What makes an advisor a rising star?

David Kitai  00:00:02 
Hello and welcome to this special episode of WP TV. My name is David Kitai, Senior Editor at Wealth Professional. The annual WP Awards celebrate some of the best and brightest in this industry across a range of categories and specializations. They include the Desjardins Award for Rising Star Advisor of the Year, which I always appreciate, because it highlights the future of the industry and the solutions that up and coming advisors are developing for their clients. Today, we are lucky to be joined by the winner of the Desjardins Award for Rising Star Advisor of the Year, Jonathan Hunt, Associate Consultant at Dennis Hunt and Associates of IG Private Wealth. Jonathan earned that award through a focus on an incredible incredibly timely issue for this industry, managing exit plans for business owners. Jonathan, welcome to WP TV.  

Johnathan Hunt  00:00:51 
Yeah, I'm happy to be here David, and happy to provide some insights on, you know, what I'm doing with clients, what's been working for me and my team and some of the you know, crucial key points on what I'm doing to help business owners and people in that industry.  

David Kitai  00:01:09 
Amazing, looking forward to it, and I think the place to start is at the beginning. So how did you kind of start to specialize in this? What inspired you to specialize in Exit Planning for business owners, and how did that become kind of a core part of your practice?  

Johnathan Hunt  00:01:23 
Yeah, it's a good it's a good question, and you know, it's definitely something I've thought about a lot over the years. The real big reason is I grew up around business owners, my dad being one of them, working in a family business, so I've always had a front row seat at the sacrifices, the risks, the late nights that go into building something from the ground up. And what I noticed over the years is many owners focus so much on building the business that they don't always think about how they'll one day exit. So that's where I felt like I could really make a real difference, helping them not only get rewarded for their life's work, but make sure that the exit becomes a launch pad for their next chapter, becomes a, you know, it's become a cornerstone of my practice, because I believe, you know, the business should be a legacy, not a liability.

David Kitai  00:02:17 
So, speaking to those business owners now, and you know, we are in this massive intergenerational transition for business owners. What advice would you give to business owners who are maybe three to five years away from from stepping back?  

Johnathan Hunt  00:02:32
Well, the first thing I would say is starting early and treating your exit, treating your exit like a business strategy, not a retirement plan. The three to five year window is the perfect time to begin working on the business, instead of just in it. So, that means, you know, strengthening your systems, developing successors, successors, getting your personal finances in order. A good exit isn't just really about the sale, but it's about creating options, protecting your legacy and maximizing the value of what you've built.  

David Kitai  00:03:05 
Talking about maximizing that value, right? It's one thing to do the transaction come away with a big chunk of change and say, well, now I'm set, this is good, my legacy, you know, I can retire on this. But business owners, as you well know, want to go beyond that. They want to go beyond just securing their own retirement. They want to turn it want to turn it into generational wealth, and they want to make sure their family is secure. So how do you work to help those clients turn the business that they've built into that generational love? 

Johnathan Hunt  00:03:33 
It starts by recognizing that the business is likely their biggest and also most illiquid asset. We work to unlock the value trapped inside of it by focusing on tax efficiencies, succession strategies and aligning personal wealth goals with the future of the business. Beyond the numbers, we also guide clients through the emotional side of stepping away because legacy isn't just financial, it's also a bold purpose. When done right, we help turn a successful exit into a launch pad for generational opportunities. 

David Kitai  00:04:10 
So, in addressing this very pertinent issue, and one that is incredibly timely for this industry, you earned yourself the Rising Star Advisor Award, the the Desjardin Award for Rising Star Advisor of the Year, I should say, what does winning that award mean for you, personally and professionally? 

Johnathan Hunt  00:04:31 
Well, it's incredibly, incredibly humbling. You know, personally, it's a moment to pause and appreciate the long hours, the late nights and the risk taken along the way. Professionally, it's a reminder that the work we're doing really matters, that helping business owners transition confidently and preserving their life's work is something worth recognizing, and I'm proud, but more than anything, I'm motivated to keep raising the bar. 

David Kitai  00:05:01 
Absolutely, so, talk about raising the bar, you've laid down a gauntlet, and other advisors are ready to take it up. Other advisors want to stand out. They want to specialize in this area or in other areas. What advice would you give to other, especially young advisors, who are looking to stand out in a really competitive industry? 

Johnathan Hunt  00:05:20 
The main thing I would say to a lot of young advisors is, you know, I know that the start of my career, I was chasing everyone, but, you know, don't, it's kind of counterintuitive, but don't chase everyone. Go deep with a niche that you truly care about, you know, for me, it was Business Owners and Exit Planning and that focus gave me purpose and direction. The more specialized you are, the more value can offer and also build real relationships, not just transactions. Clients remember how you made them feel, and not just what you recommended. And lastly, stay curious you know, the industry's evolving fast, and so should we. 

David Kitai  00:06:03 
Stay curious, that is a hell of a message to end on, one that I think resonates with me as a journalist and every advisor that I speak to in this industry. Jonathan, I believe that is all the time we have today. Just want to say thank you so much for taking the time to share these insights, and congratulations on your WP award win.  

Johnathan Hunt  00:06:22 
Thank you so much, David, I appreciate the time.