Nathaniel Johnston on starting out in financial advice

The beginning of a career is when habits and values start to form and influence the way you work. Nathaniel Johnston is one of our trusted financial advisers who started his journey through our Professional Year development pathway.

With an affinity for money and numbers and a genuine interest in helping people, his path into financial advice shows how skill and connection go hand in hand.

At First Financial, we are committed to delivering client-focused advice and creating an environment where new advisers can grow and succeed. We offer meaningful careers where learning is valued and everyone has the chance to build their own path. Nathaniel’s journey is one of them.

Nathaniel studied commerce and economics at university but admits he didn’t have a clear career plan at the time. “I didn’t quite know what I wanted to go into and got an internship in the financial planning space and stuck there,” he explains. What started as a way to get some experience ended up pointing him in a direction that felt right.

In the early months, it became clear his talents were well-suited to finance. He had always been big on budgeting and careful with money, to the point where his friends would joke he was a little stingy. But even as a child, he enjoyed watching his savings grow. More than using his education and knowledge, he quickly saw how rewarding it was to help people work towards their goals and witness the impact of good advice in action.

About four and a half years ago, Nathaniel joined First Financial, and he’s been a valuable member of our team ever since. The opportunity came through a personal connection with a former managing director who mentioned a role at the firm. “A spot popped up, I had an interview and then came on board,” he says. Since then, he has built his skills in a supportive environment and begun working more closely with clients.

Nathaniel began as an Associate Adviser, with his early years at First Financial focused on speaking with clients and answering their questions. He came in with a strong technical background from his previous role, where he worked extensively on statements of advice and strategy documents.

After finishing the Professional Year about two years ago, he began advising clients and putting what he’d learned into practice. Sitting across from people and talking through their plans is a big change from working behind the scenes all those years ago, but the time he spent preparing gave him the confidence to handle those conversations, first as an Associate and now as the adviser.

In his earlier career, Nathaniel was exposed to different industry philosophies but felt more aligned with our client-centric approach.

For Nathaniel, financial advice is all about the relationship. Trust and listening with intent are central to the process. After all, how can you help someone get to their destination if you don’t know where they want to go? He makes a point of getting to know people beyond their numbers. Clients also respond to sincerity. “If you care and you endeavour to do your best, clients will appreciate that,” he says.

Being in a position to help clients through some of life’s hardest moments is something Nathaniel doesn’t take for granted. Many people think of financial advisers as the ones you call when you want to plan for the future, but they’re also who you call when things don’t work out or something unexpected happens, like a divorce or the death of a spouse.

“If we can make that process a little less scary and overwhelming, that’s something I find rewarding,” he says. It’s not always about setbacks either. Many clients also want to help their children buy a home or pay for a wedding while still feeling secure about their own future.

As someone who finds people and their stories very interesting, Nathaniel enjoys the personal side of the job as much as the technical. Many meetings turn into conversations about family, milestones and even everyday stories. He likes seeing clients as more than just their finances and getting to know who they are.

Nathaniel appreciates being part of a supportive team where it’s easy to connect with others. “The benefit of a bigger business is you often have people at similar stages of life and you become good mates,” he says. Those friendships, both inside and outside the office, have been an important part of his experience.

In financial planning, no two days are the same. Each brings different questions to answer and situations to work through, and Nathaniel likes solving problems by combining numbers with people skills. “Life’s mostly about relationships and fostering good relationships in your personal life, work life and with clients,” he says.

Outside of work, Nathaniel enjoys staying active. He used to play basketball regularly but has since hung up his sneakers and taken up golf for the challenge and sense of progress. He also loves travelling and isn’t above getting a little competitive over a game of table tennis with colleagues in the office.

Nathaniel’s careful approach to money started long before his career in financial advice. He has always paid close attention to how small decisions add up over time, and that perspective continues to guide how he works today.

At First Financial, we take pride in supporting advisers like Nathaniel as they grow in their careers. Seeing our shared values reflected in the way they work with clients is a reminder of why we invest in developing people who care about doing the right thing.

To find out how our team can help you plan for the future with tailored financial and retirement advice, contact us today. If you’re curious about a career in financial advice, visit our careers page and learn more.

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