RIA+ The 10% Rule: The New Rule of Organic Growth
Aug 13, 2025
Ray Sclafani, Founder and CEO of ClientWise, shares his insights on achieving organic growth for advisory firms. He introduces the '10% rule' for net new assets and emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between new client acquisition and existing client growth. Ray discusses the necessity of appointing a Growth Czar and leveraging referrals, which he identifies as a primary growth engine. He advocates for personalized client engagement and specialized expertise, offering strategies to track relationship value and optimize marketing efforts.
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The 10% Rule For Net New Growth
- Ray Sclafani proposes the "10% rule": target 10% of existing AUM or revenue in new client assets each year, excluding market movements and M&A.
- This simple benchmark scales across firm sizes and gives a concrete growth target to institutionalize.
Track Wallet-Share With A Growth Czar
- Assign a growth owner to track opportunity management within the client roster and capture lifecycle events like retirements and sales.
- Measure existing-client driven growth over multiple years to understand wallet-share expansion potential.
Nurture Five To Seven Client Advocates
- Each advisor should identify and nurture 5–7 loyal client advocates who will actively introduce qualified prospects.
- Track each advocate's total relationship value across a rolling three-year window to prioritize engagement.
