Redefining Success in Financial Advice

In Episode #370 of the Ensombl Advice Australia Podcast, Principal Wealth Adviser Cara Graham joined host Ben Nash for a conversation about her advice journey, the challenges she’s faced, and the lessons she’s learned about leadership, teamwork and balance.

Finding the right environment

Cara started by talking about her entry into the world of financial advice – and how she didn’t start with a clear plan. Straight out of school, she was lucky enough to join a prestigious firm and work her way up from office junior to associate adviser while completing her studies.

But culture was always important to her, and when the business was acquired by a major bank, decision-making became more removed and the environment no longer felt like the right fit.

“I wanted to work somewhere where the owner could look me in the eye and tell me about the decisions they made,” she says.

That search led her to The Wealth Designers, where she has spent more than a decade building her career.

Reassessing her goals

Like many advisers, Cara always saw business ownership as the natural next step – and achieved that goal early, buying into the business before she turned 30. But over time, life introduced a different set of priorities – family challenges, caring responsibilities and raising young children.

Those experiences prompted her to reassess what she actually wanted from her career, and how her work could fit into the bigger picture of her life.

Change and challenges

When asked about the most challenging aspects of her career, Cara pointed to two things – constant change and building the right team.

Regulatory shifts, evolving client expectations and ongoing business transformation mean change is constant in financial advice – especially here at The Wealth Designers as we strive to continually evolve as industry leaders.

Alongside that, there is the challenge of people. Finding, developing and retaining the right team is one of the most important – and most difficult – parts of running a successful advice business.

“You can be a great adviser, but if you don’t have good support around you, you’re just so limited,” she acknowledges.

An empathetic and flexible approach

Cara’s leadership philosophy centres around treating everyone as individuals.

Rather than expecting team members to work in the same way, she focuses on understanding how each person operates best and creating an environment that allows for that.

“It’s just treating people like humans… having empathy and giving them flexibility,” she says.

For her, that means recognising different working styles, allowing for flexibility in hours, and supporting team members through personal challenges when they arise.

Work, life and everything in between

Like all of us, Cara is striving for that elusive element in her life: balance.

Her focus is on doing meaningful work while being present for her family – which includes setting clearer boundaries, adjusting her workload and relying on the strength of the team around her.

And putting this into practice, she’s found that clients are more supportive and understanding than many advisers expect.

When asked what she would do differently if she could start her career again, Cara says: “I’ve had a lot of successes and a lot of failures… but each of them has led me to be where I am.”

Discover more about Cara’s journey by listening to the full episode here: #370 Cara Graham: Ensombl Advice Australia Podcast

We’re proud to share that Cara has been named a finalist in the Women in Wealth Awards for the Financial Planner of the Year – WA, NT category.