Sat.May 27, 2023 - Fri.Jun 02, 2023

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Accelerating Firm Growth With A Niche: How I Built A $48M AUM Advisory Firm In 3 Years

Nerd's Eye View

When a financial advisor starts their own firm, they face many important choices. One of the key decisions is determining the type of clients they want to serve. Some advisors may choose to take a generalist approach that leaves the door open to working with the broadest possible pool of prospective clients. But with hundreds of thousands of financial advisors competing for the same prospects, it can be challenging to build a generalist advisory business from scratch.

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Recession Watch Update

Calculated Risk

Way back in 2013, I wrote a post " Predicting the Next Recession. In that 2013 post, I wrote: The next recession will probably be caused by one of the following (from least likely to most likely): 3) An exogenous event such as a pandemic , significant military conflict, disruption of energy supplies for any reason, a major natural disaster (meteor strike, super volcano, etc), and a number of other low probability reasons.

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Five Things That Could Knock Nvidia Down

The Reformed Broker

Okay, it’s up 10,000% since May of 2013 and is now the best performing stock in America during the past decade. Everyone is obsessed. It’s the biggest story in the market this year. Cramer has now named a second family dog after it. Jensen Huang’s name is now in the mainstream alongside Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk.

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Are Labor Costs Driving Inflation? (No)

The Big Picture

“Tight labor markets have raised concerns about the role of labor costs in persistently high inflation readings. Analysis shows that higher labor costs are passed along to customers in the form of higher nonhousing services prices, however the effect on overall inflation is very small. Labor-cost growth has no meaningful effect on goods or housing services inflation.

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8 Ways to Torture Your CFO

The office of the CFO is rapidly evolving, with more and more demands being placed upon the finance and accounting team each year. Join us in this webinar, where we share 8 things to NOT do when it comes to helping the CFO office advance in supporting the business. Learning Objectives: This course objective is to understand how best to support an organization's finance leadership.

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Financial Literacy Advocate Brings First Fraternity to Financial Planning

Wealth Management

Mac Gardner, founder of FinLit Tech, is working to expand the co-ed MNY Fraternity to universities across the country, with the hope of bringing more diverse talent to the financial planning profession.

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Vehicles Sales at 15.05 million SAAR in May; Up 19.6% YoY

Calculated Risk

The BEA released their estimate of vehicle sales for May this morning. The BEA estimates sales of 15.05 million SAAR in May 2023 (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate), down 6.5% from the April sales rate, and up 19.6% from May 2022. Click on graph for larger image. This graph shows light vehicle sales since 2006 from the BEA (blue) and BEA's estimate for May (red).

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MiB: John Hope Bryant, Operation Hope

The Big Picture

 This week, we speak with entrepreneur John Hope Bryant , the founder and chief executive officer of Operation HOPE, which is the US’s largest not-for-profit provider of financial literacy and economic empowerment tools. Described as the “Conscience of Capitalism,” Bryant is also chairman and chief executive officer of John Hope Bryant Holdings , Bryant Group Ventures and The Promise Homes Company.

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The Contrarian Predictive Power of Retail Option Trading

Wealth Management

Retail options traders are gambling, driven by sentiment and narratives. That often leads to future price declines on the overbought stocks, research shows.

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Construction Spending Increased 1.2% in April

Calculated Risk

From the Census Bureau reported that overall construction spending increased: Construction spending during April 2023 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,908.4 billion, 1.2 percent above the revised March estimate of $1,885.0 billion. The April figure is 7.2 percent above the April 2022 estimate of $1,780.9 billion. emphasis added Both private and public spending increased: Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,500.7 billion, 1.3 per

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We are Austin-bound June 12th

The Reformed Broker

RWM is coming to Austin, TX June 12th-14th @Downtown with more detailsEmail us at info@ritholtzwealth.com subject line “Austin” to reserve a meeting slot! pic.twitter.com/9iSdG4HFf3 — Ritholtz Wealth (@RitholtzWealth) May 19, 2023 I’m headed out to Austin, Texas this June and bringing a whole bunch of my Ritholtz Wealth Management colleagues with me, including our financial planner in the area.

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How to Streamline Payment Applications & Lien Waivers Through Innovative Construction Technology

Speaker: Dylan Secrest, Founder of Alamo Innovation and Construction Digital Transformation Consultant

Construction payment workflows are notoriously complex when you consider juggling multiple stakeholders, compliance requirements, and evolving project scopes. Delays in approvals or misaligned data between budgets, lien waivers, and pay applications can grind progress to a halt. The good news? It doesn't have to be this way! Join expert Dylan Secrest to discover how leading contractors are turning payment chaos into clarity using digital workflows, integrated systems, and automation strategies.

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10 Sunday Reads

The Big Picture

Avert your eyes! My Sunday morning look at incompetency, corruption and policy failures: • We Want Them Infected : These ‘experts’ sold the U.S. on a disastrous COVID plan, and never paid a professional price. A painstakingly documented new book by Jonathan Howard, a neurologist at New York University and a veteran debunker of the pseudoscience contaminating our efforts to fight the pandemic.

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Wall Street Banks Are Using AI to Rewire the World of Finance

Wealth Management

Lenders are experimenting with artificial intelligence. Not even Warren Buffett is sure what happens next.

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BLS: Job Openings Increased to 10.1 million in April

Calculated Risk

From the BLS: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary The number of job openings edged up to 10.1 million on the last business day of April , the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, the number of hires changed little at 6.1 million. Total separations decreased to 5.7 million. Within separations, quits (3.8 million) changed little, while layoffs and discharges (1.6 million) decreased. emphasis added The following graph shows job openings (black line), hires (dark blue)

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Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (June 3-4)

Nerd's Eye View

Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that a recent study found that advisory forms working with a younger client base tend to have relatively stronger growth in assets under management and revenue over time. In addition, the researchers found that referrals from centers of influence were one of the strongest drivers of new client growth, with client referrals playing an important role as well.

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Your Accounting Expertise Will Only Get You So Far: What Really Matters

Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA

In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. If you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner—and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top (a concept first popularized by Marshall Goldsmith in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There ). What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level.

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10 Friday AM Reads

The Big Picture

My end-of-week morning train WFH reads: • Wall Street Banks Are Using AI to Rewire the World of Finance : Lenders are experimenting with artificial intelligence. Not even Warren Buffett is sure what happens next. ( Bloomberg ) • The $1 Trillion Company That Started at Denny’s : AI made Nvidia the world’s most valuable chip maker. So did three guys sipping diner coffee and planning to conquer markets that barely existed. ( Wall Street Journal ) • Is Apple’s weird headset the future?

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Do Clients Really Want Personalized Portfolios?

Wealth Management

Clients rarely have well-defined ideas about what they want their portfolios to look like. That’s why they seek out advisors in the first place.

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Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims increased to 232,000

Calculated Risk

The DOL reported : In the week ending May 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 232,000 , an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 229,000 to 230,000. The 4-week moving average was 229,500, a decrease of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average.

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We Are Ready For Prime Time

The Reformed Broker

Welcome to the latest episode of The Compound & Friends. This week, Michael Batnick, Cathie Wood, and Downtown Josh Brown discuss investing in innovation, AI fact vs fiction, how big Tesla can get, why Ark bought Nvidia in 2014, Zoom vs Google Meet vs Microsoft Teams, and much more! You can listen to the whole thing below, or find it wherever you like to listen to your favorite pods!

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How To Overcome Change Fatigue In Finance With Neuroscience-Backed Strategies

Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP

The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.

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10 Thursday AM Reads

The Big Picture

Welcome to June! My morning WFH reads: • We Asked Workers Why They’re Not Coming Back to the Office : Terrible commutes. Expensive child care. Employees explain why they will keep working from home. ( Wall Street Journal ) • Why Are Food Prices So High in Europe? Throughout the European Union, consumer food prices were on average 17% higher in April than a year earlier — the fastest pace of growth in over two and a half decades.

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WealthManagement.com Announces 2023 'Wealthies' Finalists

Wealth Management

The ninth annual WealthManagement.com Industry Awards ceremony will be held in New York City on Sept. 7.

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Heavy Truck Sales Up Sharply Year-over-year in May

Calculated Risk

The BEA released their estimate of vehicle sales for May this morning. This graph shows heavy truck sales since 1967 using data from the BEA. The dashed line is the May 2023 seasonally adjusted annual sales rate (SAAR). Heavy truck sales really collapsed during the great recession, falling to a low of 180 thousand SAAR in May 2009. Then heavy truck sales increased to a new all-time high of 570 thousand SAAR in April 2019.

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Friday links: the beginning of the story

Abnormal Returns

Strategy A lot of issues really come down to perspective. (ritholtz.com) Some career advice from noted investor David Tepper. (investmenttalk.co) Companies Meta ($META) is requiring workers to come back to the office three days a week. (cnbc.com) Amazon ($AMZN) is looking to add wireless service for Prime members. (finance.yahoo.com) Apple There are only open questions right now about Apple's ($AAPL) VR efforts.

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You upgrade everything else. Why not your close process?

You wouldn’t keep using a 2009 flip phone - so why settle for outdated close processes? It’s time for an upgrade. SkyStem's Guide to Month-End Close Software walks you through what today’s best tools can do (and what your team shouldn’t have to deal with anymore). Get smart, fast, and a whole lot less stressed when it’s time to close the books.

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Pass-Through Entity Taxes: Mechanics, Considerations, And Planning Opportunities For Navigating SALT Cap Workarounds

Nerd's Eye View

The 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act introduced a $10,000 limit on the State And Local Tax (SALT) deduction that was previously available for taxpayers who itemized their deductions. In response to the new deduction limit, many states enacted laws creating a new Pass-Through Entity Tax (PTET) designed to help owners of pass-through businesses (partnerships, LLCs, and S corporations) avoid the limitation and preserve the deductibility of their state tax payments.

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HNWIs Show a Preference for Direct Investment in Real Estate

Wealth Management

With the sector facing headwinds, HNWI enthusiasm for commercial real estate has dampened and what type of investments they prefer has shifted, according to WMRE exclusive research.

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MBA: Mortgage Applications Decreased in Weekly Survey

Calculated Risk

From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications decreased 3.7 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 26, 2023. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 3.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.

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Longform links: safer experiences

Abnormal Returns

Books An excerpt from "Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most" by Adam Alter. (theatlantic.com) Five insights from "Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World" by Henry Grabar. (nextbigideaclub.com) David Marchese talks with Peter Attia, MD about his book “Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity.” (nytimes.com) A Q&A with Theresa MacPhail author of "Allergic: Our Irritated Bodies in a Changing World.

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2025 Industry Index: How Top Advisors Are Scaling Smarter (and Faster) This Year

Where are top advisors focusing in 2025? AcquireUp’s 2025 Industry Index reveals it all. Based on insights from 200+ financial professionals nationwide, discover why 74% say seminars and referrals deliver the best ROI, how automation is helping advisors scale faster, and why only 8% are tapping into niche marketing (a major growth opportunity!). Whether you're refining your client acquisition strategy or scaling your practice, this report gives you the real-world data, benchmarks, and action ste

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Kitces & Carl Ep 113: What Does It Really Mean To Be A Lead Advisor?

Nerd's Eye View

While advancing a career in any industry can be challenging, the lack of formal career development programs offered in the workplace for associate advisors can make it particularly difficult for them to gain the experience they need to become lead financial advisors. And since managing the client relationship – a key responsibility for lead advisors – relies so heavily on nuanced ‘soft’ skills that are gained only through direct experience, finding ways to get hands-on ex

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The 401(k) Industry Is At a Critical Point

Wealth Management

RPA aggregators gather to discuss opportunities and challenges at the Wealth Management EDGE conference.

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Real Estate Newsletter Articles this Week: "Multi-Family Delinquencies Increased"

Calculated Risk

At the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter this week: • New Home Sales at 683,000 Annual Rate in April • Two Key Housing Themes: Low Inventory and Few Distressed Sales • Total Housing Completions will Likely Decrease Slightly in 2023; The Mix will Change • Fannie and Freddie Serious Delinquencies in April: Single Family Declined, Multi-Family Increased • Final Look at Local Housing Markets in April This is usually published 4 to 6 times a week and provides more in-depth analysis of the housin

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Personal finance links: faith in the system

Abnormal Returns

Podcasts Jonathan Hollow talks with Andrew Hallam author of "Balance: How to Invest and Spend for Happiness, Health, and Wealth." (podcasts.apple.com) Morgan Housel on the 'art of spending money.' (open.spotify.com) Taxes What Is a 83(b) election? (thomaskopelman.com) Who is eligible for the retirement savings tax credit? (humbledollar.com) Fraud How to protect yourself against check fraud.

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The New Way Remote Finance Teams Are Protecting Accuracy And Building Resilience In A Cyber-Threatened World

Speaker: Cheryl J. Muldrew-McMurtry

Remote finance teams are rewriting how the back-office runs—and attackers are taking notes. Disconnected workflows, process blind spots, and rising cyber threats have become more than just “growing pains”. They’re now liabilities. The challenge isn’t just team distribution, but building resilient systems that protect accuracy, control, and speed across every transaction and touchpoint.