A conversation with Tim Bello, Managing Partner, Merchant Investment Management.
One of the key factors in the growth of the independent space is the burgeoning ecosystem that’s available to support those who make the leap—a virtual cottage industry that fills service and support gaps and creates new pathways for those who have a desire to grow their own enterprises.
Merchant Investment Management is one such firm within the space that was built to provide an end-to-end continuum for both breakaways and established independent business owners—and serves as a testament to how much the ecosystem has truly grown.
And Tim Bello, Managing Partner of Merchant, witnessed this growth firsthand, serving as an early-stage partner at Dynasty Financial Partners at a time when the RIA space was much less mature than it is today.
In this episode, Tim shares his point of view on independent business ownership, including:
- The gaps a firm like Merchant fills within the landscape—and how he sees their services as “opportunities” for both prospective breakaways and independent firm owners.
- The advantages of taking on an equity partner—and how identifying the right partner is “more art than science.”
- The real value of time—and why he sees it as one of the biggest things firms need to think about when considering growth.
- Identifying the ways to achieve “responsible growth”—and how that impacts a firm’s ability to be “event ready.”
Plus, Tim discusses, in depth, how to determine if your firm should become a buyer or a seller—and what threshold questions you need to answer in that decision-making process.
It’s a conversation that shares a unique and informed perspective on the RIA space – the evolution of which Tim helped to architect early on – with keen insights on the future.
Learn more about this episode and related resources at: https://www.diamond-consultants.com/the-evolution-of-an-ria-from-practice-to-enterprise/