Last month, Dubbo resident Sandra Wolstenholme was promoted to Partner – Business Advisory with integrated financial advisory and accounting services provider, Findex.

It’s a career highlight for Ms Wolstenholme, who has worked with the business since 1998 and has a background in commercial agriculture and her family owns a freight transport business – something that has proven very useful to her work with Findex.

“I understand the stresses and pressures that a business owner is under, and it has given me that extra level of guidance to be able to give to clients,” she said.

Ms Wolstenholme is one of 34 new partners elevated from Findex’s 3000-strong workforce, with 28 from Australia and six from New Zealand. This is a strategic investment in growing Findex’s network of advisory professionals across more than 100 metropolitan and regional markets, according to Findex co-CEO Matt Games.

“We’re building a nationally connected, community-focused advice network that is accessible, inclusive and future-ready. Every partner appointment is a step forward in achieving that vision,” he said.

Ms Wolstenholme works in Dubbo with other staff and provides services to a wide range of businesses across an extensive geographic area which extends west to Warren.

“We have a self-managed super fund team here in Dubbo and two financial planners. We also have an audit division. There’s not much that we essentially can’t do for somebody who walks into the local office,” she told Dubbo Photo News.

Becoming a partner at this stage in her career is certainly a great achievement, but Ms Wolstenholme also counts witnessing the personal growth of her clients and staff as other highlights in her career.

“The most important thing for me over the 20-odd years that I’ve been here is being able to watch businesses that come in who have had a struggle, and being able to work with them to move them forward, so they’re now being able to plan for their retirement,” Ms Wolstenholme added.

“To see them go through that whole gambit and then work with them to have a successful retirement is definitely as much of a highlight as my own personal achievements [with Findex],” she said.

“It’s also a highlight to be able to see that growth in individual staff members as well.”

Ensuring that all regional people have access to high quality business and financial advice is crucial, not just those high net-wealth individuals, she added.

“Our financial planners will sit down and talk with anyone who essentially wants to get ahead in life.”