From electrician to adviser: Atkin's client-first journey
For Vaughan Atkin (pictured), mortgage advice isn’t just about loans and rates — it’s about people.
From pioneering digital tools years ahead of the industry to supporting clients through life’s toughest moments, Atkin’s career proves that advice is as much about trust and care as it is about finance.
A career path that found its home
Atkin’s road into finance wasn’t direct.
“I’m on my fourth career and found my home, all previous have been regulation heavy,” he says.
Atkin began as an electrician, later worked as a manufacturing product specialist, and eventually entered financial services in 2008. By 2012, he launched his own business with a vision centred on clients.
“From day one, I wanted to give people strategies to reduce debt faster and build wealth in ways that others might charge for, but we treat as standard.”
Technology ahead of its time
When most advisers were still chasing signatures on paper forms, Atkin was already going digital.
“We were early adopters of e-signing (using SignNow as far back as 2012), and today everything is integrated in our CRM, video, document requests, automations, digital signatures,” he says.
That early embrace of technology has shaped the way he works today.
“The key is using tech not to replace the adviser, but to appease regulations and give us more time to focus on clients,” Atkin says.
Regulation still the biggest hurdle
Despite tech advances, Atkin sees regulation as the industry’s greatest challenge.
“Having gone through the 2011 and 2021 changes, I can say the biggest challenge is duplication, layers of red tape covering the same advice,” he says.
Atkin’s especially critical of CCCFA restrictions: “It stops retail clients that need specialist asset lending in most cases.”
Until rules are streamlined, he believes advisers must rely on smart processes and digital tools to keep clients moving.
More than financial advice
Atkin’s most meaningful work has little to do with balance sheets. He recalls one client escaping an abusive relationship.
“The financial clean-up was just one part of her bigger journey, but before anything else we helped get her the right support and team around her, legal etc.,” he says. “Then simply being on the phone to guide when needed all before even giving any financial advice.
“She is now happy and financially thriving. It was a reminder that this job is about more than mortgages… it’s about people’s lives.”
Guidance for the next generation
For new brokers, Atkin says success starts with perspective.
“It’s never about you; it’s about the client. Put them first always but also understand that not every client is the right fit,” he says.
Atkin also encourages advisers to find community and values alignment.
“For me, being with the Prosper Group has been a perfect match,” he says.
Most importantly, Atkin believes in offering full-service advice.
“If clients see you as their go-to adviser, you need to be able to offer broader support, KiwiSaver, insurance, investment planning, debt strategies,” he says. “Otherwise, you’re just blowing opportunities away like a leaf blower… I’d rather vacuum them up and ensure my clients are fully looked after.”
As the industry continues to evolve, Atkin believes the advisers who thrive will be those who embrace technology, cut through red tape, and never lose sight of what matters most: their clients.
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