About Us
In 1999, Howard Smith was a Director of a Finance Company and entering his 18th year in the Industry.
He heard people talking about how, if they had been financially literate when they were young, they could have altered their future financial potential. As he interviewed people for positions within his company, he was surprised at how many people weren’t presenting themselves in a positive way within the interview.
With his volunteer work and links to The Salvation Army, he saw how the lack of Financial Literacy could ruin people’s lives and that of their family.
Howard resigned his Directorship and took a ‘Leap of Faith’ because he wanted to be able to help young people improve their lives and empower them to do well in all areas of their life.
He also wanted to make sure that he reached all young people, not just those in City areas. He wanted to ensure that he reached rural Australia where youth are often missed out on due to the remoteness of their homes.
In the last 8 years The Business Concierge has spoken to over 80,000 people in all areas of NSW and more recently in Queensland.
Howard has worked to assist the Financial Literacy Foundation- bringing to the table his experience of already educating young people within the schooling environment.
Howard not only works in schools, but has also lectured in NSW prisons to educate long-term prisoners due for parole. He was able to talk to them about getting a job and going for interviews, budgeting, basics like getting their TFN set up and Electoral roll, budgeting, mobile phones, applying for loans and setting goals.
A number of these men have given Howard amazing feedback of their progress. One man in particular had tears in his eye as he shook Howard’s hand and thanked him profusely for helping him get a job. He explained that Howard taught him how to present himself and that Howard had treated him like a human being and reminded him about eye contact and even shaking someone’s hand. Things he hadn’t done in the least 25 years.
Howard has also spoken in prisons to women with new babies and educated them on how to provide for their children and how to set and keep realistic goals and budgets.
Howard has been meticulous in the planning and development of his business. This reflects in the solid reputation he has gained at over 400 schools throughout NSW and QLD- including State, Private, Catholic, Independent and Community-based schools. He is well regarded by Teacher’s and students for being professional while being able to entertain and enthral students in important life skills.
We are very grateful to our Major sponsors The Salvation Army who continue to help us get out to schools each year. They have seen the importance of what we do to stop financial debt by educating young people of the pitfalls before it is too late.
We have other great supporters and you can get their details on our Links page.
The team at The Business Concierge were specifically selected by Howard based on their professionalism and relateability to teachers and students.
We at The Business Concierge want to ensure that the level of excellence that people have come to know from Howard continues to be what everyone receives when booking with us.
Benefits to Teachers & Students
The only program in Australia offering over 60 subjects incorporating the fields of Financial education, Career/ Business Studies, as well as Life Skills.
Entertaining, motivational and exciting Speakers who bring real-life knowledge, experiences and skills directly from over 25 years in Senior management roles within major International Corporations.
A Presentation tailored to your individual school and student’s needs
We are an independent company not linked to any bank or finance company therefore students are given all the facts allowing them to make informed financial decisions.
Individual workbooks that will be kept and used later as a resource as well as a source for follow up lessons.
Teacher’s follow up pack provided to support follow-up lessons
Being able to introduce/re-inforce curriculum topics in a manner that is so different from the normal time-tabled school day that students not only listen…they learn.
No school or Year too big or small
A No hassle program where The Business Concierge take over the organisation of the program at your school with minimal organisation needed from the school.