I thought I was doing everything right with my finances... until I met Frankie
The Client
Faye is in her 40s and lives in London. She works in finance and investments and thought she was doing everything right with her finances.
Then two and a half years ago she met Frankie at one of her networking investment events. Faye says: “Frankie did a phenomenal job, made the sessions really interesting and interactive and I was immediately impressed. I like her attitude, the way she operates in a way that everyone can understand. I didn’t think I had enough money to have a wealth advisor, so had shied away from it. But Frankie broke down that perception, made advice available to me and opened up opportunities to be much smarter with my money.”
Faye’s goals and dreams
Faye had the basics of ISA savings, a pension and had invested into a fund at the firm she worked at. She thought she was doing okay.
Faye says: “I use this analogy when I think about my relationship with Frankie and where I’m now heading. You know when you think that your diet is healthy, but when you start tracking your meals on an app, it turns out, you are not eating that healthy after all. That’s how I felt about my finances and tax planning especially. I work in the industry, and generally stay abreast on the topic, but I had never done a health check on all my own finances. Frankie did.
“She went through everything and drew up a slide on my financial projections. Of where I would be if I stuck with what I had, and where I could be if I changed a few things around and invested in some other funds. It was incredible to see that and to understand what a positive impact small tweaks in my financial behaviour could have in the long term.”
What Faye has achieved so far
Frankie has introduced Faye to Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs).
Faye says: “I would never have considered these before. I didn’t really know or understand much about them. I thought the minimum commitment was higher than I was willing or could afford to put in. Frankie explained them to me, and I was excited to invest in that area. I found out after I’d invested that a colleague of mine, who is higher up than me, had been putting into the same VCT scheme.
“I’m very keen to put into the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) but Frankie said to hold fire and build out my core portfolio first. I like the way she doesn’t rush and takes you on a journey to reach your goals. I got burned on tax a few years ago because of my tax inefficiency, which was very frustrating. Frankie helped me understand how to stop that happening again. As a result of our tax planning, I was actually owed tax in the last year which I really appreciated.”
How Faye feels
“What I really like about Frankie is that she has made financial advice and education available to a wide range of people from different financial backgrounds. She doesn’t push and persist on where you put your money. She’s not transactional, which is refreshing. She is very engaged and builds a two-way grown up relationship. She spends time getting to know you, your interests and what you want to achieve. Then works with you to find what will suit you to reach your goals.”
“She introduces you to opportunities you would never have considered before, educates you around things you don’t understand. You gain lots more confidence. I like the regular networking events I get invited to where I’ve met some fantastic and interesting people. I look forward to the weekly newsletters that keep me right up to date with things. I have recommended Frankie to a lot of friends and will continue to do so as I feel she is a safe pair of hands.”
*Clients’ names are changed for confidentiality. Advice given is based on each individual’s personal circumstances. Case studies are for general informational and educational purposes, they are not offered as and do not constitute financial advice. You should not act or rely on any information without first seeking advice from a professional. FSWM Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. www.fca.org.uk/firms/financial-servicesregister. FSWM Limited is entered on the FCA register under reference 1008154.