Basis Points

What if the most reliable out-performers in the Australian market aren’t the blue chips, but the companies graduating quietly through the mid-cap ranks?

Advisors often focus on small-cap potential or large-cap stability. But Jovana Gagic, Portfolio Manager and Analyst at Paradise Investment Management believes Australia’s mid-caps are where earnings growth, diversification and structural tailwinds collide.

Ren sat down with Jovana to unpack the signals that can help advisors distinguish graduates from gambles in today’s market.

In this episode:

• How to spot the true graduation signals as companies move from speculative to scalable
• What makes the mid-cap index a structurally appealing investment
• Risk-management frameworks that help avoid the blow-ups while capturing long-term compounders

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Opening Thoughts 

00:03:00 – Small Caps That Grow Up 

00:06:10 – Why Mid Caps Outperform 

00:10:20 – Diversifying Beyond Banks 

00:14:30 – Finding Structural Winners 

00:18:40 – Red Flags and Risk Control 

00:23:00 – Graduation Stories 

00:27:20 – Mid Caps in Portfolios 

00:31:10 – Survival of the Fittest

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CPD Points: This episode has been accredited for CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). To claim your points, complete the CPD quiz here and we’ll send you your certificate.

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This episode has been sponsored by CBOE APAC.

Head to the Cboe website to learn more about their Cboe-listed ETF Paradice Australian Mid Cap Fund Active ETF

Thank you to Cboe APAC for helping us keep all of our content free and accessible.

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Want more Basis Points?

• Sign up to the Basis Points email
• Join the conversation on LinkedIn
• Watch all episodes in full and relive some of our favourite clips on YouTube

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Basis Points acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

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Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. 

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“No client wants to be scaled.”

So how do you grow an advice business without making clients feel that they’re just a number? In this episode, we explore how Evalesco balances efficiency, scale, and deep personalisation to serve their “millionaire next door” client base.

Ren sat down with Jeff Thurecht (CEO) and Marshall Brentnall (CIO) to hear how they scaled an advice business with a strong client-care philosophy, team culture, and high-quality practice management systems.

We cover:

• How to design a client care model that feels truly personal even as your firm grows.
• Practical tools and processes that lift adviser capacity, including SMAs, workflow design, and AI-driven efficiencies.
• How to improve client engagement during challenging market conditions.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

02:40 - Scaling The Right Way

08:30 - Systems that Free Adviser Time

12:00 - Automations and AI

16:05 - Culture That Drives Client Care

19:33 - Design Processes Around Relationships 

22:32 - Personalised Portfolios at Scale 

26:35 - Evalesco's Investment Philosophy

32:52 - Guiding Clients Through Turbulence

35:27 - Client Communication That Works

40:14 - Case Study: Intergenerational Planning

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CPD Points: This episode is accredited for CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Complete the quiz here to claim your points.

——

Want more Basis Points?

Sign up to the Basis Points email

Join the conversation on LinkedIn

Watch all episodes in full and relive some of our favourite clips on YouTube

——

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Basis Points acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.

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Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media.

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional.

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia's corporate bond market has quietly become the third largest in the world, and signs point towards more growth to come.  

With offshore giants tapping local liquidity and the AI infrastructure boom demanding trillions in new capital globally, Australia's fixed income market is no longer a niche corner of the capital market- it’s globally relevant.

So what kind of opportunities can these shifts in fixed income create for advisors and their clients’ portfolios?

Alec sat down with Anthony Ip, Fixed Income Portfolio Manager, Milford Corporate Bond Plus Fund to find out.

Timestamps

00:30 – Macroeconomic update: Australian resilience, household confidence, inflation risks

03:44 – RBA’s dual mandate and future interest rate trajectory

05:48 – The evolution and scale of Australia’s corporate bond market

10:54 – Key sectors and issuers shaping the bond market

13:44 – The future of offshore corporates issuing in Australia

15:19 – Australia’s fiscal position and attractiveness to global investors

18:09 – AI infrastructure boom and implications for credit markets

29:52 – Practical takeaways for advisers on incorporating fixed income

Thank you to Milford for sponsoring this episode of Basis Points, and helping us keep all of our content free. If you want to learn more about Milford's funds head to their website.

Equity Trustees Limited (“Equity Trustees”) (ABN 46 004 031 298), AFSL 240975, is the Responsible Entity for the Milford Australian Absolute Growth Fund and Milford Dynamic Small Companies Fund. Before you invest, be sure to read the Milford Funds Product Disclosure Statements and Target Market Determinations at http://milfordasset.com.au

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CPD Points: This episode is accredited CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Complete the quiz here to claim your points.

——

Want more Basis Points?

Sign up to the Basis Points email

Join the conversation on LinkedIn

Watch all episodes in full and relive some of our favourite clips on YouTube

——

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Basis Points acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.

——

Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media.

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional.

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest believes investors should rethink risk, and be wary of confusing calm waters with safety.

In this episode, we speak to founder and CIO at Auscap Asset Management, Tim Carleton- and he does not hold back.

He unpacks the flaws he sees in how private markets are valued, questions the sustainability of private credit and declares that three out of the four Big Banks in Australia have lost their competitive advantage. 

Also in this episode:

• The two factors Tim believes determine long term returns
• Unpacking the illusions of private markets
• Behind Auscap’s outperformance since 2012
• Tim's Checklist for building a strong Quality filter
• Where Auscap sees genuine value and is deploying capital today

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CPD Points: This episode has been accredited for CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Complete the quiz here to receive your points.

—— 

Want more Basis Points? 

Sign up to the Basis Points email 

Join the conversation on LinkedIn 

Watch all episodes in full and relive some of our favourite clips on YouTube 

—— 

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Basis Points acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.  

—— 

Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media.  

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional.  

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the next decades biggest growth story hiding in plain sight?

Bryce and Ren sit down with Vern du Preez, Investment Specialist at Orbis Investments, to explore the new face of emerging markets and why it’s time to challenge old assumptions.

They discuss:

•Where to find real opportunity as China cools.

•Using the active edge in emerging markets. 

•How to capture Emerging market upside while limiting risk. 

•How advisors can position clients ahead of the curve.

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CPD Points: This episode is accredited for CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Complete the quiz here to claim your points.

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This episode has been sponsored by Orbis Investments.

If you would like to learn more about Orbis' contrarian investment approach can offer a true point of diversification when constructing client portfolios, click here.

Thank you to Orbis for helping us keep all of our content free and accessible.

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Want more Basis Points?

• Sign up to the Basis Points email
• Join the conversation on LinkedIn
• Watch all episodes in full and relive some of our favourite clips on YouTube

———-

Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. 

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI and digital media are reshaping financial advice. Advisors now need to offer transparency, harness technology, and engage with clients in new ways or risk losing out on a new generation of clients.

In this episode, we speak with Owen Raszkiewicz, founder of the Rask Group, who is leveraging these shifts to build a practice that leans into the future of financial advice. It’s a practical look at how to adapt and thrive in a changing industry.

We cover:

• Why advice firms need to rethink scale and transparency to meet growing demand.
• How fixed-fee, once-off advice is resonating with the next generation of clients.
• Building trust and client acquisition through content marketing.
• Using new tech to streamline file notes, and advice delivery.
• The role of personal branding in standing out and building long-term client trust.

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CPD Points: This episode is accredited for CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Complete the quiz here to claim your points.

——

Want more Basis Points?

Sign up to the Basis Points email

Join the conversation on LinkedIn

Watch all episodes in full and relive some of our favourite clips on YouTube

———-

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Basis Points acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

——-

Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. 

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beating the market doesn’t always mean chasing growth. Sometimes, it means means falling less when markets turn. Defensive equities aim to capture 80% of the upside, but only 50% of the downside- a profile designed to compound steadily and keep clients invested through volatility. Bryce and Ren speak with Hamish Fitzsimons, CIO of Australian Equities at AllianceBernstein, about how advisors can use this approach to build more resilient client portfolios.

We cover:

• 00:40 – What “defensive equities” really means and why losing less compounds over time.
• 07:00 – Lessons from the GFC: how client demand led to the Managed Volatility Equities Fund.
• 10:30 – Identifying “defensive traps”: why some safe-looking stocks aren’t truly defensive.
• 18:00 – Market outlook: expensive top-7 stocks vs. where the opportunities lie.
• 23:30 – Macro noise: how to think about inflation, China, and geopolitics without overreacting.
• 28:15 – Portfolio construction tips for advisors: Implementing defensive equities.
• 32:10 – Managing client behaviour: reducing panic selling and keeping clients invested.

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CPD Points: This episode is accredited for CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Complete the quiz here to claim your points

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This episode has been sponsored by Cboe APAC. Head to the Cboe website to learn more about their Cboe-listed AMVE.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations and do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio management teams. Views are subject to revision over time. This podcast is intended only for persons who qualify as wholesale clients as defined in the Corporations Act. AB Managed Volatility Equities Fund–MVE Class–Active ETF (MVE-Class) is a unit class of the AB Managed Volatility Equities Fund (Fund) (ARSN 099 739 447).

AllianceBernstein Investment Management Australia Limited (ABN 58 007 212 606, AFSL 230 683) (ABIMAL) is the responsible entity of the Fund and is the issuer of units in the Fund. You should read the Fund’s PDS and TMD available at alliancebernstein.com.au and first obtain professional advice before taking any action in the information contained in these documents.

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Want more Basis Points?

• Sign up to the Basis Points email
• Join the conversation on LinkedIn

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Basis Points acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. 

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time, Australia’s largest family offices now hold more in private markets than in public equities. 

It’s a shift that’s reshaping portfolio construction. So how can advisors respond? 

In this episode, Bryce is joined by Jordan Ryan, Private Wealth Advisor at Koda Capital, to discuss the role private assets should play in client portfolios and the realities of educating clients on this often opaque asset class.

We cover:

• Why private markets are moving from “alternative” to “traditional” investments.
• Portfolio construction with private credit, equity, and infrastructure.
• Defensive vs growth characteristics of private assets.
• Koda Capital’s approach to manager selection and capital deployment in private equity.
• Tips for educating clients in this evolving space.

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CPD Points: This episode has been accredited for CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Complete the quiz here to claim your points.

——

Want more Basis Points?

Sign up to the Basis Points email

Join the conversation on LinkedIn

Watch all episodes in full and relive some of our favourite clips on YouTube

———-

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Basis Points acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

——-

Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. 

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investors are facing a hole in their portfolio. Bank hybrids have been a popular product for retail investors, with 40% of the $40 billion market taken up by everyday Australians. 

Now with APRA phasing out bank hybrids, advisers face a $16 billion hole to fill in client portfolios. 

In this episode, we ask Helen Mason, Portfolio Manager at Schroders, where advisors can look to fill it? 

We cover: 

•⁠ ⁠The hybrid phase-out explained: why it matters now, not 2032.

•⁠ ⁠What makes Australian credit an institutional investor's best kept secret.

•⁠ ⁠Differences between public vs private debt market.

•⁠ ⁠How Helen’s fund CBOE:HIGH fits into an income portfolio.

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CPD Points: This episode has been accredited for CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Complete the quiz here to claim your points.

———

This episode with Schroders has been sponsored by Cboe APAC.

Head to the Cboe website to learn more about their Cboe-listed ETF Schroder Australian High Yielding Credit Fund - Active ETF (HIGH).

Thank you to Cboe APAC for helping us keep all of our content free and accessible.

———

Want more Basis Points?

• Sign up to the Basis Points email
• Join the conversation on LinkedIn
• Watch all episodes in full and relive some of our favourite clips on YouTube

———-

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Basis Points acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———-

Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. 

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Banks, miners and franking credits. Australian investors summed up in five words.

But as the first 6 months of 2025 come to an end, the top of the ASX during this time has been characterised by a struggling resources sector and a strong rotation into banks. Is this the start of a longer term shift? Or is it just a blip?

In this episode, we're joined by Will Curtayne, Portfolio Manager of the Milford Australian Absolute Growth Funds and the Milford Dynamic Funds, to unpack these movements

We discuss:

• The forces behind CBA’s record PE multiple.
• Whether the miners’ recent rally is a genuine opportunity or “a move to fade”.
• How super and passive flows are distorting price discovery at the top of the ASX.
• Where the next leadership might come from (e.g. healthcare, industrials, small-caps, and a long-term structural case for gold)

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CPD Points: This episode is accredited for CPD points by the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Complete the quiz here to claim your points.

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Thank you to Milford for sponsoring this episode of Basis Points, and helping us keep all of our content free.

If you want to learn more about Milford's range of funds, visit their website.

Equity Trustees Limited (“Equity Trustees”) (ABN 46 004 031 298), AFSL 240975, is the Responsible Entity for the Milford Australian Absolute Growth Fund and Milford Dynamic Small Companies Fund. 

Before you invest, be sure to read the Milford Funds Product Disclosure Statements, Target Market Determinations and full Disclaimer at milfordasset.com.au

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Want more Basis Points?

• Sign up to the Basis Points email
• Join the conversation on LinkedIn
• Watch all episodes in full and our favourite clips on YouTube

———-

In the spirit of reconciliation, Equity Mates Media and the hosts of Basis Points acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. 

———-

Basis Points is a product of Equity Mates Media. 

This podcast is intended for education and entertainment purposes. Any advice is general advice only, and has not taken into account your personal financial circumstances, needs or objectives. Before acting on general advice, you should consider if it is relevant to your needs and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. And if you are unsure, please speak to a financial professional. 

Equity Mates Media operates under Australian Financial Services Licence 540697.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.