Ben:

We had a vision of what WKM would look like when we agreed to set up the business and the reality has been better than we could have dreamt of. I had trust in my co-founders that their expertise, attitude, and integrity would create a great business and provide services to clients that would help them achieve their goals and enjoy their lives. One aspect that has been especially pleasing is that we now have a team that possess the same expertise, attitude and integrity that creates a culture that is aligned.

When we started, we said that ‘we want to be part of a business that we are proud of’ and whilst the first three years hasn’t been easy and uniformly positive, I am proud of what the business looks like and that we continue to aim to do the right thing, in the right way for the right reasons for our clients. I am responsible for investment management, which is a humbling and emotional career and is why the culture and team are so important. We have learnt a lot since we started and appreciate that nothing is perfect so will continue to learn and improve our processes and services, which is why I am so excited about the next three years and beyond for WKM and our clients.

From my personal perspective, WKM helped me enormously through the pandemic. It was tough for everyone over that period, not being allowed to do things that we took for granted, such as seeing friends and family and enjoying our hobbies. Having a positive focus on our new business was a huge benefit for me from a mental health perspective.

Neil:

Time flies when you’re having fun, so goes the phrase. Time really has flown since we launched WKM in April 2020 and it’s been a real pleasure to be part of that journey.

Highlights within the business must include the welcoming of our team members, having grown to a team of 8, and the successful implementation of our first Appointed Representative. These are notable as they were not part of our original business plan (at least to this scale) and it’s testament to the work and experience our team has, that we’ve embraced change and development.

Personally, there’s been huge change throughout this journey too, as both of my children are now at school and we’re in the midst of moving house for the 2^nd time in 2 years! Hopefully we’ve now found ‘the one’. This has all been possible due to the team and business we’ve built at WKM, as well as family support and of course, our wonderful clients that without, we’d have no business.

Ade:

The past three years have again gone by so fast, but I believe we have achieved so much to match. It is with pride I see so many clients embracing their financial planning and retiring earlier in the knowledge that their accumulated capital will serve them well in retirement.

Our team at WKM is at the heart of all we do, and it is in them we trust to look after our clients during what can be their most vulnerable times. Doing the simple things right such as prompt communication and hard work to ensure deadlines are met are the bedrock of our financial planning and investment management.

Without clients we would not have a business and it is to our clients we are incredibly thankful as it is with their support and recommendations that we have been able to navigate difficult times with pandemics, war, double digit inflation and aggressive interest rate policies.

Dan:

We are now at the three-year mark and the business is in great shape!

WKM is very much a business created for our clients and focussed on achieving their ambitions. Our clients have allowed us to create and grow a business the way we want enabled through the trust they place in us. We value this hugely and it is a privilege to be part of both our journey and theirs.

As we mark our three-year WKM anniversary it is fair to say that we all bring vast experience to the party, which hopefully shows in both the large and small decisions that are made. Working with a team of talented people focussed on the same shared goals is amazing and a joy to be part of. Even as we celebrate three years there is so much more to look forward as we progress further. New additions to the WKM team this year have elevated what we can achieve even further and most importantly the service we can provide.

Loz:

I was WKM’s first employee back in September 2020. It was amazing to join the business at a point where they could see their growth happening at such an early point. My first day was when we moved into our new office space, so the excitement was palpable. As much as I loved being a team of 5 at that point, my favourite milestones have been related to new people joining us to grow the business further. We are now a fantastic team of 8, soon to be 9, and we all add something unique to the team!

Personally (but also work related) I have studied again for the first time since university and have taken a couple of exams to enhance my understanding of the financial services industry. I have been really proud of myself as this is not something I thought I could achieve. My confidence has grown and that is priceless to me.

Ben Toms:

Having only joined WKM in January of 2022, it’s a brilliant sign for the business when I say that I have been involved in many milestones already. My favourite being celebrating the end of very successful 2022 with a Christmas do. Not only did we jump into the world of technology with a visit to the RoamDome for a pretty impressive VR experience (with some ‘friendly’ competitive nature involved!), but we also looked back on what had been an amazing year for WKM and alongside that, obviously had a good laugh and some drinks to enhance the experience.

As for myself, after a bumpy journey with solicitors and estate agents, my girlfriend and I moved into our first house in November. A stressful and busy end to the year with juggling a holiday to Nepal, to then coming back home and making final preparations before the move in date. All that said, the excitement not only to be able to travel and visit the Himalayas but to come back and start the next chapter in my life made the end of 2022 a very special time with family and friends. I am now well and truly an adult with responsibilities!

Lucy:

I am WKM’s newest employee and it has already been an amazing experience. The team is full of great people and I have been welcomed with open arms. Between them, they have an infinite amount of knowledge which they are more than happy to teach me, so this has been a brilliant learning experience for me. We recently celebrated the business’ 3^rd birthday which was a great time for me to join in on the reflection of the past three years and how far the business has come.

My own personal biggest milestone is buying my first house which finally completed after a long battle with solicitors and estate agents at the end of last year. I have spent the last few months decorating and furnishing it and even though it is still not completely done, it definitely feels like a home now. I have loved living on my own although having to do my own cooking and cleaning has been a bit of a shock to the system!

Tim:

Whilst WKM is 3 years old the concept of the business has been around for so much longer. I have worked with Ben and Ade on and off since 2004 and we always ‘tongue in check’ joked about ‘doing it ourselves’. Little did we know that WKM would exist and would have provided such enjoyment to all of us since April 2020.

If I look back to those early discussions about when WKM would look like it is so great to see that the culture and values of the business remain as they were at the inception. Bringing on really exciting new staff has been great and one of the best highlights has been how easy it is to work with everyone involved in the business (staff and clients!) and the fun we have inside and outside of work.

Personally, lockdown was very tough. We had three young children and two jobs to juggle, and I don’t think I would have come through it as easily if WKM didn’t exist. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store and we will continue to discuss new and fun ways of making the financial planning journey as enjoyable as possible for all involved.