You never pay | The hiring firm covers our fee | Includes 90-Day Transition Support

The 6C Framework™

A systematic approach to evaluating your next move

From intangible forces that shape your daily experience to tangible foundations that secure your legacy.

Culture Community Compatibility Capability Compensation Capital

From Intangible to Tangible

Why the Order Matters

We start with what actually determines long-term success—not just compensation.

Our 6C Continuum Framework™ evaluates partners from Culture to Capital, prioritizing long-term alignment over short-term payouts. Culture and Community determine daily experience. Compatibility and Capability determine how well your practice operates. Compensation and Capital matter only after the foundation is right—no amount of money fixes a cultural mismatch.

Schedule Free 30-Min 6C Alignment Call

The Six Dimensions

Click each card to explore what we evaluate in detail.

1

Culture

Business ownership values, autonomy level, work environment

How much independence you have, whether values align, and if you'll thrive or suffocate. You can't negotiate culture after you join.

Why It Matters

Culture can't be fixed with a contract amendment. Strong cultural alignment supports daily autonomy and long-term success.

What We Evaluate

  • Business autonomy: Full independence, high autonomy with support, balanced partnership, or structured guidance?
  • Values alignment: Fiduciary-first culture vs. sales pressure and product quotas
  • Leadership accessibility: Can you reach decision-makers when needed?
  • Work environment: Collaborative community or competitive isolation?
  • Advisor voice: Do advisors influence firm decisions or just execute?
Collapse details
2

Community

Peer network, collaboration opportunities, support resources

Access to peers, mentors, and specialists who accelerate your growth—or isolation where you solve every problem alone.

Why It Matters

The right community provides intellectual capital, case collaboration, and support that compounds your capabilities. Isolation is expensive.

What We Evaluate

  • Peer quality: Advisors who challenge and inspire, or low engagement?
  • Study groups: Active forums for case collaboration and best practice sharing
  • Mentorship access: Senior advisors available for guidance
  • Regional presence: Local colleagues for face-to-face connection
  • Knowledge sharing: Open collaboration culture vs. competitive silos
Expand details
3

Compatibility

Technology alignment, service model alignment, operational workflows

How well the firm's infrastructure supports your practice model. Determines whether transition is seamless or chaotic.

Why It Matters

Operational friction kills client experience, team morale, and productivity. These aren't minor annoyances—they're deal-breakers.

What We Evaluate

  • Technology integration: Does their stack work with your current workflows?
  • Service model alignment: Can you deliver planning the way clients expect?
  • Fee structure compatibility: Billing options that support your value proposition
  • Compliance philosophy: Balanced protection vs. restrictive bureaucracy
  • Operational support: Responsive help or obstructive red tape?
Expand details
4

Capability

Infrastructure for today—and the resources to scale tomorrow

Technology, operations, products, and support that serve your current practice AND can scale as you grow 2x-5x over the next decade.

Why It Matters

Compatibility asks if the firm works for who you are today. Capability asks if they can support where you're going.

Without scalable operations, a strong technology roadmap, and access to emerging products and strategies, you risk outgrowing your firm in 3-5 years—forcing another disruptive transition. Many advisors choose a firm that's perfect now but can't handle their growth, team expansion, or evolution upmarket.

We evaluate both present infrastructure (CRM, planning tools, back-office support) and future readiness (innovation track record, operational scalability, practice management resources for building teams or acquiring books). Because the right firm doesn't just work today—it grows with you for the next decade.

What We Evaluate

  • Technology platform: Best-in-class, integrated stack or outdated systems?
  • Product access: Alternatives, direct indexing, structured notes, broad options
  • Research quality: Differentiated insights or generic market commentary
  • Planning specialists: Estate attorneys, CPAs, advanced planning support on demand
  • Growth resources: Practice management, marketing, M&A support
Expand details
5

Compensation

Payout grid, transition package, net economics over time

The complete economic picture—not just the transition check, but actual net income after fees, benefits, and hidden costs over 3, 5, and 10 years.

Why It Matters

A $2M transition deal means nothing if payout stretches 7+ years, grid drops 10 points, and platform fees eat 20 bps. We model real economics.

What We Model

  • Payout grid: Rates, structures, hurdles, thresholds—modeled over 3, 5, 10 years
  • Transition package: Upfront vs. backend weighting, retention requirements, clawbacks
  • Hidden costs: Platform fees, E&O, technology, compliance, marketing expenses
  • Benefits: Health insurance, retirement match, equity opportunities
  • Tax efficiency: Entity structure and tax implications
Expand details
6

Capital

Succession planning, equity value, exit strategy options

Succession infrastructure, enterprise value, and whether your equity becomes a meaningful asset or a liability.

Why It Matters

You're building toward a 20-year exit. Will this firm help you monetize your life's work at fair value, or force a fire-sale with no succession infrastructure?

What We Evaluate

  • Succession planning: Active buyer pipeline or DIY when you're ready to exit?
  • Enterprise value: Growing equity stake or illiquid paper promise?
  • Balance sheet strength: Firm financially stable to fund growth and acquisitions
  • Liquidity events: Clear paths to monetize equity before retirement
  • Valuation methodology: Fair market value or discounted formulas at exit?
Expand details

Your 6C Framework Evaluation

Data-driven analysis, not sales pitches.

1

6C Scorecard

Each firm scored 1-10 across all six dimensions, weighted to your priorities.

2

Economic Modeling

Actual net income at each firm over 3, 5, and 10 years—after all costs.

3

Risk Assessment

What could go wrong at each firm—surfaced proactively before you commit.

4

Clear Recommendation

Best-aligned option based on your priorities and long-term goals with clear reasoning.

Systematic 1-10 scoring across all dimensions produces an Overall Alignment Score for each firm.

Get Your 6C Framework Evaluation

Stop making career decisions based on pitch decks.
Start with a framework that puts your priorities first.