Peter & Joanne

I first met Tony ten years ago. I had semi-retired and was working on a part-time basis at the time. I had previously run my own business and then sold it and so I was contemplating how and when to retire.

Building the business up was hard work. It had been a bumpy ride but was ultimately very successful. When you’ve worked hard for your money, you don’t want to make a mistake with who you choose to look after it. Getting the trust element right was huge.

With Tony, you really feel like he’s driven by your interests and not his own. Tony will even make a suggestion which means his business loses out a bit sometimes. The sense that we have got someone we can really trust is double-underlined every time he does something like that. His integrity, it’s 100%.

I finished as a Director in 2011. I’d worked incredibly hard to turn the business into a success but I wanted to enjoy my life. We worked out a plan where I worked part-time for 6 years and then, in 2017, I retired completely. I feel very privileged that I’ve been able to do that. Retirement suits me. It doesn’t suit some people but it’s what I was working towards.

There were two or three light bulb moments when we were going through the financial planning with Tony; a few things he flagged up which I’d have missed on my own. They were big picture things that would have put a considerable dent in our finances if we hadn’t factored them in. That’s what you get from working with a professional.

Having that strategic advice was really important to us both. I’ve also gained so much peace of mind from knowing that if something happened to me, my wife will have someone helping her with the financial aspects of life who she is able to trust – that’s huge.

Tony’s got a lovely manner. You always feel he’s got time for you. I was an engineer so I’m a planner and Tony is too so we worked well together. He knows his stuff, he’s thoughtful, he’s very considered in the way he tackles things and the advice he gives. And you always, always feel like he’s putting your interests first.