Practice profile: Lisa Barber

When Lisa Barber’s father passed away in 1989, with no will and no insurance, it had a significant effect on her
family and led to her desiring to help others avoid having to experience a similar plight.

“There were four children at home, we had debt and a mortgage and mum was the primary income earner, so it had a profound impact on us,” she says.

“From then on it was a natural calling for me to work in financial services and try to provide financial security to women; I wanted to work to provide financial security and awareness,” she says.

“One of the things I really value about being a financial adviser is being able to provide that sense of security
for people.”

Barber says that not only do women live longer, but due also to a clear gender-based pay gap, they have relatively fewer funds for their retirement than men. Her client base is currently made up predominantly of
women between the ages of 35 and 45.

She recalls one defining moment in her career, around 10 years ago: “There was a lady who came into my office who had just lost her husband and she didn’t manage the financial situation at home,” she says. “Not only was she grieving at losing her husband, she also felt vulnerable about her financial future.

“For us to be able to sit there and work with her and help her know she had a secure financial future … I instantly saw in her body language and her face [that] her whole demeanour changed.

That to me is the power of financial advice.”

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