In the past, individuals and business owners selected a financial advisor based on two very simple criteria:
While number one is still a key component to selecting an advisor, clients are no longer limited by location when selecting someone to assist with their every financial need. We spoke with the CEO and Founder of Wealthtender, Brian Thorp, about the digital future for financial advisors and the benefits of utilizing Wealthtender. Brian has over 20 years of experience in the financial service world. Most recently, he was the Head of the Key Account Team at Invesco and was responsible for the distribution of mutual funds and investment products to wealth management firms across the country. He started Wealthtender to bridge the gap between advisors and clients that are often overlooked.
There are numerous sites that claim to match advisors with clients, but most focus on location rather than skillset. Brian Thorp says, “There are a lot of match making sites out there that do an okay job putting advisors together with clients, but they are really more oriented around “Put in your zip code and we’ll find the best advisor for you” and I think that is a little antiquated in the world we are living in. Especially post-COVID, I think it is more important to find the best advisor for you based on what your needs are as opposed to picking someone because they are just down the street”.
Additionally, many financial advisor directory sites require individuals to input an estimate of their assets before they are matched to an advisor. In doing so, some individuals with a smaller asset amount are excluded from the search and therefore do not gain access to a valuable network of advisors, coaches, and other financial professionals to assist in their business or personal financial needs.
Wealthtender not only has financial coaches on the platform that can help people get out of debt and establish emergency funds but includes almost 400 educational blogs and podcasts. Brian says that their goal is simple, “We have a much more inclusive platform where we are on a mission to help people no matter their income or stage in their life”. Wealthtender provides information for individuals to learn about a variety of advisor types and coaches based on their specific needs. Brian Thorp says, “We have advisors who specialize with specific occupations. We have advisors who work with doctors only. There is a big education component in showing that there are advisors who specialize in working with people like you”.
Wealthtender highlights the differences and specialties of a variety of advisor types. As a CEPA, Wealthtender would provide you with a large audience of potential clients. As advisors work in an increasingly virtual world, Wealthtender allows for clients to match with advisors that meet their specific needs. Through a membership with Wealthtender, CEPAs can create a customized profile page that highlights their focus areas to over 10,000 monthly visitors. With numerous membership options, Wealthtender has a path for all advisors to expand their audience, be featured in articles and podcasts, and gain industry recognition. Recently, Wealthtender has shared articles about the benefits of working with a CEPA during the exit planning process.
View these articles here:
Exit Planning Institute recently partnered with Wealthtender to offer CEPAs a discount on membership. CEPAs members can choose any plan on this page and then apply a discount code during the sign-up process to receive a lifetime 20% discount on your subscription. As part of your onboarding, all CEPA designation holders will also be listed in Wealthtender’s article on the benefits of hiring a CEPA, in addition to the other benefits you’ll receive with the plan you choose.