The Goal
After 11 years as an adviser, Giovanni (John) Manserra was ready to build something that was his own. At his previous firm, he had a small amount of equity but very little control.
John wanted to create an advice business that served a younger cohort-people building their futures, not just those on the precipice of retirement. He launched Apex Advice in 2022 with a clear vision but quickly discovered having a vision and executing it were two very different things.
The Goal
After 11 years as an adviser, Giovanni (John) Manserra was ready to build something that was his own. At his previous firm, he had a small amount of equity but very little control.
John wanted to create an advice business that served a younger cohort-people building their futures, not just those on the precipice of retirement. He launched Apex Advice in 2022 with a clear vision but quickly discovered having a vision and executing it were two very different things.
The Gap
After launching Apex Advice with his business partner Danae, John thought he could handle the business side alone.
But the result was frustrating: "I would have had a good paying job just swapping time for a bit of income, really. So yeah, just probably spinning my wheels a lot."
His gap was classic entrepreneur syndrome: "I was just floating. I had a lot of ideas and very little execution. We were getting opportunities, but not really growing and turning that into profit and a good client experience."
Looking back, John admits: "I could see I was a little bit green in some areas."
The Gamble
He was at a crossroads-either continue to go this alone and keep spinning his wheels, or invest in a coach who could provide the framework and accountability to turn his ideas into systematic execution.
John chose to invest in his future and join The Wealth Network's coaching program.
"When you step in from being an adviser to wearing the entrepreneur hat and the adviser hat, there's a lot of noise. There's a lot of different things happening. I needed someone to help me focus on the right thing at the right time and cut through that noise."
The Grit
Dean's strategic planning process transformed how John approaches every decision:
"Everything we do day to day is aligned to that bigger picture - the BHAG 10-year goal. It's helped us overcome shiny toy syndrome, getting distracted by the next thing and just get razor focused."
The result was systematic alignment: "Everyone's day to day is aligned to what we need to be doing over the next quarter. And the next quarter is aligned to what we need to be doing over the next year."
joining sentence about the weekly accountability
"I've found that I'm less likely to turn up to footy training unless the coach is on my back. So having Dean help me turn up monthly, every Monday, that sort of stuff. Just help that accountability, buddy, make sure that you're doing what you say you're going to do."
The Gain
Three years later, the transformation is remarkable. John has nearly doubled his EBIT margins-from "circa 20%" to "30% to 40%." Client numbers have more than doubled from "around 80 households" to "180 households."
But the real change goes deeper. "Before Dean, we were like the one man band playing the harmonica and stomping on something and playing a bit of guitar. There were two of us trying to do everything. Now we've got a team of eight."
This growth has given John something precious-time to work on his business:
"I have a regular Friday carved out to work on the business. Before working with Dean, I'd maybe fit in a couple of spot hours here and there, but nothing consistent."
John's vision is now expanding beyond personal success:
"One, to change the narrative around financial advice. Two, to create a great work environment for our team members and stakeholders. And three, for the owners as well to make some good money, but also to have a good lifestyle that supports that as well."
Three years ago, John was a talented adviser with an expensive job.
Today, he runs what he calls "a real business"—one that operates systematically, serves a growing client base, and has built the team and processes to thrive without his constant involvement.
The Wealth Network gave John something invaluable: the Inspector Gadget effect. "When I was growing up, there was a TV show called Inspector Gadget, and he had something for everything. And that's what Dean is in the financial advice landscape. He's got a tool for everything."
But it went beyond tools. Dean provided the framework to channel John's entrepreneurial energy productively, the accountability to stay focused, and the community where "iron sharpens iron"-a network of like-minded business owners sharing insights without competition.
For experienced advisers who know they want to build something different but keep getting lost in the noise of entrepreneurship, John's story proves a crucial point: having great ideas isn't enough. You need the systems, accountability, and support to execute them consistently.
Wise words from John for advisers thinking about taking their business to the next level:
If you need a wise old head in your corner to help guide you, or just a bit of accountability to pull the trigger and get some stuff done more consistently, or even just his tool bag of things-go for it. Don't think about the cost, think about the investment and the growth you get.
Wise words from John for advisers thinking about taking their business to the next level:
If you need a wise old head in your corner to help guide you, or just a bit of accountability to pull the trigger and get some stuff done more consistently, or even just his tool bag of things-go for it. Don't think about the cost, think about the investment and the growth you get.
Business Pulse Check for Financial Advisers - Take the FREE Assessment