PROpulsion LIVE

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What does it take to build a financial planning practice around better client decisions, not just better financial outcomes?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, I speak with Gareth Collier, CFP®, founder of Firecrest Group and one of the finalists in the FPI Financial Planner of the Year competition.

We explore how Gareth approaches financial planning, how he works with clients, and what he has learnt from moving from an established practice to building his own.

The conversation goes beyond investments and technical advice. We look at h...

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South Africa’s life and disability protection gap has reached R50.4 trillion, despite years of financial education, stronger regulation and a more professional advice industry.

So what are we missing?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Prof. Prince Sarpong joins us to explore why he believes the problem is not mainly financial literacy, but legibility. In simple terms, people may understand that they are exposed, but they often do not know their own financial position clearly enough to act.

We discuss:

Why the protection gap ke...

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What will it take to build a stronger financial planning profession for the future?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks with Brendan Dunn, CFP® Professional and CA(SA), Executive Head Johannesburg at Hewett Wealth and a finalist in the 2026 FPI Financial Planner of the Year Awards.

Brendan was also a finalist in 2025, giving him a valuable perspective on professional growth, raising standards and the responsibility financial planners have towards the future of the profession.

We explore three areas that can make a difference:

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A self-managing team sounds ideal. People take initiative, solve problems and keep the business moving without everything landing back on the owner’s desk.

But what happens when “self-managing” starts to mean that people are simply expected to figure things out?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks with Lizanne Van Eeden, Founder of Karenu Consulting, about the difference between an empowered team and an unsupported one.

They explore the one big question:

How do you build a team that can take owners...

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Financial advice businesses have more technology choices than ever before. New platforms, AI tools and software promises appear constantly, which makes it harder to know what is worth paying attention to and what is simply noise.

So how can financial advice businesses make better technology decisions without getting distracted by hype or putting client information at risk?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks with Marius Botha, Founder and Managing Director of WorkPool, about how advice businesses can make better technology choices.

They discuss:<...

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Investment industry conflicts are not always easy to see, but they can influence product selection, portfolio construction, fees, and client outcomes.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Michael Badenhorst joins us to explore independence across the investment management industry. We discuss the conflicts that can arise between platforms, investment managers, discretionary fund managers, shareholders, advisers, and clients.

The one big question we ask is:

How can financial advisers identify and manage investment industry conflicts before those conflicts affect client outcomes?

Michael Badenhorst is the Chief...

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Burnout is often treated as a personal failure to manage time, cope better, or become more resilient. But what if the real problem is the way the work itself is structured?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks with Herman Veitch about how financial advisers can reduce burnout and operational drag by managing their capacity more deliberately.

Herman introduces the idea of a Capacity Balance Sheet. On one side are the demands that drain an adviser’s energy and attention, including client anxiety, compliance work, interruptions, ad...

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Financial planners often use age and generation to understand how clients might think, behave, and make decisions. But what happens when those assumptions no longer hold true?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks with Farzana Botha about the behavioural shifts revealed in the 45th Sanlam Benchmark Survey.

The research shows that financial pressure is changing behaviour across generations. Younger clients are placing more value on certainty. Gen X clients are carrying debt, family responsibilities, and growing health risks. Retirees are more digitally active and financially...

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Most financial advisers know AI matters. Far fewer know where to start.

The biggest mistake is starting with technology before the practice has clear values, clear processes, and a clear view of what should remain human.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks with Henri le Grange, CFP®, principal of Le Grange & Associates, about how financial planning practices can prepare for AI in the right order.

Henri leads a fully digital practice within Old Mutual Personal Financial Advice. His practice serves professionals, executives, engineers, a...

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Is your financial planning practice being held together by helpful people instead of healthy processes?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, I speak with Lizanne van Eeden, Founder of Karenu Consulting, about the danger of being too helpful inside advice businesses.

Helpful teams are often seen as a strength, and in many ways, they are. They care. They step in. They fix problems. They make sure clients are served. They keep things moving.

But there is a hidden risk.

When good people keep rescuing unclear...

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What happens to your clients, your team, and your business when it is time for you to step back?

Succession planning in financial advice is often spoken about as a sale, a valuation, or the transfer of a client book. But the real challenge runs much deeper. It involves trust, relationships, staff, systems, identity, purpose, and the emotional weight of letting go of something you have spent years building.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit looks at the practical and emotional challenges of succession in a...

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What is AI teaching us about human behaviour, trust and the way clients experience our advice businesses?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks to Wanita Nicol, a freelance writer, editor and storyteller who spends an unusual amount of time talking to AI.

This is not another conversation about using AI to save time or produce more content. Instead, we explore what happens before we “press yes to proceed”.

When advisers use AI to write, reply, summarise, create or explain, those choices tell a stor...

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Most advice businesses use more software than ever, yet many still struggle with messy data, poor adoption, manual work, disconnected systems and tools that do not get used properly.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks with Johan Vosloo, CEO of Commspace and Headspace Technologies, and Arnold Hattingh, CEO and Co-founder of Clidash.

Johan brings the view of someone who has spent years building adviser software around revenue management, commission tracking, fee data, reporting and business insights.

Arnold brings the view of someone building...

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What happens when an adviser is under pressure, tired, defensive, or emotionally charged?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks with counsellor Chris Fischer about self-awareness, emotional responsibility, human behaviour, and the way we show up in business, leadership, client meetings, and life.

For financial advisers and business owners, technical skill matters. But the way you respond under pressure can shape trust, communication, team culture, client confidence, and the quality of your decisions.

We explore why self-awareness matters, whether emotions can be separated from...

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What if the most important leadership role of your life is the one you were never trained for?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, I sit down with Derek Notman and H. Adam Holt from REBL Dads for a conversation about fatherhood, ambition, leadership, loneliness, and what it takes to show up better at home.

This is not a formal interview. Derek, Adam, and I know each other well, and I was privileged to spend time with them on Necker Island as part of the REBL Dads journey. So...

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AI is changing the risk landscape for financial advisors, their clients, and their businesses. Scams are becoming more believable, impersonation is becoming easier, and client trust can be damaged in ways many advice firms may not be ready for.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, I speak with Nevashan Pillay about AI, cybersecurity, client trust, and the future of financial advice.

Nevashan has more than 20 years of experience in financial services, insurance, digital change, operations, technology transformation, regulatory change, AI agent workflows, and cyber insurance product development. In this...

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Most financial planners know that client meetings matter. The harder part is running meetings that feel clear, useful, human, and focused on the client.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit shares six client meeting skills that can help financial planners turn good advice into better conversations and better action.

This episode is practical: what can advisers do differently in their very next meeting?

We will look at how to reframe your value, build trust early, position disclosure in a client-centred way, ask a better...

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What can financial advisors learn from influencers?

Not the noise. Not the fake confidence. Not the chase for likes. The useful lesson is much simpler: the best creators know how to earn attention, explain ideas clearly, build trust, and make people feel understood.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit looks at what advisors can learn from people who are good at capturing attention without losing trust or depth.

We will unpack seven lessons financial advisors can use in their own businesses:

• How to...

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Clients are getting financial advice from ChatGPT, TikTok, YouTube, and finfluencers before they ever speak to an adviser. So how should advisers respond?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, we unpack what this shift means for financial advisers and planners in South Africa.

This is not a panic-driven conversation about AI or social media. It is a practical look at how advisers can respond when clients arrive with opinions, ideas, and recommendations from outside sources.

In this episode, we cover:

why clients are turning to...

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 In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois du Toit speaks with leadership development specialist Igno van Niekerk about situational leadership and what it looks like in real working life.

This conversation looks at how leaders can adapt their approach to different people, roles, and situations. Whether you lead advisers, admin staff, support teams, or a wider business unit, this episode will help you think more carefully about how to lead people well.

Igno draws on more than 25 years of leadership development experience, his work on Light on Leadership, and h...

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 How can financial planners use tech and AI in a practical way without losing the human side of advice?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, we look at how tech and AI can help financial planners and advice businesses work better, serve clients better, and grow with more intention. This is not about chasing every new tool. It is about using the right tools in the right places.

We unpack how AI is changing customer behaviour, why human-centred design still matters, and where AI can help across the client j...

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 In this Part 2 conversation with Johann Maree, we take on the hard questions that came out of the last episode on fee-based advice.

We talk plainly about how a book (or rather a business) is valued, how fees are collected, what to do when clients default, and how to think about clients who cannot afford advice right now. We also unpack LVC, whether the old formula still works, and what advisers need to rethink in light of regulation and AI.

Most of all, we tackle the big question: how d...

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What is the difference between practice management and business management, and why does it matter so much for financial advisers today?

In this episode of PROpulsion Live, I speak with Johann Maree about why advice firms need to be run as proper businesses, not just busy adviser-led practices. With more than 35 years of experience across South Africa and Australia, Johann shares what he has learned about business models, client segmentation, fee-for-service, client engagement, adviser behaviour, and the systems that help advice firms grow.

This conversation is for financial advisers...

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Many financial planners segment their clients.

Few actually change how they deliver advice.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, we explore the next step in building a modern advisory firm: productising your services.

Segmentation helps you understand your clients.
Productisation helps you run a scalable business.

You will learn how to move from vague promises of “comprehensive advice” to clearly defined service packages with structured delivery, clear outcomes, and pricing that reflects the value of planning.

We cover:

• Why the tradit...

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The Great Wealth Transfer is already underway. Trillions in assets will move from one generation to the next over the coming decades. Yet many financial advisers are still unprepared, both for their clients’ intergenerational planning and for their own succession.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois speaks to Mark Hedderman CFP®, President of the LIA and CEO of Hedderman Financial Solutions, about what advisers must start doing now.

They explore:

• Why so many heirs change adviser after inheriting
• How to engage the next generation before wealth...

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Winning FPI’s Professional Practice of the Year is a big moment.
 
But trophies don’t build businesses. Daily decisions do.
 
In this first episode of Season 7, we sit down with Wouter Fourie from Ascor® Independent Wealth Managers to unpack what it actually takes to build an award-winning financial planning firm.
 
This is not a celebration piece. It’s a practical conversation.
We talk about the years behind the recognition. The standards they refuse to compromise on. The systems that keep the business consistent. The leadership lessons th...

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It’s the Season 6 Finale of PROpulsion LIVE, and we’re ending the year with a conversation that many advisers will relate to.

In this episode we look at the changing adviser landscape and the decisions solo advisers are weighing up as regulation, admin, and client expectations grow. Zeyn shares what he is seeing across the profession, how COFI may shape the future, and why support structures are becoming part of the discussion for more practices.

We explore the solo path, the network path, and the questions every adviser shou...

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How do young professionals see the future of financial planning?
In this inspiring episode of PROpulsion LIVE, we meet Karabo Huma, a driven young woman from Soshanguve who’s redefining what’s possible through education, mindset, and purpose.

Karabo shares how she found her place in the financial planning world, the lessons she’s learning at Rich Ideas Group, and why she’s passionate about bringing financial literacy to her community. Her story reminds us that where you start doesn’t determine where you’ll go.

🎯 In this episode:

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When financial planner *Ryan Redman* faced stage 3 cancer, everything he believed about life, money, and success was tested.

In this deeply personal episode of **PROpulsion LIVE**, Ryan shares how the experience reshaped his purpose as a husband, father, and adviser — and why he now approaches financial planning with new empathy and clarity.

💬 In this conversation:

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Meet South Africa’s top financial planners of 2025!

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, we sit down with the finalists for the 2025 Financial Planner of the Year Award - Brendan Dunn (Hewett Wealth), Theoniel McDonald (Wealth Associates / Carmel Wealth), and Nicola Langridge (Private Client Holdings).

The award, presented by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI), recognises a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional who demonstrates outstanding financial planning skills, lives the FPI Code of Ethics, and communicates with clarity and care.

The winner will be announced on 3 Nov...

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What does it take to lead a successful financial planning firm and create a new movement that empowers women with money?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, host Francois du Toit sits down with Gretchen Betts, Managing Director of Magenta Financial Planning and founder of SheFinance, for an honest look at growth, purpose, and the courage to explore what’s next.

Gretchen shares her journey from adviser to business owner, including the story behind her management buyout of Magenta — a bold move that changed everything. She also opens up abou...

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Are you working harder than ever but not feeling the progress? In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois explores what *real client value* looks like in today’s financial planning world — and how to build a practice that grows naturally because of it.

Discover a fresh way to think about your clients, your business, and your time. You’ll learn how to:

✅ Identify your most valuable clients and tailor your service around them

✅ Use data and digital tools to save time and serve better

✅ Create client exper...

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Are you running your practice — or is it running you?
In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, Francois dives into how financial planners can gain control, confidence, and freedom by treating their practice like a proper business.

Learn how to separate personal and business finances, pay yourself like a professional, and build structure that gives you both stability and time back.

If you’re tired of living from one commission cycle to the next, this conversation will help you build a business that truly works for you.

📌 What yo...

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Are your clients struggling with fear, shame, or overwhelm when it comes to money?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, we sit down with Samantha Sparkes, a personal finance coach who helps women change their money stories, build practical skills, and gain the confidence to take action.

We discuss:

-What financial coaching really is and how it differs from financial advice 

-Why so many people feel stuck, even when they know the “right” steps 

-Simple money skills that make the biggest difference in daily...

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This week on PROpulsion LIVE, Francois sits down with Wouter de Witt and Emile van der Spuy, Certified Financial Planners® and co-founders of Gravitas Tax.

With over 25 years of combined experience in retirement and tax planning, they’ve seen one thing repeatedly: advisers who ignore tax are leaving value on the table. That’s why they built Gravitas Tax, a powerful tool that gives advisers tax directive simulations to create clarity, confidence, and better outcomes for clients.

We’ll explore why tax directive simulations are becoming essential, how they work in...

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What does it take to stay relevant in a world that’s changing faster than ever?

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, I’m joined by Richard Mulholland – speaker, author, and founder of Missing Link and Too Many Robots. From touring with Iron Maiden to coaching leaders across the globe, Rich has spent his career helping people and businesses stay relentlessly relevant.

We explore:

- Why relevance is today’s biggest challenge (and opportunity)

- How AI changes the game for advisers and business owners

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Living annuities are one of the most popular retirement income products in South Africa – but they come with strict rules that are often misunderstood.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, we sit down with Lize de la Harpe, Senior Legal Advisor at Sanlam Corporate, to explore what you can and can’t do with a living annuity. From income drawdowns and commutation rules to divorce settlements and beneficiary nominations, Lize unpacks the complexities in plain language and clears up common misconceptions.

This is a must-watch for financial advisers and plan...

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Succession planning has become one of the most important — and most difficult — conversations in the financial advice profession.

In this episode of PROpulsion LIVE, we welcome Jaco van Tonder, Advisor Services Director at Ninety One, to explore the realities of succession planning for independent financial advisers (IFAs).

Jaco has been in financial services since 1999 and now leads Advisor Services in South Africa at Ninety One. With years of experience in sales, distribution, and product development, he brings a deep understanding of how advice businesses evolve — and what makes them thrive...

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This week on PROpulsion LIVE, Francois sits down with Ettienne Wilsnagh, a seasoned financial services professional with 31 years of experience — from advisor to franchise owner and business leader.
 
Ettienne shares his journey from starting in the life industry straight out of school, to running one of Old Mutual’s most successful franchises, and now turning his attention to guiding the next generation of advisers.
 
We explore:
👉 The lessons he learnt along the way
👉 Why many new advisers are struggling
👉 The success factors that truly matter
👉 His advice for any...

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AI is changing financial advice, but are you using it responsibly in your practice?

In this episode of **PROpulsion LIVE**, Francois du Toit explores how advisers and planners can bring AI into their businesses without putting clients, or compliance, at risk.

We’ll look at:

✅ Why responsible AI matters for advice firms

✅ The biggest risks: bias, data breaches, and explainability gaps

✅ How the *FPI Code of Ethics* provides a clear guide for AI use

✅ The *Crawl–Walk–Run* approach to...