As you may have heard, Investopedia recently announced that their team is accepting applications for their annual 100 Top Financial Advisors of 2023 list. The form is now available for anyone interested in applying.
Here at CircleBlack, we believe that the power of the financial advisory profession is built in the community. One of our teammates was formerly on the editorial team at Investopedia a decade ago. She reached out to her former colleagues to learn more about the goals for the Investopedia 100 Awards in 2023.
Investopedia’s Editor in Chief, Caleb Silver, shared some thoughts in the following interview with us:
- Why is the Investopedia team passionate about the Investopedia 100 list?
The Investopedia 100 is our favorite celebration of the year because we get to shine the light on people in the financial planning and wealth management industries who do what we aspire to do: Spread financial literacy to their clients, their communities, and across the industry. At Investopedia, we truly believe that everyone who can work with an advisor should, because understanding how your money is intertwined with your life, and the life you want to live, is key to longer term happiness and health. This is what great advisors and planners do, and the most influential, in our opinion, do it through educating their clients, and using their platforms to amplify their message.
- What is the “behind the scenes” story of how it came to be and ways it’s evolved?
The Investopedia 100 was always about celebrating financial advisors who are influential in the industry, but since “influence” has so many meanings these days, we’ve really honed in on what that word means to us over the past few years. While we measure the size of advisors’ social media platforms and their reach through other media like podcasts, conferences and media appearances, it is what they use their platforms for that determines their influence. Those that use it for education, important discourse on issues that impact the industry and their clients, and to help their fellow colleagues are what we mean when we use that word. Several years ago, we also introduced the ability for advisors to nominate up to three other advisors who they deemed to be influential. Peer recommendations and recognition are also a very strong measure of influence.
- What words of encouragement do you have for people to apply?
While we take great pride in celebrating the Investopedia 100, the celebration among the advisors themselves is where the magic happens. There is so much love and support in this community, and to watch so many of them come together to celebrate each other’s hard work and accolades is one of the best things we’ve ever been a part of. We work hard to earn advisors’ trust and respect, and we never take it for granted. When we see that Investopedia 100 honorees proudly display their badge on their websites and social profiles, we know we are doing something right.
- What does it take to be an exceptional advisor in 2023?
Financial advice has changed so much over the past several years. Advisors have gone from stock and mutual fund pickers and asset allocators to holistic financial planners. Clients need multifaceted approaches to their financial plans with end-to-end financial life stage guidance, and the best advisors today have stepped up to that challenge. To be truly influential, in our estimation, advisors must be committed to educating and uplifting their industry, their clients and their communities.
- Why is 2023 a great year for the Investopedia Top 100?
Financial planning and advice has never been more important than it is today. You could say that every year, but the past three years have been incredibly destabilizing for many families and their finances. That’s exactly the kind of problem great advisors like to solve, and the best of them do it with education and smart planning.
Being recognized as one of Investopedia’s most influential advisors of 2023 shows that you are among the top 100 RIA professionals who are committed to that mission, and using your platform to amplify it.
Disclosures
This material has been prepared for educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice.