Putting Clients First - Always! Financial advisors often talk about putting clients first, but what does that really mean? First of all, the term "financial advisor" can be used by a wide variety of professionals - ranging from insurance agents to investment advisors. The main difference between many professionals is the way they are compensated. Older firms tended to pay their employees by he amount of "production" they provided by selling products such as life insurance, variable annuities, and mutual funds. Investment advisory firms practices tend to pay their employees based on the level of assets they manage for their clients. Some innovative firms are pricing their services similar to other home accounts - with a monthly subscription plan. The reason why it matters which way a financial advisor is paid is because it makes a HUGE difference in their incentives to help their clients. Here is a personal story. Running a small business is difficult (in the best of