Beyond Referrals: How to Generate Autopilot and Leveraged Growth for Your Financial Firm

How do you move your RIA beyond referrals and unlock the leveraged, autopilot growth model used by top B2C FinTechs? This article breaks down the three core online marketing strategies that propelled my B2C FinTech, Tykr, to over 13,000 customers. I will explain the principles behind these methods and how you can directly apply them to successfully scale your own RIA.

My retail investing journey began in 2011. Like many new investors, I was lost. I quickly became overwhelmed by contradictory advice from countless sources: financial influencers on YouTube, news sites, X, and stock screeners. On the same news site, for instance, one analyst would call a stock a "buy" while another called it a "sell." Faced with this gambling-like approach, I knew I needed a better way.

After a few frustrating years of making and losing money, I realized I wasn't even keeping up with the S&P 500. By 2015, I took a step back. I realized that if I continued on this path, I would lose a lot of money. At the same time, I knew that Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger were able to consistently beat the market. I knew they were not gambling men, picking stocks based on feelings or emotions. This convinced me they were starting their process with logic or, in other words, math. The critical question became: what is that math?

My background includes 20 years in tech, where I worked as a project manager at companies like Kohler and GE. What's common in manufacturing is Process Engineering, which is all about applying a system of logic. I was frustrated that no one was applying this lens to finance.

I finally stumbled upon Phil Town, whose great books, Rule #1 and Payback Time, provided some of the calculus that Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger used to start their process. I took that math and put it into Excel. This was the moment I committed to doing something different than everyone else in the finance industry.

This system of logic is critical. A core principle of process engineering is simplifying complexity. For instance, presenting 100 data points to a client or executive often leads to "blank stares and confusion." The goal is to roll up that complexity into a simple, actionable decision, like a binary Yes/No or a traffic light rating (Green, Yellow, Red). This allows decisions to be made faster, accelerating revenue generation and profit optimization.

This principle directly led to Tykr. Back in the Excel sheet, I created an algorithm that analyzed well over 50 data points per stock. I then rolled those points into a traffic light rating system: stocks are either On Sale (Green), Watch (Gray), or Overpriced (Red). This unique focus on simplifying analysis is one way Tykr is different from any other platform on the market.

Once the algorithm was complete, I committed to a rigorous four-year live testing period, using the Excel model personally to validate its consistency and discipline. By 2019, I had enough conviction in the process to share it with a small group of retail investors. Their feedback was direct: this should be built into a software platform and shared more broadly.

That was the green light. I decided to hire a team of engineers and build the MVP, which took about a year. We went live in 2020. The first version of Tykr wasn't perfect, but as Voltaire said, "Perfect is the enemy of good." The goal was to get something out there and begin building it with our customers. I applied a core lesson from my time at Kohler and GE: bring customers into the process immediately, get fast feedback, and use it to create a platform they love and will share. Fast forward to 2025, and we now have over 13,000 customers in over 50 countries.

Now, how did we get there? Here are the top 3 strategies we use to grow Tykr, with tactical strategies you can apply to your RIA.

1) Partnerships

Over 60% of Tykr's customers come from partnerships. This channel is key to generating the most leverage and revenue in the shortest amount of time, allowing global companies to scale significantly.

When building Tykr, I immediately focused on partnerships with other FinTech platforms, financial blogs, and influencers, typically offering a 30% revenue share. This win-win kickback model made partnerships the primary revenue generator.

Keep in mind, acquiring channel partners is not always a glamorous process. The typical closing rate is about 15% reflects the reality that only about 15 out of every 100 businesses you reach out to will refer people to you. Don't get frustrated; this is standard in most industries.

Tactical Strategies for RIAs

Since sharing AUM is not possible for RIAs, the Tykr revenue-share model won't work. Instead, leverage the partner channel using these ideas to generate revenue: Complementary Businesses: Establish a "cross-promotion" strategy with service firms like CPA and Law Firms, exchanging leads with them. Associations and Organizations: Join industry groups that feature a marketplace or directory to place your service in front of actively searching consumers.

2) SEO

Over 10% of Tykr's customers come from Google. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the long game; it can take a few years to start generating leads, but once established, it becomes a powerful, autopilot lead source.

I recommend speaking with a transparent SEO firm, which will break the process into two phases: Phase 1: A one-time setup — They will optimize your website so you can be found in search engines. Phase 2: Ongoing inbound link creation — This optional phase accelerates your ranking. The more inbound links from quality websites and reputable publishers, the higher you will rank (e.g., getting an article posted on Forbes that links back to your website).

Tactical Strategies for On-Page SEO: Title Tags (approx. 60 characters): Use hyper-local terms. Good examples: "Wealth Advisor Milwaukee, Wealth Advisor Denver, Wealth Advisor Austin." Using suburb names is even better, such as "Wealth Advisor Brookfield." Description Tags (120 to 150 characters): A brief sentence or two describing your services and locations. Example: "Wealth Advisory and Financial Advisory services in Milwaukee, Brookfield, and New Berlin, WI." Image Tag: The featured image tag should be the same as the page's title tag.

If you receive an overly complex proposal from an SEO agency, move on. At a high level, it's a 2-phased project, with Phase 2 being optional.

3) YouTube

About 5% of our leads come from YouTube. As the second biggest search engine next to Google, this is a massive source of lead generation.

YouTube is a powerful channel for two main reasons: Building Trust: Having a presence allows you to make a great first impression and build trust, as people want to work with advisors they know. Solving Problems: Users search for solutions to financial questions like "Red flags to avoid with wealth advisors." Creating videos that answer these common questions positions you as an authority.

Tactical Strategies: Titles (5-8 words): Focus on risk avoidance (e.g., "5 mistakes to avoid when working with a wealth manager") as human beings are naturally more drawn to avoiding loss than increasing gain. Titles over 12 words receive fewer clicks. Thumbnails: Should complement the title with fewer words (e.g., "5 Wealth Manager Mistakes") and feature a clear photo of the person speaking. People are naturally drawn to other people, not text. Use a medium shot (waist up). Frequency & Streamline: Publish 1-2 videos per week and commit to it for at least a year. To streamline this process, hire a video editor on a platform like Upwork. You handle the production (recording), and they handle post-production and marketing.

Final Thought: Using AI to brainstorm content ideas for both SEO and YouTube can save significant time. Prompts such as "Give me the top searched mistakes to avoid with personal finance" are highly effective.

Hopefully, this article provides you with a few creative ideas to help you grow your RIA.

Sean Tepper is the Founder & CEO of Tykr, whose technology platform helps people buy and sell stocks with confidence. RIAs use Tykr's technology with their clients to get true insight into behaviors and better conversations. Sean has worked in tech for over 20 years and has been an investor for over 15 years. His passion is giving people the confidence they need to invest.

For more information on Tykr for retail investors, visit Tykr.com. For wealth advisor inquiries, email support@tykr.com.