Bo Diddley asked us, “Who do you love?” In life it’s our friends, family and companion animals.

How do we choose our friends or which family to marry into? It’s typically because of fit – liking the same food or music, sharing the same outlook on life, etc. We gravitate towards people most like us and away from those diametrically opposed to us.

Our advisors are no different. We want to work with people who share our views and overall philosophies. Sure we aren’t always going to see eye to eye. It’s OK to disagree on the sky’s shade of blue but if one party is adamant the sky is green then the relationship is doomed.

When Apollo screens prospective clients we look for fit. We have a philosophy and process in which we believe. It’s proven successful time and again. If prospects share or are open to these things then there’s a fit. If not then there are advisors better suited for them – advisors who have a different philosophy/approach that may have better/same/worse results.

Our screens aren’t perfect. We’ve accepted some clients into the Apollo family who turned out to be a poor fit. Sometimes the client realizes it and goes elsewhere – other times we’ve politely suggested their interests may be better served elsewhere. Either way there was no reason to continue in a one-sided relationship. Maybe we need financial planning divorce attorneys?!

In a bottom line world then the score at the end of the game is what matters – the ends justifying the means. We see things differently. We believe in the journey. As Grantland Rice wrote, “For when the one great scorer comes to write against your name he writes not that you won or lost but how you played the game.”

So how does a prospective client find the ‘right’ advice? How does a firm accept the ‘right’ clients? How do you ‘date’ the right people? Since the best time to solve problems is before they happen we thought this article would make for an interesting and thought-provoking exercise. Just who are you and how does that translate into where you should be getting your advice? Food for thought.