As client demands rise and advisory firms look to scale efficiently, more advisors are reassessing what they need from a TAMP relationship. Investment models and technology matter—but the real differentiator is comprehensive support tailored to the advisor’s business. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions is setting that standard by delivering the depth, flexibility, and proactive service advisors require to grow their practices and deepen client relationships.
In an interview with The Wealth Advisor’s Scott Martin, Jonathan Scheid, President of Focus Partners Advisor Solutions, discussed the firm’s service-forward approach, the expansion of its planning and investment toolkit, and why advisors are turning to Focus Partners as a critical extension of their practices.
The Core Pillars—and What Sets Focus Apart
At its foundation, Focus Partners operates as a service TAMP, offering a strong investment platform, integrated technology stack, and responsive client service—core features that often initially attract advisors. But what truly sets the firm apart is what comes next.
Not stopping at standard offerings, Focus Partners delivers a broader, continuously expanding suite of solutions designed to meet the complex needs of both advisors and their clients. “Where we win versus other service TAMPs out there is for everything else,” Sheid says. “For the longest time, we have been talking about taking the family office to Main Street and leaning into financial planning.” Over the past decade, the firm’s content and conference agendas have largely transitioned to planning topics, reflecting a deeper commitment to holistic client service.
The shift has translated into tangible enhancements for advisors: the creation of an advanced planning team, the launch of an Advanced Planning Center, and robust business consulting services focused on true practice management—not just sales enablement. “We’ve got all of these KPIs and focal points for you to understand what’s driving [your business],” he adds.
Beyond the core expansions, Focus Partners has added specialized business owner support, offers a retirement plan team managing billions of dollars, arranges community advisor learning groups, and is rolling out risk and insurance services along with estate and trust services. “The list keeps going on,” Scheid says. “Our toolkit gets broader and broader because of the demand we get from our advisors.”
Meeting Complexity with Scalable Expertise
Many independent advisory firms struggle to meet growing client complexity without expanding staff or taking on operational risk. Focus Partners aims to provide those advisors with a way to meet higher expectations without sacrificing scale, control, or margin.
To help advisors keep pace, the firm has expanded its planning infrastructure, built out access to subject matter experts, and strengthened peer collaboration opportunities. “Their clients are coming to them with more and more complex challenges and more complex needs,” Scheid notes. “They need a great toolkit available to them.”
What’s more, “Many times, our partners are one- to two- to three-person advisory firms,” he adds. “They don’t have the time to go and build all these relationships. They can reach out to us at any time, and we can give them access to those professionals.” These resources include advanced planning specialists, retirement plan experts, and trust and insurance consultants—all woven into a scalable structure that advisors can activate when needed.
Client Service That Feels Personal
Among Focus Partners’ core offerings, client service consistently rises to the top in advisor surveys. “When I have conversations with advisors, it’s usually, ‘Please keep this person. Please don’t change my client service person,’” Scheid says. The goal is to be more than a help desk—the firm intentionally structures service teams so advisors know exactly who they’re working with and feel supported by professionals not ticketing systems.
A rigorous internal training process is the key to this service-first culture. Every new team member enters through foundational operations roles and rotates through departments before advancing to service management. “They know the custodians better than many of the custodian contacts that we talk to,” Scheid says. “We hear that when somebody calls a custodian, they talk to two or three people, and they get two or three different answers. So, they end up calling us back, and they say, ‘Well, what’s really going on?’ And we help [them] get to the final point because we have the experience.”
Empowering Advisors to Grow and Win
For advisors looking to elevate their book of business and attract more complex client relationships, Focus Partners provides the planning depth, investment flexibility, and institutional-grade tools that can make the difference. The firm sees advanced planning as the gateway to higher-net-worth segments. “I don’t think any team or support solution we offer can help an advisor move upmarket without advanced planning concepts,” Scheid says.
The firm helps advisors explore specialized investment solutions, from separately managed accounts to private strategies, expanding its offering far beyond standard model portfolios. “We are, on a regular basis, seeing our advisors move into the ultra-high-net-worth space and win those relationships because they have such backing by the breadth of services we offer,” he adds.
With clients increasingly willing to pay for greater value and broader services, advisors who partner with Focus are better positioned to differentiate themselves and earn trust. “You might think you might have a good relationship with your clients. Maybe they’re not calling you as often as they used to, but that could be something else happening. So, you need to deepen that relationship. You need to bring in more of a planning approach,” Scheid observes. Focus Partners aims to close that gap by delivering the right support at the right moment.
Their support extends beyond tools and resources—it includes collaborative guidance from the firm’s broader network of professionals. “We team up with our advisors to be a sounding board to them,” explains Scheid. “We can share so many of the ideas that we’re seeing from other professionals in our network on what they’re doing and how that impacts the end client.”
Investments Rooted in Innovation—and Access
While Focus Partners has built its reputation on comprehensive planning and client service, the investment side remains a priority. “There are a number of products that we’ve avoided historically because of the cost of implementation, the complexity associated with those,” Scheid says. “But you do need to keep your finger on the pulse of innovation.”
With the firm’s rebrand from Buckingham Strategic Partners to Focus Partners Advisor Solutions and deeper integration into the Focus Financial Partners network, the team now has access to a wide array of asset managers, outsourced CIOs, and alternative investment experts. The expanded network gives Focus Partners the ability to deliver solutions that advisors might not otherwise be able to access or fully understand on their own.
“When you’re meeting with a client, giving them options and helping them understand what the choices are—and the trade-offs between them—that’s where you can demonstrate your value,” notes Scheid. “You want to talk about concentrated stock? Here are three different strategies we can use to mitigate that.” With a much broader ecosystem of specialists to draw from, Focus Partners is able to craft meaningful investment solutions tailored to each advisor’s client base.
Relationship Management That Drives Results
Every new advisor engagement with Focus Partners begins with a personal connection. The firm’s website allows advisors to find their state representative and connect directly with a business consultant who becomes a key point of contact.
“We don’t want an advisor to feel like they’re all alone,” Scheid says. “We want our business consultant to be the first call that an advisor has for any kind of planning topic for any kind of client situation that might come up. These professionals are so well versed on all of our solutions that they can help navigate and get you to the right person.”
Consultants act as first responders and strategic guides for advisors navigating complex planning or client situations. They also conduct structured planning sessions annually to set personalized goals based on the advisor’s priorities—whether that’s expanding services, pursuing growth, or preparing for succession.
“We don’t come in with a template that’s already filled out,” Scheid explains. “We come in with a document that’s blank, and we try to understand what your priorities are and what you think is going to move the needle.” By customizing plans and then following up throughout the year, Focus Partners helps advisors stay on track and generate measurable progress. “I think it’s scalable. I think it is refreshing. And I think it drives results,” he says.
Building the Future, One Solution at a Time
Focus Partners continues to expand its capabilities to stay ahead of advisor and client demands. From new investment strategies to enhanced planning domains, the firm actively evolves its platform with a focus on relevance, usability, and direct applicability.
The firm’s growth is guided by direct advisor feedback rather than trends. “We’re not going to stop until our advisors say enough,” Scheid says. “But they keep asking for more, and we gladly oblige.”
Focus Partners operates as a fully resourced, collaborative partner for advisors who want to grow, scale, and strengthen their client impact. With planning depth, investment access, and client service rigor, the firm serves as a resourced ally for advisors ready to elevate their practices, deepen client engagement, and pursue long-term success with confidence.
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