Waddell & Associates

What Waddell & Associates does

Waddell & Associates is a privately held, fee-based boutique wealth management firm founded in 1986 by Duke and Clara Waddell, now led by their son David S. Waddell as CEO and Chief Investment Strategist. The firm operates from Memphis, Tennessee (headquarters) and a secondary office in Brentwood/Nashville, serving high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners on a nationwide basis, with a stated emphasis on the Southeast US. Service delivery is organized around three integrated pillars: Wealth Planning & Protection (financial planning, tax strategy, estate and wealth transfer planning, divorce planning, lifestyle consulting); Investments (asset management with aligned-success economics and concentrated-stock-position strategies); and Strategies for Business Owners (retirement plans, business succession, employee benefits, and executive benefit planning).

The firm positions itself as a 'Chief Strategy Officer' for clients rather than a transactional asset manager, supported by a credentialed team holding CFP®, CFA®, CPA/PFS, CEPA®, CIMA®, and CTFA designations. It does not develop proprietary technology; instead it relies on third-party platforms including eMoney for financial planning, and Fidelity and Charles Schwab for custody and client portal access. Since April 2016 the firm has been a member of Focus Financial Partners, a partnership of 90+ independent wealth management firms that provides shared back-office, technology, and best-practice resources while member firms retain operational independence. The firm invests its own capital alongside clients in recommended strategies as an alignment mechanism.

Revenue is generated through recurring advisory fees under a fee-based engagement model, with pricing not publicly disclosed and detailed in the firm's Form ADV (Part 2A) and Form CRS. Client acquisition is driven primarily by thought leadership content (a Weekly Strategic Insight newsletter, Outlook video franchise, YouTube and blog content), recurring national media appearances by David Waddell on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox Business, CBS News, Schwab Network, BBC, and Barron's, speaking engagements through a formal 'Book a Speaker' program, and organic referrals from existing clients and professional networks. The firm carries a suite of regional and industry awards, including NBJ Most Admired CEO, NBJ Best in Business, MBJ Best Places to Work (2021 and 2023), and AdvisorHub recognitions, alongside an average eNPS of B+ as of 2023.

Name

Waddell & Associates

Legal name

Waddell & Associates LLC

Website

https://wealthstrategists.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Waddell & Associates is a fee-based boutique wealth management firm founded in 1986, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee with a Brentwood/Nashville office, serving high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners nationwide through integrated financial planning, investment management, and business succession advisory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management Advisory

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Client/High-Net-Worth Advisory (FSAEAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Wealth & Multi-Generational Planning RIAs (HNW/UHNW-lite) (FSAAACAH), Specialized/Niche-Vertical RIAs (e.g., Medical, Tech, Executives, Athletes) (FSAAACAL)

Keywords

• Wealth management advisory
• Financial planning services
• Estate planning strategy
• Business succession planning
• Tax strategy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advisory Fees: Waddell & Associates operates on a fee-based model, providing strategic consulting and wealth management services for all household assets. The firm emphasizes alignment with client goals over product sales, positioning itself as a holistic wealth strategy partner rather than a transactional investment manager.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Waddell & Associates is a boutique wealth strategy firm that delivers fee-based advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners. The firm provides holistic wealth planning and protection (financial planning, tax strategy, estate and wealth transfer planning, divorce planning, lifestyle consulting), investment management with macro-economic forecasting-driven portfolio strategies (including concentrated stock position strategies), and dedicated business owner consulting covering succession, retirement plans, employee benefits, and executive benefits. The firm operates on a recurring annual advisory fee model, positions itself as a 'Chief Strategy Officer' for clients, and reaches clients through offices in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee.

Product overview

Waddell & Associates is a boutique, family-founded wealth strategy firm offering a unified suite of comprehensive financial services. The core offering consists of three integrated service areas: Wealth Planning & Protection (financial planning, tax strategy, estate planning, divorce planning, and lifestyle consulting); Investments (asset management and concentrated stock position strategies); and Strategies for Business Owners (retirement plans, business succession, employee benefits, and executive benefits). The firm positions itself as a 'Chief Strategy Officer' for clients, providing personalized, holistic wealth management rather than a modular product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wealth Planning & Protection Comprehensive financial planning services including financial planning, tax strategy planning, estate and wealth transfer planning, divorce planning, and lifestyle consulting for high-net-worth individuals and families.
• Investments Investment management services including asset management with an aligned-success model, concentrated stock position strategies for risk mitigation, and macro-economic forecasting-driven portfolio strategy design for high-net-worth clients.
• Strategies for Business Owners Business consulting services for business owners and family businesses including retirement plans, business succession planning, employee benefit planning, and executive benefit planning, including stock option strategies and exit strategies.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Focus Financial PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016In April 2016, Waddell & Associates joined Focus Financial Partners, a partnership of 90+ independent wealth strategy firms across the nation. This relationship provides access to business intelligence, enhanced client service capabilities, and superior technological resources. The collaboration allows W&A to learn and grow alongside some of the most talented firms in the industry, adding exponential value to their operations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mercer Advisors: National RIA specializing in wealth management, tax, estate, and business-owner advisory for HNW households. Comparable integrated offering with a similar target segment.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Large national RIA offering comprehensive wealth planning, tax, estate, and business-owner services to HNW clients. Closest large-scale direct competitor in the integrated HNW advisory space.
• Carson Group: RIA and coaching platform supporting HNW advisors with holistic financial planning and business consulting. Comparable HNW focus with strong business-owner toolkit.
• Moneta Group: Fee-only RIA serving HNW individuals, families, and business owners with integrated wealth, tax, and business-owner advisory services. Direct comparable in services, client segment, and fee-only model.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Focus Financial Partners-affiliated RIA serving HNW clients with fee-only wealth planning and investment management. Direct same-network peer with shared fiduciary model.
• Steward Partners Global Advisory: Focus Financial Partners-affiliated wealth management firm offering HNW advisory, planning, and business-owner services. Same parent partnership and similar client mix.
• Sanctuary Wealth: Focus Financial Partners-affiliated network of boutique HNW wealth firms. Highly comparable partnership structure and HNW client focus.
• Creative Planning: Fee-only RIA providing holistic financial planning, investment management, and tax services to HNW individuals and business owners across the U.S. Highly comparable in offering breadth and client profile.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman Financial Engines: Large national financial planning and investment management firm serving a broad base including HNW households. Overlapping capabilities at much larger scale, not a boutique.

Regional players

• Parsec Financial Wealth Management: Fee-only RIA headquartered in Asheville, NC serving HNW individuals, families, and business owners across the Southeast. Closest regional Southeast peer with similar model and client mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@waddellassociates2132
• Facebookfacebook.com/WaddellandAssociatesTN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wealthstrategists
• Instagraminstagram.com/waddellandassociates
• Xx.com/waddellandassoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waddell & Associates