Unique branding, strategic outsourcing for RIA growth

What do a Colorado farm kid turned succession planning attorney, an Atlanta-based flat-fee planner for “elder millennials” and a tech-forward advisor who uses AI to enhance personalization legacy planning have in common? They’re all financial professionals carving out distinctive paths by honoring their personal truths; focusing on what only they can do best and embracing strategic support from partners, technology and trusted systems.

This year’s Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago underscored a powerful truth: The most impactful advisors and firms are those that boldly “grow their own way,” anchoring themselves in authentic branding, scalable systems and smart outsourcing.

As someone who’s worked with hundreds of advisors over the past three decades, I see this evolution as both timely and essential. Here’s what stood out at the conference — and why it matters now more than ever.

READ MORE: Is your investment philosophy mantra media-ready?

In a profession where trust is currency, authentic personal branding has become a competitive edge. During the branding panel, we heard that a brand isn’t just a logo or tagline but the unique space you occupy in someone’s mind. The best personal brands are clear, consistent and anchored in core values and deliberate introspection. As one panelist put it, “Your brand is the promise you consistently keep.” 

Take the example of the Colorado lawyer. His succession planning niche came from the experience of taking over his family’s farm at the age of 17. That’s not just branding, it’s a story no one else can tell but him. It’s trust earned before the first meeting. Financial professionals and those who support them need to ask themselves: What’s my origin story? Who do I serve best and why does what I do matter to them? 

And remember: Authenticity doesn’t mean oversharing. One panelist recommended a 60/40 blend when crafting your brand — 60% polish, 40% personal. Be real. Be relevant. Be respectful of your audience. One panelist recommended a 60/40 blend when crafting your brand — 60% polish, 40% personal. Be real. Be relevant. Be respectful of your audience.

Niche smart, market human

In the “Grow Your Own Way” session two standout advisors — Charlotte Geletka of Silver Penny Financial Planning in Atlanta and Braden Draggoo of Draggoo Financial Group in Wenatchee, Washington — demonstrated the power of defining a clear lane of growth and going all in.

Geletka’s flat-fee model targets “elder millennials,” typically born between 1980 and 1985, who are skeptical of traditional AUM pricing. She’s built a hyperlocal presence by giving financial literacy talks and even hosting curated shopping experiences. Her mantra? “Highland Diner vibes [referring to an upscale Atlanta steakhouse known for its friendly atmosphere], boutique service.”

READ MORE: How millennials and Gen Z are planning for their financial futures

Draggoo, meanwhile, is all about deepening relationships. He focuses on business owners and their next-gen heirs. He offers highly personalized bespoke retreats for families and facilitates conversations about legacy planning based on his C.L.E.A.R — clarity, learning, execution, alignment and relationships before engagement — methodology. The natural beauty of Wenatchee, aka the Apple Capital of the World, makes it a hub for outdoor activities and Draggoo’s team leans into those opportunities. His belief: meaningful engagement outperforms flashy campaigns.

What these advisors share is a commitment to segmenting clients intelligently and tailoring service experiences accordingly. No more ignoring the potential of a client’s adult children. These advisors have structured their teams, time and tech to maximize their unique value — and it’s working.

Outsource the busy, own the brilliant

The outsourcing panel illustrated the dangers of doing it all yourself. Craig Iskowitz of Ezra Group put it bluntly: “Fire yourself from the wrong jobs before your business does it for you.” 

It’s not about giving up control — it’s about reclaiming your time and multiplying your capacity. Astonishingly, 51% of advisors said time constraints were their biggest barrier to growth in Orion’s 2025 Advisor Wealthtech Survey. Only a third said they currently outsource investment management and even fewer are using outsourcing strategically across operations, marketing or tech integration.

Today’s most successful firms follow the mantra of “eliminate, delegate, automate, outsource.” During the panel, Iskowitz said RIAs that outsource one or more tech functions grow 28% faster than the industry average. And with the rise of AI-powered tools, especially in areas like tax analysis, the leverage opportunities inherent in outsourcing are bigger than ever.

READ MORE: ​​AI a small part of wealth firm budgets, but that may change

The key isn’t piling on more apps, it’s building systems that talk to each other. Your CRM, your marketing automation, your service workflows — these should be humming in harmony, delivering consistent experiences and insights. Iskowitz got the audience chuckling when he quipped: “Tech stacks are not Pokémon. You don’t need to collect them all.”

Brainstorming with ChatGPT

What bound all these interesting sessions together? A shift from doing more to doing better; from broad marketing to meaningful messaging; from being all things to all people to being everything to the right people.

And yes, that includes using AI tools like ChatGPT responsibly —  just as this article you are now reading benefited from AI-assisted brainstorming.  Used thoughtfully, such tools accelerate idea development, content generation and brand positioning. But AI is not a substitute for judgment and like any tool it’s only as effective as the hand that wields it.

READ MORE: Clients are turning to ChatGPT to double-check: ‘Is my advisor right?’

The future belongs to advisors who document their processes, codify their brilliance and scale without sacrificing their identity, integrity or personal touch in the pursuit of growth. It’s a reminder that relationships, trust and meaningful service are the soul of the business and are what make advisors irreplaceable, especially in an era of AI, automation, and outsourced solutions.

As I headed home after the Morningstar conference, I kept hearing a Fleetwood Mac song in my head, but with the lyrics slightly changed to echo a key theme at the event: “You can grow your own way.” It’s not just good advice for RIAs, it’s a strategy for sustainable success.