Aurora Investment Counsel

What Aurora Investment Counsel does

Aurora Investment Counsel is a boutique, employee-owned wealth management and investment advisory firm founded in 1995 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The firm operates with fewer than ten employees organized around three principals — founder and President David Yucius Jr. and Vice Presidents Mike Doyle and Mason Gaddis — delivering direct, principal-level service to clients. Aurora employs a proprietary Growth at a Reasonable Price (GARP) equity investment discipline executed through a structured three-step portfolio construction process designed to balance downside protection with long-term compounding.

The firm serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, retirement plan participants, business owners, and retirees, with disclosed average client tenure exceeding ten years. Beyond direct advisory mandates, Aurora generates fee revenue through sub-advisory relationships with other RIAs and through consulting engagements, diversifying beyond a pure AUM-based model. The firm manages over $200 million in client assets — a figure disclosed in both 2017 and 2023 — and has operated continuously under stable, principal-led ownership for nearly three decades. The boutique structure emphasizes personalized investment policy statements, tax-aware portfolio management, and multi-generational planning rather than scale or technology-driven asset gathering.

Name

Aurora Investment Counsel

Legal name

Aurora Investment Counsel, Inc.

Website

https://aurora-invest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aurora Investment Counsel is a private, employee-owned boutique wealth management firm based in Atlanta, Georgia, founded in 1995. It serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and RIAs using a proprietary GARP equity discipline, managing over $200 million in client assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Portfolio Management–Led RIAs (Discretionary/Model-Based) (FSAAACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory (FSAEAAAG), Retirement & Distribution Planning RIAs (401(k)/IRA/Pension Rollovers) (FSAAACAE)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Investment advisory
• Equity portfolio management
• Financial planning
• Sub-advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Wealth Management Fees: Aurora charges fees for comprehensive wealth management services including retirement planning, estate planning, education planning, generational wealth transfer, insurance planning, philanthropy, tax management, and debt management. Fees are described as competitive, clear, and transparent.
2. Investment Management / AUM Fees: As a registered investment advisor, Aurora earns fees based on assets under management (AUM). The firm manages over $200 million in assets. AUM-based fees align the firm's incentives with client outcomes.
3. Sub-Advisory Services: Aurora provides investment management services as a sub-advisor to other Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firms, family offices, and institutional investors. Revenue is generated through AUM-based fees on managed equity strategies.
4. Consulting Services for Financial Advisors: Aurora consults with financial advisors looking for business growth and sub-advisory services, providing guidance on best practices including budgeting, hiring, SEC registration, business insurance, and portfolio accounting software selection.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Aurora Investment Counsel delivers individualized wealth management and investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, and boutique Registered Investment Advisors. The firm combines comprehensive financial planning (retirement, estate, tax, insurance, philanthropy, generational wealth transfer) with disciplined equity portfolio management through its proprietary Growth at a Reasonable Price (GARP) investment process. Services are delivered via direct, consultative engagement with quarterly performance reviews and ongoing in-person and virtual advisory meetings.

Product overview

Aurora Investment Counsel operates as a unified wealth management and investment management firm offering two primary integrated services. The Wealth Management service encompasses comprehensive financial planning including retirement planning, estate planning, education planning, generational wealth transfer, insurance planning, philanthropy, tax management, and debt management—all delivered through an individualized, consultative approach. The Investment Management service applies the proprietary Growth at A Reasonable Price (GARP) discipline through a systematic three-step portfolio construction process. These services are tightly integrated: the wealth management team creates personalized Investment Policy Statements (IPS) that serve as the roadmap for the investment team's portfolio construction, while the investment team provides the research and performance reporting that informs ongoing wealth planning decisions. Supporting resources include the Legacy Planning Guide, quarterly Investment Counsel Reports, Aurora Lights newsletter, and the Aurora Legacy Planning Checklist.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wealth Management Comprehensive wealth management service providing financial planning, retirement planning, estate planning, education planning, generational wealth transfer, insurance planning, philanthropy, tax management, and debt management for high-net-worth clients. Delivered through individualized, consultative engagement.
• Investment Management (GARP Discipline) Equity portfolio management using the proprietary Growth at A Reasonable Price (GARP) discipline. A quantitative and qualitative three-step investment process screens 250–300 companies through 12 screens, narrows to 75–100 vetted stocks, and constructs a final diversified portfolio of 55–65 stocks. The approach emphasizes undervalued, high-quality companies with consistent growth, dividends, and strong balance sheets, with no single stock exceeding 5% of the portfolio.
• Sub-Advisory Investment Management Investment management provided as a sub-advisor to other Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firms, family offices, and institutional investors, applying the GARP equity strategy to client portfolios. Revenue is generated through AUM-based fees on managed equity strategies.
• Financial Advisor Consulting Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed over $200 million in assets for clients
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Local Outsourced Compliance FirmminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAurora introduced a boutique RIA client to a local outsourced compliance firm to handle regulatory and operational burdens, enabling the advisor to focus on client relationships and investment management.
• Valuation SpecialistsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAurora works with valuation specialists for business sale clients to ensure accurate company valuations, avoiding pitfalls of overvaluation or undervaluation during the sale process.
• Due Diligence ExpertsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAurora partners with due diligence experts for business sale clients to conduct investigative homework and analysis on potential buyers, verifying financial stability, reputation, culture, and track record.
• Tax Specialists / AccountantscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAurora works with tax specialists and accountants (CPAs) as part of its comprehensive wealth management offering. The firm coordinates with clients' CPAs on tax strategy, retirement planning, and tax-efficient investment management. Specifically, Aurora partners with experienced accountants for complex business sale tax planning (e.g., asset sale vs. stock sale tax implications).
• Trust and Estate Planning AttorneyscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAurora collaborates with trust and estate planning attorneys as part of its estate planning service line, helping clients meet long-term estate planning goals through coordinated legal and financial planning.
• Options Plan Managers (Corporate)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAurora coordinates with corporate options plan managers on behalf of career professional clients (e.g., Fortune 500 employees with stock options) to make optimal decisions regarding equity compensation.
• Estate Planners, Accountants, and Other Financial Advisors (Referral Sources)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAurora explicitly states that clients often come through referrals from lawyers, estate planners, accountants, and other financial advisors. These professional advisors serve as an informal channel partner network driving client acquisition for Aurora.
• Business BrokersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAurora works with business brokers specializing in business sales transactions to provide valuable guidance to business-owning clients navigating challenging legal and financial issues during the sale process.
• Donor-Advised Fund ProviderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAurora establishes and manages Donor Advised Funds for clients as a core component of legacy planning and tax management. These funds enable charitable giving, tax deductions, and family financial education. Aurora works with clients and their families to form investment committees for these funds.
• Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) AdministratorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAurora uses charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) as a tool for legacy planning, providing steady income for heirs while supporting philanthropic causes. Aurora coordinates with trust administrators to structure these vehicles.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Capital Investment Advisors: Atlanta-headquartered fee-only RIA serving HNW individuals and families with comprehensive wealth management and investment advisory services. Directly comparable in market (Atlanta/Southeast), size tier, and service mix to Aurora, making it the closest local competitor.
• Modera Wealth Management: Fee-only RIA offering comprehensive wealth management, financial planning, and investment advisory services to HNW clients and families nationwide. Comparable to Aurora in being a fee-based RIA combining personalized planning with active portfolio management.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Large fee-only RIA providing evidence-based financial planning and wealth management to HNW clients. Comparable to Aurora in its fiduciary, fee-based model and focus on personalized planning and active investment management for HNW households.
• Heron Wealth: Boutique wealth management firm offering HNW advisory services with sub-advisory and institutional capabilities. Directly comparable to Aurora in boutique positioning, HNW focus, and provision of sub-advisory services to other advisors and family offices.
• Round Table Wealth Management: Boutique fee-only RIA serving HNW individuals and families with comprehensive wealth management. Comparable to Aurora in boutique scale, HNW focus, and integrated financial planning and investment management offering.
• Steinberg Global Asset Management: Boutique asset management firm providing active equity management to HNW and institutional clients. Comparable to Aurora in boutique scale, active equity discipline, and dual focus on HNW and institutional/sub-advisory relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Fisher Investments: Large investment management firm serving HNW and institutional clients with active equity strategies. While much larger than Aurora, Fisher overlaps in serving HNW clients seeking active equity management and has broader geographic reach and product breadth.
• Glenmede: Large wealth manager and investment manager with a strong family office and endowment/institutional focus. Comparable to Aurora's family office sub-advisory practice but at substantially greater scale, with multi-asset class capabilities beyond equity-only mandates.
• Ariel Investments: Asset manager using a value/GARP-style investment approach to active equity management for individual and institutional clients. Comparable to Aurora in GARP-style philosophy but at greater scale with broader product offerings.
• Hightower Advisors: National RIA platform supporting independent wealth management firms with custody, technology, and operational infrastructure. Comparable to Aurora as a wealth advisory peer but operates at vastly greater scale through its advisor network model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aurora-investment-counsel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Aurora Investment Counsel