Coinciding with International Women’s Day, Client Director Louise Higham speaks to the FT Insider and shares her journey as a Chartered Financial Planner and how her professional and personal experiences enhance her ability to engage with clients.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your journey before Frenkel Topping Limited? When did you become a financial adviser and what led into this part of the sector?
“I became a qualified advisor in 2007”, Louise explains, “and then I became chartered in 2013. At first, I was a generalist and gained experience in a range of areas of financial advice. I got the opportunity to start working with individuals who’ve sustained life-changing injuries about nine years ago, and I haven’t looked back. Supporting vulnerable individuals, and Deputies in the Court of Protection space is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.
“My family also have an intimate understanding of what it means to be vulnerable. Around 14 years ago, my husband was attacked during the Christmas period, which led to his sustaining a brain injury and needing metal plates in his jaw and lower back. Having lived that experience, it makes you realise how life can change in a split second. Nobody expects to be in a situation where an injury or illness can entirely change their lives and what this can mean.”
Q: How does it feel to be a senior female in what is traditionally viewed as a male-dominated sector?
“Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and I think the joy of our profession is that we can bring our unique personalities to work. Showing a little of your human side goes a long way to building a rapport with clients.
“I used to feel as though I had to be a very strong person, that I had to dominate the room and lean into masculine energy. That isn’t who I am as a person and over the last five years, I’ve reframed that narrative. I see my strength as empathy; empathy is my superpower and I’m so happy I can bring that to the client experience.
Q: Can you share a little more about how your personal experiences have impacted how you work with clients?
“I think the two most important things that my family’s journey has shown me are the learning curve such an injury has, and how important it is to enjoy life’s positives. When the attack happened, at first we didn’t realise the extent of the injury or the impact it would have on my husband’s mental health. This is something a lot of my clients struggle with too, and I can be there with them on that journey.
“I became pregnant in 2014 and it was the best of times and the worst of times. We were still coming to terms with what had happened, but our son helped us to rebuild everything. He was (and still is) our shining light. In the last six years, we’ve become happier and more settled than ever before. We have a slightly different life than the one we’d planned for when we first met, but we have a wonderful life. I’m proud of that life and I’m very pleased to be able to show clients what we did as a family and what the future can look like for them.
“When I work with clients post-settlement, I sit down with them and ask them what they really want, what they know would bring them joy and I’ll do my best to make the money work to get it. The claims process is overwhelming and at the end, you want to feel as though you can draw a line under it and move on. I find it such an important part of the journey to use some of the settlement to provide clients with a moment of happiness, a moment of pause.”
Q: When have you seen first-hand, how your work has truly made a difference?
“I am inspired by the clients I work with and the incredible strength and positivity many of them have. Although I feel as though I’ve made a difference for a great number of my clients, a specific example springs to mind of a particular client and her family. This client had quite severe CP connected to complications at birth. She’s wheelchair dependant and lives with her parents and brother. The family have always loved walking, and there is a particular walk in the Lake District they love, with caves at the end. Our client had never been able to reach those caves in the chair she had; she would always need to wait with one of her parents part way, whilst the other parent and her brother completed the walk. One day, when she was around 14, she was loaned a wheelchair that was able to manage the terrain to get her to the caves and it was a transformative experience.
“Mum called me after the trip and asked whether it would be possible to purchase one outright using the funds we had. The chair was in the region of £60,000. An expensive chair, but one we knew would make the world of difference. I analysed cashflow and found a way for us to handle the unplanned expense. The chair has had a transformative effect and on subsequent client visits, I’ve seen just how happy it’s made her and her family. It’s proper proof that I’ve been able to make a difference and that brings me so much joy.”
Q: What is it about working at Frenkel Topping that you particularly love?
“There is so much experience and expertise at Frenkel Topping. The fact that we have a range of incredible teams that can bolster a client’s experience is huge for me. I love working with the Welfare Benefits and PI Trusts teams – they’re incredibly talented and it really feels as though they, and so by extension we as a team, can help our clients with those services. I also love the pre-settlement experience we can offer; quantifying losses and really maximising opportunities for our clients is a proper value add.
“It’s also provided me with some brilliant opportunities to get even further involved in the industry. For example, I was part of a panel at Frenkel Topping’s 2024 Deputy Day, talking about tax matters and how we can keep more money in client pockets. We had great engagement from the audience and for me it just reinforced how important this event is for focussing minds of Deputies and helping them to get the best for their clients.”
Q: Finally, what advice would you give potential clients seeking financial advice?
“Firstly, I’d remind everyone that overwhelm is real. Most people have never had money to invest and it can lead to feeling overphased. I believe it’s very important to handhold clients as they acclimatise; they’re also dealing with the end of their case.
“I’d always tell people to take a breather, to make sure they’re comfortable and that the advice they’re receiving fits their life and their needs. That’s why a life after settlement meeting and cashflow analysis is so important. You need to have an understanding of how your financial decisions will impact the rest of your life and not rush into anything. A good financial planner will make sure you are comfortable and help you to look to the future.”
