Spotlight Series- John Bell

Talk us through your career to date.

After University, I was accepted into a programme designed to introduce newcomers to the investment world. I completed it just after the dot-com market crash when the sponsoring firms decided to tighten their belts and freeze graduate recruitment.

Meantime I banked some experience wherever I could by working in finance departments at the NHS, and then a private school. I eventually moved to HSBC Trustee and Depositary services, who help to safeguard investment funds. I really enjoyed the role, but I couldn’t help but feel very far removed from the people investing their money.

I remembered reading an article about Independent Financial Advice when applying for my student loan years earlier and decided to try something different. Seventeen years later, I’m still at Carbon and looking back it feels very much like I was in the right place at the right time.

Tell us about your role and Carbon and why you wanted to work for the business?

I’m a financial planner and technical director which means there’s a side of my role that lets me research the complexities of investments, tax strategies and pensions. Basically, I try to understand what’s happening in the financial world and how our clients can benefit from it.

I also get to put our research into practice and help clients use their finances to improve their quality of life.

In all honesty, I knew almost nothing about Carbon when I joined but after seeing how they looked after clients and supported their people, I quickly realised there was nowhere else I wanted to work.

What is it about your role that excites and inspires you?

Without doubt, the best part of the job is helping people do more with and feel better about their money. It’s sometimes about removing the stress money can bring or supporting someone through a pivotal moment. There are also times when we help people give themselves permission to have more fun and do things they didn’t know were possible.

The ’technical’ side of my role means no two days will ever be the same and there will always be more to learn. I love understanding how things work then trying to explain it in a way people can relate to. It makes me very happy when I see someone join the dots for the first time.

From your perspective, what are the key financial issues to be aware of over the next few years?

I often read reports on socio-economic trends and the direction of government policy but in my experience, humans are not very good at predicting the future!

One trend we do seem to be stuck with is people are increasingly being asked to take charge of their own finances. Workplace pensions are more complex and less generous, while the government struggles to raise the funds for an ageing population.

This means there is probably the greatest opportunity there has ever been for people to improve their own well-being in the long-run.

What is the most important piece of advice you give to your clients?

Take some time to notice the things that make you happy. If you can connect a real purpose to your money, it will work harder for you, and you’ll spend it on the things that make a real difference.