PAUL SHIPTON & OMAR DURIC, Senior Wealth Advisors, Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, Vancouver, B.C.
PAUL SHIPTON & OMAR DURIC
"Client focused"
Paul Shipton & Omar Duric, Senior Wealth Advisors, Wellington-Altus Private Wealth believe that clients are their equals. Paul and Omar are highly knowledgeable and never expect a client should listen to them simply because they are advisors. They see their main job as providing the best information so clients feel empowered to make the decision on their own.
They focus on helping clients choose the right path for their needs and goals and will ensure that whatever path a client chooses works for them.
Time & team are valuable resources
Paul and Omar want clients to feel like they get value from every meeting, whether it’s something new the client learned about their financial journey or just a simple update. They recognize that time is valuable and it’s something a person can’t get back when it’s gone.
They’ve found that they can make the complex simple by making analogies about how things work; comparing them to easily understood concepts that a client would recognize immediately. In fact, according to Omar, it’s one of Paul’s greatest gifts, “[he] is an incredible communicator. Paul has this talent for witticism that brings things into focus, and it tends to be incredibly effective. Our ultimate job is to communicate an incredibly complex world to clients, each of whom has varying degrees of knowledge. He’s like a translator, taking the financial gibberish and turning it into something a person can understand. The bottom line is, the most effective way to make the technical, digestible, is to tell stories, and that is where Paul shines.”
They each play a vital role in the business. Paul relies on Omar for his encyclopedic knowledge of markets, as well as current affairs. Omar is well-versed in global politics, and the conflicts, disputes, and wars in which governments around the world get caught up.
Paul and Omar aren’t the only members of their team, though.
They have a staff of five, each of whom brings a unique skill set to the practice. Paul and Omar see their approach as one of their key differentiators. Their day-to-day work may differ, but each member of the team is highly empathetic and is passionate about helping clients.
One of the things about which Paul and Omar are most proud is the loyalty they’ve built within their team. They believe that engendered loyalty flows through to clients, too. “We work hard to find good people,” Paul said. “In fact, our shortest-tenured team member has been with us for more than six years. We believe that when you treat your staff well; when you empower them to take on challenges; and you show them the trust they deserve, they will work hard for you and show the same respect for your business. Omar and I are proud to have been the beneficiaries of this philosophy for a long time.”
Accessibility
Paul and Omar pride themselves on doing business differently. Despite their deep understanding of global markets, their business has a small-town feel.
It’s by design.
They want the business to feel approachable and for clients to feel welcome when they come in the door. Sometimes clients don’t even have a meeting scheduled, they just stop in for a chat and some chocolate (a selection of which the staff keep well-stocked and diversified).
Omar joked, “Our content management system is so high-touch, clients sometimes come in to chat when we’re not even there. It’s more of a social thing. They’ll be on a walk in our neighbourhood, and they will swing by to say ‘hello’. They’ll get some chocolate and chat for a while. It’s an incredible feeling to be so connected with clients that they stop by just to chat.”
Sound advice is the best investment
Paul learned from a very young age that money is a tool. You can’t eat it, true, but you can exchange it for food, or for goods, or for services a person can’t do on their own. If you learn what it truly is, you can really enhance your life.
It’s a means to an end. It isn’t the end itself. Many people want more money – but drill down deep and it isn’t the money they want, it’s the power the money offers. They want to travel or buy a new car; purchase a house or send their kids to university.
They either have a goal in mind or want the options that come with it.
Paul and Omar do things differently than many other Advisors in the marketplace – during their initial meetings with clients, Paul and Omar will dig deep into what is motivating them.
It differs for everyone.
Understanding the whole picture is vital to developing a complete assessment. Without knowing the why, the picture is left incomplete. It’s something Paul and Omar never want for a client. They want all the information possible so they can provide the most comprehensive plan.
They focus on listening during these meetings because you learn more by listening than by talking.
What they’ve realized is that, in some ways, “investing is easy to get into,” said Omar. “But that’s just the surface. It’s such a complex world that retail clients or clients new to investing can get swept up by it. The business media tries to simplify complex things, and the causality isn’t always there. We empower clients with information so that they can make the best decisions for themselves and their goals. Sometimes we need to work with clients to enhance their understanding of complex topics that they’d heard about on TV or in the newspaper. Helping them is one of the best parts of our job.”
Paul and Omar stress that the solution for every client is different because no two financial situations are the same, and no two people have the same goals.
As an independent practice, housed at an independent firm, they can craft solutions that are the most suitable for every client. They aren’t limited to in-house products.
They can recommend what they think is best for the client.
Paul and Omar’s planning reflects a client’s best interests, not their own because, to them, clients deserve nothing less.
Gary Milakovic is a veteran writer with more than a decade in the public sector and corporate communications. He has covered a wide spectrum of topics and his work has been featured by large and small organizations across Canada. Gary is passionate about communication, his writing often focuses on uncovering the “story behind the story.”
Shipton Duric & Associates
Independent Private Wealth Management
Paul Shipton, BA, EPC, CIM
Senior Wealth Advisor & Senior Portfolio Manager Insurance Advisor, Wellington-Altus Insurance Inc.
Omar Duriv, BBA, CIM, DMS, FMA
Senior Investment Advisor & Senior Portfolio Manager
1450 Creekside, Dr. Suite 100
Vancouver, BC V6J 5B3
877 - 559 - 2272
paul.shipton@wellington-altus.ca
omar.duric@wellington-altus.ca
The information contained herein has been provided for information purposes only. The information has been drawn from sources believed to be reliable. The information does not provide financial, legal, tax, or investment advice. Particular investment, tax, or trading strategies should be evaluated relative to each individual’s objectives and risk tolerance. This does not constitute a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell securities of any kind. Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc. (WAPW) does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein, nor does WAPW assume any liability for any loss that may result from the reliance by any person upon any such information or opinions. Before acting on any of the above, please contact your financial advisor. WAPW is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. © 2023, Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO USE OR REPRODUCTION WITHOUT PERMISSION. www.wellington-altus.ca
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