“Twenty-two years of rugby taught me that positioning and timing change everything.”
I’ve played rugby for 22 years. In that time, I’ve learned that the game isn’t just about strength, it’s about reading what’s in front of you, knowing when to move fast and when to hold your position, and making the right call at the right moment. It turns out that financial planning works much the same way.
I came into financial services through a door that opened unexpectedly – a close friend, an independent financial adviser (IFA), saw something in me and offered me a chance to learn from the ground up. Rather than going straight into advising, I spent my first years in the industry as an administrator, attending nearly every client meeting, taking detailed notes and absorbing everything around me. I built up a thorough understanding of products, planning, and people before I ever sat in front of a client as an adviser myself. I’ve been in the same Macclesfield office for over nine years and joined Mattioli Woods through the acquisition of the firm where I’d built my career.
That instinct to act decisively at the right moment has made a real difference to clients. One in particular stands out. A client in his mid-80s had placed company shares into a trust – perfectly sensible planning at the time. When he sold his company, those shares became potentially subject to Inheritance Tax (IHT) if he were to pass away within seven years. We moved quickly, reinvesting the sale proceeds into a qualifying product that preserved the same tax benefits. He passed away within the following 18 months. That timely, well-positioned move saved his estate £300,000 in Inheritance Tax.
The skills that make a good rugby player – reading people, staying calm under pressure, knowing when not to overplay your hand – are the same ones I rely on with clients. I believe the best financial conversations happen when someone feels genuinely relaxed, not talked at. Whether I’m visiting a client at home with a cup of coffee or meeting in the office, I aim to listen first, understand what really matters, and then explain things clearly at a pace that works for them.
I’m currently working towards Chartered status – because the further I can develop my knowledge, the better placed I am to help my clients. There’s always another level to reach.
Away from work, I live in the Peak District with my wife and our two young daughters. We enjoy walking the dog, explore the countryside, and making regular trips to Anglesey although not on rugby weekends. The same values that have kept me on the pitch for two decades are the ones I bring to every client relationship: show up, stay steady, and never take your eye off what matters.
