Small Wins, Big Growth: How 90-Day Sprints Can Transform Advisory Practices

If you’ve ever set an annual goal like grow AUM, improve client retention, launch a new service model, you may know how easy it is to start with energy and then lose steam as the months go by. Life happens. Clients call. Markets shift. Suddenly, December arrives, and those goals are still sitting on the whiteboard.

That’s why we’ve been working with advisors on a 90-Day Sprint for a strong finish to the year. It’s a framework that takes the overwhelm out of annual planning by breaking it into manageable, momentum-building steps. Advisors who’ve used this approach find it creates sharper focus, stronger execution, and measurable progress.

And here’s the beauty: 90 days is the sweet spot. It’s long enough to make meaningful progress on something substantial, but short enough that you don’t have time to procrastinate.

Step 1: Define the Goal

The magic of a sprint starts with clarity. Not three goals, not five, just one priority for the next 90 days. Maybe it’s growing AUM through client asset consolidation, hosting an educational event to build referral opportunities, or segmenting your CRM to better serve multi-generational families.

One advisor in a recent workshop shared a big initiative: onboarding Salesforce as a new CRM. We narrowed it down to something sprint-sized and measurable: “By December 31, all client onboarding workflows will be live in Salesforce, and the team will be trained to log client notes consistently.” Smaller focus, bigger impact.

Step 2: Break It into Milestones

Once the goal is set, it’s time to outline the milestones that get you there. For example, if your sprint is about increasing AUM by $10M through client asset consolidation your milestones could be:

• Identify which clients have outside accounts such as 401Ks
• Create messaging that positions rollovers as potential way to take risk off the table
• Schedule client meetings with the right materials (check out Beacon’s new portfolio explainers to help)
• Track results and adjust strategy

Suddenly, the big picture feels doable.

Step 3: Commit to Weekly Actions

Progress happens in the small, consistent steps. Choose weekly actions that build momentum, for example:

• Calling three consolidation prospects every Thursday afternoon
• Blocking time for pipeline review on Monday mornings
• Following up with every prospect within 24 hours of a meeting

Consistency compounds.

Step 4: Track Metrics & Anticipate Obstacles

Define simple metrics such as the number of meetings, assets consolidated, workflows completed and anticipate the roadblocks that may slow progress.

A Typical obstacle is “I don’t have enough time.” The fix? Time-blocking. One advisor in our workshop blocks three hours every other Friday for deep work on processes, and the payoff has been huge. Another common obstacle: team members unclear on priorities. The fix? Share your sprint goal in weekly meetings and track progress openly.

Step 5: Build Accountability

Accountability drives execution. During the workshop, we encouraged advisors to sign their sprint plan, share it with a peer, or simply speak the goal out loud. These simple actions increase the likelihood you’ll follow through.

And accountability doesn’t have to be complicated. It might be a colleague, a study group, or your business coach on a check-in call. The point is, don’t go it alone.

Step 6: Wrap Up & Reset

At the end of 90 days, it’s time to pause and reflect. What worked? What didn’t? What lessons will carry into the next sprint?

The goal isn’t perfection, it’s progress. Every sprint creates momentum. And when you stack enough of them together, that’s when the real transformation happens.

Or as I said to our workshop group: One goal. One plan. One quarter. That’s the formula.

Use the 90-Day Sprint Template

If you want to put this framework into action right away, we’ve created a 90-Day Sprint Template you can use with your team. It’s a simple, two-page guide that helps you:

• Define a single, high-impact goal
• Break it into milestones and weekly actions
• Track metrics and obstacles
• Build in accountability with check-ins and signatures

Download your copy here.

🎵 Song of the Month
Each month, we’ll highlight a song that captures the spirit of the blog’s message. This is our second Song of the Month, part of a new tradition we started to bring a little energy, fun, and inspiration into these posts.

This Month’s Pick: “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen
Why? Because 90-day sprints are about energy, focus, and unstoppable progress. It’s the perfect anthem for turning plans into action.

P.S. Stack enough 90-day sprints together, and you’ll be celebrating wins of your own—because in the end, “We Are the Champions.”

Have a song suggestion or a favorite track you think fits? Reach out to me on LinkedIn, I’d love to hear your thoughts and swap recommendations.

FOR ADVISOR USE ONLY. NOT INTENDED FOR CONSUMER SOLICITATION PURPOSES.

Beacon Capital Management, Inc. is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additional information about Beacon Capital Management is also available on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov under CRD number 120641. Beacon Capital Management only transacts business in states where it is properly registered or excluded or exempted from registration requirements.

Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments or investment strategies.

Sammons Financial^® is the marketing name for Sammons^® Financial Group, Inc.’s member companies, including Beacon Capital Management^SM. 

NJS – 10.09.2025