Amber McGhie

Financial Adviser 

GradDipFinPlan

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Qualifications & Credentials

  • Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (AQF 8)

  • Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning (AQF 6)

  • Diploma of Financial Services (Financial Planning) 

A woman with shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair and bangs smiling at the camera. She is wearing a red top and small hoop earrings. The background is plain white.

I stumbled into financial planning completely by accident - and honestly, it was the best accident of my life.

At 22, I quit my job for a massive US trip with my sisters. I came back with $5K in credit card debt and no job lined up - not my finest moment. Fortuitously, when I landed back in Australia, Nigel was starting his own practice. He needed an experienced admin person, and I slotted straight in.

Almost immediately after I started, Nigel went on a 3-month holiday and I was thrown into the deep end. It was a proper sink-or-swim moment, but as it turns out, I thrive under pressure.

My career and studies in financial planning commenced in 2014, and I became a Financial Planner Authorised Representative in 2018 and started advising alongside Nigel and Renee in 2019.

What really made me want to do this work was watching Nigel and the relationships he built with his clients. When I started, I genuinely had no idea what he did for a living. Seeing how much clients got out of their appointments - both personally and financially - made it clear this is what i wanted to do. I still look after some of his clients, their children and grandchildren now.

I love that I get to make a difference in the lives of everyday Aussies - building genuine relationships and seeing people tick off their bucket list.

Outside work, I play indoor beach volleyball in the super league, love the gym (provided it's not leg day), and walk my very active border collie daily. I'm also a volunteer firefighter with South Coogee Bush Fire Brigade - who are all genuinely lovely, caring people and just a tad mad as well!

I'm a complete sucker for animals - four cats, two dogs, and counting. We recently bought a larger block to build our dream home to accommodate our menagerie, with the possibility of getting more, much to my husband's dismay.

Memberships

South Coogee Bush Fire Brigade logo featuring a green leaf and a red flame divided by a line, with the organization name around the circle.
Logo of the Financial Advice Association Australia featuring the letters 'faaa' in stylised speech bubbles in navy, orange, red, and purple, with the organisation's name below.

Up Close & Personal with Amber

  • Without a doubt, I’d choose Princess Diana. And no, it’s not just because she was the original “People’s Princess” and basically the queen of kindness and compassion. Sure, she was an incredible humanitarian who championed causes that truly mattered — from helping those affected by HIV/AIDS to campaigning against landmines. Basically, she was the superhero we didn’t deserve but absolutely needed.

    But let’s be honest, the other reason is a bit more fun: the gossip. Imagine sitting across the table from someone who’s been at the heart of the royal family drama — the real-life Game of Thrones, but with tiaras instead of swords. I’m pretty sure Princess Diana would have some jaw-dropping stories and juicy tidbits about palace life that would make even the most seasoned tabloid journalist blush. Who doesn’t love a bit of royal gossip served with a side of wit and charm?

    So, dinner with Princess Diana would be a perfect mix of heartfelt inspiration and scandalous entertainment.

  • Well, I’ve got two favourites that keep me grounded—both at work and in life.

    At work, I live by: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” Translation: I’m great at opening doors and setting the stage, but sometimes, you just have to let people decide if they want to take the plunge (or sip).

    In my personal life, my motto is: “It’s not mean if it’s true.” Basically, I’m all about honesty—with a sprinkle of kindness, of course. Because sometimes the truth needs a little tough love… and maybe a coffee break afterwards.

  • Rocketman. I love the music of Elton John and Taron Egerton is amazing in this role.

  • Fantastic Mr Fox.

    This is a nostalgic one as it was the book my sister and I used to read when it was family night dinner. Mum and Dad would be cooking a roast, and Nicole and I would sit in my room together reading Fantastic Mr Fox while smelling the roast dinner cooking; it almost felt like you were in the book and could smell them cooking the food!

  • Any city in Europe! I can’t pick just one and would want to hop around to different places all the time, enjoying the food, wine and culture.