How to Build a Firm That Outlasts You with Tyson Ray
Episode 128: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Tyson Ray, CEO, Founding Partner, and Senior Wealth Advisor at FORM Wealth Advisors. Tyson helps financial advisors exit their businesses with clarity, confidence, and no regrets. He's been recognized as a Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor, AdvisorHub Advisors to Watch, and Barron's Top 1200 Advisor.
Kyle and Tyson discuss what it takes to build a successful wealth advisory practice that balances growth, client care, and community impact. Tyson shares the strategies, leadership mindset, and values that have guided his career to success. He also discusses his SPACE (See, Prepare, Act, Commit, Exit) framework, which reveals how advisors can exit their practice confidently and fully compensated, while keeping their clients' interests first and foremost.
In this episode:
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(00:00) - Intro
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(02:12) - Tyson's money moment
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(05:48) - Valuable lessons Tyson learned during the early stages of his career
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(07:26) - How to build a career that lasts a lifetime
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(10:23) - The power of structure, boundaries, and accountability in scaling a firm
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(13:51) - The SPACE framework
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(21:29) - The importance of building a multi-generational team
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(30:07) - How Tyson finds and trains his team members
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(32:52) - Why you should “never enter data twice”
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(34:59) - Tyson's outlook on the future of the industry
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(40:36) - Tyson's Milemarker Minute
Key Takeaways
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Great leadership begins with humility. The best leaders don't pretend to have all the answers. They listen, learn, and grow alongside their teams.
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Don't let fear define your future. If you know a change is necessary for growth, don't let fear hold you back from what is ultimately the right thing for your firm's long-term health and your own personal well-being.
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Invest in the next generation of advisors. Intentionally recruit and mentor younger team members to build a truly multi-generational firm—one where clients feel confident their advisor won’t retire before they do, and where modern, responsive service comes naturally.
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Make space for succession. You cannot effectively plan for your future or your firm without intentionally creating the time and mental room to do it. The succession process is not just about selling or retiring; it's about seeing a vision, committing to the necessary actions, and exiting with confidence and purpose.
Quotes
"You can't let fear prevent you from doing what's right." ~ Tyson Ray
"The reason most of us don't do planning for ourselves is that we don't create the space to do it." ~ Tyson Ray
"How to build your business is to hire caretakers of what you've built to free you up, because most likely, you are the rainmaker." ~ Tyson Ray
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