The Whiteboard Exercise That Changed Everything
Last year, after a significant change within our team, we took a full day offsite to rethink the business.
We wanted to answer three questions:
- What do clients need from us?
- How does each person on our team add value?
- What tools, resources, and support are needed to deliver that experience?
As we worked through those questions, we kept running into the same problem. We found ourselves designing around limitations instead of imagining what was possible.
At one point, I suggested we stop thinking about what was available today and start with a blank whiteboard. If we could build the ideal practice from scratch, what would it look like?
The answers came surprisingly quickly.
1. Better Wealth Planning
We wanted integrated wealth planning supported by real tax planning tools (Holistiplan) and resources, not estimates or rough calculations.
Clients' financial lives have become increasingly complex, and we wanted planning capabilities that could match those needs.
2. Technology That Actually Works Together
This seems obvious, but it's amazing how much time advisors and their teams spend navigating disconnected systems.
We wanted technology that improved the client experience, increased efficiency, and allowed us to spend more time advising and less time troubleshooting.
3. Stronger Support
We wanted access to specialists and support teams that could help us better serve clients and scale the business.
As we evaluated firms, one thing that stood out about Baird was the depth of resources available to advisors, from wealth strategists and planning specialists to operations and back-office support. We saw an organization that had invested heavily in helping advisors and their teams succeed.
4. Culture
Culture can be difficult to define, but you know it when you see it.
What attracted us to Baird was its employee ownership model (85% employee owned) and the sense that people were genuinely invested in the firm's long-term success. We met people who were collaborative, accessible, and focused on doing what's right for clients and colleagues alike. Plus, Baird has exceptionally low turnover.
More importantly, it felt like a place where our team would fit.
What Stood Out During the Process
One of the things that surprised me most was the willingness of Ally Shuman, Market Director at Baird, to spend time helping me think through the future of the business, with no expectations attached.
The conversations weren't centered on recruiting. They were centered on strategy, growth, team structure, and what we wanted to build. It helped drive 28% YTD growth in our first 8 months.
Looking back, that support told me a great deal about the people and the culture.
The Hardest Decision of My Career
Leaving a firm after more than 20 years was the hardest professional decision I've ever made.
When you've built a career somewhere, the decision isn't simply about technology, compensation, resources, or platform capabilities. It's emotional. It's personal.
There are people you genuinely care about. There is history. There is comfort in the familiar.
But at some point, I realized the decision wasn't about leaving. It was about moving toward the future we envisioned for our clients, our team, and our business.
Final Thought
For any advisor evaluating their future, I'd encourage you to start with a blank whiteboard.
Don't begin with firms.
Don't begin with transition packages.
Start by asking:
- What do your clients need?
- What kind of business are you trying to build?
- What support does your team deserve?
- What resources would help you serve clients better?
Once you're clear on those answers, the right path often becomes much easier to see.
For our team, that path led us to Baird. And looking back, it all started with three simple questions and a blank whiteboard.
If you're an advisor thinking through your own future, I'd be happy to share more about our experience. Every situation is different, but sometimes a conversation with someone who's been through the process can be helpful. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about our transition, what we've learned along the way, or what it's been like building our business at Baird.