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The research is in: firms with a formal referral marketing system see more client referrals than those without. For a real-life example, we thought we’d invite Danilo Kawasaki to the Becoming Referable podcast.Danilo is the Co-Founder, Vice-President and COO of Gerber Kawasaki. In his previous company, where he rose to the rank of branch manager at age 24, he tripled the branch’s revenue from 2004 to 2007. After the financial crisis of 2008, Danilo set out on a personal mission to provide clients with modern, unbiased, independent financial advice in line with their goals and tolerance for risk, resulting in the formation of his current firm. Today, Gerber Kawasaki has 14 advisors working with over 6,000 families and managing over $650 million in assets, and continues to grow by leaps and bounds thanks to a constant stream of referrals.Related: A Communication Guide for the Market Downturn Related: 6 Great Ways to Get More Referrals In our conversation, Danilo shares his high-level thoughts on what drives referrals, and then drills down on the specifics of the firm’s service and advice model, marketing strategies, and targeted use of data and technology. He tells us how they generate – and manage – thousands of referrals every year. He talks about where their approach is standardized vs. customized, and how they manage client expectations to make sure everyone’s needs are being met (hint: they let their computers be their bosses). We also get into the team culture and values, and how they were able to attract a group of brand new advisors at the outset who are still contributing to the growth of the firm today.