The Trusted Adviser

As we wrap up the year, this short solo episode is part reflection and part recommended reading list.

In this episode, Rob steps back to reflect on some of the key ideas that have shaped his thinking as a business owner, drawing on a selection of books that have had a lasting influence on how HPH Solutions has been built. What’s been especially striking is how consistently these same ideas have shown up in the real-world experiences shared by guests on The Trusted Adviser.

From Jim Collins’ Flywheel concept and the power of disciplined, compounding progress, to the importance of transparency, execution, culture, and trust, this episode connects enduring business principles with lived experience inside advice firms.

It’s a reflection on what really drives sustainable success in professional services businesses, and particularly in financial advice. Not shortcuts or breakthroughs, but clarity of purpose, disciplined execution, strong people, and a long-term mindset.

We’re taking a short break over the New Year and will be back in two weeks with a new guest episode.

Wishing all trusted advisers a happy and healthy New Year, and every success in 2026.

Most advice firms in Australia run on Xplan, but very few truly understand what’s happening under the hood, how to optimise it, where it breaks, and what it takes to integrate it into a modern tech stack.

In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, Rob Pyne sits down with Matt McGuinty (FinTech Strategic Partners), one of the rare people who has worked inside Xplan with the developers themselves, and now helps advice firms lift capacity, consistency, and scale through better systems and smarter workflow design.

Together, Rob and Matt unpack:

Why “the tyranny of variation” quietly destroys efficiency in advice businesses

The red flags Matt looks for in tech due diligence before a merger or acquisition

How to think about dual CRMs (Xplan plus Salesforce/Dynamics), data ownership, and avoiding double entry

What “online SOAs” could look like through a client portal, including digital fact finds and web-style advice presentation

AI in advice: what’s useful now, what’s hype, and why data security and data quality come first

If you’re wrestling with scale, consistency, or tech change (or you’re considering an acquisition), this one will give you a clearer framework for what matters and what to fix first.

In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, Rob Pyne sits down with Michael Goodman, founder of Wealthstream Advisors and now President of Greenspring Advisors, for an honest and thoughtful conversation about what it really takes to build an advice firm that outlives its founders.

At a time when private equity is reshaping the advice profession, Michael chose a very different path. In 2025, he led Wealthstream into a merger with Greenspring Advisors — not for liquidity, not for scale at any cost, but to strengthen multi-generational employee ownership and build a governance structure designed for the future.

In this candid discussion, Michael shares:

Why remaining independent required broadening the shareholder base

The personal realisations that shaped his decision to avoid outside capital

How his role has evolved from founder to “bench coach” and strategic partner

What it feels like to step into formal governance after years of leading a smaller firm

How two culturally aligned firms blended processes, values, and people

Why the next generation — not external investors — should own the decision-making power

The early surprises, wins, and cultural moments that affirmed the merger

His hopes for the firm he will ultimately hand over, not sell off

This episode offers rare insight into succession planning, governance evolution, and leadership transition from someone who has lived through the complexity — and made deliberate, values-based decisions at every step.

Whether you’re a founder thinking about succession, an adviser stepping into leadership, or simply curious about what the future of independent advice can look like, Michael’s story offers clarity, conviction, and inspiration.

This special reflection episode isn’t part of our numbered series. While Rob attends the FAAA Congress in Perth along with over a thousand advisers from across Australia, we’re taking a moment to look back.

Rob narrates a guided recap of the first 30 conversations from The Trusted Adviser — highlighting the ideas, strategies, and insights that have shaped the profession, and this podcast.

Whether you’re new to the series or revisiting a favourite conversation, this retrospective will help you navigate the episodes that matter most to you.

A curated guide. A moment to reflect. A look back at the leaders shaping advice today.

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.

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.

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

In this episode of The Trusted Adviser, Rob Pyne speaks with Glenn Elliott, co-founder of Practifi and founder of Meldus, about how AI and automation are reshaping the advice profession. Glenn shares insights from his journey building Practifi, the importance of open platforms and APIs, and the practical ways agentic AI is already transforming CRM data, compliance, and client engagement. A must-listen for advice firms wanting to future-proof their technology and unlock new levels of productivity.