Working alongside your Father could send some people into a nervous spin but for John Anderson, Advisor, Bell Potter Securities, it is an ideal work situation.

This month we sat down with John, which given he’s just had his first child was an amazing achievement in itself, to learn how he’s managed to work with his Father, Stuart, and what success in business looks like for him. Thank you, John.

  1. John, you work with your Father in the business, that is such a beautiful thing however not everyone could work with a family member. How do you make it work?

Yes, it would appear on the outside that it should or could be somewhat challenging to work together, however, Stuart, and I have had a very positive experience. I am 33 years old, and we have always had a solid and close relationship since I was young which may have stemmed from the fact that we were the only two boys in the family. (I have twin sisters, and therefore Dad and I were always outnumbered). We have always had many common interests especially sport and in particular golf.

When it comes to our professional relationship, it has been a fantastic experience. We are very good at communicating with each other and Stuart is an excellent mentor. Stuart has operated in the share market for the past five decades, and I am very open to learning from his experiences.

  1. What piece of advice has your Father given you over the years that still resonates with you today?
  • Professionally – ‘Invest in yourself’, and the best investment you can make is in your abilities. Work hard, and anything you can do to develop your skills (education) or business is highly recommended.
  • Personally – ‘Go Dees’

It is fair to say the first piece of advice has been far more successful although I haven’t given up hope on the Melbourne FC just yet.

  1. Learning from our older generations is one of the best things we can do both personally and professionally; what are the three top things you have learned from your Father about the way in which to do business with others?
  • Honesty/integrity
  • Loyalty
  • Hard Work
  1. Bell Potter is one of Australia’s largest full-service stockbrokers and a leading advice business; when you are out and about, and people ask you, “What do you do?” What do you say?

I outline what our firm does and what we do individually as Stockbrokers. Bell Potter is a member of Bell Financial Group which is a listed company on the ASX. We offer a full range of services to private, corporate and institutional clients and we pride ourselves on the quality of advice we give. We have access to quality research which covers top ASX listed companies and have expanded more recently into international research. We have a variety of ways of managing a client’s account to be most suited to the client. On top of this service, Stuart is also a qualified Chartered Accountant, and I am a qualified Financial Planner combined with a Commerce degree.  So while we operate as Stockbrokers, we can also offer sound, personal financial advice in a number of areas which provide significant benefit to the client.

  1. What keeps you awake at night [other than your newborn baby!] from a work perspective?

I sleep soundly knowing that I have done the best for my client although a volatile share market does, sometimes, make me toss and turn.

  1. Five years from now, what will your business look like?

Our business will be similar to that of today. Clients will still require quality advice, and we will strive to increase our knowledge, services and accessibility to meet their needs.

  1. Attracting and retaining clients is a crucial priority for any business; what strategies have worked for your company?
  • Honesty
  • Hard Work
  • Client Contact – Meeting our clients face to face- I think its fundamental that we meet face to face with clients, whether it be in the office or elsewhere, I believe we should be in a position to give clients our time, given they entrust us with their money
  1. Bell Potter has had a very long and prosperous professional relationship with McPhail & Partners; what is it about the McPhail’s business and the team that Bell Potter has enjoyed the most?

Bell Potter and McPhail’s have compatible cultures, and we find that McPhail’s excel in their professional, personal and caring approach to clients.

  1. How will technology impact your business?

I welcome the advancements in technology into our business, and it can only enhance our client’s welfare. Increased quality and speed of knowledge will if handled correctly, improve advice to clients.

Thank you, John and best of luck as a Father yourself!