Today, you know us as Total Life but our story starts all the way back in 1999.

Imagine a business born not just from ambition, but from a promise to walk alongside people through every season of life. That’s our story. Total Life is more than a name; it’s the embodiment of decades of courage, reinvention, an unwavering belief in what’s possible when people put their hearts into helping others thrive.

Our roots trace back to a December 1999, when a small, determined team in the south dared to believe financial advice could be different. In those early days, we were all-in with AMP, building trust one conversation, one lifelong policy at a time. The world changed, and so did we.

2007 brought KiwiSaver and with it, a turning point, it wasn’t just a product shift, it was our invitation to evolve. We seized the moment, welcoming new clients with open arms, growing stronger and smarter. Awards like Business of the Year weren’t just trophies; they were symbols of our readiness to lead, to innovate, to step forward.

The years brought challenges, senior shareholders moved on, AMP restructured, and we faced the crossroads that define us, still today. Those moments pushed us to forge our own path, to become Total Life: independent, resilient, and undaunted by uncertainty.

We refused to stand still. We diversified, building partnerships with Tyrone Maullin and Kerry Kirk, each relationship stitched together by trust and vision.

Our collective strength grew and so did our reach, stretching from Cambridge to Hamilton and Christchurch, always anchored in our mission to providing quality advice to more New Zealanders.

Growth meant evolution. By 2021, we brought our teams into a single, unified family under the Total Life and Financial Services South banner. From 14 to 28 people, one banner, one mission, one future. We invested in culture, in people, bringing Jo Mathieson on board to help us find and nurture the talent who would carry our torch. In just 18 months, our team doubled, fuelled by shared purpose.

Every day, we built infrastructure for scale: robust systems, efficient compliance, operational excellence. Year after year, our revenue soared, growing by 35% annually from 2019 to 2023. But numbers are just the surface. Beneath them, it’s about lives changed, clients protected, dreams enabled, legacies secured.

Then came our boldest leap yet: launching our own Financial Advice Provider (FAP) in 2023. We chose to shape our own destiny, to build a business that could last generations, a true 100-year company. Why? Because we believe in a future where advisers have a safe harbour, clients have unwavering support, and everyone finds belonging under one brand, one vision.

Our Team 100 strategy is more than a goal—it’s an open invitation. By 2027, we’ll welcome 100 aligned people who share our values, our drive, our promise to be there for every client, always, through our clients’ total life. For seasoned advisers, it’s an honourable exit. For new talent, it’s a launchpad. For everyone, it’s a family.

Christchurch is central to this vision, a city rising, with space for 28 dreamers (and counting) to create something remarkable. We begin with four. We grow with purpose. Our journey to Team 40 by the end of 2026 is just the next step on our path to 100 and beyond.

We’re not just forging a business. We’re weaving a legacy, one built on shared values, a unified brand, and a passion for making a difference. We offer five lines of service, from personal insurance to investments, from mortgages to employee benefits, each tailored to meet the needs of our clients at every life stage. We’re here for and through our clients’ Total Life.

At Total Life, we’re here for your whole story. We are your partners, your guides, your advocates, for today, tomorrow, and the next hundred years.