Sheron: Advice at key crossroads in life

My relationship with Raj began when I needed some advice on a mortgage. Raj was recommended to me by a friend who worked in finance as a broker. I trusted his opinion and thought Raj must really know his stuff if this particular friend was recommending him.

My daughters and I moved near to Lutterworth to a little two-up-two-down not long after my marriage broke down. Our dream was always to move to one of the bigger houses at the other end of the road, overlooking the golf course After living there for a number of years, one of those houses came up for sale at just the right time and Raj made it possible. We were able to rent out the original property and keep as a future investment.

I normally go and see Raj when I’m at a key crossroads in my life. He’s helped me to achieve major aspirations as my life has progressed. I’ll set myself goals, things I think “it would be amazing to do that”, and Raj is always the person I contact to make that happen.

The process Raj takes you through is a bit like an interview or personal and financial due diligence! There was a series of thought-provoking questions and from that we set personal goals that I wanted to achieve based on my idea of living my best life, along with what “happy” looks like to me. I set the initial goals with Raj and then, when we reviewed them a couple of years later, without realising it, I’d achieved them all.

Life changes so fast. It’s good to sit down once in a while, review where you are and think about where you want to be.

Three years ago I had been through a tough time personally as well as professionally and needed to make changes. Raj was there to mentor me and advise me what was possible to make the changes that were needed. It was almost like starting again with my life, putting the previous five years behind me and rebuilding my life which involved another house move to my forever home.

Raj has a very high emotional intelligence as well as high intellect which, in my experience, is very rare. Often, finance people have a brain that’s good with numbers, but they fall down when it comes to being good with people. Raj taps into your psyche and understands how you work very quickly. He knows me and I know I can phone him whenever I need someone to listen and give me advice. It’s more than just financial advice that you get from Raj.

My dad passed away suddenly in January. His death has caused many financial questions and unfortunately as often happens, family breakdown. On Raj’s advice, we’ve set up mediation and finding the right solutions.

Raj is a business acquaintance really but he’s more than that: he’s a friend. With money it’s hard to feel you can completely trust someone, but Raj absolutely knows his stuff so the trust is there.

At the beginning of this year, I fulfilled another goal and purchased a little bolthole in Norfolk.  There were so many hurdles to get over. Getting finance wasn’t easy: it was lockdown, no-one knew what the future would look like and we’ve had to completely renovate the cottage. But Raj was there again, enabling me to get my dream cottage. And now, it’s without question my happy place.

Whatever challenge I throw at Raj, he pulls all the stops out. He’s 100% succeeded and more in everything I’ve ever asked of him.