What if I told you that America’s millionaires trust their personal trainers more than their financial advisors?
That the people shaping their minds and bodies are now more valued than those managing their millions?
It’s not a punchline — it’s the finding of a new survey from Long Angle, a professional network for startup founders and CEOs.
And it’s rewriting the playbook on what wealth really means in 2025.
Segment 1: The Big Shift — From Money Management to Life Management
According to the Long Angle High-Net-Worth Professional Services Benchmark Survey, only a third of millionaires now use a wealth advisor for financial planning.
Even more telling, one in five plans to fire their advisor within the next year.
Why? High costs, slow responses, and what they describe as “cookie-cutter advice.”
By contrast, the same survey shows something remarkable:
personal trainers, therapists, and even nannies top the list of satisfaction among millionaires.
Their average satisfaction score for personal trainers? A near-perfect 9.3 out of 10.
For wealth managers? Barely 7.2.
In other words — the people who help the rich feel better are outranking those who help them get richer.
Segment 2: Why the Wealthy Are Rethinking Value
This shift isn’t just about luxury or indulgence.
It reflects a deeper change in how success is defined among the wealthy.
As Chris Bendtsen from Long Angle explains, “Improving your balance sheet doesn’t deliver the same emotional value as improving your health or family life.”
Let that sink in.
The pursuit of wealth has always been about security, status, and freedom.
But for many millionaires, those goals are already achieved.
The next frontier isn’t financial — it’s emotional.
And that’s why “soft services” — from personal well-being and therapy to child care and education — are becoming the hard currency of satisfaction among the affluent.
It’s the new wealth hierarchy:
Mind, body, and family first — money management later.
Segment 3: The Numbers Tell the Story
Let’s look at the rankings from the survey of 114 individuals worth at least $2 million — with most falling between $5 million and $25 million.
Here’s how the top services scored on satisfaction (out of 10):
- Personal Trainer: 9.3
- Golden Visa Advisors: 8.8
- Personal Sports Coach: 8.4
- Therapist or Counselor: 8.3
- Private School: 8.3
- Day Care: 8.2
- Nanny: 7.6
- Wealth Management: 7.2
- CPA or Tax Services: 7.1
- Estate Attorney: 6.7
Notice the pattern?
Services that involve personal connection, emotional value, and customization outperform financial and legal services that often feel transactional.
And that’s the word respondents used over and over again — transactional.
They said advisors were too slow, too generic, and too focused on fees rather than outcomes.
It’s not just dissatisfaction — it’s disillusionment.
Segment 4: The Fee Frustration Factor
The median annual spending on financial advisors among these millionaires is around $10,000 per year.
Most pay a percentage of their assets under management — the infamous “AUM fee.”
That model has become a sticking point.
Because as wealth grows, so do the fees — even if the quality of service doesn’t.
As the Long Angle report notes, “Flat fee structures reflect a growing client preference for transparent pricing and reduced conflicts of interest.”
In plain English — the wealthy are tired of paying more just because they’re wealthier.
They want value tied to results, not just their bank balance.
And that’s creating space for a new kind of financial advisor — one who operates more like a coach than a calculator.
Segment 5: The Personalization Revolution
So why are personal trainers and therapists winning the loyalty game?
Because they deliver what money managers don’t — personalization and presence.
Your trainer knows when you’re stressed, when you’ve slept poorly, when you’re off your game.
Your therapist remembers what you said six months ago and asks about it today.
These professionals engage not just with your finances or assets, but with you.
That’s the new luxury — not the car or the vacation, but attention, empathy, and accountability.
The survey even found that millionaires under 40 are leading this shift.
Nearly 43% of those under 40 use a therapist, compared to only 13% of those over 50.
They spend around $5,000 a year on therapy — and rate it one of their most satisfying expenses.
This generation of wealth is prioritizing mental fitness just as much as financial fitness.
They’re redefining wealth management as life management.
Segment 6: Where the Money Really Goes
The survey also reveals fascinating spending patterns:
Millionaires spend an average of $53,000 a year on nannies,
$30,000 on private schools,
and $20,000 on day care.
And yet — despite these hefty bills — satisfaction scores remain high.
That’s because, as the data shows, wealthy families perceive impact and connection in these areas.
They can see the difference it makes in their lives and their children’s futures.
Compare that to an advisor who emails quarterly reports or rebalances a portfolio — the emotional return simply isn’t the same.
Segment 7: What It Means for Wealth Advisors and Financial Firms
For the wealth management industry, this is both a wake-up call and an opportunity.
Firms that still view financial advising as a numbers game are losing relevance fast.
In contrast, those that integrate holistic services — family coaching, philanthropy guidance, even wellness programs — are winning loyalty.
We’re already seeing this shift:
Private banks now offer meditation retreats.
Family offices are hiring psychologists alongside accountants.
Some advisory firms even pair clients with nutritionists and relationship coaches as part of their premium concierge packages.
Because the truth is simple:
When everything else in life is managed, money becomes just another metric.
Segment 8: The Emotional Economics of Wealth
This transformation tells us something profound about modern affluence.
For decades, the wealthy pursued “more.”
More income, more assets, more returns.
But after a certain point, the law of diminishing returns kicks in — not financially, but emotionally.
Happiness plateaus.
Satisfaction drops.
And suddenly, millionaires are asking the same question everyone else does:
“How do I feel better about my life?”
That’s why the emotional ROI — the return on feeling — is now replacing the financial ROI as the ultimate metric of success.
In this new economy of fulfillment, a therapist, a trainer, or even a dedicated teacher can have more lifetime value than an investment strategist.
Because while markets fluctuate — relationships, health, and self-understanding compound.
Segment 9: The Future of Being “Rich”
So, what does it mean to be rich in 2025?
It means having time to care for your health,
resources to nurture your kids,
and the freedom to be emotionally present.
Wealth is becoming less about what you own — and more about how you live.
And in that new world, the personal trainer and therapist aren’t side characters in the millionaire’s story — they’re the main cast.
They’re helping the wealthy navigate something no portfolio can guarantee: balance, peace, and meaning.
[Closing Segment]
In a way, this survey isn’t just about millionaires — it’s a mirror for all of us.
It’s asking a bigger question:
If even the ultra-wealthy realize that happiness doesn’t come from financial optimization, what are we chasing?
Maybe the real goal isn’t financial independence — it’s emotional independence.
The kind that comes when you feel strong, connected, and well.
So next time you think about your “net worth,” remember — it’s not just a number.
It’s your well-being, your relationships, and the life you’re building.
Because the new rich aren’t counting dollars.
They’re counting days well lived.