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Emma is a paraplanner and the main research analyst at Barnaby Cecil. As you know, she’s also been an integral part of our success, and there wouldn’t be a Barnaby Cecil without her. But until now, she’s been much more ‘behind the scenes’. We thought it was time to put Emma into the spotlight so you can find out a bit more about her….

I’m sure you’re familiar with the Benjamin Franklin quote: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” But what about change? If this year has taught us anything it’s that change just as certain.

For the first time in eighteen months, I’m preparing to go on holiday with my family to a small seaside town in Wales called Tenby. In total, there will be 20 of us and it will be the first grand family outing for a long time. To say that my family and I, particularly my two boys, are excited would be an understatement.

Many people assume they’ll achieve financial peace once they’ve saved a year-long emergency fund, paid off their mortgage, or have £1m in their stocks and shares ISA. Yet anxiety about money can occur no matter how much of it you have.

What is a plan and why do we do it?‍Put simply, planning helps to identify your goals and we do it because it provides a way of achieving them.‍But a plan also enables us to adapt. Without a plan, there’s nothing to grab onto. A little like the Titanic, which famously had 20 lifeboats that could only accommodate 1,178 people, despite the fact that there were 2,208 on board.

I love the term ‘world class.’ Immediately I think of sporting superstars like Messi, Federer and McIlroy who all light up the world stage with unbeatable performances, each demonstrating exactly why they’re the cream of the crop.

Have you checked your portfolio recently? If so, you’re not alone if the sight of your investments’ performance ruined your day.

A few years ago, I got soaked in a downpour on my way to meet a client. I’d not bothered to bring an umbrella with me and arrived at the meeting bedraggled and wet...

In 2017 I read a book called ‘The 100 year Life’, by Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott. The book covers many fascinating themes, but the basic premise is that a child born 100 years ago (Captain Tom Moore, for example) had a 1% chance of living to 100. Whereas research predicts that 33% of children born today will live to be 100.