🎙️ The Breakaway Briefing: Episode Summary
Building The Future of Wealth Management - With Stan Gregor
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The industry is undergoing a foundational shift: the future belongs to advisors who prioritize true partnership, ownership, and independence.
In this essential episode of The Breakaway Briefing, The Gershman Group CEO Roger Gershman sits down with Stan Gregor, CEO of Summit. Stan, who spent nearly 40 years navigating the limitations of major firms like Wells Fargo and Citi, reveals his radical vision for empowering advisors through the Summit platform—a firm that has skyrocketed from $3B to nearly $25B in assets since 2020.1
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They dive into the evolution of Summit and why its model is built for scalable, value-driven expansion.
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From Advisor to Architect: Stan recounts the frustrations with traditional "big-bank limitations" that spurred his move from running his own book to creating a next-generation platform.
Partnership Over Promissory Notes: They dissect Summit’s innovative, equity-based model that treats advisor compensation as an investment and a share of ownership—not a retention trap defined by front-end bonuses.
The Technology Ecosystem: How Summit's infrastructure emphasizes seamless integrations (SSO, DocuSign, eMoney, HiddenLevers) to ensure technology empowers the advisor, rather than burdening the practice.
The Merchant Force Multiplier: Stan underscores Summit's strategic alignment with the Merchant Investment Management ecosystem and how this network effect drives compound growth that transcends the limits of an individual practice.
Stan Gregor (CEO, Summit): Stan brings nearly 40 years of experience in wealth management, having led advisor practices and senior roles across major firms like Citi and Wells Fargo. His journey reflects a deep frustration with traditional models and a radical vision for empowering advisors through partnership, ownership, and innovation at Summit.
Roger Gershman (CEO, The Gershman Group): A Wall Street veteran who spent twenty-five years himself as a financial advisor at firms like UBS PWM and Credit Suisse. Mr. Gershman brings this unique real-life perspective to his family consulting firm, offering unparalleled transition, legal, and economic advice to the nation's largest Barron’s and Forbes teams.
