"I am a new advisor. Everyone keeps saying to focus on the brand before I go out and market. Any weekend reading on how to brand yourself? What colors to pick, tagline, etc?"

This is like parachuting out of a plane into the Sahara desert and trying to guess which direction you walk in to find the water.
     

• Go out and talk to 10 people a day. 
• Just say this to them: "I just started out as a financial advisor and what I am trying to do is understand what is on people's minds when it comes to retiring. What's on yours?"

The more people you talk to, you will notice response patterns. 

Maybe you get along better with 25 year old lawyers and not so well with 55 year old lawyers. Maybe it's married couples with 4 kids, or married couples with no kids. You'll see a pattern.

Take some time and observe the experience people have when they interact with you and see which ones are the strongest, more powerful connections. 

      
A brand is nothing more than the psychological response someone has when they interact with you or your company. You can't find this out or invent it; it's already written into your mind, and their minds, and it takes form when you interact. You discover a brand through observing patterns of response; you don't create it.

• Email your Client Newsletter every month without fail.
• Include Nick's Client's Corner.
• Also include your Mid-Year Client Letter and your Year-End Client Letter in the July and January editions.

• IP is very  flexible, lenient and permissive.
• Expert compliance team versed in all financial services industries who have dealt directly with FINRA and the SEC and resolved various compliance matters. Thus, you can rest assure that any issue you may experience in the future will be addressed with diligence and prudence.
• IP allows us to conduct business via email, video, phone or in-person. No geographic restrictions (must be licensed).
• Allow securities-related content on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X (via Global Relay). 
• Centralized OSJ and administration from IP Corporate. No requirement to maintain a trade blotter, as the Home Office takes care of it.
• Annual compliance requirements are completed online at your own time .
• You can customize your own business cards and use the printing company of your choice. With approval, of course.
• You can customize your own client web site, with approval.
• They allow personalized branding (such as “Wilson Wealth Management”) subject to FINRA and SEC disclosure rules. Though I don't recommend this as it is confusing for clients and offer no tangible benefit. Instead I recommend...
• Customizing your own email address to go along with your website. For example, my client email is michael@clientfirst.pro. I use this with all client communication and marketing. IP allows us to do this!

What is a Roth Conversion? (backdoor Roth)

1. Converts any amount of a of Traditional IRA (TIRA) to a Roth IRA.
2. Converts any amount of Roth to TIRA.
3. Converts Roth/TIRA to another owner.
4. Converts Roth/TIRA to a 401k.
5. Converts Roth/TIRA to NQ account.
6. Converts a NQ to a Roth IRA.

Answer = 1