Greetings from Spring Break.

April arrived with all sorts of announcements, activities, and M&A.

At Milemarker, we are working on new enhancements to our integrations with Addepar, Black Diamond, and Orion.

Like anything, these integrations are a continual evolution, and we are very excited about how our clients are starting to gain game-changing insights into their clients, advisors, and businesses from the rich analytics and automation we provide.

This week’s Connected Advisor focuses on supporting independence in sports, our professional lives, and the broader creative world.

Here’s the breakdown.

1. The Growing Importance of Owning and Controlling Your Independence 🏃🏽‍♀️

2. Lessons from Michael Flarup ✍🏼

3. Mark DeLotto On the Pod 🎧

4. Kitces on Advisor Happiness

5. Milemarker on the Road ✈️ 🚅 🚕

Lace-up your Hoka’s, and let go.

The Growing Importance of Owning and Controlling Your Independence

This year, the world will get the privilege of experiencing another Summer Olympic Games.

This year's games will take us all to Paris, where each country will bring its best and brightest with the hope of gaining respect, triumph, and the spirit of national pride that can only come on a global stage.

In US Track and Field, Allyson Felix has become a force.

She is not only the most decorated athlete in US Track and Field with 11 medals but also the most decorated athlete in the World Athletic Championships with 20 medals—13 of which are gold.

As one of Time Magazine's most influential people in 2020 and 2021, Felix is a brand and, for many, a household name.

Nike felt that way, making her one of their signature athletes.

But this all changed when she decided to become a mom.

Nike’s contract denied Felix maternity rights and cut her compensation by 70%.

This led Felix to speak up, speak out, and ultimately find her independence.

Felix looked at the lackluster deal she was being offered and decided to bet on herself.

She set aside Nike's maturity policy's opinions, policies, and inequity and launched Saysh with $8M in funding in 2022.

Felix went independent, broke away, and is making moves that are inspirational way beyond the world of sports.

Independence is Inevitable

For everyone who’s ever decided to forge their own path and build something their way, it’s easy to see Allyson Felix’s bravery and use that to bolster our own.

We obviously need people who can support those of us who can’t seem to just get along with others and follow premade paths. Independence is never something we achieve alone.

That's the story of most of us in this newsletter.

Because the foundation of advice rests on personal relationships of trust, understanding and advocacy, it is key that we acknowledge the fact that independence doesn’t have to mean leaving your company.

Three Distinct Types of Companies Regarding Independence

1. Companies that Stand in the Way of Independence

2. Companies that Get Out of the Way of Independence

3. Companies that Make a Way for Independence

If you are serving advisors today, these three options and the culture you create are vital.

It’s important to acknowledge that the journey toward independence often begins with dependence, but as we grow in knowledge and service preferences, our working environments can either help or hinder our ability to apply the wisdom we’ve gleaned. The culture that’s supportive of new ideas and focuses on continual improvement can foster innovative brands inside of their main brand.

In an era of NIL, Personal Brands, and the ability to grow to a million followers virtually overnight, our organizations need to form a clear point of view on which kind of company we are and want to be.

How is your company supporting independence today?

40 Lessons on Being a Creative Entrepreneur

Michael Flarup and I met a decade ago at ValioCon. Michael is a genuinely inspirational person to many people in the creative community, who overflows with ambition, creativity, and a sense of adventure.

For his 40th birthday, Michael shared 40 things that he has learned building a wide array of things for the internet — from Thermodo, to games to some of the most definitive works on app icon design.

Perhaps none of these are part of your daily life, but I would venture that many of them may be nice for you to review in your own life.

On the Pod

Episode 037: The pace of technological change is rapid. But change often brings with it exciting opportunities. Technology innovation presents nearly endless possibilities and potential to improve how firms and advisors operate and serve their clients.

In this episode of The Connected Advisor, Mark DeLotto, Managing Partner and COO at Simon Quick Advisors, emphasizes the need for a cohesive technology platform to support operational efficiency and meet clientele's evolving demands while also reflecting on his motivations in finance, inspired by his grandfather's financial wisdom.

Full episode is available now 👇

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

• Youtube

• Google Podcasts
  
  While there, please don’t forget to Download, Like, and Subscribe.

Kitces on Advisor Happiness

Recently Mindy Diamond and Michael Kitces discussed advisor wellbeing. As we all are building our businesses, this podcast is a nice prompt on where you will actually find happiness.

As many of us know from serving our clients and building our own businesses - income isn’t the source of happiness. I thought you might enjoy this reminder today too.

Milemarker on the Road

Catch our team on the road at the following events or cities:

1. April 8-10 - Boston, MA

2. April 24 - Charlotte, NC

3. April 25 - Charleston, SC

4. April 29 - Los Angeles, CA

If you’re in any of those cities and want to arrange a meeting time, reply to this email, and we’ll get something on the calendar.

Jud Mackrill