I see myself as a financial ally and confidant for those I am fortunate enough to already call clients, and hope to become for those I am yet to meet and assist. My clients have traditionally been people starting to consider their life in retirement – what that looks like, what they want to achieve, and how they are going to fund it. However, I am now seeing more and more people of the 45-55 age bracket actively seeking assistance to ensure they have the early foundations in place for their retirement years. This is something that excites me – more and more people are realising the value an Adviser can add to their financial wellbeing and security over the long term.My beginnings in the finance industry were immediately challenged by the economic environment of the global financial crisis. After completing my schooling and tertiary education - Business and International Relations degrees - having managed my way through Uni with jobs within the Agriculture, Mining and Hospitality sectors, I started on the front desk in a Financial Planning firm in the second half of 2007. Immediately I began working my way up through the business; sitting in each seat along the way provided me with a broad and complete foundation in my career as a financial adviser. I am very proud of the fact that many of my clients today are the same ones I greeted at reception those many years ago.The guiding principles that influence my approach to financial planning stem from my upbringing on a farm in the southern Flinders Rangers - I watched my parents budget year to year on unknown Wheat and Wool cheques; hence I believe that understanding cashflow and expenses are the fundamentals of successful Financial Planning. Secondly, the Financial Adviser I first worked for (who became and still is a long-time mentor) instilled in me the importance of “peace of mind” - if a client is having sleepless nights about their finances, alternatives need to be found, discussed, and if agreed to with all the facts at hand, implemented. My values are embedded via trust and communication between myself and my clients, allowing me to help them meet their goals as efficiently as possible, and importantly, educating them about their finances along the way.I believe that my combination of understanding financial stress at global, national and household levels, along with a strong financial advice foundation enables me to advise thoroughly, and to methodically prepare my clients for the future ... whatever that may hold.