THE FINNOVATOR

Mastering Practice Tech Masterclass with Debbie French

For most practice owners, technology presents a challenge to be overcome.   Maybe it’s about wanting to nail your processes, but not being able to get your workflow threads set up the way you wish they could be.   You’d love to be able to generate presentation-ready advice documents but you end up having to edit everything first.   Perhaps the goal is email automation, but the system just won’t bend to your will.  On a recent Leveraged Advice Firm program training session all about systems the commonly heard complaints about software came up, yet one person had a different story to tell, which is why I wanted to spend some time unpacking what allowed Rowland Financial to make their technology work FOR them.   Apart from a commitment as a team to finding the solution, part of the reason is that Debbie French not only has been given the opportunity to apply her software skills and systems thinking but that their attitude to leveraging tech is measuredly different, resulting in some extraordinary results.   Direct Dragan dictation of file notes directly in the CRM, automated outbound emails to book Reviews and a fully operational workflow tracking system is just the tip of the iceberg. If practice efficiency is your interest, this is a story you may want to eavesdrop on.   Debbie and I covered:
• the specifics of what she and the team at Rowfin do differently,
• what they’ve been able to build and
• how you can change your relationship with your practice’s technology for the good.
 
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The Sustainable Service Model with Michael Lawes

Michael Lawes is someone with whom I share a common passion for coaching advisers. Whenever we get together, we can spent 40 mins or more of the meeting talking about our latest great reads, or what's working best, and find ourselves almost forgetting the reason we were meeting altogether.
As National Manager of Business Coaching at Affinia he leads a team that firmly believe that a significant part of the role of a Licensee is to work with practices on the business of advice, as well as all the other elements that make up the modern Licensee offering.
In this session, we tag teamed to dive deep on what a sustainable service offering looks like as we move into the next phase of advice business, and how practices can make the transition with more confidence.
 
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Practice Management Masterclass with Angela Laughlin

At some point in time, every advice firm reaches a point where the next stage in its development requires someone to be focused on growing the operational "muscles", which is why I wanted to share this with you.
Angela Laughlin of BBB Partners is that person and it's no exaggeration to say is one of the most effective Practice Managers I've worked with. 
In this episode of The Finnovator, she shared the lessons she's learnt about managing a practice and taking it to the next level. If you run a practice, this advice is what you'll appreciate having heard.
 
Join our list and get the latest best practice insights in your inbox every fortnight > https://audere.com.au/blog/

Build Your Own Superstars with Alisdair Barr

With a lot of firms back on a growth footing, I wanted to share a very relevant, topical and recent conversation with someone who knows a lot about finding, hiring and retaining the very best people; Alisdair Barr
Alisdair is the founder and driving force behind Strider. His mission over these past years has been helping advisers to help more clients by solving the resource constraints that hold them back. He's done this by helping to master the art of finding great people and, through the right mentoring and training, turning them into superstar team members.
This is a topic close to my heart, as the search for the perfect, fully-formed staff member - the Unicorn - is often something that ends up being a search without end, and ironically the slower route.
In this session, we unpacked:
what he's learned about finding, hiring and developing the right staff,
the mistakes made along the way
and some valuable insight into how to ensure your business can get the best out of your people and grow to become a force for providing great advice to more people.
 
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Chapter 2: Fox and Hare

If the name Fox & Hare isn't familiar to it, you must have been truly "head down, bum up" in 2019.
In what seemed like an extraordinarily short period of time Jessica Brady & Glenn Hare caught the attention of the industry and their target market with a mastery of messaging, mission, and branding that drew in prospects and maybe even put more than a few noses out of joint.
At this Masterclass though we'll be covering very different ground.
We'll be exploring - if you'll excuse the band analogy - what happens when your first album is a hit and it's time to write the second, including:
How to manage/ keep up with the demands of rapid growth,
How to find and manage the staff needed and learn fast,
How they've set the business up to deliver on a proposition that got traction fast,
How they've approached investing for growth.
...and more.
 
As you know, Masterclasses are about unpacking the story, wherever it may take us.  If you're a business that's seen growth and wondering what the next phase looks like, or you're interested in hearing about how to deal with a business that is changing fast in an already fast-changing environment, this is one not to miss.
 
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Leading and Getting Results with Chief and Emilie Brabon

If you REALLY want to know how to 10x the impact you can have on your clients financial decisions, read on. This is one story you need to hear.
In 2013, I was not feeling great. I weighed too much, my diet was terrible and my relationship with exercise was at an all-time low.
In a flash of destiny, I signed Rachel and I up for a one-month deal with Original Bootcamp in Coogee.
Little did I know how influential this decision would be.
The catalyst for one of the most significant transformations in my life was two people; Jim "Chief" & Emilie “Gunny" Brabon. These two are legends in the fitness industry, thought-leading "sweatpant millionaires", two of Australia's leading Ultra Marathon runners and Under Armour ambassadors.
What's this got to do with advice, you ask? Here's what.
They worked out the formula for getting better results via a community than anyone ever could 1:1.
Join me for this and you will learn:
How they went from selling programs for Fitness First to having 40 locations nationwide.What they know about group mentality that others simply don't get, and how it fuelled their scaling Bootcamp fast to 40 branches nationwide (and can do the same for your client base)The marketing secrets that allow them to have utterly personal and warm relationships with every member of their community, even as it grew into the thousands through their online 8 Weeks To Wow program.
...and that's just for starters. If you want to create an advice firm that's built on the principle of getting your clients a result, you need to be able to influence at a deep level their behaviour.
If you want to create a firm that does this at a scale that enables you to have impact AND grow a profitable business, you need to understand the dynamics of a community.
If you're going to do this, learning from the best is a shortcut that works. In Chief and Gunny, trust me, there is no-one better.
 
Join our list and get the latest best practice insights in your inbox every fortnight > https://audere.com.au/blog/

Change the Name with Naomi Christopher

Naomi Christopher is one of the most gifted marketers in the financial advice industry, and in this episode of The Finnovator I wanted to share the Masterclass she delivered at our live program workshop The Excelerator on digital marketing.
There are many who are good at marketing and many who understand the nuances of the advice proposition but finding those who understand both really, really well is rare, which is why this episode is packed with value for anyone seeking to understand how to market themselves better. Enjoy!
 
Join our list and get the latest best practice insights in your inbox every fortnight > https://audere.com.au/blog/

One Tech Mistake You Don’t Want to Make

I have a confession to make, which is why this episode of The Finnovator is going to be a little different.
When I started Audere, speaking was a big part of getting the early word out about how the path I was taking in working with advice firms was different. One thing that got attention was my ability to run sessions exploring the apps and other tech that advisers should know about.
Now, after 5+ years working in the space, I've come to realise the truth, that showering people with information about apps alone can in fact be one of the worst things of all, and so I wanted to share what works instead.
 
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Starting On Orange with Jason & Michael Chew

Jason and Michael Chew from Orange Wealth are two former clients who started their business a little differently. 
At the start of most firms journey, there usually isn't room for anyone who isn't directly capable of generating revenue. Well, this is where Jason and Michael's plan differed, as from day one Jason's role was to advise, with Michael on board to focus down on process design, staff management and marketing.
In this episode of The Finnovator, we talked about everything from lessons learned from client engagement, systemising, outsourcing, technology, and a whole bunch more.  If you're interested in the progressive financial advice proposition for Gen X, this is a chance to hear from two people who have implemented really, really effectively.
 
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Promoting Your Personal Brand with Charles Badenach

If Charles Badenach is just truly an "ordinary bloke", the way he goes about building his brand certainly isn't.
I've pulled this episode from the archives because the lessons around how to become an authority in your chosen community are more relevant than ever, whether it's a locality, niche or your own slice of the internet.
Charles' practical tips on how he managed to grow his practice, personal brand and ultimately lead to award recognition are well-worth hearing, as is the story behind it all. Enjoy!
 
Join our list and get the latest best practice insights in your inbox every fortnight > https://audere.com.au/blog/