Financial Advisors Want to Know: Navigating Consolidation, RIAs, and Advisor Control Ep. 95 Shelby Nicholl

Welcome to the Financial Advisors Want to Know Podcast, I’m Catherine Tindall a CPA with Dominion where our focus is helping financial advisors navigate income tax planning and compliance for their firms.

In this episode of Financial Advisors Want to Know, we sit down with returning guest Shelby Nicholl to unpack what’s driving advisor movement right now.

From industry consolidation and growing interest in the RIA model to the operational and emotional realities of breaking away, this conversation takes a practical look at how advisors are evaluating independence—and what it actually takes to do it well.

Shelby shares what she’s seeing on the ground, common missteps advisors make during transitions, and why clarity around structure, messaging, and roles matters more than ever.

Key Takeaways:

Consolidation is accelerating advisor movement
Large acquisitions are prompting advisors to rethink control, client ownership, and long-term fit.

The shift to RIAs is about freedom—not just economics
Advisors want flexibility in technology, custodians, services, and how they run their firms.

Transitions fail when branding and messaging are an afterthought
Clear, consistent communication is critical to client confidence during a move.

Multi-partner breakaways require an equity mindset—not a split mindset
Moving from income splits to shared ownership introduces complexity that must be addressed early.

Going independent isn’t always the right answer
Build vs. join decisions should be driven by team size, personality, risk tolerance, and which “buttons” an advisor actually wants to push.

Connect with Shelby:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelbynicholl/

Shelby's Website:
https://www.murielconsulting.com/

Connect with Catherine:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ctindallcpa/

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