By Soula Cargakis, Distribution and Marketing Executive
We have just returned from this year’s Annual Partner Summit in Cape Town where we announced the winners of our inaugural Advice Firm of the Year Awards.
I was thrilled with the enthusiastic response to these awards and the professional way they were run by the independent judging panel. While Centrepoint executives weren’t involved in the judging and assessment process we were thrilled by the outcome.
Best Practice over $1mill Gross Revenue
Winner: Citadel Wealth Solutions
Finalists: Evalesco Financial Services, BIG Financial Services
Best Practice under $1mill Gross Revenue
Winner: Stephens Plattfuss & Co
Finalist: Convergence Wealth Management
Best New Practice (under five years in business)
Winner: First Advice Solutions
Finalist: Assure Wealth
These firms are worthy winners and finalists and all in their own way exemplify the forward-thinking, client-centred and entrepreneurial approach to building quality, successful financial advice businesses. Well done.
But it’s not just about the winners. The Advice Firm of the Year Awards are about celebrating the quality and passion of our advice community, setting new benchmarks of success and sharing and learning from each other. We created the Awards to recognise best practice and celebrate the quality and diversity of our advice community and I can say with some pride that they have certainly done that.
The independent judging panel did a fantastic job and will continue to underpin the integrity of the awards as they grow. They have set a great initial benchmark.
Ray Henderson of Business Health consulting group coordinated the assessment process and chaired the judging panel that also included Dante De Gori – FPA CEO, Phil Kewin – AFA CEO, and Simon Hoyle - Editor-at-large Conexus Financial.
They are all respected leaders in the industry and I can’t thank them enough for their professionalism and commitment. I know they were all impressed by our community’s obvious commitment to providing quality client-centred advice, and their professionalism in running efficient and profitable practices.
The entrants were assessed against comprehensive criteria measuring over 25 key performance indicators of a successful practice. These included business planning and operational management, client management, client segmentation, client review, strategic planning, operational compliance, performance and staff management.
I know that the businesses who entered got a lot out of the process and will surely put that to good use in their businesses and will be able to assess themselves against those benchmarks in next year’s awards.
You can see more of the highlights from this year’s Annual Partner Summit over on our Facebook page.
