Young Advisor, Thanks for your candor. Unfortunately, the investment industry, especially if left to the devices of large firms, is firstly focused on sales - i.e. separating clients from their money by the way of fees. It's a sales industry that masquerades as a consulting industry. Imagine if accounting, law or medicine operated with the low level of accountability and educational bar that the investment industry does? How long would that last? Unfortunately, this is the industries history and it's taking a while to change (but it will change). To be fair to these salesy firms and advisors though, many truly think that they're doing a decent job for their clients. They simply don't have the knowledge base to know their strategies (high fees, low sophistication) are actually wealth destroying, rather than enhancing. Their education is so low, and they are trained predominantly by firms that are heavily biased in their investment management views (long only and always in equities), that they don't know what they don't know. And since no one has a vested interest in educating them (fund companies, PPN providers, "estate specialists, etc.) that these high fee index-like products are almost guaranteed to underperform, or that they don't need to leverage every person they meet to help them "save tax" (does that bring back memories of F55!?), they go about thinking they are adding value (high commissions also tend to damper the motivation to learn them to learn more on their own). However, it doesn’t have t be this way. There are more and more advisors that are elevating themselves to be true professionals in the investment management and wealth management businesses. My suggestion to you would be to find a position as an associate to an advisor (or within a team or practice) that you respect as a professional. It will take a little time to find these firms or advisors; but if you can in with them as an associate, you'll have a chance to learn what it is to be a true professional investment (wealth management) advisor and I think you'll rediscover the satisfaction this industry can provide (and have the pride of being good at what you do). You have the qualities that successful advisors are looking for in an associate: a passion for the industry, an ethical foundation that drives you to want to add value for the client, and a willingness to learn. Those qualities will allow you , within the right practice or firm, to excel over time...without the need to prostitute yourself to get new clients. Hope this helps and all the best. P.S. For disclosure, I am a partner in a fee-based wealth management practice in Ontario.