DASH

Meet Darryl Johnson, our Chief Platform Officer, who’s starting to push the boundaries of AI and exploring just how far it can go. Darryl is also a Survivor tragic and feels most at home running for hours—whether on trails, over mountains, or anywhere his legs will take him. Ask him about running at your own risk—or don’t, and he’ll still find a way to bring it up! So, what’s on Darryl’s mind for 2025? "AI is moving extremely fast, and the real challenge isn’t just keeping up—it’s knowing where to apply it for real impact and understanding how far you can take it. If you think you’ve taken AI as far as you can go, think one or two steps further ahead and let AI take you there. The key? Start small, experiment often, and focus on solving the problems that matter most. Just like endurance running (kind of), the gains come from consistency. Test, refine, test, refine and embed before moving on. By this time next year, a few well-placed AI wins could mean less manual work, sharper insights, and a stronger platform for growth." What AI moves are you thinking about making this year? Darryl recommends you start now so that you don't get left behind. If you want to chat about AI, tech, or ultra-running strategy, Darryl’s your guy!

Darryl Johnson, DASH CPO, shares his take on AI in the advice process and why it's critical for the next gen of clients: “Next gen knows tech better than most of us, right? They live on tech. They live on their phones. So, how do we connect with that next generation when it comes to providing advice and helping them with their investments? “Well, we need to connect on the same level. They’re using AI, we need to get involved in AI. We need to understand the technology. And I say ‘we’, I mean the royal ‘we’, the whole advice space." Read in full below, including comments from DASH CEO Andrew Whelan on how AI should and shouldn't be used. Thanks for the feature Shy-ann Arkinstall!

AI is here to stay and we need to be aware of the compliance and guardrails required to use it correctly within our businesses. “ASIC does expect all of us to be understanding how AI is being used in your business. That includes whether or not one of your staff members is using ChatGPT to write a blog. You need to know that, you need to have a framework about what’s acceptable, what isn’t. That is what ASIC expects,” Mark Papendieck shared. Andrew Whelan added “[AI] is here and it’s not going away. The horse has bolted, so it’s really about an adapt or die situation in my mind. My biggest fear for the industry, frankly, is there’s a big review going on by the Treasury at the moment. Since it’s complex and it’s moving so quickly, I think one of the worst possible results for us as an industry would be if ASIC overregulated again and just threw the whole baby out with the bathwater because it’s all too hard.”

Join Mark Papendieck, Darren Pettiona, Andrew Whelan and Darryl Johnson as they unpack the impact of rapid digital innovation on the financial advice industry. Discover how DASH has strategically aligned its direction to navigate this transformation and what it means for the future of advice. They’ll discuss: - How advisers are already using AI and automation to enhance advice workflows - The actionable role of digital advice in bridging the advice gap, including measurable feedback from clients - Tools being used by advisers to efficiently scale advice - How technology is changing the way financial planners need to think about the key industry challenges and opportunities in 2025. Whether you're a financial adviser, or industry professional, this session will provide actionable insights into how quickly the technology landscape is changing, and what you can do right now to start taking advantage of scalable, tech-driven financial advice. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gT-wPERY

If one thing rings true this year, it's the fact AI is not going away. With the majority of practices now exploring AI usage, it's more important than ever to understand the security concerns that arise from using a large learning machine. Mark Papendieck takes us through the current state of AI and where it's headed in Australia, including Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI. He explains generative AI versus agentic AI, and let's not forget newcomer, Deepseek. Listen in full here: https://lnkd.in/guhN-3xU

Darryl Johnson and Mark Papendieck have formally joined the DASH executive team. These appointments signal another step for DASH towards our strategy to deliver technology that ensures quality advice is accessible to all Australians, regardless of portfolio size. Darryl says, "DASH has entrusted me with a clear mandate: to drive innovation in platform product development. I’m genuinely excited about the possibilities we can unlock with our experienced, professional, and dedicated team. We’re not just building for the next two to five years—we’re laying the foundation for the next 20 and beyond.” While Mark shares, “Whilst we know that navigating the accelerating change that technology is driving across our industry is not always easy, we also know that meaningful change only comes from embracing innovation. I look forward to supporting advice firms as they reimagine their business models and embrace smarter, integrated platform and advice technology to not just adapt but thrive in a digital-first world.” Read in full here: https://lnkd.in/g6GUHfmm

Meet Erin Thompson, our Adviser Solutions Manager who works alongside advisers and their teams to tackle those pesky bottlenecks in practices. Erin has a keen interest in discovering new tools, tech hacks, AI-powered efficiencies, and....reality TV. So, what does Erin think your focus for 2025 should be?   "Efficiency requires investment—short-term pain for long-term gain.   For many advisers, running a practice these days means wearing multiple hats, including “tech guru.” With so many efficiency tools out there, it’s easy to get stuck in analysis paralysis, knowing there’s a better way but not knowing where to start or the time to dedicate.   The answer? Start simple: 1. Choose one efficiency gain per quarter 2. Begin with a small win like automating a recurring task 3. Test, refine, and embed it before moving on 4. Remember, the time you invest now will save double in the long run   By this time next year, four smart changes could mean less admin, faster advice, and a more seamless client experience—without the overwhelm.   Some practical things advisers are implementing are automated follow-ups, using tech to track key compliance dates, making it easier to book meetings with your clients through tools like Calendly and eliminating manual spreadsheets." What smart changes are you making in your practice this year? If you’ve got any question about tech, AI, or MAFS, Erin is your person!

We’re kicking off the year with insights from our team on what they think 2025 will look like. First up is Cameron O'Sullivan who is our head of digital engagement, he shares his views on what he’d like to see this year. Haven’t met Cameron yet? Here’s a bit about him: Cameron is an experienced financial planner and fintech innovator with a decade of award-winning advice experience. Co-founder and product owner of leading financial planning systems, he has pioneered AI-driven advice optimisation including Australia's first robo-advice platform with AustralianSuper over a decade ago. Cameron is also known to spend his spare time gaming and has a passion for basketball! --- 𝗦𝗼, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱? Big shifts are on the horizon, and here's what I see: Digital Advice Evolution: The arrival of advanced tools will enable advisers to generate advice more efficiently and perform real-time strategy modelling 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 clients. This means richer, interactive experiences. AI-Powered Efficiency: Expect AI to streamline areas like ROAs, file notes, and fact-finding, helping advisers focus on what matters most: clients. Customer-Directed Advice: Simpler, client-led advice journeys will emerge, especially with potential QAR impacts, opening doors for limited advice services, particularly product-specific. What’s important about this is that it will add capacity to advisers rather than replacing them. The same client-led advice journeys being used by super funds can be used in advice practices to boost scalability and serviceability of lower balanced clients. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀: Spend less time on administration, like SOA generation and document preparation, and more time on revenue-earning client interactions. Dynamic, tech-driven tools are the game-changer for a practice that truly hums. I think 2025 is going to be the year of efficiency and innovation in financial advice! --- Thanks for your thoughts Cameron! Next week we’ll introduce you to another valuable DASH team member, stay tuned.

Holiday Hours! We're still here to support you… Our team will be operating during the Christmas and New Year period, excluding public holidays. Please keep in mind we will be closing early on Christmas Eve and New Year Eve to allow our team to have a well-deserved break. Monday, 23 December - Open (8:30am - 5:30pm AEDT) Tuesday, 24 December - Open (8:30am - 3:00pm AEDT) Wednesday, 25 December - Closed (public holiday) Thursday, 26 December - Closed (public holiday) Friday, 27 December - Open (8:30am - 5:30pm AEDT) Monday, 30 December - Open (8:30am - 5:30pm AEDT) Tuesday, 31 December - Open (8:30am - 3:00pm AEDT) Wednesday, 1 January - Closed (public holiday) Thursday, 2 January - Open (8:30am - 5:30pm AEDT) Friday, 3 January- Open (8:30am - 5:30pm AEDT) If you have any questions or need assistance during this period, please feel free to contact the team within the hours above. Wishing you, your team, and your families a relaxing holiday period!

As 2024 comes to a close, we are reflecting on an incredible year of growth, innovation, and collaboration. Our mission to make financial planning more scalable, integrated, and accessible has driven every step we’ve taken this year, and we couldn’t be more thankful for the trust and support our clients have given us. This year, we’ve: - Expanded the reach by enabling practices and super funds to deliver more personalised, scalable advice journeys. - Advanced our technology roadmap, ensuring our solutions remain future-focused and equipped to support clients for decades to come. - Continued to bridge the advice gap by empowering financial professionals to serve clients with diverse needs, including those with lower balances, through scalable digital solutions. - Strengthened our partnerships and collaborations across the industry, reinforcing our commitment to helping financial planners thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. These milestones wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our clients, the dedication of our team, and the broader financial services community that continues to keep innovating. As we look ahead to 2025, we remain committed to delivering best-in-class solutions that help our clients grow confidently, adapt seamlessly, and focus on what matters most: building meaningful client relationships. Here’s to another year of breaking barriers and driving progress together. Thank you for being part of our journey! Happy holidays from everyone at DASH