How This UBS Breakaway Team Increased Their Client Base by 50%

A conversation with Bryn Talkington and Doug John of Requisite Capital Management

Some of the most listened to episodes of this series are those in which breakaway advisors share the stories of their journeys to independence. While the goals and drivers of each individual or team may be similar, the paths to get there are unique.

This episode’s guests are a perfect example. Doug John and Bryn Talkington each worked at UBS for over 15 years, but in different departments and cities in Texas: Doug worked in Private Wealth in Dallas and Bryn on the asset management side of the firm in Houston. In 2017, they joined forces to build Requisite Capital Management, now a $1.5B RIA based in Dallas.

Doug and Bryn share their compelling story, including:

How two individuals from different professional backgrounds came together—and what it took to build a team and a successful independent business.
What pushes drove them to leave UBS—and what pulled them towards independence.
Why they transitioned from a hybrid RIA to a fee-only model—and the pros and cons of each.
What their clients said about leaving a big brand like UBS behind—and how Requisite has since increased their client base by 50% in just 2 years.
How investing in modern technology like Addepar has been a real game-changer for their business—and how the return on that investment has already begun to pay off.
How going independent has allowed them to brand and build their business to meet their client needs and their own vision and goals—and how independence has opened the door to expanded marketing opportunities, including Bryn’s role as a commentator on CNBC.

As principals of an independent wealth management firm, Bryn and Doug share that they can now offer their ultra-high net worth clients family office services, customized reporting, robust access to the private markets—and other capabilities well-beyond what they could do as employees of UBS.

While many advisors on this series have shared their perspective on why they made the leap, Doug’s commentary is especially meaningful because their reasons for the break were so deeply rooted in what he and Bryn thought was better for their clients: “Publicly traded wirehouses are beholden to one constituency: their shareholders. We wanted to be accountable to our clients first and foremost.” And in that accountability, they have built a business that is already realizing extraordinary growth.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:03 — 46.5MB) | Embed

Related Resources

What Brand Really Means to an Advisor
How significant is a brand name these days to an advisor’s assessment of a firm? The simple truth is, it depends on who you ask. Read->

Charting your Course to Independence
5 key elements to consider before you start your journey. Read->

Why Advisors and Their Affluent Clients are No Longer Looking the Other Way When it Comes to Independence
As advisors make the move to independence, their high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients reap the benefits of a more personalized approach. Read->

What’s Changing at the Wirehouses—and Why You Need to Pay Attention
As advisors make the move to independence, their high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients reap the benefits of a more personalized approach. Read->

About Doug John:

Douglas John is the founder and Managing Partner of Requisite Capital Management. Doug has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. His areas of expertise include investment management, tax planning and estate planning.

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Doug has attained the prestigious CFP^® certification, one of the most respected financial planning credentials among consumers and the recognized standard of excellence in personal financial planning.

Prior to founding Requisite Capital Management, Doug was a Managing Director at UBS Financial Services where he worked for 15 years. Prior to UBS, Doug worked at Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Mount Saint Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, MD and an MBA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. Doug holds Series 3, 63 and 65 securities licenses, as well as a Texas General Lines insurance license.

Doug resides in Dallas with his wife Natalie and three daughters Lauren, Cameron and Allison.

Industry recognition: On Wall Street magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 (2008, 2009), Barron’s Top 1,000 Advisors (2008-2013), Barron’s Top 1,200 Advisors (2014-2017), The Financial Times Top 400 Advisors inaugural list (2013).

About Bryn Talkington:

Bryn Talkington is a Managing Partner of Requisite Capital Management. Bryn has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Her areas of expertise include all facets of Asset Management with a focus on Capital Markets, Alternatives and Investor behavior.

Bryn’s has spent most of her career working with private clients, Foundations and Endowments. Prior to Requisite Capital Management, Bryn was an Executive Director at UBS Asset Management where she worked for 15 years. Prior to UBS, she worked at Bear Stearns. Bryn earned a double bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Spanish from Texas Tech University. She holds Series 63 and 65 securities licenses. Bryn is a guest contributor on CNBC’s “Fast Money: Halftime Show.” She and her husband Ross live in Houston. She has two boys, Nickolas and Jack.