Expert RIA Launch
Others Consult. We Build.
Fusion Financial Partners builds fully operational independent RIA businesses for elite financial advisors — while you stay focused entirely on your clients.
"Fusion Financial Partners acts as the chief architect and outsourced chief operating officer for advisors on their journey to launch their own RIA."
Wealth Solutions Report — PRO 5 Award, Aug. 2024 →The firm
behind the firm.
Launching an independent RIA doesn't have to become your second full-time job. Fusion's proprietary process guides advisors through every stage of the transition — from evaluating custodians and technology to building the infrastructure, operations, and business strategy required to launch a fully operational independent RIA.
While you remain focused on serving your clients, we focus on building your business. We provide the experience, due diligence, and recommendations — you make the final decisions.
This is not consulting. We do not hand you a playbook and wish you well. We are in the room, on the calls, and in the details — from entity formation through your first year of operation and beyond.
What We Build
Launching an independent RIA doesn't have to become your second full-time job. Our proprietary process condenses what typically takes the industry 12–18 months down to 4–6 months — guiding advisors through every stage of the transition, from custodian evaluation and technology selection to infrastructure, operations, and business strategy.
Custodian Selection
Advisors typically spend 12–18 months in meetings with custodian sales teams before making a decision. Our proprietary RFP process changes that entirely. We uncover everything a team needs — business fit, asset mapping, pricing, and negotiations — and deliver it before a single meeting is taken. We present our best thinking on the right fit, arrange the introductions, and guide the team to a confident decision. Days of productivity saved while you stay focused on your clients.
Building Your Tech Stack
We map hundreds of vendors to your firm's specific needs, handling all pricing negotiations using 60+ combined years of industry intelligence. We start with your data and architect a tech stack that works together on day one and evolves with the firm — creating instant additional enterprise value on top of your book. Once launched, your team can choose to have Fusion operate the systems and train staff through Fusion Continuum.
RIA Entity Formation & Registration
We refer and coordinate with specialized attorneys throughout the entire build process to mitigate risk that is both contra-firm and regulatory specific. Legal structure, SEC or state registration, and entity design are engineered for long-term scalability — with counsel aligned to your practice from day one through launch.
Infrastructure & Operations
Vendor negotiations, asset mapping, workflows, and the full operational framework required to run a firm from day one — not day ninety.
Compliance Infrastructure
Policies, procedures, and ongoing supervision frameworks built to satisfy regulators and protect your practice at every stage of growth.
Marketing & PR
Leaving a captive environment opens an entirely new world of marketing and PR capabilities. From brand and logo creation to media training and television appearances, every element of your public presence is incorporated into the plan before launch — so your firm arrives in the market with a voice, a brand, and a story.
The Proprietary RFP Process
Most financial advisors don't have time to evaluate dozens of custodians, technology platforms, and service providers while continuing to serve clients. Fusion's proprietary RFP process eliminates unnecessary meetings, back-and-forth negotiations, and months of research — narrowing the field to the solutions that best fit your business.
That is the difference between introductions and execution. While many firms provide referrals or consulting recommendations, Fusion becomes your RIA building partner — managing the evaluation, coordination, and implementation required to launch a fully operational independent firm.
Schedule a Strategy Session →Why the Best Advisors Are Leaving
The wirehouse model was built for a different era. The advisor is the brand now.
Elite advisors who transition to independence consistently report higher revenue retention, deeper client relationships, and a practice they can actually sell or pass on. The institutional overhead they leave behind is not a safety net — it is a tax.
The question is not whether to go independent. The question is whether you have the architecture to do it right — the entity structure, the compliance framework, the technology, the operations, and the strategy to execute without disrupting a single client relationship.
That is precisely what Fusion builds. We launch advisor teams managing $200M to $20B in client assets — and work with institutions building RIA platforms managing $50B or more. They are not leaving because they are unhappy. They are leaving because they are ready to own what they have built.
The Fusion Continuum
A structured, end-to-end engagement model that takes advisors from institutional employment to full independence — without gaps, guesswork, or compromise. The Continuum is not a checklist. It is a living architecture that evolves with your practice from launch through scale.
Explore the Continuum →Unmatched Experience
Michael and Kimberly Papedis bring decades of experience working with some of the largest and most successful RIAs nationwide. At Fusion Financial Partners, they lead a team with deep expertise across all aspects of RIA formation, advisory operations, and fintech — ensuring that breakaway advisors have the tools, relationships, and execution support to succeed.
About Michael & Kimberly →Fusion Advisor Academy
A rigorous education program for advisors at every stage of the independence journey — from those considering the move to those ready to scale what they have built. Curriculum developed by practitioners, not theorists.
Explore the Academy →Ready to build your RIA?
Schedule a confidential strategy session to discuss your vision, your timeline, and how Fusion can build your independent wealth management firm while you stay focused on serving your clients.
Schedule a Strategy Session