REBECCA ROBERTSON
DIRECTOR – EVOLUTION FOR WOMEN
Empowering and Encouraging Women in Finance: an interview with Rebbeca Roberston of evolutionforwomen.co.uk
As well as being a financial planner (non investment) and also the Director of the company, I have a team of financial advisers who specialise in a range of different areas from Will Writing, mortgage, insurance and investments. We provide a full holistic approach to financial planning, and we specialise in working with women, although not exclusively. We assist clients from all walks of life, we have no limitations or restrictions on the type of clients we can help. It is all about getting them to the best financial position they can be.
How did you get into this? Did you train straight out of school/Uni or was it a more roundabout journey?
I started in the industry as temporary staff in a bank aged 19. I worked my way up the ladder from cashier to adviser and independent broker, team leader and regional sales manager. In 2008 I was running an all-male team of brokers however due to the recession, I was made redundant at 14 weeks pregnant. In 2011 I started my own business to support more women becoming financial advisers.
Can you explain what a typical day for you might be?
I would have three typical days, office based: researching information or inputting clients information to providers. Client appointments: In clients homes discussing their needs. Speaking: at events, to groups or offices. The week is very varied and there is always so much to be doing.
What’s your experience from a women’s point of view. Would you say it is a good job for a woman?
I feel that being a financial adviser as a woman is an amazing career. It fits around my life and family perfectly! It’s a professional career as well as being flexible around clients and personal needs. I can work part time over the summer and Christmas time whilst still working. I can take my daughter to school and pick her up most days and often work from home without a nasty commute to an office.
What would your advice be to someone thinking of entering this profession?
Study and gain the qualifications as soon as possible before you start the job: they aren’t something you can just wing and you need to be in place to have the spare time to study. However I find also women thrive with ‘on the job’ learning so again having the time to work and study at the same time. It’s about take a step back before you have a family and think longer term.
Align yourself with professionals you admire and advisers who have the same ethics as you. If it doesn’t sit right or feel right then keep looking for the right firm to work with.
What’s your best financial advice for any woman?
Asses your spending, simple but true. You can’t grow your wealth and financial future when you have holes in your purse. We have a budget planner with video tool you can download from our website to help you with this.