ASPIRE Wealth & Protection has taken out the Financial Services Award at the Port Stephens Annual Business Awards announced on 12 October, 2016.

The Awards have crowned 40 businesses as winners over as many categories. Winners picked from 5 peers.
The family owned Nelson Bay based practice has compared their win as a David and Goliath type victory, as the office was among the five finalists including larger institutional businesses.

“We may be small but we’re big on delivering the very best guidance and support to help people manage, grow and protect their financial assets,” Director Chris Hale, told Bay News Of The Area.

“We’re privately owned and not aligned to any large bank or insurance company so as a result we’re able to specifically tailor investment options to support businesses, individuals, and families at every stage of life from start up to retirement,” Mr Hale said.

Chris Hale said that being voted as the best among some big industry players is a great testament to the team at Aspire.
Chris and his wife Sue moved from Tasmania to Nelson Bay in 1994 and have raised their three children Georgina, Kristina and Declan in the local area.

Originally having an office in Newcastle and then later in Stockton St, Aspire Wealth and Protection further expanded 2 years ago, acquiring their own building in Donald Street, Nelson Bay.

When most people hear of a financial advisory service, they think that they must be financially “well off” in order to use this service.

The truth is that Chris Hale and his team are there to advise you in every season of your life, from the young person or couple who want to obtain a plan of how they can purchase their first home, to how better manage your mortgage, knowing how to allow a small or large inheritance serve you best, superannuation and retirement savings, building wealth and assets, the need for funeral and life cover insurance as well as the importance of income protection.

Something as simple as paying yourself 10% first and putting it toward a special purpose or plan is merely one strategy that Chris and his team teach people to achieve their financial goals.

A full list of the businesses picked as winners of each category are:

WINNERS – 2016

1.Accommodation
The Anchorage

2.Accountant
DJ Copper Accounting

3.Animal Services
Pets R Us

4.Automotive Services
Tanilba Bay Tyre Service

5.Bakery
Saxby’s Bakery, Salt Ash

6.Beauty Therapy
Priceline Raymond Terrace

7.Boating, Fishing or Camping

8.Building, Construction and Renovation
Atmosphere Air Conditioning

9.Butcher
Medowie Meats

10.Cafe
Cups and Saucers Raymond Terrace

11.Children Services
5 Star Family Day Care

12.Club
Nelson Bay Bowling Club

13.Dance Studio
DanceXtreme

14.Fashion or Footwear-Ladies
Berry Lush

15.Fashion or Footwear Mens
Kaos Surf

16.Financial Services
Aspire Wealth and Protection

17.Fitness
Mass Nutrition Raymond Terrace

18.Florist/Nursery
Salamander Village Florist

19.Fresh Produce or Markets
Medowie Macadamias

20.Furniture/Home Decor
Home Interiors Nelson Bay

21.Gift Store
Boho Luxe Trader Nelson Bay

22.Hair Salon
Forever Hair and Beauty

23.Hardware
Medowie Hardware

24.Health and Medical
Healthy Life Raymond Terrace

25.Hotel or Botthle Shop
Spinning Wheel

26.Jeweller
Terrace Showcase Jewellers

27.Learning, Training or Recruitment
Two Hands on the Wheel Driving School

28.Legal Services
Steven T Parrott

29.Newsagency
Nextra Newsagency Raymond Terrace

30.Pharmacy
Blooms the Chemist Raymond Terrace

31.Real Estate-Sales
Robinson Property Corlette

32.Real Estate Property Management
LJ Hooker Nelson Bay

33.Restaurant Australian Cuisine
The Greenhouse Eatery

34.Restaurant International Cuisine
Mod Thai

35.Shopping Complex
Salamander Bay Shopping Centre

36.Takeaway Food
Mr Ho’s Chinese Takeaway

37.Technology Industry
Telstra Salamander Bay

38.Tourist Attraction
Fighter World

39.Trades and Services
Coastal Photography by Lisa Mullins

40.New Business (1st Year)
High Life Kustomz

OVERALL WINNER
Accountant
DJ Copper Accounting

By Jewell DRURY