One of the most effective ways financial advisors can stay informed of the latest trends, technologies and strategies is by attending industry conferences.
Advisors have many industry events to choose from – custodian-sponsored events, association-specific events, and those provided by your vendor or technology partners.
As we look ahead to 2024, several conferences stand out to me as must-attend events for financial advisors seeking to enhance their knowledge and network with industry experts. Here are some of the events I’m looking forward to this year:
January
- 22nd – 25th: Technology Tools for Today (T3) in Las Vegas, Nevada – T3 was founded by advisor tech consulting pioneers Joel Bruckenstein and Dave Drucker 20 years ago. T3 is the go-to destination for financial services professionals, financial planners and investment advisors nationwide. This year, T3 is hosting its 20th-anniversary conference, which will be a symbolic look back at a very colorful past, recognition of the clearly focused (and often urgent) present and a peek into the future of fintech and the way it will propel these professionals and firms to serve clients and realize even greater levels of success.
March
- 13th – 14th: Barron’s Advisor Independent Summit in Salt Lake City, Utah – a gathering of self-made leaders who have earned a distinct place within the financial services industry. Offered by Barron’s Advisor since 2009, this curated experience has become the premier annual event for ranked independent advisors, with content designed to highlight the best practices and specific needs of independent advisors.
- 24th - 27th: Future Proof Retreat in Colorado Springs, Colorado – join 500+ wealth management CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, COOs, CMOs and fast-growing financial advisors for an unconventional wealth management retreat. Attendees share ideas, tackle key issues and take away practical insights to drive their businesses forward.
April
- 8th – 10th: Tiburon CEO Summits in Boston, Massachusetts – provides one of the only true forums where a select cross-industry group of senior executives from across traditional industry silos gathers to discuss a broad swath of issues regarding the future of wealth and investment management businesses.
May
- 13th – 16th: WealthManagement EDGE in Hollywood, Florida – now in its third year, Wealth Management EDGE is a platform event bringing together InsideETFs, WealthStack and RIA Edge, covering investments, wealth tech innovation and growth. The EDGE stage is a place for convergence – between investment management, technology and strategies to grow your business. EDGE is a way to connect and drive conversation across the business and deliver organizational growth.
- 22nd – 22nd: TradePMR’s Synergy24 in Las Vegas, Nevada – TradePMR's annual SYNERGY conference unites growing RIAs from around the country to network, learn, and converse about topics impacting firms, including practice management, compliance, M&A, and technology.
- 28th – 29th: FPA NorCal in San Francisco, California - this premier Conference has a national reputation for providing knowledgeable speakers and excellent networking opportunities for the more than 600 financial professionals who attend each year. The FPA NorCal Conference is planned by financial advisors and sponsored by the East Bay, Northern California, San Francisco and Silicon Valley FPA Chapters.
June
- 4th – 6th: Pershing Insite in Nashville, Tennessee – attendees can participate in immersive learning experiences, hear from industry innovators, and meet and engage with the leaders disrupting it. They also get a first look at the newest digital products and services and interact directly with the teams innovating those experiences.
September
- 9th – 11th: Carson Excell in Orlando, Florida – a blend of sessions about how to scale an advisory firm, along with a lot of content on marketing and growth strategies to get to that next level and inspirationally-oriented keynote sessions to fire up attendees to go home and try it all out.
- 10th – 13th: Future Proof Festival in Huntington Beach, California – billed as the world’s wealth management festival. Future Proof brings together top professionals from the wealth management ecosystem to provide insights, workshops, panel discussions and exclusive networking opportunities. The focus is driving growth and innovation in the industry.
- 18th – 20th: FPA Conference in Columbus, Ohio – one of the largest gatherings of financial planners and advisors. Known for its diverse range of educational sessions, this conference covers topics ranging from investment strategies to business development. Attendees can also explore the latest technologies and tools to streamline their practices.
October
- 15th – 17th: XYPN Live in Minneapolis, Minnesota – marking its 10th anniversary, XYPN Live is a venue for fee-for-service advisors to learn from the successes, failures and struggles that come with independence. This event is filled wall-to-wall with experts, advisors and attendees to support an advisor's journey at every stage.
- 23rd – 25th: Fearless Investment Summit in Nashville, Tennessee – hosted annually by Nitrogen, The Fearless Investing Summit serves as a clear and compelling call to advisors navigating the dynamic waves of change. The agenda zeroes in on achieving growth through the principles of adaptation, agility, and optimism.
November
- Schwab IMPACT will be held in San Francisco – exact dates and venue are still to be announced. This event is attended by over 5,000 advisors, asset managers and technology executives. Whether it’s expert-led sessions or conversations with fellow advisors or solution providers, the design of IMPACT is to inform and inspire.
As you gear up for 2024, consider attending some of these conferences.
Attending these conferences can contribute significantly to a financial advisor's professional development – whether staying abreast of regulatory changes, adopting innovative technologies or honing interpersonal skills.
It’s a unique chance to stay informed, inspired and connected within the industry.