With a background in accounting, finance and financial planning, Paul realised the only way he could deliver more to his clients was to start his own firm true to his values. So he did, building a financial management company from scratch to focus on delivering real value to a select group of clients. Ongoing relationships were built around earning and retaining trust.

“I’ve built my professional life around that concept,” Paul said. “In a sector where there can be a lot of uncertainty and cynicism, earning a client’s trust and continuing to retain that trust as you guide them over time is incredibly rewarding.”

His entry into the world of coaching is an extension of his passion to help clients manifest business goals they haven’t even dreamed of. Paul has walked in the shoes of many of the people he now works with at Slipstream Group. His authenticity, attention to detail and ability to relate to clients gives him a unique ability to work with individual circumstances.

Previous leadership roles honed skills in business strategy and planning, building and managing all aspects of a business, and nurturing key stakeholder relationships.  One of his early mentors instilled the idea that clients value trust and the relationship over numbers. Over his career, that concept became entrenched into a core belief. Working with clients, Paul focuses on setting goals, exceeding them, being proactive in ongoing relationships and developing a ‘no surprises’ policy around communication so clients feel they are partners working towards the same outcomes.

“I enjoy problem solving, whether it’s developing financial strategies or implementing a change of direction,” he said. “Ultimately, I get most satisfaction by making a positive difference to others’ lives.”

Describing himself as measured, methodical, determined and structured, Paul also has a strong social conscious. He cites helping people navigate and recover from the Global Financial Crisis as a professional and personal high. In the wake of the GFC, where fear and anxiety surrounded the industry, Paul worked with a particular client to recover significant losses and transition assets to tax-free superannuation. Where some people see tax and super as a headache, they’re like a shot of adrenaline for Paul. Indeed, tax and superannuation are one of his special interests.

A more unusual client was one faced with the dilemma of what to do with a 10 million dollar lottery win. With a husband addicted to gambling, the windfall presented challenges that at times seemed overwhelming.  Paul said helping this woman protect and invest this life-changing amount of money was another career high.

Were you a financial adviser in 2007-2009 during the GFC, a period of extreme stress in global financial markets?

Paul was. In a moment when clients needed the most support and the rule book on how portfolios were meant to respond was in turmoil, not only did Paul own a financial planning business he was also named Adviser of the Year.
2007 State Adviser of the Year
2009 National Adviser of the Year

This explains why on Friday 13 March 2020 when the penny (and the markets) dropped in response to Covid, Paul's reaction was: we can help guide Slipstream clients and others through this. 

Personally…

In his spare time, Paul loves to travel. He did so widely in his 20s and particularly enjoys experiencing new cultures. Closer to home, you can find Paul teeing off on the nearest golf course. He likens his personality type to that of a golfer playing off a low handicap, committed to refining his technique. It’s a metaphor for attention to high-level achievement and attention to detail that helps define his character. It may not be the game they play in heaven but for Paul, on a good day, the golfing green is as close as you can get to heaven on earth.