Profile
“Let’s fast-forward to the end. What do you want? What’s the goal, and let’s work backwards from there.”
That is how Zack Hartshorne opens every meeting, and the question stays at the forefront of every client call and email that follows. His pitch to clients is simple. “You let me know what you would like to achieve and I’ll find out which way to thread the needle,” he says.
Clients have clearly responded. Their nominations and ratings earned Hartshorne a spot in NZ Adviser’s Top Brokers 2026. He regards the recognition as the biggest achievement of his career. “I think it speaks volumes for what I do and the appreciation and feedback that I receive from clients.”
His commitment to client service has also been recognised within Guardian Smith. Earlier this year, Hartshorne received the firm’s 5-Star Guardian Award, presented to the adviser who earns more five-star Google reviews than any other Guardian Smith adviser across the financial year. The award reflects the trust he has built with clients and the high standard of service he consistently delivers, as well as his position as the mortgage adviser with the most five-star Google reviews in Blenheim.
Hartshorne’s goal-first approach is grounded in 17 years of experience across the property and finance sectors. He bought his first home at 18, building a passion for real estate that grew into a background spanning property management and investing. Today, he specialises in home loan structuring, shaping personalised strategies for clients working towards becoming debt-free, buying a first home or preparing for a property investment.
His strongest professional quality? Hartshorne answers without hesitation. “I like to be radically transparent. I like to have speed that isn't reckless; it’s decisiveness,” he says. He believes nothing in life comes down to chance, only to how you approach each opportunity, and he holds himself to a high standard with every client. “I look after every client as if they were my only client, and the rest happens naturally.”
That consistency is also his growth strategy. Most of his clients arrive organically through word of mouth. “Do a good job for one, and they tell three people,” he shares. Hartshorne’s retention strategy follows the same logic: regular check-ins and making sure clients know he is their first point of call, whether they have more or less money than planned or simply want reassurance they are on track.
Staying sharp takes work in a market where bank policy and the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) keep shifting. Hartshorne says the real challenge is keeping his finger on the pulse so that when a client rings, he knows the answer.
Part of what keeps him on his toes is the environment at Guardian Smith. Hartshorne credits CEO Mikey Smith as a mentor who leads by example and answers every client call and message. “This has been, hands down, the best career choice I’ve ever made,” he says.
Looking ahead, Hartshorne plans to adapt AI to make behind-the-scenes work more efficient, freeing up more time for face-to-face client work. Away from his desk, family time, fishing and a morning ice bath and sauna keep Hartshorne energised for the job he approaches with one aim: becoming a better adviser than he is today.
Blenheim
027 618 3441
zack@guardiansmith.co.nz
linkedin.com/in/zack-hartshorne-769641167
guardiansmith.co.nz/staff_members/zack-hartshorne
Zack Hartshorne
Mortgage Adviser Guardian Smith
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Bio
Milestones
2012–2018
2018–2019
2020–2024
2022–2024
Present
2012–2015: Farm Manager, Kangaringa Station, South Australia
2015–2018: Deputy Head of Department, Irrigation and Vegetable Production, Lipetsk, Russia
2012–2018
Head of Australia and New Zealand at Hummingbird Technologies
2018–2019
New Business Consultant – Financial Adviser at NZHL
2020–2024
2022: Awarded Rookie of the Year and ranked sixth nationwide at NZHL
2023: Ranked second nationwide among Mortgage Advisers at NZHL
2024: Ranked ninth nationwide among Mortgage Advisers at NZHL
2022–2024
Mortgage Adviser at Guardian Smith since 2025
Recipient of the 5-Star Guardian Award, ranking first nationwide for 5-star Google reviews
Present
Milestones
“At this stage in my career, I’m not trying to impress clients with technical language. I’m focused on helping them make better decisions”
William Chan,
Modern Vision Planning, Sterling Mutuals Inc.
“A message is only as strong as the receiver’s ability to understand it. Good intent isn’t enough if the client can’t clearly see the benefits and trade-offs”
William Chan,
Modern Vision Planning, Sterling Mutuals Inc.
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