Ron ‘Omani’ Carson’s Next Venture? Spiritual Retreats

It’s all about finding your inner assets.

Ron Carson, the founder of the $38 billion Carson Group in Omaha, Nebraska, has charted an unorthodox path since stepping down as the firm’s chief executive in April. He changed his first name to Omani, opened up about his use of mind-altering hallucinogens and gave away his entire collection of neckties.

The industry veteran is now launching a consulting business called Omya that offers members personal growth and spiritual getaways around the globe. The insights presumably help industry leaders create and run better advisory practices. “The ultimate goal of Omya is to change the world from the inside out, from the bottom up, to create conscious leaders, to allow you to have more joy and happiness in your life,” Carson said in a video on the company’s website.

He’s also leaving behind a mega-RIA that’s undergoing seismic shifts in leadership. Two of the company’s prominent executives recently moved on, along with three others that reportedly left the company earlier this month. 

Call Me Omani

The spiritual getaways offered by Carson’s new firm are designed to help advisors prioritize important goals. Omya’s website appears to offer trips to a handful of locations across the globe. Members get access to a Nebraska estate called Freedom Healing Ranch, a houseboat on Lake Powell in Arizona, a center in Mexico and retreats in Panama and the Amazon, among others. The company also touts its annual gathering, OR, that takes place at the Freedom Healing Ranch. 

“Nothing has been created like this,” he said in the video. While exact details about the company’s offerings or pricings are not widely available, Carson called the business a “category killer.” 

Say It Ain’t So. While Carson has undergone something of a transformation, so, too, has the Carson Group, which he founded in 1983. President Teri Shepherd said on Friday that she plans to step down from her role at the end of March to spend more time with family. Shepherd was the first female executive to join the Carson Group team, and made significant strides during her tenure:

• The percentage of female advisors at the firm grew significantly during her time as president, according to ThinkAdvisor. 
• The firm also established a new focus on M&A under Shepherd and took on some 150 partner offices and more than 50 Carson Wealth locations.

“Teri has been a mainstay of our organization, providing a steady hand and an empathetic presence through times of transformation,” Carson Group CEO Burt White said in an email. Aaron Schaben, who was once Carson Group co-president and heir apparent to Carson himself, also announced a new role. Carson is still the chairman of the firm and retains majority ownership.

“In 1983, I started the company Carson Group that I stepped down from three months ago, in order to launch what I believe is my life’s calling,” Carson said in the video. “Come and be a part of making history.”