In 2024, I walked into my first FAAA Congress knowing almost no one, with very little experience in financial advice and a whole lot of self-doubt.
I was studying a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Accounting and Financial Planning, and working as an assistant accountant at an accounting firm. A career in financial advice was an aspiration, but I hadn’t yet found my way into the industry. I knew where I wanted to go — I just wasn’t quite sure how to get there.
As a single mum with two children, while working and studying, travelling interstate to attend Congress wasn’t something I could easily afford. But I desperately wanted to go, so I threw my hat in the ring for an FAAA sponsorship.
When I found out I’d been awarded one, I was absolutely gobsmacked. I couldn’t believe my luck.
Then the nerves kicked in.
I’d barely travelled interstate by myself. I knew nobody attending. I had no idea what to expect.
Would I stand out? Would I know where to go? Would anyone talk to me? Did I even belong there?
Looking back, I realise those questions were exactly why I needed to go.
Finding my place in the room
When I arrived on the first day, I collected my name badge and nervously made my way to the first session.
I pushed myself to make small talk with the people sitting nearby. To my surprise, everyone was incredibly warm and welcoming. People were genuinely interested in hearing about my journey, my studies and my interest in financial advice. They generously shared their own experiences, offered advice and answered my many questions.
I was eager to hear people’s stories, so I asked if I could connect with them on LinkedIn.
By the end of the first day, I’d made some wonderful new connections. I’d also found other people who were at a similar stage in their journey, and we started moving between sessions together.
And then there were the sessions themselves.
My notebook was overflowing with notes and takeaways. I was learning about different areas of specialisation, niche advice practices, pro-bono advice, ways to give back to the profession, emerging technology and AI, and the many different pathways a career in financial advice could take.
For someone who was still trying to work out where I fitted into the profession, it was eye-opening.
The moment I started to believe I could do it
One of the most pivotal parts of Congress for me was the Emerging Adviser workshop.
I heard from aspiring advisers who were only a few steps ahead of where I was in my own journey.
One speaker in particular really resonated with me. He was around my age and had changed careers from being a personal fitness trainer to pursuing financial advice.
I remember thinking:
If he can do it, so can I.
He spoke openly about the challenges he’d faced, how he’d found his feet, and what he’d learned along the way. For the first time, becoming a financial adviser didn’t feel like some distant destination that other people could reach.
It felt achievable.
I left that session with a renewed sense of confidence — and, more importantly, an absolute certainty that financial advice was where I wanted to be.
You never know what can happen when you put yourself in the room
Some of my Congress memories were completely unexpected.
I was invited to dinner by one of the event sponsors, which turned into a boat ride along the Brisbane River.
I won a prize at one of the sponsor stands.
And, completely unexpectedly, I even found myself having an impromptu job interview in the foyer after striking up a conversation with a partner from a financial advice firm.
None of these things were planned.
And that’s part of what makes an event like Congress so valuable. You don’t know who you’ll meet, what you’ll learn, or where a conversation might lead.
The real value doesn't end when Congress does
I made a conscious effort to follow up with the people I’d met.
There were so many new faces and conversations that I knew I’d struggle to remember everyone, so each night I made a few notes about the people I’d met and what we’d talked about.
When I returned home, I reached out to those connections on LinkedIn, thanked them for their time and continued the conversations.
Some became lasting professional connections. Others became friends. Many are people I’ve continued to catch up with at subsequent FAAA events.
One of those connections was the emerging adviser whose story had inspired me so much.
I stayed in touch and started asking questions about the FAAA, the Emerging Professionals Committee and how I could become more involved.
As it happened, applications for the following year’s committee were open. I prepared my application and submitted it.
A few weeks later, I received a very unexpected phone call telling me I’d been selected to join the FAAA Emerging Professionals Committee.
I was elated.
It was another opportunity I hadn’t known existed before I walked into that first Congress.
Creating opportunities for yourself
The confidence I gained at Congress also encouraged me to start creating opportunities for myself.
Not long afterwards, I approached a local financial advice firm and asked whether they would consider having me as an unpaid intern alongside my university studies. It wasn’t an advertised position — I simply asked. They said yes, and suddenly everything I had been learning at university became tangible. I was sitting in client meetings, learning the software and seeing the profession in action.
When my internship finished, I approached the same firm about completing my Professional Year with them. Again, it wasn’t an advertised position — I asked.
Twelve months later, I had completed my university studies, started my Professional Year and was one step closer to becoming a financial adviser.
Looking back now, I often wonder whether my journey would have unfolded in the same way without that first Congress.
I’ll never know.
But I do know that Congress gave me something I desperately needed at that point in my career: exposure to the profession, connections with people who were willing to share their stories, and the confidence to start creating opportunities for myself.
Don't wait until you feel like you belong
If you’re a student, Professional Year candidate, career changer or recent graduate wondering whether Congress is really for you, my advice is simple:
Don’t wait until you feel established enough to attend.
You don’t need years of experience.
You don’t need to know everyone, or anyone for that matter.
You don’t need to have your career mapped out.
Go curious. Go willing to learn. Go ready to meet people.
And don’t wait for someone else to create an opportunity for you.
Reach out. Ask questions. Introduce yourself. Show initiative. If you connect with someone, ask to stay in touch. Make a note of the conversation and follow up afterwards.
Don’t spend the entire event with the people you already know. Step outside your comfort zone and meet someone new.
And if an unexpected opportunity comes your way — whether it’s an invitation to lunch, a conversation with a sponsor, a workshop or a networking event — say yes.
You never know where it might lead.
Making Congress possible
For students, the cost of attending can understandably be a consideration.
The FAAA offers generous sponsorship opportunities that can help cover the cost of your ticket, travel and accommodation. This year’s sponsorships have already been awarded, and I’m incredibly excited for the students who will be attending Congress with that support. If you’re eligible, I’d strongly encourage you to throw your hat in the ring when applications open for next year’s Congress.
And if you’re already working in the industry, don’t be afraid to ask your employer whether they can support your attendance. Many employers understand the value of investing in their people’s education, professional development and industry connections.
Student tickets are also very reasonably priced, which, having now experienced Congress myself, I believe represents a significant opportunity to spend three days immersed in learning, education and networking with people from across the profession.
For me, sponsorship wasn’t simply a financial helping hand.
It was the reason I could get through the door.
And walking through that door changed the trajectory of my career.
So if you’re wondering whether Congress is for you, I hope you won’t let the fact that you’re “just a student” or “not in the industry yet” hold you back.
You don’t have to wait until you belong in the profession to put yourself in the room. Sometimes, putting yourself in the room is how you find your place in it.
This year’s FAAA Congress will be held at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from Tuesday 24 November – Thursday 26 November 2026.
Curious to learn more? Explore the Become A Financial Planner Now and Roles in Financial Advice pages of this website or contact FAAA at [email protected].
