VIC/TAS winner: Samuel Clark
Describing himself as maths-orientated, Samuel Clark finds number crunching fun and rewarding, which is why he initially began working as a clerk for a company that look after self-managed super funds (SMSFs).
“We completed the administration and gave investment advice through a licensed securities dealer,” Clark explained.
“I became exposed to helping clients use their SMSFs to fund their retirement goals and wanted to learn more about financial planning.
“With the help of my employer, I began to study for my Diploma of Financial Planning.
“As I completed the subjects I became more interested in wanting to work as an assistant to a financial planner.
“I wanted to help clients plan and achieve their financial goals.”
Clark said he was unable to convince the principal of the small suburban firm he worked at that comprehensive financial planning would be rewarding for his clients, so he decided to make the move to a larger firm as a junior paraplanner.
“Taking on the responsibility of generating financial strategies, I also became more exposed to investment and insurance products,” he said.
“I helped build the firm’s systems and processes from a paraplanning perspective to a highly efficient process.
“I was promoted to the role of client review manager and am thankful for the opportunity this firm gave me to commence my paraplanning career.”
Clark said he then wanted to join a major financial institution to gain much broader experience and was fortunate in being offered a role as a paraplanner with MercerWealth Solutions.
“In my time at Mercer, I have taken on the role of lead assistant financial adviser (paraplanner) for Melbourne and joined national committees,” Clark said.
“I have initiated a number of system and process changes so paraplanners nationally can produce efficient, though still personal, Statements of Advice.”
Clark added that he hoped to become more involved in the industry by utilising his Certified Financial Planner designation, but knows that if he doesn’t end up as a financial planner, paraplanning is a career for life.
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