Green and red flags of a financial advisor with Matt Hale

03/03/25 • 27 min

So you’re doing OK financially. You’ve been streaming our podcasts and you’re ready to start talking to a financial planner to help manage and maximise your money. Well get cosy and listen up.
In this week’s value-packed episode, Ryan and Steph are joined by the super impressive Matt Hale (a regular in Australia’s Top 50 influential advisers) to identify what you need to look for (and avoid) in a financial planner.
They leave no stone unturned as they dive into:

What actually makes a good financial advisor (and what makes one not so good)
The specific qualifications a legitimate advisor needs to have (and how to verify them)
Green flags that tell you you've found a winner
Essential questions to ask early in your journey together
Whether personality matching matters (spoiler: it does!)
Red flags of a financial advisor
When it's time to reassess if your current advisor relationship is still working for you.

At the end of the day it all comes down to trust. And we trust this episode will help you find the right financial planner for you.
Here’s to your Good Life. And thanks for listening.
You can find us at https://www.tribecafinancial.com.au/
Our guest:
Matt Hale, Financial advice & mortgage broking, Managing Director of Rising Tide
Connect with Matt: linkedin.com/in/matthalert
Visit Matt’s website: risingtidefinancial.com.au
Our hosts:
Ryan Watson, CEO, Tribeca Financial
Follow Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-watson/
Stephanie Coombes, podcast expert and media strategist
Follow Steph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-coombes-62903825/

Tribeca Collective Pty Ltd, ABN 54 604 005 209 trading as Tribeca Financial has been appointed as a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR No.1008603) of My Dedicated Advisory. My Good Life ® is a registered trademark of Tribeca Collective Pty Ltd.
Advice given in this podcast is general in nature and is not intended to influence deci-sions about investing or financial products. Our listeners should always seek their own professional advice that considers their own personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.
Tribeca Financial acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Austral-ia, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.

What actually makes a good financial advisor (and what makes one not so good)
The specific qualifications a legitimate advisor needs to have (and how to verify them)
Green flags that tell you you've found a winner
Essential questions to ask early in your journey together
Whether personality matching matters (spoiler: it does!)
Red flags of a financial advisor
When it's time to reassess if your current advisor relationship is still working for you.

Previous Episode

How your childhood shaped your financial future with Suzanne Alexander

What’s your earliest memory with money? Was it when the tooth fairy paid you a visit? Or when you were given your first lot of pocket money. Maybe it was when you heard your parents utter that priceless phrase: ‘money doesn’t grow on trees you know!’

Why’s all this important? Our views and reactions to money are formed from the ripe young age of just seven. So all these experiences and memories – what we call our money stories – can have a long-lasting impact on how we approach our finances. Both positively and negatively.

To help Ryan and Steph uncover the full story about money stories, we’ve enlisted the expert help of money coach and mindset mentor Suzanne Alexander. In this engrossing chat we identify some of the most common negative attitudes to money, why it’s good to be aware of your own story, how to work out which money persona you fit into (avoidance, worship, status, vigilance), and what you can do to turn your negative money story into a positive one.

The 8 money types by Deborah price

The Innocent – Avoids financial responsibility and relies on others for money decisions, often overwhelmed by financial matters.
The Victim – Blames financial struggles on past experiences or external factors, often feeling powerless and seeking rescue.
The Warrior – Strategic, goal-oriented, and decisive with money, focused on financial success and control.
The Martyr – Prioritises others' financial needs over their own, often feeling unappreciated and emotionally attached to their sacrifices.
The Fool – Takes financial risks impulsively, seeking quick wins but often lacking discipline and long-term strategy.
The Creator/Artist – Struggles with a love/hate relationship with money, often seeing it as a barrier to authenticity or creativity.
The Tyrant – Uses money as a tool for power and control, often driven by fear and a deep sense of scarcity.
The Magician – Master of financial transformation, blending knowledge, strategy, and intuition to create abundance.

Redefining failure

Spnax CEO Sara Blakely https://youtu.be/OZEPbyIA8XI?si=JODsIqICw4wzaPnw

Here's to your Good Life. And thanks for listening.

You can find us at https://www.tribecafinancial.com.au/

Our guest:

Suzanne Alexander, Money coach and mindset mentor

Connect with Suzanne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-alexander-42a6788/

Visit Suzanne’s website: https://mindfulfinances.com.au/

Our hosts:

Ryan Watson, CEO, Tribeca Financial

Follow Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-watson/

Stephanie Coombes, podcast expert and media strategist

Follow Steph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-coombes-62903825/

Advice given in this podcast is general in nature and is not intended to influence decisions about investing or financial products. Our listeners should always seek their own professional advice that considers their own personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.

Tribeca Financial acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Next Episode

Spending MORE money with Rob Devlin

If retirement is on your mind, how does it make you feel? Excited. Nervous. Daunted. All of the above.
If you have mixed feelings about retirement, you’re not alone. That’s because many people are unsure of what their life after work will look like... and if they’ll be ready. Will I have enough money? What are the choices I really have? Will I find a new purpose? How do I make sure my retirement years are secure and fulfilling?
As Head of Advice and a Partner at Tribeca, Rob Devlin relishes answering these big questions – and most importantly – giving people the confidence of knowing they can really make their retirement years count. In sitting down with Steph and Ryan, Rob takes us through the common pitfalls people face and how to avoid them, why a “spend more” mentality can unlock you’re retirement potential, and how the right financial strategies can open up a world of choices and opportunities.
In this episode you’ll learn more about:

Why people often underestimate their retirement potential and how mindset shifts can open up more options
The common concern of "how long will my money last?" and practical approaches to address this anxiety
How retiring rarely means a complete "hard stop" - many retirees find parttime work, volunteering, or new hobbies
Why financial advisors often encourage clients to spend more in retirement rather than less
How factors like no mortgage payments and reduced tax burden create more financial freedom
The importance of couples having open conversations about their retirement expectations and lifestyle goals
Practical examples of how retirees stay engaged and active - from working a Bunnings to driving courtesy buses

Whether you’re in retirement, it’s just around the corner, or you’re wanting to start putting future plans in place, this episode is definitely worth every minute.
Here’s to your Good Life. And thanks for listening.
You can find us at https://www.tribecafinancial.com.au/

Our guest:
Rob Devlin, Head of Advice, Partner, Tribeca
Connect with Rob: linkedin.com/in/robert-devlin-799b4a58
Our hosts:
Ryan Watson, CEO, Tribeca Financial
Follow Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-watson/
Stephanie Coombes, podcast expert and media strategist
Follow Steph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-coombes-62903825/

Tribeca Collective Pty Ltd, ABN 54 604 005 209 trading as Tribeca Financial has been appointed as a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR No.1008603) of My Dedicated Advisory. My Good Life ® is a registered trademark of Tribeca Collective Pty Ltd.
Advice given in this podcast is general in nature and is not intended to influence decisions about investing or financial products. Our listeners should always seek their own professional advice that considers their own personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.
Tribeca Financial acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.