The Technologists: Practical AI, Platforms & Productivity for Advice Firms

In this special roundtable episode of The Trusted Adviser Podcast, Rob Pyne is joined by four technologists who are transforming the way advice firms approach technology and AI:

• Pat Gardner (Collins SBA / Rubica) – on avoiding the “Salesforce plus-plus fallacy” and how Whisper Flow is changing the way advisers interact with AI.

• Nick Downey (Direct Wealth / Halosoft) – on building Meeting Ally and Advice Ally, the secret to managing 40+ acquisitions, and why process and accountability are the true foundations for AI adoption.

• Stephen Bell (Captegra) – on using process mining to cut through “workflow spaghetti” and how Zoom has become a powerful all-in-one hub for communication, documents, and automation.

• Glenn Elliott (Meldus) – on using Cursor to accelerate proposals, presentations, and branded content, and the one killer question firms should ask every vendor: “How has AI transformed your own business in the past three years?”

Together, they unpack what’s working, where advice firms are getting stuck, and the practical steps to take when adopting new technology. From AI-powered file notes to full-scale workflow redesigns, this episode is a deep dive into the future of advice tech.