Hayden Mulholland

Adviser spotlight: Psychology meets portfolio planning

We're delighted to introduce you to Hayden Mulholland, a highly experienced and genuinely client-focused financial adviser based in Auckland.

Hayden joined the dynamic Become Wealth team in 2025. With nearly 20 years of dedicated experience in the financial advice industry, Hayden brings a treasure of knowledge, a passion for helping people, and a refreshing perspective to financial planning.

The Road to Financial Advice: From IT to Impact

Hayden's journey into becoming a financial adviser is rooted in a fundamental realisation:

“I liked people a whole lot more than computers!”

His career didn't start in finance; after two years of training as a paraplanner, he spent time working in IT in London and then New Zealand. It was during this time that the appeal of personal connection became clear, leading him back to finance.

His foundational step into the industry was a role as a paraplanner right out of university. In this position, he got a close look at the multitude of "ideas and opportunities for clients". This exposure solidified his desire to move beyond planning and actively participate in client success, leading him to decide he "wanted to sit beside them and help them achieve their goals".

A Comprehensive Approach to Wealth Management

Hayden specialises in providing tailored guidance across several key areas of financial planning:

• Comprehensive investment planning services
• Financial product investments, including KiwiSaver Schemes
• Property Investment

Adding a unique dimension to his advice, Hayden holds a psychology degree. He actively incorporates this understanding of human behaviour and motivation into his advisory process, particularly when dealing with the nuanced decisions involved in retirement planning.  When it comes to forward financial planning, Hayden isn’t just thinking about the numbers, he’s thinking about what retirement feels like for each client. What do they want to do? What will give them peace of mind? What fears or hopes are shaping their decisions?

The Power of the Question "Why"

Hayden’s psychology background informs one of his most important professional and personal lessons to "Ask more questions, especially the 'Why' question". He finds that understanding the motivation behind people's actions and decisions is crucial for providing effective advice. This deep interest in his clients is a cornerstone of his approach to building long-term relationships, he strives to "Be genuinely interested in them, in what’s going on with them now and what they want from the future".

Defining Success and Debunking Myths

Hayden's commitment is to the client's outcome, not his own gain. He addresses a major misconception about financial advisers, "That they are only there for a commission". He firmly states that most advisers he has known are "genuinely interested in the positive outcomes for clients". For Become Wealth specifically, he affirms, "Success is measured by client outcomes, based on what they are trying to achieve".

Memorable Client Success

The most rewarding part of his job is "Hearing the stories that come from the positive outcomes", which range from enabling clients to travel, to helping family members, to simply having "peace of mind".

He recalls a particularly impactful moment working with the widow of a client after his passing. Despite her reluctance to be involved in the financial advice process beforehand, Hayden was able to demonstrate that the preparatory work done meant there were no financial concerns for her. This allowed her to maintain her desired lifestyle and mourn without the added burden of financial stress.

Wisdom for the Future and the Present

If Hayden could offer his younger self one piece of financial advice, it would be to "Start earlier". He highlights the

"…real increase in asset values overtime makes the barrier to entry harder the longer you leave it".

He also aims to bust a common financial myth, "Property only ever goes up in value...". And the best financial advice he’s ever received? "Don’t measure your success using someone else's definition".

Staying Ahead in the Market

For staying updated on the latest financial trends and market changes, Hayden relies heavily on a dynamic source: his clients. He views them as "fantastic barometers of the economy" because they work (or have worked) across a wide range of industries that experience economic shifts at different times.

Hayden also has an eye for the unconventional! The most interesting thing he’s seen in investment markets includes new trends like ostrich farming and beta-carotene farming.

The Become Wealth Difference and Personal Life

Hayden finds the atmosphere at Become Wealth highly conducive to success. The team environment, where you are "surrounded by lots of experience," means there is always someone to "bounce ideas off". This collaborative spirit ensures that clients "receive well thought out ideas, increasing the probability of their success". His favourite part of the job is the variability.

No day is the same, which he attributes to the broad nature of Become Wealth's clients and service offerings.

Unwinding and Interests

When the workday is done, Hayden knows how to decompress. His go-to strategy for unwinding is a simple pleasure: "Coffee and walking the dog".

His passions outside of work include a love for travel and music, ideally enjoyed simultaneously with a good cup of coffee. He also enjoys a round of golf, though he good-humouredly notes that his golf skills are regularly called into question. If he weren't a financial adviser, he expects he would "probably still be in a role where I help people".

The Bottom Line: Why Choose Hayden and Become Wealth?

If you are looking for an adviser, Hayden provides one compelling reason to choose Become Wealth: "We provide genuine personalised advice focussed on THEIR goals". Success, for Hayden, is inherently tied to the client's desired outcome.

If you are looking for expert, personalised guidance on property investment, financial products, or long-term investment planning, Hayden Mulholland is ready to sit beside you and help you achieve your goals.

For more insights and updates from Hayden, you can connect with him on LinkedIn, or if you’d like to book a complimentary initial meeting with him to discuss your financial freedom, simply get in touch with our office and ask for Hayden.