AFA ADVISER OF THE YEAR

AFA PRACTICE OF THE YEARAwardMAGAZINE

IN THE SHADOW OF THE SKIPPING GIRL ADVISER PROFILES HOWDY PARTNER SXSW 2018

ABOUT THE AWARDS AWARDS NIGHT DESTINATION GOLD COAST FOR THOSE WHO

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introduction

2018 marks the 16th year Zurich has partnered with the AFA to present the Adviser of the Year award. Along with its new sibling – the Practice of the Year – this program represents the very pinnacle of professional recognition for financial advisers around Australia.

Over those 16 years we have seen hundreds of leading advisers go through the process, from a diverse array of businesses – big and small, metro and regional, generalists and niche players. But one thing all finalists have shared in common is a commitment to self-discovery, and recognition that to be the best you need to benchmark yourself against the best.

As one of Australia’s last true independent insurers, we have more interest than most in seeing a vibrant, growing, respected advice profession. These awards are our opportunity to encourage best practice by finding it – in all its forms – and then sharing and rewarding it.

Everyone who enters these awards is better off for the experience. And in the case of our finalists and winners, many find the experience life changing and transformational for their businesses. The stories of our previous winners make for fascinating reading and should encourage all advisers and practice owners who are plotting a course for future success to consider entering the awards this year.

For those of you who decide to take that path, we salute you, and wish you luck!

Tim Bailey

CEO, Life & Investments

Zurich Financial Services Australia

editor: Richard Dunkerley

assistant editor: Sarah Chirgwin

advertising: Milica Divljak

designer: Pia Smeaton

photographer: Belinda Mason

printer: Planet Press

ARE YOU THE NEXT AFA ADVISER OF THE YEAR OR PRACTICE OF THE YEAR?

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

contents

Since May 2006, Kearney Group Financial Services has been based in the historic Skipping Girl Vinegar warehouse in Abbotsford.

The 2018 AFA Adviser of the Year and Practice of the Year awards and how to apply.

Our past award winners and where they are now?

About South By Southwest.Insights from an award winner.

Things to see and do in the AFA awards host city.

2017 winners, awards night, Royal Pines Resort.

On your way – we pack you off to the awards with some handy hints and tips.

Zurich Insurance: proud supporter of Melbourne Football Club.

cover image

LEFT TO RIGHT BACK ROW:

ELEANOR DARTNALL, FOCUS WEALTH ADVISERS PAUL KEARNEY, KEARNEY GROUP FINANCIAL SERVICES JENNY BROWN, JBS

FINANCIAL STRATEGISTS DAVID REED, THE RETIREMENT ADVICE CENTRE DARREN JOHNS, ALIGN FINANCIAL

LEFT TO RIGHT FRONT ROW:

OLIVIA MARAGNA, ASPIRE RETIRE FINANCIAL SERVICES RAVI AGARWAL, MEDIQ FINANCIAL SERVICES

TAPEL CAFER, COMPLETE FINANCIAL BALANCE

02 In the shadow of the Skipping Girl

06Adviser Profiles

10Howdy Partner

30Destination Gold Coast

18Awards Night

34On your way...

32For those who truly love footy

16About the awards

01 Award MAGAZINE

02 Award MAGAZINE

in th

e shadow of the Skipping G

irlSince May 2006, Kearney Group

Financial Services has been based in the

historic Skipping Girl Vinegar warehouse in

Abbotsford.

Writer: Richard Dunkerley photographer: Belinda Mason

03 Award MAGAZINE

THE SKIPPING GIRL VINEGAR

ANIMATED NEON SIGN, WHICH

FEATURES A GIRL PLAYING

JUMP-ROPE, IS COLLOQUIALLY

KNOWN AS “LITTLE AUDREY” AND

INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE AS

PART OF MELBOURNE’S

LANDSCAPE AND HISTORY.

It was possibly the first animated neon sign in Australia when it was erected in 1936 by Neon Electric Signs, who actually owned it, and rented it out for 8 pounds, 15 shillings a month.

It advertised the Skipping Girl Vinegar brand, and was placed on top of their factory at 627 Victoria Street, Abbotsford.

It is thought the company based their name on a children’s skipping rhyme, popular at the time “Salt, vinegar, mustard, pepper, if I dare, I can do better...”

The identity of the real “Little Audrey” is much disputed – it’s claimed that Sister Felicitas Monague was the original model, based on a sketch her brother James sent in that won a competition for the logo.

The logo became so popular it was included on souvenirs, artwork, clothing and was even taken by a local band for their name.

It was removed in 1968 and a reproduction placed on a nearby factory in 1970 following a public outcry.

In 2012, Little Audrey went solar and now skips 16,000 times every night to light up Melbourne’s skyline.

The playful image quickly became a cultural icon of Melbourne and was officially declared a Victorian Heritage Icon by the National Trust in 2007.

04 Award MAGAZINE

Kearney Group Financial Services was awarded the AFA Practice of the Year award in 2015.

For CEO and group founder Paul Kearney, this moment was both a pinnacle of achievement for his team as well as a small first step on a much bigger journey.

Paul has since brought to life his belief that award winners have the responsibility to shape the future of the advice profession and what it needs to be, rather than being a reactive component of the landscape.

With a vision that an award winner needs to lead the profession into the future, he has not shied away from challenging the status quo. Feeling more respected as his profile strengthened after winning the award, Paul has participated on the speaking circuit, initially touring the country with Zurich and the AFA which allowed him to cultivate his own voice and style, and talk about his topics of interest.

While the award created extra media profile for the business, Paul chose to direct more energy

Kearney Group Financial Services was awarded the AFA Practice of the Year award in 2015.

“IT’S GIVEN OUR STAFF AND OUR CLIENTS INCREDIBLE CONFIDENCE IN WHAT WE DO.”

20%of Australians are getting

financial advice.

ONLY

back into the advice profession itself, forming discussion panels with like-minded peers around the country.

After winning the award, the growth of the business allowed – and demanded – Paul to take a different role, becoming a pure CEO and shifting his perspective from client relationships to business opportunities for the group and industry as a whole.

Like many award participants, Paul is a firm believer that the process – and the opportunity to truly understand their business and how their clients perceived it – is sufficient reason alone to take part, regardless of the outcome.

“It’s given our staff and our clients incredible confidence in what we do,” said Paul.

An innovative thinker, Paul was also one of the winners to attend the SXSW innovation festival in Austin, Texas, an event he rates as the best he has attended in more than a decade!

Award becomes a platform to

shape the entire advice profession

image

KEARNEY GROUP FINANCIAL SERVICES left to right Lachlan Ezard, Stephen Nesbitt, Paul Kearney, Jen Purnell, seated: Nga Vu and James Lewis.

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06 Award MAGAZINE

MEDIQ Financial Services, AFA 2017 Practice of the Year

“THE HARDER YOU WORK, THE LUCKIER YOU GET.”

Ravi Agarwal has a simple philosophy: “the harder you work, the luckier you get.”

It’s a philosophy which has served him – and his practice MEDIQ Financial – extremely well, with the 2017 Practice of the Year award being the latest piece of silverware added to a bursting trophy cabinet.

Coming from a family of doctors, Ravi has always understood the way doctors work and think, and the challenges they face in managing their financial affairs. A near fatal accident further enshrined his admiration for the medical profession, and it was probably inevitable that Ravi would choose to specialise in serving this particular niche. “Liberating them from worrying about money so they can focus on other things,” is the way he puts it.

Back to that trophy cabinet. Ravi was the AFA Rising Star winner in 2013, and a finalist in the Practice of the Year in 2016. But rather than being about the recognition, for Ravi it has always been about the ability to benchmark his practice, find out the strengths and weaknesses, and network with some of the smartest minds in the profession.

The judging process for this award is universally recognised as the most rigorous of any adviser award in Australia. And while some shy away from that, for Ravi it’s what gives the award such caché, and importantly means that all participants get to benefit, not just the finalists and winners.

Ravi also sees the award process as something that acted as a binding force for his growing team, providing a real focus and driver for the many improvements he made to the business over the 2 years he took part.

For him the true benefit lies in the platform it provides to be a role model and mentor for others, and an opinion leader at a time when the advice profession is undergoing enormous change.

Awards unlock the true understanding of your business

07 Award MAGAZINE

From AFA Adviser of the Year to International

award winner

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By his own admission, David Reed, of the Retirement Advice Centre, had no inkling of the journey the Adviser of the Year award would take him on.

Since being crowned the 2015 Adviser of the Year, David has gone from being an adviser and practice owner in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, to becoming a well travelled media commentator, innovator and global award winner.

Always an ‘outside the box’ thinker, David was one of the first award winners to travel to the SXSW innovation festival in Austin, Texas. The festival – attended by creative thinkers from many different sectors – opened his eyes to the role that artificial intelligence and robotics could play in his business, which specialises in retirement coaching.

With Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home just becoming mainstream now, David was several years ahead of the curve, recognising that elderly clients with limited mobility or suffering degrees of dementia could benefit from this new wave of automated assistants.

Winning the award also gave David the confidence to seek global recognition, and in 2016 he was named winner of the PlanPlus Global Financial Planning award.

This recognition helped position David as an absolute expert of his subject and has seen him become a go-to source for journalists across TV, radio and print media.

All of which has turned into business success. With 20 percent growth year on year since winning the award, the Retirement Advice Centre continues to attract new clients, new advisers, and new recognition in its specialist niche.

David now spends more time as CEO, building the profile of the practice and looking for new and innovative ways to improve the retirement experience for his clients.

The next step? In 2018 David plans to open an office in the North American epicentre of retirees – Miami, Florida.

With a lifelong passion for learning, David’s journey was never going to be orthodox, but he is in little doubt that the Adviser of the Year award created a platform that literally changed his business and his life, and may ultimately change the way all financial advisers work with their clients in the future.

David Reed of the Retirement Advice Centre was awarded the AFA Adviser of the Year award in 2015.

“IT REALLY DID GIVE US THE CONFIDENCE THAT THE VALUE PROPOSITION AND CLIENT EXPERIENCE WE PROVIDE IS WORLD-CLASS.”

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EVERY YEAR FOR 10 DAYS IN MARCH, MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE DESCEND UPON AUSTIN, TEXAS FOR THE ANNUAL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST (SXSW ) FESTIVAL. The SXSW Interactive Festival is recognised as one the world’s pre-eminent forums for creative thinking and showcasing innovation.

Over its three-decade lifespan SXSW (South by South West) – held annually in Austin Texas – has attracted speakers of the calibre of former President Obama, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk (Tesla).

Its five-day program includes business accelerators which have launched software and applications that are now household names (Siri, Foursquare, Klout).

And each year, this becomes the place where business, cultural and technological trends are previewed, and the innovation agenda is set.

Quite simply, this event is unlike any other.

Insights from an attendeeAt Zurich, innovation is in our DNA. And since 2016, as part of our commitment to rewarding talent and celebrating best practice, we launched an annual program to accompany our Adviser and Practice of the Year winners to the SXSW festival.

So what’s all the hype about? And are the ideas even applicable to financial advice?

For the benefit of those thinking about attending SXSW, we sat down with 2015 AFA Adviser of the Year, David Reed, to see what he thought of the conference and how he’s applying the best and brightest ideas from the tech world into his advice business back here in Australia.

What was the biggest highlight for you from SXSW?It’s impossible to choose one as SXSW really was the best conference I’ve experienced in 15 years. The keynote speaker (in 2016) was Barack Obama, if that gives you some indication of the scale. Other standout sessions ranged from Facebook, and Google, to the NFL Commissioner, and WWE wrestling.

However, one of the sessions that had the biggest impact on me happened on the very last day I was there. It was a session run by Qantas called ‘Virtual Tourism VR, 360 and the Travel Industry.’ On paper, it didn’t have any obvious implications or relevance to financial advice, but that’s the point.

What made the Virtual Reality session so impactful for you from a financial advice perspective?There were two particular sessions that stood out. The first was from Lufthansa which demonstrated that the emotion of ‘trust’ can be established through the medium, while the Qantas session demonstrated that virtual reality can leave the viewer with a ‘memory’ rather than just an impression – which is what typical videos or brochures provide.

The Qantas SXSW session showed how virtual reality (or VR as it’s known) is already being used to train staff in customer service, as well as give travellers the chance to sample their next holiday destinations virtually, which left them much more eager to visit in real life.

The session really inspired me and I immediately started thinking about how I could implement VR in my business back in Australia, however it seemed a little bit ‘pie in the sky.’ It wasn’t until I had the chance – by complete serendipity – to speak with a VR executive in the USA, that I really started to see how it could be done.

She readily identified that VR could be used for clients to show what their ‘dream lifestyle’ would consist of such as a big house, in the countryside, growing grapes and so on. This would make it an immersive and realistic visual for the client, while the adviser could then witness first hand on the screen what the client’s aspirations were and how the financial plan should align. Right then and there I knew that VR would 100% become part of my business in the future.

How do you see VR working for the Australian financial advice client?Since returning from SXSW, I’ve undertaken a great deal of academic research on VR as its clear that the ‘average customer’ is changing. We are now more connected then ever and expect to have our needs met instantly. What SXSW showed me is that VR is already being used widely and successfully by a range of organisations to create instant impactful experiences with clients that drive real life results.

When you think about advising on life insurance, there are some clear applications as VR makes engaging clients much more efficient and makes the messages advisers want to impart much simpler.

VR software can now be used to provide a client with a range of ‘real-life’ retirement scenarios that they can experience right from your office. The client can control their choices with the use of either hand controls or by hovering their eyes over the selection for a number of seconds which guides them through the selections.

Looking more widely at life risk advice applications, VR has the potential to allow your clients to actually experience what it would be like to be hospitalised, perhaps with or without insurance benefits in an example, which would send a much more powerful message than simply handing over an SOA and PDS.

howdy partnerABOUT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST:

INSIGHTS FROM AN AWARD WINNER

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SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AT A GLANCE

• 10 day Innovation Festival

• Started in 1987

• Held every year in Austin, Texas

• Over 80,000 attendees each year

• Attendees include creatives, film makers, geeks, venture capitalists, authors, and anyone curious about the future

• Previous speakers include Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg and Melinda Gates

• Format includes keynote speakers, break-out sessions, pitch fests and satellite events

• Rated by previous award winners and attendees as the single best event they have ever attended!

Why do you think there is such a lag in VR adoption in Australia?

The financial services industry – particularly in Australia – can be seen as quite the laggard with technology. Thinking outside the box doesn’t seem to come naturally to us as we keep doing things just because that’s the way they’ve always been done.

Culturally, I also tend to believe that we have a genuine fear of failure. This is something that global technology companies combat really well, and is probably a big reason why they are so successful – they are not afraid of failure. In fact, from what I saw at SXSW, they actively pursue it. Tech companies hunt down customers and monitor their activity with their products. They want that feedback on what can go wrong because it’s the only way to grow and get better.

Do you see change on the horizon?It’s clear that there is a very strong future for VR in Australian advice businesses. The complication is that the capabilities of financial services in Australia have not been keeping pace with the fantastic innovation happening in the tech space.

However, I do believe that this can change – so much so that I’ve been doing my own research to sell the idea to the Australian market and even set up my own ‘test kitchen’ at home with a PC and Oculus Rift VR device.

I’m heading back to SXSW again, at my own expense, to find even more ways to facilitate VR customer engagement and satisfaction as well as other concepts such as how to communicate with clients in a more efficient and personalised manner. From the agenda, there are plenty of talks about Chat Bots which would be a really interesting way to service clients at a time of their own choosing, and in an efficient manner as well.

Would you recommend SXSW as a conference to attend for other advisers?Absolutely. As I tell my clients, if you’re intellectually curious on any subject at all, then SXSW is a bucket list, must-attend event.

One of the best things about the conference is that it has its roots in the arts, so it’s not your typical industry event. What’s even better is that you don’t feel out of place as long as you’re willing to be open minded to the ideas being discussed and think laterally on how it may be used in financial services.

On a practical level, SXSW provides a whole lot of tools and materials and ways to think that you can’t possibly get just by sitting in your office. It really opens your mindset and presents a wonderful array of ideas and innovations that, I believe, will change the face of business and inevitably, the future of the financial planning profession.

Featured Session: G-Funk w/ Warren G, D.R.A.M. SXSW 2017 Images with compliments of SXSW

“IF WHAT YOU’RE AFTER – OR IF WHAT YOU’RE IN NEED OF – IS LATERAL, OUT OF THE BOX THINKING ON A BROAD RANGE OF IDEAS THAT YOU CAN GATHER AND BRING INTO YOUR BUSINESS. I CAN’T IMAGINE A BETTER PLACE TO GO.”

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Jenny Brown, JBS Financial Strategists, was awarded the AFA Adviser of the Year award in 2013.

“A CONSTANT JOURNEY OF MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO KEEP GROWING AS A PERSON AND AS A BUSINESS.”

Jenny Brown, 2012 Adviser of the Year finalist and 2013 winner, has two character traits that have helped shape her long journey from the advertising world of the 1990s to the very pinnacle of the financial advice profession. Resilience; and an unquenchable thirst for self-improvement.

After being on the podium in 2012 as a finalist – missing out to eventual winner Olivia Maragna – Jenny became supremely motivated to take on board feedback from the judging panel and client survey, and made a series of tweaks (‘one percenters’ as she calls them) that enabled her to go one better in 2013.

Thus began a whirlwind journey which started with her sharing her story nationally via the AFA annual roadshow, saw her address an adviser conference in Dubai, and has culminated in her role as current Australian Chair for the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), a global professional association for life insurance specialists.

Giving back to the industry has always been high on Jenny’s list of motivations, but her first passion has always been her people. Her team at JBS Financial Strategists has grown from strength to strength since 2013, with business growth accelerating significantly over that time.

As well as client numbers and revenue both growing, the increased profile of the practice due to winning the award also assisted in attracting quality talent and has helped maintain an exceptional rate of

staff retention.

SComing back stronger sees finalist become winner as business soars

14 Award MAGAZINE

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15Award MAGAZINE

Recognising excellence The AFA recognises advisers who sit at the very pinnacle of their profession and believes that rewarding excellence is integral to building a strong and diverse profession. The accolades of ‘Adviser of the Year’ and ‘Practice of the Year’ are awarded to extraordinary and visionary advisers and practices, recognising qualities of leadership, innovation, customer-centricity and commitment to professional excellence.

They are undoubtedly Australia’s premier financial advice awards.

AFA award winners and finalists lead the way to create a more trusted, robust and diverse profession. The search for the advice elite for 2018 has begun and the AFA and foundation award partner, Zurich, are now seeking Australia’s best.

Zurich’s longstanding support of these awards is our commitment to celebrating and promoting best practice in financial advice and is one of the significant ways we help support advisers. The AFA Adviser of the Year and Practice of the Year awards have come to stand for many things – vision – leadership – excellence. They have come to symbolise a pioneering spirit and the highest professional standards. Many advisers are continuously looking to improve both their business efficiency and their client engagement proposition and these awards play a pivotal role in shining a spotlight on, and sharing, best practice insights.

about the awards

16 Award MAGAZINE

Awards criteriaThe 2018 AFA Adviser of the Year and 2018 AFA Practice of the Year awards recognise qualities of leadership, innovation, customer focus and professional excellence that drive our industry forward. In addition to considering education, experience, contribution to industry, contribution to financial literacy of clients and the community overall, the judges examine a number of criteria in detail.

Adviser of the Year

Established in 2003, the AFA Adviser of the Year award is assessed against the AFA’s four key learning pillars that guide our thinking and curate the professional development content of the AFA advice community:

• Business Performance

• Adviser Performance

• Quality Advice Strategies

• Professionalism and Leadership

Practice of the Year

Established by the AFA and Zurich in 2014, the AFA Practice of the Year award recognises industry changes and the development of new business models in which innovation and best practice are driven by principals that may no longer perform non-client facing roles. The AFA Practice of the Year award is assessed against criteria relating to the cornerstones that support the foundations of all advice practices:

• Planning and Governance

• Operational Excellence

• Client Management

• People and Performance

• Marketing

Application and judging processIf you think you have what it takes to be recognised as the ‘best of the best’, head online for the judging criteria and application forms. The judging panel assesses all applications for both awards and select a shortlist to proceed to the next stages which include telephone, written and face to face interviews.

The top six finalists in each award category are required to submit their total active client list to an independent research and benchmarking company for the purpose of a confidential client survey. Applications for the AFA Practice of the Year award will be required to complete a practice benchmarking survey.

Ultimately, three finalists will be selected for each award and invited to attend a full day judging showcase held in Sydney in September (travel and accommodation expenses will be covered.)

Award winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner at the 2018 AFA National Adviser Conference on the Gold Coast on Friday 12 October. 2018.

Key DatesOpen date for applications 7 May

Closing date for applications 6 Jul Telephone interviews of selected candidates to be completed by 23 Jul Top six finalists selected 24 JulSite visits, client survey and compliance audits conducted 30 Jul – 20 AugTop three finalists selected 24 Aug

Finalist Showcase in Sydney 12 Sept

Winners announced at the AFA 2018 National Adviser Conference 12 Oct

FOR MORE INFOR MATION VISIT

W W W.ADVISEROFTHEYEAR.COM.AU

W W W.PR ACTICEOFTHEYEAR.COM.AU

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Royal Pines Resort

RACV Royal Pines Resort is home to the 27-hole golf course that hosts the Australian PGA Championship, has eight bars and eateries, and provides tennis coaching and a relaxing spa experience. It has swimming pools, a children’s water park and a purpose-built conference centre that was awarded the accolade of “Queensland’s Best”.

THE 2018 AFA NATIONAL ADVISER CONFERENCE.GOLD COAST. 10-12 OCTOBER 2018.

Charlie Fraser 2017 AFA Adviser of the Year award

“I’ve had a lot of experience dealing with people who have been in some really vulnerable situations in life. The work that I do has given me an opportunity to put a framework around those people so that they really get taken care of. For my business, the core element of financial advice, over and above the management of money and strategic work, is the face to face conversations with people about things that matter in their lives. It’s about being something to someone and if you can find your people then naturally the value of that advice is going to be better.”

Ravi Agarwal 2017 AFA Practice of the Year award

“We’re motivated to be the best we can be by providing the best level of service to our clients. There is a natural want for humans to engage and trust and our role as advice professionals is to build that trust. The use of technology is breaking down barriers and financial advice is becoming accessible to more people. We can see that the value of advice will become even more valuable over time.”

Previous winners

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Awards Night

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2014 Adviser of the Year Eleanor Dartnall had just completed a rebrand of her business when we caught up with her, at her wonderfully evocative office location in historic Berrima.

Now named Focus Wealth Advisers and with a butterfly as its logo, the idea behind the rebrand came from an apocryphal story about a butterfly struggling to escape its cocoon. The man watching the butterfly struggle cuts the butterfly free, liberating it too soon. Without the opportunity to strengthen its wings as it struggled to escape, the butterfly soon dies.

In terms of the butterfly analogy, this education is about helping clients develop their own financial wings, with financial literacy providing the muscle and sinew.

The story has great resonance for Dartnall, who has challenged many conventions around the way advisers and clients interact. For her the concept of ‘informed consent’ is the central most important pillar of a great adviser/client relationship, and it means her process is more front loaded with education than many other advisers.

She has also challenged the relationship between compliance paperwork and the need to obtain informed consent from the client, believing that some mechanisms designed to protect consumers actually do the opposite by making concepts too complicated, and disengage clients from the advice they receive.

Among the many benefits Eleanor and her team derived from the awards were the opportunity to benchmark their ‘small regional practice’ against the best in the market and then to extensively network with her industry leading peers around Australia.

Like many winners, Dartnall has seen her practice grow in client numbers and revenue. With around 90% of her new clients coming from referrals – with a 100% conversion rate – she has also had to expand her team to cope with demand.

With a thirst for knowledge and self-improvement that is never fully satisfied, Eleanor soaked up the wisdom of her peers from around the country and further fine-tuned an already award winning onboarding process.

The result became the development of an education workbook that is the centrepiece of her onboarding process with new clients. This helps explain the steady stream of advisers from all around Australia who make their way to the Southern Highlands of Sydney to learn from one of the true visionaries of the advice profession.

Dartnall Advisers rebrand caps personal and business metamorphosis

2014 Adviser of the Year – Eleanor Dartnall

“THE AWARD HAS MADE ME REALISE THAT I HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER THE PROFESSION, AS WELL AS MY OWN CLIENTS, AND THE AWARD HAS GIVEN ME THE PLATFORM TO HAVE A NATIONALLY RESPECTED VOICE, FROM A SMALL, BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY TOWN.”

21 Award MAGAZINE

Practice award leads to global

acquisition

AFA Practice of the Year award 2014 Tapel Cafer – Executive General Manager of Advice for Gallaghers

“THE PROCESS OF SELF EXAMINATION THIS AWARD TAKES YOU THROUGH IS INVALUABLE.”

22 Award MAGAZINE

Brisbane practice, Complete Financial Balance were catapulted onto the radar of global insurance giant Arthur J Gallagher after they won the inaugural Practice of the Year award in 2014.

And General Manager Tapel Cafer is in no doubt how crucial the award was when CFB became Gallagher’s first Australian acquisition just over 2 years later.

The criteria the award was judged against just happened to be those that were important to Gallagher’s in their search for a potential Australian partner.

“The 200 page Client Satisfaction Report produced about our business also benchmarked us against our industry peers and formed a large part of our pitch to Gallagher’s board.”

The pitch worked and in 2017 Gallagher’s acquired the business.

Along with the new ownership, the business also has an additional focus, being at the forefront of the growing field of Employee Benefits Consulting. “Benefits consulting is massive in the US and European markets, and with constant changes to superannuation we expect more demand from employees and employers for benefits that sit outside of superannuation. Being part of the Gallagher family allows us to leverage their worldwide experience in this area.”

Tapel has no doubts that if you are serious about growing your business, participating in the awards is a great starting point.

“The only way you can grow is by deep diving into every aspect of your business and challenging the way you do things. It’s not just making your business better, it’s about improving the whole industry .”

Specialising in medical professional clients, CFB has built up a successful practice over many years, and have always believed in the value of the AFA award program. Indeed they are probably the AFA’s most awarded practice, counting previous winners of the Adviser of the Year and Educational Excellence awards amongst their ranks.

CFB used prize money from the award to fund a marketing consultant, who devised a whole branding strategy including advertising, PR and social media.

Aside from the growth in referrals and media exposure that has also accompanied the award success, one of the biggest benefits has been on the confidence and mindset of the growing team of CFB staff.

“We now think bigger, and all our staff have grown as they have come on this journey. Of course, we are only just getting started.”

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Belinda Mason Photography+61 (0) 414787788www.belindamason.com

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This publication is intended for the general information of licensed financial advisers, is dated April 2018, is given in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be accurate as at this date, which may be subject to change. It should not be considered to be a comprehensive statement on any matter and should not be relied on as such. The general information does not take into account the personal investment objectives, financial situation or needs of any person. Investors should always consider these factors, the appropriateness of the information, and the relevant Zurich Investments Product Disclosure Statement available from their financial adviser or Zurich Investments before making any financial decisions about any Zurich Investments fund. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Zurich Investment funds are issued by Zurich Investment Management Limited ABN 56 063 278 400, AFSL 232 511, GIIN XYY9MQ.00000.SP.03 5 Blue Street, North Sydney NSW 2060 DFOY-013369-2018

ZUR3089_GLOBAL GROWTH FUNDS CAMPAIGN_AFA AWARDS_3.0.indd 1 7/5/18 12:53 pm

In volatile markets, international equities demand proactive management. Our partnership with American Century gives your clients access to a diverse range of international companies with recognised growth potential.

Their unique approach hones in on accelerated earnings growth potential, by focusing on companies with sustainable improvements in business fundamentals.

An ideal fund for the strategic investor.

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This publication is intended for the general information of licensed financial advisers, is dated April 2018, is given in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be accurate as at this date, which may be subject to change. It should not be considered to be a comprehensive statement on any matter and should not be relied on as such. The general information does not take into account the personal investment objectives, financial situation or needs of any person. Investors should always consider these factors, the appropriateness of the information, and the relevant Zurich Investments Product Disclosure Statement available from their financial adviser or Zurich Investments before making any financial decisions about any Zurich Investments fund. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Zurich Investment funds are issued by Zurich Investment Management Limited ABN 56 063 278 400, AFSL 232 511, GIIN XYY9MQ.00000.SP.03 5 Blue Street, North Sydney NSW 2060 DFOY-013369-2018

ZUR3089_GLOBAL GROWTH FUNDS CAMPAIGN_AFA AWARDS_3.0.indd 1 7/5/18 12:53 pm

2012 Adviser of the Year Olivia Maragna has always taken the concept of client-centricity to extreme lengths. Back in 2012, one of her favourite ‘value adds’ was to personalise parking spots for her clients, with tailored signs and welcome messages installed for each appointment.

When we caught up with Olivia for this interview, this service still continued even though her business, Aspire Retire, was now based in bigger, newer premises in the heart of the Brisbane CBD (where parking is a bit harder to secure). This relocation proved necessary following the incredible growth trajectory the practice has been on since winning the ultimate accolade.

Olivia retains a firm belief in the power of education to help improve the reputation of advice.

Being an advocate for the profession, Olivia recognised the power of the media as a way to efficiently reach and educate a larger audience and leveraged her recognition as Adviser of the Year to secure high profile media roles with Fairfax, ABC and Channel Nine.

With the credibility of the award, Olivia is now seen as the go-to expert on a broad spectrum of consumer finance topics, regularly participating in budget wrap-ups. She has been named as one of Australia’s top 10 financial influencers, joining a club that includes the likes of David Koch, Ross Greenwood and Mark Bouris.

Like most of our winners, the increased exposure for the business has seen her focus on the bigger picture for the business. She has also been able to devote more time to her own development and education. When we caught up with her she had only recently returned from Harvard Business School, where she participated in an Executive Education Program along with 40 other global business leaders.

Ultimately though, it’s her clients that matter the most to Olivia and the Aspire Retire team. And she remains steadfast in her mission to ensure that every client leaves with a positive experience of the entire profession, not just the business.

Striving towards a bigger purpose

2012 AFA Adviser of the Year, Olivia Maragna

LEVERAGING A PROFILE ALLOWS THE VALUE OF ADVICE TO BE UNDERSTOOD BY A BROADER AUDIENCE.

26 Award MAGAZINE

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ZURICH LIFE INSURANCE.

Issued by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited ABN 13 000 296 640 AFSL 232507. Any advice has been prepared without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Therefore, before acting on the advice you should consider its appropriateness having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. You should obtain and consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement for the financial product, available at www.zurich.com.au, before making any decision about whether to acquire, or continue to hold, that product. ZU23601 01/18 MPOI-013119-2018

WE STAND BY OUR CLAIMS, SO YOU CAN

STAND BY YOURS.

At Zurich, our philosophy is based on the simple belief that when our customers need us most, we are there.

This approach meant that in 2017, Zurich paid over $208m in life insurance claims to Australians and their loved ones.

We are proud of our excellent reputation and record in paying claims as quickly and transparently as possible while providing the support and understanding that such difficult times deserve.

Watch our client stories by visiting zurich.com.au/lifeclaims

www.planetpress.com.au

As host of the recent Commonwealth Games, the Gold Coast is a city that has come of age.

Situated in the south east corner of the state of Queensland, the Gold Coast stretches along 57 kilometres of coastline and is home to over half a million people. Beyond the city’s beautiful beaches are vast, sub-tropical rainforests with breathtaking scenery.

Welcoming close to 12 million visitors each year, the Gold Coast is full of attractions and things to do. As Australia’s premier tourist destination, the city offers a vibrant mix of shopping, accommodation, theme parks, restaurants, entertainment and events, along with an abundance of natural attractions.

SkyPoint Observation Deck is a must see for all Gold Coast visitors with unrivalled 360 degree views of the glittering skyline from the coast to the hinterland, a mini-theatrette and informative feature zones.

Holoverse is the world’s most futuristic theme park; using hologram technology to send you to artificial worlds made of light. You can pat animals, fly through the sky, enjoy holographic water, jump down holes and experience artificial gravity.

O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk is nestled high within World Heritage-listed National Park and suitable for guests of all ages, this world’s first suspension bridge provides the opportunity to observe life in the rainforest canopy at close range.

Currumbin Alley (known as “the Alley”) is one of the most famous breaks on the Gold Coast, with consistent, world-class waves. It’s a popular surf spot for advanced surfers, with a nice right-hand point break, but also caters for beginners, with whitewash waves on the inside. Currumbin Alley Surf School and Surf Easy, both offer surfing lessons for all ages and abilities.

Pacific Fair Shopping Centre is the Gold Coast’s unmissable shopping and dining destination, offering an expansive collection of luxury, iconic global brands and leading Australian retailers. With around 400 stores, Pacific Fair offers a captivating blend of the world’s best brands, all set amongst tropical landscapes and a unique outdoor ambience.

One Spa at RACV Royal Pines is a stunning resort day spa resting in the centre of a peaceful green landscape. One Spa offers locally inspired rituals, unique water therapies, spacious treatment rooms, private change room facilities and a relaxation area that overlooks the beautiful view.

Destination Gold Coast things to see and do:

Stingray Lounge is renowned for being the Gold Coast’s most stylish Lounge Bar and has a vibrant atmosphere with plenty of cheek. With a variety of unique cocktails, ice cold beers and only the finest quality wines, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

House of Brews has an impressive 32 domestic and international craft beers lining their tap wall, an American BBQ-inspired menu, rooftop bar and regular live tunes to sink your beers to.

Kiyomi at The Star, with a menu created by visionary Executive Head Chef Chase Kojima, gives diners a modern, yet authentic taste of Tokyo. As you explore the innovative dishes and decadent drinks on offer, you’ll quickly see why Kiyomi has earned its reputation as one of the Gold Coast’s most talked about restaurants - not to mention a prestigious Chef’s Hat at the 2018 Good Food Guide awards.

30 Award MAGAZINE

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32 Award MAGAZINE

For those who truly love footyZURICH’S AFL SPONSORSHIP

IN JANUARY 2018 ZURICH ANNOUNCED IT WOULD BECOME THE CO-PRINCIPAL PARTNER TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

Melbourne – The Demons – are one of the foundation clubs of the VFL/AFL, with a proud heritage stretching back to 1858. Indeed, they lay claim to being the oldest professional sporting club – of any code – in the world.

As one of the largest specialist insurers in Australia, Zurich is constantly seeking new ways to connect with its customers, partners, and the community at large.

AFL is Australia’s most popular sporting code, taking into account participation, game attendance, TV viewing figures and media coverage. This makes it the ideal vehicle to make those connections, and bring to life our focus on physical and mental wellbeing.

Melbourne FC in the community

Partnering with Melbourne allows Zurich to play an active role in many important community programs, spanning health, childhood literacy and indigenous youth programs.

You can read more about just two of these programs below:

Fighting MND

Each year the Melbourne Football Club hosts the ‘Big Freeze at the G’.

Coinciding with one of the biggest fixtures on the AFL calendar (the annual clash between Melbourne and Collingwood) the Big Freeze is the flagship fundraising event for the Fight MND Foundation.

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is the name given to a group of diseases in which the nerve cells (neurones) controlling the muscles that enable us to move around, speak, swallow and breathe fail to work normally and eventually die. With no nerves to activate them the muscles gradually weaken and waste.

Thanks to the fierce determination of Essendon legend and former Melbourne Coach, Neale Daniher (himself a MND sufferer), this event has raised millions to help find a cure for this insidious disease.

Zurich is now a major donor to the MND Research Foundation, making corporate donations as well as encouraging fund raising efforts by its staff.

Breast Cancer Network Australia

Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) is a not-for-profit organisation that supports Australians affected by breast cancer.

BCNA aims to ensure that Australians affected by breast cancer receive support, information, treatment and care appropriate to their needs.

BCNA is the peak national organisation for Australians affected by breast cancer, and consists of a network of more than 100,000 individual members and 300 member groups.

Every year Melbourne hosts the ‘Pink Lady’ round at the MCG, culminating in the ‘Field of Women’ event.

33Award MAGAZINE

ON YOUR WAY... WE PACK YOU OFF TO THE AWARDS WITH SOME HANDY HINTS AND TIPS

AMAZEBALLS - BLISS BALL RECIPE

Aptly named, as these little balls of flavour are very blissful!

They are fantastic as a healthy alternative to lollies for kids (and big kids).

Bliss balls are great for lunch boxes or after dinner if you have a sweet craving.

Just remember most bliss balls do contain a lot of dried fruit and nuts so are a concentrated form of nutrients - try to restrain yourself to one or two!

Ingredients

200g raw almonds

220g dates

30 - 40g cacao powder (to taste)

A dash of pure maple syrup (to taste)

3 large tablespoons of tahini

Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients into a food processor until they are well ground up and mixed together.

2. You should be able to squish the mixture together into balls. If the mixture is too dry, add some more dates or other dried fruit.

3. Roll into balls and keep in the fridge or freezer.

4. Can also be rolled in desiccated coconut if preferred.

DOING OUR BIT FOR THE PLANET

With the popularity of TV programs like War on Waste and Blue Planet II, we’re all becoming increasingly aware of the role we can each play in taking care of the environment.

Check out these easy ways you can start reducing waste in your every day life!

1. Use a KeepCup for your takeaway coffee - 1 million disposable cups end up in landfill every minute

2. Swap plastic water bottles for reusable ones – less than 40% of plastic bottles are recycled in Australia, too many are now ending up in our oceans

3. Carry reusable shopping and produce bags - a single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade

4. Stop using plastic straws, even in restaurants - if a straw is a must, purchase a reusable stainless steel one

5. #Take3forthe sea – take 3 pieces of rubbish before leaving the beach, waterways or coastal areas

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PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

Sock subscriptions are a thing…who knew!

Here’s a round up of three of the best out there at the moment:

Sock it Up bill themselves as Australia’s greatest sock club, have a range of subscription options and claim to tailor for the more adventurous sock lover

Man Rags offer sock and underwear subscriptions for men and women with the by-line “people who wear crazy socks are smart, successful, and revolutionary!”

Soxy Beast collaborate with artists on bold sock designs which will give you a “unique look to distinguish yourself from the herd”- their socks are made in Melbourne and support Australian charities

TIPS FOR THE BUSINESS TRAVELLER…

1. Check in online ahead of time

2. Use a travel app like TripIt to organise all your travel details and confirmations in one central location

3. Carry-on whenever possible

4. Pack less than you think you need

5. When packing: roll your shirts, tuck socks in shoes and fold your suits inside out

6. Use zip lock bags to avoid leaks from toiletries

7. Charge everything you need the night before

8. Make the most of facilities in the airport lounge

9. Ask for the hotel room away from the elevator

10. Always allow yourself more time than you think you need!

STAYING FIT ON THE ROAD

It’s easy to let the exercise regime go out the window when you’re away from home but it’s still important to maintain a healthy physical/mental balance while travelling. Fortunately, the Royal Pines Resort offers an array of recreational facilities including; a 27-hole championship golf course, One Lifestyle health club/fitness room, five international-standard tennis courts, heated lagoon pool, day spa, playground, jumping pillow, water park, segway, Ozbobble and clay shooting.

Don’t forget to pack your joggers!

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HOW TO TIE A BOW TIE

The bow tie is a descendant of the knotted cravat. It was born from the need for neckwear that was easier to wear than the cravat and would last throughout a more active day. By the end of the 19th century, the butterfly and batwing bow tie were commonplace. Black bow ties were worn with dinner jackets and white bow ties with evening tails. Today bow ties are mainly worn on formal occasions, however, in the past decade bow ties for everyday wear have seen a rise in popularity. A bow tie is perfect for any man who likes to stand out among his peers.

1. Start with the bowtie lying face up. Adjust the bowtie so right side is shorter than the left. The end on the left will be referred to as A and the end on the right will be referred to as B

2. Move A to the right side, across B

3. Bring A under B and up through the neck loop

4. At the joint, fold B towards the right and then towards the left to create a the bow shape

5. Bring A stra ight down over the middle of the bow shape that was made with B

6. Fold A back towards the chest and pinch the fold

7. Push the pinched end (A) through the loop behind B

8. Pull on the folded parts of the bow to tighten

9. Adjust until balanced on both sides.

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BLACK-TIE ETIQUETTE

Dress codes can be seriously stressful, especially when it calls for black tie – the most formal of dress codes. Although the code is pretty straightforward for men, it can be somewhat ambiguous for women and lead to a lot of second-guessing for even the savviest of dressers.

Here‘s some tips to help you nail the black-tie etiquette:

• Choose either a floor-length dress, gown or formal cocktail dress

• Dress for your size and shape

• Select a timeless aesthetic over an on-trend or avant-garde design

• Keep the silhouette simple and classic for a sophisticated look

• Dark and rich colours, such as black and jewel tones, tend to look best for black-tie occasions

• Complete your black-tie outfit with high heels, elegant jewellery, and sophisticated accessories

A A

A A

A

A

A

B B

BB

B BB

36 Award MAGAZINE

www.vnr.com.au

ZURICH INSURANCE. FOR THOSE WHO TRULY LOVE.

ZURICH INSURANCE. PROUD SUPPORTER OF MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB.

When you truly love someone, you’ll do whatever you can to protect them.

And for almost 100 years Zurich has been protecting Australians, from individuals and families to businesses large and small.

As an insurance specialist, our job is to be there when it matters the most.

We’re proud to be the new Co-Principal Partner to Melbourne Football Club, and we hope that with our support, they can be there when it matters most too – in September.

Go Melbourne!

ZURICH.COM.AU

WE TRULY LOVE THE DEMONS TOO.

Important information: This advertisement is dated May 2018 and may be subject to change and does not take into account any personal objectives, financial situations or needs. You should consider these factors, the appropriateness of the information and the relevant Zurich Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) (available at zurich.com.au) before making any decisions. Zurich Australia Limited ABN 92 000 010 195 AFSLN 232510 of 5 Blue Street, North Sydney NSW 2060 is the issuer of Zurich life insurance.