New but Struggling Independent Advisor to Fidelity for Stability?

Career Crossroads: Independent RIA Upside vs. Large-Firm Training and Structure

I’m at a meaningful career crossroads and would really value input from experienced advisors, branch leaders, wholesalers, planners, and anyone who has made a similar decision.

I’m currently deciding between two very different paths in the financial services/advisory world. I'm mid-30s, hoping to start a family this year. Married with mortgage. 

One option is staying with a smaller independent advisory/investment firm where I already have strong relationships, direct access to leadership, and a role that could continue developing in a meaningful way. I'm fully remote, with 5 or so weeks of travel across the country. I'm working as a wholesaler as well for a salary, but no benefits whatsoever. I don't really have any meaningful training, and am winging it half the time. In addition to being a wholesaler, my mentor is going to be listing me as a servicing advisor to a book with about 80 households, average age being 75 or so. It's supposed to increase my quarterly income by $10K, assuming everyone stays. There are some vague talks of succession plans with some other advisors in the 60 year old range. I do love the flexibility and making my own schedule, but I'm not sure I'm mature enough to really dedicate to it on my own.

The tradeoff is that the path is less defined. The role can feel ambiguous at times, there is more uncertainty around long-term structure, and some of the upside depends on things that may or may not materialize. There is also some travel and a need to be highly self-directed, which can be both exciting and stressful.

The other option is joining a major financial institution in an investment consultant/advisory role. The appeal there is the brand, training, structure, platform, benefits, branch environment, and the opportunity to learn within a more established system. It feels like it could give me a stronger foundation, especially at this stage of my career, and potentially make me more marketable long term.

The tradeoff is that the role may come with higher activity expectations, sales metrics, call volume, and less flexibility. I’m also trying to be honest with myself about whether I would thrive in a more structured, production-oriented branch environment or whether I would feel overly managed.

In short, I’m choosing between:

Option A: Smaller independent firm, more flexibility, close relationships, entrepreneurial upside, but less certainty and structure.

Option B: Large established firm, stronger brand, formal training, benefits, clearer infrastructure, but potentially more pressure, metrics, and rigidity.

For those who have been in this industry longer than I have, I’d love your perspective.

At this stage in an advisor’s career, how much weight would you put on brand, training, and structure versus entrepreneurial upside and early access to meaningful responsibility?

Have you seen people regret leaving a smaller, high-upside opportunity for a larger institution? Or have you seen the opposite, where the large-firm foundation became the best long-term move?

What questions should someone ask themselves before making this kind of decision?

I’m trying to think about this not just emotionally, but strategically: skill development, long-term career capital, stability, quality of life, compensation trajectory, and overall fit.

Any honest perspective from people who have lived through similar decisions would be greatly appreciated.