Catalyst Solutions Group

What Catalyst Solutions Group does

Catalyst Solutions Group is a privately held, family-owned independent insurance and financial advisory firm headquartered at 28 W. Adams Ave., Suite 1600, in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The firm traces its operating history to 1968, when Clune J. Walsh co-founded Walsh & Hinckley Co.; under second-generation leader Brendan Walsh, who joined in 2012 and assumed the President and Managing Partner role in 2015, the practice was rebranded to its current name. The firm currently operates with roughly five team members and serves ultra-high-net-worth families, closely held business owners, and emerging-affluent households across the Detroit metropolitan area, with no disclosed geographic expansion beyond Michigan.

The firm's offering is built around an integrated suite of insurance-centered planning services rather than a software platform. Core practices include life insurance, business succession planning, employee benefits, disability and long-term care, corporate retention strategies (nonqualified deferred compensation, supplemental executive retirement plans, performance-based disability, and split-dollar structures), and estate preservation/wealth transfer. As a Member Firm of M Financial Group, Catalyst accesses the network's exclusive insurance products, collective buying power, and the M Financial Aperture thought-leadership platform, which it uses to publish content on advanced planning topics.

Revenue is generated through two streams: (1) commissions on placed life, disability, and long-term care insurance contracts, and (2) professional-services fees for estate, business succession, and executive benefits advisory work. The go-to-market is sales-led, combining direct outreach to HNW prospects and closely held companies with referral pipelines from CPAs, attorneys, and financial professionals. Pricing is bespoke and not publicly disclosed; engagements typically span multi-year advisory relationships. There are no products, APIs, or AI capabilities documented in the supplied data.

Name

Catalyst Solutions Group

Legal name

Catalyst Solutions Group

Website

https://catalyst-sg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Catalyst Solutions Group is a Detroit-based, family-owned independent insurance and financial advisory firm serving ultra-high-net-worth families, closely held business owners, and emerging-affluent households across the Detroit metro with life insurance, business succession, employee benefits, disability/long-term care, executive retention, and estate preservation services through its M Financial Member Firm affiliation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance and Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Life Insurance (6311), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Business & Succession Advisory (FSAAADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Office Advisory (Single/Multi-Family) (FSAEAAAI)

Keywords

• Life insurance advisory
• Estate planning services
• Business succession planning
• Executive benefits consulting
• Wealth transfer solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Advisory Services: The firm provides advisory services for estate planning, business planning, succession planning and retention of top talent. Revenue is generated through fees for planning and administrative services.
2. Insurance Products: As a licensed insurance agency, the firm earns commissions from insurance products including life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance. They offer various types of coverage for personal, business, and charitable purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Catalyst Solutions Group is an independent insurance and financial advisory firm that delivers life insurance, business succession planning, employee benefits, disability and long-term care, corporate retention (executive benefits), and estate preservation services. The firm works with ultra-high net worth families, closely held companies, and emerging affluent households to design, implement, and administer insurance-centered wealth transfer and business continuation strategies. Services are delivered as personalized advisory engagements backed by the firm's affiliation with M Financial Group.

Product overview

Catalyst Solutions Group is a financial advisory firm offering a unified suite of insurance-centered planning services rather than a software product platform. The core offerings include Life Insurance, Business Succession Planning, Employee Benefits, Disability and Long-Term Care, Corporate Retention Strategies (including Executive Benefits, SERPs, and Deferred Compensation), and Estate Preservation. All services are delivered through their affiliation with M Financial Group and are designed for high-net-worth individuals, closely held business owners, and corporations seeking wealth transfer, succession planning, and executive retention solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Life Insurance Life insurance solutions offering tax-deferred cash value accumulation, creditor protection, and flexible coverage for personal, business, and charitable needs including family coverage, estate tax liquidity, key employee protection, and executive retention. Designed for HNW individuals, closely held companies, and charitable gifting scenarios.
• Business Succession Planning Business succession planning services that help business owners decide on continuation, ensure ongoing client care, and protect business identity through strategies for unexpected death, disability, or catastrophe. Targeted at closely held company owners in the Detroit metropolitan area.
• Employee Benefits Cost-efficient employee benefits package design and implementation services helping employers contain costs while attracting and retaining quality employees through relationships with major benefits providers. Serves employers seeking to manage workforce benefit costs.
• Disability and Long-Term Care Disability insurance and long-term care planning services that protect income and assets for executives and individuals, covering income preservation needs and chronic condition assistance with activities of daily living. Serves individuals and executives concerned about income protection and long-term care.
• Corporate Retention Strategies Executive benefits programs including nonqualified deferred compensation plans, supplemental executive retirement plans (SERPs), and performance-based disability coverage designed to recruit, retain, and reward key employees. Built for closely held companies seeking to retain top performers.
• Estate Preservation Estate planning services that help minimize tax liabilities and maximize value to future generations through charitable planning, gifting strategies, and coordination with insurance contracts and professional advisors. Serves HNW families seeking to transfer wealth and minimize estate taxes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Qualified plans and Social Security may provide as little as 30% of income at retirement - creating a retirement income gap the firm helps address

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• M Financial GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerM Financial is a leading life insurance distribution, service, and product organization serving high-net-worth individuals, executives, and employers. Catalyst Solutions Group is a Member Firm of M Financial, providing them access to an exclusive network of top insurance and financial service firms, collective buying power, and exclusive insurance products. The relationship enables independent thought leadership, client advocacy, and innovative solutions for clients.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cetera Financial Group: Independent broker-dealer network serving financial advisors who sell insurance and investment products to HNW households and small businesses. Comparable in supporting independent advisors serving similar client profiles.
• M Financial Group: The parent network/distributor that Catalyst is a Member Firm of; provides exclusive products and services to independent insurance and financial advisory firms serving HNW clients. Comparable as the umbrella organization shaping Catalyst's product access.
• Wealth Enhancement Group: A large independent wealth management firm offering financial planning, insurance, and investment advisory services to HNW individuals and business owners. Comparable in offering integrated life insurance, retirement, and estate planning to similar client segments.
• NFP (National Financial Partners): A large insurance brokerage and advisory firm providing life insurance, executive benefits, and wealth transfer solutions to HNW clients and corporate accounts. Comparable across service lines, though materially larger and more diversified.
• HighTower Advisors: Independent wealth management firm serving HNW and UHNW clients with insurance, investment advisory, and succession planning. Comparable in client focus and integrated wealth services, though considerably larger scale.
• Ladenburg Thalmann (now Securities America / Advisor Group): Wealth management and insurance brokerage platform that, like Catalyst, sells insurance and advisory products to HNW clients and closely held businesses through independent advisors. Comparable in product mix and target market.

Regional players

• Plante Moran: A large Michigan-based accounting and business advisory firm that frequently refers clients needing life insurance, executive benefits, and succession planning to specialists like Catalyst. Comparable as a closely held business advisory partner and referral source in the same Detroit market.
• Greenleaf Trust: A Michigan-based wealth management and trust company serving HNW families and business owners with estate, trust, and investment services. Comparable in serving the Detroit-area UHNW and closely held company market with similar planning services.
• Belfint Lyons Shuman: A regional CPA and advisory firm in the Mid-Atlantic offering estate, succession, and business advisory services to closely held companies and HNW families. Comparable in serving closely held businesses with succession and financial planning needs, though primarily in Delaware/Pennsylvania.

Direct peers

• Lenox Advisors: An independent Member Firm of M Financial Group serving HNW individuals and corporate clients with life insurance, executive benefits, and wealth transfer solutions. Closest comparable in business model, network affiliation, and target market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catalyst-solutions-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Catalyst Solutions Group