Q & A with Jonathan
How did you get into financial services?
I joined Insight on 8th July 2019 as a graduate intern, after studying Politics and Economics at the University of East Anglia.
I started by joining the executive team, providing business support to one of Insight’s Directors. From there, I progressed to looking after two of Insight’s senior advisers, while also completing my exams and gaining the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning.
I then took a six-month career break to travel with my now wife, before returning to Insight in 2022 to begin my career as an Independent Financial Adviser.
What are your areas of expertise?
My main areas of expertise are retirement planning, pension strategy, investment portfolio management, tax-efficient wealth planning and inheritance tax mitigation.
I work with families, professionals and business owners who want clarity and confidence around their financial future. A lot of my role is about simplifying complex financial decisions and helping clients build a long-term strategy around their wealth.
This often includes helping clients understand when they can afford to retire, how to draw income from pensions and investments tax-efficiently, how to structure their portfolio, and how to protect family wealth for future generations.
What do you love helping clients with?
I love helping clients make sense of the bigger picture.
Financial planning can feel complicated, especially when people have built up different pensions, investments and savings over time. I enjoy bringing everything together, explaining it clearly, and helping clients see what is possible.
The best part of the job is when a client feels genuinely reassured – whether that is realising they can afford to retire, support their family, reduce tax, or simply stop worrying quite so much about the future.
Financial advice is not just about stopping people from running out of money. That is obviously important, but there is another risk too: under-living. Many people work hard, save carefully and build up wealth over many years, but then find it difficult to use that money with confidence.
Helpful advice, encouragement and a genuine concern for my success
I thank my lucky stars for the day I met Jonathan Poole from Insight Financial Associates. His dynamic and shrewd business accumen combined with a kind and thoughtful approach has made a significant difference to my finances. I was sitting on a modest nest egg of savings and had no idea on how to make them grow or indeed the tax implications involved. Jonathan over the last 2 years has always been there with helpful advice, encouragement and a genuine concern for my success. This has given me confidence for my financial future. I truly appreciate everything he has done for me. Thank you again and his team for being such amazing adviser.
More about Jonathan
What financial advice have you given that helped a client and made you proud?
The financial advice I am proudest of is often the kind that gives a client permission to make an important life decision with confidence.
For example, I have worked with clients who were unsure whether they could afford to retire, help their children, move home or draw more income from their pensions and investments. By breaking down their position clearly, looking at the numbers properly and building a sensible long-term plan, I have been able to help clients move from uncertainty to confidence.
Those are the moments that make me proudest, when advice is not just technically correct, but genuinely changes how someone feels about their future.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever helped a client fund?
One of the more unusual things I have helped a client fund was a new television.
They had an old “deep dish” TV and watched it most evenings, so I asked a very simple question: “How much time do you spend watching it?” Once we looked at it that way, upgrading to a modern OLED flat screen made complete sense.
It was not a huge financial planning decision, but it is a good example of what advice is really about, giving people the permission and confidence to use their money to improve their actual life, not just preserving it on a spreadsheet.
What’s your personal financial freedom dream?
I’ve just married, and we plan to start a family in the future, so my personal financial freedom dream is to have the flexibility to be a hands-on dad.
For me, financial freedom is not about never working again. It is about having enough security and flexibility to be present for the people who matter most, while still doing work I enjoy and am proud of.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever spent money on?
Experiences with the people I care about. I have never regretted spending money on travel, good food, weekends away or making memories with family and friends. My wedding in October was the best example yet.
What’s the one luxury you could never give up?
A good coffee. It is a small luxury, but one I would find very hard to give up. I am a firm believer that the day starts much better with a proper coffee.
What’s something colleagues would be surprised to learn about you?
I am a proud Doctor Who nerd. If I ever appeared on Mastermind, my specialist subject would be the 2005 to 2010 era and I would be quietly confident.
Understand the power and beauty of compounding returns. When you are young, it is easy to think small amounts do not matter. But starting early, investing regularly and giving your money time to grow can make a huge difference. Time is one of the biggest advantages you have, so use it.