“Less stress, more clarity – that’s what good advice should deliver.”
I learned that lesson before I ever became an adviser.
At 20, I tore 90% of my patellar tendon just before the pandemic. Football had shaped most of my life – from playing for Leicester City Academy as a child to playing semi-professionally for Oadby Town and representing Leicester County. Surgery happened during lockdown and I found myself alone in hospital, watching years of effort disappear in an instant. Recovery was slow and uncertain, and taught me something that’s stayed with me since: when circumstances change suddenly, how you respond matters more than what you’ve lost.
That mindset carries directly into how I advise today.
I joined Mattioli Woods in 2019 through the graduate programme, and early on learned that good advice starts with meeting people where they are. Some clients are just beginning to build, others are managing significant, complex wealth. My role is to listen first, understand what matters to them, and explain things in a way that makes sense without overcomplicating.
When I moved to London in 2023, that skill became essential. The pace is faster, the stakes are higher and decisions matter. I’ve always found that pressure sharpens judgement rather than blurring it.
I recently met with a client who had invested in an income portfolio he didn’t need. He was quite ill and had been carrying that weight quietly for months – trying to do the right thing without clarity on what that really meant. We looked at his situation and I explained that he didn’t need this income; he needed growth so his family would be secure. His relief wasn’t about returns; it was about finally having clarity on what he was building for.
That’s what drives me. Not optimisation for its own sake but helping people see their position clearly so they can make decisions without fear. When I ask clients why they want to grow their money, I’m not looking for the rehearsed answer, I want the honest one. That’s when proper planning can begin.
I’ve learned the importance of clarity and responsiveness from my own mistakes. Early in my career, I let my exams drift and ended up cramming two in three weeks. It taught me a simple rule I work by today: don’t let things sit. Clients are not paying for expertise alone; they’re paying for momentum and reassurance. Stress grows when questions linger. It eases when issues are dealt with promptly and clearly.
Most of my work involves areas that sound intimidating such as Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), Inheritance Tax planning and specialist investment solutions. In reality, they’re only complex until someone explains them properly. I’m careful to adjust my approach as conversations unfold, because good advice isn’t about sticking rigidly to a plan, it’s about recognising when something simpler or more appropriate can serve the client better.
Outside of work, I still play football across several leagues in London, golf weekly, and travel when I can. I live with my cousin although we rarely see each other because we’re both busy. I’ve got a twin brother who still lives in Leicester and growing up with him taught me resilience early. Like many of my clients, I’m building something, making decisions without perfect information and trying to get the important calls right.
That shared experience matters. When clients work with me, they’re working with someone who understand uncertainty, responds quickly because delay adds stress, and stays steady when things don’t go to plan.
Less stress, more clarity.
That isn’t just what I aim to deliver, it’s how I work.
