Say hello to our brand new strategic partner, Dean Cowling from JBL Wealth. Having been through our Dapper process himself, he’s joining the team as a financial sounding board for our clients.
It’s a perfect time to include this, as we expand our focus beyond just brand to include confidence, wellness and ease. Clarity and peace of mind around your finances is one of the best ways to achieve these things, and we can’t think of a better person to help you achieve this.
Dean will cover how financial health fits into your holistic life plan and how it impacts everything from confidence to physical health. He’ll also take you through the basic elements of a financial strategy and get you excited about embarking on a journey towards your financial aspirations.
What’s your one line elevator pitch?
I help people sleep at night.
Can I rather do the school run pitch?
Annie (8 years old): Dad, what do you do for work?
Me: Annie, I help people to do the right things with their money. I look after people’s money and I try to make more money for them, so they can look after their families and go on nice holidays.
But if you pushed me on the elevator pitch I’d say I help people plan and execute wealth and investment strategies that set them on a path to their financial aspirations. This promotes good sleep and better dreams.
Why are you passionate about what you do?
Because of the tangible impact I have on people’s lives. I can’t stress (pun intended) this enough, financial stress will literally make you sick, physically and mentally, and that impacts everything, from relationships and energy levels to your ability to perform at work. On the flipside, financial health and stability will reduce stress, build confidence, and give you more freedom and flexibility.
I love Morgan Housel’s famous quote “Money’s greatest intrinsic value is its ability to give you the freedom to pursue your passions.” – how can you not get passionate about being part of that?
Who is your ideal customer?
Someone who didn’t know how much they needed me. Witnessing a light bulb moment is my best. Wealth is a byproduct of a good process, when someone realises that there is a way and there is someone to show them and hold their hand, the financial planning and investing process goes from scary to exciting . Building wealth is fun, using structures and tools you didn’t know existed is fulfilling, and knowing you are on a path is comforting.
High net worth or high growth founders are great to work with, as their trajectory is exciting and the puzzle is more complex, so the tools we can use are more varied and the opportunities for efficiencies are more significant.
What can Dapper clients expect in a discovery call with you?
I look forward to showing each Dapper client how financial health, just like physical health, is a foundation of wellbeing.
I’m going to explain why you shouldn’t try to make the best bolognese by trial and error and why you shouldn’t try to teach yourself to play golf, and of course how that relates to building wealth.
We’ll touch on how your financial health and strategy fits into your life plan, how building wealth impacts your confidence, your mental wellbeing and your health. I’ll take you through the elements of a personal financial strategy and share some examples of “low hanging fruit” or tools we can use to grab inches that add up to miles over time.
I’m going to leave you excited about the next steps you can take.
Tell us a bit about your career to date?
I studied Business Science at UCT majoring in Accounts and Finance. I went on to complete my Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting at UCT before completing my 3 years articles and qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (S.A.). Financial management was a natural progression for a lot of newly qualified CAs and I held a number of positions as financial manager/ director before moving into financial markets.
I wanted to create value, not just count the value someone else was creating. Initially I focussed more on the technical side of the investment landscape, analysing shares which gave me a great grounding and view of investing from the coal face. But who was benefiting from a well analysed stock, a good investment decision? It was hard to find fulfilment with such a narrow focus and simply a return being how to judge my work. So I took a step back and tried to find whereI could really add value. If people don’t have a plan, aren’t doing the right things, and/ or aren’t investing what they should, then they don’t get the benefit of all the hard work that goes into the investment process. I felt like that was where I could make the most impact.
What brings you joy/ energises you?
Professionally, I get really pumped when I’ve convinced a client about a plan of action and they have committed to a strategy. I love putting the pieces of a client’s puzzle together and seeing them fast forward in their mind to where this is going. I get really excited when someone is serious about building wealth and I relish being a part of that.
Personally, connecting with family, friends and nature fills my cup. My best holidays are in the bush. I love how life’s focus narrows to looking for animals, picking a route, deciding where to stop for coffee and rusks, and keeping the cooler box full.
I play quite a bit of golf so being outside, walking, talking, and narrowing my focus again helps me disconnect for a few hours.
Physically, I dread some of the Crossfit sessions I do but I very seldom, if ever, regret going for a workout after the fact. I almost always feel a sense of achievement once I’ve got through a session and energised by the endorphin rush.
Emotionally, one-on-ones with my best friend are hard to beat. With 3 and 8 year old children, my wife and I seldom finish thoughts or sentences, so we get so much out of going somewhere for a glass of wine and some good food to find out how each other is doing. We talk about our plans, our goals and our dreams, and that really energises and motivates me too.
What do you enjoy about collaborating with Dapper?
Authenticity, honesty, conviction. Going through the process with Dapper has been such a valuable exercise for me personally and professionally. It’s forced me to look inward and really come to grips with who I am and what I’m trying to do. There is no room for showboating, this process is about finding your story and getting it out there.
Tell us something not many people know about you?
I manage a debilitating health condition called ulcerative colitis, which was triggered years ago by stress, particularly financial stress. So I know first hand how health and wellbeing can be impacted by financial stress and I feel like my experience is something that’s drawn me to this occupation. I touched on it earlier, financial health spills over into all areas of our lives and I love the thought that I can impact someone’s life as a whole.
