Why are you here? How are we different?
Upstream Wealth Management MD, Chris Hollyman explains his approach to financial planning
Chris Hollyman, MD
My mission is to help you achieve the same sense of financial empowerment I felt when I took control over my financial life. I had just turned 38 when it dawned on me that my career wasn’t going to last forever. It was a moment I will never forget.
I was ‘successful’, I earned a good income, but I was still living the life of a twenty-something: socialising too often and spending money I didn’t have on stuff I didn’t need. I knew things had to change.
Through hard work and continued learning, I found the right way to put my finances in order, and in doing so a new career beckoned. As a newly qualified financial planner, it was important that my very first client should be myself. I began making regular contributions towards my retirement fund, investing in low-cost, globally diversified index funds. Six years later, I can sleep well at night knowing that my finances are on track, leading me toward a life that not so long ago, I could only dream of.
I’m not afraid to tell you that I’ve made some poor financial choices in my life. If we’re honest, I think we all have at some point. But these mistakes led me to find a better way to invest, using evidence-based principles. As your financial coach, you will benefit from the lessons I learned. I will help you cut through the noise, and avoid the financial pitfalls that life throws your way, so you can invest wisely first time around.
I and my team will partner with you to work through the financial stressors in your life. I believe that education is empowering, so Upstream Wealth Management is there to help you understand the financial challenges you face on your life’s journey. Only through understanding can we make an informed decision together. I will help you gain control over your finances, and ensure you are making smart decisions with your money.
I have been helping clients in Asia manage their wealth since 2012. At Upstream, we avoid pushing products. Because we don’t take commission, we have no incentive to sell you investment plans that are great for us, but unsuitable for you. Our whole approach is based on honesty, underpinned by thorough preparation and detailed information. We connect with clients in a human way and don’t hide behind jargon or data. (Though you’re welcome to ask us for as many stats as you can handle).
I have a Diploma in Financial Advice (DipFA®) from the London Institute of Banking and Finance, and extensive investment advisory experience and market knowledge. But in the end, these are only tools. They can be wielded bluntly, or used to fine-tune a programme that works for your individual needs. That’s why I’m a firm believer in ongoing personal development, so you continue to receive the best advice possible throughout the different stages of your life.
Away from work, my passion in life is mountaineering and I have several successful summits to date including Mont Blanc in the Alps, and Mera Peak, Island Peak and Lobuche East (the Nepal 6,000ers) in the Himalayas. My dream and lifelong goal is to one day set foot on the summit of Mount Everest! Impossible to achieve without long-term planning and the means to fund it.
So that’s my ultimate aim.
What’s yours?
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