What does it really take to leave a major brokerage firm, build your own practice, and bring 100% of your clients with you? In this episode, Scott Heinila sits down with Chad Taylor, founder of Seapoint Wealth Advisors, who traded a senior vice president role at UBS for independence in May 2021 — and grew from $220 million to over $400 million in assets in the years since. Chad shares how a childhood interest in money (and a Berkshire-country upbringing outside Omaha) led him into the business, why deferred comp and non-competes finally pushed him to go independent, and how he approaches the question every advisor faces: how do you prove your service is more than words? He walks through his planning-first philosophy on risk management and annuities, the acquisition wave reshaping the industry as G1 advisors retire, and why family comes first in how he runs his practice. A candid, practical conversation for any advisor thinking about differentiation, growth, and building a practice that lasts.
Guest: Chad Taylor, Founder, Seapoint Wealth Advisors (San Diego, CA) — Forbes 2026 Best-in-State Wealth Advisors (confirm firm name/URL before publishing)
What you’ll learn in this episode:
• How do you know if your clients are truly loyal — and what does bringing over 100% of your book actually prove?
• What finally makes it worth leaving a warehouse firm to go independent?
• If everyone says “it’s about service,” how do you make yours believable to a prospect?
• Why does having a defined, written client process matter more than the pitch?
• How should you think about risk management and insurance as a fiduciary — starting from the plan, not the product?
• When do annuities make sense again, and what changed with higher rates?
• What’s driving the wave of practice acquisitions, and how do you assess cultural fit before you buy?
• How do you help high earners overcome “lifestyle creep” and see whether they’re actually on track?