INSIGHTS

Empowerment is something that is extremely important to Katie Douglas-Clifford, whether it’s empowering her clients with investment knowledge around the markets, empowering women to help achieve financial freedom as investors through Craigs Women’s Wealth program, or empowering herself by balancing her career as an experienced investment adviser with her role as a mother of three boys under the age of four.

Katie is an inspirational investment adviser at Craigs Investment Partners, one of New Zealand’s leading investment advisory firms with more than 180 qualified investment advisers across 19 branches nationally. Katie is based in the Tauranga office from which a team of 260 staff operate.

Katie rejects any kind of ‘Superwoman’ tag – she instead prefers to call herself a ‘motivated realist’. “I choose to give my best to my kids. However, I could never be satisfied if I couldn’t also give my best to my clients. So I approach both things practically and realistically. You don’t necessarily need to be the first in the office and the last to leave every day to be a good adviser – I’m a realist, balancing many roles, and I’m passionate and focused on providing timely, quality advice to my clients".

“As long as I’m doing that, I also have the satisfaction of sharing the occasional daycare pick-up and holiday activities with my family and celebrating the enjoyment of doing both ‘jobs’ well. Craigs Investment Partners provides a supportive environment for a woman in my position – I feel blessed to be able to do what I love professionally, and still be a dedicated mum.”

Katie figured out early in life what she was interested in. “When I was a little girl I would regularly check the share market updates in the newspaper,” she jokes.

“Even when I was on maternity leave, I used to wake up every morning and check what the US markets had done overnight.”

She is philosophical in her approach to investment advice. She believes it is too often assumed that Kiwis already know all the basics of investing, however, that’s not always the case. “I believe passionately in never ‘assuming’ that my clients have all the necessary knowledge or understanding of investing.

“I begin by bringing things back to basics with all my clients, even the most sophisticated and savvy investors – I never assume they know it all. If I can help clarify their understanding, remove the emotion and offer advice that’s suitable to each clients’ personal situation and needs, I’m doing my job in a way that is best for everyone – that’s me giving my best to my clients.”

Katie is passionate about the Women’s Wealth program, which started in 2007, to empower women with more knowledge and confidence to start investing or become better investors.

“The more I can empower investors, the more I feel empowered myself,” she says. “I encourage anyone interested in investing to come along to one of our events or get in touch with an adviser to discover investing.”

Stay up to date, follow Craigs Women’s Wealth.

Instagram: @womenswealth.nz
Facebook: facebook.com/womenswealth.nz
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/craigs-womens-wealth