ECHELON Firm Profile

ECHELON is a boutique investment bank and stands as a trusted partner for leading wealth and investment management firms, leveraging its expertise in investment banking, strategic advisory, and valuation services to deliver exceptional outcomes. Drawing from its background as both operators and investors, the company offers valuable insights, streamlined processes, and expert guidance to fortify and achieve success. It acknowledges the pivotal role of exceptional individuals in the creation of outstanding financial services companies.

ECHELON Key Stats

Firm Website: www.echelon-partners.com
Firm Headquarters: Manhattan Beach, CA
Firm Number of Employees: 10
Firm Number of Locations: 1
Firm Chief Executive: Daniel Seivert
Firm Revenue: $127 million

ECHELON History

Over more than two decades of experience as a FINRA-registered investment bank, ECHELON has employed a unique proprietary valuation methodology that is widely recognized as an industry benchmark. Having advised on over 400 transactions within the wealth and investment management sectors, ECHELON Partners has been bestowed the distinction of being the industry’s top investment bank by WealthManagement.com on three separate occasions.

ECHELON Careers

Careers at ECHELON are somewhat standard for a boutique bank. Hours will usually be long, but the smaller firm size will likely allow for a closer office environment. Let’s get into career details.

ECHELON Internship

ECHELON had a job listing posted for a 2023 Investment Banking Spring/Summer Analyst position and there are reviews from analysts on Glassdoor, the firm appears to have summer roles available, though it’s unclear if the scope is broader than that. Summer analysts report mostly positive experiences, although one Glassdoor review from 2015 described unpaid interns working 50 hour weeks, with management not being very flexible on hours or breaks.

Practice Areas

ECHELON practice areas are short and sweet:

• • Investment Banking
  • Management Consulting
  • Valuation Services

Industries

Echelon is very specific about the clients it works with within its target industries, so interested applicants can have a good idea of what a client engagement could look like.

• • Investment Product Distributors
    • Registered Investment Advisors
    • Private Banks & Trusts
    • HNW Boutiques
    • Family Offices & MFOs
    • Broker-Dealers (National)
    • Broker-Dealers (Independent)
    • Financial Planning Firms
    • Wirehouses
    • Accounting Firms
    • S&Ls
    • Insurance Brokers
  • Intermediaries, Technology Providers, & Service Companies
    • Financial Technology Providers
    • Financial Information Providers
    • Custodians & Clearing Firms
    • Traders & Market Makers
    • Pension Consultants
    • Retirement Plan Administrators
    • Mutual Fund Administrators
    • Transfer Agencies
    • Benefit Consultants
    • TAMPs
    • Wealth Management Technology Providers
  • Investment Product Developers / Manufacturers
    • Mutual Fund Managers
    • Separate Account Managers
    • Insurance Companies
    • Private Bank & Trust Companies
    • Private Equity Managers
    • Variable Annuity Managers
    • ETF Managers
    • Index Fund Managers
    • Venture Capital Firms
    • Hedge Fund Managers
    • REIT Managers

Office Locations

ECHELON operates from a single office in Southern California.

• • Manhattan Beach, CA

Exit Opportunities

Because ECHELON is situated squarely within finance, joining another bank or wealth management firm would be a logical move for someone pivoting, though the consulting and advisory skills acquired could apply themselves well to a consulting firm working in financial services.

Target Schools

ECHELON doesn’t do any university recruiting, and there’s no high concentration of staff at a particular school, but collectively, a good portion of them have attended these schools:

• • Mercer University – Stetson School of Business and Economics
  • Occidental College
  • California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
  • Clark University

Diversity Programs

ECHELON has a small team, and doesn’t have any publicized diversity programs or initiatives.

ECHELON Culture

ECHELON appears to do what it can to provide good experiences for its staff, and usually succeeds, but some staff report dissatisfaction with things like management following up on interns’ stated goals during and post-internship. The office attitude can be on the side of pushing hard and working long hours, though it’s no surprise in banking, and anyone interested should be fully aware of the industry norm.

ECHELON Interview

ECHELON doesn’t publicize information about interviews and there are limited reports online, but let’s go through what’s available:

Interview Process

Interview processes have varied between applicants, some consisting of three in person rounds, starting with behaviorals and brain teasers, followed by technicals, similar to a super day structure. Others have experienced being sent a packet for an online interview where they were expected to answer questions about the economy and different financial products. Nothing in available reviews or on ECHELON’s website suggests that candidates were given case interviews.

• What are the three main valuation methods?
• How do you calculate Free Cash Flow?
• Walk me through a Discounted Cash Flow.

ECHELON Salary

Salaries at ECHELON will certainly be lower than at MBB considering the firm’s size, but finance usually does pretty well, so some positions might come close. There’s limited salary information online, but a few reported numbers are the following:

• Analyst: $104,666

See our current salaries report for other firms’ salary details.

Conclusion

ECHELON could be a good option for those wanting to get into banking but looking for a more approachable firm, as boutiques offer a more personal environment and the ability to be more familiar with more aspects of an office.

 

Additional Resources:

• Top Consulting Firms of 2023
• Top 10 Boutique Consulting Firms in US
• Consulting Resume: Complete Guide
• Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide