What does it really take to grow an advisory firm without losing control of culture or client experience?

Growth can look attractive from the outside, but building something sustainable requires discipline, structure and long-term thinking.

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong interviews JC Abusaid, president and CEO of Halbert Hargrove, about building a $4.2 billion RIA through disciplined organic growth. He shares how centralized operations, a well-structured internship pipeline and flexible minimums fuel sustainable expansion. JC also explains his employee-ownership model, his perspective on private equity pressure and how AI and technology investments are shaping the firm’s next phase.

Key takeaways:

• Why centralized operations create scale, consistency and firm-wide efficiency
• How lowering minimums for younger advisors drives long-term client growth
• Building a structured internship program that becomes a hiring pipeline
• Managing teams without advisor-led management to protect culture
• Using AI and technology as productivity accelerators, not cost controls

Resources:

• Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on Wealth Management
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify

Connect With David Armstrong:

• Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: David Armstrong
• Twitter: David Armstrong
• LinkedIn: Informa

Connect With JC Abusaid:

• LinkedIn: JC Abusaid
• LinkedIn: Halbert Hargrove
• Website: Halbert Hargrove

About Our Guest:

JC Abusaid is the CEO and President of Halbert Hargrove, a wealth advisory firm founded in 1989. JC earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Finance emphasis from the Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administracion in Bogota, Colombia, and his MBA from the University of Redlands School of Business. He was awarded the ACCREDITED INVESTMENT FIDUCIARY designation by the University of Pittsburgh-affiliated Center for Fiduciary Studies. In 2016, JC earned a LEAD Certificate in Corporate Innovation from Stanford Graduate School of Business, and in 2021, he took part in BlackRock’s first Emerging Leader Lab.

Modern advisory firms are being reshaped by technology, changing client expectations and the need for deeper personalization.

How do firms scale while keeping the advisor-client relationship at the center? What role does technology really play in growth without replacing the human element?

In this episode, host David Armstrong speaks with Alex Farman-Farmaian, CEO of Compound Planning, about building an all-digital, integrated RIA—with human advisors at the center—that provides clients with a unified experience across multiple service offerings—including tax preparation.

Alex explains how AI-powered workflows and integrations enable advisors to serve clients more efficiently as the human touchpoint, while providing a better experience for clients. He also shares how Compound recruits next-generation advisors, integrates tax services and drives growth by focusing on equity- and option-compensated executives of fast-growing tech firms approaching liquidity events.

Key takeaways:

• How internal technology reduces advisor workload and increases client capacity
• Why proactive advice across a client’s full balance sheet drives stronger relationships and accelerates organic growth
• How the firm uses AI to support advisor work without replacing human judgment
• How modern tech helps recruit growth-minded, younger advisors.
• How it partners with firms to educate execs with equity-based compensation plans on navigating liquidity events.

Resources:

• Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on Wealth Management
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify

Connect With David Armstrong:

• Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: David Armstrong
• Twitter: David Armstrong
• LinkedIn: Informa

Connect With Alex Farman-Farmaian:

• LinkedIn: Alex Farman-Farmaian
• LinkedIn: Compound Planning
• Website: Compound Planning

About Our Guest:

Alex Farman-Farmaian is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Compound Planning, responsible for growing the firm to 50+ advisors and over $4 billion in AUM since 2022, and guiding the strategic direction of the firm’s robust wealth management technology and advisory service offerings. Previously, Alex was the 20th employee at Carta, where he built numerous sales teams across the country as Carta scaled to 1,000 employees and a $7B+ valuation from Silver Lake. Alex is an expert in equity compensation and is passionate about tax-efficient equity strategies.

Growth can mean very different things depending on how a firm is built and who it is built for.

What does it really take to evolve from a small advisory practice into a professionally managed firm without losing culture, client focus or identity?

In this episode of the RIA Edge Podcast, host David Armstrong speaks with Tom Orecchio, CFA, CFP, ChFC, AIF, chief executive officer, wealth manager and principal at Modera Wealth Management, about building an employee-owned RIA designed for long-term growth. He shares how leadership, ownership alignment and disciplined M&A shape Modera’s growth approach.

Tom also explains how service expansion, technology investments and organic growth planning support advisors while keeping clients at the center.

Key takeaways:

• Identifying the growth trajectory inflection point where advisor principals need to become, or hire, professional managers
• His firm’s experience with employee equity ownership
• What Modera looks for in acquisition partners (beyond location or size)
• Why a technology revamp set the firm up to support future growth, retain operational consistency and the client experience
• His firm’s approach to organic growth

Resources:

• Listen to the RIA Edge Podcast on Wealth Management
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• Listen and Subscribe to the RIA Edge Podcast on Spotify

Connect With David Armstrong:

• Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: Wealth Management
• LinkedIn: David Armstrong
• Twitter: David Armstrong
• LinkedIn: Informa

Connect With Tom Orecchio:

• LinkedIn: Tom Orecchio
• LinkedIn: Modera Wealth Management
• Website: Modera Wealth Management

About Our Guest:

Tom’s career began at Heritage Financial where he worked as a financial planner. In 1995, he joined the firm Greenbaum and Associates where he later became a partner. His role as a principal and wealth manager continued as the firm grew and evolved into Greenbaum and Orecchio and then into its current entity, Modera Wealth Management, LLC.

Tom received his B.A. in government and law from Lafayette College and went on to earn some of the most recognized credentials in the industry. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional. He is also a Chartered Financial Consultant, a Chartered Life Underwriter® and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary.

Tom is a National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) registered financial advisor. He has demonstrated his leadership and commitment to fiduciary standards in the industry by serving as NAPFA Chairman (2007-08) and as a national board member (2004-08). In 2013, Tom was the recipient of the NAFPA Robert J. Underwood Distinguished Service Award. He is an active member of the CFA® Institute, the National CEO Study Group, and the 20/20 National Study Group.

Tom is actively involved in the community as director of the Modera Wealth Management Scholarship Fund and is on the board of directors for the Modera Charitable Foundation. He also sits on the Northeast Advisory Board for Lafayette College. Tom has served as a board member of the finance committee for the Cathedral of Saint John the Theologian and also Northvale PAL, Inc. In addition, he has served as NV Eagles Youth Football president, Bergen County Junior Football League treasurer, and has sat on the board of directors for the youth baseball league in his town. Tom loves spending time with his family and three sons and often can be found on the football or baseball field coaching his sons’ teams.