Every month, we share some highlights of what’s been happening in and around KBA.
This month, the KBA team have been busy winning awards and accolades, sponsoring the Nantwich Food Awards, and celebrating a variety of office anniversaries – with our Nantwich office throwing a birthday party.
First though, there’s a rollcall of work anniversaries, with no less than seven team members celebrating their time on the team over the last month.
We raised a toast to:
- Joanne Hobson and Cheryl Clarke – who have both been with us for four years
- Mandy Mycock – who’s been on the team for two years
- Emily Bartley, Jaymee Stone, and Andrew Sumner – who all celebrated their one-year work anniversary.
We celebrated Karen Fogg who has been an invaluable member of the team for 20 years
Karen Fogg – our beloved Executive Assistant – has been with us for two decades. Karen’s unwavering commitment and invaluable contributions to KBA have truly shaped our journey, and we are immensely grateful for her tireless efforts and dedication.
So, we made her a big cuppa, grabbed the biscuit tin, and asked her to come and chat with us about the changes she’s seen take place in the business since 2003…
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
When I was little, I wanted to be a nurse. This would have been a big mistake given that the sight of blood makes me very, very queasy!
What was your first role here and how has it changed over time?
My first role was Mortgage Administrator, and I also did some reception duties. I then progressed to responsibility for individual advisers and dealing with all the types of business including mortgages, pensions, investments and protection.
I really didn’t like the pension and investment side of things. Luckily, one of my colleagues didn’t like the mortgage side of things so we had another change and I became responsible for all the mortgage and protection cases, while my colleague dealt with the pension and investment administration.
I continued in that role for eight years until I moved into my current role, although I do miss mortgages.
What do you love most about your job?
No day is ever the same so there is no time to get bored of doing the same thing. I also love the people that I work with.
How has KBA changed since your early years working here?
When I started at KBA there were only seven people working in one office. Now there are 42 of us spread over five offices!
Best part of a regular day at the office?
The first coffee of the day and lunch… 😊
There are many discussions on what everyone is doing for lunch!
What is your favourite memory of your time on the KBA team?
Helping one of our lovely clients put a successful claim in against a critical illness policy. It made a real difference in her life, and I am proud to have been part of that. You can find out more about this on our website, where Nirvana shares her story in her own words.
What advice would you give to someone who was thinking of applying for a role with KBA?
Go for it. We are a great team and we believe that everyone working at KBA should have a better life because of it and there are great opportunities to progress.
Watch a short video to hear what the team say about Karen
In an attempt to sum up our appreciation for Karen, we created a short video. Hear what the team had to say about their immense love of Karen in our short-ish video on Facebook.
Sarah Hogan was highly commended at the Women in Financial Advice Awards
Ria Milford and Emma Bell attended the Women in Financial Advice Awards 2023. It was a glittering night showcasing the remarkable diversity and talent within the financial services profession and we were delighted to see our KBA representatives shine among such esteemed peers.
Ria Milford and Emma Bell, representing KBA The Financial Planning Company
Sarah, our excellent Company Director and Chartered Financial Planner received well-deserved recognition as highly commended in the Financial Adviser of the Year – North West category.
Sarah Hogan, Company Director & Chartered Financial Planner
Speaking about her achievement, Sarah said: “As a female business owner in a primarily man’s world, it is important to have these events where women can come together and celebrate their achievements.
“My pride in my role as Company Director of KBA, Chartered Financial Planner and mum to my wonderful girls comes from the business being a success, the team being happy, the clients being happy, and us helping them build their financial futures and having happy, healthy children I am a role model for.
“That’s why I do what I do, not purely for recognition from the profession. However, it is nice to be recognised by a profession that you love so much and put so much into, especially during challenging times and for that I am very proud.
“With or without the recognition, I will still strive to do my best and improve the business, my skills, and the outcomes for our clients and everyone’s futures.”
Congratulations to Sarah and all our phenomenal KBA ladies for their outstanding achievements. We look forward to celebrating future achievements and continuing to empower and uplift our team within the profession.
Gary Fletcher does KBA The Financial Planning Team proud with his Solidus Estate Planning award win
Our team of brilliant Financial Planners – Gary, Hannah, Philip, and Laverne – recently participated in the Solidus Estate Planning Conference, engaging in insightful discussions regarding trust solutions aimed at safeguarding our clients’ assets and preserving their legacy within the family lineage.
Events like this create invaluable opportunities to enhance our expertise, and help us to stay abreast of the latest plans and strategies to secure optimal outcomes for our clients.
As part of the event, our Financial Planner, Gary Fletcher, received well-deserved recognition and walked away with the Achievement of Excellence for Estate Planning award on behalf of KBA.
Gary’s award win highlights our unwavering dedication and commitment to the field of Estate Planning over the past 12 months. We couldn’t be prouder.
We sponsored Nantwich Food Awards
We had a fantastic time sponsoring the Nantwich Food Awards on Friday 21 October 2023.
The event showcased the vitality of our community and served as a perfect platform to recognise the remarkable hospitality venues in our charming town.
Sharing this special evening with two of our wonderful business clients, Andy and Joyce Hudson of DM Signs and Design Ltd, as well as other local connections, and office team.
Emma Bell with Andy and Joyce Hudson
It was an all-round great evening, but the absolute highlight was presenting Café De Paris – Nantwich with the “Best Cafe/Coffee Shop” award. Run by some of our favourite people, this really made a great night even better.
Cheryl Clarke, Oli Rowland (Owner of Café De Paris, Nantwich), Emma Bell, and Kerry Marais
Our Nantwich office celebrated their 4th birthday
Four years ago, in October 2019, we embarked on our Nantwich Yorkshire Building Society and financial planning office journey.
Despite the inevitable challenges, our dedicated team have continued to show their unwavering perseverance and commitment. To show our heartfelt gratitude to both our exceptional team and our cherished YBS customers for their continuous support, we had a little party and invited our customers to pop by and enjoy some birthday cake with us.
