Three businesses have combined to form a brand new business lifecycle agency called Melo, launched today (15 May) to help financial planning firm owners to build better businesses, at every stage of their journey from launch to exit.
The Exit Partnership, Change Squared and AspireExec, operating under the new brand, will be led by Victoria Hicks as Group CEO.
Hicks said: “Our sector rightly focuses on academia, teaching advisers to advise and planners to plan, but not how to build a great business. Time and again we see firms failing to start, grow and exit properly because they don’t have the education, guidance and support they need.”
“There’s a huge opportunity for financial planning firms. The advice gap remains while the need for advice has never been greater, yet the adviser community is ageing and needs fresh ideas and thinking. At the same time, advances in technology, particularly AI, create massive opportunities and there is an unprecedented opportunity to create value and exit for high multiples.
“We aim to help financial planning firms capture these opportunities by removing the traditional fragmented approach and bringing everything you need under one roof.”
Melo aims to become the sector’s leading resource for financial planning businesses wherever they are on their journey covering the three key components required to build a world-class firm: recruitment, progress, and exit.
Recruitment will be led by Rachael Fennessey, formerly of AspireExec, and aims to help financial planning firms build their people strategy, and hire and lock in the talent they need to achieve their ambitions.
Progress will be headed up by Ben Wright, who will help businesses find operational efficiencies, and maximise output from their leadership team and advisers.
Finally, Brian Hill will lead the exit strand of the business, helping planning firms find the right option for them, their team and their clients.
Hicks added: “To build a great business, you need great people. At The Exit Partnership, we’d previously worked closely with Rachael at AspireExec and Ben at Change Squared. They’re leaders in their respective fields, care greatly and want to make a positive impact on the profession.
“We’re privileged to have them on this journey with us, as well as the rest of the team. Every person on the board has something magical about them; we are all unique but with a shared purpose, an alignment of values, and a love for the profession.”
