Hello,

I still consider myself somewhat of a rookie even thoug I've been in a financial advisor role for the past year and a half and in support roles for the three years prior to that.

During my time as a financial advisor, I feel as though I flunked out of two bank programs. The first program was with BMO Harris in the Chicago area. There is basically no referral program to entice bankers to refer clients which left me to fend for myself. This didn't work out too well so I left to go to a small regional bank which is new to the market. Being so new, they do not have much market share and their client base is extremely conservative. We are talking client base who mainly invests in CD's, fixed and index annuities. I didn't have a lot of pressure to sell other than what I put on myself. However, I didn't see much of a future other than possibly building a book full of fixed annuities.

Out of frustration and quite honestly, nervousnous, I left. I quit. I went through two bank programs in less than two years. Looking back, I regret not sticking it out longer and seeing how things played out. Maybe I was in my own head too much?

I'm now trying to figure out what is the best path. As luck would have it, I was able to team up with an RIA in the area. The RIA is holding my licenses and I am able to prospect for new clients. The RIA is not paying me a base or draw so I am being forced to work full time to pay the bills while I try to build a business.

Do you think I was wrong to leave the bank programs? Am I crazy to be going to the indepedent route? Realistically, I will need at least ten million before I am able to go back to doing advising full time which is what I want to be doing. Having a full time job in addition to prospecting isn't fun or easy.

Are there any good bank programs left? Or are they all the same? Should I continue on this path I am on or go back to a bank?