Navigating whatever life throws at you

Kay Skelton believes in the power of building strong professional relationships. She founded KS Advisory, her successful, post-Covid business, on doing exactly that.

“I describe myself as a ‘client whisperer’,” she explains. “I help busy business owners look after their most valuable asset – their clients. Good client relationships are pivotal to any business. During the pandemic, my business-networking job disappeared overnight. I had to rethink my future.

“I spotted a niche in client management – and built my business around the principle that great relationships matter.”

Nonetheless, it was a daunting time to go solo. “I was very lucky, because I’d also bought my dad’s bookbinding business back in 2010, after working there for 14 years,” she explains. “I ran that for six more years before selling up in 2016, but I kept the building and rented the units as industrial lets.”

This gave Kay a reliable and regular income to balance the variable cash flow of self-employment.

Being prepared for a change in direction

In 2023, something did indeed change. Kay and her partner decided to separate, and she and her daughter are moving out of the family home. Having a financial adviser who could empathise with her situation as well as provide practical support was key.

“Now I’m a single parent, I run ideas past Trevor,” she says. “It’s been good to have someone whose opinion I trust to bounce ideas off. He’s my sounding board – helping me find a mortgage and visualise what my finances will look like going forward.”

Trevor is someone Kay feels she can turn to, whatever lies ahead. “I’m taking each day as it comes,” she says. “Moving is stressful, and each week is completely different to the next. Trevor never knows what I’ll be asking for his advice on next, but I know I can have regular conversations as often as I need.”

Trevor describes their relationship as a series of “little nudges” – presenting choices, offering options and challenging some actions. “Kay really listens and takes on board what I suggest,” he says. “We have a great relationship. She values what I do and understands it.”

“Trevor tells me it ‘like it is’, which I really like,” says Kay. “He’ll be quite frank with me if I’m thinking of making an unwise decision. And most of the time, I bow to his knowledge – he’s the expert. He’s always there when I need him. It’s a friendship as well as a professional relationship.”

Despite the upheaval she’s currently living through, Kay says she feels confident about what lies ahead. “My pensions are doing well, and Trevor’s shown me that when I do eventually retire, there will be plenty of money – and I’m reassured that the two of us will still be in contact regularly.

“I believe everybody should speak to a financial adviser, whether they choose to take their advice or not.”

This is just one client’s story and each situation is unique. The advice given to Kay was provided after a full evaluation of specific needs, circumstances and requirements, and was correct at the time it was given. The solutions provided may not be suitable for everyone, and the information provided here does not constitute advice.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.