solutions that work

With so much of the conversation in the RIA space focused on robo advisers and passive investing, we decided to take a big picture look at the current wealth management landscape to uncover how prevalent some core approaches to investment management actually are. From ADV filings, we selected established RIAs with $500 Million to $4

Some thoughts on one of the more interesting Super Bowl commercials this year. In the ad, SUV manufacturer, Jeep, decided to begin marrying its iconic US brand with an equally iconic US folk song. The commercial starts out in typical Super Bowl “patriotic” fashion, showing a rugged American-made Jeep traversing across the most stunning of

As we all know, active versus passive management is a highly controversial topic in the investment world (it’s been known to lead to some heated debates here at Optima Group!). But more recently, another separate but somewhat related theme has arisen. Many are asking whether some “active” managers are really so active after all and,

Apple posted the biggest quarterly profit for any public company ever last quarter. The milestone is no doubt a product of quality design, innovation and the strategic development of new markets. But it also underscores the importance of an Apple feature that few other companies share. Apple has aligned its world-class brand with a product/service

Eugene Fama and Kenneth French introduced the first multi-factor model to the investing world over 20 years ago. But it’s been only recently that “factor investing” has really come into vogue. This we believe to be due to a confluence of three developments: • Advances in technology and data collection that allow for more accurate

Pantone has announced a red wine hue as its color of the year. Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute® says: “This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.” Interesting that she failed to mention corporate communications in her list of

Having advised on the organic and inorganic growth strategies of a number of wealth and asset management firms in recent years, we are struck by the influence of corporate culture on the selection, implementation, and ultimate success of strategic options. A helpful guide in understanding corporate culture was developed by the Dutch, social psychologist and

Another year is coming to a close, with all of the accompanying fanfare and festivities, including our annual perspective on key themes and trends for the coming year. 1. Goals-based investing This seems to be one of the big buzz phrases of the past year. Many organizations are moving to an investment approach that considers