“Knowledge is power – and you’re not a scenario on a piece of paper.”
My career in financial services started back in 2007. A few months later, the financial crash hit, and being on the inside of an industry watching it unfold in real time was a formative experience. It taught me that even the most carefully built financial plans can be tested, and that the quality of advice you have around you at those moments matters enormously.
I came into this profession the long way round, and I’m glad I did. Starting out as an administrator at an IFA in Edinburgh, I moved through corporate finance and into paraplanning, learning the inner workings of a successful advisory firm from the ground up, before qualifying as an adviser. Along the way, it became clear that working directly with clients was where I belonged, and I’ve now spent close to two decades in financial services.
There have been moments in this career that have shaped how I show up for clients and colleagues alike. A conversation with a former colleague, offered at exactly the right time, reminded me of the value of this profession and the positive impact my role as an adviser can have for others. It’s a big part of why I take mentoring and listening so seriously now, even after all these years.
People are what makes this work meaningful. Clients contact me at both the happiest moments of their lives, and at the worst. The conversations at either end of that spectrum carry real weight, and the trust placed in you at those moments isn’t something I take lightly. Clients become an extension of your family, and the responsibility extends well beyond any spreadsheet.
I always say the same thing: knowledge is power, and you’re not a scenario on a piece of paper. The job can appear easy when markets are moving in the right direction. In my opinion, what defines a good adviser is preventing clients from making damaging decisions at their most vulnerable moments, and watching someone reach a milestone, like paying off their mortgage or stepping into retirement on their own terms, is what makes my role genuinely worthwhile.
Away from work, I’ve embraced life on the east coast of Scotland having relocated from Edinburgh several years ago, and the slower pace suits me well. I stay active and spend time with a fantastic group of friends and a big family who keep life full outside of work. I also give my time to Leuchie House, the only charity of their kind in the UK, and feel genuinely fortunate to be part of their work.
Although based on the east coast, I work with clients across the central belt and am always happy to have an honest conversation about where you are and where you’d like to be.
