Ep #366: When Taking Custody and Engaging Virtual Assistance is Right For Your RIA With Kate Yearwood Young

XYPN Radio

If you’re wondering whether taking custody of client accounts and a virtual assistant is right for your independent advisory firm, this episode’s for you!

Taking custody can be a scary decision, but sometimes it's the right one. Just ask XYPN member Kate Yearwood Young, CFA, CFP®, founder of Yearwood Young Advisors. From engineering to Wall Street to founding a successful business, she acquired the skills and services to meet her client’s needs where they are. And their needs dictated that she take custody.

Born into the advisor role despite her family’s best efforts—her father, aunt, and cousin are in the industry—Kate was encouraged to explore other avenues of interest, but sometimes it’s in your blood! After getting a degree in engineering, Kate pivoted back to finance and soon found herself on the Wall Street Trading Floor.

She developed her knowledge and expertise in evaluating hedge fund managers for large pension funds and ultra-high-net-worth clients. In 2019, she made the decision to leave her last firm and start her own business. She launched in May 2020 with a six-month-old baby but found a way to persevere and began to grow her firm.

Kate has a really unique service offering. In addition to comprehensive financial planning and investment management, she also has a family office service. She needed to take custody of client accounts because she has bill pay authority for her office service.

A deeper dive into the topic reveals her experience with the audit process and the documentation required when you have full control of a client's bank account.

We also dive into what she's building and how she plans to get more control of her calendar, the number of hours she works, and how she's leveraging a virtual assistant and soon-to-be outsourced paraplanner.

From being in touch with her clients’ needs to growing her business in the most sane and productive ways, Kate’s story is one that we need to hear.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/366