The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors

As TROs and lawsuits make headlines, two top attorneys who specialize in transitions share how advisors can minimize risk, protect client relationships, and make a clean move with confidence.

With Joe Duran – Managing Partner, Rise Growth Partners Overview He’s built and rebuilt some of the industry’s most successful firms and now he’s helping others do the same. In this episode, Joe Duran, the founder of Rise Growth Partners shares lessons from building, selling, and starting again, and how staying curious and adaptable fuels lasting success. Watch... Listen in... > Download a transcript of this episode… NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. About this episode... Joe Duran’s career has always been about reaching new heights—and then helping others climb on their own. A proverbial mountain climber himself, Joe built and sold two of the most successful firms in the RIA space: Centurion Capital and United Capital. Today, Joe sees himself as a sherpa—guiding the next generation of entrepreneurs through his latest venture, Rise Growth Partners. His story is one of constant reinvention, relentless curiosity, and the humility to keep asking one simple question: “What if I’m wrong?” Joe first joined us on the show back in 2020, shortly after the sale of United Capital to Goldman Sachs. Now, with the benefit of both hindsight and foresight, Joe revisits that experience and explores the mindset behind building truly world-class firms, including: The Goldman experience—and what he learned from the sale of United Capital. The development of Rise—and how he sees it helping to shift the narrative in the industry. Learning from your clients instead of your competitors—and why that’s the real key to building a world-class firm. Finding an investor that can “really help you—and why you need to look beyond “financiers.” Adding services without adding staff—and when you shouldn’t look in-house for solutions. Challenging your assumptions—and how to stay relevant in an industry that never stops changing. And why being great doesn’t necessarily mean being the biggest. Joe also reflects on how the industry can avoid the risk of mega-RIAs repeating the mistakes of the wirehouses. It’s a candid and thought-provoking conversation about reinvention, leadership, value creation, and what it means to evolve from mountain climber to sherpa from one of the industry’s trailblazers. Want to learn more about where, why, and how advisors like you are moving? Click to contact us or call 908-879-1002. Related Resources Why Settle for “Good Enough” When Great is Possible? In a vastly expanded industry landscape with more high-quality options than ever before, some advisors settle for “good enough” when the potential for “great” is often within reach. What’s holding them back? Limitless Growth: Building the Business You Want and the Life to Match Stephanie Bogan, founder of Limitless Advisor, offers a glimpse into the advice and perspective she shares with advisors and business leaders in the wealth management world, focusing on mindset and methods, and their relationship to achieving one’s best business life. Wealth Management Landscape at a Glance The wealth management industry offers more options than ever, making it challenging to identify and compare the various models. We created this “at a glance” continuum infographic—to help you navigate the different models and understand how their features stack up. Joe Duran Managing Partner Joe Duran is a serial entrepreneur and an industry visionary in wealth management and wealthtech. Early in 2024, Joe and his team launched Rise Growth Partners (‘Rise’), the industry’s first harmonious financial partner. With firsthand experience in building nationally recognized registered investment advisers (RIAs), Rise’s team partners with middle-market RIAs,

Former Edward Jones advisor Steve Davis shares how he built a lean, focused independent firm with LPL and what freedom really means.

The CEO of Sanctuary Wealth shares how the firm doubled in size, redefining supportive independence and advisor growth in wealth management.

A guide to advisor transitions: due diligence, culture, deals, client comms,and lessons from the $129B Merrill breakaway.

A $129B team left Merrill to launch OpenArc Corporate Advisory, the largest breakaway in industry history. In this special episode, Dynasty’s Shirl Penney joins Louis Diamond to share an inside perspective on why the deal is about more than scale, what drove the move, and how it signals a new era for independence and the industry at large.

With John Krambeer, Founder and CEO, Validus Capital Overview Few advisors build a multi-billion-dollar RIA. John Krambeer has done it twice. In this candid conversation, the Validus Capital CEO reflects on his journey, how independence has evolved, and the hard-won lessons that guide him now. Listen in... > Download a transcript of this episode… NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. About this episode... Some advisors break away once in their careers. John Krambeer has done it twice, each time building a multi-billion-dollar RIA. That kind of repeated success is rare in any industry—and in wealth management, it’s almost unheard of. Yet John’s journey provides a front-row seat to the evolution of the independent space, from its early pioneering days to the sophisticated and bespoke multi-family office models we see today. Long before “going independent” became popular, John left Merrill’s Private Banking & Investment Group (PBIG) in 2004 to launch Camden Capital. He was early to the RIA movement, betting on transparency, better reporting, and access to private investments when few advisors dared to break away and forge their own path. In 2022, John made the difficult decision to leave Camden and do it all over again—this time building Validus Capital, now a $2.5B multi-family office designed with hard-earned lessons in mind. In this conversation with Louis Diamond, John shares a candid look at: What it was like to break away in the early 2000s—and how platforms and support for independents have evolved since. Why he walked away from the first firm he built—and what drove him to take on the challenge a second time. The choices behind building Validus Capital today—and the firm’s approach to private markets and family office services. The hard lessons of growth—and what he wishes he had done differently the first time around. John runs back the game films to provide candid insights for prospective and current independent business owners. It’s a rare opportunity to learn from someone who not only helped shape the independent space but has proven that with clarity, conviction, and the right people, you can build lasting success more than once. Want to learn more about where, why, and how advisors like you are moving? Click to contact us or call 908-879-1002. Related Resources The Best of the Best: 10 Ways Top Advisors Are Growing Their Businesses— A Special Industry Update A “Top 10” list of firm-level innovations and grassroots methodologies from some of the most successful advisors, teams, and firm in the business. Listen in to spark ideas designed to drive greater growth. Player or Coach? Why Every Advisor Eventually Has to Choose As advisory firms grow, founders often face a critical inflection point: double down on being a top producer or evolve into a leader who builds lasting enterprise value. Wealth Management Landscape at a Glance The wealth management industry offers more options than ever, making it challenging to identify and compare the various models. We created this “at a glance” continuum infographic—to help you navigate the different models and understand how their features stack up. John M. Krambeer CEO & Founder John Krambeer is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Validus Capital and has served as a financial advisor to wealthy families and institutional investors for over three decades. Mr. Krambeer has extensive experience providing wealthy families with strategic investment advice, structuring portfolios to meet long-term objectives, and creating private investment vehicles across the alternatives landscape. Mr. Krambeer has spent his career working with both traditional and a...

With Mike Durbin, CEO of Cetera Financial Group Overview The CEO of Cetera Financial Group shares insights on independence, private equity, and balancing scale with service, plus what the future holds for advisors and firms. Listen in... > Download a transcript of this episode… NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. About this episode... The wealth management industry is at an inflection point—where scale, service, and strategy all collide. Drawing on 35 years of industry experience and leadership roles at Morgan Stanley, Fidelity, and now Cetera, Mike Durbin offers a unique perspective on the forces shaping the world as we know it. Since joining Cetera in 2023, Mike’s led the firm through rapid expansion—balancing the resources of a $600B+ national platform with a boutique-level advisor experience. From multi-channel affiliation models to tech and AI integration, his strategy centers on one thing: helping advisors grow faster, smarter, and more sustainably. In this episode, Jason Diamond and Mike discuss: The future of independent wealth management—and how it stacks up against the wirehouse model. Cetera’s differentiators in today’s competitive recruiting environment—and why its “big feel, small approach” matters. The role of technology and AI—and how they’re driving efficiency, personalization, and advisor capacity. Private equity’s influence on the industry landscape—and what it means for long-term strategy. Lessons from leadership roles at Morgan Stanley and Fidelity—and how those experiences shape his vision at Cetera. Where the biggest opportunities lie ahead for advisors—and what excites him most about the next decade. Whether you’re an advisor evaluating your options or a leader navigating change, Mike’s candid perspective provides clarity on what it takes to thrive in today’s environment. Want to learn more about where, why, and how advisors like you are moving? Click to contact us or call 908-879-1002. Related Resources IBD vs. RIA Revisited: Two Independent Pathways for Advisors to Consider When it comes to freedom and control, there are key differences amongst the independent broker dealer (IBD) and registered investment advisor (RIA) spaces that every advisor should be aware of. RIA, IBD or somewhere in between: Which version of independence is right for you? As the independent space continues to expand, prospective breakaway advisors often have a hard time deciding between different individual models and options. These 5 questions can help point you in the right direction. Disclaimer: This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Opinions may change without notice. Forward-looking statements, including projections or estimates, are not guarantees. Past performance is not indicative of future results, and all investing involves risk, including loss of principal. “Cetera Financial Group” refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC, Cetera Wealth Services LLC (f/k/a Cetera Advisor Networks), Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors), and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. All firms are members Member FINRA/SIPC. Mike Durbin Chief Executive Officer Mike Durbin is chief executive officer of Cetera Financial Group and a member of Cetera’s board of directors. In his role as CEO, he oversees Cetera’s growth initiatives, from expansion into new and adjacent markets to evolving Cetera’s existing capabilities for the financial professionals and financial institutions it ser...

A special mid-year update with Jason and Louis Diamond on deals, transitions, and recruiting trends shaping 2025—and what advisors can expect in the months ahead.

Julia Healey, CEO of United Charitable, shares insights on DAFs, their value to clients, and the potential positive impact they can have on an advisor’s business.

Ben Valore-Caplan, founder of Syntrinsic, shares how he built a $2.9B mission-driven RIA to serve foundations, endowments, and values-driven institutions, the evolution of impact & ESG investing, why he sold to IMA Financial Group, and more.

Cary Carbonaro learned from her own experience that there was both a gap and an opportunity in attracting and retaining women clients and advisors. In this episode, Cary shares specific advice on what firms are doing wrong and how they can get it right.

With advisor expectations evolving, not all “good firms” are winning the talent. Mindy and Louis Diamond share what today’s top advisors really value—and why some firms are standing out while others fall short.

Brian Pultman discusses why he chose independence over taking a wirehouse transition deal. However, as he candidly shares, building your own RIA is not always a smooth process, yet it resulted in aligning his values while building $1B+ Correct Capital Wealth Management.

Stephanie Bogan, founder of Limitless Advisor, offers a glimpse into the advice and perspective she shares with advisors and business leaders in the wealth management world, focusing on mindset and methods, and their relationship to achieving one’s best business life.

Joel Guth shares how stepping out from under the Hightower umbrella to become a fully independent RIA opened up a new world of opportunity for his firm Gryphon Financial Partners. He shares how that transition allows them to create a $3B firm designed around turning client problems into opportunities.

Tony Parr shares the journey of Parr McKnight Wealth Management Group, a team that built their practice at Wells Fargo Private Client Group and leveraged the firm’s independent channels to achieve a “frictionless” launch of their RIA.

A “Top 10” list of firm-level innovations and grassroots methodologies from some of the most successful advisors, teams, and firm in the business. Listen in to spark ideas designed to drive greater growth.

The co-founder of F2 Strategy, Doug Fritz, offers a mini-masterclass on how the best advisory businesses utilize technology to create efficiencies and deliver a better client experience. Discover how strategic choices in building a tech stack, incorporating AI, and other key elements can future-proof your business and serve as a distinct differentiator.

What drives valuations—and what mistakes kill deals? M&A advisor Ted Jenkin joins Louis Diamond to share practical insights on maximizing value, understanding multiples, avoiding seller pitfalls, and the critical prep work every advisor should be doing now.