Produced By: Ensombl
Financial planning is far more than calculations, compliance, and market projections. At its best, it is about forging relationships built on trust, supporting clients at critical junctures in their lives, and upholding the highest professional and ethical standards. Few practitioners embody these principles more deeply than the team at Goldsboro Financial Services in South Australia. In this article, drawn from a conversation hosted by Andrew “Rocks” with guest Brenton Miegel, we explore how one firm has navigated over two decades of industry change—embracing new fee models, scaling the business responsibly, and prioritizing a culture where clients and staff alike can flourish.
Many financial planners are attracted to their career by a spark of interest in economics, investments, or taxation. Others, like Brenton, arrive more circuitously. In the mid-1990s, Brenton was a self-described “bank dude” working for the Commonwealth Bank in Mount Gambier, a regional city about five hours south of Adelaide. It was there he encountered Keith—a visiting financial adviser—whose client-centric problem-solving lit a fire in him.
“I’ve always enjoyed working with people and helping to solve their problems,” Brenton says. “Keith showed me that there was a different path to serve clients on a more in-depth level.”
That moment proved instrumental. Intrigued by the combination of relationship-building and strategic analysis, Brenton moved into a paraplanning role within the Commonwealth Bank, pursued his studies, and eventually became a financial adviser himself. Although the educational requirements of the late 1990s were considerably less rigorous than today’s standards, the underlying desire to assist individuals in achieving their financial aspirations was as strong then as it is now.
Brenton’s career would soon take a transformative turn when he encountered the directors of Goldsboro Financial Services—then a relatively small practice in Adelaide. Despite the personal risk involved in walking away from the security of a larger institution, Brenton was drawn to Goldsboro’s relationship-driven approach. He took a leap of faith, joined the team, and never looked back.
In 2000, Goldsboro was helmed by three directors: Glenn Todman, John Oliver, and Peter Johnston. Brenton credits each of them—especially Glenn—for fostering a culture that made new team members feel valued and supported.
“A couple of cups of coffee and a few conversations later, I decided to join,” Brenton remembers. “That decision led to a 24-year journey at Goldsboro.”
Over the next two decades, Goldsboro expanded from roughly a dozen staff to a team of over twenty. Brenton consistently emphasizes that the firm’s hallmark is its culture—the way people treat each other, the way they gather around a shared sense of purpose, and the commitment to professional development. In an industry that often sees individuals hopping between firms for better compensation, the longevity at Goldsboro is particularly striking. Several staff members have been at the company for well over fifteen or twenty years, a rarity in modern financial services.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck the Goldsboro family nine years ago when Glenn passed away from cancer. The loss could have shattered the firm. Instead, it solidified the mutual bond and sense of collective resilience.
“Glenn’s death was a shock to us all,” Brenton shares. “But we had a core group that had been at Goldsboro for nearly fifteen years. Under John Oliver’s guidance, we gathered ourselves, stayed aligned with our ethos, and kept building on what Glenn had started.”
When John Oliver later retired, the ownership of the firm was taken over by several of the longer-serving advisers and the CEO—a testament to how dedicated many at Goldsboro remain to their original mission: nurturing relationships that last decades.
Financial advice in Australia has undergone immense regulatory upheaval, particularly over the last 15 years. Traditional commission-based models have largely been replaced by fee-for-service arrangements, sparked in part by legislation such as the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) reforms and subsequent industry scrutiny. Where some firms struggled or resisted, Goldsboro took a calculated approach to align fees with the actual costs and value delivered to clients.
In the mid-2010s, the firm started transitioning from percentage-based arrangements to flat-dollar fees. When the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, the directors decided to collaborate with Peloton Partners to refine their pricing model and ensure it was both transparent and equitable. While the timing seemed fraught—markets were in chaos, and face-to-face meetings were disrupted—the firm soon realized it was the perfect moment to clarify the importance of financial guidance:
“We thought, ‘If clients are balking right now about fees, we’re in trouble.’ But instead, we found clients deeply appreciated seeing what the fees covered,” Brenton recalls.
This project required every adviser to assess each client’s circumstances and articulate exactly how Goldsboro’s services delivered value. The results were striking: about 1,200 clients went through the new fee approach, and a staggering 97–98% agreed to the fee structures proposed. More tellingly, the shift led to a 35% uplift in overall advisory revenue—emphatically illustrating that clients will pay for quality advice, provided it is explained with honesty, clarity, and empathy.
While many practices carve out specific niches (e.g., insurance-only, investment-only), Goldsboro seeks to be a comprehensive partner in life’s financial journey. Their client base encompasses:
Not every client needs every service at once, which is why Goldsboro invests in both cross-functional teamwork and staying ahead of changing regulations in each of these categories. Having on-staff specialists reduces the risk of compliance issues and ensures clients receive consistent advice from someone with deep expertise.
Ethically, this approach prioritizes client needs over any single product. Advisers at Goldsboro do not feel pressured to recommend insurance, or aged care strategies, or investment products if those do not align with the client’s genuine objectives and circumstances.
One of the most challenging aspects of running a modern financial practice is balancing a personal touch with operational efficiency. Goldsboro has carefully honed its internal structure:
This approach aligns with ethical best practices: each adviser has a manageable number of households in their care, ensuring enough time and resources are dedicated to thorough, individualized reviews.
Goldsboro has grown organically for most of its history, primarily through client referrals and public visibility efforts (including radio talkback shows and a regular newspaper column). For many years, they avoided the merger-and-acquisition route that other firms use to scale quickly. However, as the industry consolidates—partly due to higher compliance and education requirements—Brenton and his fellow shareholders are now more open to welcoming smaller firms or sole practitioners who share Goldsboro’s ethos.
Crucially, culture fit is non-negotiable. When asked what sort of business they would be interested in acquiring, Brenton stresses the necessity of alignment in client philosophy. Any transition is handled with care, often over months or even years, to ensure a smooth handover and that clients feel a sense of continuity and trust.
“Taking over a book of clients is not like flipping a switch,” he notes. “It’s about relationships, often built over decades. You need to handle that transition with empathy and patience.”
Handling an acquisition or merger ethically means prioritizing client welfare first. Clear communication, transparency about any fee changes, and ensuring that new advisers are integrated into the culture are all pivotal elements of this approach.
While most financial advisers rely on referrals, some adopt creative ways to engage with their broader community. Goldsboro’s association with radio talkback began in the late 1990s. Initially, the late Glenn Todman had established a relationship with a local Adelaide radio host. Very quickly, Brenton found himself on-air, fielding live calls from everyday people curious about superannuation, interest rates, and investment strategies.
“You never know what question the caller’s going to ask,” Brenton laughs. “It taught me the art of thinking on my feet.”
The show, known in some circles as the “Money Talks” segment, has been a mainstay for over two decades, helping the firm reach and educate a wide audience. Outside of radio, Brenton also writes a syndicated newspaper column, providing financial literacy content across various publications. This consistent public engagement—delivered freely—reinforces Goldsboro’s standing as a trusted educator in the community.
From an ethical perspective, this approach is notable for prioritizing the sharing of information over the hard sell. For instance, call-in segments often end with simple, direct guidance or an invitation to seek more specific help if necessary. Listeners can take the advice and implement it themselves, or they can reach out to Goldsboro for deeper guidance.
With higher professional standards in place across Australia, new entrants to the financial planning profession face a far more rigorous path than in the past. Prospective advisers must complete a Professional Year (PY), with structured modules and close supervision by a registered adviser.
Goldsboro has warmly embraced these requirements. A recent example is MyMia, a PY candidate who joined the practice to learn the ropes. Rather than seeing the extra obligations as a burden, the existing advisers took the process as an opportunity to strengthen their own best practices, refine training manuals, and cultivate a methodical approach to skill-building.
“We want these new advisers to feel part of our culture but also get exposure to all facets of client work,” Brenton remarks. “Clients get introduced to them organically, and we maintain oversight to ensure everything is done to a high professional standard.”
Internally, Goldsboro shares wins and challenges in weekly or monthly team meetings. These open forums allow more experienced advisers to coach younger team members on both the technical aspects—e.g., how to structure a Statement of Advice—and the ethical aspects, such as how to handle client funds responsibly and how to approach a sensitive family dispute regarding inheritance.
Throughout Brenton’s reflections, ethics emerges as the bedrock of quality advice. Multiple checks are built into the firm’s processes:
Each of these points underlines a vision for financial advice where professionals operate not purely as salespeople, but as trusted problem solvers. That, in essence, is why Brenton “fell into” the industry in the first place: the opportunity to guide people toward solutions that truly improve their lives.
As Goldsboro contemplates the future, a few central themes stand out:
Ultimately, the firm sees itself as much more than a financial planning company. It aims to be a steward of good ethics, a community pillar, and a place where every team member feels empowered to contribute their best work.
In an interview that occasionally veered from multi-generational household finances to the joy of model trains and playing field hockey, one theme above all shone through: financial advice can—and should—be personal, ethical, and deeply supportive of clients’ life journeys.
Brenton’s story offers evidence that a firm’s culture can indeed anchor both professional success and personal satisfaction. It is a story of mentors seeing potential, of structured processes ensuring consistent quality, and of an unwavering commitment to do right by clients. By aligning their fee structures with genuine services, refining their processes through external collaboration, and investing in talented newcomers, Goldsboro has navigated the churning waters of industry reform with uncommon grace.
For any aspiring financial planner or practice owner reading this, the lessons are clear:
At 24 years and counting, Brenton’s tenure at Goldsboro illustrates how much can be achieved when an adviser’s early spark of curiosity is matched by a firm that nurtures professional growth, invests in ethical processes, and keeps client well-being at heart. Through talkback radio and syndicated columns, through thorough paraplanning and well-structured review processes, through wise acquisitions and expansions, the people at Goldsboro strive to maintain a standard of excellence.
In the increasingly complex world of personal finance, their commitment to “taking as much time as necessary” to understand issues deeply, while remaining transparent and fair, underscores the abiding power of professionalism and ethics. It is a reminder that financial advice, at its core, is a profoundly human endeavor—rooted in empathy, trust, and the steadfast responsibility to help individuals and families thrive.
Accreditation Points Allocation:
0.10 Technical Competence
0.10 Client Care and Practice
0.10 Regulatory Compliance and Consumer Protection
0.10 Professionalism and Ethics
0.40 Total CPD Points