When a new family begins working with us, we know that the first stage of onboarding sets the tone for everything that follows. It’s not just about transferring data it’s about building trust, creating clarity, and laying the groundwork for a long-term partnership. At this beginning stage, we will be turning complexity into something manageable, and stress into structure.
Starting with Clarity and Connection
Our first priority is to “sit down” with the family and walk through how we can working together. These initial meetings help give us a chance to understand the current structure, priorities, and pain points. From there we can outline a roadmap for what would come next. We create user accounts in our systems, install Google Drive on their desktops, and set up a shared folder system that could scale with the family. Next we are onboarded onto Addepar so the key stakeholders can begin seeing portfolio data come together in one place.
We ensure that we are aligned on engagement expectations so we can book our next set of working sessions. Setting that rhythm early on ensures that everyone remains in sync and moving forward together.
Building the Digital Foundation
Next, we start cleaning up the historical data. If a family has been using a legacy accounting system, we can export trial balances and transaction details going back several years. We can work with our accounting partners to review the entries and import them into QuickBooks Online. This gives us a clean, cloud-based system to manage activity moving forward.
We can also scan and upload tax returns (if not available online already), both personal and corporate, dating back several years. Everything was filed in the shared drive, organized by year and entity. For the first time, all records were in one place.
Connecting with Advisors and Institutions
The family introduced us to their banking and investment teams. With their help, we can begin setting up direct statement flows from institutions like brokerages and custodians. This step is essential as it reduces the family’s administrative load and ensures our reports stay current.
We can also coordinate with the accounting partner to complete CRA and other portal authorization, allowing us to access the business account and manage filings on their behalf. No more waiting on logins or missing documents.
Transitioning to Real-Time Reporting
With the systems in place, we can begin backfilling data into Addepar. We start with one of the investment entities and uploaded portfolio data from TD Wealth and CIBC Wood Gundy. Not all data was available right away and so we are still waiting on some chequing accounts but the structure was now live, and reports were beginning to take shape.
Even partial visibility helps. It gives families a sense of progress, and it sets the stage for more meaningful conversations about strategy, performance, and priorities. Reporting isn’t just an output, it’s the foundation that lets us see clearly into what’s working, what needs attention, and where we can go next.
Where We Landed
Stage 1 isn’t about bells and whistles, it’s about building a strong foundation. By the time we wrapped up this phase, the family has a digital infrastructure that works, secure access to all major accounts, and a trusted team coordinating their financial picture.
From here, we’ll move into Stage 2: refining reporting, aligning investment portfolio with their goals, and supporting deeper strategic decisions. But it all starts here with structure, access, and momentum.
