How did that happen?
It only seems like a few weeks ago that we were contemplating a fresh new vision for financial planning advice and making our plans for the future.
We remember well the fun we had in choosing our name (See blog “Why we called ourselves Magenta”) and conversely, the compliance hoops we had to jump through, to become a regulated company.
The first 4 years have been delightful – we have continued to care for our wonderful, loyal, longstanding clients while also acquiring some lovely new ones. We have won numerous awards and been judged by our peers as outstanding in our field. We have trained and nurtured new staff members – some to stay in our nest and others to fly away to bigger opportunities.
We have also developed our skills, not just in helping clients pursue their passions, but also in learning about what might hold them back from living their best lives – the psychology of how different people behave around money, remains a fascinating and intriguing subject for us and helps us understand our clients much better.
News
You may already know that our happy, positive and energetic CEO has decided to take a step back from client work after an impressive 34 years and make a gradual move into a retirement which she hopes will be as fulfilling, joyful and fun, as the post working lives of most of our clients.
We have always talked to clients about planning a secure and happy future, enabling them to make the most of their time on this planet.
For many people, the lockdown due to Coronavirus has made them think harder about what matters to them most and how they want to spend their time in the future.
This has definitely been true for Julie who is now going to be “walking the talk” and leading by example! The 3 biggest items on her bucket list for 2020/21 are to finish building her retirement home in the lovely Welsh countryside; to get married to her fiancé Bob and to take a long trip to Chile and Argentina (COVID 19 permitting) to practice her recently learnt Spanish!
She will still be a Magenta shareholder and be usefully employed writing our marketing and social media content for the foreseeable future. So she won’t be disappearing completely if you would like to talk to her socially, but will be unable to provide regulated, technical financial advice.
The Future
So as we move into our fifth year we are excited about our future and the new opportunities and challenges we will face.
Opportunities in the form of new people, different resources, unique skills, and innovative ideas, together with existing and new clients whose lives we continue to help change for the better.
Challenges in the form of improving client care and efficiency; offering unique services; marketing our service; maintaining our skills; remaining compliant with current legislation; paying for the poor advice of others via the Financial Services Compensation Scheme; paying significant fees to our Regulator – all the while keeping our fees as low and our value as high, as possible.
Gretchen and the planning team continue to embrace new technologies that make us more efficient and keep our clients safe from scams and fraud. This way we can spend more time talking to clients about the things that really matter in their lives and not just focusing on their money.
If you would like to join us at Magenta for the exciting future ahead, whether as a new client looking to plan a happy and fulfilling future life, or as a member of our planning team to expand your horizons, do call us for a friendly chat on 01656 760670. Or email hello@magentafp.com