I have been fortunate to have enjoyed an extensive and varied wealth management career participating in one of the most exciting transitions in the history of the investment industry. Beginning at a local full service brokerage firm during the start of the dot-com boom when ideas such as discount brokerage and fee-based investment management were just getting started, I’ve played a part in the evolution of fee based wealth management, online brokerage, wealth segment target strategies, proliferation of asset allocation modeling, separately managed accounts, unified managed accounts, hedge funds, private placements, the index investing, movement, broadening of financial planning offerings, development of specialist teams and the vast expansion of digital products designed to package and deliver all of these items effectively, efficiently and most importantly, in a fashion most attractive to an increasingly diverse base of clients and prospects. And the best part? We are just at the beginning! The industry is racing along on 2 separate tracks with zero-commission/limited advice offerings fighting for the price-conscious do-it-yourselfer and the full-service shops evolving into broadening and differentiating their offerings, leveraging the trendiest technology to deliver a more competitive experience, all while retaining the critical personal relationship that is still the greatest driver of client loyalty. Oh, and these clients also continue to become more price-conscious as competition increases and they are watching the limited advice shops with an inquisitive eye.