"I am one of the original founding members of the BFP. I am now fully retired but fortunately I decided to continue membership of the BFP as a retiree member. Retiree membership helps me as a private investor to keep up-to-date. The exchange of ideas via the BFP email group helps to keep my mind sharp.

Hopefully also the BFP annual conference will be able to return.

I strongly encourage any current member who retires to stay involved as a retiree member.

You have much accumulated knowledge to impart to younger members and you always learn something new and valuable yourself."

Jim Fenwicke, Fenwicke Financial

"The exchange of ideas on the Google chat has been great. As a one adviser firm it is reassuring to have an experienced network to tap into and learn from."

Ian Auld, FinGuard Financial Planning Pty Ltd

"In a profession that has a number of different ways and models to deliver value to clients seeking financial advice, we at FinGuard treasure our association with the BFP. This is because no man/woman is an island (or shouldn't be) and the collegial support offered through membership of the BFP is invaluable to us as a small boutique firm.
To ask a question via a google group email and have a number of responses from other BFP members all over the country with knowledge and understanding from their own experiences is truly ‘gold’. I love the conferences as well (albeit temporarily suspended) because we are social animals after all and it’s great to interact with others who, in the most part, understand our ‘world’.
Also, as a substantial group of self-licensed professional advisers with vast experience as a cohort, the BFP, through the terrific work done by our executive, have a voice to speak into the considerations of the legislators and the regulator. It is an honour to be a part of the positives that the BFP bring to the future development of the financial advice profession in this country."

David Bannister, SIRA Group

"Access to a network of likeminded professionals
Access to a high level knowledge base
Feeling a part of a group on both a professional and personal level."

Justin Hooper, Sentinel Wealth

"My experience of the members of BFP is that they are authentic.
Authentic in their communication when participating in the google group, authentic in the way they try to assist each other with their businesses and authentic in their support when you’re in need. These are people who don’t use corporate speak and haven’t been schooled in ‘playing the game."

 John Fletcher, Fletcher & Butler Financial Planning

"Good savings on Xplan fees.
Having a group of people who I feel confident contacting if I have a need to. I actually had 1 who I didn't know reach out to me last week for a discussion.
Some useful technical information flying around in the chat group.
I'm very glad that I joined earlier this year."

Nicola Lessing, In Your Interest Financial Planning

"Boutique Financial Planners is an excellent professional organisation that offers many benefits to self-licensed advisers.

One particularly useful benefit is the ability to connect to and network with other professional and experienced self-licensed advisers and business owners Australia wide. We share tips, expertise, humour, ask and answer questions and keep up to date with the latest developments in our industry via an active Google group.

Boutique Financial Planners is also proactive in providing excellent members discounts, arranging events and more. The value of membership in every way far exceeds the cost and is super supportive."

Jayne Graving, Archer Financial Planners

"I attended my first BFPG conference in 2015 as a guest. At the time, I was contemplating being self-licensed after years of Dealer Group frustrations. It was important to me and my values, to be able to provide quality, non-conflicted advice without the overly onerous hurdles that come with institutional and large dealer groups managing their corporate risk.

The standard of expertise, professionalism, support for each other and the focus on the provision of quality advice far exceeded my expectations or anything I had previously experienced amongst a group of planners. It revived my faith in the industry moving forward and was the catalyst for me to proceed with the AFSL application.

Having a small practice, it is the ongoing support of this group that I value more than any other membership. The Executives are regular campaigners for our industry, representing us at many regulatory levels and I’m very grateful and appreciate this team and members for their time and contribution – thank you!

Nathan Baker, KR Financial Planning

"We have been a member of the BFP for over 10 years and it remains one of the most beneficial memberships we maintain. When you are a small licensee it is easy to feel like you are on your own, or that the mainstream compliance and business discussions are aimed at bigger more complex groups. The BFP offers a collegiate atmosphere where smaller businesses help each other as we face similar challenges and issues. The ability to ask for help, and get real life, useful answers from colleagues is invaluable. The comradery and willingness to help each other is refreshing and energising.

The BFP is not a dealer group who imposes business views or methodologies so there is a wide range of business models and structures represented within the group. When questions are raised about the best way to do things, this can lead to some pretty lively debate. I've always found that even if I don't agree with all the views being expressed, I value hearing them. It forces me to examine and question what I do in my business, and I can decide whether to amend the practices or it reaffirms my view. This diversity is a strength within the association.

The conference is a great time to put faces to names you've seen and conversed with during the year. Its a fun couple of days, as well as being a concentrated, focussed set of discussions and presentations relevant to a self licensed business. You are also dealing with other owners of licensed business, so they know the challenges, the frustrations and the rewards. I've never walked away from the conference without the time with so many business owners being time very well spent."

Corin Jacka, Priority1

"The Group sharing of information is the best in the industry. BFP has an active and relevant group discount access to tools that we need to run our business and we get a lot of information through very relevant conference days to improve running my business."

Anne Graham, Story Wealth Management

"The BFP Group had been highly recommended to me over a number of years and I'm pleased to say since joining less than 12 months ago, I've not been disappointed. The BFP is an open and collaborative group of professional businesses and individuals, sharing ideas, asking questions of each other and exploring avenues to improve the outcomes for clients."

Phillip Win, Profile Financial Services

"We have been an active member of the BFP for over 10 years. During this time, I have witnessed the group grow and develop, but the underlying issues remain the same. The shared challenges are why the group thrives and what I believe is the main attraction for new members. Like most practitioners, I minimise the time I am out of the office, or not seeing clients, but the BFP conference is a “must attend” event. The companionship and selfless sharing is rarely seen within a profession.

I have built lifelong friendships via the BFP. I trust the knowledge base within the group, but also acknowledge that this is a two-way street and I know that my colleagues would let me know if I wasn’t living up to my end of the bargain, because that is what I value most – honest, sincere feedback delivered with the right intent, and from a good place."

Paul Chalmers, Chalmers Financial

"Membership has been beneficial in several ways. Mostly I think the Google group email has always been topical consisting of relevant information which is a great time saver when you are reading them at the end of the day. The conferences have been good although unlikely this year? Additionally, the subscription discounts are of assistance as well."

Michelle Tate-Lovery, Unified Financial Services Pty Ltd

"Being part of a network of self- licensed advisers from around the country, not only provides a community of support but can truly challenge your thinking, stretching you to explore new concepts and gain efficiencies in your business.

The members of the Group are extremely smart and passionate operators, advocates for non-institutionalised financial advice for clients.

Whilst common values drive the Group, everyone has their own philosophy of advice and run very different business models given their diverse backgrounds and geographical region.

BFP... is a Group of advisers for advisers - the comradery is wonderful. Apart from the really helpful google group chain of conversation around hot financial industry topics, basically a call out to “I’ve had this experience, have you ...and what did you do?” (to which there’s always a response) or sharing great resource material, the BFP runs an annual conference each year where everyone has the opportunity to learn from each other.

Another advantage is that you can access service providers to the financial industry at a discount.

If you are running your own self-licenced advice business and are wanting to connect with like-minded financial advisers who want to share and be engaged in conversation to find new ways to enhance your advice offering, you can’t go past being a member of the BFP...and be part of the future of financial advice"

Mace O'Sullivan, JEMM Wealth Advisers / O'Sullivan Financial

"To date the benefit has been in the community discussions. When questions are asked or information is shared you often learn about obscure things you hadn't thought of that can have quite an impact on your business."