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Vision and strategic plan positions Wealth Connexion for long-term business success

Announcement posted by Joe Perri & Asociates 22 Oct 2018

Sentry Group Chairman and Managing Director Murray Hills said whilst many in financial services are struggling with the pressures of change, especially within the advice sector, others are using their strategic radar to capitalise on the new opportunities the reformed / post Royal Commission environment will present.

 

Citing Brisbane based Sentry practice Wealth Connexion Murray Hills said they were an example of the new breed of emerging and growing core of financial advisory businesses that will be very different from their predecessors.

 

Commenting further, Murray Hills said, “Earlier this year, Wealth Connexion was acknowledged as Sentry’s Practice of the Year as the group demonstrated exemplary client service, best-practice professional development of advisers and staff, and an efficient, productive and profitable business. 

 

The previous year Wealth Connexion was Sentry’s Regional Practice of the Year award winners,

 

“Wealth Connexion is an outstanding example within the financial services advisory profession and in June, independent consulting firm Peloton Partners rated them as being within the top 20% of advice businesses in the country”.

 

Wealth Connexion was established in 2007 by Jeff Stella and in 2011 Alexander (Xan) Kitchin joined the practice as a joint director. 

 

Xan’s extensive corporate experience and background, (his previous roles in the corporate sector as finance director and in senior manager roles) – together with Jeff’s longstanding career and insight as an advice practitioner resulted in a dynamic and future focussed organisation being established.

 

“What differentiates Wealth Connexion is that we have a very clear vision of the future underpinned by a robust strategic plan and corporatised operational framework”, said Xan Kitchin.

 

“Our values are simple – the provision of the highest standards of comprehensive holistic financial planning advice and an uncompromising commitment to the highest standards of service”.

 

Xan Kitchin continued, “Above all we take immense pride in being a relationship-based business that provides clients the confidence to make informed financial decisions.  This in turn is reflected by our clients readily recommending Wealth Connexion to family, friends and business associates.”

 

Having good ‘bench strength’ is essential for the provision of good quality financial advice and service.

 

Hence the focus on constantly improving productivity and Wealth Connexion’s significant investment in staff training/development, technology, improving processes and systems.  Outsourcing functions such as paraplanning to enhance efficiency is an example of this focus.

 

Since 2007 Wealth Connexion has grown each year and been bigger than it was the year before.  Growth has been organic and in response the practice added two further advisers Courtney Pearch and director Stuart Engel. 

 

Elizabeth Timms is the practice manager and oversees the duties of three administrative staff members. 

 

“Our greatest challenge as Wealth Connexion has grown has been to ensure growth can be managed, resourced and sustained and is beneficial for both clients and the business”, continued Xan Kitchin.

 

“As a result, growth has come to us.  Moving forward we are very considered in our approach, committed to growth whilst staying true to our objective of providing good quality financial planning advice and service”.

 

Wealth Connexion is also a participant in Sentry’s Aspire Partner Program for high performing practices and are utilising the services of Peloton Partners to develop a fee structure relevant to the needs of clients.

 

A further objective and outcome of the Aspire program is a structure that enhances the client experience and positions Wealth Connexion as a scalable business that delivers its core services well. 

 

“Although on the surface financial services appears to be in turmoil, the reality is it is an opportunity rich environment.  The new academic qualification requirements will benefit the industry immensely positioning the advisory sector as a true profession and Wealth Connexion will be ready to capitalise on growth and alliance opportunities” concluded Xan Kitchin.

 

Issued by Sentry Group   www.sentrygroup.com.au              

 

Media enquiries:  Mr Joe Perri, Joe Perri & Associates Pty Ltd

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Notes to the Editor:        About Sentry Aspire Partners

 

In 2017, believing that the old dealer model was on the verge of extinction, Sentry engaged an independent industry consulting firm, to undertake a review of our business with key objectives to:

 

1 understand and review the current services delivered by Sentry via our licensee offering to advice businesses

 

2 benchmark the Sentry offering against a relevant set of peers around services, pricing, market positioning and growth options

                          

3 consider and recommend changes, where required, to assist in gaining additional market share of quality advice practices whilst retaining high quality existing firms

 

After comparing many scenarios and considering the need to prepare for the new world where we believed that successful licensees of the future have to look, feel and act like business and professional services firms, we decided to adopt a new business model and refresh our licensee offering.

 

That new model embraced a fixed for service combined with a defined service package providing advice businesses with value for money, called Aspire.