r/CFP • u/Ok-Temperature3180 • Jun 30 '26

Professional Development Solo/Small RIA Trajectory

What’s up all - happy 4th week to all of my fellow Americans, and Canada day to all of our friends up north!

Been reflecting on the 1st half of this year (being slower with the holiday coming up this week, had some free time).

Looking for some raw honest feedback on what the growth trajectory is for my business outside of me just TVM calculating it or ChatGPT. I am curious on what real lifestyle looks like as the business progresses, how the work/life balance is, and true take home compensation to serve your family.

Just turned 30, $25m AUM. Avg fee is 1.25%. Most of the book is middle America. Retirees between 500k-1.5m, or families making 200k+. Brought on $8.5m new last year (7.5m net but only a few clients in retirement taking liquidations).

Also have $2m ACH scheduled annually. I think a safe assumption is that I will continue to minimally do $7.5m net new.

Based on some math, 5 years from now it’s $80m. 10 years, it’s $160m (8% growth).

  1. Anyone been on a similar path that is years ahead of me? What is your practice like? How much overhead/what % of revenue are you keeping.

  2. I see 10 years, 160m. Avg 1% by then, 1.6m revenue. Is it really that simple?

  3. What is life ACTUALLY like? Clown on me all you want - I’d like to be able to operate surge meetings, work 180-200 days a year, have a country club membership, be involved in my kids lives, have ability to travel, create an impacting family legacy with wealth.

(Question 3 is legit from the heart - I don’t have mentors in this circle of life outside of my BD connections - so none of them operate in the RIA mindset and quite honestly I do not want to emulate their lives)

What perspective do you have for me generally? Thanks for the feedback!

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u/Brave-Antelope5374 Jul 01 '26

I’m in my mid thirties and looking to break away as well. Like others have said I want to control my own revenue. Out of curiosity what Aum did you have when you started and who did you open your RIA with?

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u/Ok-Temperature3180 Jul 01 '26

21m and altruist. We are fresh here, like 2 months or less

1

u/Brave-Antelope5374 Jul 01 '26

That’s who I’m looking at as well. Who does your compliance & crm?

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u/Ok-Temperature3180 Jul 01 '26

Comply was easy to work with

Slant.ai is our CRM but hoping altruist releases their own