Financial advice is often seen as a profession people grow into over time—but for many, it is a deliberate career shift shaped by experience, relationships, and opportunity. Cathy Kayess’ journey into advice reflects this pathway, highlighting both the challenges of entering the profession later and the unique strengths that come with it.
Her story is not just about becoming an advisor, but about finding where she fits within an evolving industry—balancing technical growth, client relationships, and a business model that challenges traditional advice structures.
Cathy’s entry into financial advice was not planned from the outset. After more than a decade working in medical indemnity insurance—building strong networks with doctors and healthcare professionals—her transition into advice came through an existing relationship with her own financial advisor.
What began as a business development opportunity quickly evolved into a full career change. With limited understanding of the broader industry landscape at the time, she entered advice somewhat naively, initially believing that strong communication skills would be enough to succeed.
Over time, however, the reality of the profession became clear. Technical knowledge, regulatory requirements, and ongoing education all became central to her development—reinforcing that while relationship skills are critical, they are only part of the equation.
Like many advisors entering the industry during a period of regulatory change, Cathy’s education pathway was intensive.
Starting with a diploma in 2018, she quickly progressed into postgraduate study, completing a graduate diploma while working full-time. This required significant discipline—balancing work, study, and personal life, often dedicating weekends to learning.
What stands out is not just the workload, but the mindset. Rather than delaying or spacing out study requirements, she chose to complete them as quickly as possible, recognising that:
This reflects a broader trend across advice: those entering later in their careers often bring a stronger sense of urgency and purpose to their professional development.
Cathy’s early years in advice were shaped by her existing network. Leveraging her background, she focused on younger medical professionals—particularly doctors—providing insurance advice as a natural entry point.
This niche offered clear advantages:
However, over time, she recognised both the limitations and competitive pressures within this space. Larger firms had significant influence, and maintaining growth required ongoing effort and cost.
Rather than forcing expansion, she shifted focus—leaning more on existing relationships and referrals, and eventually stepping away from the niche entirely when transitioning roles.
This highlights an important insight:
a niche can be a powerful starting point, but it does not have to define an entire career.
After a short break to reassess her direction, Cathy joined Pollock Financial—seeking exposure to a different client demographic and a new learning environment.
The move represented a significant transition:
This shift required not only new technical knowledge, but also a different approach to client engagement, as retirement planning introduces greater complexity and emotional depth.
One of the most distinctive aspects of Pollock Financial is its pooled client model.
Rather than each advisor managing their own book, clients are serviced collectively across the team. This means:
This model challenges the traditional structure of advice businesses, where ownership and client relationships are typically tied to individual advisors.
While initially surprising, Cathy notes that the model creates several advantages:
However, it also introduces operational complexity—particularly in maintaining continuity.
In a shared model, documentation becomes critical.
Without consistent, high-quality file notes, the client experience can quickly fragment. Advisors must ensure that every interaction captures not only technical details, but also personal context—travel plans, family updates, or lifestyle changes.
As Cathy describes it, the guiding principle becomes:
“What does future me—or another advisor—need to know to continue this conversation?”
This has led to a heightened focus on:
While technology is improving efficiency, it also introduces new challenges—particularly in balancing automation with meaningful, human-centred communication.
Cathy’s transition into retirement advice has been supported by a structured, hands-on learning environment.
Rather than being pushed immediately into client-facing responsibility, she progressed through stages:
This approach allowed her to build confidence while learning from multiple advisors, each with different communication styles and approaches.
Importantly, the emphasis was not just on technical accuracy, but on how advice is delivered—how concepts are explained, how trust is built, and how conversations are tailored to each client.
A recurring theme in Cathy’s experience is the importance of communication—particularly in engaging clients who may have previously felt overlooked.
She notes that some clients, particularly women, had historically felt disengaged in advice meetings, often sidelined in conversations dominated by technical discussions or directed toward their partners.
By approaching conversations with empathy and clarity, she has been able to:
This reinforces a broader industry shift:
technical expertise is essential, but how advice is communicated increasingly defines its value.
Despite her progress, Cathy remains open about one key point—she is still figuring out where she ultimately wants to sit within the profession.
Rather than rushing toward complexity or specialisation, her current focus is on:
This measured approach reflects a mature perspective on career growth. In an industry that often emphasises scale or specialisation, there is equal value in depth, consistency, and long-term development.
Cathy Kayess’ journey highlights the evolving nature of financial advice—not just as a profession, but as a career path.
From career changer to practicing advisor, from niche insurance work to retirement planning, and from individual client ownership to a shared service model, her experience reflects the adaptability required to succeed in modern advice.
More broadly, it underscores three key themes:
In a profession undergoing constant change, those who remain open, curious, and client-focused are often best positioned to find their place—and grow within it.