When Dagny Maidman and her team joined Cresset, they weren’t just looking for a new home—they were looking for the right one. After nearly three decades advising ultra-high-net-worth families and managing more than $3.5 billion in assets, they knew exactly what they needed: the ability to offer unconflicted advice, access to institutional-quality private investments, and a firm culture built for long-term alignment.
That’s why they chose to join Cresset—a firm where advisors and clients are owners, where client and advisor interests are aligned, and where the entrepreneurial spirit is backed by deep resources.
We sat down with Dagny to discuss her decision, how client expectations are evolving, and what it takes to serve multi-generational families at the highest level.
Dagny, what made Cresset the right fit for you and your team?
Ultimately, we were drawn to Cresset’s long-term vision and deep cultural alignment. At Cresset, the team is encouraged to act like owners—because we are. With more than 90% of the firm owned by employees and clients, there’s real alignment between the people delivering the advice and those receiving it. That structure helps ensure we have the autonomy and support to serve our clients in the way they deserve—while also building a sustainable, advisor-led business.
You’ve advised successful families for nearly 30 years. What do you believe has been the key to your long-term success?
Always aim to do the right thing for the client. Treat them like family. That means asking thoughtful questions, listening closely, and truly understanding what matters most to them—qualitatively and quantitatively. Every portfolio should reflect a shared understanding of the client’s “why.” That clarity helps clients stay disciplined through market volatility and helps ensure we’re building portfolios and plans that are aligned with their long-term priorities.
Increasingly, our clients look to us to reduce “friction” in their lives. That means taking care of the details, anticipating needs, and ensuring they’re not burdened by tasks we can handle. Success in this role requires technical competence and emotional intelligence.
How have the needs and expectations of your clients evolved?
Dramatically. Managing investments is table stakes. Today’s clients want more—more coordination, more creativity, more proactive support. They’re not just looking for market returns. They want a partner who can help them simplify complexity, preserve family harmony, and make better decisions across all areas of their financial lives.
That means offering family office-style services such as:
- Coordinated estate and tax planning
- Bill pay and cash flow oversight
- Governance and education for rising generations
- Philanthropic strategy and foundation support
- Access to curated private investment opportunities
I believe the most successful advisors today are those who can operate across disciplines, anticipate client needs, and offer advice that integrates the big picture.
You’ve talked about avoiding “uncompensated risk.” How do you define that?
Uncompensated risk is any risk you’re taking in a portfolio that isn’t justified by a meaningful, after-tax, after-fee expected return.
We start with the simplest building blocks: direct ownership of stocks and bonds. From there, we selectively layer in complexity—like ETFs—when there’s a clear perceived benefit, such as improved tax efficiency. But every layer of complexity adds potential risk—whether it’s pooled ownership, securities lending, or opaque exposures. You need to understand what you own and why.
Private investments, for example, can carry leverage, illiquidity, long durations, tax inefficiencies, and misaligned incentives. If those risks aren’t offset by compelling net returns, they don’t belong in a portfolio—at least not in size or in a taxable account.
We constantly evaluate whether each investment justifies its place. If the risks aren’t clearly compensated, we move on. Simplicity and intentionality often outperform complexity for complexity’s sake.
How do you help clients stay grounded during periods of market volatility?
We return to their “why.” When markets are turbulent, we don’t start with the headlines—we start with the plan. What are your goals? Has anything changed? If not, we stay the course.
Volatility is inevitable, but panic is not. We reach out proactively, revisit the strategy, and provide the context that keeps people anchored. The real value of advice shows up when things get hard.
How are you preparing the next generation of advisors to serve multi-generational families?
We’ve built an apprentice model that gives junior advisors the opportunity to learn directly from senior team members. At the same time, they’re developing peer-based relationships with the next generation of our client families.
We’re also intentional about sharing institutional knowledge across the team. That helps ensure we can support each generation seamlessly—whether a founder is stepping back, children are assuming greater responsibility, or a family’s values are being passed on through philanthropy and education.
Continuity is one of the most valuable things we can offer our clients—and we take that responsibility seriously.
Contact us to learn more.
About Cresset
Cresset is an independent, award-winning multi-family office and private investment firm with more than $70 billion in assets under management (as of 7/1/25). Cresset serves the unique needs of entrepreneurs, CEO founders, wealth creators, executives, and partners, as well as high-net-worth and multi-generational families. Our goal is to deliver a new paradigm for wealth management, giving you time to pursue what matters to you most.
https://cressetcapital.com/disclosures/