Getting to Know … Shelley Marsh of Marsh Financial Advice

Shelley Marsh is a qualified financial adviser and the owner of Marsh Financial Advice. She is passionate about money, how it works and loves seeing the difference her advice can make to her clients’ lives. Shelley takes the time to get to know her clients and learn where they are at in life and where they want to be and then crafts an individual financial plan that supports her clients on their journey to achieving these goals. An ‘avid Inner Westie’, Shelley lives and works in her beloved suburb of Marrickville.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am Shelley, a qualified financial adviser, a mum of an eight-year-old girl, owner of two rescue cats and the wife of a giant Kiwi! I am an avid Inner Westie, having lived in Marrickville for the past ten years, and I now have created a base for meeting my clients out of Marrickville too! It’s the place where I love to live and work.

Why did you decide to establish Marsh Financial Advice?

I love helping women and families understand their money and achieve their financial goals. I believe financial advice changes lives. Establishing Marsh Financial Advice has allowed me to share my passion for finance and advice within the Inner West and surrounding suburbs.

What did you do prior to setting up your business?

I spent the first 18 years of my career as a stock market analyst, picking stocks to place in superannuation and investment portfolios. My experience was across international and Australian share markets, including in hedge fund management. It is was a challenging and rewarding career, but when my daughter was born I decided that I did not want to work such inflexible hours that role entailed. I always enjoyed the interaction with others and decided to share my knowledge and skills by moving into financial advice.

What drew you to finance in the first place?

I have always had an interest in money and how it works. Not in a money-hungry, must-have-piles-of it, greedy sort of way. From global banking and stock markets to how to best pay off a credit card, and most importantly the impact that different financial decisions have on individuals, their families and their lives, I am fascinated by all of it. I am the person who reads the business pages of the newspaper first and have been caught checking the stock market on my phone at a playdate or swimming lessons!

What can clients expect from your services?

My aim is to ensure that you make the most of what you have and that your money helps you achieve what you want from your life. So, I spend a lot of time listening to you. Learning about your goals and what is truly important to you – where you are at in your life and more importantly where you want to be. I take the time to understand who you are. I then craft you a personalised financial plan and I outline how I can support you on your journey to achieving your goals.

What do you enjoy most about running your own business?

I love that I get to work with clients every day and see the value of the advice that I have given them and the difference it has made to their lives. I find it rewarding to see clients tick off the goals and feel positive about their future. I also like that I can do the odd shift at the school canteen without having to ask a boss for time off!

As a mother yourself, do you have any advice for new parents?

My number one tip is to join a mothers’ group or find a support network. My mothers’ group has been an amazing experience for me. We have helped each other through the ups and downs of life, and they have made my parenting journey so much better. They are a brilliant group of people and eight years on we are still going strong. We catch up on a regular basis and it is wonderful to see our kids growing up together.

Has a book or podcast inspired you recently?

I am a bit of an Oprah fan, so I am enjoying her new book A Path Made Clear. Yesterday I listened to a podcast by Brené Brown on the anatomy of trust, in which she spoke about how trust is built with the small things and this deeply resonated with me.

Favourite places in the Inner West?

There are so many! How do I choose? You will often catch my family at Petty Cash Café in Enmore. I love Hypmotive Hub and Urchin Books in Marrickville for great gifts. And on Sundays you will often find my family riding our bikes along the Cooks River.

Marsh Financial Advice is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Madison Financial Group Pty Ltd AFSL No. 246679 ABN 36 002 459 001

The information contained within this article, unless specified otherwise, is of a general nature and does not take into effect your personal goals, objectives and circumstances. You should not act on this information without seeking personal financial advice from a licensed financial adviser.

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