Pros
Given paid study time for Series 7, 66, and Insurance license. Provides great training. Freedom to run your business the way you choose and given enough resources to do so. This provides the opportunity for work/life balance. Not bothered by management and basically running your own business as long as you are meeting standards. Great people to work with, more of a partnership feel with employees rather than competition. Opportunities for bonuses, great incentive trips, great culture. Profit sharing. Great marketing tools, software, planning, and sales tools. Overall a great company with an excellent culture, fair, puts the client first, and provides an opportunity to work hard and run your own business without the actual expenses of a normal small business. This give unlimited earning potential and after a few years of hard work the work/life balance will definitely be there along with a very high income.
Cons
Working alone in an office with just you and an assistant gets lonely. Have to go door-to-door in the community to meet prospects. Not given any leads. Very tough for young, recently out of college advisors to build a book of business big enough to pay the bills at the beginning when relying on a very small salary and mostly commission. More young, talented advisors would stay around if they were given a straight salary for, say, the first year or two as they get their business built. Not enough public advertising by the firm. A learn as you go mentality.