Count Financial has coaxed Albury-based financial planning firm, The Next Step, away from its previous institutionally-owned dealer group.
The Next Step has two advisers, Lucy Saric and Paul Guy, who said the attractions of Count were its integration of planning and accounting, its systems, its breadth of services including leasing and loans, and its option scheme for franchisees.
Since 2000, Count has issued almost 50 million options to its franchisees at an average cost just over 50 cents, compared to shares trading publicly at around $1.26.
Count managing director Barry Lambert said it was “inevitable” that independently-minded groups would want to join Count, as it got them off the payrolls of major institutions and got an incentive to build their businesses through the option scheme.
