95% of high growth advisors and 85% of advisors overall have at least some defined and measurable goals, according to Capital Group’s 2025 Advisor Benchmarking Survey. Firms that clearly articulate their goals are better positioned to prioritize effectively, track performance and align their teams. In today’s competitive environment, clarity isn’t a luxury — it’s a strategic advantage.
Many advisors grow their practice by hustle — chasing assets under management (AUM) growth, referrals or revenue without pausing to define what sustained success truly looks like for their business. But top-performing firms don’t just work hard — they work with focus. Defining specific, measurable goals gives you more control over your trajectory, helps your team operate with intention and enables smarter decisions at every level.
“Having that business plan allows you to focus, allows you to prioritize, allows you to track progress to your goals, and it really provides alignment for your team.”
— Nick DeCenso, Senior Director of Wealth Management Solutions at CAPTRUST
High-performing firms anchor their strategy to forward-looking goals that go beyond daily tasks or short-term wins. These goals reflect what matters most — whether that’s improving client experience, investing in team development, boosting operational efficiency or increasing long-term profitability. The right goals keep your firm centered on outcomes that can build value over time.
Use the goal-setting tool in this lesson to:
- Identify your firm’s top strategic priorities
- Align each priority with a relevant key performance indicator (KPI)
- Generate SMART goals — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound — that translate vision into action
You’ll leave with a downloadable roadmap that can help keep your team aligned, your metrics meaningful and your strategy rooted in what matters most.
INSIGHTS
Think beyond AUM
In this video, Nick DeCenso discusses how thinking beyond AUM helped him define meaningful business goals aligned to his practice’s unique value proposition.
Nick DeCenso
Senior Director of Wealth Management Solutions, CAPTRUST
4MINVIDEO
Data snapshot
Set goals for your practice
Do you have clearly defined goals for the year? Many practices start with AUM but other goals may be equally important to set and track for the long term health and viability of your practice. Setting clear goals and choosing metrics to track goal progress is the first step in aligning your team to strategic business objectives. Take a look at the data and consider where intentional goal setting might have the greatest impact for your practice.