Eastern Bank’s Post

Why I chose to work for Croft and Oakes. 1) Independent 2)Local Company with a main office centrally located. 3)Business with a team to ensure clients get what they need. 4)But not so big clients become a statistic. 5)Chartered status recognising the breadth and depth of experience and the high standard of care we give to clients. Making the career change into financial planning from teaching felt a bit like a minefield to start with. So many academies offered me places on their schemes promising me the earth. I started researching and realised that I wanted to work for an Independent Financial planning company so that we truly are working for the client and able to recommend whatever is most suitable for them. I knew that although working from home sounded great the reality was that I wouldn’t have a support network around me to bounce ideas off and easily discuss how we could best support our clients. I wanted an office base. I also knew that I didn’t want it to just be me running the business alone. Perhaps selfishly I wanted to know that when I was on holiday other people could hold the forte but equally from a client point of view they could take comfort knowing that should anything happen to me there was a team who knew about their situation to carry on and look after them. On the opposite end of the scale however I didn’t want to work for a huge organisation where I might just end up being a number and the same could happen to a client. I wanted to know the people I worked with and them to know me and the same to be said for the clients we have in our care. And then I learnt about being able to have Chartered status, the gold standard in Financial planning. To be given a role in a company with this accolade was something I could only hope to achieve. The breadth and depth of knowledge you have within the company to get chartered status is significant and the knowledge has to be maintained. Lucky for me, just as I chose Croft and Oakes, they also chose me. I couldn’t be happier or prouder to be part of their team supporting clients and making a difference to their lives.

🤥 CASE STUDY 🕵♀️ : Here's how our #CFO partner, Jim D., helped a company recover from external fraud. 📉 😠 Our client’s business was seeing rapid growth, but after suffering the results of external fraud, margins started to deteriorate, and a private lender was dissatisfied. 🤗 👨💼 Jim D. stepped in as a part-time strategic CFO, providing #strategic advice and the oversight of #finance and #accounting activities. 📈 He successfully improved the client’s financial performance and lender relationships. 🏬 He creatively working with senior management to develop and price new products and manage its sales channels to improve margins and overall business. 📊 He worked with the private lender and CEO to revamp budgets and forecasts and establish operational KPIs and contingency plans. 🙌 🌟 As a result of working with The Florida CFO Group, the organization better understood their financial performance and steps needed for improvement. Jim worked with the CEO and lender through a complex exit transaction after these improvements were attained. https://lnkd.in/eKRS_wTy Reach out to Jim here: https://lnkd.in/e2TWHK_t

Here's a case study in turnaround success. The cause can be anything from competitive environment changes to capital issues to product challenges. The key is understanding the root cause and taking meaningful, timely steps to offset the damage and recover economic vitality and shareholder value. Reach out to me if I can help.

Meet Our Leadership Team: CFO and Co-Founder 👤 Arijeet Gandhi  📌 Role: Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Co-Founder 🏢 Company: The Insurance Bar 🔍 About Arijeet Gandhi: Arijeet is a seasoned Chartered Accountant (CA) with a rich background in fintech and insurance. His expertise is not confined to the numbers; it extends to a deep understanding of Insurance and insurance products. Before co-founding The Insurance Bar, Arijeet honed his skills in a leading Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), where he played a pivotal role in financial planning and strategy. His passion for financial empowerment is evident in every initiative he leads, ensuring that our clients are not just insured, but also informed and financially savvy. 📈 Roles & Responsibilities: Strategic Financial Planning: Crafting long-term financial strategies that align with The Insurance Bar’s mission and growth objectives. Risk Management: Implementing robust risk management frameworks to safeguard the company’s assets and ensure financial stability. Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring adherence to financial regulations and standards, maintaining the company’s reputation for integrity. Arijeet’s blend of strategic vision and practical expertise makes him a cornerstone of The Insurance Bar’s success. His leadership not only drives financial excellence but also fosters a culture of informed decision-making and client-centric innovation. 🙌 Join Us on Our Journey: At The Insurance Bar, we’re not just about Work & Dollars; we’re about people. Follow our page for updates, thought leadership, and more! #Insurance #InsurTech #Leadership #Innovation

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞. ✅ I took the bold step! ✅ I pursued a different path! ✅ I challenged myself out of my comfort zone! Three years ago, I made the bold decision to leave my high-flyer corporate role to become a self-employed independent financial advisory representative. As a chartered accountant, l don’t take risks blindly, l always take 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬 . Likewise this bold decision wasn't a decision I took lightly. Fear of failure, fear of not living up to my own expectations were how l felt back then. 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥. ☑️ Let go of the past, I no longer care about prestigious business titles because I have long ticked that box, and time to move on! ☑️ Trust in myself that there will be potential personal and professional growth and endless possibilities that await me in my new world of financial consulting. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬? I took time to assess my unique selling proposition (USP) and today’s consumer gaps in the financial advisory space. Here’s what l concluded: 🔔 My USP: Having a financial adviser with a chartered accountancy background coupled with decades of business insights and financial expertise would be a refreshing change to this industry! Some of my clients used to say: 𝐼𝑓 𝐿𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖-𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑏𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 an MNC, ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑙 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑚𝑦 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑦. I am grateful for this vote of confidence 🙇♀️ 🔔 Gap in Consumer Needs: 🔸 Time Management for Professionals: As someone who spent years in the corporate world, I know firsthand how precious time is. Many busy professionals especially senior management simply don't have the time to focus on their financial planning. They need someone like me who understands their journey—someone who’s been there. 🔸 Expertise for #SME Business Owners: They need someone like me who speaks their business lingo - someone who has managed real world financial and business risks to guide them in their personal and business financial planning. 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🟤🔶 This journey has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve had the chance to work closely with clients, really getting to know their unique needs, and providing tailored financial advice that makes a difference. Courage is essential for growth. Great things never came from staying in your comfort zone. How has courage played a role in your career or in your life? Would love to hear your stories. Connect with me: I am Lily Fung #ChooseIndependent #CertifiedHNWAdviser More about me: ➡ https://lnkd.in/gVh3eN2X ➡ https://lnkd.in/e7mHAEaw #Courage #GrowthMindset #ProfessionalDevelopment #CalculatedRisks

🛠 Case Study: Insurance Software Co had to build up finance operations fast. Post investment the new capital market compliance requirements proved challenging. ✅ We came in as Interim CFO to build the foundation for new levels of growth. Going from founder to run, to big four audits is not done overnight. While we delivered results in an accelerated six month process, you can't flip a switch to compliance. 🌱 Building operational foundation takes a commitment to continuous and incremental progress over time. 🌳 Learn more about our Office of the CFO service for investor back businesses. https://lnkd.in/e-m8VkpC 📊 We focus on operational improvement, and value creation for businesses building long term value.

I won’t work with businesses that are doing harm.... Whether that’s harming people, other businesses, or our environment 🌍 It might sound like an obvious message in today’s world. Especially if you mix with self-aware folks, or businesses that operate ethically. But there are still companies out there which don’t, and that’s not ok for me or my team. The reason I’m mentioning this now is because after 3 years as a portfolio Finance Director, working with fantastic SMEs, I’ve also experienced the not so great. A while back I let a client go because I couldn’t believe their Board had approved something morally wrong in my eyes. We'd worked together for a long time already, and it was a shock to find that they weren't prepared to stick to the values they spoke about, if it meant lower profits. When I found myself checking sanction lists daily to make sure what they'd agreed to do wasn't actually illegal (it wasn't - just), I knew what I needed to do. And even though parting ways took a big hit on my income - I was working with them two days a week - it just gave me the most awful knot in my stomach and I knew it was the move I had to make. For me personally, and to protect my business reputation. It’s rare for me to have this happen but it was a useful reminder to stand strong and stand by my values. And it's not lost on me that I'm privileged to be able to take that position. All the clients that me and my team get to work with now are brilliant, do no harm (and lots of good!) and I hugely value their trust in us. #PortfolioFinanceDirector #VirtualCFO #liveyourvalues #trust #integrity #dowhatyoulove ========== 💫 Hi, I’m Dani, and along with a small team of superstar Finance Directors, I help business owners to get the financial insight they need from their numbers to thrive. We bring real commercial experience to you, on a part-time basis, so now you don’t need to hire a full time FD to get the benefits of having one by your side. Ring my 🔔 for more tips and tools to help you really Know Your Numbers. A little bit about me: 👉 Health and wellbeing advocate and Mum of two girls and a Cockapoo! 👉 Experienced Finance Director who left the Corporate world to get back to working with nimble SMEs! Like this post? Let’s connect! 🔗 Need our help? DM me :)

Business owners can be so wrapped up in the day-to-day that they fail to see their own big financial picture. Nancy Grouni, CFP, PFP puts the spotlight on areas that might need attention. #wealthmanagement #CPA #CFP #PFP #familyoffices #HNW #UHNW #businessmanagement #professional Canadian Family Offices

Today was one of those days that remind me why I love what I do...❤️ I met with Mr. Nair, a successful entrepreneur with big dreams for his family’s future. Like many of my clients, he relies heavily on his Chartered Accountant, who’s been with him for years, guiding every financial decision. While that relationship is invaluable, I could see there was more Mr. Nair wanted—something beyond just numbers. We sat down, and instead of talking balance sheets, we spoke about his vision. His desire to create something lasting, not just for today but for his children and grandchildren. It was clear to me that, while his CA ensured his finances were in order, Mr. Nair needed a broader, more personalized approach to match his ambition.✨️✨️ Together, we explored how we could work alongside his CA to develop a plan that’s not just about preserving wealth, but growing it in a way that aligns with his vision for the future.🚀🚀 As we wrapped up the meeting, I could see the shift—this wasn’t just about banking anymore. It was about building trust and a partnership that went beyond numbers. And that’s when I knew we were on the right path.✅️ Have you ever felt that your financial decisions need more than just the numbers? How do you balance expert advice with your long-term vision?🤔🤔 #BuildingTrust #WealthManagement #FinancialPartnership

List down, who is in your personal finance team? Yes, a team is always needed and in personal finance,- 1- to have the right approach, 2- apply process, 3- bring in expertise (note the word is expertise and not knowledge), 4- keep a constant track 5- and offer correction mechanisms with changing life situations and needs and market conditions collectively, and not only individual sections of thought or financial area / aspect. Do not tell yourself, she is Isha Ambani, she has big money, she can afford nor tell yourself that it is in business, for personal finance it is not required. If she has a team - in business or personal finance (yes she has), -it's her aspiration to grow -and take lesser risk, -plus make the best of time If you also have these characteristics to grow, have lesser or measured risk and make the best of time, what is stopping you from having a team of experts? Ok, give reasons to yourself and at the end ask, why can't I have a team to address those reasons? Take life in your own hand, write down your personal finance team members - ensure longterm and trust worthy team and/or engage with a #financialplanner who will become your team member and also help identify and keep right team members, to achieve better and live each moment. Koi shak? Kirtan A Shah Amit Narang CFA (ICFAI) Madhur Gundecha CA, CFA, CFPᶜᵐ CA Sweety Chaudhary Dr.Chetan Z. Vinit Lohiya Rajan Parekh Shrey Jain Sahil Vora Priyanka Acharya Pravin Shetty Abhijeet Jetly Ruparanjan Mohapatra CA. Anand Lunkar (lot of people tell me, I have studied finance, but even CAs and best financial experts have a team of specialised financial varied area experts) #financialfreedom #financialplanning #investing #mutualfund #cfp #financialplanning #couplegoals #travelgoals #investingforbeginners #personalfinance