Financial Planner
Ebie Holmes
After leaving sixth form, I joined Skipton Building Society as the first step in building a career in financial services. It was there that I was introduced to financial advice, and I quickly realised it combined everything I was looking for in a career: working closely with people, solving problems and helping clients achieve their goals. The more I learned about the profession, the more certain I became that it was the path I wanted to follow.
“Look after the pennies early, and one day those pennies will let you retire early.”
After leaving sixth form, I joined Skipton Building Society as the first step in building a career in financial services. It was there that I was introduced to financial advice, and I quickly realised it combined everything I was looking for in a career: working closely with people, solving problems and helping clients achieve their goals. The more I learned about the profession, the more certain I became that it was the path I wanted to follow.
What I love most is simple: time with clients. Nothing beats finishing a two-hour meeting and hearing someone say, “that was brilliant, I really enjoyed it”. That’s the moment it all clicks. My not-so-secret weapon is curiosity, or, put less politely, nosiness. I get to ask the awkward, intrusive questions people have never been asked before, and that’s exactly where honest, useful planning begins.
The results speak for themselves. I recently helped two clients retire at 55 and 57, ages they’d always assumed were impossible. I didn’t do anything magical; I just helped them see what was already within reach. I especially enjoy helping people in their 30s and 40s who don’t have much knowledge when it comes to investing. Start early enough and you can retire far sooner than you’d ever imagine.
The best part of this job is trust, which only comes with time. One client I’ve worked with for years started out formal and to the point. Now they’ll message me out of the blue just to share that their daughter’s got engaged, and we’ll happily spend half an hour chatting about it. That shift, from polite professional to genuine relationship, is what this work is really about.
When I picture looking back on my career in twenty years, success is simple: everything I’m building for my clients right now has come to fruition. If the plans we’ve made together have delivered the lives they wanted, then I’ve done my job.
So, whether you’re just starting to build or wondering whether early retirement could be within reach, please get in touch. Book an appointment and let’s find out what we could do for you.
