You can disagree, but that would make you wrong.
RIA = Registered Investment Advisor. It is an entity, not a person. Someone who advises clients through an RIA, is an IAR (Investment Advisor Representative).
You can use the title "IAR" or "Investment Advisor Representative" if you want (but again, if you have a b/d, they have to approve it in advance).
I am not implying that you cannot be a solo practicioner. You can. But you're still an IAR (which is a person) of your RIA (which is an entity).
99.9% right. You can be a RIA as an individual without being an IAR if you deal in exempt transactions and do not need to be registered/licensed; which is rarely done, yet possible.
Again me and you are fighting a battle against people who get onto newbys for not using a search function on the forum but they do not have the thought to search before blurting out some BS.