Why I Became a Financial Planner: From Squash Courts to Life's Biggest Decisions

I've been coaching since I was 16. Started with squash - teaching people how to hit a small rubber ball in a white box. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Just six shots to master. But what I discovered in those early years wasn't really about the shots at all.

It was about trust.

My students trusted me to make them better. They'd follow my suggestions, put in the work, and then something magical would happen - their shots would become effortless. They'd beat opponents they'd never beaten before. They'd light up with joy, and honestly, so would I. That shared happiness when someone achieves something they couldn't before - that's addictive.

When Coaching Became Too Easy

But here's the thing about squash coaching: after a while, it became too easy. Six shots. Similar problems. Same solutions. Every player, regardless of their level, faced variations of the same technical challenges. My own game was suffering because I was spending more time teaching than playing, and I could feel myself falling out of love with the sport I'd dedicated so much of my life to.

I've coached some remarkable players - someone who reached the world's top 60 as a junior, the over-75s world number one woman. The trust they placed in me, the transformations we achieved together - those moments still make me proud. But the intellectual challenge wasn't there anymore. Every problem had the same answer, just packaged slightly differently.

People kept telling me I should become a school teacher. "You're so good at explaining things," they'd say. "You have such patience." But the thought of managing 30 children in a classroom? That terrified me. I need to give my full attention, to truly help each person. With 30 screaming kids, I'd feel like I was failing them all, unable to give anyone the transformational support they deserved.

The Complexity That Drew Me In

Financial planning was different. Yes, people might have similar problems on the surface - retirement worries, protecting their families, managing inheritances. But the solutions? They're wildly different because everyone has their own relationship with money, their own definition of success, their own vision of what they want from life.

The intellectual challenge keeps me engaged. Every client is a unique puzzle where their values, fears, dreams and circumstances create a completely individual situation that needs a bespoke solution. I get bored when things become monotonous, and in financial planning, that simply never happens.

Making a Real Difference

Let me tell you about two moments that reminded me why I do this.

I had a client with more than enough money to retire, but they were paralysed by fear of taking the leap. Together, we created a plan - not just numbers on a spreadsheet, but a journey. They took a six-week sabbatical to New Zealand instead of their usual two weeks. Then dropped to four days a week, then three. By the end of this year, they'll be fully retired, having transitioned with confidence rather than terror.

Then there was the trustee who came to me in despair. Her sister, who had learning difficulties, knew about the trust funds and was acting out, trying to get her hands on the money. The trustee didn't know what she could or couldn't do, becoming a reluctant gatekeeper that was destroying their relationship. I explained the rules, created a clear plan, and helped her communicate with her sister about how the trust would work. Yes, I sorted the investments, but what really mattered? I helped repair a family relationship.

The Deeper Gift

My website talks about helping clients "sleep soundly at night," and that's exactly what this is about. Redbridge Financial Beyond the technical solutions, the cashflow models, the tax strategies - what I'm really giving people is peace of mind and reassurance that they're on the right track.

When someone trusts you with their financial future, they're not just handing over numbers and assets. They're sharing their deepest fears about running out of money, their dreams for their children, their worries about vulnerable family members. They're asking: "Am I going to be okay?"

And unlike squash, where improvement is visible in every shot, financial planning deals with decades-long horizons and life's biggest uncertainties. The trust required is immense. The impact is generational.

Why Financial Planning, Not Something Else

As I say on my website, my goal isn't to grow a massive financial firm but to work with a small number of individuals who share my family values. Redbridge Financial I want to know each client properly, understand their unique situation, and give them my full attention - just like I did with squash coaching, but with stakes that truly matter.

Financial planning combines everything I love: the intellectual challenge that keeps me engaged, the one-to-one relationships where I can make a real difference, the trust that develops over years, and most importantly, the ability to transform not just someone's financial position, but their entire outlook on life.

I don't want to manage 30 screaming kids in a classroom. I want to sit with individuals and families, understand their unique situations, and help them navigate some of life's most important decisions with confidence.

Every client teaches me something new. Every situation requires fresh thinking. And when someone tells me they're sleeping better at night, or that they finally took that dream trip, or that their vulnerable child's future is secure - well, that's the same joy I felt watching a squash student nail their first perfect drop shot, multiplied by a lifetime of impact.

That's why I became a financial planner. Not despite the complexity, but because of it. Not to serve hundreds inadequately, but to serve a select few exceptionally well. And definitely not because it's easy - but because when you get it right, you change lives in ways that truly matter.

If you'd like to discuss your financial planning needs and see if we're a good fit, I'm always happy to have an informal chat. As it says on my website, everything will be just between you and me - no judgment, just good, honest, professional advice. Redbridge Financial