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Challenge the Standard in Financial Advice
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Challenge the Standard in Financial Advice

Author: Nathan Fradley and Jordan Vaka

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Welcome to the Challenge the Standard podcast - a podcast for financial advisers, by financial advisers.

Your hosts, Nathan Fradley and Jordan Vaka, will examine the biases, fixed thinking and status quo in advice. In every episode, we'll dive deep into the world of financial advice, questioning the norms, sparking new ideas and exploring how we could do things better.

Our goal is to elevate our professional practices and 'uphold and promote the standards of our profession.

So, whether you're a seasoned adviser or a bright new entrant to the Australian market (and beyond), this is where we challenge the standard, together.
136 Episodes
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S9E2 AI v VA

S9E2 AI v VA

2026-10-0101:05:16

Putting aside their avowed determination to stop talking about AI, this week Jordan and Nathan explore the growing role AI is playing in adviser businesses. The rapid escalation of AI's position in advice reminds them both of the way hiring Virtual Assistants (VAs) took off in the mid 2010s.  They're particularly interested in the overlap between the different options advisers face to grow their business.  But before we can even discuss that - it's key to define just what problems you're trying to solve.  Throw in some ranting, existential dread and Jordan's admission about what he's doing on public footpaths, and it makes for a pretty standard episode of CTS...   Nathan: [email protected] www.nathanfradley.com.au Jordan: [email protected] www.planningsolo.com.au LinkedIn:  Challenge the Standard in Financial Advice (Podcast): Overview | LinkedIn The information contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser. Jordan and Nathan are both authorised representatives of PlanningSolo Licensing, AFS Licence 526143.   
"Sorry, our PI insurer says you can't do that - we're not covered." "Our PI says we need to have this 27-step process in place before you can recommend an industry super fund." "That's what's so good about wholesale advice - PI doesn't care, it's not covered!" Nathan and Jordan have long suspected the PI insurers have been used as a convenient boogeyman for lazy, or perhaps dodgy, licensees to threaten advisers with. The kind of ogre that only the licensee can speak with, because advisers couldn't possibly understand the intricacies of professional indemnity insurance. Which is why they asked Richard Silberman of Numerisk Insurance Brokers to come on to the show, and unpack some of the realities of the insurance we all have to have - but might not always be clear on. Richard's helps us understand: Why underwriting is such a critical skill within insurers The issues with insuring to the lowest common denominator The power of the human emotion to 'get' the big premiums onboard The depth great brokers go to when assessing the multiple, cascading clauses built into a policy (get ready for nightmares here, licensees) The single question you should ask your broker to work out if they understand this weird and wonderful profession we're in.  It's a fun, deep discussion - Nathan and Jordan enjoyed it and reckon you will too.    Richard's Details: [email protected]  Website Nathan: [email protected] www.nathanfradley.com.au Jordan: [email protected] www.planningsolo.com.au LinkedIn:  Challenge the Standard in Financial Advice (Podcast): Overview | LinkedIn The information contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser. Jordan and Nathan are both authorised representatives of PlanningSolo Licensing, AFS Licence 526143.   
S8E20 Out On Your Own

S8E20 Out On Your Own

2026-09-1701:11:21

This week, regular listeners may ask themselves, much like the hosts, 'haven't they done this episode before?'. Turns out that, no, not really - but it does cover a lot of the same territory these chatty terriers have covered before: The importance of branding and niching How vital it is to have support, processs, and spend time on marketing Intentionality in your business The pros and (many, many) cons of working with friends and family Why activity is important As is being on top of your costs and being frugal And, finally, why paying yourself first is the most critical of all business truisms.  Because, this week, Nathan and Jordan discuss the harrowing, terrifying, wonderful, rewarding, soul-destroying and defining path of going out on your own.   Nathan: [email protected] www.nathanfradley.com.au Jordan: [email protected] www.planningsolo.com.au LinkedIn:  Challenge the Standard in Financial Advice (Podcast): Overview | LinkedIn The information contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser. Jordan and Nathan are both authorised representatives of PlanningSolo Licensing, AFS Licence 526143.      Didnt we do this already? Few emails lately asking for this brings together several common aspects of this pod branding, niching, support, process, time spent on marketing, intentionality, working with friends and family, activity is important, costs and being frugal, licensing costs, your salary and superannuation
S8E19 Screening

S8E19 Screening

2026-09-1059:43

You've done it - you're at a point where you have enough enquiries coming in each week to fill your books. Plenty of meetings, plenty of engagements, plenty of clients.  But, sorry, what's that? Now you don't have plenty of time? Now there isn't enough hours in the week to do all the work you've promised all these wonderful clients? What's the solution? Well, this week, we discuss one possible solution - filtering and screening the enquiries that cross your desk. We cover: When should you start filtering and screening the people you can help? How can you do it? What role can your fees play in ensuring the people that you work with meet your personal and business objectives? The shift in power as advisers move towards being price makers, instead of takers. Why working in a niche makes everything easier (once you commit to it).  And, to close, the mighty power of gold sluices.  Sluushes.  Slooches.  Sloosheshhs.  Anyway, the power of sluices. Definitely not sieves.    CPD: Theres been a bug in the system, we will have this back up soon! Nathan: [email protected] www.nathanfradley.com.au Jordan: [email protected] www.planningsolo.com.au LinkedIn:  Challenge the Standard in Financial Advice (Podcast): Overview | LinkedIn The information contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser. Jordan and Nathan are both authorised representatives of PlanningSolo Licensing, AFS Licence 526143.   
Phil Anderson, General Manager Policy, Advocacy & Standards, has announced his retirement. So, naturally, we thought we'd drag him onto the podcast again to run through: The FAAA's response to Dr Mulino's policy release the other day The greatest hits of his many years at the helm of the profession's response to policy and regulatory changes The importance of all members getting involved in responding to those matters that concern us How the next generation of advocates can plan to apply for Phil's role when the time is right And, to close, Nathan has composed a very lovely, very fitting farewell to Phil that goes some way to expressing our gratitude for him fighting the good fight. Nathan: [email protected] www.nathanfradley.com.au Jordan: [email protected] www.planningsolo.com.au LinkedIn:  Challenge the Standard in Financial Advice (Podcast): Overview | LinkedIn The information contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser. Jordan and Nathan are both authorised representatives of PlanningSolo Licensing, AFS Licence 526143.    You can now get CPD points for listening to two knuckleheads (and guests!) wax lyrical about financial advice for an hour at a time.  CPD For this Episode:   Thanks again to the team at CPD Check for letting us publish our episodes using their AI-CPD certifying engine. Check out Clayton's episode on the pod for more info.    Nathan: [email protected] www.nathanfradley.com.au Jordan: [email protected] www.planningsolo.com.au LinkedIn:  Challenge the Standard in Financial Advice (Podcast): Overview | LinkedIn The information contained in this podcast is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser. Jordan and Nathan are both authorised representatives of PlanningSolo Licensing, AFS Licence 526143.     
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