Anthony - Partner Firm 3

Partner Firm 3 is a highly respected Queensland accountancy and financial planning firm with offices in Toowoomba and Roma, serving local and rural clients across the state. The firm offers clients various areas of financial expertise, including business and personal taxation and accountancy, business advisory, superannuation advice, and financial planning. Since 2019, the financial planning division has seen significant growth. Akambo sat down with the firm’s chief financial planner, Anthony, for a one-to-one chat about his experience with Akambo and how he sees the financial planning sector currently and moving forward.

Partner Firm 3’s lineage dates back to 1931, with its roots firmly planted in accounting before expanding into financial planning in 2014. Anthony joined the firm in 2019 and, with over a decade of experience behind him, set about growing the financial advice division from a minor player into a firm approaching medium scale with a significant footprint stretching from the major towns and into rural Queensland. He focuses on delivering results through strategic partnerships and providing exemplary customer service. His clients experience qualified financial advice, research-supported investment strategies, and access to financial advisers committed to developing professional long-term relationships with each client.

Before Anthony joined the firm, Partner Firm 3 had established a licensing agreement with Akambo. The relationship was a driving factor in his decision to make Partner Firm 3 his professional home.

“I firmly believe in delivering a service-based model to our clients. To do that successfully, you expect a service-focused alignment with your partners. Akambo is highly respected in the market for more than just licensing and SMAs. They have built an enviable reputation for service, which makes them an ideal fit for businesses like ours,” Says Anthony

Akambo was able to help Anthony and his team beyond the scope of the agreement. Akambo offered business planning advice, including staffing strategies, business model reviews, and feedback to help Anthony and the team understand the nuances of growing the business. The investment team was on hand to speak directly with the firm’s clients, which was particularly helpful during COVID and the interest rate spikes.

“It didn’t feel like I was dealing with an external business. It felt like people who cared.”

It is a good period for financial advisers as Australian investors become more educated about the benefits of having professional financial advisers guide their wealth accumulation and protection. The industry still faces challenges on several fronts.

The layers of compliance have accumulated over time, often leading to inefficiencies. Many advisers, including Anthony, became disillusioned with what felt like product-selling instead of client-centric strategic planning. Akambo’s support is designed to mitigate the administrative and compliance burden on financial advice service providers, freeing them up to do what they do best. Additionally, advisers are not locked into a one-size-fits-all investment portfolio. They’re able to create bespoke investments that suit their client profile.

Regulatory reforms slashed the number of licensed financial advisers in Australia, and entry barriers are high. “It’s a long moat to swim across for aspiring advisers,” says Anthony. This does make staffing difficult, adding more value to the Akambo relationship, which handles the heavy lifting and helps financial advice businesses operate efficiently within a sector facing critical staff shortages.

By outsourcing investment management and leveraging Akambo’s back-end support, Anthony and his team can focus on high-quality client interaction.

The strategic support from Akambo during the growth phase has set a successful blueprint for scale and enabled the current growth to continue autonomously, yet anchored in Akambo’s framework.

“I would highly recommend Akambo. They have excellent licensing and SMA models that are flexible and enable our business to maintain its autonomy. It has a suite of other services, including insurance and legal. The people inside Akambo add real value to the service they provide. A great partner to have.” Says Anthony

Akambo offers finance advisers, advice firms, and accounting practices tailored licensing and SMA solutions that remove the administrative and compliance burden while enabling the business to maintain its autonomy. We nurture long-term partner relationships focused on success and transparency.

Contact us today and get back to doing what you do best.