The Platform Field Guide
Your working document for platform due diligence — from baseline to decision.
Rob Engle, MBA · Principal, Forge Lane Partners · 414-418-2011
Define the Job
Before you evaluate anything, name what you’re actually trying to solve.
Every advisor who calls a recruiter thinks they know why they’re looking. Most say the same thing.
Better payout.
That’s not a job to be done. That’s a feature. Hiring a platform for a feature is how advisors end up in the wrong place for the right price.
“If payout weren’t part of this conversation at all — if every platform paid exactly the same — what would still be driving this evaluation?”
Whatever you say next is your job to be done.
Your Current Firm
Every platform gets measured against this — not against each other. Most advisors have never documented their actual situation. Do it now before your first recruiting conversation.
Not the headline. What you actually keep. Run the calculator at forgelanepartners.com/the-other-side-of-the-desk
Technology & Services — What You Pay Today
Your Finalist Platforms
Three platforms maximum. If you’re evaluating more than three, narrow the list first. More options create more confusion, not better decisions.
Ask for a written, itemized net-net worksheet before entering a number here.
Ask for a written, itemized net-net worksheet before entering a number here.
Ask for a written, itemized net-net worksheet before entering a number here.
The Nine Questions They Won’t Ask For You
For each platform, rate your confidence. Green = clear written answer. Yellow = need to dig further. Red = concern or unknown. If you haven’t asked it yet, it’s Red.
| Due Diligence Question | Platform 01 | Platform 02 | Platform 03 |
|---|
What Is Your Practice Actually Worth Here?
Platform decisions don’t just affect your income — they affect your enterprise value. Most advisors never think about this before they sign. The one they always skip.
Platform Valuation Assessment
Where Things Stand
This is your read — not a score. Use it to drive the right conversations.
The One Question That Matters Most
What must be true five years from now for this move to have been worth it?
Want a straight read on what you’re seeing?
Bring this to a conversation with Rob. No pitch. No placement fee waiting on the other side. Just an honest assessment of what the numbers and the contract actually mean — from someone who’s been on both sides of this desk.
Book a Clarity Call →I don’t pitch platforms. I help you decide. · One job. Your decision. Not theirs.