Willow Financial Finds a True Partner in Alles Technology

From launch-day setup to long-term strategy, Alles Technology empowers Willow Financial with responsive IT and cybersecurity expertise that scales as fast as the firm grows.

When Philip Kapler and his partners launched Willow Financial in 2023, they were excited to step out from under the umbrella of a large broker-dealer and establish their own independent RIA. The freedom to serve clients their way was exactly what they wanted. But one surprise quickly became clear: technology was now their responsibility.

“At the broker-dealer, everything was just handled,” Kapler remembers. “Suddenly, even something as basic as getting Microsoft set up was harder than we ever imagined. We quickly realized technology was not what we do.”

That realization led them to Alles Technology, the boutique IT and cybersecurity firm led by Max Alles. What started as a request to help with IT setup soon grew into a relationship that touched nearly every part of Willow’s operations. From cybersecurity oversight to day-to-day troubleshooting, Max and his team became an extension of Willow’s staff—always available, always knowledgeable, and always willing to go beyond what anyone would expect from an outsourced provider.

Kapler laughs about the night their website and email went down while he was out to dinner on a Friday night. “Max called to let us know of the issue, and they just handled it, hard reset, monitoring, while I stayed at the table. That’s when I realized they’re not a line item. They’re part of our team.”

For a young firm with limited internal expertise, that level of service was transformative. Routine challenges that used to eat up hours, such as transitioning from PCs to Macs, or simply hooking up dual monitors, were solved in minutes with Alles on the line. Their turnaround time was fast, often within thirty minutes. And when Willow wanted to explore new client-facing options, like adding video platforms, Max’s team not only implemented solutions but also offered advice on best practices and protocols to support growth.

The impact on Willow’s business has been profound. Instead of worrying about IT or cybersecurity, Kapler and his partners can focus on clients and strategy, confident that their systems are secure, reliable, and able to scale. “As we grow, whether we double or triple in size, Alles Technology will be right there with us,” Kapler says. “I don’t even think twice about whether our tech can keep up, Max and his team makes sure it will.”

Today, Willow Financial views Alles Technology as more than a service provider. They are a trusted partner, one who has made independence not only possible, but sustainable. As Kapler puts it, “We’d never want to bring IT in-house. Working with Max just makes too much sense. It’s been a great relationship from the start, and it’s only going to get more important as we grow.”