September 2026

Building Avondale 2030: Investing in Our Team to Better Serve You

At Avondale Wealth, we believe that delivering exceptional advice starts with investing in our people. Earlier this month, our team came together in Ho Chi Minh City, ahead of our Financial Planning Conference for several days of strategic planning, professional development, and team building as we explored a simple but important question:

What should the Avondale client experience look like in 2030?

While the trip included some memorable experiences together, the primary focus was work. We dedicated significant time to reviewing our business, challenging existing processes, and brainstorming new ways to improve the service, advice, and support we provide to our clients.

Through a series of workshops and planning sessions, our team examined every stage of the client journey, from your very first interaction with Avondale through to retirement and beyond. We explored how technology, communication, education, and personal service will continue to evolve over the next five years and identified practical initiatives that can help us deliver an even better experience for our clients.

The sessions generated many ideas around improving efficiency, enhancing communication, creating greater value from review meetings, and ensuring we continue to provide proactive and personalised advice in an increasingly complex financial environment. Most importantly, the discussions reinforced our shared commitment to helping our clients make better financial decisions and achieve greater confidence about their future.

Of course, great teams are not built solely in meeting rooms. We also spent time strengthening the trust and relationships that allow us to work effectively together every day. Through a range of team challenges focused on communication, problem-solving, and collaboration, we were reminded that listening, trust, and teamwork are essential ingredients in delivering a seamless experience for our clients.

We also enjoyed several unique cultural experiences together, including a local food tour by scooter through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City and an unforgettable “Dining in the Dark” experience. While these activities were certainly enjoyable, they also reinforced important lessons around perspective, communication, adaptability, and trust, qualities that are equally valuable in the way we serve our clients.

As Avondale continues to grow, our vision remains unchanged: to provide advice that is professional, personal, and genuinely life-changing. The ideas, innovations, and improvements developed during our strategic planning sessions will help shape the next chapter of Avondale Wealth as we work towards our vision for 2030.

We are excited about the future and, most importantly, grateful for the trust you place in us to be part of your financial journey.

Together, we’re building the Avondale of 2030, with our clients at the centre of everything we do.

Celebrating Excellence at the Fortnum Accelerate Conference 2026

On the 7th – 11th September, Avondale Wealth attended the Fortnum Accelerate Conference in Ho Chi Minh City, joining leading advice practices from across Australia to share ideas, learn from industry leaders, and celebrate excellence in financial advice.

We are incredibly proud to share that Avondale Wealth was recognised with multiple award nominations, including:

• Practice of the Year – Finalist
• Advice Innovation & Excellence Award – Finalist
• Support Staff Award – Finalist (Stephie Mission)
• Rising Star Award – Winner (Chris Mcrae)

These recognitions are particularly meaningful when viewed in the broader context of the profession. Fortnum Private Wealth forms part of the Entireti Group, Australia’s largest network of licensed financial advisers. Across the group are hundreds of advisers, support staff, and advice businesses serving clients throughout the country. To be recognised amongst such a large and talented field is a significant achievement and a testament to the dedication, professionalism, and client-first culture of our entire team.

Chris Mcrae Named Fortnum Rising Star of the Year 2026

The highlight of the evening was seeing our own Chris Mcrae take home the Fortnum Rising Star Award for 2026.

This award recognises emerging leaders within the profession who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to clients, technical excellence, professional development, and meaningful contribution to their advice business. It is awarded to individuals who are not only building successful careers but are also helping shape the future of financial advice.

For those clients who have worked with Chris over recent years, this recognition will come as no surprise.

Chris has consistently demonstrated a genuine passion for helping clients navigate important financial decisions. Whether assisting families approaching retirement, supporting clients through unexpected life changes, implementing complex strategies, or simply taking the time to ensure every question is answered thoroughly, his focus has always been on delivering advice that is both technically sound and deeply personal.

Beyond his client work, Chris has played an increasingly important role in helping Avondale continue to grow and improve. His commitment to professional development, continuous learning, innovation, and raising advice standards reflects the values that we strive to uphold as a business.

Recognising Exceptional Leadership Behind the Scenes

Alongside Chris McRae’s Rising Star Award win, we are also incredibly proud that our Head of Operations, Stephie Mission, was named a finalist for Fortnum’s Support Staff Award 2026.

While advisers are often the most visible members of an advice business, exceptional client outcomes are only possible when supported by outstanding operational leadership behind the scenes. Stephie’s nomination recognises the enormous contribution she has made to Avondale Wealth’s growth, client service standards, operational excellence, and team development.

Over the past several years, Stephie has played a pivotal role in building and leading our operations team, helping create the systems, processes, and service standards that support every client interaction. From managing client onboarding and advice implementation through to workflow management, team development, and continuous process improvement, her influence can be seen throughout virtually every aspect of the business.

This recognition is especially significant given the calibre of support professionals across the Fortnum network. Being named a finalist places Stephie amongst the very best operations and support professionals in Australian financial advice.

What Does This Mean for Our Clients?

While awards are never the reason we do what we do, independent recognition from industry peers provides reassurance that the advice, service, and experience we strive to deliver every day are being recognised at the highest levels.

For our clients, it means working with a team that is committed to:

• Continual improvement rather than standing still.
• Investing in professional development and technical expertise.
• Embracing innovation that improves the client experience.
• Maintaining the highest standards of advice quality and compliance.
• Delivering personalised advice built around your goals, values, and life circumstances.

From the Conference Stage: Sharing the Future of Trust in Financial Advice

Another highlight from the Fortnum Accelerate Conference was the opportunity for our Practice Principal, Mark Chan, to be invited onto a special panel discussion alongside internationally recognised keynote speaker Colin James, as well as several other respected advice professionals from across Australia.

What made this particularly special was the overwhelming level of interest in the session, with the room filled by advisers, business owners, and industry leaders eager to explore how leading advice practices are building trust and deepening client relationships in an increasingly digital world.

The discussion centred on one of the most important questions facing the profession today:

How do financial advisers build trust beyond the face-to-face meeting?

The panel explored how modern advice businesses can keep digital interactions personal and authentic, create meaningful client experiences, and ensure that every touchpoint reflects the values and care that clients expect from their adviser.

Mark shared Avondale Wealth’s approach to client engagement, discussing how trust is built through consistency, proactive communication, genuine relationships, and delivering on promises year after year. The conversation also explored how businesses can bring their story to life through their brand, culture, and client experience, ensuring that clients feel connected and supported throughout every stage of their financial journey.

Being invited to join this panel was a significant honour. Conference organisers deliberately selected businesses that they believed were leading the way in client experience, communication, and relationship-based advice. To have Avondale Wealth represented on stage alongside some of the profession’s most respected voices reflects the growing recognition of the standards and values that underpin our business.

Looking Ahead

As we reflect on the past month, we’re incredibly proud of what our team has achieved, from shaping our vision for 2030, to being recognised amongst Australia’s leading advice practices, to contributing to important conversations about the future of financial advice.

As we continue building the Avondale of tomorrow, our commitment remains unchanged. We will continue investing in our people, our technology, and our client experience to ensure you receive advice, service, and support of the highest standard.

Is There Anything We Can Do Better?

Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve.

If there’s a service, resource, communication, or support initiative that would make your experience with Avondale even better, we’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to raise it at your next review meeting or contact our team at any time.

Refer Someone You Care About

Many of the families we help are introduced to us by existing clients. If you have a friend, family member, colleague, or loved one who could benefit from professional financial advice, we’d be honoured to help them navigate their financial journey with confidence.

Thank you for your ongoing trust, support, and partnership. We look forward to continuing the journey together.