S2, EP 6: Pure Financial Advisors: Aligning an Organic Growth Machine with Strategic M&A

Pure Financial Advisors is widely recognized across the RIA industry as an organic growth machine. But the firm also closed two significant acquisitions in the first several months of 2025, and has now completed six deals in its history. In this episode, CEO Joe Anderson and CFO Jason Carver talked with Emigrant's Mark Bruno about Pure's M&A strategy, what they look for when evaluating alignment and fit - and ultimately, how Pure is taking a unique approach to blending organic and inorganic growth strategies. 

Summary

In this episode of RIA+, Mark Bruno interviews Joe Anderson and Jason Carver from Pure Financial Advisors. They discuss Pure's M&A strategy, which is driven by the desire to accelerate organic growth, expand geographically, and partner with talented individuals who share their culture and growth mindset. The episode dives into Pure's recent acquisitions of Personal Investment Management (PIM) and Fairhaven, highlighting the importance of cultural fit, talent acquisition, and integration strategies.

• Pure Financial Advisors views inorganic growth as a facilitator and accelerator of their existing organic growth, focusing on finding great teams and advisors in desirable markets where both parties can benefit from the partnership. 
• Cultural fit is the most important factor when Pure considers an acquisition, as they prioritize integrating acquired firms into their existing culture of organic growth and advisor loyalty. They emphasize that acquired advisors may not have the same embedded loyalty as those developed organically, making cultural alignment crucial for successful integration.
• Pure's growth-minded culture involves high levels of marketing activity, business development outreach, and client onboarding, requiring acquired firms to adapt to a fast-paced, high-volume environment. The firm's capacity to handle a large workload is a key consideration when evaluating potential acquisitions, as they aim to avoid slowing down their existing operations.
• The acquisition of PIM was driven by a long-standing relationship, a desirable market (Seattle), and the opportunity to leverage the talents of PIM's team members in new roles within Pure. Pure was able to offer PIM's employees new career paths and specialized positions, enhancing their excitement and engagement with the combined organization.
• Talent acquisition is a primary goal of Pure's M&A strategy, with a focus on identifying and integrating skilled individuals who can contribute to the firm's overall growth and capabilities. They prioritize finding roles for acquired employees where they can thrive and specialize, rather than simply cutting costs or eliminating positions.
• The Fairhaven acquisition was motivated by a shared appreciation for content creation, branding, and a fun, engaging approach to marketing, with a focus on leveraging data and analytics to optimize marketing efforts. Pure aims to combine its analytical capabilities with Fairhaven's creative ideas to develop unique and effective marketing strategies.
• Pure's integration approach emphasizes creating a unified firm with consistent service, processes, and marketing, tailoring the integration plan to the size and complexity of each acquired firm. They aim to adopt the best practices from both organizations, as demonstrated by incorporating Fairhaven's institutional retirement planning expertise into Pure's service offerings.
• Pure trains acquired advisors on their established sales, financial planning, and onboarding processes, emphasizing the importance of following a consistent approach to ensure trackability and scalability. Advisors who are not interested in growing their book of business are given the option to maintain their existing clients without participating in Pure's growth initiatives.
• Pure stands out from other potential buyers due to its strong culture, impressive organic growth, and dedication to comprehensive financial planning, inviting potential acquisitions to spend a day in their office to experience their processes and team dynamics firsthand. The firm's data-driven approach to marketing and client conversion also sets them apart, providing a clear understanding of the costs and resources required to acquire and retain clients.

About Pure Financial

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in San Diego, CA, Pure Financial Advisors, LLC is a registered investment advisor offering independent, fee-only financial education, planning, and investment advice to clients nationwide. Pure has 11 eleven offices throughout the Western and Central United States and, as of March 27, 2025, manages over $8.02 billion in client assets. Pure is driven by its mission of providing fee-only, credentialed financial education, planning, and investment advice to all those in need of it, which currently translates to serving over 6,253 families and clients. Pure grows predominately organically through its marketing efforts, including its media channel (featuring Your Money, Your Wealth ®, TV and Podcast shows), its Education Channel, and its Digital Channel.

Pure has been named to many industry awards and rankings including most recently listed in Inc. Magazine’s Top 5,000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America (2024), ranked #56 on Barron’s Top 100 RIAs (2024), #34 on Financial Advisor Magazine’s Top 50 Fastest Growing RIAs (2024), #162 on Forbes Top RIA Firms (2024), Best Places to Work in San Diego by San Diego Business Journal (2024), and ranked in America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms by Newsweek (2025).

For more information, please visit www.purefinancial.com