An LPL Journey: Building a Successful Financial Practice Amid Market Uncertainty

Many would agree that if we’ve learned anything at all in the last three years, it’s that change is the only constant. We live in unpredictable times. For financial professionals, it’s becoming increasingly vital to surround themselves with extra layers of support to help navigate through the markets.

LPL Financial recently sat down with Ken South, founder of Tower 68 Financial Advisors, who grew up in Newport Beach, California, and spent most of his childhood near the oceanfront waters. At 16, he became a lifeguard, building up undeniable skills for recognizing when a human’s safety is compromised and needs to be carried to safety.

For the past 36 years, that same exacting vigilance has helped him build a successful financial practice with the mission of helping his clients stay afloat – and thrive while they’re at it. 

Partnering with LPL to make a dream come true

In 2021, South had a new vision – he wanted more independence. After approaching Steve Arcos, a trusted colleague, the two set out to make their dream a reality. Tower 68 Financial Advisors is a catchy play on words for the old lifeguard tower that was a dominant part of South’s scenic view as a child. 

“Tower 68 is where it all started,” explained South. “It reminds me that instead of keeping beachgoers out of harm’s way, now my mission is to help my clients stay out of harm’s way and thrive financially.”

Ultimately, South wanted to create a practice that would fuse education, financial planning, and portfolio management to help clients pursue their goals. To make it happen, they enlisted the help of LPL’s Strategic Wealth Services to carry some of the load (i.e., lease negotiation, infrastructure, IT setup, etc.) through hands-on business services and seamless support.

“We opened more new accounts and brought in more assets faster than any other team that has come on at this level to LPL, which is a testament to our internal team as well as our Strategic Wealth Services onboarding group,” says South.

Arcos agrees with Tower 68’s success tied to the Strategic Wealth Services offering. “It keeps getting better and easier to function. I can’t really understand why everyone’s not considering Strategic Wealth Services.”

Now a year into their independence journey, learn how Strategic Wealth Services helped Tower 68 move into auto-pilot so they could grow their business and continue to help clients navigate financial currents.