CLIENT INTAKE QUESTIONNAIRE

CLIENT INTAKE QUESTIONNAIRE
First, thank you for putting your trust in Sisu Partners. We are excited you have chosen to assess your firm's market position to expand your assets under management (AUM) into the institutional multiemployer business segment. While our program focuses on multiemployer or Taft-Hartley plans, many of the required resources can be applied to public, endowments, and other institutional investment funds.

Throughout your evaluation process, there are lots of moving pieces and decisions. There are a few non-negotiable barriers to entry and costs associated with consideration for an institutional launch. Our Multiemployer Strategy Blueprint will serve as a guide to evaluating these costs and creating an effective and timely launch of your firm's investment product(s). This program will help your firm evaluate your internal return on investment (ROI) if you launch a dedicated multiemployer benefit funds client development strategy.

Business strategies are like taking an epic vacation. You don't just jump on a plane and take off - you plan the trip first. Like a trip, you start by researching possible vacation spots that fit your budget. Let this process be the first step on an epic and potentially firm-defining journey.

Let's get started!
Getting Started
Now the work begins.

We know your team is busy running your day-to-day business, so we've laid out a step-by-step plan to assist you as you answer the intake questionnaire. We have grouped questions and suggested who on your team is likely best equipped to provide these answers. We recommend setting timers to ensure you don't procrastinate. Also, a time-saving hack is to audio or video record your answers. We are happy to transcribe your responses. Lastly, we have gathered several resources to help team members answer the questions. These resources include audio tutorials and sample answers.
The Idea/Goal Phase
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

—Napoleon Hill
Mindset
Launching a multiemployer benefit funds investment product is a marathon, not a sprint. If you establish an institutional business segment, you must understand it is a long game. Entering the institutional market is not a quick asset grab strategy, but if you stay with it, you will become a trusted provider. Institutional asset sizes are on average $25M+ depending on your product. The business is sticky, and your firm can potentially enjoy these relationships for years to come.

To set your firm up for success on this multiemployer business launch,

it's essential that you:

1. Prepare mentally for what's ahead

2. Commit fully to the journey
The Why
Ideally this section is completed by the firm’s CEO or Managing Partner.

If you haven't seen it before answering these questions, watch the video below. Many firms are content to have a $1B to $2B in AUM, but if you are considering an institutional launch, then we know you have bigger AUM goals. So, we promise these are not trick questions. As you and your partners or stakeholders evaluate a potential launch into the multiemployer and institutional markets, your firm's WHY will be critical for preparing you and your team. There will be rough spots, frustrations, slow progress, and long sales cycles to your AUM goals. Your WHY will keep you motivated and focused.
Youtube
Set a timer for 15 minutes (click here for an online timer)
What is your personal reason for wanting to grow your firm's assets under management?
As a leader in your investment firm, what is the firm's WHY for wanting to grow assets under management?
About the Firm, Business Goals, & Expectations

Ideally this section is completed by the firm’s CEO or Managing Partner.
Set a timer for 15 minutes (click here for an online timer)
Your Firm
Tell us as much as you can about your firm. What is your firm's story?
What has been the key to firm's current level of success?
What is the firm's core business?
Do you have a flagship product? Please provide your elevator pitch.
Do you have any union or public fund clients currently? If so, please provide how many, assets sizes, and associated trades.
If you have a union or public fund client(s), who are their investment consultants?
Does your firm have any other significant investment consultant relationships? If so, please provide the name of the firm(s) and lead consultants.
What is the asset size of your largest client?
Business Goals
Set a timer for 40 minutes. (click here for an online timer)
What do you believe differentiates your firm from other competitors?
When I think of the firm's current commitments on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the lowest priority commitment and 10 being the highest), launching an institutional sales effort gets a score of:
What big-picture business growth goals do you have for your investment firm?
Briefly share the firm's goals. Where do you see the firm in:

1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
What is your AUM goal?
What is your current AUM?
What keeps you up at night regarding the firm's growth strategy?
What are your desired outcomes from participating in this program?
Identifying Firm Strengths & Processes

The ideal team member for this section is the CEO, ManagingPartner, or Head of Sales.
Set a timer for 30 minutes (click here for an online timer)
Explain what role your firm's product(s) fill in a diversified portfolio.
What problem can your product solve for the investment consultant as they seek investment options for their client's portfolios?
List the outcomes your product helps achieve.
Who is your ideal client?
Do you have a dedicated multiemployer salesperson, or is there a sales team member that will take on this role?
How do you feel about your sales efforts related to the multiemployer pension fund segment?
Investment Process

The recommended team member to complete this section is the Product Portfolio Manager or an analyst from the investment committee.
Set a timer for 40 minutes (click here for an online timer)
Please describe in as much detail as possible the investment process for your flagship product.
What resources do you utilize to make your investment decisions? Check all that apply and specify sources where available.

Internet or specific sitesPeriodicals/WhitepapersResearch ToolsThird-Party Analysis ToolsIndustry ExpertsSources:
Do you do Company due diligence visits? If so, how often?
Do you have any specific quantitative minimums or ranges of acceptability you impose when initially evaluating a company or investment thesis? These can be Balance Sheet, P/E, ROI, etc.
Do you have any position size guardrails?
What are your maximum cash limits?
List and summarize significant wins or case studies from an executed investment thesis. Ideally, one that shows the completed exit and hasa documented ROI.
Please explain your fee structure.
Does the investment team create macro market commentary orwhitepapers?
Marketing & Client Services

The recommended team member to complete this section is the Head of Client Services or Head of Marketing.
Set a timer for 45 minutes (click here for an online timer)
Please describe any client onboarding documents. Provide them in the next step.
Please provide any client onboarding documents.

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Please list any investment database you regularly use and report to. Some examples of investment databases are Evestment, Callan, Mercer,FIS, Money Manager Review, Morning Star, and Wilshire.
Do you create any proprietary market commentary and/or client newsletter?
Attachments:

Current monthly client reporting –please provide a sample (not looking for flagship product reporting)Current marketing pitch bookCurrent investment process statementFirm Newsletter – please note distribution frequency.Any market or product whitepapers.Please either provide me with your database narratives or alternatively, view access to all database sites and actual product AUM vs firm AUMIf available, a completed RFP.Links to any podcasts or webinars of importance.Please provide a report showing flagship product AUM and firm AUM.Please either provide me with your database narratives or view access to at least one database reporting site.
Upload any attachments from above question.

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Please list any eVestment or other investment database you regularly use and report to.
Systems

The recommended team member to complete this section is the Head of Client Service or COO.
Set a timer for 60 minutes (click here for an online timer)
What client portal technology does your firm utilize?
What system do you use to generate client performance reports?
Do you use a CRM? If yes, please specify.
If you do use a CRM, what do you use it for (check all that apply):

Ability to send bulk emailsMonthly ReportingNewslettersWhitepapersEnhance team communicationEvent Calendars (expense tracking system)
Do you use a Project/Task management system? If yes, please specify.
If you do use a Project/Task management system, what do you use it for (check all that apply):

Producing monthly/quarterly reportsTemplate can be used and can be mostly automated with proper system in place (should be somewhat push-button)Producing monthly or quarterly contentEvent contribution systemRFP submission SOP (Maintain RFP Database)WebsiteClient Portal
Do you use a financial technology infrastructure system that can be expanded to include additional functionality? In other words, please provide a list of all current systems used to ensure we are maximizing their efficiency and reducing any redundancies.
What benchmark licenses do you currently own?
Have you ever had your data reviewed against your marketing materials to ensure that professional lingo truly is reflected in your process?

YesNo
Do you do internal data audits of the investment databases to ensure data is reflected correctly?

YesNo
If you answered "Yes" to the above question, how often are these audits performed?
Credibility
List any awards or larger client testimonials you may have.
Should be Empty:

CLIENT INTAKE QUESTIONNAIRE

Getting Started

The Idea/Goal Phase

Mindset

The Why

About the Firm, Business Goals, & Expectations

Your Firm

Business Goals

Identifying Firm Strengths & Processes

Investment Process

Marketing & Client Services

Systems

Credibility