The Guide Difference

A simpler, more informed life

Why choose us as your Finance Guide?

In Australia there are around 19,000 finance guides or advisors, though the number is shrinking due to regulations that flowed from the Banking Royal Commission. As a result, many Banks can no longer give financial advice and thousands of advisers have exited the industry due to increased regulations.

So why choose Guide Financial as your Financial Guide and how are we different? Explore our 5 Key factors.

1. We’re people who care for people

For us it’s important to get the balance right between having a life, enjoying time with your family and friends, and creating a solid financial future.

No matter what stage of life you are at, we have the experience and empathy to help you progress through the various stages of your financial journey. We’re young enough to still remember what it’s like to be on a career trajectory and to have the challenges and joys of a young family. Their childhoold is precious and only comes along once. We are also old enough to know what’s it like to have worked hard to set yourself up and want to be savvy about your financial future. In fact, many of our clients already have amassed significant wealth through savings, property, super and shares and want to take that to the next level with professional advice and management.

For others who are not there yet, we’re here to ensure you have the right bases covered with a tailored plan that you can realistically work towards. With the right strategy in place, ensuring any surplus money is invested in the right areas, means you will be well on the way to be being better off.
Because, you will have TIME working for you.

2. We innovate & find a better way

While we have been in business for over 20 years, in 2015 we formed the Australian Advice Network (AAN) with four other like-minded financial firms located in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Adelaide. By pooling resources and expertise, we have been able provide a superior financial service to clients who are invested in having a strong financial future.

At Guide Financial we create tailored investment and superannuation strategies. Being part of AAN means we are able to secure lower fees due to the investment power of the group’s combined client wealth. This is good news for you. As part of this, for superannuation and portfolio investments, we use the Praemium Investment Platform, which we believe is the best in Australia.

It has a number of advantages:

  • A wide range of investment options with transparency of fees and underlying securities.

  • The ability to manage investments to achieve a unique, personalised portfolio — Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs) — for example, rather than invest in a fund that buys shares in an ASX company or a trust, we invest directly into those companies on your behalf. You own the holdings. That way there is less middlemen, less fees.

  • Digital access 24/7 from any wi-fi device to your own to monitor performance and asset allocation. (It’s a modern, easy to use system)

  • Value for money, whatever your account balance.

Strong growth.

In 2016, AAN won the Australian Independent Financial Advisers ‘Best New Licensee’ Award – and our business has gone from strength to strength since then. In December 2020 we added to our investment options with an ethical investment model. This diversified growth model excludes a range of industries (no fossil-fuels, gambling, cigarette, alcohol and the like) and meets our requirements for transparency, liquidity, common-sense and reasonable performance outcomes.

The result: Providing best of breed investment options along with a transparent platform for clients to view their portfolio daily has resulted in clients being more engaged than ever in their financial affairs. With us as their finance guide, they are energised and empowered and understand the importance of their investments and our advice working for them.

3. We’re steady & experienced

As a finance guide, we have a disciplined approach to investing as we don’t want to get caught by any passing fads that may not stack up. We provide quality professional advice across all aspects of a client’s financial life and take a long-term view to building wealth for our clients. This also means being realistic and knowing that some years there will be market fluctuations– well beyond our control – though markets inevitably rise. In the main, the overall trend is strong and upwards.

However, it’s not all about maximising your wealth and introducing you to new opportunities. It’s also about minimising your risks, (saving you from losing money) being a voice of reason and /or a devil’s advocate …being as our name says – a financial guide. When you become a Guide Financial client, we don’t just care about your finances, we care about your life and your family. This personal approach is one that is highly valued by our clients. One of our directors is always personally involved in the advice prepared and given to each client, including their annual review.

The result: Through this level of engagement, experience and performance, we enjoy a high referral rate. Nearly all of our work comes from existing clients who refer family members, friends or business associates.

4. We champion your best interests

In being your financial guide and managing your finances, we proactively focus on your best interests with all the parties we work with on your behalf. We remain your advocate through hardships to get matters sorted and place you back on track. Because we know what it’s like to be in your shoes.

Being your advocate is a diverse role involving:

  • resolving the best strategies available to achieve your outcomes

  • ensuring you are not charged for something you shouldn’t be

  • negotiating the best rates

  • minimising your exclusions or loadings

  • managing prompt and equitable claims payments

The result: Signifiant financial and time savings.

5. We manage your complexities

A better tomorrow is best achieved with the combined wisdom of many. Ken Blanchard put it best when he wrote ‘none of us is as smart as all of us’.

The strength of your relationship with your financial guide is the unified power of our staff working together to provide the right guidance for you. Be it bringing together the skills within our team or through our network of contacts, we coordinate each party to complete their part in fulfilling your needs at an exceptional standard in line with your bigger plan.

Your financial journey needs to be coordinated with the other professional advisers you rely on, to ensure we all work in unity to achieve the outcomes important to you. We work with your existing accountants or solicitors and also have our own trusted professional networks to draw on, as required for your situation.

The result: A simpler, more informed life with your affairs managed for your unified purpose. As they say, we help you ‘get all your ducks in a row’.

Get to know us and understand the value of a finance guide

If you’d like to know more about our team, click here.

I found all the people at Guide Financial to be very easy and confident in their field of expertise, which is very assuring when it comes to your hard earned money. Marc and Bradley have come a long way in their business, and this is due to their good business ethic.

Neil

Read more of Brad’s ratings by clients.