Brynn Diesel - Independent Financial Planning Partner at Adviceworx

10/09/2026

September is Wills Month in South Africa, which gives us an opportunity to create even more awareness about such a vital aspect of financial planning.

​I’ll be honest, I'm not a massive fan of Wills Month. A Will is such an important document that we shouldn't only focus on it for a single month or week. It is something we need to maintain, review, and focus energy on all the time, which is why I try to mention estate planning and Wills regularly.

​Every single adult needs a Will. Whether you own a major estate or feel like you don't own anything at all, you need a Will. It is an essential document for everyone.

​If you disagree, please contact me so we can have that discussion. And if you didn't know you needed one, please reach out so we can get you sorted. It is absolutely vital.

https://lnkd.in/p/d69y3y2f

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25/08/2026

It is easy to get caught up in the anxiety of trying to make the right call when life feels uncertain.

But you do not need every detail sorted or every outcome guaranteed before you take a step forward.

Take that step!

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24/08/2026

21/08/2026

💭 Friday Thought

​There is no such thing as zero risk—only different trade-offs.

​When it comes to your money, your career, or your life, avoiding risk often ends up being the costliest choice you can make.

​As you step into the weekend, ask yourself:
​What is a risk worth taking in your life right now?

​Have a great weekend, everyone. 👌

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20/08/2026

When people ask for "zero risk" investments, what they usually want is freedom from short-term market fluctuations.

​It’s an understandable goal, but true zero-risk doesn't exist. You are simply trading one risk for another.
​If you focus entirely on avoiding short-term drops, you expose yourself to a far quieter threat: inflation eroding your purchasing power over 10, 20, or 30 years.

​Financial planning isn't about eliminating risk—it's about choosing the trade-offs that actually serve your long-term goals.

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18/08/2026

I ran a quick financial myth survey recently, and two specific responses caught my attention.

​The first statement was along the lines of: "If you are conservatively minded, the safest place for your money in volatile markets is in the bank earning interest or in a fixed deposit."

​Nearly a quarter of the people who took the survey answered "True".

​The second statement was: "When you reach retirement, it’s safer to remove all investment risk from your portfolio so your capital stays protected."

​Roughly 17% of respondents answered "True".

​When you work in financial planning every day, it’s easy to assume that concepts like inflation drag or purchasing power risk are common knowledge. But these results were a good reminder that outside of our profession, the instinct to retreat to a bank account during uncertain times is still very strong.

​In the last month alone, I've had three separate client conversations where people asked for zero chance of capital fluctuation or return certainty.

​Wanting stability is completely normal and understandable. But there’s always a tradeoff. If you eliminate market volatility entirely, you usually exchange short-term comfort for a long-term risk: having inflation quietly erode what your money can actually buy over a 20 or 30-year retirement.

​The safest-looking option on paper isn't always the safest option for your future self.

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14/08/2026

GROW TOGETHER. SUCCEED TOGETHER. THRIVE TOGETHER.

Business isn’t just about what you can achieve on your own. It’s about the relationships you build, the people you support and the opportunities you create for one another.

When businesses support one another, referrals become more than just introductions — they become opportunities for growth, collaboration and long-term success.

At BNI Thrive, we believe that when one member grows, the whole chapter gets stronger.

When we support each other, everyone has the opportunity to grow.

14/08/2026

💭 Friday Thought

"Simplification is the ultimate sophistication."

​It's easy to overcomplicate things and assume everyone is on the same page.

​In financial planning, as in life, we often skip the basics because we think we should be working on something far more complex. But confidence doesn't come from complicating the process—it comes from getting the fundamentals right so you can make clear, informed choices.

​Whether it’s your money, your business, or family life, give yourself permission to step back to square one. Strip away the extra noise, focus on the basics, and build from there.

​Have a great weekend ahead everyone. 👌

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12/08/2026

I recently presented a session where I ran a quick survey with true or false questions about common financial planning myths.

​To give people a bit of breathing room, I provided options ranging from true and false to maybe, and even a ridiculous option. In my mind, I expected almost everyone to spot the myths immediately and vote false. But the results were far more varied than I anticipated. In every single case, the room was split.

​It was a valuable reminder of something we often lose sight of in our profession. When you work with financial concepts every day, it is easy to erroneously assume everyone else holds the same level of clarity.

​That is rarely the case. There is so much noise and misinformation out there, and people come to us to simplify things.

​When having conversations, especially with new clients, I constantly remind myself not to get ahead of myself. We have to start right at the beginning with the basics. It is far better to repeat fundamental concepts that someone might already know than to assume they know them and leave them out, depriving them of the grounding they need.

​Ultimately, our job as financial planners is not to make decisions for people. It is to equip you with the clarity and knowledge you need to make better decisions for yourself.
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11/08/2026

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