Julia

My name is Julia, and I’ve worked with Mark and 3-S for about 20 years.

When I first met Mark, my husband had just died, leaving me with two children aged 11 and 15. I didn’t have much clarity about his estate, finances, pensions, or anything else. I’d come to the conclusion that while I’d worked happily for 20 years in an amazing organisation, of which I was the chief executive, I probably needed to move on. So, I needed to think about my financial package, my pension, my insurance – the whole caboodle, really.

Mark and 3-S started by helping me to see the path that I needed to take to get myself and my daughters into some financial sustainability. They’ve been incredible and set small steps that led us into a successful financial arrangement with a good pension. They always went the extra mile to sort out for me what I should do, how I should manage my money, and what I should invest. In recent years, we’ve developed a very supportive and regular relationship without the challenges that I had previously.

I think the great thing about Mark and 3-S is that they’re always available, they’re very efficient, and they ring back at once and always respond to texts or emails. I live a very busy life, with a lot of professional commitments, but I know that I’ve only got to send Mark a text saying, “I don’t understand what has come through from this,” or “Was this result that we expected?” and I’ll receive immensely supportive, professional, and engaged replies. You feel that you’ve got somebody standing by your side.

I think the three words I’d use to describe Mark are: supportive, interested, and highly professional.

When I look back at those times, 20 years ago, I had no clue how I was going to be able to fund myself in the future. Thanks to Mark, the changes that have been wrought in my financial sustainability have been extraordinary. I am so grateful for the person who said to me, “Oh, you should talk to 3-S and Mark, they’re rather good.” They’ve been tremendously supportive and helpful, during what began as very tough situation, but now I can see that the decisions taken in those early days have reaped the benefits.

The best thing about working with Mark is that you feel you’ve got somebody who’s really got your back. Mark is so efficient, knowledgeable, and prepared to look into alternative ventures. When I say, “Look, I really think it’s important only to invest in things which are environmentally sustainable,” he says, “Absolutely, let’s look at the following three options.” He’s not only professionally knowledgeable, but, personally, he’s a great support.

I would recommend Mark to friends and family, and anyone looking for a professional adviser who doesn’t attempt to sell you things you didn’t need, but really takes the time to understand your situation, aspirations, and the challenges and circumstances you face. He takes a real interest in life planning – where you are now and where you want to be – and is a thoroughly professional, efficient, and supportive adviser.