The registered investment advisor space just got a new player, and this one’s bringing some serious family office pedigree to the table.
Levi Pettit, CFA, CFP, has officially launched Dornick Wealth Management after wrapping up his MBA at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. What makes this launch interesting isn’t just another advisor hanging out a shingle—it’s the intentional way Pettit is structuring his practice to challenge some deeply entrenched industry norms.
The most notable aspect of Pettit’s approach: he’s capping his advisors at 50 client households maximum. In an industry where bigger often means better (at least from a revenue perspective), this feels refreshingly contrarian.
“We never want any advisor to be managing more than 45 clients or households,” Pettit says. “We believe that right there is a strong number for every client, every household to get the attention that they deserve.”
The math here is compelling. Most wirehouses push advisors toward 200+ client relationships. The result? Clients get the annual review treatment and maybe a few check-ins when markets get volatile. Pettit’s betting that wealthy clients will pay for genuine accessibility.
What gives Pettit credibility in this space is his background managing private equity and venture capital investments at a family office. That’s not your typical advisor resume. This experience shows up in how Dornick approaches client service. The firm isn’t just doing traditional stock-and-bond portfolios. They’re prepared to evaluate private deals, venture opportunities, and commercial real estate investments that clients might encounter through their networks.
“Working at a family office, you really get to have a front row seat to high-net-worth individuals,” he explains. “How they view their finances, their portfolios, their priorities in life—that was an extremely invaluable experience.”
The Trust-First Business Model
The most interesting aspect from a business model perspective is that Dornick provides comprehensive financial planning at no charge before clients transfer any assets. This flips the typical advisor acquisition model on its head. Instead of pitching performance and hoping for asset transfers, Pettit is essentially saying: “Let the firm prove value first, then discuss managing money.”
“We don’t charge a fee for the upfront financial plan,” Pettit says. “Our clients won’t actually move their assets until they’ve seen the financial plan that we’ve put in place.”
It’s a bold move that could differentiate Dornick in a crowded market, but it also requires significant upfront investment in prospects who might not convert. Most advisors can’t afford to spend weeks developing comprehensive plans for prospects who might walk away. Pettit’s background and confidence in his process suggest he believes the conversion rates will justify the approach.
The former collegiate athlete brings discipline from his time as a two-time Academic All-America Scholar and captain of the University of Texas at Dallas golf team. That process-over-results mindset appears central to how he’s approaching client relationships at Dornick.
“The most fun part about golf wasn’t going and playing in these tournaments and winning tournaments,” he reflects. “The most fun part was the work and the preparation to get to game day.”
Will This Model Actually Work?
The timing for this launch appears strategic. There’s increased demand for personalized financial services as wealth continues to concentrate among high-net-worth individuals. At the same time, younger wealthy clients are increasingly skeptical of traditional financial institutions.
Pettit seems positioned to capture both trends. His approach appeals to clients who want institutional-quality investment management without the bureaucracy of large firms. But the constraints he’s built into his business—limited client counts, extensive upfront planning, comprehensive service—create natural growth limitations.
They also create potential for premium pricing and strong client retention, which matters more in a boutique model. For an industry often criticized for prioritizing advisor interests over client outcomes, Pettit’s approach represents a bet on the opposite direction.
Whether that translates to sustainable business success remains to be seen, but given the growing dissatisfaction with traditional wealth management models, Dornick’s approach is worth watching closely.