The Trusted Adviser

Former AZ NGA CFO Dan Heckendorf, now founder of Astilla, joins Rob Pyne to discuss what it really takes to scale a professional services firm with strong financial discipline and intent. Dan shares lessons from overseeing 30+ advisory firms during a period of rapid growth and reveals the one mistake business owners make that can cost hundreds of thousands to fix later.

In this episode, Rob Pyne sits down with Zac Leeson, Senior Financial Adviser and HPH Solutions Next-Generation Leader, to explore how the client experience has evolved from being investment-centric to truly life-centred. Zac shares the practical tools, processes, and conversations that help clients connect their financial decisions to what really matters, and reflects on what makes great advice both meaningful and sustainable.

Glenn Elliott, technologist building tools like Cursor to speed proposals. Stephen Bell, process-first Salesforce expert who untangles workflow spaghetti. Nick Downey, AI product builder behind Meeting Ally and Advice Ally. Pat Gardner, ex-adviser leading Rubica for practical Salesforce automation. They discuss embedding AI into workflows, process mining to reveal bottlenecks, lightweight prototypes, and practical platform choices.

In this episode of The Trusted Adviser podcast, Rob Pyne speaks with Rob Jones, co-founder of Peloton Partners and a leading authority on pricing and profitability in financial advice. Rob shares why many firms leave money on the table, the limitations of traditional benchmarking surveys, and what his unique data reveals about capacity, adviser pay, and the real drivers of profitability. If you want to understand how to price advice fairly and build a more sustainable, profitable business, this conversation is packed with practical insights.

In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, Rob Pyne speaks with Ben Calder, Managing Director of Calder Wealth Management, about the recent merger with Coastal Advice Group. Ben shares the backstory of how years of collaboration and cultural alignment with Dan Brown led to one of Australia’s fastest-growing financial advice businesses. They discuss the role Merchant Investment Management played in bringing the deal to life, the challenges of integration, and the opportunities the merger creates for clients, staff, and the future of the business

Glenn Elliott, co-founder of Practifi and founder of Meldus, is a fintech entrepreneur focused on CRM design and AI for advisers. He discusses using open platforms and APIs, agentic AI that analyzes CRM data, and practical automations like meeting transcriptions and task generation. He also warns about closed systems, contrasts RPA with APIs, and outlines how to prototype secure AI tools for advice firms.

Nick Perrett, CEO of Yarra Lane Group who leads AI and RPA adoption across financial planning and tax. He describes bots like Henry and Grace running inside Microsoft to handle review prep and data entry. Topics include how bots are built and scheduled, security and auditability, cultural change and redeploying staff, and measuring ROI with dashboards.

In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, Rob Pyne speaks with Andrew Dunbar and Abbie Gellatly from Apt Wealth Partners—an award-winning advice firm known for its strong culture and focus on talent development. They unpack how Apt is preparing for the future of financial advice through structured graduate pathways, transparent career progression, leadership development, employee ownership, and a flexible benefits program that drives engagement and retention. If you’re looking to build a future-ready advice business, this conversation is full of practical takeaways.

What does it take to grow a financial planning firm beyond the founder? In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, Rob Pyne speaks with Philip Palaveev, CEO of The Ensemble Practice, about what it really means to lead a team-based advice business. Philip unpacks why leadership is more burden than privilege, how to shift from founder-led to team-driven models, and what it takes to embed vision and trust into culture. 👉 Listen as Philip shares: Why the best leaders stop seeking personal validation and start coaching others How to make the leap from individual to team performance The difference between ownership, leadership and management — and why titles don’t define influence This conversation is a masterclass in next-generation leadership, succession planning, and building a firm that outlasts any one person.

In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, Rob Pyne speaks with Terri Reid—business coach, consultant, and former financial planner—about the human side of leadership in advice firms. They explore the tensions advice principals face as they grow their businesses, from stepping back as the chief problem solver to building strong team cultures. Terri shares practical tools for empowering staff, improving communication, and reframing leadership at all levels. A valuable conversation for any advice leader wanting to build a business that performs well and feels good to be part of.