The Trusted Adviser
The Trusted Adviser podcast features in-depth conversations with leading financial planners who share their insights, experiences, and strategies for building successful businesses. Each episode dives into the challenges and triumphs of running a financial planning practice, offering listeners practical advice and inspiration from industry experts.
Episodes

Thursday Jan 02, 2025
Thursday Jan 02, 2025
In this episode, Rob sits down with Phil Little from Slipstream Group for a masterclass on pricing strategies that drive business growth. Phil, a former financial planner and successful business owner turned coach, delves into the importance of regularly reviewing pricing methodologies, tackling outdated fee structures, and ensuring consistency across clients. Together, they explore practical steps to align pricing with business goals, handle client discount requests effectively, and empower teams with fee confidence. Whether you're aiming to enhance profitability, manage growth, or refine client engagement, this episode offers actionable insights to elevate your financial planning practice.

Thursday Dec 19, 2024
Thursday Dec 19, 2024
In this insightful episode of The Trusted Adviser, host Rob Pyne chats with Dan Brown, Principal of Coastal Advice Group, about his extraordinary journey in transforming a small financial planning team into a thriving enterprise.
Dan shares the key lessons he’s learned from scaling his business, including how to identify opportunities in acquisitions, the importance of cultural alignment, and the practical differences between “plug-and-play” businesses and “renovator’s delights.” He also dives deep into his philosophy of leadership, emphasising the power of honesty, teamwork, and a growth-oriented mindset to achieve lasting success.
Listeners will walk away with actionable advice on building momentum, developing future-focused organisational strategies, and staying competitive in an evolving financial planning landscape. Whether you’re exploring acquisitions or looking to refine your business strategy, this episode offers inspiration and practical insights for every financial planning professional.
Tune in to hear how Dan’s focus on collaboration, clarity, and reinvestment has propelled Coastal Advice Group to the forefront of the financial planning profession.

Friday Dec 06, 2024
Friday Dec 06, 2024
In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, Rob Pyne is joined by Jade Burford, partner at MBS Insurance, to explore the intricacies of personal insurance advice. They delve into the importance of specialisation in financial services, the benefits of joint venture models for wealth planning firms, and the evolving challenges of the insurance industry.

Friday Nov 22, 2024
Friday Nov 22, 2024
In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, host Rob Pyne speaks with Jerry Kalogeropoulos, the founder of Aptium Assist, a business specialising in outsourced back-office support for financial planners. Together, they explore the growing trend of outsourcing in professional services, specifically focusing on tasks such as paraplanning and client administration within financial planning. Jerry shares insights from his experience on the benefits, challenges, and operational nuances of outsourcing, offering financial planners a comprehensive look at what outsourcing might mean for their business.

Thursday Nov 07, 2024
Thursday Nov 07, 2024
In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, host Rob sits down with Pat Gardner, Technology Lead at Collins SBA and host of the AdviceTech podcast on the Ensombl platform. Pat shares his unique journey from financial planner to tech innovator, highlighting the ways technology is reshaping the financial planning and accounting landscape. Together, they explore the integration of Salesforce CRM at Collins SBA, key software tools that have enhanced their CRM's functionality, and how forward-thinking firms are using technology to elevate client experience and streamline operations.

Friday Oct 25, 2024
Friday Oct 25, 2024
In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, Rob sits down with Richard Hernan, co-founder of Broadleaf Financial Group, to explore the world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the financial planning industry. With over seven years of experience and 18 successful M&A transactions, Richard shares the strategies and lessons he's learned from working with entrepreneurial financial planning firms across Australia. The discussion dives deep into Broadleaf’s unique business model, the growing trend of industry consolidation, and how to build businesses designed to last for generations.

Monday Oct 21, 2024
Monday Oct 21, 2024
In this episode, Rob sits down with Tim Lane, a seasoned chartered accountant and the founder of FinConnect Advisory Group. Tim has been active in the financial planning industry for 25 years and in this episode, he shares his expertise on the intricacies of valuing financial planning businesses and offers practical advice on succession planning. He delves into the key factors that can drive or detract from a business's value, and how financial advisers can prepare their firms for a profitable sale or transition.Whether you're looking to sell you're business soon or increase its value for long-term growth, this conversation is packed with actionable advice.

Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
In this first episode, Rob dives into the detail of the HPH employee share plan, sharing the experiences, challenges, and key takeaways from implementing an employee share scheme to incentivise and reward key staff members. The conversation covers the importance of aligning employee incentives with business growth, and how share plans can be a powerful tool for long-term retention and business success.

The Trusted Adviser
Welcome to The Trusted Adviser, the podcast that brings you behind-the-scenes insights into the world of financial planning. Hosted by Rob Pyne, founder and CEO at HPH Solutions, each episode features in-depth conversations with successful financial planners, business owners, and industry experts who are shaping the future of the profession.
Whether you're a financial planner looking to grow your business, curious about mergers and acquisitions, or eager to hear firsthand stories of navigating industry challenges, The Trusted Adviser has something for you. We dive deep into the strategies, experiences, and lessons that can help you take your business to the next level. From innovative growth tactics and marketing insights to long-term business planning and succession strategies, we cover it all.
Join us as we uncover practical advice and real-world experiences to inspire your own success. Hit play and become a part of the conversation that's driving the future of financial planning.