Why isn’t there a place people can get real support with their finances — without sales pressure or advice shaped by product incentives?

 

That question stayed with me for years.

 

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

 

For most of my career, I worked in marketing and communications. I co-founded McCready Bale Media, grew it from nothing to more than 120 people and $140 million in billings, and eventually we sold the business to a multinational company.

 

It was a rewarding chapter. I loved building something meaningful and working alongside talented people. But if I’m honest, what I was always drawn to was the financial side — understanding the numbers, making sure the business was healthy, sustainable, and built for the long term.

 

Outside of work, I was equally curious about personal finance. I read the books. Built the spreadsheets. Made the investments — some good, some not so good. Like many people, I tried to figure it out myself.

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But when I needed advice, I found something unsettling. Too often, the support available felt product-driven.

 

Recommendations were influenced — subtly or not so subtly — by commissions or incentives. I wasn’t looking for a product. I was looking for perspective. For someone to help me think clearly.

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After selling the business, I expected to feel complete freedom. And in many ways, I did. But I also experienced something I hadn’t anticipated — a loss of structure and purpose.

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That period taught me something important: money matters. But meaning matters more. The best financial plans aren’t just about maximising returns. They’re about making sound decisions that support the life you actually want to live.

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As I considered what I wanted to do next, that original question returned — where could people go for truly independent, thoughtful support with their money?

 

So I retrained.

 

I completed a Certificate in Financial Advice (First Class) through Massey University and qualified as a Licensed Financial Adviser. I combined that technical grounding with coaching principles and created something I wished had existed earlier in my own life.

 

I created OPEN.

 

OPEN is a calm, professional space where people can talk openly about their financial lives — without judgement, without pressure, and without hidden incentives.

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We start with conversation and clarity.
 

We build structure through your OPEN Money/Life Plan.
 

And where appropriate, we provide independent investment advice and implementation support.

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OPEN exists to help people get on the right path with their money — and stay on it.

 

I 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, let's talk.