Columns & Blogs

Embrace The Journey: Investing Skills Are Learned and Earned
When you think of a successful investor, you might picture wealthy individuals born into a world of shares and bonds, with a natural born knack for predicting market trends. However, the skills required to be a cracking investor aren't handed down like family heirlooms, they’re actually learned & earned, more often than not at the ‘school of hard knocks’.
Breaking the Curse: How Regular Family Meetings Enable Multi-Generational Success
Hard work, a never say die attitude, thinking big and sometimes just good old fashioned luck does play in multigenerational success, however it is abundantly clear to me that a key success factor is surprisingly far from glamorous—it lies in something as seemingly mundane as regular family meetings.
QCL Column – Cracking the Financial Success Code
Have you ever wondered what it takes to transform your agribusiness into a financially prosperous powerhouse? I have studied this question for decades. It's natural to assume that being a ‘bloody good operator’ producer would inevitably lead to financial success. However, the reality is often quite the opposite.
QCL Column – Think and Grow Rich
People often ask me which books have had a profound impact on my life, and without a doubt, one of my top recommendations is Napoleon Hill's timeless masterpiece - "Think and Grow Rich." Don't let the fact that it was first published in 1937 fool you, this book is a classic gem that has stood the test of time.
QCL Column – Sowing The Seeds of Success & Happiness
It's natural for us to think that success & happiness are a result of external factors such as wealth, success, and material possessions. However, the fact is that our brain's perception of the world plays a much more significant role than any external factor.
QCL Column – The Investor’s Kryptonite: Fear & Greed
Warren Buffet, one of the greatest investors of all time, famously said "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful." This timeless wisdom reminds us that allowing fear to dominate our investment decisions is a sure-fire path to failure.
QCL Column – A Million Dollar Investment Strategy
Discover the Million Dollar Strategy that even Warren Buffet would approve of for sustainable investing success. It's simple, effective, and can work with any budget. Find out how this strategy could be your key to long-term wealth growth.
QCL Column – 2023 – The Year of Fun First!
The first New Year’s resolutions are thought to date back over 4,000 years ago to ancient Babylon. During the Akitu festival, the ancient Babylonians would plant crops, pledge their loyalty to the reigning king, and make promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any borrowed items.
QCL Column – Be Alert But Not Alarmed
Bank fraud is on the rise...so be alert but not alarmed and remember to apply a hefty dose of good old-fashioned vigilance.
QCL Column – Trust: The Only Currency of Any Value
Many years ago, someone asked me, “Why do your clients seem to trust you so much, Ben?”

Strangely enough I’d never really thought about it, so my first response was that I reckon it was because my parents had taught me to be honest and always do the right thing.
QCL Column – Your Choice Of Spouse Will Either Make You or Break You
Throughout history, parents placed great importance on who their children married. They sensed that choosing the right partner in life was a key ingredient to financial security and a strong and prosperous family.
QCL Column – Agriculture: The Hero or The Villain
It seems to me like the narrative has shifted and Agriculture is increasingly being portrayed not as the hero, but as the villain.
QCL Column – How Shares Are Just Like Cows!
Most parents I speak to want their kids to learn about money and investing. The sad fact is that no one teaches them and if they do, it’s often complicated and full of technical jargon they don’t understand and can’t relate to.
Has It Been Raining Cheap Money On Fools For Too Long?
Elon Musk’s controversial Tweet caught my attention last week, “It has been raining money on fools for too long,” and “There’s a rude awakening inbound!” and it got me thinking about interest rates.

In the 1980’s, interest rates skyrocket to around 18-20%. There were both winners and losers. Those with debt struggled and those with savings flourished. It was the ‘normal’ of that time and any suggestion of rates getting below 10% was met with, “You’ve got to be dreaming, mate.”
Raising Smart Not Spoiled Kids
Kids are growing up in an increasingly abundant world packed with more opportunity than any previous generation has seen before. Arguably this has contributed to a growing sentiment that kids today are spoiled, entitled and don’t appreciate hard work or the value of a dollar.
QCL Column – Accelerate Growing Your Wealth Using a Finance or Mortgage Broker
If you’re serious about growing your family’s wealth, you need think & act like someone who is serious about growing their wealth.
QCL Column – The Brand Spanking New Retiree Trap
David and Lucy were 66 and nearing retirement. They were frugal by nature and had busted their guts their whole working life squirreling away as much money as possible.

We completed retirement projections and to their delight if they invested soundly, they could retire comfortably. This included $100,000 for a few projects around the home they had been putting off for years.
4 Ways A Bloody Good Adviser Could Help You!
The value of your farm has skyrocketed meaning your equity position is looking much stronger and because interest rates are[...]
Will your future self hug you or punch you in the face?
For almost 15 years, a group of my mates have gotten together for what we affectionately call the “annual boys’[...]
Inflation. The Silent Assassin of a Secure Retirement
Inflation. The Silent Assassin Of A Secure RetirementIf you want a financially secure retirement, never underestimate the risk posed by[...]
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone” – Pablo Picasso
This month I thought I would share a difficult story with you. Some time ago I received a call from[...]
The Best Super Fund
Looking at it practically, it is easy to construct a solid argument that the Aged Pension safety net will not[...]
Investing Off-Farm: Complexity is the Enemy
Sir Richard Branson once famously said, "Complexity is your enemy. Any fool can make it complicated..."I believe this is especially[...]
The Knowing-Doing Gap
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but[...]
Have You Been Prescribed The Financial Medicine You Need?
The doctor can prescribe the medication but if you want to see results,  you have to actually decide to take[...]
The One Mistake To Avoid If You Want Your Kids To Be Financially Successful
As a parent, one of the greatest priorities in our life is ensuring our children and grandchildren are happy and[...]
Aged Care: Bloody Expensive & Confusing – 7 Tips to Navigate The Aged Care Jungle
At some point, many of us will need to get involved with moving a loved one into Aged Care -[...]
5 Ways To Help You Survive Your Annual Bank Review
It’s that time of year again, the festive season is over and we’re back to reality. In fact, many of[...]
Debt, Death & Insurance… The Ultimate Conversation Killers
Buying a new farm is one of life’s most exciting milestones - falling in love with your ideal place, visiting[...]
You Sold The Farm. What Next?
Congratulations. You are in the process of selling, or have recently sold the farm. My experience suggests that, whilst emotions[...]
This Christmas, Plan Ahead with the Rocking Chair Test
I love Christmas and I have ever since I was a kid growing up. It was that one time of the[...]
Do you think my daughter will thank me if I teach her how to turn $5,000 into $150,000?
Investing in your children, or grandchildren’s, future. With the arrival of our daughter Sophie in June 2016, like all new dads,[...]
Five Small Ways To Help You Financially Endure And Recover From The Drought
I totally understand that when you are in the midst of a full-blown drought, just focusing on surviving day to[...]
What Wile E. Coyote Taught Me About Being Financially Successful.
I was watching cartoons on the weekend with my little girl Sophie and I was thinking about all my favourite[...]
Bitcoin – Speculative Investing vs Quality Investing
It was the late 1990’s, I was 22 and fresh out of university and I got caught up in the[...]
Why I Reckon Your Bank Is Like A Chainsaw!
Huh? How the hell is a bank like a chainsaw you might well ask? Well check out why in my[...]
5 Reasons Every Farmer Needs to Know About Financial Freedom
Most farmers have either never heard of Financial Freedom, or think that it just doesn’t relate to them. If I[...]
A Bloody Good Way To Get A Million Dollars
I know it is a slight exaggeration but I have heard almost a million times in some form or another,“Ben,[...]
6 Reasons Farmers Make Good Investors
While I was at the Ekka this week helping my Dad out with his cattle, it got me thinking about[...]
The 8 Most Common Comments
Over the almost 20 years I have been a Financial Planner, I have heard the following 8 comments (in varying[...]
Unexpected?
I expect that the unexpected is not so really unexpected after all…Now I know that is a bit of a[...]
Wow… We Won A National Award!
​2016 Value of Advice Awards​Here’s a story for you. It is a little long but bear with me if you[...]
Handing The Farm On Successfully
I read recently that Paul Shervish of Boston College estimated between 1998 & 2052, $28-$118 trillion in wealth will be[...]
Do you want to be average or below?
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim RohnThis is one of[...]
Saving For Your Kids Future
“Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it….He who doesn’t… pays it” –[...]
The Best Financial Lesson I Learned
“Investing is simple, it just isn’t easy.” – Warren Buffett I’d like to tell you a quick story.  Back in[...]
The Knowing-Doing Gap
I regularly meet people that clearly know there are key areas in their financial situation that desperately need attention.  They[...]