“Death and taxes are guaranteed – I can only help you with one of them.”
I walked into a bank at 18 with no grand plan – just a restless energy and a desire to get on. Five promotions later, by 21, I found myself at a fork in the road: mortgages or investments. I chose the path for a career in wealth management that has now spanned over two decades.
Starting early in financial services means I’ve seen it all – and more importantly, I’ve lived it. I started my own pension young, built my financial foundation piece by piece, and now I’m passing that hard-won knowledge on to my clients. When I tell someone that a pension is the closest thing to a magic trick in finance – money that grows with a helping hand from the Government – I say it because I’ve seen exactly what it can do.
I’ve always been most drawn to working with families. Not just because I’m a mum to two busy boys, but because I’ve always related financial planning back to the people I love – my dad, my uncle, my granddad. Families have a lot at stake. They need someone who genuinely listens, asks the right questions, and approaches every conversation with empathy. That’s how I work. I get into my clients’ shoes and stay there.
I particularly love the challenge of tax planning – and yes, everyone loves to save tax. Death and taxes are guaranteed. I can’t help with the first, but I can do quite a lot about the second. Whether that’s making the most of pension contributions, navigating Inheritance Tax (IHT), or finding smarter ways to structure wealth, I genuinely get a buzz from seeing a well-laid plan come to fruition. That moment when a client finally sees their retirement is not just possible but imminent – that’s the work that keeps me going.
What I’ve learned over the years is that great financial planning isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about trust, loyalty, and making people feel genuinely heard. My clients are like an extension of my family and I take that seriously. I want to be remembered not just for the plans I built, but for the way I made people feel supported along the way.
Outside of work, I’m a full-time taxi service for two very active young boys, a recently converted women’s footballer (all the gear, still figuring out the idea), and currently training for the Great North Run. I believe a healthy, busy life outside work makes me a better adviser inside it. Stay strong, stay present – for the kids, for the clients, for yourself.
