Simon Johnson

The best part of being a financial adviser is giving people reassurance.

I love sitting with a client, looking at where they’re at and being able to say, “You’re going to be okay. Go and spend what you want.” Seeing the relief on their face is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.

For me, the numbers are secondary. It’s the people you meet, the lives they’re building and the stories they share.

I’m there for the highs and the lows: when someone retires, when life changes, when a loved one passes away or when they need to make an important financial decision. Clients trust us with some of the biggest moments in their lives, and that’s a privilege I don’t take lightly.

What I enjoy most is seeing someone make a good decision, then looking back a few years later and seeing how well they’re doing because of it.

Outside work, family comes first. I’m at the gym four or five times a week, I follow the AFL and I love to travel. You’ll find me at my daughters’ netball more than the dancing, if I’m being honest.

I grew up helping on the family farm before Dad sold it, raising baby goats and then lambs and bottle-feeding them every year. It taught me a lot about hard work, looking after people and doing what you say you’ll do. Those are values I still bring to my work today.