In a world where change is constant and there are as many opinions about a topic as there are people, it is critical for a company to create a culture where differences are accepted, embraced, and understood. By so doing, it creates an environment where everyone is striving to become his or her best self and all ships can rise with the tide.
Discover the WestPac difference
When you’re ready to consider a career in financial services, you may not realize that not all wealth management firms are created equal. Whereas most advisory firms focus on client acquisition and product placement, WestPac Wealth Partners, LLC follows a distinct, well-articulated process in each client engagement.
Why such a different approach?
The short answer? Culture. The expanded answer? WestPac provides a client-centric approach to all our interactions. We are constantly looking to improve ourselves, to be better than we were yesterday, and to make all our decisions with a long-term vision, with the client’s best interests in mind. This leads to an exceptional, high-quality, high-integrity, and consistent client experience for our financial advisors and clients that delivers results that people are pleased with. In fact, 90% of WestPac’s clients come from referrals, and over 95% of our clients stay with WestPac.
A culture of giving
In life, we choose each day as if we will have an abundance mentality or one of scarcity. At WestPac, we choose the abundance mindset, and by so doing, create a culture where the best ideas and concepts around planning are shared openly through daily training sessions and workshops. Not only that, but this approach provides an atmosphere of teamwork where people are happy to work with each other because everyone and everything improves — including the quality of service we deliver to the clients, local communities, and charities that we work for.
The strength of our services comes from the individual financial professionals who make up our firm, which we consider to be WestPac’s greatest asset. Our career associates have a passion to succeed through hard work, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a compelling drive to deliver higher levels of excellence. This benefits our financial professionals and their clients.
Product or process?
At WestPac, we are product agnostic. The tools and the resources we utilize in our unique process allow us to design unique solutions based on the client as a whole and not a product need. The best part is it doesn't end there. Being process oriented allows our reps to provide constant and complete follow-up service to our existing client base.
At WestPac, taking care of clients begins with hiring the right people. First, the diversity of our associates — with over 30 different nations represented — provides a significant advantage, as they offer their client base “someone for everyone.” Second, WestPac’s ongoing commitment is to hire independently minded financial advisors and to provide them with a richly rewarding work environment that fosters teamwork designed to help everyone succeed.
The proof is in the awards
Those outside of the industry have taken notice. In October 2019, WestPac Wealth Partners, LLC was named #7 on Fortune Magazine’s 2019 Best Medium Workplaces list, which highlights the top 100 medium-size employers in the United States. This is just the most recent workplace-related award that WestPac has garnered.
If you’re wondering why we are ranked #7 on Fortune’s Best Places to work list, the reason is simple: It's because we all love the work we do. Our firm is all about the client. A leader at WestPac engages in client work at all levels and works hand in hand with advisors on their client work. There no hierarchy here and everyone feels that. We're a team.
How the WestPac culture matters
WestPac’s culture has not only benefited our advisors and clients, but also the firm itself, by fueling its strong growth. The “domino effect” is real. I'm about always defining a better version of myself. The WestPac Culture is all about encouraging an individual’s consistent growth, with the objective of the employee striving to achieve their true potential. That objective translates into individual growth or achievement, which has ultimately resulted in year-over-year growth targets that have driven the consistent overall growth of our firm.
Valuable advice for those evaluating a firm or agency to join
What is the best approach for those who are considering entering the financial services industry or those advisors who are already in the business, but looking to make a change to a different firm? My best advice is to do your homework. Most advisors go with the firm that approaches them first versus vetting multiple firms and opportunities to determine the right fit. As a result, advisors in our industry are constantly moving from opportunity to opportunity, looking for the firm that’s right for them. I personally recommend that individuals look for an agency that has the tools and resources necessary to onboard an advisor successfully. After all, launching into this career is all about retention. I would then recommend that candidates delve deeper into the work the firm specifically does and make sure that the approach is in alignment with their core values.
Finally, I suggest that individuals associate themselves with a firm that rewards the advisor for all aspects of a job well done. In my nearly 36 years of working in this industry, my view is that no other wealth management firm can even come close to the overall offer and opportunity of being a WestPac advisor.
For Jeff Pawlowski, Managing Partner at WestPac Wealth Partners, LLC, delivering financial security to clients through a philosophy of care has always come naturally. After spending 25 years with Northwestern Mutual, occupying various positions on the field office career ladder — from college intern all the way to General Agent for Northwestern Mutual’s Oregon Office — Jeff decided to strike out on his own.
In October 2009, he founded Broad River, a General Agency of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America®, serving Oregon, Southwest Washington, and Idaho. While building Broad River, Jeff had the opportunity to meet and share leadership experiences with WestPac's founder, Nash Subotic. Jeff explains, “Nash and I built a relationship and discussed the impact we'd have throughout the West Coast of the United States if we joined forces. So, in January 2017, we made it official and I merged Broad River with WestPac Wealth Partners. Since that time, Nash and I have had the opportunity to extend our reach by acquiring another firm that serves Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.”
Learn more about career opportunities with WestPac Wealth Partners
Learn more about WestPac's Fortune 2019 Best Medium Workplaces Award
Discover how big dreams have meant big success for WestPac Wealth Partners
Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). OSJ: 5 Centerpointe Dr. Suite 150 Lake Oswego, OR 97035 503.207.4540. Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. General Agent of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Guardian. WestPac Wealth Partners, LLC is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. Insurance products offered through WestPac Wealth Partners and Insurance Services, Inc., a DBA of WestPac Wealth Partners, LLC. | 2019-90746 Exp. 12/21