Raised in Isparta – the ‘Canberra’ of Turkey – Serhan Mackey moved to Australia in adulthood, after studying education and teaching for four years. While running around Lake Burley Griffin and glancing up towards Parliament House, she started dreaming of establishing a financial planning practice in her new hometown.

Completing a Master of Business while working temporary jobs, Serhan began working as a mortgage broker before moving into financial planning in 2007. From that moment, she knew there was no going back – it’s what she was meant to do. In 2017, Serhan completed her second master’s degree, this one in Financial Planning.

Having gained 14 years of experience with leading financial services including the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, building a strong reputation as an expert and respected adviser, and helping over 1,000 clients achieve their financial goals, Serhan established Canberra Advice Financial Planning in May 2021. Her business offers uniquely personal, strategic, and intentional financial advice suited to each client’s specific needs.

In addition, Serhan is serving a second three-year term on the board of ACT Public Trustee as an honourary member. Inspired by a quote from George Orwell – “If you can feel that staying human is worthwhile, even when it can’t have any result whatever, you’ve beaten them” – Serhan is an inquisitive and caring woman, which extends through her desire to help Canberrans manage their finances so they can have control over their own lives.

Tell us about your business and your role there.

“I am the founder and principal adviser of Canberra Advice Financial Planning. It was established after I realised that there was a big gap in the industry for advisers who are not aligned with any products. Following the Royal Commission, financial planning has changed, and for the better. On the back of these changes, I wanted to recreate and redefine financial advice and connect the dots between life and finances. I wanted to offer Canberrans a privately owned practice (not by a superannuation fund, bank, life company, or another product provider) that ensures any solution provided is in their best interest.”

What inspired you to start your own business?

“Historically, the majority of financial advice provided was generic. I wanted to provide uniquely personal advice. I worked in environments where I needed to see a certain number of clients every day or keep my consultation to a certain timeframe. I wanted to change this and do something about it.”

What do you consider to be your organisation’s key strengths?

“Financial wellbeing – Canberra Advice believes that feeling good about your financial life is possible for everyone. We will help you identify what worries you and replace that with clarity and confidence. We are not aligned with any financial products, which means our clients are our only priority and we are not incentivised to push products that clients won’t need. I also love finding out and thoroughly understanding our client’s needs – no detail is unnecessary for us.”

Where to from here?

“Traditional financial advice has focused on sales and products. We would like to continue to build a reputation for providing product-agnostic advice. We are obsessed with people, value, and impact. Our vision is to build financial literacy one person at a time and provide the best outcomes for our clients whilst staying wildly different to most of the industry.”

When you’re not at work, where can we find you?

“At home fussing over my plant friends. They are my mood booster; I hear their call to come out and play. Every second weekend you can find me at the coast, enjoying the sea breeze.”

To find out how Serhan can help you “connect the dots between life and finances”, visit www.canberraadvice.com.au

For more information on sponsored partnerships, click here.