Our team members are one of the main factors that sets us apart from other businesses. Join us as we sit down with Mike to talk about his day-to-day life at Foresight, and what he gets up to when he’s not in the office.
Tell us a bit about yourself
All through school and university my original career plan was to go into the Law, and so I studied for a Bachelor of Laws degree at Lancaster University and completed the Legal Practice Course.
However, I decided that Law wasn’t going to be for me, so I ended up working in various client management positions.
I had been exposed to the financial planning profession since childhood through my dad’s business, and I began to work alongside him. As soon as I started, I knew that this was the profession I wanted to work in and made the move to retrain and gain a Diploma in Financial Planning.
My father decided to sell his practice and retire, and I was offered the opportunity to join Foresight as a Wealth Strategist and I am currently working towards my Chartered Financial Planner status.
What does your job involve?
My job revolves around ensuring my clients are well-equipped to live the life they want to lead. No two clients are the same so, first and foremost, I listen to their needs and wants, get to understand what makes them tick and, on occasion, challenge their expectations to ensure the plans we create are realistic.
The Quantum Programme helps me look at my clients whole financial planning holistically, maximising the potential benefit at every stage to allow us to move forward in a positive and efficient way.
I often refer clients to other professionals, such as Accountants, Mortgage Advisers and Solicitors. As a professional, it is imperative that I know where my expertise starts and ends, and to have close working relationships with other professionals who can take over and provide the complete package for my clients.
What is your favourite part of your job?
It’s a real privilege to get to know my clients so closely and be involved in personal matters that make a real difference to their lives.
What does a typical day look like for you?
After an early start of walking the dog and sometimes doing the nursery run, I check in with the Team to make sure we are prepared for the day and that any urgent actions are undertaken. Depending on what meetings are booked in, I will catch up on emails and client calls.
Meetings can involve anything from meeting new prospective clients to reviewing plans for existing clients, making sure that everything remains suitable for their changing circumstances.
I enjoy building Cashflow Forecasts for clients to map out what their financial future may look like. After each meeting I then send an email to confirm our discussions and set out the actions that we have agreed.
In your eyes, what makes Foresight a good company to work for?
Foresight is a great company to work for, that truly cares about the outcomes for our clients. As a small but growing business, all the staff have excellent exposure to the running of the operation, so everyone has a voice. This results in a very strong culture, meaning that it is a genuine pleasure to come to work.
What do you get up to outside of work?
I live in Hartford with my fiancé, Polly, and daughter, Marcie. We also have a Jack Russell called Fergus. As a family we love all things to do with sport, and love taking long walks in countryside – basically any excuse for a good pub lunch!
