2025 Advisor M&A Review
Watch the Webinar Replay 2026 Advisor M&A Market Insights: What Actually Happened in Advisor M&A In its 9th annual Advisor M&A Review, Succession Resource Group breaks down what actually happened in mergers, acquisitions, and succession planning across the financial advisory industry. The session draws on the industry’s most comprehensive dataset of 176 verified, closed transactions, along with a succession survey of 301 firm owners, to deliver decision-ready benchmarks that go well beyond self-reported figures. Viewers will learn where recurring revenue and EBITDA multiples landed, how those multiples vary by region, and why sellers who use open-market advocacy tend to command higher prices and stronger terms. David Grau, Jr., MBA and Parker Finot also unpack the deal structures that determine what sellers actually take home, including down payments, seller financing, retention clauses, and lender holdbacks. The review closes with SRG’s predictions for the year ahead, covering succession readiness, buyer competition, and the continued shift toward team-based compensation. Whether you are preparing to grow, buy, sell, or plan an internal succession, this recording offers a data-backed view of the market to help inform your next move. Host David Grau Jr. MBA CEO/President Paper-plane Linkedin-in Host Parker Finot Director of Transaction Advisory Services Paper-plane Linkedin-in Data Contributors
Selling Your Practice with Expert Advocacy
Watch the Replay Host Kristen Grau, CPA, CVA, CEPA Executive Vice President Paper-plane Linkedin-in
How to Effectively Share Equity
Watch the Replay Host David Grau Jr. MBA CEO/President Paper-plane Linkedin-in Host Julia Sexton, CVA Director of Strategic Organizational Planning Paper-plane Linkedin-in
The Psychology of Dealmaking
Watch the Replay Seller Resources For Advisors Preparing to Sell Seller Readiness Guide → For Our Latest M&A Update 2024 Advisor Mid-Year M&A Update → Buyer Resources For Advisors Seeking to Acquire Practice Acquisition Checklist → Grab A Valuation We offer a variety of solutions and turnaround times to fit your needs. Join myCompass Our membership club grants you inside tips and opportunities to grow. Review our Seller Services We’re here to ensure you secure the best buyer, price and terms.
2024 Advisor Mid-Year M&A Update
Watch the Replay Related Resources For Advisors Seeking Acquisitions Practice Acquisition Checklist → For Advisors Ready to Enter the Marketplace Our 2024 Mid-Year M&A Infographic Report → For Growth-Minded Advisors Guide to Increase the Value of Your Business → For Advisors Preparing to Sell or Transition 5 Things To Do Before You Sell Your Business → Grab A Valuation We offer a variety of solutions and turnaround times to fit your needs. Join myCompass Our membership club grants you inside tips and opportunities to grow. Review our Seller Services We’re here to ensure you secure the best buyer, price and terms.
Success Through Succession Series
This four-part series provides a deep dive into why advisors should engage in succession planning proactively, when to start, the most effective strategies being used today, and much more. Part 1: Preparing Your Practice, Preparing Your Team Part 2: The Mechanics of Succession Planning Part 3: How to Effectively Share Equity Part 4: How to Make Succession More About Growing, Than Going Learn more about what we cover in each part in the descriptions below. Part 1: Preparing Your Practice, Preparing Your Team When operating an advisory business, it is essential to start with the end in mind. What do you want to build? How big do you want to get? When does the Gen 1 founder(s) want to be able to retire? And, when you leave the business, who takes over (and how do they afford it)? These are the questions the industry’s most successful advisors have an answer for and which we’ll unpack. This first session focuses on what advisors need to do with their internal operations and service model to position themselves for a successful exit. We will talk about who you would share equity with and when, how valuation should be approached, career track best practices, how to get Gen 2 and Gen 3 team members ready, and critical financial considerations that impact succession (compensation and profitability). Part 2: The Mechanics of Succession Planning Selling the business is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a founder. For some, they’ll hit the “easy button” and sell the entire business to a peer and then retire after a short transition period; others will simply retire through attrition, dying at their desk. Internal succession with your team is that happy middle ground. In this second session, we’ll dive deep into the taxation of internal deals, stock vs. asset sales, seller vs. bank financing, gifting and grants, how to handle sweat equity, minority discounts, and family business transfer considerations. Part 3: How to Effectively Share Equity Selling your business, regardless of how long it takes or who you sell to, is something you get one shot at doing right and is the final step to ensuring your clients are taken care of when you finally exit. This third installment goes deep on the four most common and effective internal equity-sharing alternatives being used today. We will look at how buy-ins can be structured, evaluate the pros and cons of each, and explore real-life case studies to understand how they ultimately chose the right solution for their situation. Part 4: How to Make Succession More About Growing, Than Going This final installment focuses on the human element of the transition. We will focus on how to effectively map out the role transition between Gen 1 and Gen 2 (and/or Gen 3), how and when to communicate the plan to staff and clients, and what the seller’s ongoing role could look like. We will also review how to get Gen 2 and Gen 3 ready to take over, and best practices to position your successors to not just operate the business, but how they can grow it even after you’re retired.
Fueling Your Future: Unleashing Growth Potential through Entity Planning
Operating the entity of your business as intended can not only significantly decrease the risk of an IRS audit, but also maximize your business growth potential. Join Nicole Frey, CFP®, to learn more about how you can properly set up and use your business entity to support your business decisions and growth. In this session, we covered: Why every advisor should use an entity to operate the business The most important steps to set up the entity The implications on commonly overlooked details How to use the entity correctly to avoid issues with the IRS and minimize audit risk The power of having the entity and what to do with it once established Watch now to learn the right way to set up and optimize the use of your entity or be reassured that your entity is formed correctly if you already have one. Watch Recording Resources [Blog Post] The Importance of Formalizing Your Entity Structure → [E-Book] Your Guide to Proper Entity Structure → [Article] First DOL, Now IRS Gunning for Advisors → Learn more about SRG’s Entity Support and Equity Sharing Services. Schedule your free consultation below! Presenters Nicole Frey, CFP® Director of Team Solutions
Employee Retention Strategies of Today’s Top Firms
Growing advisory firms takes talented professionals to operate, and finding/keeping them is a challenge for every organization, regardless of size. Uncover the insights you need to excel in talent management with this webinar, “Employee Retention Strategies of Today’s Top Firms,” presented by industry luminary David Grau Jr. Key Highlights: Decode successful compensation plan structures driving motivation and loyalty Navigate essential agreement frameworks to future-proof your practice Harness the power of equity and phantom equity for a unique edge Gain actionable insights from real client successes at SRG Watch the recording to learn the best practices from SRG’s latest client engagements. Register and secure your spot now for a competitive advantage in employee retention! Watch Recording Resources [Blog Post] Financial Services and Other Employee Benefits → [Blog Post] What is Phantom Equity and How is it Used? → [E-Book] The Financial Advisor HR Toolkit → [Webinar] Everything Equity → Presenters David Grau Jr., MBA President
SRG Off Script: The Importance of Succession Planning for Advisors
In this SRG Off Script Live, David Grau Jr. dives into the crucial topic of succession planning, answering your questions about designing a plan regardless of how far away retirement may seem. Submit your question(s) at registration or live during the webinar! SRG Off Script is a monthly webinar series hosted by President David Grau Jr. David along with other industry experts provide insight and address questions related to all stages of managing a financial practice. Have a request for future SRG Off Script session topics? Let us know at registration or email marketing@successionresourcegroup.com. Watch Recording Resources [Infographic]The Exit Planning Menu → [Blog Post]Powerful Succession Planning Tools You Need → [Blog Post]Succession Planning 101: Steps and Processes → [Podcast]The Importance of Succession Planning for Advisors → Learn more about SRG’s Exit Services. Schedule your free consultation below! Presenters David Grau Jr., MBA Founder & President Succession Resource Group
SRG Off Script: Loans, Interest Rates, and Lending Solutions
In the latest SRG Off Script, David Grau Jr. and our guest speaker, Dustin Mangone of PPC Loan, will address any of your questions surrounding loans, interest rates and lending solutions for your business. Submit your question(s) at registration or live during the webinar! SRG Off Script is a monthly webinar series hosted by President David Grau Jr. David along with other industry experts provide insight and address questions related to all stages of managing a financial practice. Have a request for future SRG Off Script session topics? Let us know at registration or email marketing@successionresourcegroup.com. Watch Recording Resources [Blog Post]Acquisition Lending to Help Your Business Expand → [Blog Post]Mergers and Acquisitions: The Due Diligence Process → [Blog Post]Financial Modeling for Mergers and Acquisitions → Learn more about SRG’s Exit Services. Schedule your free consultation below! Presenters David Grau Jr., MBA Founder & President Succession Resource Group Dustin Mangone Managing Partner & Director PPC Loan