FINANCIAL MOMENT

Changing the status quo

STRATEGIC Financial Planning partners with Invest Blue

Todd Burrows, founding partner of Strategic Financial Planning, tells us why the decision was made to merge the Hobart-based business with Invest Blue – a much larger company with a national presence.

The merge, in mid2021, better enables the local business to enhance its advice and service delivery whilst continuing to provide the same high quality, tailored advice to their clients. Here, Todd explains why the partnership made such great sense.

Q. Todd, what was the driving force behind the merge with Invest Blue in June last year?

Following the extra compliance burden imposed via the Royal Commission and the increasing complexity of providing advice in Australia, we were determined to look for ways to improve our service delivery to our clients.

Unfortunately, it was becoming increasingly difficult to provide advice in a timely and costeffective manner. We felt the extra requirements to provide advice needed to be systematised so we could continue to focus on great service and advice.

We decided the time was right to align with a like-minded business who had the same level of care for their clients but who had already been through this system development.

Q. What most appealed about partnering with them?

We had strong ties to Invest Blue and already had a good understanding of how they operate, as we had been sharing ideas on improving our advice and service delivery for about 10 years.

We therefore understood that Invest Blue were at the cutting-edge of business operation, systems, and delivery of advice to their clients.

Most importantly, our values truly align. We share an unwavering dedication to help our clients achieve their goals and we greatly value the people within the business who guide and support clients at every step.

Over 25 years, we’re proud to have created a sense of family here at Strategic that we hope resonates deeply with clients and staff alike. Invest Blue certainly share this familyorientated perspective.

For example, their big dream was to have 6,000 elated families living their best possible lives. They reached this incredible milestone last year and, as a result, the next goal is to empower an amazing 60,000 families.

Our stories also began the very same year, with Invest Blue and Strategic both celebrating their 25th birthdays last year. Invest Blue has humble origins, starting out with just one office in Armidale, a welcoming university city sometimes known as the Cathedral City, in the Northern Tablelands of regional NSW.

Integrity, community, professionalism – these things matter greatly to both businesses.

As a business, Invest Blue has also long understood the importance of a personalised client-centric approach and this focus has remained unchanged, even as they’ve expanded into five states and territories.

These factors all played a part in our assurance that they were the ideal fit.

Q. Has the merge changed anything about the way you do business or the key services you offer?

The underlying philosophy of providing highly tailored personal advice so that our clients can realise their dreams hasn’t changed.

What has changed is that our services will be more digitised. For example, we will be using new software tools to provide lifelong cash flow modelling of client strategies to ensure that our clients are on track to achieve what is most important to them; be that paying off their mortgage, working towards financial independence, or building an education fund for their children.

The other key benefit of our partnership with Invest Blue is being able to offer their wealth management strategies, many of which can be offered at extremely competitive pricing due to our increased scale.

Additionally, a dedicated lending team with access to all the leading lenders across the country, will ensure that our clients get the most competitive loan options available.

Q. What’s the upside for clients with this partnership?

It enables us to continue the strategic and goal-focussed advice we’ve always been renowned for. Whilst we will still have a tailormade approach, it will be with improved service delivery.

Our partnership with Invest Blue makes us big enough to deliver but still small enough to care about each and every family we work with.

Q. As the rebranded Invest Blue, what are the main goals and objectives for the business?

In Hobart, as well across all our offices, we continue to strive for that all-important goal of empowering thousands of families to live their best possible life.

We have outstanding financial advisers committed to this outcome, aiming to be the place Australians turn to for trusted advice, and the preeminent financial planning business across the country.

Todd Burrows and the team at Invest Blue are dedicated to providing holistic advice to their valued clientele, be it young families, empty nesters or retirees. They welcome the opportunity to guide clients on their path to feeling empowered by their financial situation and on track to realising their most important goals.

Are you ready to start living your best life? Call for a complimentary consultation today.

(left to right) Michael Jones, Emma Burrows, Luke Klapsis, Krishani Mendis – four of our highly valued people who guide and support our clients every step of the way

design your one of a kind future. it’s possible!

P (03) 6220 8330 E advice@strategicfp.com.au W www.strategicfp.com.au