OUR STORY
“A little bit extra.”
Tilly was born by the zealous idea that financial advice should be a more prominent and efficient process — affordable, valuable and straightforward.
Our name was inspired by James Joyce’s short poem, “Tilly” — an Irish term meaning “a little bit extra.” Milkmen in Irish villages would add a little extra milk to a pint for good measure — a “tilly.” Joyce’s 1927 book Pomes Penyeach offered 12 poems, and Joyce added a 13th, “Tilly” — a little bit extra.
We believe the investment management industry is falling short in providing financial planning that people deserve. Financial advisors sell expensive products behind the facade of “advice” — and meanwhile clients are not getting “a little bit extra.” Instead of advising, financial advisors spend most of their time selling.
Tilly is changing this dynamic by focusing exclusively on planning and advice.
We believe the investment management industry is falling short in providing financial planning that people deserve. Financial advisors sell expensive products behind the facade of “advice” — and meanwhile clients are not getting “a little bit extra.” Instead of advising, financial advisors spend most of their time selling.
Tilly is changing this dynamic by focusing exclusively on planning and advice.
How Tilly came about:
Bobby Martin desired to drive down the cost for financial advice. By driving down the cost, we would also make it accessible to the average American. The fancy word for this type of advice is “fiduciary advice”.
Up until Tilly, this client-first advice was mainly reserved for those with enough money to justify the cost. Fees were mainly calculated through a percentage (i.e. 1%) of “assets under management” so if you didn’t have lots of investments under management (typically $200,000+), you didn’t qualify. As an alternative, most Americans could consult a broker who isn’t looking out for their best interests but is focused instead on selling financial products to earn large commissions. These brokers call themselves financial advisors but their advice is often not fiduciary advice.
Bobby wanted to change this model by making one-on-one advice accessible to everyone.