Experienced Financial Advisor

Advisor Conversations: Building, Maintaining and Growing a Private Wealth

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A thriving practice isn’t built by chance; it’s built with clarity of purpose, intentional strategy and the courage to pursue the clients you aspire to serve. Today, financial advisors face a convergence of forces: intensifying competition, shifting client expectations and the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history. Those who succeed aren’t simply reacting to change — they’re anticipating it, positioning themselves deliberately and building relationships designed to outlast a single generation.

I recently sat down with Edward Jones financial advisor, Brittany Hale, to learn how she’s built a successful practice serving private wealth clients. From defining your ideal client and refining your value proposition to engaging the next generation, Brittany shares the practical approaches that have shaped her practice.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with me, Brittany. Tell me more about your background and your practice.

I started my career in the insurance industry, but a member of my referral group was a financial advisor with Edward Jones who thought it’d be a great career fit for me. I launched my practice at 23 years old, and as it evolved, I made an intentional pivot to serve affluent clients.

Today, my ideal client is either a business owner or an IT professional. Most have complex financial planning needs and investable assets of $1.25 million or more. I love working with family stewards: people who value experiences and legacy, who want to enjoy life but also want to leave something behind.

For financial advisors currently serving clients with average wealth, how can they create a long-term plan to shift into high net worth? What worked for you?

When I decided I wanted to shift into serving more affluent clients, I worked with coaches to move upmarket. Our firm now provides a hands-on program designed to help select financial advisors manage and grow their practices, while also increasing their acumen in advanced planning and complex investment products.

My shift was intentional and came out of a reflection exercise I perform each year. I set aside a full day to assess where the households I’m creating are coming from and which strategies are generating those clients. I share those findings with my team in an annual business planning meeting. We re-segment the book every year and reclassify our ideal households. All of this helps me prioritize my time.

Why is intergenerational client engagement so important in the high-net-worth space?

The numbers tell a compelling story. According to a Cerulli report, more than 50% of the overall total volume of transfers — $62 trillion — is expected to come from those who are currently high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth, who together make up only 2% of all households.*

But beyond the data, it’s deeply personal to my clients. Most who have significant wealth want to be good stewards of their money. Knowing you’re going to take care of their kids is central to the value proposition. They want someone who educates the next generation, helps them plan and then supports them in being good stewards later.

*Source: Cerulli, U.S. High-Net-Worth and Ultra-High-Net-Worth Markets 2024

How do you establish credibility with adult children who didn’t choose you?

Often, they come to me after their parents have recommended me, so there’s already an initial layer of trust. But it’s essential to forge an individual connection from the start. I tell them it’s all about them, not the parents.

I ask a series of questions to understand what’s most important to them. I always ask, “Are you concerned about financially supporting your parents?” That single question tells me how transparent parents are with their children. I also talk about caregiving and ask questions about insurance. It always surprises me how little the children know about their parents’ situation or how little the parents choose to share.

What’s one strategy you’ve implemented that had an outsized impact on trust or retention?

Most of my clients tell me they trust me and my team deeply. I don’t think I can point to one single thing — it’s the accumulation of everything. We’re very relationship-focused. We’re constantly trying to exceed client expectations. I get to the heart of what matters, and I listen.

How should firms support financial advisors in deepening their relationships with high-net-worth clients?

Seek out resources dedicated to private wealth. At Edward Jones, we’re increasingly serving more affluent clients with complex financial needs. We recently launched Edward Jones Generations®, our first private client service for clients with significant means. This exclusive offering provides sophisticated financial planning and investment management, a wider array of products and services, dedicated service and operations support and an elevated experience.

Culture matters just as much. At Edward Jones, someone is always willing to share their best ideas. I can call a top producer and ask how they’re succeeding — and I make a point of doing the same for others. We have a culture where we want to see everyone do better. Someone always takes the call.

Brittany’s story is a reminder that a great practice grows from intentional choices, not circumstance. From the annual reflection exercise that reshapes her client strategy to intentional meetings with the next generation, every element of her approach is purposeful.

The financial advisors who succeed in the private wealth space are the ones who know exactly who they serve, build relationships rooted in genuine trust and treat each family — across every generation — as a long-term relationship worth investing in.

Click here to learn more about Edward Jones’ Generations offering for private wealth.