This year marks our 21st anniversary of providing advice to our local community and beyond.
What have we learnt during the last 21 years? Very little remains still in the world of financial services, however, reliable, consistent advice is invaluable in navigating a way through choppy financial waters. The ability of Hearnden Associates to provide this lies not only in the high level of qualifications obtained by our advisers and quality of advice this allows us to deliver, but also in the attitude and loyalty of our team members who support this.
Since early 2000, when we were first established, the principle of aiming to provide the same level of service we would personally hope to receive has run through the core of our business. During the last 21 years, this ethos has been embraced by all our staff and everyone in our team understands and values the same aim.
We understood early that all manner of skill-sets and an attitude for doing the right thing were, and continue to be, right on our doorstep. We are proud that all our team members have been recruited locally and most have a quick stroll to the office. We have always had an open mind when recruiting, prioritising an approach to work and care for our clients, above an extensive CV. We strive to reciprocate the care they show to our clients by providing a flexible and supportive working environment. For the parents among us, we know there is always an Easter parade, Christmas nativity, sports day or assembly to go to!
This rounded approach has helped us retain and grow our business. Our first part-time administrators were Alison and Emma, new mums in Lingfield with no finance experience, looking for flexibility to help juggle work with raising children. Fast forward 21 years and Alison is an experienced and valuable part of our investments and pension administration team and her daughter, Brittany, is now with us and training to be a financial adviser. Emma became our practice manager and has specialised in will writing, probate and compliance.
As our numbers of clients have grown we have recruited and expanded with a wide range of new team members; some with degrees in Economics (Chris, Brittany and Ethan) and some with experience in less finance orientated roles such as Lizzie who was a manager of a local coffee shop, Libby who worked for a debt purchase and collection company and Harry who asked us for a work experience opportunity six years ago and is now, after completing our apprenticeship scheme, one of the youngest Charted Financial Planners in the country.
We believe our team has underpinned the success and growth of Hearnden Associates with most of our new clients recommended by family and friends. Whilst celebrating, we cannot underestimate the support and goodwill of all our clients. It is a pleasure to work with them, from first time buyers to retirees, helping multiple generations of families. We love our jobs because of our clients and our team members and hope to celebrate with you later this year.
