John O’Connell Featured in Barron’s: Smaller Independent RIAs Face a Tough Choice: Scale Up, Sell Out, or Slow Down

 In this article from Barron’s Advisor, John O’Connell discusses the biggest hurdles that small and mid-size RIA firms face when deciding whether to continue to remain independent, or sell to a larger firm in a market dominated by consolidation and scale.

An efficient tech stack can enable smaller firms to overcome what John calls their biggest challenge: “having too much to do and not enough time to do it.” He recommends streamlining operations with integrated, all-in-one platforms, and using TAMPs to strengthen the investment process. He adds that artificial intelligence will be “the great equalizer for smaller firms that really levels the playing field”: AI notetaking apps help firms save time and manpower at meetings, while AI prospecting tools can boost lead generation.

John says that firms transitioning from lifestyle practices to enterprise businesses need to determine what they want to be good at, focus on that, and learn as much as they can from consultants and peer groups. He adds that independent firms can achieve steady organic growth if they define and serve a niche and create a well-defined sales process that attracts prospects and determines whether they are a good fit.