Another SJP Partner recommended the coaching they’d received from John Dashfield. The conversation inspired her to contact him and sign up for a 12-month programme of one-to-one coaching sessions.

During each one-hour session, John asked some very searching questions and challenged Annie’s way of thinking, making her ponder more deeply how she could provide a more client-centric proposition. She followed that up by enrolling in a group Client Engagement Masterclass with other St. James’s Place Partners.

As a result of the coaching, Annie has changed her whole approach to working with clients, improving existing relationships and acquiring new ones more easily. She has also designed a questionnaire which she sends to clients before meetings to get them thinking about what they want out of life.

“I have been in the industry for more than 35 years but have always felt dissatisfied with the transactional and product-driven nature of the job,” said Annie. “By the end of the coaching with John, I came out feeling empowered with a clear path forward.

“My love for the job has returned because I’m enjoying the interaction with my clients much more. Now, when people ask me what I do, I can proudly and confidently say I’m a client-centred financial planner, not just an adviser.”