Good morning from New York.

September might be the best month in this city. The weather shows up, the energy shows out—and this week, so did we. Last night at the Wealth Management Awards, Milemarker took home Best New Technology Innovation—a proud moment for our team.

Today I’m wheels-up back to Charleston, then out to Los Angeles Sunday morning for Future Proof. The calendar’s tight. Yours probably is too. Different destinations, same pace.

Whenever I’m in New York, I make time for two things: art and food. Usually, the simplest versions of both. This week I kept coming back to one artist in particular—his work is scattered across Manhattan. His story feels like ours: independent, persistent, showing up again and again. That’s something advisors can relate to.

Here’s this week’s Rising Tide.

1. Street Art, Kobra, and the Lesson for Advisors

2. Next Mile: The Future of RIAs — Organic Growth, AI, and Advisor Culture 🎧

3. Wealth Management’s Data Workshop: From Chaos to Clarity

4. Milemarker On the Road ✈️

Street Art, Kobra, and the Lesson for Advisors

I’m in New York this week, and one of my favorite things about being here is stumbling across Eduardo Kobra’s murals. His kaleidoscopic colors and portraits light up Manhattan’s streets, and every time I see one, I’m reminded of how powerful it is to bring your gifts directly to people.

From São Paulo Streets to Global Walls

Kobra picked up spray paint at 11 years old on the outskirts of São Paulo.

By 2011, he was invited to paint his first commissioned mural in Lyon, France—an opportunity that turned his raw street art into global demand.

Fast-forward to today: he’s painted over 3,000 murals across five continents. His work is instantly recognizable, not because it’s everywhere, but because it carries something deeper: historical figures reframed in a modern, emotional context.

Anne Frank. Bob Dylan. Gandhi. Indigenous elders.

Kobra reminds us that the past is not dusty—it speaks to us here and now.

Advisors Do the Same Thing

Financial advice is, at its core, the same art.

We take historical events—markets, cycles, past returns.

We place them in a modern context—what this means for you today, in this moment of volatility or opportunity.

We balance long-term perspective with short-term empathy.

When we do this well, clients don’t just hear numbers. They feel seen. They understand where they’ve come from, where they are, and where they’re going.

Bypassing the Gallery = Bypassing the Wirehouse

Kobra didn’t wait for galleries to accept him. He bypassed the system, painting where people already were. That’s what made his art accessible—and unforgettable.

Independent advisors have the same opportunity. You don’t need the wirehouse “gallery” to validate your work. You can bypass it, bring your gift directly to your clients, and let them encounter it in full color.

The Takeaway

Kobra teaches us:

 • Visibility matters—share your gift where people are.

 • Context matters—translate history into relevance.

 • Emotion matters—connection beats information every time.

Every mural is a reminder: the world doesn’t need more gatekeepers. It needs more people willing to bring their gifts, boldly, where others can encounter them.

For Kobra, that’s a wall in New York City.

For you, it’s the families and communities who need your advice—today.

______________________

On the Pod: The Future of RIAs — Organic Growth, AI, and Advisor Culture

Episode 108: On this week’s episode, Kyle Van Pelt sits down with Michael Batnick, Managing Partner at Ritholtz Wealth Management, where he helps shape one of the most influential RIAs in the country while also co-hosting popular podcasts like Animal Spirits.

Kyle talks with Michael about his winding path into finance—from drifting through college and struggling in sales to finding purpose in markets and mentorship. Michael reflects on the lessons of curiosity, humility, and hiring the right people, while unpacking the challenges of building a sustainable RIA. The conversation spans advisor recruitment, the pull of private equity, operational hurdles, tech frustrations, and AI’s coming role in reshaping client service. 

(00:00) - Intro

(01:17) - Michael's money moment

(04:38) - From cold calling to discovering a passion for the markets

(10:06) - Michael's hiring philosophy

(13:35) - Ritholtz acquisition strategy

(14:49) - The influence of private equity on RIAs

(19:02) - What makes Ritholtz an excellent choice for advisors

(24:28) - What it takes to run support infrastructure for advisors

(28:41) - Ritholtz's tech stack

(33:30) - Mystery chart challenge

(35:56) - Michael's thoughts on AI and the future of the industry

(44:14) - Michael's Milemarker Minute

⚡️Bookmarks

Wealth Management’s Data Workshop: From Chaos to Clarity

Drowning in data but struggling to make it work for you?

Let’s fix that—together.

🗓️ Tuesday, November 11 | 1:00–4:30 PM MST
📍 Candy Factory | Denver, CO
💵 $575 per seat

Save 50% by using Code Jud50 at checkout. 

Join Milemarker’s CTO and Lead Data Scientist for a half-day, hands-on workshop built for RIAs and broker-dealers who are ready to cut through the noise, prepare for AI, and scale with confidence.

You’ll discover how to:

• Unlock your warehouse + data lake so your team can trust and use firm-wide data.

• Simplify integrations and streamline connections across your tech stack

• Apply AI tools like OCR and natural language to your existing systems

• Deliver insights to advisors, execs, and compliance—without bottlenecks

If you’re ready to turn data chaos into clarity and build a scalable, high-performing firm…

Reserve your seat now

Milemarker on the Road
Catch my team on the road at the following events or cities:

1. September 3-4 - New York, NY

2. September 7-10 - Los Angeles, CA

3. September 10-12 - San Diego, CA

4. September 22-23 - Spokane, WA

5. September 25-26 - Lincoln, NE

6. October 4-8 - Utah

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

Jud Mackrill