And the winner is…
Meet the finalists for the FAAA Adviser of the Year award and hear what they have to say about their experience so far.
Three of Australia’s best advisers gathered together in Sydney in October, along with other FAAA Award category finalists, to complete the final step in their quest to become the FAAA Adviser of the Year 2024. Here’s a little about how it went.
Rebecca Pritchard
Rising Tide, Melbourne
FAAA Adviser of the Year 2024 Finalist
Rebecca Pritchard flew up from Melbourne to Sydney to attend the finalists’ showcase which ran over two days. An early morning flight was followed by a short time to settle in and attend the 30-minute interview with judges at the FAAA HQ. The awards process also included recording a short video on why they should be adviser of the year and submitting an SOA they had prepared for a client this year.
After meeting other finalists and catching up with contacts in Sydney, there was a dinner for all finalists at 12 Micron Barangaroo.
After a walk around the city the following morning and breakfast with other finalists, Rebecca returned to the FAAA office for hair and makeup and filming for the awards ceremony to be held at Congress Gala Dinner on November 28. Rebecca would love to win this prestigious award but says that if she doesn’t, just being a finalist has been a fulfilling experience.
Six years ago, Rebecca was named the Rising Star of the Year at the 2018 AFA Awards.
At Rising Tide, Rebecca is primarily providing holistic advice to millennials, professional women, young families and recently separated women.
She was nominated for the award by her boss, Matt Hale, who won the AFA Rising Star award in 2012. Rebecca has found value in the application process and in the finalists’ showcase.
“The collegiality of the finalists is one of the most magical parts,” she said. “I’m so grateful to be a finalist and supporting each other.”
John Cachia
Thriving Wealth, Essendon
FAAA Adviser of the Year 2024 Finalist
John Cachia has been an adviser since 2009 and has chosen to focus his business on HENRYs – (high earners – not rich yet).
Typically, these clients are couples aged between 30 and 40, earning between $250,000 and $350,000 as a couple and with a couple of kids. John fits into this demographic himself.
Thriving Wealth is not just about financial goals but uses neuroscience and psychoanalysts to unlock client’s potential. For John, it’s about creating a fulfilling life.
This is where John sees his business philosophy diverge from other financial planning practices. And this is where he believes becoming a finalist validates his business process.
John says he also enjoyed the finalist showcase process. “Showcase has been great. I feel very special. Flying to Sydney and staying here to meet people is great.
“The interview process is good. The process of the 30-minute interview and five-minute video from all applicants was a great approach for the FAAA to take.
It was important to have more than just a written application process for John. Advisers are all “people people”, he said.
John says he will likely enter the awards again if he doesn’t win the Adviser of the Year award this year.
Melinda Brown
UniSuper, Sydney
FAAA Adviser of the Year 2024 Finalist
UniSuper private client adviser Melinda Brown said being part of the finalist showcase in Sydney was great for meeting other advisers and learning to understand their world and them to understand hers.
“What I really enjoyed was the opportunity to meet the other finalists and spend time with them (Rebecca and John) and then at dinner really just understanding a bit more about their world in financial planning,” Melinda said.
“Because I’m in an institution, in UniSuper, it’s obviously a bit different from being licensed and in a smaller boutique business.
“A lot of advisers thought we were focused on the limited intrafund advice but what I do is comprehensive advice offering and they were surprised at how extensive the advice offering is at UniSuper.”
Melinda says she was pleasantly surprised that the FAAA is an incredibly strong brand. “I’ve had people reach out to me from all different parts of my life be it school mums, family members – uncles, aunts and all the rest of it, clients as well to congratulate me on the posts and other media about it,’ she said.
If she doesn’t become adviser of the year this year Melinda said she may enter again, but not next year as it takes up a lot of time and she’d like to work on a few things before going through the process again.
Melinda was nominated by her manager, which she says was already significant recognition for her work as an adviser.
