Are you Running Your Advisory Practice… Or Is it Running You?

If your firm is growing but it feels harder than it should, you’re not imagining things.

According to Schwab’s 2025 Benchmarking Study, many advisory firms are operating at or near capacity. Even though 78% of firms added staff in 2024, talent remains one of the top constraints, and service models are being strained. That pressure is being addressed in two ways: people (most firms continue to hire) and technology (68% report using artificial intelligence to improve efficiency). Still, about a third of advisory practices haven’t adopted AI yet, leaving room to better leverage tech to improve capacity.

It’s not just the big stuff that feels hard to accomplish. It’s the million little things you’re managing every day: portfolios, onboarding, compliance, tech, marketing, client service. It adds up. Eventually it starts to feel like your business is running you rather than the other way around. And it wears you down.

But here’s the encouraging part: top firms in our industry — the ones still growing fast — aren’t muscling through. They’re making different choices. They’re saying no to complexity and yes to focus.

Schwab’s data shows that the top 20% of firms grew revenue and AUM at nearly twice the pace of their peers and brought in nearly three times more new clients. But they’re not working harder. They’re working smarter. They have clear plans, know exactly who they serve, and—this is key—they’ve stopped trying to do it all themselves.

That last piece is often the turning point.

Two Big Shifts Financial Advisors Can’t Ignore

Two industry-wide dynamics are reshaping the landscape. Both make an argument for clarity and capacity.

First, there’s the advisor shortage. With a wave of retirements and fewer new professionals entering the field, firms are feeling the pinch. Many are rethinking staffing models, leaning on scalable systems or partners to fill the gaps.

The second shift is around client retention, especially during intergenerational wealth transfers. According to Capgemini, more than 80% of beneficiaries leave their parents’ advisor after inheriting. That stat alone should shake us. If your firm isn’t proactively building relationships with the next generation, or equipping yourself with tools to deliver a modern client experience, retention could slip through the cracks.

If any of this hits close to home, you’re not alone. And you’re not stuck.

There’s a smarter, more sustainable way to scale: partnering with a team that helps you focus on what you do best.

Creating Space to Focus on What Matters For Your Advisory Practice

Once firms stop trying to own every function in-house, they start creating space for growth, clarity, and energy. That might look like outsourcing investment management, leaning on a partner for technology support, or handing off onboarding so client relationships start with ease, not friction.

The desire to reduce friction is a motivation for how we’ve designed our service model at Blueprint Investment Partners. When we talk about supporting financial advisors, we mean it in a hands-on, everyday sense. We’ve built a system that can help lift the weight of:

• Portfolio management and trading execution
• Technology and custodial integration support
• Compliance oversight and CRM maintenance
• Client onboarding and operational workflows
• Marketing strategy and investment communications
• Succession planning and advisor coaching

If you’re feeling the strain, maybe it’s time to explore a different kind of support.

We’d love to show you what that can look like.