independence Archives - Bridgemark Strategies

Separating Myth From Reality When Joining an OSJ

Jeff Nash2025-05-14T19:43:03-04:00

Separating Myth From Reality When Joining an OSJ by Jeff Nash, Founder & CEO, BridgeMark Strategies Published May 7 on AdvisorHub The Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction, or OSJ, has been a staple of the broker-dealer community for decades. In an industry where advisors constantly weigh the responsibilities and freedoms accompanying independence, the OSJ model strikes a Goldilocks-like balance between the two that many advisors consider “just right.” However, like an extra layer of clothing in winter, it can both protect and constrain advisors who have chosen to operate within the model. Originally established to fulfill a supervisory function, OSJs – like the wealth management space itself – have evolved over time and now can provide a wide array of support to advisors (above and beyond what’s offered by the broker-dealer), starting with a sense of community and including technology, marketing, education, practice management and more. For advisors looking to alleviate [...]

Independence Still Beckons. And it’s Still Worth it.

2023-08-02T14:40:38-04:00

The road to independence isn’t an easy one. And it’s not for the fainthearted. As July 4th approaches and we commemorate our nation’s 247th birthday, the rewards of independence are all around us. While we honor the men and women who bravely took the steps that led us here, it’s admittedly difficult to appreciate the circumstances they found themselves in… the worries that accompanied their struggle, the doubts that may have entered their minds, the fears that their bold idea would be met with derision or apathy. Despite all this, they remained focused on the prize they were fighting for and emerged triumphant. We continue to reap the benefits of their efforts. Independence and the freedom it affords remains a driving force within the wealth management industry. According to a recent Cerulli report, on average, 71% of advisors surveyed had a preference for independent affiliation – including independent broker/dealer (IBD), hybrid [...]