Podcast appearances and mentions of patrick larkin

Patrick Larkin, Partner & Practice Leader, Cerity Partners Three years after launching his independent RIA, Patrick Larkin merged with Cerity Partners—but not because that was the original plan. He explains how ownership changed the way he viewed enterprise value, optionality, and the future of his business. In Summary Going independent is often viewed as the destination. Patrick Larkin discovered it was just the beginning. Louis sits down with Patrick, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners and former founder of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, to discuss an unconventional journey: leaving Wells Fargo to build an independent RIA, then choosing to merge that business just three years later. Rather than following a predetermined exit strategy, Patrick shares how ownership fundamentally changed the way he thought about enterprise value. A conversation with a prospective acquirer revealed that buyers weren't interested in purchasing a book of business—they were looking for a business. That realization reshaped how he invested, hired, delegated, and ultimately positioned his firm for the future. The conversation from our Build Grow & Transact series also offers a candid look at life after a merger, from evaluating cultural fit and partnership to balancing autonomy with the resources of a larger organization. More broadly, it illustrates how ownership creates optionality—and why the most valuable decision an advisor makes may not be the one they originally envisioned. The Storyline After spending nearly 15 years building a successful practice at AG Edwards, Wachovia, and Wells Fargo, Patrick Larkin launched Oak Hill Wealth Advisors in 2022 with a simple objective: build a business on his own terms. Like many advisors, he expected independence to be the final destination for a long time. But then there was the realization that ownership changes more than economics; it changes perspective. And it became the beginning of an entirely different way of thinking. As acquisition inquiries arrived sooner than expected, Patrick realized something that fundamentally changed his strategy. Sophisticated buyers weren't evaluating his client relationships as a book of business; they were evaluating Oak Hill as an enterprise. That insight shifted his priorities from maximizing short-term profitability to building a business that could thrive beyond its founder. Just three years after launching, Patrick chose to merge with Cerity Partners—not because he was looking for an exit, but because he believed it strengthened the future for his clients, his team, and his family. Louis and Patrick explore what led to that decision, how ownership increased the value of his business almost immediately, why he compares independence to an IPO, and what advisors should consider if they hope to create options for the future—even if they don't yet know what that future looks like. Topics Covered Building enterprise value versus maximizing annual income Creating optionality through ownership Leaving Wells Fargo to launch an independent RIA Why buyers value businesses more than books of business Evaluating strategic partners and acquisition opportunities The economics of independence and business valuation Life after merging with Cerity Partners Balancing autonomy with enterprise-scale resources Leadership, succession, and building beyond the founder Long-term ownership and partnership models > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors Why did Patrick decide to leave Wells Fargo? (11:07) Patrick explains why growing frustrations around control, firm priorities, and the ability to build his business eventually outweighed the comfort of staying put. How did going independent immediately change the value of his business? (21:42) Patrick introduces one of the episode's biggest ideas: why launching Oak Hill felt like taking a company public and how ownership increased the firm's value almost overnight. Why did Patrick sell only three years after becoming independent? (20:03) An unexpected conversation with a prospective acquirer completely changed how he viewed enterprise value and accelerated his long-term thinking. What separates a business from a book of business? (21:42) Patrick discusses why recruiting advisors, delegating client relationships, and investing beyond himself made Oak Hill more attractive to strategic buyers. Why Cerity Partners? (26:48) Rather than focusing on valuation, Cerity emphasized culture, partnership, and long-term alignment—qualities Patrick says ultimately mattered most. What is life actually like after a merger? (37:57) Patrick offers an unusually candid perspective on autonomy, leadership, and why he says he hasn't second-guessed the decision once. Key Takeaways Ownership creates opportunities that often aren't visible until after independence. Enterprise value is built by creating a business that can thrive beyond its founder. The first acquisition conversation can be valuable even if no transaction occurs. Cultural alignment may ultimately matter more than valuation when selecting a long-term partner. Independence doesn't eliminate future options—it expands them. Strategic transactions can strengthen outcomes for clients, employees, and owners simultaneously. The goal isn't simply to own a business; it's to create choices for what comes next. https://youtu.be/f7FGLGjBbyo Quotable Moments “The day Oak Hill launched felt like the business had gone public.” “Potential acquirers weren't interested in buying a book. They were interested in buying a business.” “Ownership isn't simply about control. It's about creating optionality.” “The fear of leaving is almost always worse than the actual experience of leaving.” FAQs Why did Patrick Larkin merge with Cerity Partners only three years after launching his RIA? Patrick explains that independence changed how he viewed enterprise value. After learning what sophisticated buyers were actually looking for, he intentionally built Oak Hill as a business rather than simply managing for annual profitability. Why does Patrick compare independence to an IPO? Because ownership immediately transformed the economic value of his practice. Rather than participating in an internal succession model, he owned an independent enterprise that carried substantially greater market value. What changed after Patrick became independent? Beyond gaining control, he began making decisions through the lens of enterprise value—investing in advisors, systems, and infrastructure that would make the business less dependent on him personally. What made Cerity Partners stand out? Patrick cites the firm's culture, partnership model, meritocracy, long-term vision, and ability to combine local autonomy with enterprise-level capabilities. Is this episode only relevant for advisors considering selling? No. The broader lesson is that ownership creates flexibility. Whether an advisor ultimately remains independent or joins another organization, understanding how enterprise value is created can influence decisions from day one. What is the biggest lesson Patrick hopes advisors take away? That independence isn't simply about leaving a firm. It's about creating the ability to choose what comes next on your own terms. Patrick explains that independence changed how he viewed enterprise value. After learning what sophisticated buyers were actually looking for, he intentionally built Oak Hill as a business rather than simply managing for annual profitability. Because ownership immediately transformed the economic value of his practice. Rather than participating in an internal succession model, he owned an independent enterprise that carried substantially greater market value. Beyond gaining control, he began making decisions through the lens of enterprise value—investing in advisors, systems, and infrastructure that would make the business less dependent on him personally. Patrick cites the firm's culture, partnership model, meritocracy, long-term vision, and ability to combine local autonomy with enterprise-level capabilities. No. The broader lesson is that ownership creates flexibility. Whether an advisor ultimately remains independent or joins another organization, understanding how enterprise value is created can influence decisions from day one. That independence isn't simply about leaving a firm. It's about creating the ability to choose what comes next on your own terms. Related Resources From Start-Up to $31B Behemoth RIA: The Catalysts Behind the Growth of Mega-Firm Cerity Partners Ownership Matters: What Advisors Need to Know When Evaluating Firms Top Tips for Setting Your Business Up for Success Years Before a Move Patrick LarkinPartner and Practice Leader Patrick is a Partner and Practice Leader in the Lansdowne, VA office. He is a member of the Lansdowne Practice, where he works closely with families, foundations, and non-profits to help them define and achieve their financial goals with clarity and confidence. With a deep specialization in retirement income distribution planning and complex risk and wealth management strategies, Patrick is known for helping clients simplify complicated financial decisions, reduce uncertainty, and build sustainable, long-term plans. His approach emphasizes fiduciary responsibility, transparency, and personalized guidance — ensuring clients always feel informed and empowered. Prior to joining Cerity Partners, Patrick was the founding member of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, where he built a highly respected independent advisory practice that earned the trust of families, professionals, and mission-driven organizations across the region. His leadership was instrumental in shaping a client-first culture that continues today. Patrick's work is rooted in a passion for long-term relationships — guiding clients not just through markets, but through life's milestones such as retirement, business transitions, philanthropic planning, and wealth transfer across generations. He takes pride in being both a strategic advisor and a steady partner to the people he serves. Patrick lives in Bluemont, VA, with his wife Angela, their two children, Paige and Sean, and their Golden Retrievers, Huckleberry and Genoa. Outside of the office, Patrick and his family enjoy an active lifestyle — whether it's hiking and backpacking on the Appalachian Trail, biking the Great Allegheny Passage, or sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. These experiences reflect his belief in balance, resilience, and enjoying the journey — values he also brings to his work with clients. NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… Build, Grow & Transact: From Breakaway to Transaction in 3 Years A conversation with Louis Diamond and Patrick Larkin, Partner & Practice Leader at Cerity Partners.      Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Build, Grow & Transact: From Breakaway to Transaction in 3 Years. It’s a conversation with Patrick Larkin, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning, data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: Ownership as a way of creating opportunities you can’t always predict. That’s exactly why we created our Build, Grow, and Transact series. Independence isn’t the end of the story. It’s often the beginning of thinking differently about enterprise value, optionality, and what comes next. Today’s guest is Patrick Larkin, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners, and formerly the founder of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. Patrick spent nearly 15 years building a successful practice at A.G. Edwards, Wachovia, and eventually Wells Fargo before launching his own independent firm in 2022. Just three years later, he merged that firm into Cerity. At first glance, that timeline might seem surprisingly short, but as you’ll hear, the merger wasn’t a change in direction. It was the result of seeing his business differently once he owned it. Yet, it’s this perspective that really brings that thought home. Patrick said the day Oak Hill launched felt like the business had gone public because overnight, what had been viewed as a book of business became an enterprise with substantially greater value, some four to five times the value of what it was worth at Wells. And that realization changed the way he invested, the way he hired, and ultimately the way he thought about the future. Pat and I also talk about something advisors don’t often discuss candidly, what life actually looks like after a merger. How much control do you give up? What changes day to day? How do you know whether you’re joining a partner or simply selling a business? Whether your long-term plan is to remain independent forever or eventually join a larger organization, Patrick’s experience is a reminder that ownership isn’t simply about control. It’s about creating optionality and putting yourself in a position where the next decision is yours to make. So let’s get to it. Patrick, thanks for coming on our show today. Patrick Larkin: Oh, my pleasure. Nice to meet you, Louis. Louis Diamond: You too. So let’s start off basically how we start every interview. Tell us about yourself, your background, and how you found your way into our industry in the first place. Patrick Larkin: Yeah, thank you for asking. I knew I always wanted to be a financial advisor. That part really wasn’t in question, but upon graduating college and being a 22-year-old, I knew that it was probably not practical to walk in and start advising people my parents’ age with their life savings. Probably wasn’t going to be a recipe for success. So I took a quick tour through the pharmaceutical industry first, which ended up being unexpectedly valuable. My employers there pushed me to think like an entrepreneur and within our territories. And honestly, that mindset never left me. It shaped how I built everything that came after. Eventually, an opportunity presented itself in Loudoun County, Virginia in Northern Virginia, and I became an FA trainee with A.G. Edwards, absolutely fantastic firm to start my career. Now, what drew me to this career was pretty simple. I felt like it was one of the professions that we had an opportunity to do so much good for others while simultaneously also doing well for yourself, and those two things aren’t in conflict. I also really loved the idea that in this profession there was no hiding. You don’t get paid to show up. You get paid for what you actually do. And perhaps for me, what was most important, I loved the weight of responsibility. I loved earning people’s trust. I loved the idea of deserving, being deserving of their trust, and being a steward of what they’ve worked a lifetime to build. I never took that lightly, and I still don’t. Louis Diamond: That’s amazing. Yeah, I mean, the number of people I’ve heard, you talked so fondly about A.G. Edwards and there’s a bunch of other firms that have since been absorbed or emerged that are like the regional firms of old. So not surprised to hear you loved it. A.G. Edwards, obviously, became Wells Fargo Advisors or was acquired or merged with Wells Fargo. So I know you’re at Wells and A.G. Edwards until 2022. So give us a quick version. How’d you build your practice from the pharma world into being in FA? Patrick Larkin: Yeah, so as I started with A.G. Edwards, I came in at really just the perfect time. It was towards the end of the financial crisis. And I built the business the old-fashioned way with a lot of cold calling and eventually did some dinner seminars, which I can tell you is a very expensive way to learn how to speak in front of a room. But I made some progress, and I was also in a great office, small enough that some of the advisors there would hand off some of the smaller accounts that they weren’t interested in working with, and got an opportunity to get a lot of reps in working with real life clients and individuals. I knew early on I didn’t have enough talent to win on talent alone, so I made up for it and compensated for that with really hard work. The real turning point came for me when A.G. Edwards was first acquired by Wachovia Securities, and that was about five years into my career. And at that point, my branch manager, who was eyeing retirement, asked me to step in as her partner, and that changed everything. We eventually moved over to a Wachovia Securities office, another really great local office in Loudoun County, Virginia. And from that office, I worked on and became a CIMA, a CFP, worked with the clients, built a business through referrals. And I found at that point in my career when I would go to a meeting with Wachovia, eventually Wells Fargo, as a young 30-year-old, I would look around the room often and realize that I was the youngest person in the room. The funny thing was 10 years later, I would go into that same room and I’d look around and I still was the youngest guy in that room. And those demographics in our industry, and when I came into our industry, ultimately led that office that I worked in with Wells Fargo Advisors, I eventually was the recipient and party to five different succession plans- Louis Diamond: Wow. Patrick Larkin: … at Wells Fargo Advisors. I hoped that I had built a reputation as somebody that these other advisors would entrust with their clients. And over that time period, really, I would say professionally, one of my accomplishments I’m most proud of is all five of those retired advisors that I used to work with, who had an opportunity to see me work with clients, all became clients of mine, I still continue to work with. And it’s professionally just one of the greatest honors that I’ve ever had. Louis Diamond: I mean, that’s a large number of advisors you helped sunset, but I would agree it’s the ultimate proof of concept that they not only trusted you with their clients and their life’s work, but now also with their family’s wealth. So I like that, kind of the full life cycle there. So I’m curious, though, you stayed at Wells through a really turbulent time through the fake bank scandal. There’s a lot of attrition. I mean, obviously, they’re still a powerhouse to this day, but what kept you at Wells for as long as it did before you left in 2022? Patrick Larkin: You described it as a turbulent time. Pretty turbulent might be an understatement. Even before Wells, the transition to Wells, Wachovia Bank had been the first company that we transitioned to from A.G. Edwards. And we, of course, went through the financial crisis during that time period and handholding our clients and helping them get through that time period and dealing with concerns that we shouldn’t really have to be prepared with. “Is my money safe? It’s not what’s happening to the market, but is my money safe in your institution?” But once things stabilized, I found real purpose in partnering with some of the retiring advisors and opportunities that came up. It was a really wonderful climate and atmosphere in our local office. It was really a family-like atmosphere, and I still had a lot to learn. And all those advisors that I partnered with, I’ve joked I’ve never had an original idea in my entire life. I stole all my good ideas from them. And some of them were really ahead of their time, and I learned, adopted, and built my own philosophies by working closely with them. Ultimately, by the time I left Wells Fargo, I was finishing up the fifth sunset program and had only made my way halfway through the sunset before the opportunity presented itself to create my own practice. Louis Diamond: So I’m curious, when did you first seriously start thinking about leaving and what really tipped the scales for you? What was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back? Patrick Larkin: Yeah, it really was a number of small items and ultimately one big one. But for a long time, I’d been content, but as I tried to grow the business beyond what I could do individually, I felt like I kept running into walls. There were it felt like limitations on how I could build out my team and structure the practice the way I envisioned it. Additionally, there were some new policies that also started to bother me. One of them was the platform advisory fee, which in my eyes was less about client transparency and more about replacing a declining revenue source on the firm’s balance sheet. And after dealing with clients and helping them through the bank scandal at the firm, I was concerned that this would come back and hurt me and the relationships that I had with my clients. Incidentally, I just recently onboarded a new client that transferred to us. And for them, looking at their statement, identifying this platform advisory fee- Louis Diamond: Oh boy. Patrick Larkin: … was the last straw for them before they moved about 15 million of assets to us. Also, I thought I would be I would be a better allocator of resources than Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo retained about half of the revenue that I earned for the business. They seemed to think that the best allocation of that money was additional middle management. Whereas, I thought investment in technology, investment in additional personnel, and an investment in marketing were best places to continue to build out my vision. The final straw, and really a thing that crystallized everything for me was when I read a book in 2021 called The Infinite Game, a book written by Simon Sinek. Chapter eight, the title is Ethical Fading. And it uses the Wells Fargo bank scandal as a case study in what happens when a firm loses its moral compass. I read the chapter and thought, “There it is, I have to do something.” That was really the final push I needed. I mentioned earlier I was very fortunate to start my career with a company called A.G. Edwards, a regional brokerage firm. And while I was at A.G. Edwards, there was a research report that came out on A.G. Edwards as a company. And I’m going to paraphrase a little bit on what was said in that report, but ultimately there was a line in there, and it was a criticism, but I took it as a huge positive as being an employee there. The line said, “While management does not necessarily say it, we believe the client is put ahead of the shareholder.” And that was something I was very proud of. And I just, upon reflecting on it, felt confident those were words that I never was going to see go to print about Wells Fargo. Louis Diamond: So you left Wells in 2022 and founded Oak Hill Wealth Partners in Lansdowne, Virginia. Walk us through that decision. Why go independent rather than going to another firm? Patrick Larkin: I really thought moving to another firm, the things that I had grown frustrated with at Wells Fargo Advisors, I would also find at another wirehouse firm. I was ready, and honestly, the simple answer is I thought I could do better. And I wanted control after having what I felt like was very little control. I had grown frustrated with others making important decisions, and I wanted an opportunity to grab the reins and make decisions on my own. I believe at that time, the future of wealth management was going to be built around fiduciary advice, and I didn’t want to watch that from the sidelines anymore. I was watching what was happening in the industry. And as we were trying to hire new advisors, reaching out to college graduates who were studying CFP programs, identified that they were more inclined to want to start employment with an RIA than a wirehouse. What made the timing work really well was Wells Fargo had actually introduced a program to help advisors in the private client group spin off and establish their own RIAs. Now, whenever I tell this to another advisor, particularly ones that are wirehouses, they can’t understand it. And quite frankly, I don’t understand why they helped us do it, but we were about the 30th practice that they helped us through this process and they provided real support. They hired consultants, made vendor recommendations, even referrals to financing so I could pay off my last succession plan before I left. The only really upside for Wells Fargo was that the ask was that we continue to use First Clearing as the custodian. And one of the downsides for me was I was going to leave all of my deferred comp behind with Wells Fargo. Now, all clients had to do to join me was sign a positive consent. And on May 9th, 2020, we turned on our computers in our new office and our clients were already there. That same day, we launched and started a relationship with Charles Schwab. And it was so exciting to be able to start shopping for what I thought was the best FinTech, really feeling like I was stuck with proprietary tools that Wells Fargo advisors had offered. I felt like I was a kid in a candy store. And if there was a cool tool that I identified that would help us serve our clients better, I was all in and I was buying it. I really feel that some of the technology that Oak Hill eventually bought into and some of the tools we’re using now are going to take years and years before they eventually trickle down to where the wirehouses are, if ever. Louis Diamond: Interesting. So it was really it was for the most part an internal move from one- Patrick Larkin: It was- Louis Diamond: … channel to the other. Patrick Larkin: … it was an internal move, but there was no requirement to stay at First Clearing. As a fiduciary, they couldn’t make those demands. And again, they helped us with the financing, which is really unusual that they helped us secure a loan so I could pay off the last retiring advisor. It’s really unusual that a bank will loan money where there is no business at the time, but because of previous experience that financial institution had working with Wells, they helped us facilitate the transaction. And the program is still in place at Wells Fargo, which is absolutely amazing to me after the experience that I’ve just had myself. Louis Diamond: Yeah, it’s interesting. I mean, does it cannibalize a more profitable revenue source? Sure. But if the alternative was all the assets go to Schwab or Fidelity, to me, honestly, it’s smart. I think they played the long game by not being adversarial on it. Patrick Larkin: I think they played a long game and they took the philosophy, and I think they use it as a recruiting tool that if you love them, set them free. And that’s exactly what they did. Louis Diamond: So for the rest of the episode, I want to talk about your eventual, and not that long period of time, transaction or decision to merge Oak Hill with Cerity Partners. This is our Build, Grow, Transact subseries. And I was really struck by your story because you were three years or so into running Oak Hill, and then your merger with Cerity Partners, an amazing RIA closed. That’s a fairly short runway. Usually when I see folks go independent for the first time, it’s 10, 15, 20 years, maybe never, that they decide to merge or sell. I’m curious to understand your thinking about the transaction. Were you looking to do something? Or was it just like right place, right time and the opportunity presented itself? Patrick Larkin: I had started Oak Hill with the intent of eventually down the road, much closer to retirement, looking for a partner. The opportunity and what I learned early on helped change that idea and philosophy, and I adapted and made modifications to take advantage of it. Louis Diamond: Interesting. So you weren’t necessarily planning on selling or merging the business, it just kind of circumstances happened the way they did? Patrick Larkin: Yeah. When we started Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, it was a really pretty short period of time before we started getting calls from larger national RIAs about potential acquisition, much sooner than I expected. Early on, I just brushed them off, but about a year in, I took one of those calls and it really just opened my eyes up. I realized for the first time this small firm, this little practice actually had some real value, way more than I’d given it credit for. That first call, that first exploration didn’t go anywhere. It wasn’t a good fit. But what it gave me was a much clearer picture of what the serious acquirers were actually looking for. And that changed decisions I made at Oak Hill going forward. I really at that point stopped trying to optimize for near-term profit and really thought of my business as a business and started building towards enterprise value, sometimes at the cost of short-term income. And that turned out to be exactly the right call. Louis Diamond: That’s such an interesting perspective. Let’s double-click into that concept. So it sounds almost counterintuitive that if you kind of had this light bulb moment that like, “Okay, maybe I want to transact my business sooner than I initially thought.” I think most people would say, “Let’s become lean and mean. Let’s become as profitable as possible so my EBITDA’s higher.” But you took the different approach. What were the decisions you did to invest more in enterprise value rather than current cash flow? Patrick Larkin: A true business is one that doesn’t need me to be here every day to operate. And when we left Wells Fargo Advisors, it was myself and one other advisor that created Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. I was responsible for about 95% of the assets and revenue. And one of the more significant investments we made is in additional advisors. I recruited three new advisors, all CFPs, to join Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. Whereas, before I had been largely managing all the relationships myself. For someone that kind of grew up in the regional wirehouse space, it’s pretty counterintuitive to start moving relationships away from you onto other advisors. You’re trained and built to create a moat around your relationships, and realized that the potential acquirers are not interested, at least the ones I was interested in, weren’t interested in buying a book. They were interested in buying a business. And that just meant every decision we made going forward was not profit-driven, but how can I increase the value of the business? So after that first call, I knew I probably would be looking to move forward with a transaction sooner as opposed to the end of retirement. That information that I got on that first call helped me realize that when Oak Hill Wealth Advisors opened its doors on May 9th, 2022, we effectively had an IPO. I had great familiarity with how the succession plans at Wells Fargo Advisors worked. And on that day that we opened our practice, the value of my business jumped to be four to five times the value of it in a succession plan at Wells Fargo Advisors. Now, I knew going forward that I was going to be able to increase revenue. I was going to be able to increase EBITDA. I was going to potentially have some benefits from a market tailwind. I knew the multiples of EBITDA that the firms use may fluctuate, but the biggest change by far occurred leaving the wirehouse and having the value of my business grow four to fivefold in that same day. So what I really focused on was making sure that I was going to, when I was ready to start looking again after I had worked on improving the practice, really was going to look for a firm that was going to be a good cultural fit for both my clients, my team, and myself. Louis Diamond: That’s such a cool perspective. I’ve never heard anyone say that the day we launched your independent business was like an IPO. But honestly, it’s so true. You’re planting a flag in the ground that like, “Here is real value. This is value that we’ve created that we own rather than it being a book of business and a W-2 paycheck.” And it’s a fascinating perspective. Patrick Larkin: Yep. It really is amazing that the value changed that much on one day and the future value changes. Looking at the equity that I owned in Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, it made sense to consider is there a better way to take some risk off the table for myself and my family and diversify some of the equity that I had in Oak Hill Wealth Advisors with a larger enterprise? Louis Diamond: It makes complete sense. Obviously, everyone would sign up for 4 to 5X increase in value. Patrick Larkin: Sure. Louis Diamond: That’s not the reason most people go independent, but it’s important to know. And also, what I really liked about what you shared is I think a really valuable learning for anyone is those calls come in, whether it’s from annoying people like me or from an acquirer, from a firm, they’re not all noise. You took it as an opportunity to learn. Even though that first person who called wasn’t the right fit, it crystallized something in your mind and it let you make proactive decisions that ultimately paid off in spades when it came time to sign the dotted line for your transaction with Cerity. So I think it’s brilliant. And it’s very big picture, big-business-owner-type stuff that I think a lot of people will just filter out because it’s annoying and I’m young, I’m not looking to sell, but that was the journey. Patrick Larkin: Yeah, that first call changed my opinion about timing of when to move forward with a partnership. Originally, I thought this would be something at the end of retirement. The timing of doing so sooner seemed a lot more appealing after having that conversation and realizing what we had actually built. Louis Diamond: Amazing. So ultimately you decided to merge with Cerity Partners. We’ve had Kurt Miscinski from Cerity Partners on the show. They’re a real heavyweight within the RIA world. Most recently, they were valued at $8 billion in a recap, and it’s a very impressive firm. What specifically drew you to Cerity versus other potential buyers? Like you said, you got a lot of calls. Patrick Larkin: After that first call, I just got to work and focused on continuing to take care of our clients, building a team, adding new advisors, being a mentor to those advisors. But at the same time, we were being approached fairly regularly by that point. And I had a pretty good system for quickly deciding whether something was worth a second look, and most weren’t. But about a year ago, one of the national RIAs caught my attention and I started having conversations with them. And once I had progressed with them, I though, “You know what? If I’m giving this consideration, I really need to cast a wider net.” So I reached out to other RIAs that I had looked at and admired and been keeping an eye on. And ultimately, my longtime business coach, Barbara Kay, suggested I talk with Cerity Partners, a company that one of her other clients had just recently joined. And from the very first call, I could tell something was different. And I talked to many different companies. Cerity Partners, and an individual I spoke with, Geoff Newman, they weren’t leading with valuation formulas or deal structure. They were asking questions about my clients, my team, and how I actually ran the practice. They had a very defined process for identifying partners who were genuinely compatible, not just advisors with books that were transferable. And that distinction mattered greatly to me. They also offered really, in my opinion, the right balance of support and still having some autonomy. And their aspiration to deliver consistent standard of care to clients, whether they be in California or Virginia, so that those individuals get the same quality of experience, resonated with how I was already running things within my practice. That combination of support and autonomy, I really liked the idea of continuing to have oversight over my local practice, over our practice, which included the budget, salaries, and bonuses. It more than anybody else felt like a partnership and not a buyout. And I really appreciate it during that first call, Cerity was the only company that talked about a hundred-year plan. It was amazing to me to hear what their thoughts were. Most of the other firms I spoke with talked about valuations. And very quickly in the process, I found myself on a Zoom call with a Patagonia fleece vest-wearing private equity rep walking me through a valuation. And it was efficient, but it was not a cultural fit for me. And the infrastructure behind us and the combination of autonomy is really harder to find than most people think. As I progressed with Cerity, I remember early on in the process thinking to myself, “My God, I hope they want me, I hope they want me,” because I could tell I’m a very process-driven person They had a process with the way they brought me on board. And ultimately, we had a due diligence trip set up to go to one of their larger offices where I met with one of their leaders, Claire O’Keefe, part of their practice development, and had an opportunity to meet with different leaders within the firm and really get my arms wrapped around the potential that they had. Just the quality of the people I encountered through the whole process just kept reinforcing the decision. And by the time we got to the finish line, it didn’t feel like a transaction. It felt like I was joining something that I was excited to be part of. So just a little bit more about what attracted me to Cerity, their culture is just phenomenal. Cerity Partners uses the word “meritocracy” and they actually mean it. Ownership and influence here track your contribution, not your tenure or how well you play the politics. I just attended my first partner meeting in April, and without exaggeration, it was the most extraordinary professional meeting I’ve attended in my 25-year career. During the meeting, there was open debate about the direction of the firm, and every voice in the room carried weight. You could feel the culture. And that type of culture is built over years. You can’t fake it. Everyone in the room it felt like was rowing in the same direction. And by the time the meeting was over, I was so excited to get back to my team and tell them about what I had just witnessed, I wasn’t looking for the exit. I was looking for the brick wall to run through. I was so excited. And every once in a while I wonder having spent so much time in the wirehouse spaces, the bar just set really low for me when I talked to some of my other colleagues that have been independent for a long time. But it was just an absolutely amazing experience. And I do want to just add, one of the last really important things to me about Cerity Partners is I’ve been very fortunate with my career and in this profession. And part of my goal over the rest of my career is to have a legacy. And my legacy currently exists with the families I’ve advised and the team that I’ve built and have served and led. But Cerity Partners is helping me achieve even a greater legacy in our industry with our shared long-term goals. During my first meeting, they talked about their hundred-year vision of being a worldwide employee-owned professional services firm. And currently, and this is very exciting, the employees are the largest shareholder of the firm. No one else I talked to talked about their long-term goals like this, and it’s a vision I believe in. I want to contribute to help to see it accomplished. And one day when I do retire, I want to look back and see how I contribute it to a company that I believe is going to change the direction of professional wealth management. Louis Diamond: Wow. Patrick Larkin: My partnership with Cerity Partners is going to make that a reality. It’s just an amazing place. Yeah, very happy. Louis Diamond: Honestly, you can’t fake that type of enthusiasm. It sounds like- Patrick Larkin: It’s not- Louis Diamond: … you entered into a transaction, which is it’s like jumping into the deep end. How do you sort through what’s the sales process versus what’s real? How much of this is actually going to translate to my life? But hearing you not that long after the transaction, you still feel that and it’s very cool. In the press release I read, you cited estate planning, private markets access, and cross-border planning as key reasons for the merger. Can you talk about what it was about those? Maybe- Patrick Larkin: Yeah. Louis Diamond: … anything else that was missed? Patrick Larkin: Yeah. Louis Diamond: And were those not things that you felt like you could have delivered yourself as a standalone? Patrick Larkin: I thought that they were going to help me be able to be more effective in delivering those, but they weren’t the complete picture. The capabilities that we cited in the release were genuine gaps I wanted to fill and have available for clients and be able to prospect and go after new additional clients. But being fully honest, there were also deeper drivers. One was my team. Sometimes we get emotional about this. Being someone who’s trusted is really important to me, and that’s something I hold in high priority. There are people that followed me out of Wells Fargo to join me. One of my client associates had delayed her retirement so that she could join me and help us launch for the first three months. One of my other client associates has been with me close to 15 years. These are people that trusted me to do the right thing and to make sure that I wasn’t walking them off the plank. Being able to join Cerity Partners and give them a future that didn’t hinge entirely on my personal longevity was a huge relief. And Cerity Partners is an ownership culture. I’m so happy to say today that every single individual on my team in our practice in Lansdowne is now either an equity owner in Cerity Partners or very shortly will be an equity- Louis Diamond: So cool. Patrick Larkin: … equity owner. So they have a stake as well in what they’re building. It matters. My youngest client associate noticed how much it costs to send to FedEx. And he goes, “Now that I’m an owner, maybe we should rethink about sending regular mail.” Another driver was my family. And I’ve always had the philosophy of trying to prioritize and clients first, team and colleagues, and then my family. And I’ve always made decisions that if I put those others before myself, eventually I’ll be taken care of. And going through this transaction, it was so generous to my family and provided such security. There was a little bit of guilt that, “Am I doing this for all the right reasons?” But being able to secure my family’s future, converting equity in a three-year-old RIA into a stake of a $8 billion-plus valuation with institutional backing, that was a meaningful moment and I’d be less than honest if I glossed over that. I also really wanted to be part of something larger than myself. And the opportunity to help build a legacy in this business with Cerity Partners really gives me the platform to do that. Louis Diamond: Very cool. I can tell that you’re genuine, not just because of the way you sound, the way you’re speaking, but in the very beginning of the episode, you talked about the reason you got into this business was because you thought it gave you the dual purpose of being able to help people, but also being able to enrich yourself or your family. So this answer, it comes full circle. You’re able to accomplish all these goals, which made it the right decision. And I think, look, I say to advisors all the time, “You’re allowed to be greedy, you’re allowed to be selfish as long as the clients are still in the front of your mind as the most important thing.” There’s nothing wrong with doing better for clients, building a legacy in your case, but also reaping the rewards of all your hard work and labor and also all the risks that you’ve taken over your career. I got to ask you, though, from being an employee of Wells, where you were running your team, for the most part, you can run the business within their guardrails the way you want, to then running an RIA, which is really like you’re fully in control of everything, to now being a partner, but you’re not the one who has the name on the door anymore. Patrick Larkin: Right, right. Louis Diamond: Well, how do you think about the giving up control and full ownership of your practice versus owning a very small amount of a much larger entity? Patrick Larkin: There was such continuity. Oak Hill Wealth Advisors and Cerity Partners were so philosophically aligned that I genuinely never felt like I was giving up anything that I wasn’t glad to let go. My wife joined the business shortly before I left Wells Fargo Advisors. And still to this day, on my drive home from work, I call her up and say, “You’re not going to believe this.” And it’s all a positive, good thing. So Cerity has struck the perfect balance of that autonomy and support combination that I was looking for. So I still have control and a say over the way our practice is managed. Very shortly after the merger, my supervisor came down and met me for the first time, and we went out together after the day had ended. And early in the conversation I said to him, “What can I do to make your life easier?” And he said, “Pat, what can I do to make your life easier?” And that set the tone that still exists to this day. I almost cried when he said that because that was so different than what I had experienced up to that point. So the collaboration, the way we work together, it’s just absolutely amazing. And not once for a single moment have I second-guessed my decision. And it’s really weird because I’ve now been part of this organization for nearly nine months, and there just has not been one thing that’s occurred where I said, “That’s a disappointment.” It’s just been absolutely amazing every single day. Louis Diamond: Very cool. To me, there’s different arcs of when you want to ask people the question of, “Hey, any regrets?” And usually you don’t want to ask them too soon because they’re still going through the transition and integration and growing pains. And you don’t want to ask them too far in the future because you forget about what was life before. To be this short of a duration into this new partnership and to have these feelings, that’s absolutely pretty special. I got two more questions for you, Pat, if you don’t mind. Patrick Larkin: Sure. Louis Diamond: First one, economically, to me, one of the hardest things for really any advisor to really grapple with or to fully comprehend or make their own is, “I own 100% of the equity in my business. I get to decide when I want to sell in the future. My business is growing 10% per year. I wait to sell until 10 years from now, my business is going to be much bigger and I get to keep all the cash flow. I get to make all the decisions.” That compared to the path that you took, which was take cash off the table, which everyone understands, to, “Now, I own a much smaller piece of a much larger pie.” How would you talk to someone about the financial trade-off between a hundred percent ownership in their business, full control, full discretion over everything, versus becoming a minority equity partner in a larger entity? Patrick Larkin: You have to look at the valuation of my business, again, the day that we opened our doors as Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. There was such a massive jump in the value of the business. There was not going to be an opportunity for an appreciation at that level. So then, you have to compare what the growth rate is of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors versus a Cerity Partners. And I’m not embarrassed to say that Cerity Partners is and has been growing at a much faster rate of return. The value of the equity that I have retained in Cerity Partners, my ownership stake, I fully expect by the time I transact that business as I get closer to retirement, that’s going to be worth many times more than whatever opportunity I would have had at Wells Fargo with the valuation they would have provided me. Nevermind, very important, the tax consequences of a structure like this is all the retiring advisors that I worked with were taxed at their highest marginal rate. I owned a business and we were taxed at long-term capital gains rates. A significant difference in savings in what as the owner we actually realize. So yeah, I feel very comfortable with the ownership that I have and the control and continued opportunity with the meritocracy culture to increase my share of ownership in the company. Louis Diamond: Okay, and let’s do one more question here. I’ll pick it back up. So Pat, I think it’s a really cool perspective. It’s almost do your homework, and if you find the right horse and the right jockey that can run faster than you can on your own, that the equity value will compound and grow and appreciate in a faster, more efficient way than what you’re doing on your own, which makes complete sense. It’s the ultimate trade-off. And again, it’s like jumping into the deep end. On the one hand, Oak Hill was all you, right? You control the growth, for better or worse, for the good days, the bad days, the good years, the bad years, versus now your growth is diversified amongst hundreds of partners across M&A, across different lead flow channels, et cetera. It makes complete sense. But honestly, if I were an advisor, I don’t know how I would think about it. I think it’s all just fact-and-circumstance-based on where I am in my life and who the firm is and what I’m trying to accomplish. But it’s such a cool perspective because usually the playbook that we see, which is why we did this series, is go independent and there’s a long pause until there is a realization of all the value that’s been created. So seeing you do this in a much quicker timeframe, it seems like it was the absolutely right decision. To me, it just is another path, another way that an advisor or a firm is able to think about their future. Any final advice or parting words for someone who is sitting right where you were in 2021 or 2022 thinking about making the leap? And we’ll say a transition in general, or really anything you want to share to wrap our episode here. Patrick Larkin: Thank you for having me, and this is a great question. Happy to give a thoughtful answer to it. Before I’d left Wells Fargo Advisors through the program and started Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, I had an opportunity to go through a due diligence process and make sure that this was going to be a right move for me. There was no carrot out there that was obvious. I learned after that first conversation that I had built a practice that had some value to it. I was leaving behind the security of something I knew, leaving behind a significant amount in deferred compensation, and I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision. And through that due diligence process, talked to about five other firms that had recently left Wells Fargo to join this RIA program. I asked them a lot of different questions about what their experience was. And at every point during those conversations, they all said the same thing at different points. And it sounded like this. They said, “I’m working harder than I ever have before, but I wish I had done this sooner.” So my advice to those people, do it. I know that sounds simple, but I mean it. The fear of leaving is almost always worse than the actual experience of leaving. And I understand the inertia of not leaving and the real apprehension of what was on the other side. But what I found was a version of this profession I genuinely didn’t know was possible. One where I could do things the right way on my terms for the people I care most about serving. And not every path is going to look like mine. Some advisors should go fully independent and stay there, and that can be an incredible life. But when it comes time to look for a partner, quite frankly, if Cerity Partners is not on your shortlist, you’re making a significant mistake. And I say that not to sell anything, but because I’ve lived the comparison firsthand and there’s simply nothing else like it. Louis Diamond: So Pat, it’s been really fun, but I don’t think we’ve had anyone on the eight years or so we’ve been doing this show that’s gone through this type of arc or journey that you have. One of my big takeaways or sticking points that this episode brought for me is by going independent and taking control over your future, you created complete optionality for yourself to do exactly what you wanted to do with your business, even if that was different than what you initially planned. So in your case, it was selling within three years of going independent, but by taking action, being proactive, playing some offense, you made the opportunity happen on your terms and your timeline. So this has been fun in so many different ways. I loved your comment about how when you went independent, it’s basically like the day of your IPO, the four-to-five-times increase in value versus an internal succession deal, and even just the way to think about getting equity in a larger entity versus running your own plays only. So thank you so much for doing this. This has been fun. Mindy Diamond: As a financial advisor, you hold yourself to the highest standards of integrity, honesty, and credibility. You are successful because you take your professional responsibility seriously and are dedicated to your clients. But are you living your best business life? Are your goals aligned with your firm’s or could a better option exist? Should I Stay or Should I Go? Is a book written with you in mind? It’s a self-guided journey that walks you through the key steps that we take with our advisor clients. This strategic thought process and roadmap to professional self-discovery is designed to help you ask the right questions and think critically and objectively, whether you’re considering change or not. Learn how to get your copy at diamond-consultants.com/thebook.   Build, Grow & Transact: From Breakaway to Transaction in 3 Years A conversation with Louis Diamond and Patrick Larkin, Partner & Practice Leader at Cerity Partners.      Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Build, Grow & Transact: From Breakaway to Transaction in 3 Years. It’s a conversation with Patrick Larkin, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning, data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: Ownership as a way of creating opportunities you can’t always predict. That’s exactly why we created our Build, Grow, and Transact series. Independence isn’t the end of the story. It’s often the beginning of thinking differently about enterprise value, optionality, and what comes next. Today’s guest is Patrick Larkin, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners, and formerly the founder of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. Patrick spent nearly 15 years building a successful practice at A.G. Edwards, Wachovia, and eventually Wells Fargo before launching his own independent firm in 2022. Just three years later, he merged that firm into Cerity. At first glance, that timeline might seem surprisingly short, but as you’ll hear, the merger wasn’t a change in direction. It was the result of seeing his business differently once he owned it. Yet, it’s this perspective that really brings that thought home. Patrick said the day Oak Hill launched felt like the business had gone public because overnight, what had been viewed as a book of business became an enterprise with substantially greater value, some four to five times the value of what it was worth at Wells. And that realization changed the way he invested, the way he hired, and ultimately the way he thought about the future. Pat and I also talk about something advisors don’t often discuss candidly, what life actually looks like after a merger. How much control do you give up? What changes day to day? How do you know whether you’re joining a partner or simply selling a business? Whether your long-term plan is to remain independent forever or eventually join a larger organization, Patrick’s experience is a reminder that ownership isn’t simply about control. It’s about creating optionality and putting yourself in a position where the next decision is yours to make. So let’s get to it. Patrick, thanks for coming on our show today. Patrick Larkin: Oh, my pleasure. Nice to meet you, Louis. Louis Diamond: You too. So let’s start off basically how we start every interview. Tell us about yourself, your background, and how you found your way into our industry in the first place. Patrick Larkin: Yeah, thank you for asking. I knew I always wanted to be a financial advisor. That part really wasn’t in question, but upon graduating college and being a 22-year-old, I knew that it was probably not practical to walk in and start advising people my parents’ age with their life savings. Probably wasn’t going to be a recipe for success. So I took a quick tour through the pharmaceutical industry first, which ended up being unexpectedly valuable. My employers there pushed me to think like an entrepreneur and within our territories. And honestly, that mindset never left me. It shaped how I built everything that came after. Eventually, an opportunity presented itself in Loudoun County, Virginia in Northern Virginia, and I became an FA trainee with A.G. Edwards, absolutely fantastic firm to start my career. Now, what drew me to this career was pretty simple. I felt like it was one of the professions that we had an opportunity to do so much good for others while simultaneously also doing well for yourself, and those two things aren’t in conflict. I also really loved the idea that in this profession there was no hiding. You don’t get paid to show up. You get paid for what you actually do. And perhaps for me, what was most important, I loved the weight of responsibility. I loved earning people’s trust. I loved the idea of deserving, being deserving of their trust, and being a steward of what they’ve worked a lifetime to build. I never took that lightly, and I still don’t. Louis Diamond: That’s amazing. Yeah, I mean, the number of people I’ve heard, you talked so fondly about A.G. Edwards and there’s a bunch of other firms that have since been absorbed or emerged that are like the regional firms of old. So not surprised to hear you loved it. A.G. Edwards, obviously, became Wells Fargo Advisors or was acquired or merged with Wells Fargo. So I know you’re at Wells and A.G. Edwards until 2022. So give us a quick version. How’d you build your practice from the pharma world into being in FA? Patrick Larkin: Yeah, so as I started with A.G. Edwards, I came in at really just the perfect time. It was towards the end of the financial crisis. And I built the business the old-fashioned way with a lot of cold calling and eventually did some dinner seminars, which I can tell you is a very expensive way to learn how to speak in front of a room. But I made some progress, and I was also in a great office, small enough that some of the advisors there would hand off some of the smaller accounts that they weren’t interested in working with, and got an opportunity to get a lot of reps in working with real life clients and individuals. I knew early on I didn’t have enough talent to win on talent alone, so I made up for it and compensated for that with really hard work. The real turning point came for me when A.G. Edwards was first acquired by Wachovia Securities, and that was about five years into my career. And at that point, my branch manager, who was eyeing retirement, asked me to step in as her partner, and that changed everything. We eventually moved over to a Wachovia Securities office, another really great local office in Loudoun County, Virginia. And from that office, I worked on and became a CIMA, a CFP, worked with the clients, built a business through referrals. And I found at that point in my career when I would go to a meeting with Wachovia, eventually Wells Fargo, as a young 30-year-old, I would look around the room often and realize that I was the youngest person in the room. The funny thing was 10 years later, I would go into that same room and I’d look around and I still was the youngest guy in that room. And those demographics in our industry, and when I came into our industry, ultimately led that office that I worked in with Wells Fargo Advisors, I eventually was the recipient and party to five different succession plans- Louis Diamond: Wow. Patrick Larkin: … at Wells Fargo Advisors. I hoped that I had built a reputation as somebody that these other advisors would entrust with their clients. And over that time period, really, I would say professionally, one of my accomplishments I’m most proud of is all five of those retired advisors that I used to work with, who had an opportunity to see me work with clients, all became clients of mine, I still continue to work with. And it’s professionally just one of the greatest honors that I’ve ever had. Louis Diamond: I mean, that’s a large number of advisors you helped sunset, but I would agree it’s the ultimate p

#authorsontheair #OntheairwithFlorenza #DaleBrown #TheDevilsFortress #authorinterview #Florenza_Lee #Florenza_denise_lee #Dale_Brown Author Dale Brown co-hosts On the Air with Florenza to discuss his newest book, The Devil's Fortress. He and Florenza discuss his process and little-known facts about the book, and he reveals hints regarding a possible new series. Dale experienced poor connectivity during the recording, resulting in slightly chopping audio. The information was so goooood, Florenza didn't want to lose any of the nuggets with a re-record. Thank you for listening to this very insightful exchange. The Devil's Fortress: The fourth book in the Nick Flynn series from Dale Brown and Patrick Larkin, this page-turning military thriller is perfect for fans of Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and James Bond. Nick Flynn and his Quartet Directorate special action team launched a daring, high-risk mission deep into Russia itself--a mission aimed at destroying the threat posed by Russian oligarch Pavel Voronin once and for all. Backed by Russia's autocratic president, Piotr Zhdanov, mercenary oligarch Pavel Voronin readies another deadly covert assault on the United States and its allies. Previously in the series, Nick Flynn and his team thwarted Voronin—though only at the last minute and at a high cost. However, Flynn, the daring pilot, agent Laura Van Horn, and others no longer play defense. They're coming for Voronin—determined to take the fight directly to their dangerous foe in a high-stakes, all-or-nothing strike deep into enemy territory.

#authorsontheair #OntheairwithFlorenza #DaleBrown #TheDevilsFortress #authorinterview #Florenza_Lee #Florenza_denise_lee #Dale_Brown Author Dale Brown co-hosts On the Air with Florenza to discuss his newest book, The Devil's Fortress. He and Florenza discuss his process and little-known facts about the book, and he reveals hints regarding a possible new series. Dale experienced poor connectivity during the recording, resulting in slightly chopping audio. The information was so goooood, Florenza didn't want to lose any of the nuggets with a re-record. Thank you for listening to this very insightful exchange. The Devil's Fortress: The fourth book in the Nick Flynn series from Dale Brown and Patrick Larkin, this page-turning military thriller is perfect for fans of Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and James Bond. Nick Flynn and his Quartet Directorate special action team launched a daring, high-risk mission deep into Russia itself--a mission aimed at destroying the threat posed by Russian oligarch Pavel Voronin once and for all. Backed by Russia's autocratic president, Piotr Zhdanov, mercenary oligarch Pavel Voronin readies another deadly covert assault on the United States and its allies. Previously in the series, Nick Flynn and his team thwarted Voronin—though only at the last minute and at a high cost. However, Flynn, the daring pilot, agent Laura Van Horn, and others no longer play defense. They're coming for Voronin—determined to take the fight directly to their dangerous foe in a high-stakes, all-or-nothing strike deep into enemy territory.

“I am a mildly confused individual not trying to fake like he knows what is going on, with relatively mild existential qualms, a dabbler, an aspiring jack-of-all-trades: This week's mixtape for a Monday has been put together by Mr Patrick Larkin: https://www.theransomnote.com/music/p-larkin-the-monday-is-ok-mixtape/

The story of Patrick and Elizabeth Larkin is one of two people who lived life to the full, travelling the world, and enjoying their partnership. But their death was also of their own choosing. Journalist David Orr, who wrote about his cousin and friend Patrick Larkin, and his wife, Elizabeth, in the Sunday Independent's Life magazine late last year, shares their story with the Indo Daily.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this latest episode of the Cannabis Packaged Goods Podcast, Cy Scott interviews Patrick Larkin. Patrick has over 30 years of executive leadership experience in consumer package goods companies and is responsible for driving commercial excellence, distribution, and revenue growth for the Curaleaf portfolio of brands within the United States wholesale channel. He joins Curaleaf from Laws Bourbon, an award winning distillery, headquartered in Denver, Colorado where he served as Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Before his tenure at Laws, Mr. Larkin spent 15 years as Executive Vice President of the global beverage leader VOSS Water of Norway. Prior to this, he served in multiple executive sales & marketing roles at The Manhattan Distribution Group and The Coors Brewing Company.https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-larkin-/https://curaleaf.comhttps://selectcannabis.com/cliq/

This episode of #MindsetMondays starts off with a shout-out to Lainie Rowell who is one of the authors featured in #BecauseOfATeacher and she is starting her own gratitude journey! Couros reflects on the importance of gratitude and shares a reminder from Patrick Larkin who asked his blog followers to “find one thing each day that you are grateful for that would not have been possible if we were not in these unique circumstances.” Couros shares two questions that he read in an article by Tim Denning, titled, The Most Important Way to Measure Your Day: 1. Did I learn one new thing today? 2. Did I help or inspire one person? Couros also adds a third question: 3. Did I show gratitude to someone who has had a positive impact on me? Couros encourages listeners and viewers to reflect on these three questions and share the answers with others or share using #MindsetMonday! Links: Edutopia Article: Cultivating a Culture of Authentic Gratitude - https://www.edutopia.org/article/cultivating-culture-authentic-gratitude Lainie Rowell: Instagram Gratitude Post - https://www.instagram.com/p/CUcyazZFX2T/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Is Gratitude Good for Your Health - https://www.google.com/url?q=https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_gratitude_good_for_your_health&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1633038204110000&usg=AOvVaw2gz6_x8GnT6BbqjMLk2Gk0 Patrick Larkin Blog Post: Never A Better Time To Practice #Gratitude - https://www.google.com/url?q=https://patrickmlarkin.blog/2020/03/17/never-a-better-time-to-practice-gratitude/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1633037808558000&usg=AOvVaw1B05LehfevAB3HRI2ASLns The Most Important Way to Measure Your Day - https://medium.com/the-ascent/the-most-important-way-to-measure-your-day-e43a8a042b63 Questions (PIP): What are you grateful for? How will recognizing what you are grateful for help you and help others? Did I learn one new thing today? Did I help or inspire one person? Did I show gratitude to someone who has had a positive impact on me?

Another month of amazing educators and amazing ideas shared during the #TheInnovatorsMindset Podcast! In this month's highlights, you will hear some great insights from Evan Whitehead, Ross Cooper and Erin Murphy, Ellen Linnihan, Dr. Catlin Tucker and Dr. Katie Novak, Dr. LaQuita Outlaw, Dr. Julie Warner, and Mike Mohammad! Hear their highlight clips and then check out their full episode by clicking the links below! Timecodes: 2:53 Intro Music 3:01 Evan Whitehead 6:00 Ross Cooper and Erin Murphy 11:48 Ellen Linnihan 12:40 Dr. Catlin Tucker and Dr. Katie Novak 17:40 Dr. LaQuita Outlaw 22:12 Dr. Julie Warner 25:09 Mike Mohammad 25:58 Closing Links: Never A Better Time To Practice #Gratitude by Patrick Larkin - https://patrickmlarkin.blog/2020/03/17/never-a-better-time-to-practice-gratitude/ Evan Whitehead https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HykVJruYgtc Evan Whitehead reflects on some powerful questions about learning loss and social-emotional learning in this clip of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast: Three Questions on Educators that Inspire with Evan Whitehead. Ross Cooper and Erin Murphy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f47kv44xn8&t=1s Ross Cooper and Erin Murphy share more about their new book, Project-Based Learning: Real Questions, Real Answers, in this clip of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast: A Focus On Project-Based Learning - A Convo with Ross Cooper and Erin Murphy. Hear more about how project-based learning and direct instruction can be infused. Ellen Linnihan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHqw5IS-3Vc Ellen Linnihan has some powerful advice about “marinating”. Her thoughts, as shared in this clip of the full podcast, Capturing the Classroom - A Convo with Ellen Linnihan reminds us how to sit back and think before responding or reacting. Dr. Catlin Tucker and Dr. Katie Novak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTV0jLq0DIU How do Blended Learning and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) connect? Dr. Catlin Tucker starts off this conversation with ways to overcome the "initiative overload" that happens in education. Hear from the authors of the new book, UDL and Blended Learning, Dr. Catlin Tucker and Dr. Katie Novak, as they share more about the connection between blended learning and UDL. How do we create more flexible learning experiences and how do we do that in blended learning environments? Dr. Catlin Tucker and Dr. Katie Novak answer this exact question by giving clear examples of how to identify and eliminate the barriers that our learners face. Dr. LaQuita Outlaw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdY9TE7vjX8 Dr. LaQuinta Outlaw shares what makes her school culture one where people are not only valued but also feel valued. In this clip of the full episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast, The Importance of Being Seen - A Convo with Dr. LaQuita Outlaw, Dr. Outlaw reflects on the culture that school leaders cultivate. Dr. Julie Warner https://youtu.be/E3klKxTUYrU The connection between literacy and social engagement is clear when we look at how our learners develop literacy skills. Dr. Julie Warner shares more about how she has reflected on how she learns best and what she has recognized in the learners that she is working with. Social engagement can translate to effectively teaching literacy skills in the classroom - hear more about this statement in this clip of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast: Failure Before Success - A Convo with Dr. Julie Warner on Learning from Mistakes. Mike Mohammad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7t7jQHpZ2M Hear the clip from Mike Mohammad explaining the advice that he would have appreciated taking during his first year of teaching! The Innovator's Mindset and Innovate Inside the Box can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/gcouros Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

In season 2 episode 9, we play the adventure "The Serpent Factor" from the first issue of FASA's "Stardate" magazine, published in November of 1984 and written by Patrick Larkin. 0:00:00 Listener Mailbag 0:17:27 Episode Start 0:23:51 Adventure Recap 0:55:49 Post-Recap Discussion 1:13:23 Warp Factor Scores

Welcome to RPG Pop Club! We play all the role playing game modules in each pop culture fandom and review them so you don't have to. rpgpopclub.com In season 2 episode 6, we recap and review the module "Orion Ruse," written by Patrick Larkin and published in 1984. 0:00:00 Episode Start 0:12:26 Adventure Recap 1:04:25 Post-Recap Discussion 1:48:54 Warp Factor Scores

If you are not already watching these podcasts on YouTube, this episode is a must-watch - you have to see Patrick Larkin and his awesome family dancing to one of the TikTok trends! This episode goes beyond Patrick's amazing dance moves and continues to discuss ways to find gratitude in any situation. The two reflect on a blog post that Patrick wrote during the pandemic and how the mindset of finding gratitude helps us evaluate the situation we are in. Part of evaluating our situation is also recognizing the needs of our learners - mentally, physically, and emotionally. George and Patrick talk about what they are doing to support themselves - mentally, physically, and emotionally - as well as their learners; the two share strategies that they have found that work for them as they keep a routine and help the learners they connect with. George shares a personal goal of reading more content and how he is working on both consuming and creating content; when we listen to others, we can often reflect on other ideas in order to gain more perspective. Patrick reflects on the idea of what innovation is as he looks at going beyond the technology being used and discusses how to embrace the change and model an innovative mindset by not being afraid to fail. One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that “the message matters, but how you communicate the message matters as well.” How do we bring people along with us on our journey? Three main points: -Finding gratitude in any situation -Connecting physical, mental, and emotional health to support all learners -Balancing consumption and creation of content for our learners Quotes: "We will learn a lot more if we fail than if we stay with our mundane tactics." - Patrick Larkin "Find one thing each day that you are grateful for that would not have been possible if we were not in these unique circumstances." - Patrick Larkin "The message matters, but how you communicate the message matters as well." - George Couros Links: Patrick M Larkin TikTok - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJVvB69d/ Patrick M Larkin Blog - https://patrickmlarkin.blog/ Never a Better Time to Practice Gratitude (blog by Patrick Larkin) - https://patrickmlarkin.blog/2020/03/17/never-a-better-time-to-practice-gratitude/ Permission to Feel, We Need This Book Now More Than Ever (blog by Patrick Larkin) - https://patrickmlarkin.blog/2020/04/27/permission-to-feel-we-need-this-book-now-more-than-ever/ Please share your thoughts with us on Twitter or Instagram at #InnovatorsMindset. More at georgecouros.ca George Couros on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gcouros George Couros on Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros George Couros on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/ George Couros on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519 For the full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros The Innovator's Mindset:https://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Mindset-Empower-Learning-Creativity/dp/0986155497/ref=zg_bs_69830_7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ARY8KZTA242NVFMHF9X0 Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/Innovate-Inside-Box-Empowering-Innovators/dp/1948334127/ref=zg_bs_69830_12?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=75E0ZS6R2J330FAM9Y0A

In this episode, we are proud to have Patrick Larkin, assistant superintendent, join us for a great conversation on how we can change education from within, and the importance of learning from student-voice. I hope you enjoy it!

Jeff sits down with Patrick Larkin from Burlington High School and Jessica Johnson to discuss how they use iPads and technology in their schools. Topics Covered:Starting the school year off with a bang… How to prepare for the new semester What are todays expectations for our students? Graduates? Teachers? Schools? Administrators? Using Social Media in our schools and classrooms Should Teachers blog/tweet?, Should Schools blog/tweet? How can schools develop safe methods for using Social Media in the classroom How to use todays technology to communicate with parents How to teach todays parents about what their kids are learning Safe ways to continue educating after the bell has rung How to make the most use of our iPad….. How to use the iPad to maximize productivity in yourself… and in your staff How to run a class… or school using an iPad and what apps to choose Personal Learning Networks Creating a 1:1 environment for our schools Websites and Apps Discussed: Splashtop Remote ScreenChomp Evernote Google Apps Flipboard Blogger About our Guests: Jessica Johnson is the Elementary Principal for the Dodgeland School District in Juneau, Wisconsin. She has previously served as a teacher, instructional coach, and Assistant Principal in Minnesota and Arizona. When she made the move from a large urban Phoenix school district to rural Wisconsin she found the isolation of the administrative role to be like an island. She was fortunate enough to discover twitter and continue to learn from others in her Professional Learning Network, which continues to grow each day. She has begun presenting the power of twitter to educators/administrators at conferences in Wisconsin (along with other Wisconsin principals she found on twitter). In addition she is a co-moderator for the #educoach chat on twitter. You can find her on twitter as @PrincipalJ or follow her blog at http://www.PrincipalJ.blogspot.com/ (www.PrincipalJ.blogspot.com). Patrick Larkin is the Principal of Burlington High School in Massachusetts where he is in his 14th year as a high school administrator and seventh as a building Principal. Prior to serving as a school administrator, Patrick was a high school English teacher. As an Assistant Principal, Patrick was named Assistant Principal of the Year in the state of Massachusetts. He also is a former Executive Board member in the Massachusetts Secondary Schools Administrators Association (MSSAA) and he recently completed a two year term as a member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Public Secondary Schools. Patrick's school will be making the transition to a 1:1 environment for the 2011-2012 school year. He is active presenting to colleagues on the power of social media for administrators, teachers, and students. In addition, he is an avid blogger and a proponent of social media to better engage teachers, students, and parents in the education process. Patrick is one of the founders of thehttp://bradburymusic.visibli.com/085faea64e5070d6/?web=997475&dst=http%3A//www.google.com/url%3Fq%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.connectedprincipals.com%252F%26sa%3DD%26sntz%3D1%26usg%3DAFQjCNHzEQDlEdwjJK96Tl2_0iRB_ePiUA (Connected Principals Blog) and #cpchat on Twitter. He is one of the authors of the http://bradburymusic.visibli.com/085faea64e5070d6/?web=997475&dst=http%3A//www.scribd.com/doc/45217115/Super-Book-of-Web-Tools-for-Educators (Super Book of Web Tools for Educators), an avid blogger and a proponent of social media to better engage teachers, students, and parents in the education process. Both Burlington High School and Patrick have been highlighted in national and regional publications during Patrick's tenure at BHS. http://bradburymusic.visibli.com/085faea64e5070d6/?web=5e9718&dst=http%3A//thejournal.com/articles/2011/08/25/when-students-run-the-help-desk.aspx (T.H.E. Journal – When Students Run...

Patrick Larkin http://twitter.com/patrickmlarkin joins the guys to call it Brent for his comment about the Patriots, how Burlington is using Open Education Resources to replace textbooks, and what schools should really be focusing on in this day and age.Website: http://app.zoomin.edc.org/ Twitter follow: @mlbcathedrals http://twitter.com/mlbcathedralsUpcoming event: EdCamp StLDistrict Spotlights:Council Bluffs: @slapshot99 http://twitter.com/slapshot99Lewis Central: @LCGirlsBB http://twitter.com/lcgirlsbbIndependence: @Fight4Mizzou http://twitter.com/Fight4Mizzou

The research is starting to surface about the impact of the extensive use of technology on the minds, and emotional development on teens. Find out the basics every parent needs to know. Follow: @rrlamourelle @bamradionetwork @DrLisaStrohman @patrickmlarkin #edchat #parenting Dr. Lisa Strohman is a licensed clinical psychologist focused on treating individuals, families and adolescents and the co-author of "Unplug: Raising kids in a Technology Addicted World". She is also the founder and director of Technology Wellness Center where she provides in-office treatments and online support and resources for those struggling with issues related to technology addiction and overuse. Patrick Larkin is the assistant superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts. He was recently selected as one of three national Digital Principal Award winners by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

There is much to be considered in choosing to go to college, from cost and time required, to job prospects after graduation. Tune in as we review the bases that should be covered. Follow: @patrickmlarkin @bamradionetwork.com Follow: @patrickmlarkin @bamradionetwork.com Dan Evertsz is the Founder of College Money Pros (www.collegemoneypros.com). former CEO of Bay Area College Planners located in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the author of his new e-book, "12 Insider Secrets to Pay for College". Patrick Larkin is Assistant Superintendent, Burlington MA; blog – “Learning in Burlington”

Today's kids are growing up in a very high-tech world and the implications are profound. Many parents are unaware of exactly how things have changed, why it matters or even the basics they need to know. This segment is a useful starting point. Follow: @patrickmlarkin @jpalfrey, @RRLamourelle John Palfrey is the head of Phillips Academy. He is the author Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives. Patrick Larkin is the Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts. He was recently selected as one of three national Digital Principal Award winner by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

To some, sibling rivalries is a normal, typical aspect of the family dynamic, but our guests assert that sibling aggression is a bigger problem than many parents realize. Moreover the impact of sibling aggression can extend beyond the family. Follow: @patrickmlarkin @bamradionetwork Corinna Jenkins Tucker, associate professor of family studies at the University of New Hampshire, is lead author on a new study about sibling aggression. Dr. Larry Curry is a licensed Clinical Social Worker, and a Professor at Metropolitan State College School of Social Work. Patrick Larkin is the Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts.

Education leaders need to be positive through difficult times, right? Turns out that the answer may be no. In this segment our guests explain why your "can-do" attitude can produce a can't do or won't do response from the people you lead. Elise Foster and Liz Wiseman co-authored The Multiplier Effect: Tapping the Genius Inside our Schools, Elise teaches leadership to business and educational leaders, has served as a faculty adviser and coach to students at Indiana University (Kelley School of Business) and as a management fellow at Harvard University., Liz is the President of the Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, and was a former executive at Oracle Corporation for 17 years. Susan Offutt is the Executive Director at the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership. Patrick Larkin: @patrickmlarkin, is the Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts.

Competition and academic pressures are driving many teens to take drugs they believe can enhance their mental performance. Our guests bring parents up to speed on the array of problems with this trend and why smart drugs may be a dumb choice for teens. Follow:@bamradionetwork William David Graf, M.D., FAAP, FAAN is Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Patrick Larkin is the Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts. Prior to this, Patrick served 15 years as a building level administrator at the high school level. Dr. Jann Gumbiner is a licensed psychologist specializing in child and adolescent psychology and writes a blog for Psychology Today.

MSM 249: In spite of it all, here’s a show.... Presented in collaboration with the Association for Middle Level Education. Jokes You Can Use: Eileen Award: iTunes: Twitter: Michael Smith, Todd VanHorn, Sue Waters, AJ Juliani, Shelley Burgess, Patrick Larkin, Lisa Linn, Alec Couros, Darin Jolly and Vicky Smart, Diigo: Ron King. Facebook: Kathy Rose Advisory: 7 Word Autobiographies http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/07/11/nypl-live-holdengraber-7-word-bios/ Middle School Science Minute by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com) Design Based Troubleshooting I was recently reading the March, 2013 issue of Science Scope, a magazine for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association. An article that caught my attention was: "Troubleshooting: A bridge that connects engineering design and scientific inquiry." It was written by David Crismond. This article compares classic troubleshooting versus design-based troubleshooting. The emphasis of troubleshooting is on observing, diagnosing, explaining, and fixing. Troubleshooting stands ready as a bridge that can link the practices of engineering design with those of scientific inquiry. From the Twitterverse: #mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Resources: ISTE Videos http://www.youtube.com/playlist?hl=en&gl=US&client=mv-google&list=PL6aVN_9hcQEFDH57WbT4sY8xQ6Mpp5kbO&nomobile=1 Goals http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2013/07/why-you-should-set-soft-goals-for-your.html?m=1 How to Nap http://holykaw.alltop.com/how-to-nap-effectively-infographic?tu2=1 ColAR Color in the book pages and then see them come to life as they pop out of the page as 3D models on your mobile http://colarapp.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/colar-mix/id650645305?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 RSA Videos: Sir Kenneth Robinson - How to find your element http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDhhIghXxfo Carol Dweck - How to Help Every Child Fulfil Their Potential http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyVZ0KKJuTg Web Spotlight: ISTE Follow Up Everyone loves Instagram. Pinterest is gaining popularity as a way to collect and share resources. Google Glass has the biggest “wow” factor amongst the ed tech crowd since the first iPhone. The shift from tools to best practices has made major strides (or maybe I just picked better sessions this year.) ISTE is less about technology and more about education reform, transformation, and 21st century learning. The commercialization of education is far too prominent at ISTE. My best learning still takes place in unstructured situations. We as teachers need to learn how to be learners again. Students need to hear less talking and have more time for exploration, self-directed learning, and failure. We need to take back play and bring the fun and games back to learning. Teachers don’t share their work because they don’t think they have anything remarkable to share. You and I are the change makers. http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/2013/06/big-ideas-from-iste-2013.html The world’s most famous teacher blasts school reform The most famous teacher in the world is not a fan of high-stakes standardized tests, Teach For America or the Common Core State Standards. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/07/16/the-worlds-most-famous-teacher-blasts-school-reform/?wprss=rss_education&clsrd Music that you listen to as you work: Wait, what about teachers?..... http://columnfivemedia.com/work-items/sonos-infographic-working-jams-what-music-to-listen-to-on-the-job/ Half-Baked Ideas . . . BossJock Visual Notes.

There are a number of programs that can help prepare you teen for the real world with a focus on the practical issues of growing up. Junior Achievement is one of those programs and our guests today explain the benefit of getting your teen involved. Tara Michener, Vice President of Development & Community Relations, joined Junior Achievement in 1997 as an Education Manager for Elementary School Programs for JA of Central Pennsylvania. Patrick Larkin is the newly appointed Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts and recently selected as one of three national Digital Principal Award winner by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Dr. Jann Gumbiner is a licensed psychologist specializing in child and adolescent psychology. Beginning her career as a Head Start preschool teacher and bilingual educator for Santa Ana Unified School District, she ultimately moved to higher education and author of Adolescent Assessment, and writes a blog for Psychology Today titled The Teenage Mind.

Education leaders are routinely called upon to help change the minds and feelings of students, parents, administrators, staff and peers. Changing hearts and minds is difficult. Data and logic are note enough. Our guest says that knowing how to change the story playing in the minds of others is the key to getting others to change their mental or emotional positions. Timothy D. Wilson is Sherrell J. Aston Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. He has published over 100 articles in scholarly journals, edited books, and published, Redirect: The Surprising New Science of Psychological Change. Patrick Larkin is the newly appointed Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts. He was recently selected as one of three national Digital Principal Award winner by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).