Wealth management demands patience, resilience, and a thorough grasp of both strategy and human behavior, so for Jeffrey Fratarcangeli, guiding the next generation of financial professionals isn't a matter of routine but a fundamental responsibility.
His own journey into finance started with an internship, and it's something he's never forgotten. In fact, it's become a central pillar of how he mentors and recruits new talent. "If you look at the team that we've created, 73% of our staff started as interns," he shares.
He recalls his very first internship program, back in 1996, when he had five interns working under him, providing them with valuable hands-on experience and a real taste of what the industry is like. Some of his earliest clients came through those interns—proof that even at the very start of his career, he understood the power of investing in people.
Over the years, this program advanced into something much more structured and intentional, with Jeffrey Fratarcangeli describing today's internship program as "cutting-edge," with students coming in from across the country.
The interns gain exposure to meeting preparation and financial literacy while also sitting in on meetings to learn about estate planning, tax strategies, and investment banking, all while having the opportunity to hear from professionals across a diverse range of industries, including automotive manufacturing and professional athletics.
It gives young people a rare opportunity to be on the inside and truly understand what it takes to build a career in this industry. "These students are hungry for the opportunity," Fratarcangeli says, refusing to let their time in his presence be reduced to a mere resume booster. Instead, he ensures that they depart carrying knowledge, experience, and an enriched sense of direction.
Sports, the Military, and the Traits of Successful Advisers
Jeffrey Fratarcangeli believes that certain life experiences set people up for success in this field. In particular, he looks for candidates with backgrounds in competitive sports or the military. Why? Because as he puts it, "We find that those that get knocked down typically can recover and overcome adversity at levels that they were prepared for by being involved in both higher-level athletics in a collegiate level or military or both."
It makes sense when you think about it. There are long hours, tough clients, market fluctuations that can make even the most seasoned advisers sweat, and a learning curve that never really ends. Being able to handle stress, take constructive criticism, and push through setbacks is crucial. "You're not going to be having just a smooth ride up and become a vice president overnight. It just doesn't work that way," he says.
This isn't simply a belief—it's a reality shaped by experience. With a background as a student-athlete, Fratarcangeli knows the power of discipline, accountability, and teamwork in achieving success, which is why he actively seeks those same qualities when bringing new people into the firm.
Learning from Experience: The Realities of a Tough Business
Preparing young advisers for the brutal realities of the business is critical for Jeffrey Fratarcangeli since there's a tendency, he points out, for new wealth managers to come in expecting immediate success. The truth, however, is far from glamorous.
He recounts his early experiences—how he trained in New York, competing daily with peers in a high-pressure environment where, if you weren't performing, you were out.
"At the end of every quarter, if you were in the bottom quintile, you literally got fired. No, 'Hey, wait a day.' No, 'Let's give you another shot.' It was cut and dry." That kind of pressure may seem demanding, but it developed resilience, a quality he now strives to cultivate in those he mentors.
"You have to make sure you have prepared for the worst while you plan for the best," he says, noting the financial world is a landscape of peaks and valleys rather than a constant sunlit path. Many falter not from lack of ambition, but from failing to brace for the inevitable downturns.
Be it a sudden market crash, the unexpected loss of a key client, or the quiet lulls between waves of success, young advisers must steel themselves against the tides and chart a course that weathers all seasons.
Trust, Relationships, and the Long Game
A top-tier wealth manager, Jeffrey Fratarcangeli, asserts, is defined by their ability to form strong, lasting bonds with clients.
"The more money you have, the less comfortable you become. There's never enough," he says, explaining that even the wealthiest clients he works with are often more focused on protecting their assets than they are on taking big risks.
And that means trust is everything. "Understand that every client or every prospect we get in front of has been referred to us by another individual or group that knows how we operate." That referral system means that before he even speaks to a new client, there's already an implicit level of trust. But maintaining that trust? That's the real work.
He talks about how he educates clients on everything from tax strategy to risk management, knowing that sometimes, his job is to talk them out of bad decisions rather than into good ones. "Sometimes the best deal is no deal," he says.
It's a doctrine he instills in his mentees with the gravity of a sacred vow: True wealth management isn't a game of swift commissions or dazzling investment pitches. It's a calling—one that demands the unshakable integrity of a fiduciary, a custodian of trust who places the client's well-being above all else.
