As a Valuation Coach, Travis Liedke combines a passion for analytics and problem solving with his passion for helping advisors. Travis joined the firm in 2015 and began his tenure as a Financial Analyst working with our sister firm, Key Management Group. He transitioned to Advisor Legacy in 2021 where he works closely with Todd Doherty to complete and deliver advisor practice valuations and provide guidance on deal support for internal and external successions.
When asked why he sought a new role as a Valuation Coach, Travis replied, “there is so much opportunity, not only for growth but to help advisors achieve their goals. With the average advisor age over 60, many advisors will soon take steps toward retirement. You only get to sell your practice once and I believe we can provide that guidance and support to make sure it is done right.” Travis also enjoys the fact that conducting valuations allows him to look at the whole practice and help advisors understand the factors that impact value and what they can do to influence it. Says Travis, “The valuation is more useful than simply looking at individual practice reports, and helps advisors make strategic decisions about how to grow their practice and how to plan their succession.”
“There is so much opportunity, not only for growth but to help advisors achieve their goals.”
Over the past three years, Travis has not only learned about Advisor Legacy’s valuation process and deliverable; he has also had the opportunity to see valuations from other firms and gain firsthand insight into advisors’ experience with their process. “One thing that stands out is that most firms rely on a rule of thumb or market approach, whereas we provide both a market and income approach,” comments Travis. “That’s important when you really want to see if an acquisition is a smart investment and if you can cash flow the debt obligation.” He continues by stating, “Advisors must pay more than twice as much to our competitors to get the same information that is available in our standard valuation. Plus, ours comes with a 45-minute consultation and actionable recommendations on how to grow equity.”
“Like with almost everything at our company it starts with the people.”
Having served with the firm for nearly a decade, we wanted to know why Travis has stayed with us. “Like with almost everything at our company it starts with the people,” Travis explained. “Everyone is easy to get along with and awesome to work with. We all have the same goals to grow the company and help advisors.” Travis also appreciates the flexible environment and ability to work remotely. It gives him a good balance of working from home and being able to come to the office and interact with coworkers.
Outside of work, Travis and his wife love to travel. Their favorite spots are tropical beaches in Mexico and the Caribbean, though they also love visiting national parks and many of the lakes and attractions around Michigan. Travis also loves to golf and play hockey, a sport he has played since he was a kid and continues to play in a Sunday league. He is a die-hard Red Wings fan and can also be found cheering for the Michigan State football team in the fall. Travis is certainly at home with the sports fans at Advisor Legacy, even if they don’t always agree on who has the best team. Glad to have you on our team, Travis!
To connect with Travis, you can email him at tliedke@advisorlegacy.com or send a request on LinkedIn.
