The Rise of the Visionary Advisor

There are over 300,000 wealth advisors in the United States.

Most are focused on:

• Returns

• Portfolio reviews

• Risk tolerance
  
  And for many clients, that’s enough.

But for some clients—and some advisors—it’s not.

These Clients Want More

They want to talk about:

• Values

• Purpose

• The rising generation
  

They want:

• Help organizing family meetings

• Tools to document their stories

• A way to transfer more than assets
  

And the advisors who lean into this kind of work?

We call them Visionary Advisors.

What Sets Visionary Advisors Apart

Visionary Advisors understand that true wealth isn’t just financial.
It’s:

• Relational

• Emotional

• Generational
  

They see their role as helping families define what matters—not just how much.

They’re not hired to impress the patriarch.
They’re trusted to guide the family.

One client said it best:
“I don’t need help with my money. I need help figuring out what to say to my kids.”

That’s when legacy work begins.

The Questions Are Changing

For HNW and UHNW clients, the questions aren’t about retirement or Social Security.

They’re asking:

• How do we prepare our children?

• What does succession look like?

• How do we preserve our identity as a family?
  

We explored these themes in depth with Ken Haman from the AB Advisor Institute on the Visionary Advisor Podcast.
Listen here

This Work Isn’t for Everyone

It requires:

• Curiosity

• Emotional intelligence

• The humility to ask better questions, not just offer better answers
  
  

Visionary Advisors:

• Listen longer

• Lead with questions

• Make space for silence

• Help clients connect what they value with what they leave behind

For Those Who Step In, the Upside Is Enormous

• Deeper relationships

• Higher retention

• Stronger referrals

• Access to the rising generation
  

But here’s what matters most:

They’re not waiting for a consultant or executive sponsor to give them permission.
They’re already doing it.

What Visionary Advisors Are Doing Today

• Writing Legacy Letters with their clients

• Guiding meaningful conversations between spouses and adult children

• Using story, Purpose, and family history to deepen relationships
  

They’re building the future of the profession—one conversation at a time.

Want to Be One?

If this is the kind of advisor you want to be, the work starts with one decision:

Decide that legacy belongs in the room.