UncommonCents is a
fortnightly event
hosted by Dean Holmes
and Craig Kouimanis.

Dean Holmes speaks with Matthew Esler, CEO of Padua, about redefining financial advice as “more than me”—shifting the focus from products to end‑to‑end advice, client engagement, and regulatory certainty.

Esler outlines Padua’s move from paraplanning and tech‑enabled services to integrated advice generation, powered by open banking (Wealth X) and AI assistants (Steve AI). He also discusses Padua’s 2025 acquisitions—Wealth Data, Wealth X, and Wealth AI—enabling dashboards, video ROAs/SOAs, multilingual outputs, and media‑rich advice delivery.

The episode highlights a modular advice portal with built‑in QA, ASIC‑ and AFCA‑ready audits, secure record retention, and a low‑cost client portal designed for continuous engagement and compliance at scale.

Craig Kouimanis and Dean Holmes explain how small "just this once" exceptions slowly make businesses harder to run, less profitable, and less enjoyable.

They highlight three high-risk areas - pricing discipline, service standards, and process adherence and show how repeated exceptions undermine leadership, erode trust and create operational mess.

The episode also shares practical ways to stop exception creep, including simple decision tests, documenting exceptions, quickly resetting the standard, and involving the team to maintain accountability.

Beyond client data, Craig Kouimanis and Dean Holmes highlight the power of operational dashboards, including:

• Adviser scorecards

• Meeting volume and capacity tracking

• Workflow volumes and capacity tracking

• Workflow bottlenecks

• Productivity trends

These metrics help leaders understand where performance is strong, where support is needed, and where systems not people are the constraint.

Dean Holmes unpacks why advisers should stop charging for documents and instead sell a clear 12-month advice relationship. He outlines how to communicate the journey early, build trust fast, and present fees with confidence.

Highlights:

• Charge for outcomes, not SOAs.

• Explain the full 12-month service upfront: discovery strategy, advice docs, implementation, mid-year check in, review.

• Prospects should leave meeting one knowing they trust you, you can solve their problem, and what the service costs.

• Present fee methodology first, then the number; keep pricing simple retainer + monthly or a single 12‑month fee.

The episode highlights a modular advice portal with built‑in QA, ASIC‑ and AFCA‑ready audits, secure record retention, and a low‑cost client portal designed for continuous engagement and compliance at scale.

In this episode, Dean Holmes speaks with Stephen Handley from Fin365 about how clean, centralised data can fundamentally improve the way financial advice firms operate. Stephen showcases the power of Microsoft’s ecosystem—Dynamics, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Power BI—to deliver secure integration, streamlined automation, and a consistently better client experience.

They also discuss how AI is enhancing file notes, compliance workflows, and business insights while strengthening—rather than replacing—the trusted adviser–client relationship.

In their 101st episode, Craig and Dean share practical strategies for a successful 2026—focusing on realistic goals, smart realignment in January, better client and pricing decisions, and more meaningful team check-ins.

They wrap up by encouraging listeners to take one actionable idea into their business.

We’ve hit a major milestone—our 100th episode of the UncommonCents Podcast! Over the past three years, hosts Dean Holmes and Craig Kouimanis have taken listeners on an incredible journey, growing from humble beginnings to building a thriving community.

In this special episode, Dean and Craig reflect on:

• The Journey – From the first episode filled with “ums” and hesitations to becoming confident speakers and better listeners.

• Lessons Learned – The power of persistence, even when early viewership was low.

• Growth & Impact – Surpassing 5,000 total views and creating meaningful conversations that matter.

• Innovation – Leveraging AI to catalog past content for ongoing business and client education.

• Celebration – A hype reel showcasing memorable moments from 100 episodes.

  
  

They also express heartfelt gratitude to the amazing team members who made this possible—and to YOU, our listeners, for your support!

Dean Holmes and Craig Kouimanis bust the myth that December is a dead month for business. Instead, they share how to turn it into a strategic advantage:

• Build Relationships: Gratitude calls and client check-ins.

• Plan Ahead: Pre-book January meetings and tidy up internal systems.

• Refresh Intentionally: Balance family time, health, learning, and mental reset.

Avoid the year-end scramble and set up January for success. Plus, stay tuned for their 100th episode, celebrating nearly 2.5 years of insights!

In this episode, Dean Holmes and Craig Kouimanis delve into the critical role of practice managers in financial planning firms. Discover why the shift from admin-heavy roles to strategic operational leadership is essential for sustainable growth.

Key topics:

• Why modern firms can’t scale without a strong practice manager

• Core responsibilities: operations, workflow, people & culture, compliance, client experience

• How practice managers reduce advisor burnout

• Recruitment challenges & hiring the right fit

Dean Holmes sits down with leadership and team coach Paul Slezak to reveal the game-changing strategies that turn good teams into unstoppable forces.

In this conversation, you’ll discover:

• How to keep remote and hybrid teams truly connected

• Why small shifts can ignite breakthrough innovation

• The secret to creating a culture of collaboration that lasts

• Where AI fits into the future of high-performing teams

Dean Holmes and Craig Kouimanis discussed the critical topic of succession planning for financial advisers. This episode emphasises the need for clear communication, legal agreements, and regular reviews to ensure the continuity and stability of financial advisory practices.

Key Highlights:

• The Importance of Succession Planning

• Unexpected Succession: Planning for the Unforeseen

• Internal Succession: Grooming Future Leaders

• Full Succession: Selling Your Business

• Partial Succession: Selling a Stake

Dean Holmes and Craig Kouimanis discussed quarterly planning review insights for financial advice firms, covering five essential themes:

1. Business Pulse Check (a 20-question scorecard measuring Plan, Process, People, and Profit tracked over time)

2. Making Process Your Product (document and clearly communicate the consistent 12-month client journey to all clients)

3. AI's Role in modern advice (humans lead with AI as assistant; notably, 50% of web traffic is now AI queries requiring bot-optimized FAQ content)

4. Goal Setting strategies (less is more, block one dedicated hour weekly, use a goal buddy for ongoing accountability)

5. State of Company communication (transparently share results with your team).

Dean Holmes and Craig Kouimanis explore the latest Netwealth AdviceTech Report, highlighting six key trends:

1. Data

2. Personalised advice

3. Automation

4. AI adoption

5. Cybersecurity

6. Connected data systems

   
   

They discuss how tools like Microsoft Copilot and strong change management can help financial advisors enhance client outcomes and business performance.

Dean Holmes & Daniel Vanderzeil of Colonial First State unpack the evolution of managed accounts in financial advice.

They explore how business owners drive adoption for scalability, advisors shift to strategic relationship roles, and support teams play a key part in implementation. With 70–75% client transition, firms can save up to 24 hours weekly.

Dean Holmes and Craig Kouimanis explore the multifaceted responsibilities of a CEO within an advice business.

They emphasize four strategic pillars:

• People: Ensuring the right individuals are in the right roles, supported by regular assessments and development.

• Process: Prioritizing innovation over invention to refine business operations for efficiency and scalability.

• Clients: Staying connected to client needs through direct engagement and feedback.

• Financials: Balancing short-term profitability with long-term reinvestment to sustain growth.

Throughout the conversation, they highlight the importance of data-driven decision-making and the mindset shift required to lead strategically rather than operationally. make it shorter

Dean Holmes shares insights from the Count Conference, covering Australia’s $94B wealth transfer, estate planning, adviser-led super solutions, and the role of tech and AI in advice.

Key topics:

• Australia's retiring population & $94B wealth transfer

• Estate planning & 36-month client reviews

• Adviser-led super vs industry funds

• Documented investment philosophy

• AI, automation & change management

Dean Holmes takes the spotlight at the Count Annual Convention in this episode of UncommonCents, sharing sharp, actionable strategies for mastering client meetings — from mindset to messaging, and everything in between.

Episode Highlights:

• Coffee is for Closers

• Crafting Your Pitch

• Using AI in Practice

• Pre- Meeting Rituals

• Sales is Not a Dirty Word

In this episode, Dean Holmes—the father and founder of The Wealth Network—and Paul Barrett reflect on the key takeaways from the recent Annual Planning Day.

Episode Highlights:

• The Origins of UncommonCents

• Annual Planning Day Overview

• Personal and Business Bests

• Reviewing the Past Year

• Setting Goals and Priorities

• The Importance of Online Presence

• Embracing Authenticity in Video

Craig Kouimanis and Dean Holmes explore how to build brand loyalty that keeps clients with your firm, even when advisers move on.

Key insights:

• Creating strong client communities

• Making your business the brand

• Smooth client transitions

• Lessons from other industries

• Practical retention tips

Perfect for financial advisers and business owners focused on practice management.