Certainty Advice Podcasts

Minimum Pricing is a tough issue to manage because he forces advisory teams to re-position their value and pricing with existing clients. Advice firms are generally strong with implementation of their minimum annual pricing, but not as strong with the managing the expectations and value conversations with longer term clients whose prices are approaching or falling below minimums. There are a number of factors and tools to address this which is covered in this Certainty Rountable.

Because Certainty Advice is different, screening of enquiries is also different for firms implementing Certainty Advice. This session provides the 'frameworks' but also the key 'mindsets' vital to hold effective screening conversations prior making the time to meet with new prospects. The words used and the way they are delivered set the context for effective Discovery Meetings. This session provides the proven guidelines.

Daily, Weekly, Monthly Huddles are crucial for advisory firms. Without some form of regular team huddle, a team's priorities will tend to become less urgent and important than the priorities of clients and the demands created by clients. The core objective of good Huddles is support for each other as teams inevitably hurdle endless the endless blockages constructed via natural healthy progress. This session discusses how Huddles are prioritising team's priorities for busy advisory teams.

Nicole O'Sullivan and Caitlin Walker from Ambleside Wealth Advisers on Victoria's South Coast town of Warrnambool share the mindsets that have shaped a great Certainty Journey over nearly 12 months. Dropping long-held assumptions, lifting accountability, defining who to serve as just some of the great examples how Ambleside has implemented significant change in a regional community. As a new era of advisers enter the advice marketplace, the stories of Caitlin and Nicole will provide confidence that the future of advice will be built by some great teams.

Building effective third-party alliances requires smart work. This session covers the third technique to build alliances with a strong preference for alliances built via existing client relationships. The session discusses the need for a plan, and the need for Alliance IP, but most importantly, this session highlights the due diligence needed to create, sustain and manage an effective third-party alliance partnership with like-minded third-party professionals.

Understanding what drives clients is essential to every Certainty Advice Proposition. While the annual Discovery conversation identifies, prioritises and confirms the overall approach, tools like Keith Abraham's Goal Driver helps with the micro-steps on every client's journey. Also team members aware of each others micro-drivers helps bring crucial awareness that we are not the same in what matters in the progress with seek. How to use this tool, who to use it with and why it was developed are all covered in this important session.

For good reasons, some clients seek advice which respects that some matters of their financial affairs will be kept confidential even from each other. How does Certainty Advice cater for these client scenarios? This session highlights four areas to focus upon when dealing with these client situations.

Progress means different things to different firms at different times. Once firms are through their initial survival mode when all benchmarks point towards cashflow and survival, a myraid of options appears as to how best guide growth. This session provides an overview of key performance benchmarks for advisory firms in areas of growth, profitability, productivity and fees. Sample benchmarks for 'standard' and 'best practice' performance are also provided.

Referrals are the core of advisory firm growth. Without management, they can become an obstacle to productive growth. This session identifies the key elements required to make client referrals productive for all client-facing team members. It outlines the twelve steps in the Certainty Advice process to generate ideal opportunities for growth.

From never wanting to join a Discovery Meeting to never wanting to miss them, Kylie Stirling shares her journey and the discoveries she has made as Stirling Financial Consulting, the firm started by her partner Jarad, has successfully grown. Especially important to understand about Kylie's journey is her lack of technical financial services qualifications. Her background is events and client management. Ideally suited to growing and prosperous advisory firms.

As firms grow, they tend to outgrow their clients. This creates productivity challenges for firms managing growth while still respecting promises and expectations of loyal clients. Advisory teams need a collaborative structure to support their on-going management of all clients who all deserve respect, but not equal service. This session provides some insights how good advisory teams are managing their quiet clients.

Poor quoting leads to wasted time, under-pricing, over-delivering and poor growth. Quoting is often driven off the wrong premise to 'win' new clients, rather than 'grow' the number of valuable clients. This session outlines some of the frameworks required for advisers to consistently, effectively and methodically quote their advice for both existing and new clients.

As firms grow quicker than the needs of their clients, how do they maintain productivity? In the past the first solution was hire more people, which increases short-term activity and not always eventuates in longer term productivity. What are the considerations for firms seeking to protect the best interests of all clients, while ensuring they remain focused on their active clients?

Dan Creagan, senior adviser with William Buck Sydney shares his own and his team's doubling in growth using Certainty Advice. Are pods better than pools for advisory teams? Dan shares the four key elements be believes important to growing skilled and collaborative team members.

For advisers building great advisory firms, having two team members in annual client meetings is essential. It reduces dependencies, raises team productivity, accelerates learning and careers objectives for up-and-coming team members and increases client satisfaction with more contact points. It's much more than note-taking, it's a vital part of the firm's proposition. This session explains how it works for Certainty Advice teams.

Screening enquiries from prospects is important. It is in the best interests of each prospect and firm to ensure the 'match' between firm and client represents a good 'fit' for both. This session provides great discussions and four proven steps to assist making these conversations consistent, specific, respectful and productive for firms implementing comprehensive advice models like Certainty Advice.

Advisory teams are constantly positioning themselves. It is proactive or reactive? When approaching new clients, new alliances, new team members or when explaining changes in approach to existing clients, team members or alliances, what thought is given to how to position your message, your strategy, your fee? Having worked with many teams over many years, Keith provides a set of six key framework questions to help make the positioning approach more deliberate and less by chance.

Certainty Advisers expertise can never cover all technical aspects in the lives of Certainty Clients. Therefore working with Third-Party Specialists in a consistent, specific and methodical manner is important. This Roundtable Joel Seach from Harpel Financial Group in Melbourne shares how he performs the project manager role enlisting the services of unaligned third-party property experts.

Being in the business of making our clients more confidence, advisory teamwork is crucial. This Roundtable discusses the best practices being used by Certainty Teams to consistently, specifically and methodically deliver the confidence, the direction, the expertise clients are paying for.

Mastering both the approach to valuable conversations and the 'conditions' in which valuable conversations will be held is crucial for advisory teams aiming to help clients lead their best possible lives. This Roundtable/Podcast shares how Certainty Advice teams are handling those more sensitive Discovery (and re-Discovery) Conversations when additional skills, focus and vigilance is required.

From 'hot' Warrnambool to sticky Gold Coast and beyond the Certainty Community of firms share their hopes, plans and focus for 2022 - a key theme is 'quality' of business with a focus on the right opportunities. We also share 2022 Leadership tools for each adviser, their team, their clients, and their alliances.

Breakthroughs drive sustainable growth. This session highlights the breakthroughs planned in 2022 for Certainty Advice teams. I also present what I believe are key trends to consider in every advisory firm's 2022 planning. 2022 is going to be financial advice's best year yet.

Insights are significant learning experiences that make an impact and accelerate change because they allow us to leapfrog the planned steps having heard the experience of others on similar paths to similar objectives. The 2021 Insights are in the areas of Covid, Leadership, Us, Structures, Compliance and Value. Nearly all of these areas are important for the advisory teams business planning for 2022.

Advisory teams are the most valuable asset for every advisory firm. For firms in the business of building a business that consistently delivers great advice, the formalisation of team careers, team management and growth is crucial. But too often the planning for clients and the administration involved every day becomes a higher priority. This session shares crucial thinking and tools to help every firm, regardless of size, bring greater formality and process to building the firm's most important asset - the team.

Consistently, specifically and methodically articulating the value of advice is crucial for initial and ongoing engagements with Advice Clients. For Certainty Advice where value is what the client seeks rather than what an adviser provides, advisory teams need to be aware the 'shift' in support for client value to be realised. This Roundtable discusses how firms using Certainty Advice are articulating and positioning their advice on the three advisory roles or money, advice and planning.

Outsourcing will grow from predominantly an administrative functionality to a management function. This will allow increasing numbers of our teams to deliver the value clients seek, while ensuring teams are not over-worked, that profits are achieved and careers objectives being met. This session shares the thinking, the benchmarks and core functions not to outsource for advisory firms of the future.

We advise proceed with caution when considering a merger or acquisition of an advice client base. This session highlights the different generations of advisory firms which is an important framework to segment any acquisition/merger effort. The key is productivity growth, not activity growth. Too often mergers are not driven by better serving clients best interests or driven by a focus on more activity. In these fast-changing times this session highlights some of the key steps to make these opportunities work.

A challenge of great advice firms is the growth of client bases. In the old financial planning days clients will often placed in 'quiet' status while firms still earned a small return until client's needed additional advice. Those days are gone if not going. How do advice firms manage the clients they might be outgrowing today?

Shifting from a Fees-For-Service pricing methodology based upon products, hours or range of services to a Value-For_Money pricing methodology based upon value, Advice Grids provide the vital management in four key areas of business growth - this Roundtable facilitates discussions and presents the models to support Advice Grids.

Why do some advisers sell the same thing three times? The financial plan, the plan's implementation and the on-going fees? How can advisers switch this to just selling once - the advisory relationship? Key to advisory teams offering comprehensive advice is to ensure their 'worth' in the client's mind is not aligned to a plan or it's implementation of estimated on-going fees, worth needs to be based on something far more important to each client.

When asked about price prior understanding value being sought, advisers need to become educators. Pricing on value for people's life choices is different to pricing on product for people's product choices - the differences need to be explained. This session provides the frameworks that Certainty Advisory teams have effectively used to explain their approach with respect and quickly.

It is important to talk the client's "language" when advising them with Certainty. Russ Alan Prince introduced me to his High-Net-Worth Psychology nearly 20 years ago. I believe the tools and approach he presents is applicable for many clients with complexity. This session highlights Russ' nine financial personalities and the driving 'context' that underpins their unique financial world.

We learn our best lessons the hard way - when we don't expect them. In this session, the Certainty Advice community discusses some of those opportunities that were lost. What was missing, what happened, what changes have been made, what skills were missing are all discussed. Learning from the lessons of others is core to our Certainty Community especially when trying to deliver the best interests of our prospects and clients.

Duration: 13:43 Date: 5 August 2021 When pricing and engaging on worth and value rather than products with specific recommendations, what is required to produce quality and effective engagement documents with efficiency? In this Certainty Advice Roundtable session, the Certainty Advice community shares their insights on how their advisory teams are engaging their new prospects.

Duration: 14:15 Date: 30 July 2021 Scoping comprehensive advice requires a specific and methodical approach to pricing. Scope changes all the time, making scope management a consistent management requirement. This Certainty Advice Roundtable session outlines the approach both for quoting scope, when to use fixed and when to use variable quotes, but more importantly shares a practical monthly team-based scope management approach.

Guest: Paul Gilbey, Managing Director & Senior Adviser at Hywood Partners Duration: 18:03 Date: 20 April 2021   In another episode of our “Three Years On” series – Jim and our Certainty Advisers continue to deconstruct what they think the Royal Commission into Financial Services has achieved since 2017. Today, Jim chats to Paul Gilbey from Hywood Partners about systemic failure within Australia’s financial institutions, the fines dished out and the sense of progress – or lack thereof – since the reports were released.  Paul has an interesting take on where the benefits lie and what we need to do to lead better financial lives. Advice, not product recommendations, is what we need in uncertain times. Enjoy another info-loaded episode of “The Certainty Advice Podcast” …  

Guest: Julie Hautot, Senior Adviser at Hywood Partners Duration: 15:43 Date: 1 April 2021   In another episode of our “Three Years On” series – Jim and our Certainty Advisers continue to look at the fall-out from the Royal Commission into Financial Services and Banking, covering the “hows” and “whys” of accessing advice today. Today, Jim speaks with Julie Hautot, the highly credentialled Senior Advisor with Hywood Partners in downtown Subiaco - one of Australia’s great spots of innovative firms from many professions and industries on the outskirts of Perth. Julie outlines the flow on effect of the decisions made in 2017 and believes that remuneration is the best determinant of the quality of advice you should receive as a client. Indeed, the banks exited, compliance costs skyrocketed, and we live in an extraordinary landscape dominated by COVID-19. So, what are the ramifications for Australians seeking financial advice? Welcome to another episode of “The Certainty Advice Podcast” … 

Guest: Scott Farmer, Principal of Bravium Duration: 18:08 Date: 9 March 2021   On this episode of “The Certainty Advice Podcast”, Jim continues to delve into the three years since the announcement of the Royal Commission into Banking and how those changes have altered the way we access advice in 2020. Today, Jim talks with Certainty Advisor and Principal of Bravium, Scott Farmer, as Job Keeper 1.0 comes to an end and other financial initiatives are withdrawn. Families across the country are learning to survive on smaller incomes. But is COVID revealing a silver lining with potentially better options? Scott reveals why he believes the Royal Commission was effective and why he thinks the Advice industry is still in start-up phase. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode... Enjoy!

Guest: Paul Birch, Principal of Pacific Wealth Duration: 11:52 Date: 17 February 2021   In another episode of “The Certainty Advice Podcast”, we continue to look at the rise and fall of Advice from the 2017 Royal Commission into Banking & Financial Services. Today, I chat about the new landscape of Financial Advice with Paul Birch, Certainty Adviser and Principal of Pacific Wealth on the Northern Beaches. Paul shares his thoughts on the benefits to Australians three years down the track – and what is fundamentally missing from the outcomes seen so far. And that’s quite a list! Learn more from this episode of “The Certainty Advice Podcast”…

Guest: Jarad Stirling, Principal of Stirling Financial Consulting Duration: 15:04 Date: 9 February 2021   In this episode of “The Certainty Advice Podcast,” we continue to delve into our latest “Three Years On” series – three years since the announcement of the Royal Commission into Banking and what it means for us now in 2021. I am lucky to be joined by Jarad Stirling from Stirling Financial Consulting just across the Captain Cook Bridge in Sutherland Shire in southern Sydney, with insight into why it’s important that niched advisers are both independent and understand the complexities of certain markets – all while being fee-transparent. Our talk turns to how important trust is within the industry and three years on, who are the real winners and losers from the Royal Commission into Financial Services and Banking?  Welcome to more thought-provoking money matters in another episode of “The Certainty Advice Podcast”…

Guest: Charlie Haynes, CEO of Lonsec Duration: 19:03 Date: 15 January 2021   This latest episode in our “Three Years On” series – where we break down the pros and cons of the 2017 Royal Commission into Financial Services and Banking – I chat with Charlie Haynes, CEO of Lonsec, one of Australia’s most respected and leading research houses. Together, we discuss the paths and benefits to everyday Australians three years on and why there is still a day of reckoning coming for certain sections of the industry. Listen out for practical, actionable insights from Charlie as he deconstructs the real outcomes of this Royal Commission. Welcome to another episode of ‘The Certainty Advice Podcast’...

Guest: Annette Pulbrook, Principal of FinBiz Advisers Duration: 19:12 Date: 7 January 2021   I’m excited to be joined by Annette Pulbrook, Certainty Adviser and Principal of FinBiz Advisers on the shores of Lake Macquarie in Warners’ Bay, to deconstruct what she thinks the Royal Commission into Financial Services and Banking has achieved three years later. While trained as an accountant, Annette represents the future breed of advisers who serves all financial needs for their busy SME clients, family and individual clients in the area and throughout Australia. With a speciality in hospitality – a sector under considerable strain during COVID-19 – Annette brings a big picture view to planning and reassurance – and tells us why the pace of reform was, and still is, too slow. There is a lot to unpack from Annette’s wisdom on this episode of The Certainty Advice Podcast…

Guest: Clayton Daniel, XY Adviser Duration: 15:25 Date: 11 December 2020   In another episode of “The Certainty Advice Podcast”, we continue to delve deeper into the outcomes of the Royal Commission into Financial Services and Banking three years ago. I speak with big picture commentator, experienced adviser and author, Clayton Daniel from XY Adviser. Together we discuss ‘big picture’ issues such as, did the Royal Commission get the job done? Is consumer sentiment towards the financial giants at an all-time low? And how long will it take until we have an industry that delivers valuable advice under new restrictions in a pandemic era? Clayton also touches on how technology will provide strong benefits for you in your financial life. So, welcome again to another episode of ‘The Certainty Advice Podcast’… enjoy!

Guest: Tom Curtis, Financial Planner at Roe Financial Duration:  19:55 Date: 4 December 2020   In another episode of “The Certainty Advice Podcast” we continue to delve deeper into the outcomes of the Royal Commission into Financial Services and Banking three years ago. I am lucky to be joined by Tom Curtis, a Certainty Financial Adviser with Roe Financial located in Adelaide, an area famous for colourful and diverse communities, beautiful rural landscapes and more. With 140 Commissions held since Federation, this one was truly unique. Listen in as Tom and I discuss the changes to the “culture of greed” as well as the those that are made inside the narrow scope of the Commission’s limited ability to achieve best practice policy development. This timely chat reviews the intended - and unintended - consequences of that Commission.

Guest: Reine Clemow, Principal of Acquira Wealth Partners Duration:  22:31 Date: 27 November 2020   On this episode of ‘The Certainty Advice Podcast’, I speak with the brilliant and articulate Reine Clemow, Certainty Adviser and Principal of Acquira Wealth Partners. Listen as he talks us through how growing businesses and families in this beautiful part of the state’s South East, is a challenge and a privilege. Reine shares his views on how the Royal Commission into Banking has changed the fiscal landscape, particularly with the backdrop of COVID and what his clients are saying about advice pre- and post-Royal Commission. There are many light-bulb moments in this fantastic episode…   Enjoy!

Guest: Samantha Albiez, Senior Wealth Adviser at Bravium Duration: 19 :50 Date: 19 November 2020   On this episode of ‘The Certainty Advice Podcast,’ I am lucky to be joined by Samantha Albiez, Certainty Adviser and Senior Wealth Adviser at Bravium located in the beautiful Canberra suburb of Braddon. Together we deconstruct the results on the fallout from the Royal Commission into Banking three years ago and the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of accessing advice in 2020. Listen in as Samantha shares her valuable insights into the key benefits of the industry shake-up - what will happen to those providers who insist on functioning in the “dark ages” and how the “good guys” will apply their learnings from the past three years, under the cloud of a global pandemic. You will learn a lot on this episode of ‘The Certainty Advice Podcast’…

Guest:   Travis Martin & Dieter Tode, Monument Advisory Duration:  18:46 Date:   13 November 2020   With 140 Commissions held since Federation, the Royal Commission into Financial Services and Banking three years ago was truly unique. I’m excited to have Travis Martin and Dieter Tode, acting Director and Principal Certainty Advisers of Monument Advisory opposite Kings Park in West Perth, join me on this episode of ‘The Certainty Advice Podcast’. Listen in as we delve into the extent of the renovations changing advisory firms today. They rationalise why Australians are confused about “advice and product” and how the Commission outcome is working to demystify old patterns of thinking. Welcome to another episode of ‘The Certainty Advice Podcast’…

Guest:   Neil Watson, Principals of The Planning Room Duration:  15:09 Date:   22 October 2020   I’m lucky to have Neil Watson, Certainty Adviser and Principal of The Planning Room, join me on this episode of the “Certainty Advice Podcast” where together, we take a look at how the changes from the Royal Commission into Banking 3 years ago have altered the way we access advice in 2020. Find out why Neil believes there are no winners from the 70-million-dollar commission… and who were the rats that jumped ship? There’s a lot to unpack in this episode of the Certainty Advice Podcast…

Guests:   Reine Clemow, Principal of Acquira Wealth Partners Duration:    18:10 Date:    04 September 2020 Reine Clemow, Certainty Adviser and Principal of Acquira Wealth Partners in Southport on Queensland’s Gold Coast joins me on this episode of ‘The Certainty Advice Podcast’. We discuss easier access to superannuation accounts during COVID-19, some issues about managing money under the Job Keeper scheme, and the enormous industry shifts affecting how Australians will obtain advice in the future. Big questions with some surprising answers. Enjoy!

Guests:   Paul Birch, Principal of Pacific Wealth Duration:    18:29 Paul Birch, Certainty Adviser and Principal of Pacific Wealth here in beautiful Manly, joins me on this episode of ‘The Certainty Advice Podcast’ sharing his valuable insights on how the restrictions on travel are impacting his clients, the rise of financial pornography and the benefits and disadvantages of conservatism in a COVID impacted world.

Guests:   Travis Martin & Dieter Tode, Principals of Monument Advisory Duration:    21:27 Date:    6 July 2020   I am lucking to be joined on this episode of The Certainty Podcast with Travis Martin and Dieter Tode, acting Director and Principal Certainty Advisers of Monument Advisory opposite Queens Park in West Perth. Listen as Travis and Dieter share their insights into the importance of ‘value’ in financial advice - how it is sought and gained, gets things done and ensures all parties are on the same page. This is the essential component to Monument and allows for making real positive change in their clients’ financial lives.