“I want every client to have the options to live life exactly how they want.”
Most people know they should be doing something about their finances – they just don’t know where to start. That gap between knowing and doing is exactly what drew me to financial planning.
I joined Mattioli Woods in 2022 and qualified as a financial adviser through the Financial Adviser Academy, working primarily on the corporate side – helping employees and business owners make sense of their pensions, investments, and long-term financial plans. I’ve seen first-hand what happens when someone finally understands their options: the worry lifts, and decisions that felt impossibly complicated suddenly become straightforward.
One of the moments that sticks with me is from early in my career. A gentleman came to me following a workplace presentation – he had pensions he didn’t understand and no idea what to do with them. We worked through it together, set up an annuity that replaced his working income and gave him more than he’d hoped for. A few months later, he called to say how much it had meant to him; he just needed someone to show him the way. For me, that’s what this work is really about.
I find cash-flow forecasting particularly powerful. Mapping out a client’s financial future – showing them what they’re likely to have at age 70, 80, even 100 – changes something. People who thought they’d have to be cautious realise they have room to enjoy themselves. Others see they need to make adjustments. Either way, it makes things real, and that shift in mindset is where proper planning begins.
I also have personal experience of health challenges, which means I don’t shy away from those conversations. If a client is going through something difficult, I’ll listen properly and where it’s helpful, I’ll share my own story. One client, who was dealing with health issues similar to my own, arrived at our meeting in a dark place. By the end, she said it was the first positive conversation she’d had in a long time. Those moments remind me that this work goes well beyond spreadsheets and pension pots.
I’m straightforward, responsive, and I’ll always be honest – even when it’s not what someone wants to hear. I’d rather help a client make the right call than an easy one. Because when I look back in 20 years, what I want to see is clients who got to where they wanted to go – with the options and freedom to live life on their own terms.
Outside of work, I’m a season ticket holder at Manchester City, which has been good value in recent years! I play football several times a week, run regularly, and I’m working on my golf game.
