“I won’t let anyone sign something they don’t fully understand or invest in a way that I wouldn’t for my own family.”
I didn’t come to financial planning through the traditional route. I spent nearly two decades as an English teacher before making the move into financial services. While that might seem like an unlikely background, it turned out to be the best preparation I could have had.
Teaching and financial planning have, at their core, the same challenges: building trust, ensuring my understanding and translating the complexities into clarity.
The process always starts with taking the time to properly understand the individual(s) in front of me. No two client’s circumstances are the same, particularly when it comes to family dynamics, legacy intentions and long-term aspirations. I take care to gain a full picture before any recommendations are made, so that the technical solutions reflect the reality of their situation.
When I’m working with a client to ensure they have the right all round plan, which could include putting insurance protection in place for their family; building a cash flow for their retirement planning, constructing a strategy to pass wealth, tax efficiently, from one generation to the next, it’s important to ensure they understand the detail behind the recommendations alongside the projected outcome.
No matter what their individual needs, There is one thing that is generic, I apply one simple rule to every recommendation I make: I wouldn’t suggest anything to a client that I wouldn’t do for my own family.
Based in Greater Manchester, I work with individuals and families at some of the most important moments of their financial lives. I’ve learned that what people need most in those moments is someone patient, honest and human. Not jargon or pressure, just clarity.
Outside of work, I’m happiest spending time with my family and I love to spend time outdoors in the garden or walking in the local area. I also love the theatre and live music or comedy.
