Day in the Life, Greater Port Macquarie Focus Magazine, March 2016
As Direct Advisers celebrates 30 years in business this month, Director Ursula Boorman reflects on her career as a Certified Financial Planner.
Ursula grew up in Port Macquarie and remembers working as a waitress at the old RSL club. She admits she wasn’t a very good waitress, which provided good motivation while studying her Bachelor of Economics from the University of New England.
A 17 year career in the banking industry in Nambucca Heads followed, starting with a role as ‘The Examiner’ checking signatures and working up to Branch Manager in 1996.
As country town career options changed, Ursula contemplated what it was she loved about her job. “I decided I love helping people.”
Ursula obtained a Diploma of Financial Planning and began working as an adviser in the bank. “I must admit I became a bit disillusioned as recognition in the role revolved around who sold the most. This didn’t sit right with me.”
After moving back to Port Macquarie, Ursula came across Direct Advisers in 2004. “It was a perfect fit, independently owned, small and client focused.”
As a partner in the firm, Ursula was able to provide the type of services and advice she wanted in a fee-based, no commission environment.
“30 years ago, founder of Direct Advisers, Peter Rodgers, was at the forefront of our profession, rejecting commissions from investments and instead charging a fee for the services provided. This was the future of financial planning!”
The qualities you need to be a financial planner include the desire to help people, an appetite for learning and change, and the ability to explain complex ideas in simple terms.
“A good financial planner understands that you can’t influence financial markets but that we can influence our clients to make good decisions.”
The best bit of Ursula’s day is being with clients and making a difference.
Ursula is grateful to be a trusted adviser to her clients, some of whom she has worked with for 16 years. She often goes above and beyond, helping clients deal with the confusion of Centrelink, and offering support during times of illness and loss.
This has even extended to helping one lady work out how to use the buttons in her new car.
Ursula says ‘time’ is her biggest challenge. “I am running a small business as well as being a Certified Financial Planner, so making sure we stay on top of legislative changes and investment issues are important, but so is managing the success of our business. Lucky I have a great team to help in supporting our clients.”
In today’s world, Financial Planners rarely just deal with investments. “My knowledge base includes superannuation, tax, aged care, Centrelink, debt reduction strategies and budgeting.”
Ursula is passionate about helping people to understand their money situation because knowledge is power. “Being a financial planner is very fulfilling. My day to day tasks revolve around helping clients achieve financial security, and the reward is helping them improve their quality of life.”