Congratulations Deline Jacovides
At last week’s FAAA Congress, we announced Deline Jacovides from Mazi Wealth as the winner of the 2024 Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award.
For over a decade, TAL has been honoured to sponsor the Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award as part of the annual FAAA Awards.
The Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award honours exceptional female advisers and their impact on clients, colleagues, peers, and communities. It promotes diversity in the industry and recognises female advisers who help more Australians receive quality, trusted advice.
At TAL, we believe that this important award category plays a role in creating a better advice industry for every Australian.
We spoke to Deline about what gets her up in the morning, the importance of championing female representation in the industry, and her aspirations for the future.
What inspired you to become a financial adviser?
Like many advisers, I fell into financial advice. Coming from a family of fishmongers, I grew up working in our family shop, but my father always encouraged me to explore a different career path. While studying finance, the Global Financial Crisis hit, making it tough to enter the industry. Through a mentoring program, I was introduced to paraplanning, landing a role with a solo practitioner who provided holistic advice to a wide range of clients. This experience was eye-opening, and I soon realised how I could change people’s lives through this career. At that moment, I chose to become a financial adviser.
Twelve years on, I still love being a financial adviser. I love the balance the profession requires between technical knowledge and the emotional intelligence, empathy and interpersonal skills needed to build meaningful relationships.
What are you doing to help empower women to take control of their finances?
Given the low numbers of advisers in the profession and my significant waitlist, I have seen firsthand how many people want and need advice. To empower women to engage with their finances and overcome challenges they face, I launched a low-cost online financial literacy course. This two-part program – ‘Reset and Refocus’ and ‘Conquer Your Cashflow’ includes videos, a workbook and a spreadsheet to provide essential financial knowledge and guidance on cash flow and goal setting. As of 2024, there have been 56 enrolments. Through this course, I’m fostering financial empowerment and supporting those in need of guidance, particularly women, in building financial confidence and independence.
How are you helping fellow women to become financial advisers?
Having more women in financial advice is essential because it brings diversity of thought, empathy, and a deeper understanding of the unique financial challenges that women face. I believe we need more female voices to create a truly inclusive industry that reflects the clients we serve.
I’ve been actively involved in mentoring through QUT, Griffith University and the FPA Women in Financial Planning Mentoring Program. Almost weekly, I assist women in financial advice, helping them overcome hurdles to success. By sharing insights as a working mum on social media, I aim to provide a real glimpse into balancing a career in financial advice with family life. From completing my CFP certification and FASEA exam during pregnancies to navigating flexible work arrangements, I hope my journey shows that it’s possible to be an adviser, run a business, and have a family, encouraging more women to enter and thrive in the financial advice profession.
More women in the profession means more advisers who understand these dynamics and can deliver advice that feels collaborative, comprehensive, and deeply personalised.
Do you have any advice for women entering the industry or considering a career in advice?
My advice to women entering financial advice is to embrace your strengths and trust that your unique perspective is valuable. This is a relationship-driven profession, and the empathy, patience, and communication skills you bring to the table are essential. Don’t shy away from asking questions, seeking mentorship, and finding supportive networks that can help you grow.
Secondly, understand that this career is not just about financial management; it’s about guiding people toward their goals and empowering them. Remember, it’s okay to challenge traditional ways of doing things and to build your own style of advising.
Finally, find your purpose. When you understand why you’re doing this work, it becomes much easier to stay motivated, even when you face challenges.
What’s next for you?
I am most excited about growing Mazi Wealth and expanding my team. Since launching my business, I have added two full-time assistants and am currently advertising for an associate adviser. My main goal is to work through my waitlist without sacrificing quality and service. Beyond Mazi Wealth, I am passionate about continuing my volunteer work and advocating for women’s financial empowerment, particularly in closing the gender superannuation gap and supporting women’s financial independence through political advocacy.
Winning this award has meant so much for me personally and professionally, and only reinforces my commitment to deliver client-focused, empathetic advice and helping to improve financial literacy, especially amongst women. I hope to use this as a platform to inspire other women to join the profession and recognise it’s possible to build a successful career in advice while managing family and other responsibilities.
Deline began her career in 2010 as a junior paraplanner while completing her finance degree. After graduation, she joined Sunsuper, gaining experience in general advice, insurance claims, and financial planning, where she also earned her Advanced Diploma. In 2015, she joined Aspire Retire to advance as an adviser and completed her CFP certification, finishing the last assessments while on maternity leave with a four-week-old baby. Deline later joined NGS Super to expand their financial advice department in Queensland, gaining leadership experience by growing her own team. Encouraged by mentors, family, friends and colleagues, she founded Mazi Wealth at the start of 2022.