Infocus unveils bold new direction in support of high-quality national advice

Darren Steinhardt

National advisory firm Infocus took the wraps off an exciting revised national adviser business model, built to empower sustainable growth and flexible operations for financial advisers, advisory practices, license holders, and advisory enterprises across Australia.

With a unique end-to-end structure, the Infocus client integrated business model prioritises industry access to flexible and innovative solutions in three core areas: Advisory, Technology, and Investment Management.

Infocus Founder and Managing Director, Darren Steinhardt said: “Today begins an exciting and important chapter in the growth journey for our national firm. We are today a national advisory firm with multiple new touchpoints, service and execution options for financial advisers and their clients.

“At the heart of this is a carefully constructed commercial approach that seeks to deliver high-quality advice outcomes and hand hard-working financial advisers greater freedom to choose intuitive options in support of their own commercial success and partnerships with us.”

Mr Steinhardt said early focus groups had shown advisers seek to do business with advice-centric partners who have ‘walked in their shoes’.

“This means we are open for business as a firm built by advisers for advisers. From fully autonomous advisory practice models to collaborative partnerships – each can benefit from tailored technology, investment solutions, and operational support for sustainable growth.

“That’s essentially what sets us apart from the traditional dealer group or licensee – we’re a home for every adviser, no matter their business model or stage,” Steinhardt said.

Key elements of Infocus’ strategic offering

• Flexible partnership models: Three distinct models – Member, Partner, and Enterprise – cater to different adviser needs.
  • Member Model: Full control with the option to be Infocus-licensed or self-licensed, plus access to on-demand support.
  • Partner Model: Advisers collaborate with Infocus for technology, investment solutions, and operational support, with Infocus as a capital partner covering both equity options.
  • Enterprise Model: Scalable solutions for larger businesses, leveraging Infocus’ technology and infrastructure.
• End-to-end scalable growth support: A fully client integrated advice, technology, and investment framework that enhances efficiency and ensures best-interest client outcomes. The ‘Infocus Playbook’ provides advisers with ‘best practice’ practical strategies to drive sustainable growth and scale their businesses while delivering high-quality advice.
• Seamless technology infrastructure: Platformplus is the industry’s only fully integrated advice technology ecosystem with the client at its heart, allowing advice professionals to deliver excellence in client experience, excellence in advice process and practice management, and excellence in AFSL governance, oversight and AFSL management.
• Collaborative national community: Infocus fosters a collaborative national community where advisers, employees, and stakeholders share knowledge and resources, all supported by a firm founded by advisers with decades of experience building successful financial advisory practices throughout Australia.

Addressing the profession’s challenges

With rising costs and regulatory complexity driving the median annual advice fee to $3,960, only 10% of Australians receive professional advice – leaving approximately $3.6 trillion in unmanaged assets. Infocus aims to close this gap through scalable, technology-led solutions and a supportive national community.

Darren Steinhardt described Infocus’ refreshed approach as progressive step for the advice sector, offering sustainable, intelligent solutions to support advice provision, practice growth and a resilient financial advice profession.

“Advisers today need more than just compliance and licensing – they need a full suite of tools and support to help them grow and scale their business on their terms,” said Steinhardt.

Speaking at the Infocus iCON25 conference in Adelaide, a gathering of business owners, professional advisers and industry partners, Steinhardt outlined the firm’s vision for revolutionising the way advisers operate and grow in the profession.

“For too long, advisers have been weighed down by onerous regimes, restrictive business models and processes, with fragmented technology that limits their potential. That’s why we built an end-to-end proposition, with the client at its heart, that’s anything but one-size-fits-all. Our approach is uniquely designed for the evolving advice professional – no one else offers what we do.

“Advisers don’t just gain access to our proven market leading technology that is also award-winning, and NPS positively rated,” Steinhardt explained. “They also benefit from advanced functionalities coming through our system – like one of Australia’s best financial modelling tools.

“It’s time to ease the known choke points restricting the Australian advice sector. We are perfectly placed to enhance the support our existing 200-plus advisers receive and welcome many more advisers, advisory firms, or self-licensed firms seeking a better model,” Steinhardt continued.

“Advisers shouldn’t have to choose between autonomy and support. With Infocus, they can have both,” Steinhardt concluded.