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As advisors course the ever-evolving landscape of financial products and market trends, fund wholesalers serve as invaluable allies, offering expertise, support, and access to a diverse array of investment opportunities.
The Top 50 Wholesalers of 2024 were voted on by advisors spread across the country and stand as trusted partners, according to Erika Toth, CFA, director for Eastern Canada at BMO Global Asset Management.
She also lists their other qualities:
an excellent source of information
knowing their own and competitors’ products
understanding portfolio construction
realizing what types of clientele suit products best for the risks and benefits
Toth adds, “It’s really striking that fine line by being a dependable trustworthy partner, but also being persistent without being annoying while you’re trying to develop new relationships and prospect advisors.”
Despite being in the same firm, both Top 50 Wholesalers have forged their own successful ways of working.
Dowlatshahi, vice president of business development, maintains constant contact with advisors.
“My top 20 advisors have access to me, whether it’s my text, WhatsApp, or my personal phone 24/7.”
Additionally, she insists on being copied on all client emails to provide assistance whenever necessary. This extends to still replying even when she does not have an immediate solution.
“The expectation is that if you cannot respond with an answer, at minimum, you need to let your clients know that their email or call has been received and you’ll get back to them shortly.”
Dowlatshahi also strives to communicate with clients organically, asking diagnostic questions in less traditional ways.
“We’re having meetings, not only in an office setting, but maybe in a coffee shop where there’s lots of different things going on. So, I weave in those client questions in a more natural way, rather than like an interview.”
Parent, also a vice president of business development, does it differently by maintaining client relations through bi-weekly email updates featuring recaps and market commentary.
Citing time as an advisor’s most valuable asset, Parent highlights key information by email so advisors can be directed quickly to relevant information.
“It’s about doing those small extra steps to create maximum impact.”
Comparing the process of constructing an advisor’s portfolio to building a home, Dowlatshahi isn’t afraid to invest time upfront.
Her approach involves:
gathering diagnostic information
ensuring the right fit
“If I’m meeting a new client, it’s very seldom that in that first meeting, or even maybe the second meeting, we talk about product. It’s a longer sales process for sure. It takes more patience and getting to know who they are, but it’s a lot more fruitful.”
Parents adopts a problem-solution orientated approach when offering advisors recommendations.
“I try to link the characteristics of a product to the specific challenges of the investor. It’s often easier to digest this information as bullet points, so we try to be as concise as possible,” he says.
In addition to telling clients what they can do, Dowlatshahi also informs clients on boundaries.
“If the product is something they can’t access, I have to be mindful. If it’s something that they can’t use, they should be aware of it.”
Parent ensures his knowledge is current and sharp through self-directed study.
“Reading, reading, and more reading,” he explains. “I also take leverage from my colleagues and reach out to my contacts to get a sense of what’s going on in the field. What sets me apart would be my understanding of not only my advisor’s practice, but my understanding of my product lineup and how it fits their business.”
For Dowlatshahi, the most rewarding part of the job is using her insight to make advisors’ lives easier.
“My goal is to alleviate the stress when it comes to investments, like worrying about a rate of return. I take that off the table and provide advisors with solutions they can be at ease with.”
Additionally, Dowlatshahi emphasises not only being knowledgeable, but being an effective teacher.
“Whether it’s educating on ETFs or mutual fund trusts, I make sure that I’m up to speed as much as possible so I can relay information to advisors in a way that’s digestible,” she says. “It’s satisfying to see advisors take your recommendations and implement your advice. Hearing them be satisfied and say thank you is really fulfilling.”
Another pair of Top 50 Wholesalers have risen to the top by navigating their own paths while in the same firm.
When it comes to digital connections, wealth sales director Laferrière takes the ‘less is more’ approach.
She says, “Advisors are inundated with emails so when I do send them, I try to make sure they are concise and relevant so that they will read it. Advisors have commented that this is something they appreciate.”
To maintain contact with clients, Sikorski, also a wealth sales director, and his team host webinars and participate in industry conferences on topics ranging from retirement to due diligence.
“In this business, we’re professional communicators,” adds Sikorski. “It’s about being available whenever that call might come in.”
And he is also mindful of not overusing technical terms when there is no need.
“It’s how we talk about what we talk about. It’s about making things concise and easy to understand, and having contact with advisors on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual basis.”
Sikorski also recognizes that valuable solutions can only be offered after spending time understanding his client’s motivations.
“When you look at how many options advisors have for their clients, it’s too much to know everything. My job is to sift through all the information out there and provide relevant solutions that make sense.”
Laferrière ensures she’s up to speed on client business dealings through analyzing informative video content.
“I get sent quarterly videos from some of our subadvisors, so I like to listen to those because it’s a quick update that helps me stay on top of their strategies.”
For Sikorski and Laferrière, working in a large firm with diverse offerings means product knowledge takes time to develop.
Sun Life Global Investments solutions include:
mutual funds
segregated funds
payout annuities
insurance GICs
“The learning curve is definitely steep,” adds Laferrière. “You can’t learn all of this in one year. It takes a long time for somebody to be up to par in terms of knowledge.”
Striving to deliver holistic product expertise, Sikorski says, “It’s about bringing more education around the uses of the products, how they can be used in different manners, what the tax advantages, or in some cases, the disadvantages are in implementing one of those strategies.”
With over a decade in the industry, Sikorski notes that while product knowledge is key, the role of fund wholesalers has changed in recent years.
“Product expertise has always been a core function, but there’s now more of a focus on truly understanding an advisor’s business from their perspective, their goals, and their pain points. The role has evolved to focus more on partnership, empathy, and adding value through active listening.”
Laferrière leverages her breadth of knowledge to tailor product solutions for clients.
“I’m very knowledgeable when it comes to tax planning, estate planning, portfolio construction, and the various platforms that advisors operate on. I can really guide them in what we do, what they do, and how we can best support them.”
For the vice president of sales (East), timely contact is key to long-term partnerships.
“I don’t wait for them to call me first. You must take care of your clients on a regular basis and anticipate that they are going to want to hear from you,” he explains.
Roy left the restaurant business in 2000 to join the investment industry.
“When a head chef tells me to change black pepper to white pepper, he means now, he doesn’t mean tomorrow. I’ve always worked with that immediacy in mind.”
As the wholesale industry shifts from sales to service, Roy has observed advisors becoming less concerned with ‘wining and dining’ and more focused on working with wholesalers who understand their business.
“When I first got started, it was all about ‘what are you doing for revenue this month’? That was the question you would lead with when you got an advisor on the phone. They would have commission goals for themselves and for their businesses. That’s gone,” he says.
Roy brings value to advisors by making sure he is up to date on the subject matter. “You’ve really got to know your brief. When I am being utilized as a resource, and ultimately as an extension of an advisor’s team, that’s how I know I’ve done my job.”
Focusing on the energy sector, Roy provides advisors with modern solutions.
“It’s very important that I stay on top of the broader understanding of energy investing because there’s a lot of noise around renewables. It’s important that I continue to make the case when I present solutions that this is a viable investment for the long term.”
For Roy, being a successful wholesaler means providing education and collaborating with like-minded advisors.
“If you are an investment advisor, chances are you’re successful, and chances are you have exceptionally good people skills, and are very intelligent yourself. I get to deal with very high-quality, very intelligent people day in and day out. And that for me is the best part of the job.”
Hundreds of advisors shared with WP what they expect from the industry’s best wholesalers. Some of their insights were:
“One who identifies challenges in our business and works together to find holistic solutions that solve a problem”
“Professional, immensely knowledgeable on their product and their competitors, and has a positive attitude”
“Is honest about how their product compares to similar products from other companies and understands the relative strengths/weaknesses”
“Someone who understands my investment philosophy and brings me the thoughts from the managers of the funds they represent”
“Very fast to respond to questions. In-depth knowledge of their product and the surrounding landscapes that can affect the performance of their product”
“One that wants to be a partner and not a salesperson. They understand our business model and would like to see where they may fit. They need to follow up and provide after-sales service as well”
To uncover the best wholesalers in the Canadian wealth management industry, the Wealth Professional team undertook a rigorous marketing and survey process, leveraging WP’s connections to thousands of advisors across the country. Advisors were asked to nominate their wholesalers for consideration and rate them on their product knowledge, communication, response time, accessibility, understanding of the advisor’s business, ability to educate the advisor, and the value they contribute. At the end of the research period, the top-scoring and most voted wholesalers were named Top 50 Wholesalers based on the service they provide to advisors.