From Electrician to Asset Manager: The Art of Wealth Management with Jack Powell (PWA)

In the inaugural episode of Exploring the Investible Universe, host Tom Morton sits down with Jack Powell, Director at Private Wealth Advisors (PWA). Jack shares his unconventional journey from working as an electrician to managing over a billion dollars in assets, proving that sometimes the best financial insights come from a background in "complex schematics."Tom and Jack pull back the curtain on the wealth management industry, moving past the spreadsheets to discuss the psychology of investing and the reality of risk.In this episode, we discuss:The "Art vs. Science" of Investing: Why a perfect academic portfolio often fails when faced with real-world human psychology.Is the 60/40 Portfolio Dead?: Jack explains why traditional bonds and equities are correlating and what that means for your "sleep at night" factor.The "Moral Hazard" of the Fed: Why market conditioning since the GFC might lead to a rude awakening for aggressive investors.Alternative Assets & Absolute Returns: Moving away from "index hugging" and why the most important chart for any client is simply: "How much can I spend for the rest of my life?"The Truth About Junk Bonds: How clever marketing rebranded high-risk debt as "high-yield" and the "fish hooks" investors need to watch out for.About Jack Powell & PWA:Jack has been a fixture in the financial services industry since 1995. Bringing a rare blend of deep technical expertise (CFP, CLU) and the practical, "no-nonsense" problem-solving of a former electrician, Jack is a Director at Private Wealth Advisors (PWA).PWA was founded on a bedrock of absolute independence. Managing over $1 billion in assets, the firm distinguishes itself by refusing trail commissions, ensuring their advice remains un-conflicted. Jack’s approach focuses on capital preservation, holistic wealth strategy, and most importantly, ensuring clients have a plan that lets them sleep through even the most volatile market cycles.About Snowball:Snowball is New Zealand’s leading private equity and investment platform, dedicated to simplifying access to growth and alternative assets. Since 2014, the platform has helped over 100 high-growth Kiwi companies raise more than $200 million in capital, serving a community of over 55,000 investors.Beyond direct equity, Snowball provides self-directed access to a curated range of global alternative strategies, including private credit, infrastructure, private equity, and long-short funds, often with significantly lower entry points than traditional institutional channels.Learn more and explore the investible universe at www.snowballeffect.co.nz