Listen to Dan Solin, President at Solin Strategic LLC and Evidence Based Advisor Marketing, as he shares his journey from law to financial advice, revealing how his legal background shaped a preventative, client-first mindset.

In this episode, Dan unpacks the power of simplicity in investing, advocating for low-cost, transparent strategies that cut through industry complexity. He introduces the neuroscience-informed “Solin process” to build trust and engagement and explains why listening—not talking—is the true competitive edge for advisers. He explores how AI and avatars can scale personalisation and content delivery, critiques outdated asset-based fees, and champions fairer, fixed models. Dan concludes by affirming that while technology will transform the industry, the human element remains essential in delivering meaningful, emotionally intelligent financial advice in Australia’s evolving landscape.

00:01:35 – Dan’s background Dan began his career as a lawyer before shifting into financial advising. He explains how his legal background influenced his focus on prevention over reaction, leading him to help clients make  better investment decisions before problems arise.

00:03:01 – Writing and evidence-based investing Dan discusses his books on evidence-based investing, explaining how the industry often overcomplicates what should be a straightforward discipline. His philosophy centres around simplicity, low-cost solutions, and the importance of transparency.

00:05:09 – The Solin process He introduces the “Solin process,” a neuroscience-informed approach to client engagement that focuses on asking open-ended questions. This process helps advisors convert prospects into clients by building trust and credibility.

00:08:08 – Neuroscience and listening Referencing studies from Harvard, Dan explains that listening creates pleasurable brain responses in clients. In contrast, dominating the conversation often leads to disengagement. Listening, he argues, is the true competitive edge in advisery services.

00:15:00 – Leveraging technology Dan explains how advisors can use AI and digital avatars to scale their outreach while maintaining  personalisation. These tools are especially effective for connecting with younger clients and  enhancing marketing efforts.

00:18:32 – Investment simplicity Dan challenges the idea that complex strategies are better. He advocates for evidence-based investing and the use of index funds, stressing that clear communication and low-cost solutions often yield better outcomes for clients.

00:22:10 – Rethinking fee structures Dan critiques asset-based fees, calling them outdated and often misaligned with the actual work advisors perform. He recommends more transparent, service-based or fixed-fee models that reflect real value delivered.

00:24:38 – The role of advisers in a tech-enabled future While AI will take over many routine functions, Dan believes the human element will remain essential. Advisers should focus on addressing complex emotional and financial needs, while tech  handles repetitive processes.

00:27:44 – Using avatars to scale content Dan shares how he uses avatars to turn written content into hundreds of video clips. This allows him to scale his marketing and provide 24/7 access to resources without additional workload.

00:31:51 – Final reflections Dan concludes by affirming his belief in the integrity of most advisors and their willingness to evolve. By adopting better communication strategies and new technologies, the industry can deliver more effective and ethical service.

Join Matt Heine as he sits down with Andrew Inwood, Global CEO of CoreData, to explore the dynamic world of financial services.

In this episode, Andrew delves into the critical role of financial literacy and the profound impact of intergenerational wealth transfer. He discusses the evolving responsibilities of financial planners and how technology and data are reshaping the industry. Andrew provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing financial services today, emphasising the importance of scalable solutions and strong client relationships. Listen in order to gain a deeper understanding of the future of financial planning and the strategies that can drive success.

Hear Clayton Daniel, CEO of Ensombl, as he discusses the remarkable evolution of Ensombl from a small team to a thriving community of over 10,000 advice professionals.

 Clayton shares valuable insights on how Ensombl has grown in size and sophistication, the challenges and successes they've faced, and their unwavering mission to drive the positive evolution of financial advice. He delves into the importance of creating an agile workplace, leveraging AI to enhance efficiency, and the pivotal role of community in professional development. Clayton also talks about the significance of moderation in maintaining a healthy community and the profound impact of virtual PD days on continuous professional development, ensuring that advisers stay ahead in their field.

Listen to Brett Joffe and Justin Joffe, co-founders of Flux Finance, a platform revolutionising financial literacy for young adults in Australia, relate their journey from struggling with their initial podcast episodes to building a community of over 450,000 members.

Brett and Justin share how Flux combines education, gamification, and money tools to make financial topics engaging and accessible to the next generation and the Emerging Affluent (young professionals). They discuss their unique approach to creating financial content that is culturally relevant, co-branding opportunities for financial advisers that can help them build relationships in a scalable and cost-effective way, and their mission to improve financial wellbeing for individuals and employees by partnering with large enterprises to positively impact staff productivity and retention.

This episode looks back at some of the most incisive moments from Matt’s conversations in 2024, with an array of impressive guests from diverse fields who share their experiences, insights, and key learnings for financial advisers.

Listen to the full episodes from which these clips are taken:

Ep 94: Embracing play at work to innovate and collaborate – Tane Hunter & Dara Simkin

Ep 93: Keeping wealth and succession in the family – Philip Pryor

Ep 92: Optimising advice firms for business efficiency – Sue Viskovic

Ep 91: Growing the licensee of the future – Hugh Humphrey

Ep 90: Building bonds in the financial sector – Danielle Press

Ep 89: Sharpening advice firms for a competitive edge – Dean Lombardo

Ep 88: Expanding horizons with alternative assets – Lawrence Calcano

Ep 87: Partnering with purpose to create a better world – Jean Oelwang

Ep 86: Scientifically revealing client preferences for personalised advice - Shachar Kariv PhD & Bernard Del Rey

Ep 85: Leadership lessons from Facebook’s former CEO - Stephen Scheeler

Hear Tane Hunter and Dara Simkin discuss their unique career paths and collaboration on Future Crunch, a thought-leadership and research company that explores the frontiers of science and technology, and shares stories of human progress. Tane, a scientist with expertise in biology and technology, and Dara, a marketing and executive coaching professional, share their insights on the importance of play and storytelling in business. They explore the balance between technology and human interaction, emphasizing intelligent augmentation over artificial intelligence. The conversation delves into the challenges of rapid technological changes, cognitive flexibility, and the role of AI in various industries. Tane and Dara provide practical examples of integrating play and improvisation into business practices to foster creativity and innovation. They also highlight the significance of adaptability and the adaptability quotient (AQ) in navigating the evolving business landscape.

Listen to Philip Pryor, Founder & CEO at Family Business Central, talk through his career transition from psychology and large corporates to family businesses, finding greater fulfilment and leading to the founding of Family Business Central.

Phil notes that the family enterprise market in Australia is less mature than the US and Europe, with fewer multi-generational families and a lack of understanding about family offices. He provides insights and examples of the emotional and logistical challenges families face when selling a business and highlights why fairness in family enterprises doesn't always mean equality. Phil outlines the importance of preparing the next generation through education, financial literacy, and involvement in family business activities to ensure long-term success. Lastly, he mentions that he is writing a book, titled "Risking It All," to help families in business navigate issues like communication, conflict management, and succession planning.

Hear Sue Viskovic, General Manager, Consulting at VBP, trace her career in financial services, and discuss how she started Elixir Consulting (now part of VBP) to provide business coaching to advice firms.

Sue recounts the challenges when advice businesses moved from commissions to fee-based models. She emphasizes the need for advisers to understand the intricacies of running a business, thorough business planning and being well-capitalized. Sue predicts that scalability will be crucial for advice businesses and outlines how practice management roles, technology (especially AI, data and CRM systems), and outsourcing to countries like the Philippines, can significantly reduce costs and improve efficiency. Lastly, Sue mentions how VBP helps firms looking to improve their operations through consulting, coaching, and outsourcing services.

 Listen to Hugh Humphrey, CEO of Count, as he traces his unique career path from roles in consulting, to telecommunications, and eventually to financial advice, now leading one of the largest licensee groups in Australia.

Hugh shares the leadership insights he gained from other impressive leaders, such as values-based decision-making, the importance of effective communication, and the need to respond quickly and transparently when problem-solving. He chats through the evolving role of the licensee and the areas he is focused on with scaling the business, diversifying revenue streams, and integrating technology to improve client service. Finally, Hugh identifies technology and outsourcing as crucial for increasing efficiency and client capacity, while also emphasizing the need for more advisers and new ways for people to enter the profession.

Hear Danielle Press, ex-Commissioner of ASIC and Consultant at Income Asset Management (IAM), discuss her diverse career in finance, including her roles at the Reserve Bank, a family office, and ASIC, before joining IAM.

Danielle shares her views on leadership and change management, emphasizing the importance of honesty, humility, and vulnerability to get the best out of people, and creating a balanced leadership team. She reflects on the impact of the Royal Commission and the Quality of Advice Review on financial services and shares her ‘back to the future’ prediction on the role of superfunds. Finally, she discusses the future of hybrids, her current work on fixed income and bonds, and her efforts to make bonds more accessible to retail investors through Netwealth.