Your Messaging is Broken: Allen Darby from Alaris Acquisitions
Your Messaging is Broken: Allen Darby from Alaris Acquisitions  
Podcast: AI for Advisors
Published On: Thu May 14 2026
Description: In this episode of AI for Advisors, Mark and James sit down with Allen Darby, Founder and CEO of Alaris Acquisitions, to discuss how AI is beginning to reshape the future of RIAs, M&A, and wealth management operations.Allen shares insights from years of advising RIA transactions, including how buyers evaluate firms, why cultural fit matters more than price alone, and how AI could eventually impact valuations, staffing, growth, and advisor-client relationships.The conversation also explores the rise of AI note takers, automation in advisory workflows, and whether AI-powered firms could eventually command a premium in the market.What we cover:• The state of RIA M&A today• Why younger advisors are selling earlier• How Alaris uses AI for buyer-seller matching• The role of culture and compatibility in acquisitions• AI’s impact on advisor operations and staffing• Whether AI-ready firms could command higher valuations• The future of advisor-client relationships in an AI worldLearn more about Alaris Acquisitions:https://www.alarisacquisitions.com