6C Continuum Diagnostic™

Section 1: Contact & Background

Let's start with your basic contact information and background.

Why this matters: BD/RIA firms evaluate advisors on revenue quality, client portability, regulatory status, and cultural fit. Every question serves a purpose.

Full Name *

Email *

Phone *

Age * Firms want to understand your career horizon

Primary Office Location * City/metro area where you're based

Section 2: Current Firm & Tenure

Information about your current firm and how long you've been in the industry.

Current Firm / Platform *

Years at Current Firm *

Total Years in Financial Services *

Section 3: Practice Size

Details about your practice size, revenue, and client base.

Trailing-12 Month Gross Revenue (GDC/Production) * Total production before any payout - firms use this to calculate deals

Assets Under Management (AUM) *

Number of Client Households *

Average Client Net Worth *

Section 4: Practice Structure

Your practice structure and team composition.

Practice Structure *

Solo Advisor - I operate independently

Team Lead - I lead a team with other advisors/support staff

Team Member - I'm part of a team but not the lead

Equal Partnership - Equal partners with other advisors

If team-based, would your team transition with you?

Section 5: Revenue Quality

Revenue model breakdown and client portability expectations.

% Advisory / Fee-Based Revenue * Recurring revenue is more portable

% Commission / Transactional *

% Advisory Using Your Own Models / Rep-as-PM * Shows sophistication and portability

Expected Client Portability * What % of clients would transition with you?

Section 6: Regulatory Status

Regulatory status, compliance, and contractual obligations.

U4 Status * Critical - firms cannot hire advisors with significant issues

Completely Clean - No disclosures

Minor Disclosures Only - Settled complaints under $50K

Have Disclosures - Prefer to Discuss

Non-Compete / Restrictions *

No Restrictions - Free to move

Standard Non-Solicit - Typical, manageable

Significant Restrictions - Could complicate transition

Unsure - Need to review agreements

Unvested Deferred Compensation at Risk * Firms may help offset in transition deals

Section 7: Current Situation

Your current payout, reasons for considering a move, and timeline.

Current Grid / Payout Percentage What % of gross production do you keep?

Primary reason you're considering a move Select the option that best describes your situation

Decision Timeline *

Confidentiality Requirements *

Critical - Must be completely confidential

Important - Prefer confidentiality, some flexibility

Not Critical - OK if current firm knows

Section 8: Your 6C Priorities

Drag and drop to rank from MOST to LEAST important. Your #1 priority at top.

Be honest: There's no "right" answer. This ranking drives our matching algorithm.

Drag to reorder: Highest priority (1) → Lowest priority (6)

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1

CULTURE

Business ownership values, autonomy level, work environment

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2

COMMUNITY

Advisor network, training, collaboration, mentorship

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3

COMPATIBILITY

Practice fit, client demographics, service model match

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4

CAPABILITY

Infrastructure for today—and the resources to scale tomorrow

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5

COMPENSATION

Payout grid, transition deal, ongoing economics

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6

CAPITAL

Firm's financial resources for tech, service, and growth

Section 9: CULTURE Deep Dive

Understanding the business ownership values, autonomy level, and working environment where you thrive

How important is CULTURE in your decision? *

Desired Level of Business Autonomy * How much independence do you want in running your practice?

Full Independence - I want complete control over my business decisions, branding, and client experience

High Autonomy with Support - Independent decision-making with optional firm resources when I need them

Balanced Partnership - Shared decision-making with firm providing infrastructure and guidance

Prefer Structure - I want clear guidelines and established processes to follow

What's your biggest culture frustration at your current firm? Select the option that best describes your situation

Section 10: COMMUNITY Deep Dive

The advisor network, training, and support ecosystem you need

How important is COMMUNITY in your decision? *

Collaboration Style *

Highly Collaborative - Regular peer connection, active community

Selective - Few deep relationships with similar advisors

Occasional - Participate when needed, prefer independence

Minimal - Work independently, community not priority

Top Training/Development Need

Section 11: COMPATIBILITY Deep Dive

Ensuring the firm's strengths match your practice needs

How important is COMPATIBILITY in your decision? *

Primary Service Model *

Comprehensive Planning-Focused - Deep planning is core

Investment-Focused - Portfolio management primary

Balanced - Equal planning and investments

Full Wealth Management - Comprehensive solutions

Critical Products/Services (select all that apply)

Alternative Investments

Insurance (Life, Annuities)

Trust Services

Lending/Banking

Tax Services

Section 12: CAPABILITY Deep Dive

Technology, operations, and support infrastructure

How important is CAPABILITY in your decision? *

Technology Priority Level *

Critical - Must have best-in-class, cutting-edge

Important - Modern and functional, not bleeding edge

Adequate is Fine - As long as it works reliably

Minimal User - Prefer simple systems

Operations Support Preference *

Dedicated Team - Same people supporting me always

Shared Quality Team - OK with shared if responsive

Self-Service - Prefer handling most myself with tech

Section 13: COMPENSATION Deep Dive

Total economic package beyond headline numbers

How important is COMPENSATION in your decision? *

Transition Deal Importance *

Primary Factor - Deal is top priority

Important But Balanced - Matters but so do others

Secondary - Long-term economics matter more

Not Priority - Focused on right fit

Top Compensation Priority (choose one)

Section 14: CAPITAL - Firm Resources & Investment Capacity

Understanding whether your next firm has the financial strength to invest in your success

Why this matters: Promises are easy. Delivery requires capital. A firm's financial strength determines whether they can invest in platform upgrades, maintain quality service ratios, and provide acquisition financing when you need to grow.

How important is CAPITAL (firm financial strength) in your decision? * How important is it that your next firm has deep financial resources?

Financial Strength Priority *

Critical - I need a firm with deep pockets to invest in platform and support my growth

Important - Financial stability matters but not my top priority

Moderate - As long as the firm is stable, I'm okay

Not Priority - Other factors matter more than firm's financial resources

Do you need a firm that's actively investing in platform upgrades? * Continuous technology improvement and modernization

Yes - Critical - I need cutting-edge technology and continuous platform improvement

Yes - Important - I want a firm committed to staying current

Somewhat - As long as platform is functional, major upgrades not critical

No - Platform investment not a key factor for me

How important is the firm's ability to maintain quality service ratios? Can they afford dedicated support teams vs. stretched resources?

Will you need acquisition financing or growth capital from your next firm? Do you plan to acquire books, hire junior advisors, or expand?

Do you have a preference on firm ownership structure? PE-backed firms often have more capital but different priorities

How important is financial transparency from your next firm?

When evaluating firms, how much do you care about their recent technology investments? Have they actually upgraded platforms in past 2-3 years?

What type of growth capital support do you need? (Select all that apply)

Acquisition financing - To buy books/practices

Junior advisor hiring support - Salary support or equity splits

Marketing/business development budget - Firm-funded growth initiatives

Office expansion/upgrade - Physical space investment

Technology/infrastructure - Practice-specific tools

None needed - I'm self-funding my growth

Section 15: Non-Negotiables

Your top must-have requirements for any new firm

What is your #1 non-negotiable requirement? The single most important must-have

What is your #2 non-negotiable requirement?

What is your #3 non-negotiable requirement?

Section 16: Red Flags & Firm Preferences

What would prevent a move and which firms interest you

What would absolutely prevent you from moving to a firm? Your primary red flag

Are there specific firms you're interested in or want to avoid?

Section 17: Current Frustrations

What's driving you to explore a change?

What is your #1 frustration with your current firm? The biggest issue driving your consideration of a move

What is your #2 frustration?

What is your #3 frustration?

Section 18: Ideal Firm Vision

What would your perfect firm look like?

If you could design your ideal firm, what would be the #1 characteristic? The most important attribute of your perfect firm

Section 19: Retention Factors

What would it take for you to stay?

What would make you stay at your current firm? What would have to change for you to NOT move?

Section 20: Final Thoughts

Any additional information that would help us serve you better

Is there anything else we should know about your situation? Select the option that best applies, or choose "Other" to elaborate

How did you hear about Continuum Search Group?

What happens next: We'll analyze your responses using our proprietary 6C Matching Algorithm, create your confidential advisor profile, and identify 5-8 firms that best match your priorities. You'll receive your comprehensive report within 48 business hours, followed by a confidential consultation to discuss your options.

Before You Begin...