Look to the Future: James Glavey, KLO Financial Services

In this interview, we talk about the following:

• Who are you?
• Long term goals of KLO
• Business Values
• Keeping motivated
• The pandemics effects on KLO
• Overcoming challenges
• How has KLO adapted
• How the industry has changed
• Future Plans

After over a year since the start of lockdown, the global business landscape has been changed forever. To mark this unusual anniversary, we’re looking to the future with a series of interviews with a range of businesses and leaders, discussing changes in their industry and life over the last year.  

Our next interview is with James Glavey, Director of KLO Financial Services.

Who are you and what do you do?  

“I’m a Chartered Financial Planner and a Director of KLO Financial Services Ltd.

“We are a firm of independent financial advisers with offices in London, where I am based, Warwick and Birmingham.”

What are your long-term goals, did you achieve them and what’s left to come?

“I have two roles in the company – as a Director I want to maintain the highest standards of regulatory compliance as well as sound management principles.

“As an adviser, I want to ensure the highest standards of service to my clients. I have continually improved my technical and academic status to aid this goal.”

What are your values as a business leader?  

“To be open and honest with colleagues and clients alike.”

How do you stay motivated?  

“That’s undoubtedly been tested over the past 12 months.

However, it’s been vital to focus on the opportunities out there and apply this in a way that can provide clients with reassurance and positive outcomes. To see the impact that can have during client meetings makes it all the more worthwhile.”

How has the last year affected your industry?

“My experience has been that the situation has allowed people more time and therefore opportunity, to focus on their financial health and future planning. I would encourage anyone who hasn’t done this to do so.”

What has been your biggest challenge for the last year and how did you overcome it?  

“Being a financial planner and long term investor, I try not to be overly reactive or make irrational decisions. From a professional point of view I hope we can look back on this period as an interruption and an opportunity to be more efficient.”

Have you had to adapt your business model due to the coronavirus? Have you altered your goods, services or offering in any way?  

“We have predominantly been working remotely.

“Fundamentally, the service remains the same and I expect the new processes we’ve implemented will improve the client experience long after Covid19 has been consigned to the history books.”

How do you see your industry changing? 

“It will be interesting to see the long term impact of the events of the last year.

“Ross Clark recently questioned that while the ‘pandemic may have interrupted the clustering of industries, does it really have the power to undo everything that companies have previously learned about doing business, including the creativity and collaboration that is often far more effective in person?’. I remain sceptical.”

What are your plans for the future? 

“Haircut, restaurants, pubs, crowds, travel. Can’t wait….“

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