Brian Sly and Company

The firm provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to individual clients (including high net worth individuals), retirement plans, foundations, and certain institutional clients. Substantially all clients participate in SEI Asset Allocation Model Portfolio services and the firm advises on a range of assets including mutual funds, individual securities, and third‑party investment managers.

The firm’s investment approach emphasizes asset allocation grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory implemented largely through SEI model portfolios, with regular (typically quarterly) performance reviews and client contact by phone or email. It does not accept discretionary authority for client accounts and operates on a predominantly non‑discretionary basis, recommending managers and strategies while clients retain final trading decisions.

Noteworthy features disclosed in the brochure include historical disciplinary events from the 1990s (three trading complaints and an NYSE stipulation that resulted in a censure and short-term association bar), and arrangements involving performance‑based compensation at the third‑party manager level as well as referral fees that the firm or its owner may receive when clients invest with recommended managers. The firm also discloses substantial personal trading and investments by its owner in many recommended managers and a small client base with all managed assets reported as non‑discretionary, which are less common characteristics among peer independent advisors.