Financial advice

Katrina’s story

My name's Katrina Wood, I live in Bradford. I've lived in Yorkshire most of my life and always worked in Yorkshire.

My hobbies were here in the theatre, and I've probably done this most of my life - a dancer from 3 years old. I've done quite a few bits of extra work on TV, so in the north you have to do Coronation Street and Emmerdale, that's a given, and Frost was filmed around here, so I've worked with David Jason.

When I left school I didn't really have any plans as to what I wanted to do. It was very much I'd kept my options open and I sort of tumbled into banking. But then at some point during that stage we had to go into the exams relating to financial advice and suddenly things started to change. I discovered that that was the right path for me. I enjoyed what I did, I enjoyed helping customers and then 1995 I became a full-time financial adviser.

So, often, your job is helping people solve a lot of their life, and the finances sit around it. There's really nothing more rewarding than when you know you've left the house and you've taken a burden off the customer's shoulders.

So for anyone who's thinking about financial advice, go out and start doing your research on it to start with. The worst thing you can do is not do anything, so speak to a few people, and I would say your first starting point is deal with a person that you feel comfortable with, but also a company that's either been recommended to you or that you know about and trust.

A big area that we deal a lot in at the moment is with retirement - and helping people get to retirement - but also accessing their money so that they can enjoy their retirement. And one of the big things that we help people establish is what sort of things that they want to do in retirement and how we're going to be able to get them there to be able to enjoy it.

Whether it's sitting in a theatre, or taking part in a golfing match, or going on your holidays. We're retired a long time - we work hard, we work long, but equally, people are living longer and it's a happier place if you're doing things you want to do.

Simon’s story

My name’s Simon and I’m from Bristol. I’ve lived here virtually all my life, although I was actually born in Middlesex. But I moved here when I was 4, so I’m more or less a Bristolian.

So I’m married and I’ve got two boys as well as an older daughter. I also play hockey and have done for around 30 years – hence the location. I give up a lot of time to it, including umpiring. But more importantly, I coach junior and adult hockey – meaning I’m giving back to a sport that I’ve enjoyed all my life.

Did I always want to be a financial adviser? No. I sort of fell into the industry when I was 18, working in administration for financial services. I worked through lots of different areas and departments doing all sorts of different things. Around 12 years ago, I quite fancied a new challenge, so I went to work for a bank as a trainee financial adviser.

I really enjoy being a financial adviser because of the support I can provide to my customers. They’ve asked us for help because they’re stuck with certain issues. And it’s a really good feeling to leave a customer’s house knowing you’ve given them something that’s going to help them with their lifestyle. It’s going to give them financial security and at least point them in the right direction. To know I’ve assisted them in some way is a really good feeling to leave with.

Financial advice is important because most people don’t actually think about it until it’s too late. So we need to educate people to plan for their futures as early as possible. I’d say to people to go with someone that’s recommended – go with a trustworthy and something you believe in with a good reputation.

I really enjoy being a financial adviser because it’s all about support and providing assistance to customers. And that’s no different to providing support and assistance to my kids at hockey coaching,

OK, I’ve got a few drills to sort out now, so I’d better be off.