It was never Andrew Woodward’s plan to start a family business. “I was in my mentor’s office one Wednesday complaining that I wasn’t loving what I did,” he recalls.

His mentor, a Chairman he’d met while raising money for cancer charity, Tour de Cure, wasn’t having any of Andrew’s self-pity. “So like any good mentor, he challenged me to teach others what I had done for myself.”

In Andrew’s case, what he’d done for himself was wealth creation. The conversation was a turning point.

By Saturday, Andrew had registered a business name, found someone to build a website (through the same charity), and within weeks was in the USA learning how to launch an online business. “It was like being thrown into the deep end, but I loved it,” he says. Fast forward eight years, and his son Blake sat in a 90-minute session with Andrew’s business coach, came out saying he wanted to work with his dad, and they haven’t looked back since.

“It was a lightbulb moment for me and my son,” Andrew says. “Now we’re doing this together, and it’s a shared adventure.”

Early challenges

The beginning wasn’t easy. ‘Money’ isn’t the best conversation starter, and Andrew was learning the ins and outs of business on the fly. “Working from home, I struggled to find the right solution for what people wanted. My first product was what I knew people needed the most, but it wasn’t what they wanted,” he says.

His first offering was a money mindset program, and it flopped spectacularly.

“The first product launch generated zero sales after I had spent hours creating videos, content and a webinar to sell it. I basically had a house full of content and nobody to sell it to!”

What kept him going was persistence. A lesson he picked up in the USA.

“Most people give up too soon. Most businesses don’t survive past the first few years because of that. So even when I wasn’t making money, I kept at it.”

Tony Robbins’ book Unshakeable also provided a boost.

“It explains why people should get a financial literacy education, and even shows the financial cost of outsourcing your money to someone else. If Tony Robbins believes financial literacy is the way forward, then who am I to disagree?”

Finding his MVP

The turning point came post-COVID, when Andrew pivoted from selling courses to one-on-one coaching.

“This decision changed everything. I went from scraping to sell $999 courses to selling $3,000, and now $5,000, coaching packages online and from stage,” he says.

His first live presentation was to a room of fitness business owners, where over 30 per cent of the audience signed up for coaching.

“It was the first time I realised the power of having the right people in the room,” Andrew recalls. That moment proved that connecting with clients personally, not just online, was the key to success.

Livin’ the good life… Image supplied.

Keeping it in the family

Investors Way is very much a family business. Andrew handles sales, PR, and client coaching, while Blake focuses on sales development. “We both have our strengths, and acknowledging them is the best way to maximise our results,” Andrew says.

He says working with family has its perks.

“We don’t really have any disagreements,” he says. “We are both aligned with what we are trying to achieve, both for the business and for our clients.”

Family values shine through in the business. “We are about providing a safe space and family community where support, recognition and respect are core values,” Andrew says. That ethos carries through to how they operate every day.

Teaching Australians to take control of their money

Investors Way offers financial literacy education through one-on-one coaching, giving clients the tools to manage their own money rather than outsourcing decisions to someone else.

“Our one-on-one coaching allows people to drop their guard and ask the questions they wouldn’t in a group environment,” Andrew explains.

The business is unique because it doesn’t focus on a single asset class. “There are many businesses that will teach you how to budget, or invest in shares, or try to sell you a property,” he says. “We teach clients how to do all these things without needing someone else. We’re about providing the skills so our clients can fish for the rest of time.”

Proudest moments and lessons learned

For Andrew, the best moments come from seeing his clients succeed. “Our proudest moments are our client results,” he says. That could be a 16-year-old setting up a five-figure stock portfolio before turning 18, or adults who finally gain control over their finances and make their first investments.

“The clients who tell us we’ve changed their lives are the reason we do this. That’s more rewarding than any financial figure,” he says.

Refining the business message has been one of the toughest challenges.

“It’s something we are still working on. How to reach the people who want, need and value what we do at the time they need it,” Andrew explains.

He’s also learned that persistence is key, and that understanding what your clients actually want is more important than what you think they need.

Australia’s Favourite Family Business

Being listed as a finalist for Australia’s Favourite Family Business 2025 was a huge moment.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be recognised as a shortlisted Australian family business, especially since I never thought I would be running a business, let alone one with my son,” he says.

While awards aren’t the main goal, recognition matters.

“To be able to showcase our business and recognise those that have supported us would be extremely gratifying,” Andrew says. “The thing with business is that it’s never just about those in it. It takes a village, and our business is no different.”

Andrew’s advice to anyone thinking of starting a family business is straightforward: “It’s cliched but ‘just do it’. The rewards are worth the challenges and setbacks. When you can share the successes of your business with family members, especially those that have been part of the success, it is so much more rewarding than a traditional, non-family business.”

Planning for growth

Investors Way is planning to expand even further. They recently held their first live event and hope to roll this out across the country. The business also leverages a TV show to spread awareness of financial literacy.

Their ultimate dream? “To offer a luxury event in a dream location where we can immerse ourselves in learning and the ultimate aim of money: to experience life,” Andrew says.

The legacy he hopes to leave is clear: financial freedom and generational wealth.

“Our program is called Wealth Generator because it’s about generating wealth, but also about generational wealth. Clients can share what they learn with their children so they can have the best start with money. Kids still aren’t taught financial literacy at school, so we see this as giving them a head start,” Andrew explains.

Andrew believes at its heart, Investors Way is about giving Australians the confidence and knowledge to take control of their financial future. “Seeing clients reduce their money stress and design their financial future is the most rewarding thing I can do,” Andrew says.

The Investor’s Way is a finalist in Australia’s Favourite Family Business Competition. You can vote for them and find out more about the rest of our finalists here.

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