“It’s almost as if PSS is part of our firm. It’s as if they have an office down the hall.”

Over the past few years, the number of Registered Independent Advisors has exploded. It’s happening, says Carol Hamm, because independent advisors can “choose from a wide variety of investment vehicles to meet the needs of their clients,” instead of pushing proprietary products. But running an independent advisory isn’t as simple as providing transparent, conflict-free advice. It’s a business that requires human resources, strategic planning, technology, operations, and all the other responsibilities that fall on Carol’s shoulders to keep her firm, Hamm, Shibles & Brett, running. That’s where PSS Institutional Services comes in: “We’ve worked with the same PSS representatives for over 10 years. There’s a deep intelligence of the firm and how we operate.” In addition to PSS’s practice management services, in-house consultants, and “immense library of tools and resources that help drive growth,” Carol says that what defines the PSS experience is the people: “Working with PSS is an authentic experience. It’s real, it’s human, and it’s incredibly reliable. Each person we work with tends to look at things with a long-term, futuristic perspective. It’s a very entrepreneurial approach.”