Running Point Capital Advisors is a multifamily office of financial specialists representing multiple disciplines. Running Point offers services beyond wealth management, including financial planning, estate and trust planning, tax preparation and consulting, bookkeeping, bill-pay, insurance and more. Running Point helps preserve, protect and grow clients’ total wealth through an integrated approach that saves clients the time, money and stress of having to seek out and work with multiple financial firms.
Why did you create your firm?
“I’m a family man, and over the years most of my clients have been families. I envisioned a firm that would function as team to serve our family clients, a team that would offer sound advice across the full spectrum of financial services—and spare its clients the challenge of seeking out various financial professionals. I felt that a seamless, comprehensive planning approach—a team that communicates and collaborates—would be the best way to help clients achieve their family and business goals.”
How are you different from other wealth management firms?
“Normally, the ‘family office’ experience—a team of key advisors serving a single-family client—is only accessible to the ultrawealthy. They delegate everything because they have the resources to do so. But as a multifamily office, we bring this approach to all of our clients. At Running Point, you find all of the key financial professionals within one firm, working together as a team to serve our family clients. We are all under one roof. We don’t have to outsource or send you off in search of various specialists. You would have a difficult time finding an RIA (registered investment advisor) firm or even a large financial institution that could match our integrated, in-house team without having to outsource their services.”
What is your background that allowed you to integrate different types of financial businesses?
“I was the cofounder of an investment firm that merged with Moss Adams LLP, one of the largest accounting and consulting firms in the country. It’s a great firm, and I had the opportunity to work there for 18 years as a partner with very talented people within tax, consulting, business and outsource accounting. I was able to combine my 30+ total years of experience with my partners’ 100+ years and apply it to running our business and helping our client families succeed.”
Who are your clients?
“Our clients are families and families that own a business. Most have children, young or older, and started their business from the ground up. What really sets these families apart are their values. For them family is first, not the business—although it is the business that allows them to pursue their passion and live the lifestyle of their dreams. They value their time enormously. We share those values and honor them by providing our clients with all things financial. This allows our clients to focus on their family and their business.”
Can you give us an example of how you work with a family?
“Comprehensive planning is always the first step. For example, my partner Tammy Trenta Knowlton recently initiated this process with a new client. She’s a terrific listener. She gained a 360º understanding of the client’s business goals and family dreams. Then it was a matter of establishing the steps they would need to take to achieve those goals. Tammy, running point for the client, pulled together an in-house team. That included Josh Forrester, CPA, and Todd Stern, CPA, on the tax side, advising the client and preparing their individual and corporate returns. Tracy Smith and Tina Conaway are handling the bookkeeping and accounting for the client’s business as well as their multiple income properties. And Tammy called on Jerry Schnaus, Running Point’s tax and succession strategist, to facilitate the client’s estate and business succession planning. That’s just one example, but it’s a good one. We understand that our clients lead very busy lives. This client no longer has to make separate calls and drive to multiple meetings. No dropped balls from the lack of coordination among professionals. I would add that the team Tammy brought together on behalf of the client is not only extremely skilled but, like Tammy, exceptionally empathetic. That’s the Running Point approach—highly professional and deeply personal.”
Southbay Magazine
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are those of Running Point Capital Advisors, LLC (Running Point) and are subject to change without notice. The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication, may be modified due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed. Running Point is an investment advisor registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about Running Point’s investment advisory services and fees can be found in its Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. RP-21-10
