the nation, included in Worth magazine’s list of the country’s top 250 wealth advisors and recognized as one of ThinkAdvisor’s 2022 LUMINARIES winners for Executive Leadership. He also was selected six times as a “Super Lawyer,” as published in Massachusetts Super Lawyers. During his tenure as Chief Executive Officer and Chair of The Colony Group, he is most proud of the firm being named one of 50 firms as a Best Place To Work for Financial Advisors by InvestmentNews.

As a lifelong learner, he is committed to sharing his knowledge and experience with clients, colleagues, and the next generation of industry leaders and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. He also has served on the Fidelity Clearing and Custody Solutions Advisor Council and the Schwab Advisor Services Advisory Board. Previously, he served on the Board of Advisors for Boston University’s Program for Financial Planners and as Co-Chairman of the Boston Bar Association.

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