Seller Advocacy Overview
Attract qualified buyers, maximize transaction value, and close on terms that reflect what your business is actually worth.
Seller Advocacy
SRG’s Seller Advocacy program provides independent, seller-focused representation through the full arc of a business sale — from building a competitive buyer marketplace through final close. For advisors and firm owners ready to exit, the process is designed to create structure, generate competition among qualified buyers, and protect your position at every stage of the transaction. SRG serves exclusively as your advocate, with no platform affiliations or competing incentives, and is compensated only upon successful closing. The service overview below is an interactive document outlining the full scope of representation, fee structure, and the team that will lead your engagement.
Seller Advocacy Lite
Seller Advocacy Lite is designed for advisors and firm owners who have already identified a buyer and need professional support to navigate the offer, negotiate terms, and close with confidence. Having a buyer in place is a starting point — the structure of the offer, the precision of the purchase agreement, and the advocacy behind each decision determine what the transaction actually delivers. SRG provides independent, seller-focused guidance from offer evaluation through final signature, with no competing incentives and compensation tied to your outcome. The service overview below is an interactive document outlining scope, fee structure, and the team leading your engagement.
Seller Advocacy FAQs
Our Seller Advocacy Program is designed to help RIAs, advisors, and agents sell their practice, using sell-side representation.
Our Seller Advocacy Program is for business owners who are looking to exit the advisory business in the next year (sell today, transition over the next year) or five years (sell today, be retained for an extended period).
The exiting advisor should engage in the Seller Advocacy Program.
We discourage you from including staff members on these calls. However, we have a couple resources to assist with conversations with your staff and incorporating them in the process at the right times and with the right people.
We request you complete a questionnaire. The bulk of the questionnaire is used to prepare the seller prospectus.
The Seller Advocacy service fee is 6% of the total value (e.g. purchase price + retained liabilities + post-consulting agreements), split evenly between the buyer and seller (3% each). A minimum fee of $20,000 applies, with $10,000 paid by the seller.
This is a myth. Advocacy ensures that the buyer(s) you have is the most qualified, most experienced, and most financially competitive buyer. Through SRG’s Advocacy System, SRG encourages any and all buyers to work with us through this process to ensure that you understand your options and do not leave any boxes unchecked or money left on the table.
For most advisory transactions, nearly 94% of the purchase price is allocated to personal goodwill, resulting in long-term capital gains tax treatment.
This is a myth. Advocated sellers tend to be able to dictate terms – which allows sellers to sell today and stay on for an extended period of time as an advisor, consultant, business development rainmaker, etc.
No one has a crystal ball and multiples continue to increase, but if you are contemplating this question, the answer is NOW. When you ultimately decide to sell, you want to ensure that revenue has been increasing steadily year-over-year (e.g. 7-15% increases annually) and the age of your client base remains low – these items will help ensure that when you go to market, your company is well sought after.
SRG has extensive marketing efforts which include:
- Over 360 partner firms (broker-dealers, custodians, TAMPs, compliance companies, lenders, industry-specific accountants and attorneys)
- Over 1,500 Qualified Buyers
- Direct Marketing Efforts through Social Media Platforms
- Your Buyers
- Other narrow marketing searches, such as NAPFA members, SRI Advisors, or Ron Blue Trust affiliates.
We are the best at what we do in the financial services industry. Below are a couple of reasons why:
- SRG’s sell-side representation advocates for you, and you only.
- SRG is a neutral third-party.
- SRG has decades of exclusive experience within the financial services industry.
- SRG’s 9-Step Process provides a clear road map from beginning to end
- SRG’s advocacy program is not a passive program or listing site.
- SRG ensures your information is confidential 100% of the time.
- SRG has a well-qualified and credentialed team of W-2 employees so you always have a centralized team – not affiliates or 1099 contractors.
- SRG has several external professionals on retainer to ensure contracts and resources are maintained, and issues can be addressed when needed.
- SRG is not directly or indirectly paid by, affiliated with, or receive bonuses from broker-dealers, custodians, TAMPS, etc. for the retention of Assets Under Management (AUM), Assets Under Advisement (AUA) nor do we have any other conflicts of interest.
Yes, generally buyers are eager to retain well-qualified, experienced staff members during the transition and beyond.
There are approximately 66 buyers for every 1 seller.
Watch 2025 M&A Webinar
Finding advisors, while time-consuming, is not difficult. However, finding, qualifying, and ensuring that these advisors are a good fit for you and your practice takes time, dedication, neutrality, and consistency from buyer to buyer.
As an advocate for you, the seller, we ensure that we bring in all buyers – including from key stakeholders – and screen them to ensure we do not just set up introductions with buyers, but set you up for success through extensive screening and buyer materials.
Kristen Grau, CPA, CVA, CEPA Executive Vice President
Aliza Perry, Project Coordinator
Jordon Segura, Project Coordinator
SRG is the best at what we do.
We focus solely within the financial services industry.
We strive for excellence and, as a result, we are always learning, adapting, and revising our deliverables and resources to ensure that you receive a fair, accurate, and timely product as the industry changes.
We are neutral. We are not affiliated with a broker-dealer or custodian.
We pride ourselves on service – providing high-touch, high-quality solutions to every client every time.
