I'm super happy to be able to share this wild ride from being a newbie administrator to stepping into the role as a director and owner of this incredible company. A big shoutout to the amazing Samantha Bird for trusting me with writing this piece for you all. So, if you’re sitting comfortably, it’s time to begin!
First off, let's rewind to the days when I was the fresh-faced admin around here (2015). Coffee runs, document organizing, and mastering the art of the perfect email sign-off – I was the behind-the-scenes maestro along with my old teammate Lucy, making sure everything ran smoother than a freshly iced cake.
During my first 3 years I completed a Financial Planner Apprenticeship and exam’ed like no other (until Miss Turner came along) to receive my Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning. But I didn’t stop there! I had also taken it upon myself to learn how to use the Cashflow forecasting system (Voyant) while Casey was on holiday over the summer. Casey wanted to fully introduce this into our planning for all of you wonderful clients revolutionising the way we provided advice. The shock he had when he came back, and I was nearly a black belt in Voyant Mastery!
So, there I was in 2018, diploma qualified, black belt voyantist and newly promoted Paraplanner. The only logical step was to go for the Gold.
Chartered status here I come! But also, balancing studying for some super tough exams as well as planning a wedding and honeymoon, did mean I only set my sights on two of these exams for 2019. But that’s ok. 2020… nothing could stand in my way.
Oh, how fun is hindsight!
So, 2020 rolls around, and not only did we experience a PANDEMIC, but I also fell pregnant with my daughter Grace, and if you want to know how much of a crazy rollercoster my little firecracker was from day one… you can read my NICU Awareness blog here.
Returning to work was such a joy. I genuinely LOVE what we do and as fate would have it, Casey saw something in me – a spark, a glimmer of ‘Rockstar-level’ potential. So, upon my return he handed me responsibilities like hot potato’s. Little did I know, these challenges were my golden ticket to my dream role in this business.
I vividly remember so early on, various women in the industry chatting to me about something or another and then stopping to check on my age. Which seemed crazy to me. But I remember a few of them stopping and then all saying something along the lines of… “Wow you’re a woman and Director/Owner of a Financial Planning company, do you know statistically rare that is. And your only 26!”. It is so crazy to me that the numbers still aren’t in women’s favour, because I see so many strong, talented, leaders in in our space, who just so happen to be women. So, my experience of these numbers must be a little out of kilter.
This just made me want to keep going, I was so clearly on the right path. But everything was SO new to me. You know that feeling when you're thrust into the deep end of a pool, and you either learn to swim or invent a whole new underwater dance? Well, that was me. I swam, I floundered, I did a little synchronized swimming, and, spoiler alert, I made a splash.
I think most of the success I managed to have is because I recognised that leadership, wasn't about calling shots from an ivory tower. It was about being in the trenches with my teammates, understanding their battles, and celebrating victories together. I morphed from "Admin Extraordinaire" to Liv the Director. Supporting each other through stormy waters with corny jokes and reassurances, that we could achieve the most amazing things working together.
We hit 2023 with the team that I know will see us to the next phase in TFPs existence. All pitching innovative ideas, spearheading new projects, and turning the office into an amazing place to be – we embraced the chaos and turned it into a symphony of success.
Sure, there are challenges. It isn’t always rainbows and sunshine. But we face these challenges head-on, armed with a sense of humour and a resilience that could rival a superhero's origin story. From HR hiccups to budget acrobatics, I learned that every stumble was just the dip on the springboard to move forward stronger than before.
So, here I am, your friendly neighbourhood director/owner. The journey has been wild, filled with lessons, laughter, a few metaphorical cartwheels and maybe a few real-life acrobatics. I've gone from answering tea runs to crafting the company's future.
To all of you rockstars filled with passion, purpose and a hint of rebellion… my advice is this: embrace change, rise to the challenges, and turn every task into an opportunity. Life's too short for a boring 9-to-5 – make it a thrilling 24/7 adventure.
Here's to more TFP magic with a burst of energy and a dash of revolution, more victories, and a future so bright we need sunglasses even in the office.
Cheers to growth, leadership, and making every day at TFP feel like a dream! 🚀🌟✨