Page 8 - Investment Advisor November 2022

Beginnings

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

By Timothy D. Welsh

What to Make of the Industry’s First

‘Wealth Festival’

Co-hosted by Ritholtz Wealth and Advisor Circle, Future Proof turned the
traditional notion of what an industry event can be on its head.

ten in as some of the industry’s most
popular podcasters recorded their latest
discussions, as well as morning yoga
and mindfulness sessions, surfing and
skateboarding demonstrations, cooking
classes and nightly concerts. Definitely
not your typical custodian or broker-
dealer event!
In a roughly quarter-mile space at
the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach
Resort & Spa, about 35 miles south
of Los Angeles in the town known
as “Surf City,” Future Proof also fea-
f anyone asks if conferences are back Orlando hotels. Future Proof turned the tured an artificial turf boardwalk sur-
in wealth management, the answer whole idea of what an industry event rounded by colorful tents occupied
Imost definitely is “yes.” By sampling could be upside down, creating many by nearly 100 wealth management
a half dozen industry events these past innovations in the conference experi- technology firms, asset managers and
few months during the traditional confer- ence along the way. other service providers.
ence-heavy fall season, I can definitively Produced by Matt Middleton and Anchoring one end was a large stage
report that financial advisors and the eco- his Advisor Circle platform, along with that featured high-profile keynotes and
system that supports them are flocking to long-time collaborators at Ritholtz panel discussions on the latest industry
industry gatherings after an absence of Wealth Management such as CEO Josh trends, as well as high-energy musical
two and a half years due to the pandemic. Brown, the event definitely delivered acts. At the other end was an eclec-
The one confab that everyone has on its promise to be more festival than tic gathering of food trucks, provid-
been talking about (and wondering if it conference. It did so in an entertaining, ing attendees with a wide selection of
would actually work) is Future Proof, fun and content-rich way that attracted options for both lunch and dinner.
which took place Sept. 10–13. Billed as over 2,000 attendees, who were in con- Nearby, a trio of sold-out beachfront
the world’s first “wealth festival,” Future stant motion and engagement across the resort hotels hosted breakfasts and
Proof featured an exciting change from many event areas. nightly networking receptions across Future Proof/Advisor Circle 2022
typical large-scale conferences: The from the Pacific Ocean, gleaming in all
entire event was held outside. THE SCENE of its magnificence and providing world-
Yes, no more stuffy ballrooms and These spaces included a dedicated pod- class views under sunny skies for three
breakout sessions in the basements of cast stage, where attendees could lis- days in September — a scene that would

6 INVESTMENT ADVISOR NOVEMBER 2022 | ThinkAdvisor.com