Sam Boyd
Confido Advice & Investments
The advisors’ personal comments may not be representative of the experience or opinions of other advisors and there is no guarantee of future performance or success.
Why Sam Chose Mariner
A Platform Built for Scale and Purpose
For Sam Boyd, founder of Confido Advice & Investments, the vision was clear: build a virtual, multi-family office at scale, starting on day one.
“I had spent 11 years trying to bootstrap what Mariner already had—tax, estate planning, portfolio consulting and marketing professionals. It was expensive and timeconsuming. With Mariner, it was all integrated from the start,” Sam said.
After a decade of building systems from scratch, Sam was ready for more. He needed a partner who could not only help serve his 170 households and $120M in assets* but could also scale with him as he brought his ambitious vision to life.
“From a fiduciary perspective, I was able to cut client costs by 25% on average without impacting my net revenue even after the cost of affiliation with Mariner.”
Transitioning with Confidence
The Mariner Team Behind the Move
Sam’s transition involved more than just repapering accounts—it was a full-scale operation that required precision and speed. He worked closely with Mariner’s transition team, including Beth Coletta, who quickly became a critical part of his success.
“There was a pre-transition, during, and post-transition phase—and Mariner was there the whole time,” Sam shared. “Beth was a force of nature. She has this calm-inthe- storm energy—like the world is whipping around her, and she’s cool as a cucumber.”
Beth remembers the feeling as mutual: “Sam really was a delight to work with. He wanted everything to be seamless for his clients, and he was always quick to follow up, courteous, and thoughtful—even when the process demanded extra time and focus.”
One of those challenges came early. “We found out his custodian wouldn’t allow ACAT transfers, so we needed full statements from every client,” Beth explained. “Sam handled it with grace. We built out a shared tracking system so everyone could see exactly where each client stood. That visibility made a huge difference.”
Beyond the Transition
Deep Support that Doesn’t Stop at Day One
Sam’s transition didn’t end with paperwork. A month before his first client surge period, his newly hired CSA gave notice. He put out the call for help.
“I said, ‘I need internal Mariner personnel to step in, or there is no way I’ll be able to keep pace with the tasks stemming from client reviews.’ And they did. Beth was back helping me. The team showed up.”
Thanks to Mariner’s depth of talent, Sam was able to continue operating seamlessly—and even found time to reestablish balance outside of work.
“I have a young daughter. We’re back to Dad days on Saturdays. We’re going on big adventures again. Life outside of work is better, too.”
The Mariner Advantage
Scale, Simplicity, and Leadership
From operational efficiencies to marketing support, Sam leveraged the full breadth of Mariner’s offering to build his ideal practice.
“At the old firm, I was spending a day a week on HR. I’m getting that time back now,” he said. “And the marketing team was incredible—helping build a brand that reflected my heritage and mission. That kind of storytelling helped carry us through.”
Beth reflected on what made the transition successful, highlighting the behind-the-scenes support that allowed Sam to stay focused on his clients: “We’ve done hundreds of transitions. We know when to introduce teams, how to get ahead of issues, and how to take care of the little things so advisors can focus on their clients.”
For Sam, that level of expertise made all the difference. “If you want to offer tax planning, estate services, or true business advisory, you need people with real experience,” he said. “That’s what makes Mariner different.”
Sam’s Advice to Other Advisors Considering Independence
“If you’re independence-curious, give yourself a good runway. Hire good attorneys. Know your client relationships inside and out,” Sam said.
But above all: “Ask yourself—are you AI-proof? Are you future-proof? Do you have a business model that can scale up market and stand out in a sea of sameness? With Mariner, I found a partner that let me do just that.”
*Data as of 09/09/2024
This material is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This information is not intended to be complete or exhaustive, and no representations or warranties, either express or implied, are made regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein. Any opinions expressed are as of the date referenced and are subject to change without notice. Reliance upon information in this material is at the reader’s sole discretion.
The personal comments and results referenced may not be representative of the experiences of other advisors and there is no guarantee of future performance or success.
Mariner is the marketing name for the financial services businesses of Mariner Wealth Advisors, LLC and its subsidiaries. Investment advisory services are provided through the brands Mariner Wealth, Mariner Independent, Mariner Institutional, Mariner Ultra, and Mariner Workplace, each of which is a business name of the registered investment advisory entities of Mariner. For additional information about each of the registered investment advisory entities of Mariner, including fees and services, please contact Mariner or refer to each entity’s Form ADV Part 2A, which is available on the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). Registration of an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
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