Insights
May 8, 2024
The COO Roundtable: Episode 64
In Podcast: The COO Roundtable
Contributions from: Matt Sonnen
In this episode, Matt welcomes COO Adrian Chastain of Gratus Capital and Partner and COO Kailee Ostroski from Connecticut Wealth Management. Gratus Capital manages approximately $3 billion of client assets, has 50 team members, and is located in Atlanta, GA. Connecticut Wealth Management, in Hartford, CT, has 65 team members and oversees about $3.3 billion of client assets. Matt, Adrian, and Kailee discuss what it means to be an RIA Operations professional, the core focus on People, Process, and Technology, as well as:
- How to best promote a “Culture of Operations” at your RIA
- Tips for getting “buy in” from team members for the adoption of new technology tools
- The “Goldilocks” scenario of trying to hire new employees at “just the right time”
- Different approaches to building your firm’s technology roadmap
- Why everything seems to come back to Process
We hope you enjoy, share, and subscribe on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
You can read the full transcript here.
Related Articles
November 4, 2025
The COO Roundtable: Episode 80
In this episode, Matt sits down with Linda Bready, a renowned operations consultant to RIAs and author of the new book, The Exit Equation – M&A Strategies, Tools, and Insights for Financial Advisors. What started as a guide for sellers preparing for mergers or acquisitions, Linda’s book reveals itself as a comprehensive blueprint for operational [...]
Contributions from: Matt Sonnen
October 1, 2025
The COO Roundtable: Episode 79
In Episode 79, Matt welcomes two long-time friends and industry experts: Lisa Crafford and Morgan Bell of Constellation Wealth Capital (“CWC”). CWC is a Chicago-based private equity firm founded in 2023 that specializes in making minority investments in growth-oriented wealth management firms across the United States. Lisa and Morgan first met at BNY Mellon Pershing, [...]
Contributions from: Matt Sonnen
September 3, 2025
The COO Roundtable: Episode 78
Episode 78 dives deep into a challenge many COOs contend with on a daily basis: mastering M&A integration. Matt hosts a dynamic discussion with two former COOs who have recently stepped into groundbreaking roles focused exclusively on business integration: Eric Stephenson and Shelly Kapoor. Eric is Managing Director of Integration and Optimization at Pathstone, a [...]
Contributions from: Matt Sonnen