Lisa Featherby

Lisa Featherby joined Farmanco Management Consultants in 1986, becoming a partner in 1987. Lisa operates out of the Dowerin office and works with David Ward to service clients primarily within a region indicated by the towns of Dowerin, Wyalkatchem, Koorda and Bencubbin but extending as far as Southern Cross and Morawa.

Recently Lisa has focused on becoming a fully qualified Financial Planner and Authorised Representative of Professional Investment Services Pty Ltd and is able to work with clients to provide specialised financial planning advice.

Lisa retains a small group of farm management clients in the northern agricultural region and assists David Ward as required with Dowerin clients.

Qualifications & Professional Affiliations

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Status: July 2006

Certified Financial Planning Course - Financial Planning Association (top Australian graduate in 2004).

FPA Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning - Deakin University (top Australian graduate in 2003).

Bachelor of Business (Agriculture) - (Graduated 1986 with distinction - Dux) Curtin University of Technology.

Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants (WA) Inc. (AAAC) - Corporate Member. Past roles as committee member and secretary 1993 to 1997.

Australian Financial Planning Association - CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Membership.

Rural Adjustment and Finance Corporation (RAFCOR) - Board Member from 1996 to 2000.

Skills, Expertise & Interests

Financial Planning

• Lisa Featherby is an Authorised Representative of Professional Investment Services Pty Ltd Australia Financial Services Licence No: 234951 and provides a comprehensive financial planning service via a separate business entity to Farmanco Management Consultants.
• Areas where advice can be given include:-Generic Knowledge Financial Planning, Securities/Direct Equities, Derivatives, Life Insurance, Managed Investments, Superannuation including Self Managed Super Funds (Lisa has undertaken additional training in the area of Self Managed Superannuation as this is a significant area of interest and an opportunity for many agricultural businesses).
• Succession, Estate and Retirement planning. This is an important part of the overall financial plan for individuals within the business.
• The capacity to provide "Fee for Service" financial planning advice puts less emphasis on investment placement, more on developing the strategy, providing options and client education.
• Having an understanding of the farm business enables the financial planning advice and recommendations to be tailored to the situation. The recommendations can account for the complexities and uniqueness of a family farm business and the family structure.
• An aptitude for figures and financial concepts - with a specific interest in business finance and analysis of business performance.
• Extensive practical experience in running a small business (professional and retail).
• Respected for honesty and directness, and capacity to communicate.

Consulting (Farm Management - Financial)

• Compile annual reviews analysing a business's financial and physical performance using profit analysis and reporting enterprise margins, profit, equity, liquidity, ratios / indicators and long term viability.
• Benchmark business performance.
• Prepare cash flow budgets.
• Analyse enterprise and rotational margins.
• Develop finance plans for seasonal funding, debt reconstruction, property purchase, machinery purchase, business restructuring.
• Analyse property leasing and share farming proposals. Develop contract content for short term and long term agreements.
• Assist clients in financial difficulties to assess their options - debt reconstruction, a plan to exit the industry or negotiate a holding position with the financier (mediation).
• Working knowledge of the income tax system and its implications for the farming business.
• Good knowledge of off farm financial investment and risk management products.

Consulting (Farm Management - Technical)

• All aspects of crop agronomy (cereals, canola, lupins, field peas and chickpeas) and pasture agronomy (legume based) as it relates to Western Australia.
• An extensive knowledge of crop protection including pesticide selection, spray adjuvants, pesticide application and management of herbicide resistance.
• Nutrition strategies for crops and pastures.

Consulting (Farm Management - Strategic Planning)

• Develop farm business plans.
• Assist clients with estate and succession planning.
• Construct enterprise rotation plans after analysing the contribution of different enterprises to whole farm profitability and sustainability and considering integrated management of herbicide resistance.

Computers & Software

• Basic knowledge of various software including spreadsheets, word processors, specific agricultural applications.
• Help clients with cashbook coding, data entry and budgeting.

• General

• An aptitude for figures and financial concepts - with a specific interest in business finance and analysis of business performance.
• Extensive practical experience in running a small business (professional and retail).
• Respected for honesty and directness, and capacity to communicate.

Interests

• Walking, jogging, bowls, travelling, investing and community projects.

Previous Employment & Experience

1986 Curtin University of Technology (Muresk Institute of Agriculture campus WA) Tutor in farm management, rural economics and crop protection at Curtin University's Muresk Institute of Agriculture.

1983 - 1986 Full Time Study
Full time student at Curtin University, Muresk Institute of Agriculture.

1983 - 1984 Australia
Seeding work on Australian Farms.

1980 - 1982 Top House Farm (United Kingdom)
Farm work in England. Mixed farming of wheat, cattle and vegetables.