The story behind OPEN

Hi, I’m Sean McCready — founder of OPEN and a Licensed Financial Adviser and Financial Coach based in Auckland, New Zealand.

 

For most of my career I worked in advertising. I co-founded an agency from scratch, grew it to 120+ people and $140 million in billings, and eventually sold it to a multinational corporation.

 

But underneath the career success, I always had a deep curiosity about personal finance. I read the books, built spreadsheets, and made investments — some smart, some not so smart. Like most people, I tried to figure it out on my own.

 

After selling the business, I expected to feel freedom. And for a while I did — but I also lost a sense of structure and purpose, and found that surprisingly hard.

 

It taught me something important: money matters, but purpose matters too. And that the best financial plans are the ones that support a meaningful life.

 

As I re-imagined what I wanted to do next, one question kept coming back:

 

Why isn’t there a place people can get real support with their finances — without sales pressure or being steered toward products?

 

So I retrained — earning a Certificate in Financial Advice (First Class) from Massey University — and qualified as a Licensed Financial Adviser. Then I created OPEN: a warm, professional space where people can talk openly about their financial lives and build confidence for the future.

 

At OPEN, we work with people at all stages — whether they want clarity, support through change, or help building a long-term plan. I offer coaching, Money Life Planning, and (if you want it) investment advice and implementation support — all with transparency and zero pressure.

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We believe that everyone deserves the chance to live free of financial anxiety, supported by a robust financial plan, and even achieve that sweet spot where time, money, health and purpose align.

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If that sounds like what you’re looking for, we’d love to help.