November 13, 2025 – Stamford, CT
The Stamford Investment Strategy Salon Dinner, which took place in November 2025 at the Capital Grille, marked two years of momentum for the Asset Allocator Institute, and it felt every bit like a milestone. With several familiar faces from our pilot event at the Castle Hotel and Spa in Tarrytown NY, the evening combined the comfort of a reunion with the excitement of discovering fresh ideas: the kind of night where every conversation felt like an opportunity.
From the moment conversations began, the room buzzed with thoughtful debate and practical insight. Attendees quickly dove into private real estate debt, REITs, buffered ETFs, market structure, and macro themes — not as abstract concepts, but as tools they are actively evaluating and deploying. AI and international small-cap growth also took center stage, with one wealth manager noting just how critical these areas have become to current outlooks. “We are keeping an eye on the AI trade as well as the broadening of growth in the market focusing on small caps as well as international,” he said, adding that contrarian perspectives have prompted renewed scrutiny on risk and valuation.
Private credit and private assets were another powerful thread throughout the evening. Several participants remarked on the depth and practicality of the discussions, especially around real estate-backed strategies. One attendee summed it up: “It was interesting to hear from each their thoughts on private assets and private credit in general, and a big focus was placed on asset-backed investments through real estate and the strength in that asset class.” Participants left with new angles to consider when constructing portfolios with downside protection in mind.
The peer dialogue was equally compelling. In fact, some of the most engaging moments came not from presentations, but from the questions attendees asked each other. One wealth manager highlighted that the best insights often came from questions posed by other participants rather than the presentations themselves. A particularly compelling question focused on perimeter real estate assets: the value of smaller storefronts around a larger center of influence, such as Home Depot, Walmart, or Target. “It was based around perimeter real estate assets, the value of smaller storefronts around a large center of influence,” he said, noting that such practical, detail-oriented inquiries sparked deeper discussions about strategy and deployment.
Conversations on buffered ETFs proved timely as well, particularly for advisors seeking market participation with lower client anxiety. “From the conversations I had last week, I have been looking more at buffered ETFs. Could be a great way for clients to have market participation without some of the anxiety,” one participant shared. Another highlighted how buffers, caps, and maturities offer precision in risk control: a level of granularity that caught the attention of multiple attendees and gave them something actionable to bring home.
Private real estate and REITs remained high-interest topics, with updated insights from RMWC and Cohen & Steers helping contextualize liquidity and allocation decisions. “Real estate continues to be an area of interest for our firm, so several discussions were helpful in framing the broader landscape,” said one guest. These conversations were far from academic; they were tactical, timely, and often directly tied to client needs.
Many attendees also spoke about the real-world process of implementation — especially those from smaller RIAs, where investment decisions move with agility but also require rigorous due diligence. One participant described his criteria succinctly: a unique strategy, quarterly liquidity, 1099 tax reporting, and a five-year-plus track record. “Being small, I am pretty much the deciding member of our investment team… if they pass my due diligence and I believe the solution is appropriate for at least a few of our clients, they become an option on our platform,” he explained.
Throughout the evening, themes like tax-aware planning, AI-driven analytics, and direct-to-consumer models surfaced organically, reinforcing the sense that the group was collectively mapping where markets and clients are heading next. As one attendee put it, “My biggest takeaway, as it usually is, is the conversation and questions asked by the other attendees. It’s nice as a small RIA to hear about thoughts, concerns, and client interactions others are having.”
By the end of the dinner, the value of the gathering was unmistakable. New relationships were formed, follow-up meetings were already on calendars, and several advisors expressed interest in reconnecting with peers they had met for the first time that night, including one participant eager to follow up with a smaller RIA focused on structured products.
For those who attended, it was a night of meaningful exchange and practical insight. For those who missed it, the message is simple: the conversations happening at Asset Allocator Institute events are shaping how professionals across the industry are thinking, allocating, and advising today — and you’ll want to be in the room for the next one.