Do you create model portfolios?

No. At this time, and considering the wide array of both model options avaialble as well as the nuanced nature of client needs, we feel that attempting to apply a model, one step removed from the client, would be a fools errand. Instead, we would rather focus on directional comments and research and help guide relative shifts in risk, which advisors can then apply to the unique situations of their clients. 

Do you perform manager research?

Not on a regular and recurring basis. While we may highlight strategies we know and like, and often times personally know the manager or other professionals on the investment team, we are not making manager research a staple of ours. Fractional CIO clients, however, are welcome to request that we examine opportunities presented to them at any time. We have sat across from consultants, advisors, and myriad institutional investors in the past, giving us unique insight into the messaging from the asset management community. 

What is your capacity for clients?

We have near limitless capacity for our regular publications - weekly outlooks and monthly letters - and maintain substantial capacity at the professional subscription level. Fractional CIO work, however, by the nature of the committment we make to clients, must be limited to a select handful of clients. For example, considering the promise of on-site visits and an open door policy to these clients, and our extreme aversion to diluting the client experience and our own reputtion, there is only capacity for roughly a dozen clients at this time. This is subject to change, depending on the complexity of the assignment. 

Will you recommend specific stocks or securities?

Nothing herein is investment advice. That said, while we may mention certain securities in the process of providing a view on markets or macro, we will not opine in any meaningful way on individual securities. While we have deep experience in fundamental analysis, and will lean on it to contextualize events, we will never advocate for a specific company or security. We have a greater degree in confidence in our approach to macro, which can pair with client-level security analysis by advisors. 

How do you typically work with clients?

There is no specific model, just as there is no standard advisory practice. While one advsior may be curious about a global strategic allocation, another may be thinking about the relative value of municipal bonds vs investment grade corporates. Likewise, another may be contemplating passive vs active, or entering into an intiail investment in emerging markets. Few professionals have experience in all of these areas, which positions us well to help in myrad ways.