How a 111-Year-Old RIA Built a Culture Around Doing the Right Thing with Trevor Holly

How do you take the reins of a multi-billion-dollar RIA with over a century of history and steer it successfully into the future? In this episode of Humans of RIA, Yosef Colish sits down with Trevor Holly, President of Sage Rutty and Company, for an engaging conversation about modern leadership, structural transitions, and putting people first. Trevor shares his unique path from running a recording studio to becoming the fourth generation of family leadership at a 111-year-old firm. He discusses navigating a major leadership shakeup just months before taking over, the critical role administrative associates play in practice success, and why matching client and advisor personalities is his firm's secret to long-term client retention. From his lifelong passion for music to his daily commitment to intentional self-improvement, Trevor offers practical wisdom on building a resilient firm culture and mastering the art of active listening. What You’ll Learn: • How Trevor’s music and recording background shaped his creative outlook. • How Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why” philosophy guides Trevor’s purpose-driven leadership. • How Sage Rutty’s core value maintains firm culture. • Why support staff is critical to the success of wealth management practices. • How a sudden leadership shake-up led to a stronger executive team. • Why setting aside daily time for continuous learning keeps leaders sharp. • How personality-matching new clients to advisors builds multi-generational trust. • How leadership lessons evolved across four generations of family stewards. • Trevor’s exercise that helps cultivate true active listening. Ideas Worth Sharing: • “ You can have the best business plan in the world. You can be really adept at financials, all these kinds of things, and those are great skills to have. But without a purpose behind it, without caring for your people and the community that you serve, it feels a little hollow.” - Trevor Holly • “It’s not just how much money can we make for ourselves or for our clients. That feels hollow. I think you can still accomplish that same goal, but just not focusing on that as an outcome.” - Trevor Holly • “ I'm pretty good at reading people. I'm pretty good at getting a sense of not just how people operate or think or how they are, but also how they may get along or work with others as well, that compatibility feature of it.” - Trevor Holly Resources: • Trevor Holly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-holly-5... • Sage Rutty and Company: https://www.sagerutty.com/about-us • Start With Why by Simon Sinek:    • Start with why -- how great leaders inspir...   • Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0141033576 • Play by Stuart Brown: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333339?lv=sh...