Written by Macey Greenall, Financial Adviser at Key Financial Wealth Management Ltd
Joining the financial services industry can be a daunting prospect. With 1000s of advisors, all more experienced than you, feeling like an imposter is not only fair but common amongst those new to the business.
However, an efficient way to get your foot in the door and start building a reputation and client base is to specialise for a certain group or profession.
As a 22 years-old, here is what I’ve learnt in my first year of being a Financial Adviser specialising in the Football Industry.
1. The power of your why – establishing a great network
As cliché as it sounds, my why is what has got me in the door of every Football Club I’ve worked with so far. Having a passion and an authentic reason for doing what you do helps you shine. I have witnessed firsthand the highs and lows of the Football Industry and the huge mental pressures Professional Athletes face, as well as the physically demanding nature of the job. Although this industry is so incredibly rewarding, the slightly unspoken element of the pressures and anxieties players (and staff) face is huge. In an industry with so many factors that can often not be within your control, ensuring you are financially looked after during and after your career is a layer of pressure I aim to help peel off.
Having a specialism I’m passionate about has helped me expand my network rapidly, and my genuine interest in the industry has gained me brilliant referrals.
So if you’re looking to specialise, who can you help and why.
2. Becoming an expert in your field
Repetition of anything in life helps you improve rapidly, practice = perfect.
Working with groups of individuals who of course have bespoke needs, but face similar challenges in their careers, has enabled me to learn extremely quickly what works best. In football, a great career is to play until your 35 years old, which is significantly lower than the average career. Understanding concepts like this in great detail allows me to put myself in a players shoes (not literally) and consider their want for flexibility, ease of access and of course growth. By specialising I believe my tailored solutions have become far more slick.
3. Building confidence for your prospect clients
As mentioned above, by specialising you can become an expert in your field. From my experience this fills prospect clients with greater confidence in my abilities. Not many people want to be a guinea pig, of course you have to start somewhere, but having a solid reputation in the industry you wish to specialise in only fills prospects and referrals with greater confidence.
4. Expanding your wider network
From my experience of specialising in the Sports Industry I have been extremely fortunate to connect with other professionals in different industries who also specialise in the sports sector. From this I offer an all-round service to my clients, I of course offer the Wealth Management advice but I am connected with incredibly talented specialists in other areas that can be of great value to my clients. And on the flip side, other specialists can offer their clients my expertise in Wealth Management. This polishes up the overall service that I offer.
5. Energy is contagious
The last point is really beneficial for yourself, the people you work with and those around you in general. I am lucky enough to specialise in something that makes me genuinely excited to get out of bed and work. Being able to help people in an Industry I understand and am extremely passionate about not only makes my life better but also the people around me. Energy is contagious.
A common piece of feedback I have received from my clients, prospects and people I have spoken to is one thing for sure, and that is that they can see my eyes light up when I am working or talking about the importance of why I do what I do.
If you can specialise in an area/group of individuals you have a genuine interest in, the quality of your work is going to be better and there is going to be greater longevity in your relationships with the client.
Macey Greenall bio
Macey Greenall is a 22 years old that has been advising for the past year at Key Financial Wealth Management. She has worked in Financial Services since she was 19 and passed her Diploma Exams to become a Financial Adviser at 20 years old. Macey later went on to the St. James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy at age 21 to hone in on her Adviser skills.
She specialises in the Football Industry, and has an immense passion to help players navigate their times during and after football. she offers Financial Education to Football Clubs, offering support to the players and insight into how to safely invest and grow their money. Macey has built excellent relationships with Clubs ranging from the Premier League to League Two including Players and Staff.
Next month, Macey will be joining us on IFA Talk to discuss her success in giving advice to the football industry. In the meantime, catch up on all the latest episodes here...
