The WealthTech Insider

Pete and Danni unpack the wild rise of Harvey.AI — the legal-tech darling that raised US $865 million in just 31 months and hit a US $5 billion valuation. They trace how a Reddit side-project turned into a Silicon Valley feeding frenzy, and ask whether this is genius or a bubble waiting to burst.

The chat veers from law-firm FOMO and elite-bait marketing to what it all means for financial-advice tech, touching on California’s new AI laws, the environmental cost of compute, and why “boring by design” might actually be the smartest strategy in AI adoption.

Expect sharp numbers, dry humour, and a few hard questions for every adviser thinking of hitching their tech stack to the next shiny AI promise.

(Part 1 of a 3-part series: The Rise, The Playbook, and The Cracks.)

#peterworn #dannilegrande #financialadvice #wealthtech

In this episode, Peter Worn sits down with Matthew Vandermeer from Leading Teams to unpack what makes teams—and leaders—great. The conversation explores how the financial services industry is evolving, why culture matters as much as strategy, and how technology can either strengthen or fracture team dynamics if not led with clarity.Matthew shares lessons from his experience building high-performing teams and draws an unlikely but powerful parallel with the Brisbane Lions’ return to glory—how clear vision, strong leadership, and trust in the process can turn a struggling side into a winning organisation.This episode is a deep dive into the mechanics of culture, feedback, and leadership—and a reminder that great businesses, like great footy clubs, are built from the inside out.Links: https://www.leadingteams.net.au/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattvanders/💡 Key TakeawaysThe advice industry is changing—fewer advisers, but greater demand for quality advice.Culture and mechanics must work hand-in-hand; one without the other won’t scale.Leaders set the tone through daily actions, not slogans.Feedback should be part of the rhythm, not reserved for when things go wrong.Recruit for cultural fit first, operational skill second.Trust is the foundation for open communication and accountability.Technology should enhance, not replace human connection.Great culture drives performance, retention, and satisfaction.Regular reviews and honest conversations keep teams improving.Like the Brisbane Lions, success comes from clarity, cohesion, and belief in the system.Chapter List: Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background of Matthew Vandermeer03:12 Current State of the Industry06:06 Leading Teams: Mission and Approach11:55 Culture vs. Mechanics in Teams17:35 Defining and Building Culture23:13 The Role of Leadership in Culture24:57 Leadership and Culture in Sports and Business29:20 Modeling, Rewarding, and Challenging Behavior34:14 Overcoming Resistance to Change38:15 Recruiting for Success: Mechanics vs. Dynamics44:40 Feedback and Communication in a Tech-Driven World

Recorded Live from the Netwealth Accelerate Summit. Pete & Danni spend time with Sophie Firminger from Netwealth unpacking a real life cast study of a tech project which went horribly wrong.

00:00 Introduction to Advice Tech Challenges

01:09 Real-Life Tech Implementation Disasters

03:43 Evaluating Technology Solutions

06:14 The Importance of Team Involvement

09:07 Red Flags in Tech Selection

11:49 Managing Project Risks and Leadership Involvement

14:50 Governance Failures in Tech Projects

17:32 Change Management and Team Morale

20:29 Private Equity and Tech Integration

23:17 Lessons Learned from Tech Failures

25:57 Practical Steps for Successful Tech Implementation

27:16 finura_group outro (1).mp3

Danni Le Grande and Peter Worn put their 2025 predictions under the microscope. From adviser numbers and platform monogamy to AI agents and YouTube marketing, they track the wins, the misses, and what’s still up for grabs.

Expect sharp takes on margin squeeze in AdviceTech, private equity’s reshaping of the landscape, and why industry funds are still dragging their feet on tech. Plus: are AI “virtual team members” hype or reality?

Come behind the scenes and listen to one of Peter's live presentations, including some controversial audience Q&A.

It's unfiltered, unedited.

Chapters:

00:00 The Future of AI in Healthcare and Financial Advice

19:10 Investing in AI: Short-Term Strategies

20:55 Valuations and Market Trends in AI

23:13 Consumer Adoption of AI Technologies

26:33 Training and Preparing for AI Integration

28:47 The Importance of AI Strategy in Business

32:21 AI's Impact on Financial Services

33:06 Q&A: Addressing AI Concerns and Misconceptions

In our first-ever live recording of The WealthTech Insider, Danni Le Grande and Peter Worn hit the stage at the IRESS WealthTech Summit to revisit — and ruthlessly score — the predictions we made for advice tech in 2025.

Recorded in front of a room full of industry pros (and without the safety net of a mute button), we dive into what’s tracking, what’s tanking, and what’s surprised us most about the year so far.

We cover:

• Why AdviceTech feels stuck in neutral — and whether adviser tech fatigue is real

• The slow but steady rise of platform monogamy

• Why industry super is scrambling to fix the member experience (and stop outsourcing accountability)

• What private equity really wants from advice firms (hint: it’s not just scale)

• AI everywhere — and the caution tape that should come with it

• Why some advice firms are overspending on enterprise tech they don’t need

• Plus: how podcasts and YouTube quietly became advice firms’ secret marketing weapon

Expect candid takes, live banter, and some good old-fashioned “we called it” moments.

In this episode, Peter Worn sits down with Paul Feeney, CEO & Co-Founder of Otivo, to thrash out one of the biggest debates in financial advice right now: Can AI deliver safe and useful guidance, or will ChatGPT-style tools create more risk than reward?

We unpack the rise of consumer-led AI, the dangers of unfiltered “DIY advice,” and how Otivo is tackling the challenge head-on with an AI chat assistant built for real people, not experiments.

If you care about the future of advice, compliance, and keeping technology on the rails, this conversation will give you a front-row seat to where the industry is heading.

Chapters:

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI in Financial Advice

02:23 Paul Feeney's Journey and Ativo's Genesis

04:39 The Evolution of Ativo and Its Mission

08:23 User Experience and Simplifying Financial Advice

11:24 The Role of AI in Financial Advice

14:07 Consumer Interaction with AI for Financial Guidance

17:43 The Future of AI in Personal Finance

20:52 Implementing AI in Financial Services

26:04 AI-Driven Compliance and Human Oversight

26:42 The Role of AI in Financial Advice

27:52 Personalised Financial Insights through AI

29:17 User Experience and Engagement in Financial Platforms

31:02 The Future of Financial Advice: AI and Human Interaction

32:42 Proactive Engagement with Superannuation Funds

34:59 The Importance of Personal Advice in Superannuation

36:53 Building Trust through Personalised Financial Advice

38:17 The Need for Digital Tools in Financial Advice

40:57 Accessibility and Inclusivity in Financial Services

42:46 The Future of Financial Advice: Digital First Solutions

We all love a shiny new system — but what happens after the demo? In this candid episode, Danni Le Grande is joined by Selin Ertac from Tangelo Advice Consulting to unpack the all-too-common disconnect between technology rollouts and the people expected to make them work.

From war stories of disengaged teams and overcooked implementations, to practical strategies for meaningful, human-first change management — this is a must-listen for anyone tired of throwing good tech at bad processes.

They dive into:

• Why change fatigue derails even the best software

• The underestimated power of clear processes and role definition

• The sneaky pitfalls of “just one more feature” thinking

This one’s for the Ops Leads, Paraplanners, Practice Managers — and the Firm Leaders who want tech to stick.

Danni Le Grande

Selin Ertac

Finura Group: https://finuragroup.com/

This week on The WealthTech Insider, Danni and Pete dive into the AI hype cycle — and why the gap between flashy announcements and real-world impact matters more than ever for advice firms and tech providers.

Using Apple’s recent WWDC as a launchpad, they explore what happens when expectations soar and delivery stumbles — and what smaller players can learn from it. From voice assistants that still don’t listen, to CRMs that try too hard, it’s a candid conversation about usability, adoption, and the actual value of AI in advice.

Plus, they unpack fresh insights from the latest Technology Health Check survey:
What are firms really expecting from AI? Are they prepared for it? And is “just being useful” enough?

In this episode:

• Why delivering less (but better) wins in advice tech

• What your firm’s AI readiness really looks like

• Why invisible, intuitive tools beat bold but baffling ones

• What advice firms should expect — and ask — from their software

• How to avoid building features no one asked for

Whether you’re building tech or buying it, this one’s packed with practical insights, a few laughs, and a healthy dose of perspective.

https://finuragroup.com/tech-health-check/

Peter Worn

Danni Le Grande

Finura Group

Why do smart, successful business owners keep making tech decisions that come back to bite them? Danni and Pete unpack it all — from submarines driven by PlayStation controllers to advice firms stuck with expensive systems no one uses.

In this episode:

*The surprising parallels between the OceanGate tragedy and everyday tech decisions in advice practices

*The true cost of chasing shiny tools — from wasted fees to worn-down teams

*How small missteps — like skipping due diligence or underestimating change fatigue — quietly snowball into major headaches

*And a few laughs along the way about F1 steering wheels, hot yoga, and why you might want to leave software picks to someone other than your mates.

Whether you’re knee-deep in a new platform rollout or just wondering if your tech stack could use a rethink, this one’s packed with candid stories, fresh perspectives, and tips to help you steer clear of the avoidable disasters.

https://finuragroup.com/tech-health-check/

Danni Le Grande

Peter Worn

Finura Group