With nearly four decades in financial services, Brian Breneman has seen what works and what doesn’t when it comes to recruiting, coaching and building strong teams. As Managing Director at 1847Financial’s Conshohocken/Philadelphia and Boca Raton/Coral Gables headquarters, Brian has helped lead one of the company’s largest firms by staying true to one principle: do what you say you’re going to do.

We sat down with Brian to talk about his path into the industry, what matters most to advisors making a move and what makes 1847Financial different.

Q: How did you get started in financial services?
I started in 1987 as a financial professional at MetLife. A college friend I played football with kept encouraging me to talk to his manager and eventually I made the move from pharmaceuticals to financial services. Two years in, I became a manager and later a regional vice president. At the time, I was the youngest person in that role in MetLife’s history.

Q: What do you think has helped you succeed as a recruiter?
Listening. I’ve always started conversations by asking advisors to tell me their story about their practice, goals and challenges. From there, I focus on finding common ground and building trust. I follow up consistently and follow through on what I say I’ll do. That’s how relationships are built.

Q: What makes your firm stand out to financial professionals?
We offer strong local support to help financial professionals scale. Our practice development, case design and transition coaching are practical resources advisors use to build and grow. Teaming is another focus. Many of our financial professionals have scaled their practices by forming teams and leveraging the support around them.

Q: What kind of advisor is a good fit for your firm?
We’re a fit for a holistic planner who leads with protection, values local resources, culture and relationships and wants to grow with the support of a team. Our compensation is competitive, but advisors who thrive here are focused on building something lasting with the resources around them.

Q: Can you share a success story that stands out?
One early transition helped put us on the map. We brought in a two-person team from a competitor and helped them grow into a larger team that’s still thriving today. They used everything we had available, from coaching and marketing to strategic alliances with CPAs and P&C firms. That growth sparked the creation of an additional team who is also seeing tremendous success.

Q: What mistakes do financial professionals sometimes make when switching firms?
They underestimate how hard transition really is. It’s not just about transferring accounts. It’s about rebuilding relationships, systems and credibility in a new environment. Some also focus too much on transition compensation instead of thinking about the kind of support they’ll need for the next 10 or 20 years.

Q: Any advice for someone considering a move?
Vet the local support. Don’t just look at the pitch. Get to know the people you’ll be working with. Will they actually help you grow? Have they supported others before? That matters more than what’s promised in a presentation or on a website.

Q: What keeps you motivated after all these years?
Seeing advisors succeed. Attracting someone to the firm and then watching them grow and take on leadership roles is still the most rewarding part of my work.

Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I’m a big sports fan. All three of our kids played Division I athletics, so for more than a decade we spent our fall weekends traveling to college games. These days I enjoy watching college football, especially Penn State, and I’ve recently gotten back into golf after a long break. Most of my free time goes to family, sports and travel.

Connect with Brian
You can reach Brian directly on LinkedIn.

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