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[One of the greatest cross-industry challenges in addressing a rapidly evolving business environment is overcoming a deep-seated resistance and a debilitating inertia towards change. The financial services industry particularly faces unprecedented headwinds: technological disruption, shifting client expectations, and resistance to change that hinders innovation and growth. Addressing these challenges requires financial firms to prioritize professional development to empower advisors and leverage practical Business Intelligence technology for data-driven strategies.
To better understand the new foundation that may be needed to address these industry challenges, we spoke with Mark Spina, Michael Silver, and Eric Sheikowitz, co-Founders of AlphaScale – an integrated professional development and business intelligence firm partnering with asset and wealth managers to deliver innovative training, coaching, and actionable insights for sustainable growth.]
Hortz: What specific challenges do asset and wealth managers face today that AlphaScale’s offerings address?
Spina: The industry faces a projected 100,000-advisor shortage by 2034, turnover rates up to 90% for new advisors within three years, and a $156 trillion wealth transfer reshaping client needs across generations – Silent Generation (legacy planning), Baby Boomers (retirement income), Gen X (family balance), and Millennials (digital engagement). Advisors struggle with client acquisition, confidence gaps, and differentiation, while firms seek to optimize operations.
With firms spending billions on asset acquisition and advisor recruiting, investing a fraction of that in professional development is a sensible way to ensure better returns on those investments. We tackle these challenges through tailored coaching and training in live and asynchronous formats.
Silver: With wealth management firms and advisors focused on this wealth transfer and their own businesses, it can be hard for asset managers to get their attention, even for the most compelling investment product ideas. We help solve this challenge by helping asset managers build value-add capabilities to propel advisor engagement.
This includes developing intriguing content and creative delivery to help asset management teams get in front of advisors and build real advisor partnerships. Given our vast experience working with advisors, we also coach and train asset management professionals on how to best initiate and build advisor relationships.
Hortz: How does your firm’s approach to professional development differ from other providers?
Silver: Our professional development blends high-touch coaching with scalable, asynchronous training, that research proves will boost productivity by over 80% compared to 30% for training alone. We deliver customized strategic tracks through dynamic formats – workshops, 1:1 coaching, peer dinners, webinars, and conferences – aligned with firms’ strengths and market goals. Tools like role-playing and client-specific audits ensure advisors master skills like Wealth Transfer Expertise or Digital Innovation. This dynamic approach drives deeper learning, confidence, and measurable performance gains compared to traditional, static training.
Sheikowitz: Clients work with us because we make growth simple, practical, and doable. We bring proven frameworks that take the guesswork out of running a business. We give advisors and teams clear next steps they can act on right away, and we hold clients accountable to the goals that are set. With deep industry experience, we tailor everything to the teams we work with. In the end, we help build stronger teams, deepen client relationships, and hit the results that our clients are after.
Hortz: Can you tell us about your recent launch of AlphaScale Business Intelligence and its role in building a new foundation in supporting the industry?
Spina: I’m thrilled to announce the launch of AlphaScale Business Intelligence, a dedicated unit empowering asset and wealth managers with data-driven insights and strategic solutions. The unit combines customized coaching, consulting, and advanced technology tools acting as a foundation to drive growth, optimize distribution, and enhance client engagement.
Through our partnership with WealthVista, led by Max Sparshatt and GK3 Capital, led by John Gulino, we integrate competitive intelligence to connect asset managers with their target advisor audiences. This Practical Business Intelligence approach ensures firms navigate complex markets with actionable strategies.
Our perspective on Business Intelligence is about turning data into a competitive edge – delivering tailored insights that empower firms to outperform in sales, marketing, and client relationships. We deliver this edge through structured Playbooks and can also sit alongside our asset management partners’ sales, marketing, product, and BI teams as an extension of in-house resources, amplifying capacity or allowing for the offload of time-consuming initiatives.
Hortz: Why do you characterize your solutions as providing sales and service “alpha”?
Sheikowitz: Our solutions deliver “alpha” through professional development and Practical Business Intelligence technology. Our coaching and training optimize advisor practices across three phases: Activation (strategic positioning), Optimization (streamlined processes and client experiences), and Acceleration (client acquisition and retention). These equip advisors with skills like active listening and demographic-aligned strategies, boosting revenue and loyalty.
AlphaScale Business Intelligence provides data-driven tools and insights to enhance distribution and client engagement, ensuring firms outperform in a competitive market.
Silver: The Leaders Program enhances service with personalized, scalable systems, fostering client loyalty. By aligning with firms’ goals, our solutions drive measurable outperformance.
Hortz: What aspects of your programs are tailored for asset managers versus wealth managers?
Silver: Asset managers who walk into advisor meetings with just a product sheet and a slide deck need to rethink their game plan. In today’s market, that approach will not cut it. Advisors want partners who bring real value, not just pitches.
Spina: For asset managers, AlphaScale Business Intelligence equips them with insights and tools, like competitive intelligence dashboards, to spark meaningful advisor conversations, build trust, and drive investment discussions—moving beyond product pitches to deliver strategic value.
Sheikowitz: For wealth managers, our Advisor and Team Coaching focuses on client acquisition, confidence gaps, and differentiation. We teach six client-facing processes—discovery, financial planning, investment planning, implementation, monitoring, and review—through tailored strategic tracks aligned with generational needs, like Millennials’ digital preferences. This boosts retention, compliance, and reputation in the wealth transfer market.
Hortz: How do you measure the impact of your engagements, and what metrics demonstrate value?
Sheikowitz: We measure impact with tailored metrics addressing client goals: increased AUM, revenue growth, and reduced advisor turnover. Our professional development drives measurable outcomes: higher retention, faster AUM growth, and stronger advisor positioning.
Our engagements, averaging over five years, exceed industry norms, reflecting sustained value. Qualitative metrics include improved advisor confidence, client satisfaction, digital engagement, and addressing barriers like imposter syndrome and the “full-service dilemma.” Feedback questions like “How confident are you in meeting financial goals?” ensure alignment.
Hortz: What are your plans for expanding services to better partner with your financial clients to help them lead in a changing industry?
Spina: AlphaScale is evolving as a Modern Premier Professional Development and Business Intelligence Partner. We are enhancing our Leaders Program with asynchronous offerings, including a powerful new program focused on client service staff members. We are deepening our Practical Business Intelligence offerings through the launch of AlphaScale Business Intelligence unit and partnerships to deliver innovative solutions for the $156 trillion wealth transfer market.
Our upcoming Digital Leaders program will empower firms to adopt models for high-opportunity segments like Millennials. We invite financial advisors, asset managers, and wealth managers to follow us on LinkedIn for thought leadership on topics like The Future of Wealth Advisory, Data-Driven Practice Management, and Mastering Advisor-Client Relationships.
This article was originally published here and is republished on Wealthtender with permission.
About the Author
Bill Hortz
Founder Institute for Innovation Development
To make Wealthtender free for readers, we earn money from advertisers, including financial professionals and firms that pay to be featured. This creates a conflict of interest when we favor their promotion over others. Read our editorial policy and terms of service to learn more. Wealthtender is not a client of these financial services providers.
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