The High-Stakes Game of Raising AUM

When everyone is smart, no one is. When everyone is pedigreed, we are all dropouts. In the money-raising game, competence of the highest level provides no edge. At the top, brilliance is average. So then, how does a firm with less than $250M under management grow to $1B? How does a firm with $1B AUM grow to $10B? What sets one money manager apart from the rest?

Over the last 20 years, I have written for some of the nation's largest wealth firms, and some of the smallest. Witnessing the mezzanine path between the two has led me to a full understanding of what must be done in order to grow.

Growth

You must have in place a mechanism that elevates your reputation in your absence so your presence has more value. An effective book talks less about investment strategy and more about life strategy, purpose-driven strategy, and methods for a meaningful existence.

Money managers must have the courage to write about something other than money. The reasons for this are more nuanced than the length of this article will allow (contact me via DM and I'll explain further). Just know that the marketplace is now a human place. Move away from the stuffy Wall Street image and embrace the rustic nature of our collective humanity.

Research

There is powerful research from the 2024 RIA Benchmarking Study by Charles Schwab confirming my anecdotal experiences. In summary, inorganic marketing, including writing a book, represents the most powerful tool for growing AUM.

Scale your story and your business will follow.

Written by: Dennis Ross

text me. 678.468.3782