This week we are proud to profile Nerida Hicks of Bridges Personal Investment Services in Nowra.
Qualifications
- Associate or higher membership of Financial Institute of Australia
- Practitioner member of the Association of Financial Advisers
- Diploma of Financial Planning
- Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning
Best thing about being a financial adviser?
Knowing that you are helping people to achieve their goals. I enjoy the feeling of standing beside my clients as they take their journeys.
One thing you would like to see improved or changed in the industry?
The terrible misconceptions that some people have of this industry. You always find that it is the tiny minority that make it difficult for those that are doing the right thing.
Bettering of the education standards is showing we are a professional career choice.
The areas on their finances or economy that worry your clients the most?
Interest rates. Whilst our clients do not have a large exposure to term deposits I find that a lot of new clients that I meet are concerned that they will have a declining lifestyle in retirement.
What's the strangest question a client has ever asked you?
I was asked not to give this client any exposure to the big 4 banks as they loaned funds to people that invested in brothels. Not sure that I could help this client after that. Potentially the mattress may have been a better option (pardon the pun).
If you could get three things into consumers' heads about what advisers do or don't do what would they be?
a) Help clients to achieve their financial goals in all stages of life.
b) You don’t have to be rich to seek advice. Advice is about giving information to everybody. No matter the amount we have it’s always easier when we have direction and a goal to aim for.
c) Advice is about forming a long term trusted relationship. My job is to work solely for my clients. Their best interests are always at heart.
How do you describe your job at BBQs?
“I work in finance” Most of the time it the conversation doesn’t go much further with that reply. However if I’m asked further questions I describe myself as a financial adviser/stockbroking that has worked in the industry for many years. I’ve worked my way up the ladder and am now a proud business owner of a large practice of happy clients. I have a “no sugar coated” approach to my advising. I’m not great with the jargon but prefer to speak to my clients in easy to understand terms. I use a holistic approach to help my clients achieve their goals. My clients have been with me for a very long time with a large majority of them as whole families – mum & dad, adult children and extended friends and family. We are a small town practice that is well known.
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