You Built Something Real. Now Build Something Yours.

We act as your strategic partner and hands-on general contractor, guiding you from the first design decisions to launch day with complete clarity, control, and confidence.

Schedule an RIA Strategy Session

A Better Platform Is Still Someone Else's Platform

Moving firms can fix a lot: better payouts, better technology, a better culture. But you're still operating under someone else's ADV, rules, and roadmap. Building your own RIA is a different kind of move. You're not changing where you work. You're owning every aspect of the firm.

That's an opportunity, and it's also real work. Every decision, from custody and technology to billing and workflows, sets the foundation for how your firm runs for years to come. The goal isn't just to get registered. It's to launch a firm that runs efficiently from day one, delivers an exceptional client experience, and is ready to scale as you grow.

Does Any of This Sound Familiar?

  • "I want to be a true fiduciary, and my current firm makes that harder than it should be."

  • “The broker-dealer world is fraught with conflicts. ”

  • "I want to give real tax advice and offer services my firm won't let me."

  • "I want to use the best technology available, not whatever my firm approved three years ago."

  • "I want my clients to know my brand, not a firm name I don't control."

  • "I want to own my ADV and make the decisions about how my practice runs."

  • "I'm building real value, and I want to own it. An independent RIA typically earns a higher multiple at exit than a broker-dealer practice, all things being equal."

  • "I want the best long-term economics for my practice, and Upfront money comes with strings that I don’t want to be part of."

  • There’s exciting technology out there and I don’t want my firm telling me what I can and cannot use."

Build or Join? Let's Answer That First.

Is Your Business RIA Ready?

Building an RIA isn't right for everyone, and we'd rather tell you that up front than after you've spent the money.

Fidelity research finds that many advisors want to build, but more advisors actually end up joining existing firms. We see this every day also, and it’s a recognition that building is a sizeable investment and effort. If you’re struggling to decide between “build” and “join,” we provide the insight, detailed functional comparisons, and financials to support your decision. We model upfront and ongoing economics over a 10-year horizon, walk you through due diligence, and help you decide whether the added control of owning your ADV is worth the added responsibility.

Many advisors discover the best answer is a platform with strong upfront economics now, with the option to build later. Others realize they're ready to build today. Either way, you'll decide with the full picture.

One Partner. Every Moving Piece.

We don't hand you a report and walk away. We roll up our sleeves and quarterback the entire build, so you can stay focused on your clients.

Design the Firm

Ownership structure, financial modeling, and the brand, fee model, and target market behind your firm.

Custody

Unbiased, side-by-side evaluation and negotiation with Schwab, Fidelity, Goldman Sachs, Altruist, and BNY Pershing.

Legal & Compliance

Entity formation, Form ADV filings, and compliance protocols, coordinated with specialized RIA transition attorneys and compliance consultants.

Technology

Curated, prescreened options for CRM, portfolio accounting, billing, and planning tools. We help you evaluate, decide, and contract.

Operations

Day-1 workflows, marketing assets, and a smooth client transition plan.

Launch Materials

Keeping your clients informed and confident before, during, and after launch, so your book moves with you.

A Clear Path to Independence

01

Confidential Consult

We learn about your goals, your revenue mix, and what independence means to you.

02

Option Review

(for advisors still weighing build vs. join)

We compare your paths side by side and model the economics, so the decision is clear before you commit.

03

Proposal

We design a custom scope and roadmap for building your founder-led RIA.

04

Onboarding

Once we're partnered, we gather what we need to start building.

05

Custody & Compliance

We select your custodian and stand up your legal and regulatory foundation.

06

Tech & Communications

We build your technology stack and prepare your client communications.

07

Launch Day

You open your doors as the owner of your own firm.

08

Launch Success & First 60 Days

We stay with you through the early weeks, when it matters most.

Is Your Business RIA Ready?

Many advisors are "RIA Curious" but unsure if their business is ready to move to the RIA channel. This 9-question diagnostic evaluates your revenue mix, operational readiness, and client portability. If you're curious about making a change, let’s uncover where you stand before you decide.

Take the 90-Second Diagnostic Now

Your Next Chapter Starts Now

 The future isn't given. It's chosen. Reach out for a private, no-obligation conversation about building a firm that is truly yours.

BOOK YOUR CONFIDENTIAL CALL

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Most of our clients are planners (pun intended). We typically work with them for 6 months prior to the launch day. However, we have launched in a few as 60 days and worked with one team for a full year. SEC approval takes 30 to 45 days for SEC approval. The remainder of the timeline depends on vendors, custodians and your specific needs. We often coordinate exit dates around bonus and vesting schedules. No matter the timeline, Muriel Consulting serves as your general contractor to keep every phase on track.

  • You can start a state-registered RIA at any size, and the threshold for SEC registration is $100 million in AUM. We've helped advisors launch state-registered firms, but we typically recommend waiting until you're above the SEC threshold, because the fixed costs of running an RIA make it more cost-effective at that scale. Most important is that you have a clear vision for your firm and how you'll operate it. To help you gauge whether you're ready, we created the "Are You RIA Ready?" quiz.

  • It depends on what matters most to you. Building your own RIA means owning your ADV, which gives you the most control and exit value, but it typically requires around $50-100k in upfront capital, plus ongoing compliance and technology costs, and you forgo upfront transition incentives. Joining an RIA or broker-dealer platform means paying a percentage of revenue for the support, often 10% to 20% all-in depending on the services included, and in return you may receive upfront economics and a simpler path. We compare both on a 10-year basis so you can see the true trade-off, and we help you keep the option of building later.

  • The right custodian depends on your AUM, client asset complexity, desired service model, and technology stack. We work with all of the major custodians and are agnostic about the choice. From our perspective, Schwab offers deep platform scale with no strict AUM minimums, Fidelity provides dedicated relationship-team structures, and Pershing excels in complex, high-net-worth institutional tools. Goldman Sachs offers cachet and modern technology. Many clients choose Altruist because of its strong technology, including its embedded Hazel AI. We provide unbiased, side-by-side custodian evaluations and handle contract negotiations.

  • Setting up an RIA requires forming a corporate entity (LLC or Inc.), filing Form ADV Parts 1 and 2 with the SEC or state regulators, and drafting written supervisory procedures. We partner with specialized RIA transition attorneys and compliance consultants who prepare your regulatory documents ahead of launch. We also recommend an ongoing compliance contract, matching the service level to your team's capabilities and capacity.

  • Throughout our work together, we stay focused on the client. When we help you choose custody and technology, we shape the client experience that will appeal to your existing and future clients and ensure your firm has the capabilities to win new ones.

    We also plan the current client transition meticulously. Success depends on careful pre-launch preparation, legal boundary compliance (such as Broker Protocol or non-solicit guidelines), and high-touch communication. We create custom client announcement playbooks, transition timelines, and marketing communications so your clients feel informed, secure, and excited to move to your new firm on Day 1.

  • The Kitces technology map is a wonderful tool, but it's overwhelming. During onboarding, we learn about your current technology stack and your clients, and those answers help us identify the right providers for your new firm. We provide curated, prescreened partner options for every technology and operational need, and we help you evaluate, decide, and contract with each one for launch and ongoing management.

  • Building your own RIA delivers the highest control, the highest ongoing economics, and the highest exit value of any path. It also asks more of you. You'll forgo the upfront transition check that other firms offer, you'll need more staff or outsourced support to handle billing and compliance, and you may need to partner with a friendly broker-dealer or insurance solution for products an RIA can't offer.

  • Founder-owned RIAs can be built with a very low budget, but most of our clients are running sizeable, multi-million dollar revenue businesses.  For a business that is sizeable, you’re going to have a capital outlay for the build process. Operational consultants (including Muriel Consulting), compliance and technology will be some of your key expenses.