As the year draws to a close, the financial services industry begins to slow — at least on the surface. Client meetings taper off, inboxes quieten, and diaries finally allow space for reflection. For many advisers, the festive season represents the first real pause in an otherwise relentless year.
And while most advisory practice owners will understandably switch off, this period can be one of the most valuable strategic windows of the year — not for action, but for clarity.
At Brokerspace, we consistently see that the advisers who make the best long-term decisions are not the ones reacting under pressure, but those who take time to think before change becomes urgent.
Stepping Out of the Day-to-Day
Throughout the year, most advisers are deeply immersed in their businesses — managing clients, compliance, staff, systems, and growth targets. Strategic questions are often postponed in favour of immediate operational demands:
- What does this business need to look like in five years?
- Is my current structure sustainable?
- What happens if I want to slow down, step back, or partner with someone else?
The festive season creates rare distance from these daily pressures. That distance allows for more objective thinking — not about what must happen now, but about what could or should happen over time.
Importantly, this is not about committing to a sale or a transaction. It’s about understanding optionality.
Succession and Exit Are Not “End-of-Career” Conversations
One of the most persistent misconceptions in the industry is that succession planning or exit discussions are only relevant at retirement age. In reality, many of the most successful transitions we see involve advisers in their 40s and early 50s — often years away from any formal exit.
Why? Because early consideration allows for:
- Better structuring decisions
- Cleaner data and reporting
- Stronger buyer alignment when the time comes
- Reduced risk and pressure later on
The festive season is often when these thoughts surface naturally — not driven by urgency, but by perspective.
Market Activity Doesn’t Stop — It Just Becomes Quieter
While advisers may step away in December, the broader M&A and consolidation environment does not disappear. Buyers continue to assess opportunities, plan capital deployment, and refine acquisition strategies for the new year.
What does slow down is noise.
This quieter period is often the best time to assess where your practice fits within the market — not in terms of price, but in terms of readiness. Are your financials clear? Is your data reliable? Is your structure attractive, or merely familiar?
These are not questions that require immediate answers — but they benefit from early awareness.
Clarity Before Commitment
One of Brokerspace’s core principles is that good outcomes come from preparation, not pressure. Too often, advisers only explore their options when something forces the issue — burnout, health concerns, regulatory changes, or unexpected opportunities.
By contrast, advisers who reflect early are able to:
- Understand the realistic value drivers of their businesses
- Identify gaps that can be addressed gradually
- Explore partnership or consolidation options without obligation
- Make decisions from a position of choice, not necessity
The festive season lends itself perfectly to this kind of thinking — especially when it is framed as exploration rather than execution.
Looking Ahead to the New Year
As calendars reset and plans are made for the year ahead, many advisers set professional goals focused on growth, efficiency, or client service. Fewer take the time to set strategic ownership goals — even though these often have the greatest long-term impact.
Simple questions to reflect on over the holiday period include:
- What role do I want this business to play in my life in the next phase?
- Am I building optionality, or narrowing it?
- If I had to make a change in three years’ time, would I be ready?
There are no right or wrong answers — only informed ones.
A Time for Thought, Not Action
The festive season is not about making big decisions or launching new initiatives. It’s about stepping back, reconnecting with the bigger picture, and giving yourself permission to think beyond the immediate.
At Brokerspace, many of our most productive conversations begin quietly — often long before any transaction is contemplated. They start with curiosity, reflection, and a desire to understand what’s possible.
If nothing else, the end of the year offers space to ask better questions.
And sometimes, that’s the most valuable gift of all.