Ultra Financial Partners LLC is a Registered Investment Advisory firm that was established in 2021. Before this, their investment team had been part of a larger RIA. President Logan Varela’s career began in 2012, while his partner Mike Roasa brings over 40 years of experience in wealth management. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their clients.

Ultra FInancial Partners offers a comprehensive range of services, including financial planning, investment management, investment due diligence and business consulting. Our core values revolve around integrity, client-centric service and innovation. Overall, we strive to put the client at the center of every decision, focusing on providing them with the best experience. Our mission is to help clients understand what they own and how it all works together, ensuring they have a clear and comprehensive view of their financial situation.

What business needs led Ultra Financial Partners to consider transitioning to a new technology platform?

One of the main drivers that led us to consider transitioning to a new technology platform was to do with tracking outside investments for our clients. It’s very difficult to provide great advice to clients when working in silos, which means things inevitably slip through the cracks. Our past data aggregation systems worked very well for certain aspects, but poorly in others. We realized that the open architecture of Addepar could help us overcome these challenges. One of the specific catalysts for this change was a client attempting to track all his investments, including 12+ rental properties, on a spreadsheet. We knew there had to be a better way!

When it came to looking at the options available in the market, how did you decide which platform best suited the needs of the firm?

Our approach involved speaking to many advisors and peers in our industry. We spoke to firms we aspired to be like, and soon realized that the top firms working with our ideal clients were using Addepar. It was then I knew I had to try the platform for myself. Over the years, I have seen and demoed many different systems, but none offered enough of an upgrade to justify the shift — until I met with Addepar.

The two most significant key features were: the ability to report on more than what we managed, and the pricing structure. Unlike other firms that charge a per-account fee, which can be detrimental over time, Addepar aligns with us by avoiding per-account fees. This makes us feel we are in the same boat, rowing together.

What key features drew the firm to Addepar?

Several key features drew us to choose Addepar. First and foremost was your unparalleled ability to seamlessly manage both public and private securities. The platform's powerful data aggregation and visualization tools provided us with the insight we needed to make informed investment decisions. Also, Addepar's flexible and customizable reporting capabilities allowed us to tailor reports to meet the specific needs of our clients. The ease of integration with our existing systems and the platform's user-friendly interface were also important factors when making our decision.

We know that Ultra Financial Partners champions an investment strategy that merges alternative investments with traditional portfolio styles. Considering that, how useful is Addepar’s approach to alternative investments for the firm?

We know that as financial technology and fund structures continue to evolve, alternatives will continue to become more mainstream. The big challenge lies in how and where these accounts are held. It’s easy to report on an alternative that we manage on a mainstream custodian, but it becomes difficult with alternatives that the client has purchased, or legacy assets they own.

The need for open architecture in reporting is imperative to how we manage money. We never want reporting and information to detract from the best solution for the client. That’s why Addepar's approach to alternative investments has been incredibly useful to us. The platform's ability to handle complex, non-standard assets has enabled us to offer a more diversified and sophisticated investment strategy to our clients. With Addepar, we can seamlessly integrate alternative investments into traditional portfolios, providing a holistic view of our clients' assets. This capability has been truly instrumental in enhancing our investment strategies and helping us deliver superior value to our clients.

Since adopting Addepar, what are the biggest benefits you’ve seen to the firm?

We’ve seen a number of benefits across various aspects of our firm. Operational efficiency has significantly improved, allowing us to focus more on strategic decision-making rather than administrative tasks. The reporting capabilities have been transformative, enabling us to provide our clients with detailed, customized reports that enhance transparency and trust. We’ve also noticed how easy it is to problem-solve, with Addepar’s intuitive platform design. And, our data processing has become more streamlined — reducing errors and improving accuracy. Overall, the enhanced capabilities Addepar can offer have strengthened our client relationships by providing them with clearer insights and a deeper understanding of their investments.

How has your experience onboarding been and how is Addepar supporting your firm during implementation?

Our onboarding experience with Addepar has been smooth. We tend to work quickly, and Addepar has matched our speed. One telltale sign of a good team is when you hear, "I don't know, but I will find you that answer." The support team has been highly responsive and provided comprehensive training to ensure a smooth transition. Addepar has been proactive in addressing any challenges we encountered during implementation, offering solutions and guidance tailored to our specific needs. Their commitment to our success has been evident throughout the process, and we feel confident in our ability to leverage the platform to its fullest potential.

Can you talk about the firm’s overall relationship with innovative technology — how vital do you think it is in preparing for the future?

At Ultra Financial Partners, we believe that embracing innovative technology is crucial for staying ahead in the financial industry. Technology plays a vital role in enhancing our services, improving efficiency and delivering superior value to our clients. The future is uncertain, but we know if we focus on our client-first model, we will be able to adapt to inevitable changes. As the industry evolves, we are committed to continuously exploring and adopting cutting-edge solutions that enable us to meet the changing needs of our clients and remain competitive. Addepar is a key part of this strategy, providing us with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the complexities of modern wealth management and prepare for future growth.