Wirehouse advisors considering a move to HighTower routinely make the trip to the firm's headquarters for dinner and a day of one-on-one meetings with the top executives.

We sat down for a simulated home office visit that lasted two and a half hours; for an actual advisor thinking of coming over from a wirehouse, it probably would have taken five to seven hours.

From left to right: Doug Besso, Kristen Love, Elliot Weissbluth, Mike Papedis, Larry Koehler and Liza Tainton

Soundbite: Mike Papedis on the Trend Toward Independence

Photos by John Konstantaras unless otherwise noted.