See full profile: Silver Lakes Financial Advisor - Stefan Smit
Were you always planning to be a Financial Advisor and why?
This was not the initial plan but the path I was on thankfully led me to become a financial advisor
When meeting with clients do they mostly come to your own premises or do you mostly go their theirs?
I mostly go to my clients
What is your preferred mode of communication with your clients?
Face to Face
Have you ever done an online video call with a client?
Yes
What do you love most about being a financial advisor?
The satisfaction derived from helping someone with their financial matters.
Would you recommend becoming a financial advisor as a career for school-leavers, and why?
Definitely. The investment industry is a very exciting place to be in, especially in South Africa, where there's a lot of room for growth and development.
What qualities should South Africans be looking for in their financial advisor?
Trust, Talent & Transparency. Trust is at the centre and is best complemented by ability (talent) and transparency.
What is the biggest challenge facing financial advisors today?
Client emotions, which is best overcome by client education.
What aspects of financial advising do you focus on most?
Investments with a specific focus on achieving top quartile investment performance.
Describe your average client:
Someone who doesn't have time to manage their own financial matters and therefore needs someone trustworthy and knowledgeable.
How far away from your premises is your furthest client?
300km
From your financial advising experience, if you could cite one of the biggest reasons financial goals, what would it be?
Not starting soon enough. Compounding is an investor's biggest ally in successful investing but it needs time to take effect.
What financial software do you like best?
Iress's fund data and XPlan systems
What other software, online services or apps do you use?
Product supplier platforms (Momentum, PPS, Liberty, Allan Gray)
Do you think the coming wave of automation in the next few years will steal some financial advisor jobs and why/why not?
Yes, it will but to a lesser extent than expected. I think people will always want to interact with someone they can look in the eye, particularly when it comes to their finances.
What is your opinion on Bitcoin?
I think its the start of moving towards a single world currency but with a long way to go still. From an investment point of view, it's difficult to evaluate Bitcoin due to a lack of underlying value which combined with the product being unregulated increases investment risk considerably.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Spending time with my wife and kids, socialising, exercising and reading.
What is the most interesting thing on your bucket list?
Riding the bronze Wall Street Bull
What has your experience been on FindanAdvisor?
Great, thanks for your service.
