Most financial careers begin with a spreadsheet. Mine began in a hallway in North Cornwall.
When my family moved from Bolton to Cornwall when I was a teenager to open a Bed & Breakfast in Tintagel, I didn’t just move house; it’s almost as if I entered an apprenticeship in human nature. You see, service is in my blood. My parents actually met in the Scafell Hotel in Borrowdale (in the Lake District) – my father (a chef) and my mother (a front-of-house specialist) seemed destined to build a life around looking after others.
I loved that hallway; thousands of people passed through it from all corners of the globe. Looking back, it was quite an unusual thing to share a house with 20 or more strangers, but the truth is, most of them became friends in the end.
By the time I left school, I wasn't looking for a ‘job’, nor was I looking for higher education – I was looking to master the art of the relationship.
Realising my parents weren't paying the most competitive of wages at their guest house, I followed in my father's footsteps and took a job in the kitchen at The Port William in Trebarwith Strand. However, I soon found that I preferred the energy of the bar over the confinement of the kitchen. Within a few months, I transitioned to a front-of-house role where I could engage directly with customers.
One night, I was on a split shift and heading down to the pub for a late shift when someone smashed into my car and wrote it off. Don’t worry, I was absolutely fine. But after turning up for work 30 minutes late and my boss giving me an earful about being late in front of hundreds of punters, a chap sitting at the bar offered me a job supplying luxury holiday homes. Not because he felt sorry for me, but for how I was able to manage the situation: I had nearly died but still managed to turn up for work. He was also impressed by how I dealt with my boss who, despite knowing I was in a road traffic accident, still felt it was prudent to have a pop at me for being late! It was quite an intense ‘sliding doors’ moment, but a sliding doors moment nonetheless.
By that point, I had a deep-rooted passion for the South West, so the job of selling beautiful lodges overlooking the North Atlantic came quite easy to me!
After a few years, I’d built a solid foundation in hospitality and lifestyle businesses, so when the chance arose to manage a vibrant new Farm Shop and Restaurant, it felt like the natural next step. While the establishment became – and remains – a massive success, my time there led to an important realisation. As I forged my career in the South West, I found that every skill I’d curated was actually pointing me toward one specific destination: finance.
"As I forged my career in the South West, I found that every skill I’d curated was actually pointing me toward one specific destination: finance."
My entry into the finance industry was somewhat of a baptism of fire, primarily working with families in mortgage arrears. I learned very quickly that finance is often one of the most personal, intrusive and emotional parts of a person’s life. This is the same at all ends of the spectrum – for those who have lots of money, just enough money or not enough money, the level of care and due diligence, empathy and anxiety remains the same.
I joined Goodmans Financial Planning with a simple mission: to bring my hospitality heart and heritage to wealth management. As I approach a decade at Goodmans, I’m very proud to step into the role of Director.
For me, this Director appointment isn't about a title change, it’s a statement of intent for our Exeter office. It’s a promise to our clients that we aren't just technical experts, we’re people who serve people and care about their and their family’s futures.
"For me, this Director appointment isn't about a title change… it’s a promise to our clients that we aren't just technical experts, we’re people who serve people and care about their and their family’s futures."
The weight of this responsibility became deeply personal in 2022. My father, a man who defined hard work, retired with a lifetime of plans ahead of him. Two weeks later, he was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away within 18 months.
That experience fundamentally changed how I view financial planning. We aren't just moving numbers around a page; we are attempting to protect time and build opportunities through lifelong relationships. We are ensuring that when life takes an unexpected turn, the foundation doesn't crumble.
As I lead Goodmans into this next chapter, my focus remains exactly where it was in that Cornish hallway all those years ago, on the people in front of me.
"As I lead Goodmans into this next chapter, my focus remains exactly where it was in that Cornish hallway all those years ago, on the people in front of me."
Read more about Sam becoming a Goodmans Director here