Some advisors break away once in their careers. John Krambeer has done it twice, each time building a multi-billion-dollar RIA.
That kind of repeated success is rare in any industry—and in wealth management, it’s almost unheard of. Yet John’s journey provides a front-row seat to the evolution of the independent space, from its early pioneering days to the sophisticated and bespoke multi-family office models we see today.
Long before “going independent” became popular, John left Merrill’s Private Banking & Investment Group (PBIG) in 2004 to launch Camden Capital. He was early to the RIA movement, betting on transparency, better reporting, and access to private investments when few advisors dared to break away and forge their own path.
In 2022, John made the difficult decision to leave Camden and do it all over again—this time building Validus Capital, now a $2.5B multi-family office designed with hard-earned lessons in mind.
In this conversation with Louis Diamond, John shares a candid look at:
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What it was like to break away in the early 2000s—and how platforms and support for independents have evolved since.
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Why he walked away from the first firm he built—and what drove him to take on the challenge a second time.
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The choices behind building Validus Capital today—and the firm’s approach to private markets and family office services.
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The hard lessons of growth—and what he wishes he had done differently the first time around.
John runs back the game film to provide candid insights for prospective and current independent business owners. It’s a rare opportunity to learn from someone who not only helped shape the independent space but has proven that with clarity, conviction, and the right people, you can build lasting success more than once.
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