I’m really quite pleased to share that I’ve been named in the 2026 FS Power50, Financial Standard‘s list of the 50 most influential financial advisers in Australia.

I made the list last year, and being shortlisted again in August was lovely in itself. So seeing my name in the final 50 for a second year running is a very nice moment.

The FS Power50 recognises advisers who are seen to be promoting the value of financial advice, while providing outstanding service to their clients and the wider community.

What drives me

I started PlanningSolo in the years after the Global Financial Crisis. Watching so many financial products fall over showed me how many people were relying on things that weren’t as solid as they looked. It’s a big part of why we choose steady, proven strategies over exciting, flashy ones.

From the start, PlanningSolo has focused on people going through divorce, retirement and bereavement, many of them managing money on their own for the first time. These experiences can be intimidating and overwhelming, and my goal is to help people come out the other side feeling more confident and in control.

That work led to the creation of the Green Box Exercise, our free video series and workbook for getting your affairs in order for the loved ones you leave behind. It takes one of the hardest parts of estate planning and makes it practical, with plenty of care for the people involved.

Underneath all of it is something I believe pretty strongly: handled badly, money can box you in – handled well, it can give you freedom.

I’m also passionate about talking with other advisers about the ethics of supporting people through these big life changes, and about how we can keep raising the bar.

In good company

I’m especially pleased that Nathan Fradley, my co-host on Challenge the Standard in Financial Advice, has made the list too.

The podcast is all about questioning long-held assumptions and finding better ways to do things in our profession, and it’s been great to hear how it’s resonated with other advisers. We’ll try not to let it go to our heads on the next episode.

I’m also impressed by the calibre of all the other advisers on the FS Power50 list, who are each contributing to financial advice in their own way.

Thank you

Thank you to everybody who nominated and voted for me. Whether you’ve worked with me, listened to the podcast, heard me speak or simply followed along with PlanningSolo, your support means a great deal.

Congratulations to Nathan and the rest of the 50, and to everybody else working hard to make financial advice the best profession it can be.

If you’d like to talk about your own plans, you can book a chat with me here.