What Got Us Here Won’t Get Us There: Why Successful Companies Need to Rise to the Moment

Many of you may not know this, but I’ve been an avid rock music fan and guitar player since my teens. I still believe that some of the best rock lyrics cut through the noise and capture something we often can’t put into words. Coming up on my almost one-year tenure at AssetMark, this lyric from the Foo Fighters’ Times Like These’ struck a chord with me:

“I’m a new day rising, I’m a brand-new sky to hang the stars upon tonight.”

This line stuck with me, not just for its optimism but also for its challenge. It reminds us that even after success, we don’t get to stand still. We need to find brand new skies to soar through, keep reinventing every day, and carve out space for what comes next. That’s what great companies do. They don’t wait for change to happen; they shape it.

When I stepped into the role of Chairman and Group CEO, I joined a company with a strong foundation, built on decades of trusted advisor relationships, platform innovation, great people and steady growth. But, as we know, even the most successful models need to evolve for the business to stay relevant. As I like to tell my executive team, what got us here won’t get us there.

At AssetMark, we’re at an important inflection moment—not just as a company, but as a leading player in our industry. It’s becoming clearer every day that the pace of change is accelerating. From technology to investor expectations and advisor needs, we’re entering a new era. And we have a choice: evolve intentionally or risk becoming irrelevant.

Over the last year, we’ve made some key moves—not because we’re reacting to market noise, but because we see what’s coming and we’re planning for it. Our leadership team has aligned around one clear purpose: to better serve advisors by building a platform and solutions that are dynamic and future-ready:

1)      This starts by removing friction and unlocking speed. We’ve realigned our teams to drive execution faster, streamlining how we operate internally so we can keep delivering exceptional service to our advisors. Not with more process, but with more purpose. Advisors don’t need more complexity; they need clarity and a partner who’s thinking three steps ahead.

2)      We’ve also expanded our product vision in key areas like private markets, enhanced personalization capabilities, and advanced planning, because we know that access to differentiated opportunities is no longer a “nice to have”—it’s a competitive edge.

3)      And we’re modernizing our technology approach, investing in talent and tools that will allow us to innovate, build, and scale smarter - not just bigger.

All of this comes back to one thing: helping our advisors grow and succeed. Not just by providing solutions, but by anticipating what they'll need before they ask. That’s how we add value, earn trust, and stay ahead in an industry where change is the only constant.

If we’re serious about supporting advisors in times like these, we must be just as serious about challenging ourselves to think differently, act boldly, and move with intent towards the future.

As I reflect on what I’ve learned, I'm proud of the progress we’ve made so far, and I’m even more energized by what’s ahead. This moment isn’t just about change; it’s about leadership and setting an already successful company on a course to continue thriving no matter what the future holds. I’m a big believer that the decisions we make now will define how well we serve our advisors for years to come.

Growth isn’t guaranteed. Relevance isn’t permanent. But both are possible, if we’re willing to rise to the challenge of a new day.

Lou Maiuri Chairman & Group CEO, AssetMark