Barron's Advisor Michael Nathanson: Scaling Your Firm From Practice to Enterprise
Sep 9, 2025
Michael Nathanson, CEO of Focus Financial Partners, discusses his journey transitioning from a traditional financial firm to a unified fiduciary advice enterprise. He emphasizes the importance of evolving leadership, highlighting emotional intelligence and collaboration over command-and-control. Nathanson also explores how to align compensation structures with company values for sustainable growth and the transformative role of AI in enhancing client relationships. He advocates for an adaptable vision that resonates with personal goals and underscores the significance of teamwork in achieving excellence.
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Vision Anchors Daily Behavior
- Focus centers its vision on being the leading fiduciary advice company where clients feel the firm is built just for them.
- Michael Nathanson emphasizes repeating vision, mission, and values to keep purpose central to daily behavior.
Use A Vivid Vision, Not Just A Statement
- Nathanson uses a vivid vision exercise to make three-year goals concrete and shareable across the organization.
- He argues a multi-page vivid vision helps everyone picture what success looks like beyond a one-line statement.
Anchor Strategy To Multi-Year Imperatives
- Pursue three multi-year strategic imperatives: expand capabilities, accelerate growth, improve efficiencies.
- Align annual priorities under these imperatives so the company sustains focus over time.
