Darren Pawski is one of the most respected financial services professionals in Perth, Western Australia, where he has spent the overwhelming majority of his nearly 30 years in the finance industry while advocating for the widespread education and empowerment of clients, colleagues and the public at large with regard to the necessity of thorough short- and long-term financial planning. Mr. Pawski is continues to pursue this larger goal in his current role with Synergy Financial Solutions, where he serves as the managing director and is responsible for overseeing all operations relating to finance and financial planning.
Mr. Pawski brings a wealth of professional and academic experience to his duties with Synergy Financial Solutions, beginning his career in finance in 1988 and subsequently holding a number of senior management positions with several prominent financial services firms, including Commonwealth Bank. In addition to his close to 30 years of professional experience, Mr. Pawski also holds a Diploma of Financial Planning earned from Deakin University as well as a Certificate IV in Mortgage Banking earned from Kaplan.
In addition to his extensive academic and professional credentials, Mr. Pawski continues to seek out opportunities to further his ability to assist clients of Synergy Financial Solutions and is currently at work on earning his Master of Finance and Banking from Edith Cowan University. Mr. Pawski is also an active member of the local community and often spends his time away from Synergy Financial Solutions in the service of others, including as a strong advocate and volunteer for the aged-care sector.
How did you get started in this business? What inspired you to start this business?
It’s important to me that my professional time is spent in the service of others, and I am quite glad that I am able to assist so many people in developing effective financial plans to keep them financially secure.
How do you make money?
We provide a wide range of financial services and charge a specific rate for each of those services.
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
While we didn’t quite reach our most aggressive profitability projection, we were still well ahead of our more modest projections.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
I made a point to bring on an outstanding staff so that we would be able to quickly address any doubt we had about a particular aspect of our venture.
How did you get your first customer?
We hired a fantastic PR firm to handle our initial advertising campaigns, so our first customers learned about our services through that initial outreach.
What is one marketing strategy (other than referrals) that you’re using that works really well to generate new business?
We were very patient in selecting a PR firm we felt would represent us incredibly well, and that patience has really paid off.
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
I try not to agonize over decisions and instead look to my staff to reach a consensus regarding the best possible course of action.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
I’ve worked very hard to learn a great deal from each professional experience, which has allowed me to develop a deep understanding of the financial services industry as a whole.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
The first time I saw the look of relief on the face of a client after developing a financial plan that would help them achieve long-term security.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
I’ve always enjoyed working directly with my clients, and I will continue to do so in the future.
What business books have inspired you?
“Start With Why,” by Simon Sinek.
What is a recent purchase you have made that’s helped with your business?
We recently invested in a new marketing campaign we feel will be quite helpful for our business.
What do you do in your free time?
I really enjoy volunteering in the aged-care sector and find it very rewarding to spend time in the company of nursing home residents.