Building a Unified RIA: Culture, Acquisitions, and Client-Centric Growth

Welcome to The Private Markets Playbook, a podcast for wealth advisors and CIOs navigating portfolios beyond the traditional 60/40. Hosted by Allocate, the show features candid conversations with allocators, asset managers, and industry leaders on building modern, programmatic portfolios—spanning private markets, portfolio construction, and the systems required to manage complexity at scale.

In this episode, Samir Kaji sits down with Lido Advisors President Brian Haloossim and Managing Director Sanjeev Sardana to unpack how modern wealth management is evolving and what it takes to build a differentiated, client-first RIA. They discuss why both chose to join Lido and how Lido is deliberately avoiding the “aggregator” label in favor of a unified firm with shared values and a common story. The conversation focuses on building thoughtful alternatives programs that go beyond product pushing, including partnering with family offices for true sourcing edge, managing illiquidity, capital calls, and late K-1s, and ensuring each private investment fits the client’s full balance sheet and liquidity profile. Brian and Sanjeev also emphasize client and advisor education around patience, the J-curve, and risk, and close by exploring how AI and technology are being woven into trading, planning, and operations to enhance (not replace) human advice as wealth management becomes more complex and alternative-heavy.

Topics in this conversation include:

* Origins of Brian and Sanjeev and Why They Joined Lido Advisors (2:02)

* Evolution of Wealth Management and Need for Differentiation Beyond 60/40 (7:43)

* Vetting Acquisitions and Ensuring Cultural and Client-First Alignment (14:14)

* Moving Beyond 60/40 and Building an Edge in Alternatives With Family Offices (18:22)

* Challenges of Sourcing, Diligencing, and Timing Alternatives for Clients (24:10)

* Managing Capital Calls, Funding Accounts, and Market Cycles for Alts (29:58)

* Who Should Invest in Alternatives and Educating Clients on the J‑Curve (36:13)

* Risks of AI Adoption, Data Security, and Protecting Client Information (43:32)

* Client Centricity, Technology, and the Future of Wealth Management (44:30)