Introduction: Why Advisors Cannot Afford to Stay Manual

Financial advice in Australia is at a crossroads. Compliance requirements continue to grow, client expectations are higher than ever, and technology is reshaping the way advice is delivered. Yet many advisory firms still rely on static reports, manual Excel spreadsheets, and fragmented data systems.

Manufacturing isn’t just about hardware anymore. Real competition is data-driven operations, smarter maintenance, and faster decisions. DaaS arms you with that advantage, without heavy investment or tech overhaul.

Are you a non-tech business still relying on gut instinct, outdated spreadsheets, or struggling with siloed data that never quite gives you a clear picture? Welcome to the reality most businesses face today. But there’s a better way. It’s called Data-as-a-Service (DaaS), combined with fractional data and analytics, and it’s the game changer you've been ignoring at your own peril.

In Australia’s fast paced market mid-size firms face the same data challenge as global enterprises. You need insights now but lack the budget to hire full time data teams. That is where fractional data analysts paired with Data as a Service deliver the perfect solution.

If you’re thinking about selling your business in the next two to five years, you’re probably focused on profit, growth, and reducing operational risk. But there’s something else that can quietly multiply your exit value, and most owners are ignoring it. It’s your data. More specifically, how well it’s structured, governed, and used.

If you're running a business that doesn't specialise in software or IT, the term Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) might sound like yet another tech buzzword. But it’s not. In fact, it could be one of the most commercially valuable concepts your business is not using yet.

In a business climate where agility, accuracy, and insight are the difference between leading and lagging, data has become a core strategic asset. But collecting data is not the same as using it. For many mid-market companies across Australia, data remains fragmented, underutilised, or misaligned with actual business needs.

A professional services business operating across multiple sectors needed a smarter way to manage billing data. Their monthly billing reports were stuck in a manual loop, split between their ERP and financial platforms.

Most businesses don’t realise how much value they leave on the table by letting their core systems operate in silos. CRM. ERP. Finance. These three systems hold the heartbeat of any business. But for too many Australian mid-market companies, they live in separate worlds. Sales knows one version of the truth, ops has another, and finance is left cleaning up the mess.

In this video, Pentify Insights co-founder Tom Clements joins the "Practice Makes Perfect" series to break down what data and analytics really means for small to mid-sized Australian businesses.

As more Australian businesses embrace digital tools, cloud apps, and software as a service platforms, the challenge isn’t finding data, it’s bringing it together in a way that actually helps you run and grow your business.

If you’re a CFO, you already know the pain of relying on manual reports, inconsistent data, and teams spending hours each week chasing numbers. You want automated dashboards that are accurate, live, and meaningful. But building this in-house can feel impossible without adding another hire. The good news? You don’t have to.

If you’re a marketing or growth leader, chances are you’ve got GA4 and HubSpot running side by side. But here’s the problem - they don’t talk to each other.

You end up toggling between platforms, trying to stitch together how your website traffic, conversions, and pipeline actually connect.

As mid-market and emerging businesses look to unlock more value from their data, many COOs are facing a familiar crossroads: should we hire a full-time data analyst or bring in a fractional data team?

At Pentify Insights, we help mid-market and emerging businesses take control of their data. That could mean setting a clearer strategy, building better reports, or reducing time spent chasing numbers. Our focus is on solving real problems and helping teams use data in a way that supports day-to-day work and longer-term decisions.

Data as a Service (DaaS) is a data management and delivery model where organisation data and analytics is managed securely over the internet and delivered on-demand to end-users. It enables organisations to have an all-encompassing data operating model without costly underlying assets, both IT infrastructure and human resources.

Our partner is an Australian business specialising in innovative novated leasing solutions, tailored to meet the diverse needs of both individuals and companies. With a strong focus on customer service, they aim to simplify the leasing process by providing flexible and affordable financing options, ensuring clients can access the equipment and vehicles they require without the financial strain.