In Your Shoes - Susan Bennett

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Susan in a Chartered Financial Planner and Regional Director of Advanta Wealth in Dundee. She has over 30 years’ experience in Financial Services, starting her career in the banking sector where she spent over 20 years advising on private client wealth within a regulated environment .

In 2012 she moved into the Independent Financial Planning arena, providing clients with a holistic financial planning services including pension, investments and inheritance tax planning. Susan is a strong advocate of lifestyle financial planning, understanding the importance of finding out what clients really strive to achieve in their lives and helping to empower them by creating great financial plans to allow them to turn their dreams into reality.

In 2015 Susan qualified as a Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the Personal Finance Society, one of the highest professional accolades in the financial services industry.

 

Deciding to add a further string to her bow, in 2017 she took on the role of module co-ordinator at Dundee University teaching law students about financial services as part of their diploma years.

More recently Susan joined the Scotland Consensus Group where she works as a financial neutral who can be brought in to assist clients is deciding how best to split matrimonial assets, taking into account the objectives of each party.

This year she has become Regional Director of Advanta Wealth in Dundee, and with the new office recently opened she is looking forward to working with clients in the Tayside area for many years to come

When not working she enjoys the gym and yoga or curling up with a good book to read.

Monday

First full day back in the office, and for my daughter it’s her first day back at school. We manage the morning with no hiccups and I arrive at the office refreshed and raring to go.

We only moved into our new office premises in Dundee in October, so it still has that lovely new feeling about it. I’m joined by my colleagues Debbie and Fiona, and it feels nice to have the team back together and to have time to catch up and hear how everyone enjoyed the festive period. We are all excited about the launch of our Dundee office and our plans for 2023.

The first meeting of the day starts at 10am with an internal team meeting where we catch up and review what is outstanding and what actions are needed over the coming weeks to prepare us for our scheduled meetings and to progress our clients’ planning opportunities. This month we have 15 client reviews to prepare for so it’s going to be a busy one.

We are all on the typical January healthy eating regime so lots of soups, fruit and yoghurts making an appearance in the office fridge.

It’s so busy that I don’t have time to stop for a cup of tea until 4pm where I have to confess to giving into the temptations of a Lindt chocolate, still only one so I think that’s allowed after a busy day!

Tuesday

I start the day frantically looking for an umbrella as its torrential rain outside. Leave with my folder, laptop, handbag, gym bag and lunch bag; anyone else feel like a pack horse as they leave the house each day?

Off to work where I catch up with some emails before my first client meeting at 10am. I am currently completing the handover of clients from a business that we recently purchased. It’s lovely to meet the clients in person and to learn more about them and their families and today, my clients also had some exciting travel plans to tell me about. One of the perks of my job is getting to hear all about the glamourous locations my clients travel to each year, it gives me lots of inspiration for my own bucket list.

Today is a busy day with three client meetings and then I need to prepare the subsequent paperwork that needs completed following each meeting. With tax year end looming and with many people keen to get their finances reviewed in January ,the first quarter of the year is always a busy one.

I have a call with Gillian Piggott who is head of our Private Client team in London and Gillian is also instrumental in looking after the Advanta  Foundation, our own charity which aims to help support to local children’s charities. With our expansion plans in Dundee, we are delighted to be helping support the Cash for Kids program through helping to fund some of their grant requests.

At 5pm I am having an internal debate with myself, do I go to relaxing yoga, group personal training or home to put my feet up with a good movie? Discipled as ever I plump for the gym but just as well I booked as January is always such a busy time with the gym busy with lots of new members.

Wednesday

I start the day in jeans and jumper, with no client meetings planned I can dress for the day ahead. One of the positive things to come out of lockdown is that we can relax our business attire on days where we are office based, nothing better than jeans and a jumper on a cold winter’s day.

A free morning to catch up emails and to sort out what is outstanding in preparation for this month’s reviews. Each month we see which clients we need to meet with to check whether their investment strategy remain suitable to meet their objectives. It’s a lovely opportunity to catch up with our clients and to establish if we need to make any changes to meet their needs for the coming year.

Healthy eating is still going well with protein intake up and chocolate consumption down, I really do feel like Bridget Jones every time I write one of these blogs!

The afternoon is spent on planning and marketing. Although Advanta Wealth have been established for many years we are new to the Dundee area so we need to look at how we familiarise people with our brand name and spread the word about the services we can offer.

After a long career in financial planning I remain very passionate about where we can help and provide assistance to clients to allow them to make some of those really big decisions, should I buy the holiday home abroad, can I afford to retire now? The question I often get asked most often is “ how much is enough?” By working with our clients and understanding their needs we can help to provide assurance that they are on track for a comfortable retirement or that they can help their children fund that deposit for a house.

It really is important that we help people to understand that financial planning is about so much more than investing in the right funds.

Just after 5pm , I head off to the hairdressers where I can spend a few hours relaxing. As usual Niki Brand does a fabulous job and I head home with my hair all shiny and glossy again. Wow, my son even said “I like your hair” as I walked through the door, a rare comment indeed!

Thursday

Off out to Blairgowrie to visit some clients, it’s a nice drive although by the time I arrive the heavens have opened, thankfully my client greets me with the kettle on and a cup of tea at the ready. I also get a lovely warm welcome from her dog who is adorable.

On to the next meeting and by the time I arrive I am resembling a drowned rat as I have been caught out by the heavy rain. Still, despite looking somewhat dishevelled I have a good meeting and we agreed the next steps in this clients planning journey.

Then it’s back to the office where I catch up on emails and I am delighted to see that one of our first marketing activities is now up and running. Declan at Dundee United emails me over a photo to show that our advertising banner at Tannadice is now in place. As sponsors of the PFA Scotland, we felt it was important to show our support for the local football clubs by advertising with them both. I am hoping the photos from Dens will be available this week too in time for their game on Saturday.

After work I weigh up whether to go to the gym but instead, I decide to catch up with one of my friends for a nice long walk; we must be mad as its wild and cold outside. I try to encourage my daughter to come along too but she wisely declines. Still it’s all well needed steps for my activity tracking via the Vitality Healthcare app that we receive as part of our employee package. I end the day on 15,800 steps so a good result.

Friday

Well, I made it through the first full week back to work and to be honest I am still bursting with energy, its helped that it such a gorgeous sunny day.

I’ve no client meetings today but lots to organise so I set about finishing my file notes from yesterday’s meeting before catching up with my colleague Carolyne. We have a good chat about some of the centralised marketing initiatives that we have running and how we can look to replicate them here in the Dundee area.

I then arrange a catch up for next week with Kelly from Cash for Kids so we can look at further ways for Advanta to work and support his amazing charity.

It feels like I blink, and it is suddenly 12.30pm, the morning had passed in a blur of telephone and teams calls! Oops I forgot to bring lunch, bang goes the healthy eating as I make do with a cup of tea and two oat and raisin cookies, guessing these don’t count toward one of my 5 a day!

The afternoon I spent prepping for meetings next week. I spend time reviewing the performance of my clients’ investments ad considering any changes that we may need to make. I also need to check the results of their completed risk questionnaire so that I understand the results and I can help to explain these to my clients at our forthcoming meetings.

It 17.20 as I finish this paragraph, I think it’s now time to log out and get ready for my yoga class.

Saturday

Start the day with my Saturday trip to the Good Health & Fitness Bootcamp. I have been going to this gym for over eight years, a wonderful place but I swear these classes never get any easier!

Back home for a quick shower and change as I get ready for my date with Rege!

Sunday

Daydreaming over, I head over to my friends house to help them celebrate their daughters 21st birthday, Happy Birthday Zoe, I hope you had a wonderful day.