Two executives at Ritholtz Wealth Management, a registered investment advisor with $5 billion in client assets, have launched Exhibit A, a platform that provides financial advisors with visually compelling charts and context.
Michael Batnick, managing partner and director of research at RWM, is leading the venture as CEO. Matt Cerminaro, a research associate at RWM who has been dubbed ‘chart kid,’ is chief product officer of Exhibit A. They’ve hired Eric Diviney, a former software engineering manager at Dialexa, as chief technology officer, and Aram Festekjian, a co-founder of Edgeful, as chief design officer.
“When an advisor is talking to a prospective client, and ostensibly they’re using some kind of marketing/client communication materials, oftentimes the client is not hearing half of what you say. But they’re looking at what you’re showing them, and it is making them feel a certain way,” Batnick said. “What you show somebody is more important than what you’re telling them. Because again, they’re looking, not listening.”
Over the years, Ritholtz has become well-known for its content, including the use of charts across its blogs, podcasts and social media platforms. But the charts were difficult to create. Batnick said the idea for Exhibit A came about after receiving the RIA’s client deck back from a regulatory audit. The charts all had different color schemes and fonts, and there was no continuity. He felt it was time to put more effort into Ritholtz charts so that they looked professional and clean.
Two days later, he got an email from Cerminaro, a fan of RWM. He quickly came on board to help the firm create more visually compelling client decks for internal use. However, they also saw a need for such charts in the wider wealth management community.
“Over the years, we’ve had so many advisors reach out and say, ‘How do I get these charts?’ Or ‘What are you guys using to build these charts?’” Batnick said. “It’s for advisors to communicate with prospective clients, ‘These are our core beliefs. This is how we believe markets function, and ultimately, this is how we think you should be invested.’”
An example of an Exhibit A chart.
Firms can get access to the charts platform for $299 per seat per month. Exhibit A also offers firmwide and enterprise pricing options.
The platform features pre-built decks covering market volatility, U.S. market performance, historical bull and bear markets and earnings trends. It also offers customizable client presentations with talking points, historical context and educational insights. The market data is updated daily, while the economic data is updated monthly. The data is sourced from FactSet and various public government databases.
The decks are white-labeled; the advisor uploads their headshot, logo and compliance language so that their brand gets displayed on the charts.
Batnick said this tool will save advisors time, especially during periods of increased volatility, such as the one currently roiling markets.
“I know that I have to pick up the phone and call these 11 clients because they tend to get skittish,” he said. “If there was a way—and now there is—where I have a guide to bear markets, and I could show them charts in three seconds and send an email to these 11 clients, ‘Hey, here’s what’s going on, happy to talk if you need me.’ I can’t tell you how much time that would save the advisor.”
