Welcome to “The Summit,” the official First Ascent blog.
If you’re looking for ways to build your practice, investment insights, or advice on how to communicate more effectively with clients and potential clients, then you’ve come to the right place.
How Advisors Can Go from Good to Outstanding
September 12, 2017 | By Scott MacKillop
Being a good financial advisor requires mastery of a wide range of technical skills. Being a great financial advisor requires having skills as a counselor and psychologist. Being an outstanding financial advisor requires developing your skills as a teacher and coach. Here’s why. The job of a financial advisor is to help each client get … Read More
Business Builders | Financial Literacy, Investor Education, Practice Management
4 Considerations for Separating Gimmicks from Investment Opportunities
September 5, 2017 | By Patrick Krulik
I spend many of my days looking at, reviewing, and—far more often than not—dismissing new investment funds and ETFs. One of the words that often comes to my mind upon initial review of some of these investment ideas is: “gimmick.” Merriam-Webster defines a gimmick as “a trick or device used to attract business or attention.” … Read More
Investment Management
Announcing Our New Master Class Program
August 29, 2017 | By Scott MacKillop
We are very excited to announce the launch of our new Master Class program. It is a monthly webinar series designed to give you access to industry experts who can help you: Run your business more efficiently Grow your business more effectively Add more value to your client relationships Position yourself for success as our … Read More
Scott's Column
URP
August 22, 2017 | By Ben Sullivan
Make no mistake about it. We’re definitely in the weeds now. We’ve been talking about how to write a good script, and hopefully you’re not afraid to get personal. Maybe you know the direction you want to go. Maybe you even have a few ideas jotted down. This month we’re going discuss how to bring … Read More
StoryTellers
Maintaining the Magic
August 15, 2017 | By Scott MacKillop
Forty-five years ago I had the best meal of my life in a restaurant called Taillevent. I had just graduated from college and was traveling through Europe looking for adventure. I linked up with my father in Paris, and he suggested that we have dinner at Taillevent. I don’t remember what I ate that night, … Read More
Scott's Column
Chasing Yield (Off a Cliff?)
August 8, 2017 | By Patrick Krulik
It is not uncommon for advisors or their clients to ask about creating a certain level of yield in a portfolio, saying something like “I need a portfolio that yields 4% or 5% as that is what I plan to withdraw.” It is also not uncommon to see investment strategies tailored to these requests. After … Read More
Investment Management
Explaining Third-Party Asset Managers to Clients
August 1, 2017 | By Mac MacKillop
Maybe you’re thinking about outsourcing to a third-party portfolio manager, but you’re not sure how to explain it to your clients. Actually, we get that a lot here at First Ascent. So, I surveyed a group of advisors who work with First Ascent to get their feedback. The consensus was that advisors had success when … Read More
Business Builders
It’s NOT Just Business — And It IS Personal
July 25, 2017 | By Ben Sullivan
For a couple months now, we’ve been exploring what makes a good video, and in particular, how to write a good script. This week, we’ll tackle what to do when you’re staring at a blinking cursor, wondering what to write. If you’re currently in this position, you don’t need me to tell you that the desire … Read More
StoryTellers