Why He Left Northwestern Mutual To Start His Own Firm

I talked to Chris Haigh, co-founder of Iconoclastic Capital.

He started at Northwestern Mutual fresh out of college.

Selling life insurance to anyone who would take a meeting.

No safety net. No rich uncle. Just a mechanic’s son grinding his way through a broken system.

He hit the top 10 producers in the country. Then spent years stuck in the captive model.

Hidden fees. Moving goalposts. Compliance headaches.

Until he walked away.

In 2020, he left NWM and launched his own RIA.

Forty clients followed.

Now? Over $60M in AUM.

All organic. No cold calls. No begging for referrals.

The secret? Treat every client like they work with you, not the logo on the door. 

Build trust. Deliver custom advice. Charge for real planning.

We covered: 

• How to survive and escape the captive insurance world 

• The strategy Chris used to bring his best clients with him 

• Lessons from starting an RIA mid-pandemic 

• Why custom planning beats one-size-fits-all 

• Growing an advisory firm 100% organically

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Advisor Freedom is the podcast for financial advisors who want to learn what it really takes to build a thriving advisory career & what wealthy clients are actually doing with their money.

Hosted by Conner Young, who launched his own independent RIA firm in 2021, the show shares real stories from advisors who’ve broken away, built their books from scratch, and refined their client service models through experience.

Each episode dives into how advisors got started, how they attracted their first clients, the systems they use today, and the best practices that help them grow.

We also open the doors to the other side of the table: interviewing high-net-worth investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs about the investments they love, the strategies they use, and the legacy they’re trying to build.

Whether you're just launching your RIA, growing your practice, or exploring new ways to create generational impact, Advisor Freedom is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a business and a life of lasting value.

You can find Chris:

-Twitter/X: https://x.com/iconocapital

-LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/haighchristopher/

Learn more about how to start and grow your practice: ⁠www.getadvisorfreedom.com