Aaron Klein on the Genesis of Nitrogen and the Power of Growth Platforms

After 12 years at the helm of Riskalyze, Aaron Klein is tackling new adventures as the CEO of recently rebranded Nitrogen, a comprehensive growth platform for financial advisors. 

One topic that’s taken the wealth management world by storm in 2023?

The Nitrogen rebrand, announced by CEO Aaron Klein (and a throng of industry icon cameos) during a live launch back in early May. With a bold, new name and that striking purple hue, the rebrand marks a shift in focus for the company. 

In this episode of On the Circuit, Klein catches up with Three Crowns CEO Johnny Sandquist at the Wealth Management Edge Conference to share insights about the journey to Nitrogen, as well as the future of the growth platform. 

“When ‘Nitrogen’ came up on the screen, we just kind of felt like we had to have it,” Klein says. “Nitrogen is the essential element for growth in our universe. It’s a catalyst. It’s a force multiplier. And that is what we are for wealth management firms.”

“Nitrogen” also felt like a great fit for his internal company culture, especially since the company has dozens of employees working all the way in Poland.

Later in the episode, Klein discusses what he says as a major hurdle for many financial firms, which is a lack of a consistent growth process. 

“Nothing drives a consistent process like great technology,” Klein explains. “That’s why we believe a purpose-built growth platform has got to sit at the heart of every wealth management firm.”

Click “play” above to listen to the full episode (including a few names Nitrogen ended up beating out in the rebrand process!). And if you want to learn more about industry movers and shakers, be sure to check out our other On the Circuit episodes. 

Key Takeaways

1. The Nitrogen revamp was born from a need to better align their brand with evolving client needs and company direction – namely, a focus on fueling growth for advisors.
2. Cultural alignment is crucial when scaling your team, a lesson Aaron Klein learned from hands-on experience leading his company.
3. Purpose-built growth platforms lead to sustainable and scalable expansion for wealth management firms.

Key Timestamps and Topics

• 00:00:27 – Aaron Klein’s company wanted a name that better aligned with their growth platform and wouldn’t limit their potential in the future.
• 00:02:06 – Klein shares about the process of choosing the name Nitrogen and how they worked with a branding firm to come up with 40 different options. The name Nitrogen represents growth and serves as a catalyst for wealth management firms.
• 00:07:06 – Nitrogen is not just a wealth tech category, but a comprehensive growth platform that combines sales enablement and client success tools to help wealth management firms acquire and retain clients effectively.
• 00:13:13 – Klein discusses the importance of hiring people who are aligned with company values and shares the concept of the “veto interview”. 
• 00:15:49 – Klein realized he needed to replace the previously abolished hiring process, which is now cross-functional to ensure a diverse perspective.
• 00:18:59 – Sandquist and Klein discuss the importance of having a consistent growth process for advisory firms. 

Relevant Links

• Download our free ebook, The Advisor’s Guide to Starting a Podcast
• Connect with a member of our podcasting team
• Learn more about starting your own podcast

About Three Crowns

Three Crowns is a full-service marketing partner, providing the financial industry with high quality custom blogs, website design, branding, podcast production and more. We help financial advisors and fintech companies find their message and amplify their voice. From strategy to click-worthy content, to SEO optimization and social media promotion, our team is ready to help you feel confident in your communication. Click here to connect with a member of the Three Crowns team today.