Today’s financial advisor is facing a succession dilemma fueled by several factors. The first being incredible M&A market pressure, followed closely by generational factors, aging client demographics, looming rising interest rates, and a massive talent shortage, specifically in next generation ownership paths. The industry faces a battle for top talent, with owners unable to find suitors within their own firm and turning to Sell and StayTM opportunities, or completely selling the firm outright to an aggregator, fellow RIA or parent broker-dealer.

In most cases, the path to retirement begins too late. “Time is the essential variable that opens, and closes, most succession and retirement planning opportunities,” according to FP Transitions Founder and President, David Grau Sr., JD. “Not only do owners need time to create the foundational elements such as an entity structure and a professional compensation system, they often need time to navigate the firm to the optimal point before they completely turn over the business to next generation leadership.” Finding the right successor and ensuring those individuals can afford to buy into the firm at its current or future value, can be an uphill battle unless addressed well in advance with guidance from the right experts. As the nation’s leading business consulting firm dedicated to wealth managers and independent financial advisors, FP Transitions helps thousands of independent advisors every year.

Since opening its doors in 1999, FP Transitions has completed more advisory M&A transactions than any other investment banker or business broker in the country and has completed more than 14,500 business valuations. They are famous for literally defining the term “Succession Planning” and for pioneering the concept of growing and strengthening a business by using equity to attract and retain talent and allowing them to buy-in incrementally, making this route a viable alternative to selling to a third-party.

“At our core, FP Transitions offers repeatable, scalable, and fully custom journeys built on a proprietary process. Our consulting strategies are backed by decades of benchmarking data points organized and interpreted by a team of more than 60 highly credentialed analysts, lawyers, former advisors, and industry experts,” explains Brad Bueermann, CEO of FP Transitions. The company offers both Enterprise Consulting and its more scalable and digitally accessible Equity Management Solutions (EMS). Their Enterprise Consulting services are robust and project-based, serving firms navigating entity structure options, equity pathways, compensation restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and growth strategies. Their EMS program is built for firms seeking to protect, value and grow their financial services practice through consulting and benchmarking tailored to their firm.

Offering the industry’s largest full-service M&A department for independent advisors, FP Transitions’ legal team executes hundreds of deals annually, and assists both buyers and sellers with a full range of business appraisal services, deal structuring expertise, cash flow analysis, customized documentation, seller financing, bank financing support, and much more—all on a predictable and manageable flat-fee basis. The result is a coordinated team that works together, side-by-side, throughout the entire merger process and with all parties. FP Transitions is unique in its non-advocacy approach throughout the merger process, which allows for an increased focus on deal ‘fit’ which attributes to the firm’s exceptionally high close rate. When all parties and stakeholders operate in a cordial and business fashion, the end result is a successful deal where clients, employees and owners experience the best possible outcome.



Having carved a unique niche, FP Transitions’ leadership team continues to seek best-in-class services to enhance and protect an owner’s biggest asset – their business. They also engage with fellow industry leaders to develop and partner on cutting-edge solutions that advance the industry. Their leaders demonstrate a thirst for knowledge, and they don’t hesitate to share it with clients and partners. The company also celebrates personal and professional employee accomplishments and encourages a positive life-work balance. “We’ve been incredibly successful in attracting and retaining the best talent in the industry, and continue to take our life’s work and share it with advisors who are looking to value, protect and grow their business,” concludes Bueermann.