As financial planners and advisers, we face stress and challenges in the industry every day. So what can we do as a community to step up and encourage each other?

In today's episode, we're joined by Jay Fergusson, a Brisbane-based financial adviser who has decided to put her values front and centre of her work environment. She shares her past experiences and how these drive her to help her clients. We will also discuss the LinkedIn community that she's recently started and the hashtag challenge that she has come up with.

Check out the highlights of this episode, and without further ado, sit back and tune in to the show!

About Our Guest:

Jay Fergusson is a financial adviser at Wealth Connexion in Kangaroo Point, Brisbane. It is a predominantly pre-retiree and retiree-based advice firm. For over 11 years, she has provided service to a diverse range of Australians by assisting them in navigating the complexities of finance.

Spreading Positivity in the Advising Community Falling Into Advising

• Jay started as a retention consultant during the global financial crisis.
• Being an adviser, for her, all started with the feeling of powerlessness as a retention consultant to advise people who fall victim to bad investment advice.
• Being an adviser enabled her to help people achieve their goals directly.

Helping Clients Achieve Their Goals

• First, discover their goals and what they want to achieve.
• The role of an adviser is to make complicated financial matters simple for clients.
• The client's fear and worry about opportunities play a big part in achieving their goals.

Moving Forward to a New Position

• When you've been an adviser for a while, you come to understand what you do and do not want from the role.
• Make a decision based on your values.
• If your values are not aligned with your practice, you're not going to stay there.
• Make a list of your values and goals. For Jay, she went and found the right position rather than waiting for it to come to her.
• It would be best if you found somewhere where you feel you can stay and not somewhere you think is going to be audited the next day.

LinkedIn as a Platform

• When you read different newsletters or news on LinkedIn, there are a lot of negative commentaries between planners and advisers.
• Seeing the brighter side of things amidst the negativity will enable advisers to view the opportunities at the moment.
• As a community, we need to come together and help support each other.
• Before you respond to a post, be mindful and try to put yourself in their shoes.

#52WeeksOfGreatFinancialAdviceChallenge

• Jay created a LinkedIn group called Financial Advisers Australia and created the hashtag to encourage people to share positive messages and experiences.
• All you need to do is post a piece of good news or a story about how you have positively affected a client's life.
• It can be through a blurb, a video, graphic design—in whatever medium you'd like.
• The story can also be about a friend or colleague of yours.

What Makes A Good Adviser

• Someone with whom you can talk and feel comfortable. Because at the end of the day, an advice relationship is something that you would like to have long-term.

Advice and Future Plans

• Make sure that you have everything organised.
• Listen to your instincts.

Check out the Financial Advisers Australia LinkedIn group. You may also connect with Jay on LinkedIn.

Listen to more conversations with pioneers of the new world of Financial Advice at Goals-Based Advice Podcast. You can also listen to the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Follow our Facebook page for updates. 

If you have more questions, don't forget to reach out to me on LinkedIn and to send an email at [email protected]

Thanks for tuning in!