A very special firm indeed, in whom we have complete confidence

We remain as impressed as ever in all our dealings with Blue Sky FP.  A very special firm indeed, in whom we have complete confidence.

I feel more in control of my financial future than ever before

Blue Sky was recommended to me by another client, and I’ve been very pleased. My pensions and savings are all now working well and I feel more in control of my financial future than ever before.

My regular update meetings with Russell are always useful and leave me feeling optimistic about my finances. The Cashflow System is an excellent tool to map out differing scenarios too, meaning decision making is easier. Another very refreshing thing to mention is that Blue Sky always responds really quickly to emails!

A real pleasure dealing with such a lovely bunch of people

We wanted a say a big “thank-you” for making the process of moving our all-important investments to Blue Sky completely painless – it’s been a real pleasure dealing with such a lovely bunch of people who are clearly focused on excellent customer service.

Blue Sky has integrity and they care.

The Blue Sky Team has been looking after my investments for over 10 years now.  I am certain that I am far better off now financially than I would have been had I not enlisted their help.  It has given me such peace of mind to know that my investments are being carefully managed through whatever economic turmoil there may be.

Blue Sky has integrity and they care.

The service Gary and his splendid team provide is second to none

We’re deeply impressed by Blue Sky and the service they provide!   How refreshing to have a living person answer the phone immediately!   What a contrast to so many other firms where one is kept waiting for half an hour, listening to a recorded message saying how important the call is!

Not so with Blue Sky!  The service Gary and his splendid team provide is second to none.  Their efficiency and expertise is exceedingly impressive and has remained so, consistently for the 11 years we’ve been pleased to have had them handling our affairs.

Helping me to see that early retirement was possible

I have really appreciated Russell’s support and guidance. He really listened to me and by providing detailed analysis in response to my needs, helped me see that early retirement was possible.

I am very grateful!

More to life than work

I was lucky enough to be introduced to Blue Sky, when I took over my Father’s finances and investments that he had with them a couple of years ago.

They were very helpful and I was impressed by their professionalism, depth of knowledge, level of service and how they had managed his portfolio over the years.

Whilst chatting about my own situation, Andy opened my eyes to a life without “work”, which I thought would never happen. Retirement was a daunting and intimidating subject, when not really understood, but Russell and Andy were very reassuring and have enabled me to retire 10 years early, with their pension and investment advice.

I would highly recommend Blue Sky and already have, to friends and family. It can be positively lifechanging, as it was for me.

Blue Sky helped me get a beach hut!

After my mum died and left me an inheritance, I knew she would have wanted me to be sensible, but exciting. She loved the beach and when I had the opportunity to reply to an independent advert to share a beach hut, I went for it. Each year I’m now able to pay for 4 months thanks to Blue Sky.

As a retired but active person, Gary helped me with sympathy and humour to sort out my financial priorities based on my life style and life expectancy – scary but so important! Since then Tammy has supported my choices with appropriate investments tailored to who I am and what I would like to achieve in the future. I look forward to our annual meeting where we exchange personal news and updates of my financial situation. With her calm reassurance and encouragement, I’m looking forward to being able to afford my care home – eventually!

I would highly recommend Blue Sky to anyone and especially those people who feel that maybe you need to be a millionaire to invest your money with a financial advisor.

Blue Sky are there for everyone and they are brilliant at it!

We like the intimacy of Blue Sky’s ’boutique service’

We have been working with Blue Sky for many years. The analytical effort at the outset has proved to be worth every minute because it’s formed the basis to our plan, guided many decisions, and gives clarity for every discussion. Blue Sky are right to insist upon it.

We find Blue Sky provide what is probably known as a “boutique service” and we like its intimacy because it means their professional advice is consistent and focused on our circumstances and it’s reassuring and efficient when you deal with a team who know you and your needs. Talking through the options for investment and performance has turned a chore into an interest.

It’s been one of our biggest and best decisions to go with Blue Sky.

The value of outstanding customer service should never waiver and that’s where Blue Sky excel.

 “Investments can go down as well as up – we get that, but the value of outstanding customer service should never waiver and that’s where Blue Sky excel.

We were introduced to Gary Neild by a family member just over a year ago and it was the most important financial decision of our lives.

On the face of it, our final-salary pensions looked decent. Keep working until you’re 65 and have a nice income. But that’s another 10 years off. We wanted a bit more, we wanted to live our lives now, not in 10 years’ time, so we sought advice from Blue Sky.

Dealing with financial experts can be daunting and intimidating, especially when you have no idea about the subject, but Blue Sky were reassuring, informative and personable and put us at ease.  Their due diligence was thorough and we have always known exactly where we stand.  They took time to discuss our life goals and dreams and made us excited for the future.

We have put our trust in them and their expertise – and it has lifted a huge weight off our minds. We no longer have to worry about our financial future, we now have financial security.

Gary, Russell and Theresa provide a very professional service and have exceeded our expectations and we would therefore highly recommend Blue Sky.

A Unique Personal Service

Gary and his team have successfully looked after our financial affairs since he first established Blue Sky FP in 2002.

Gary has always provided us with sound professional guidance and advice, tailored with a genuine interest in our personal wellbeing. Unlike other financial advisors that we have come across in the past, Gary has always spent considerable time with us getting to understand our values, beliefs, needs and aspirations, as they have inevitably changed over time – in terms of family, career, lifestyle and personal goals – and has thereby, consistently provided a collaborative and holistic approach to our financial planning.

Alongside Gary’s and his team’s professional attributes, comes a friendly, happy and welcoming demeanour.

We have had no hesitation in recommending Blue Sky FP to members of our family, friends and colleagues…and we will continue to do so.

Without doubt, the best call I have ever made.

In the two years that we have been working with Blue Sky, we have been so impressed with the professionalism, depth of understanding and levels of service provided by Andrew, Russell and the rest of the Blue Sky Team.

Nothing is ever too much trouble for them and the levels of service are second to none. The modelling of different scenarios at both the start of our journey and at the annual reviews, gives us confidence that we are on the right track. We always feel reassured that the Blue Sky team are behind us and our investments.

We cannot praise them enough for the work they do behind the scenes to make our pension work to give us the lifestyle we want. They are always there if we need them. The phone call I made to Andrew just over 2 years ago, having been given his name by a friend, is without doubt the best call I have ever made.

We would, without hesitation, recommend Blue Sky to anybody who was looking for financial advice. Keep up the good work.

It’s made a huge difference to our lives.

We first met with Gary Neild when we were in our late 20’s. A free consultation with the company he then worked for, was advertised on our pay slip!

We’d had our first child and were on the property ladder. Both of us have always worked for the NHS and, despite advice from other advisers, out finances were not in great shape.

Now in our 60’s, we are both semi-retired and financially secure. This is through the continued guidance and planning we’ve received from Gary and the team at Blue Sky. We’ve not had the luck of inheritance, just the good fortune of that connection with Gary Neild.

It’s made a huge difference to our lives.

I feel proud to be associated with such a prestigious company

I decided to explore the possibility of drawing down my pension and by chance I had a discussion about pensions with a good friend of mine.

He informed me that he had placed his investments in the hands of Blue Sky and could highly recommend them. I phoned Andrew (Gus) Dunn at Blue Sky and was extremely impressed with his professionalism and clarity when explaining potentially complex issues. We arranged to meet at his office to discuss financial planning.

This was a highly productive and informative meeting. Gus asked the pertinent questions and then listened to our financial aspirations along with our feelings on risk. We decided to go ahead and invest my pension funds. We also met the owner of the business, Gary Neild, after our meeting with Gus. Both Gary and Gus came across as being empathetic and passionate about the business.

We have been so impressed with Blue Sky’s investment performance, communication skills and professionalism, especially during the last two turbulent years.

I feel proud to be associated with such a prestigious company, so much so, that I have recommended them to friends and businesses.

Investing with Blue Sky has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Blue Sky get to know you and take an holistic approach

We have three daughters to look after and have had a demanding/stressful employment history including redundancy and the need to undertake contract work, so our position was neither comfortable nor straightforward.

Having agonised for quite a while, like most people we imagine, over whether to use a financial adviser and incur the costs involved we took the plunge with Blue Sky. We were lucky enough to know of them through friendships so that helped in the decision.

I have always found Blue Sky to be innovative with a desire to continuously improve the quality of the service they offer and this has meant even listening to some of my feedback on occasion. Blue Sky get to know you and take an holistic approach focussing as much on your well-being and peace of mind as the health of your finances.

The key impact of Blue Sky’s advice and approach has been to provide a clear picture of our financial status allowing us to firstly and most importantly feel secure (less worried) about both the current position and the future. This has gradually allowed us to release the mental shackles on our spending thus enabling us to enjoy life more now and look forward with confidence. A clear understanding of our position has brought with it choice and flexibility and supported the decision to retire early.

In this respect, Blue Sky provide so much more than financial advice, with our physical and mental health being prioritised, as they should be, in all discussions and decisions.

First and foremost, however, we are looking forward positively and are starting to enjoy our hard earned cash in the knowledge that out our savings are safe and being actively made to work as hard as possible on our behalf.”

Freedom and flexibility for the next chapter of my life

I have known Gary for over 30 years, both as a friend and as a client, where he initially managed some low-level investments for me.

After working in the credit industry for 33 years, I had the opportunity of voluntary redundancy and to “take the money and run” back in 2017.  This is where Blue Sky and their knowledge and expertise really came into play.  After a comprehensive assessment of my pension and assets it became apparent, using their Cash Flow Planning, that by moving my Defined Pension to an investment, managed by Blue Sky, would give me the freedom and flexibility for the next chapter of my life.  At 53 years of age, I genuinely believed that, when I left my role, I would have to find alternative work for another 10+ years but since 2017 I have lived the life I want, working a few hours per week…when I want – if I want.

Taking that leap of faith, with the advice I received, has been one of the best decisions of my life, for my family and myself.  Gary, Tammy and Russell are excellent, professional people and the whole team at Blue Sky give you the confidence that your investments are being well looked after and in safe hands.

Thank you, Blue Sky, and keep up the great work.

Blue Sky-it’s a breath of fresh air!

We have been using Blue Sky to manage our Investments for a couple of years and we are both very pleased with the service and the returns they have achieved for us.

We have been dealing with Gus, whose patience, expertise and obvious professionalism has been very re-assuring. We have never felt pressured into taking favoured policies and we have enjoyed Blue Sky’s collegiate, consultative approach to doing business and dealing with clients.

Blue Sky have been exceptionally proactive with regular newsletters, seminars, both online and in the flesh, and regular face to face reviews which we never have to remind them about.

Blue Sky think carefully about their own investment decisions and always explain them clearly. When so many advisors just follow the herd, it is very refreshing, and there is a set of strong corporate values which informs their overall approach.

We have recommended Blue Sky to friends and family in the past and would be very pleased to do so in the future.

Blue Sky-it’s a breath of fresh air!

The Blue Sky team are so friendly, confident and positive and really encourage you to live the best life you can.

Blue Sky was recommended to me by a friend after I had received an inheritance from my mother five years ago. I knew nothing about investments and really had no confidence in financial advisers, however, Gary put me very much at ease at our first meeting.

Subsequently, Gary and Tammy have always kept me very well informed and more importantly have never made me feel that my investment is insignificant. They have always explained things very clearly and have always made me feel comfortable enough to ask any questions, however daft those questions may seem!

I can honestly say that I never worry about my money; I have every confidence that it is in safe hands and leave them to do the worrying for me. Tammy is always at the end of the phone if needed and I know I will always get a prompt reply to any email.

The Blue Sky team are so friendly, confident and positive and really encourage you to live the best life you can.

I thoroughly recommend them!

Delighted with their performance and professionalism throughout

Through a friends recommendation I transferred my pension over to Blue Sky in May this year.  I have been delighted with their performance and professionalism throughout.  Yes, the fact that my pension has increased by a sizable amount has undoubtedly helped my positive judgement; but more than that, their friendly assistance and willingness to help and guide you through the financial markets also plays a large part in my overall high opinion of them.

I will continue to recommend them to family and friends.  Keep up the great work and well done.

We have received excellent advice over the years.

My husband and I have been with Gary Neild and Blue Sky for nearly twenty years. Over that period of time the company has expanded and personnel has changed but the ethos has remained the same. We are always treated courteously and professionally by all staff and we feel confident that our money is in safe hands. Gary and Tammy are very approachable and complement each other well. We have received excellent advice over the years.

It is always a delight to see Gary or Tammy, whether in person or on Teams, because they are always cheerful, calm and well prepared for our meetings. We always feel that they know us and care about us, as well as our finances.

I feel secure and safe in their hands

I have been a client with Blue Sky for over six years.

I have so much confidence in their decisions about my financial investments and feel that their experience, team communications and wealth of knowledge, reflects why I feel  so well advised by them.

My knowledge of the financial world is limited but Tammy, (my advisor), simplifies it with basic graphs, summaries and a friendly approach.

I feel secure and safe in their hands and would highly recommend anybody I know to be guided by them financially.

Living Our Dream

I first met Gary in 2000 through our football connection and he offered advice on our private pensions. We took that advice and asked him to look after our small investments as well. Thanks to Blue Sky and their experience we were able to retire aged 63 in 2008.

We are living our dream… still running 2 cars and enjoying all retirement has to offer, 13 years on, now in Pembrokeshire, where we moved in 2017. This is thanks to Gary and Tammy’s advice and the Blue Sky team for their expert knowledge for our investments.

They look after our portfolio in a professional manner and are very approachable when we need advice. They treat us as friends more than just another client, which is great for a modern business. Even now, when we don’t meet personally, our investments and strategies are explained in full to us.

We trust them all completely and have recommended friends to them without hesitation.

Excellent advice and a pleasure dealing with the Blue Sky team

We have been with Blue Sky since the beginning and with Gary for 17 years. It has been a pleasure dealing with the Blue Sky team .The advice has been excellent especially making the paperwork on retirement so smooth, thanks to all the team .

Not only do we just get advice from the team, but we have particularly enjoyed attending the seminars with speakers informing us about the financial  situation from around the world  and how they see the way forward . Even with lockdown we had a reassuring talk on Zoom .

Immediately impressed with the whole experience of a likeable and professional team

After losing confidence in a previous financial advisor, I met Gary on the recommendation of a friend who has been a client of his for many years.

I was immediately impressed with the whole experience of a likeable and professional team who have immersed themselves in the financial world on our behalf. I have learned much about money over the last seven years and feel confident regarding my financial future. I like the regular communication, the mechanism for adjustments to funds in response to changing markets and value the annual reviews with Tammy.

While the numbers are important, the principle that our money is there to be used is always present, keeping things real. The performance of my investments has also been rewarding.

A stress free retirement with my investments in Blue Sky’s safe hands

Thankyou to you Gary and your team for the professional and friendly advice you have given me over the past 20 years.

There have been ups and downs with investments and I must say as a novice in those days, there was always an element of nervousness as we listened to the media and negative news of market fluctuations. My confidence grew with Gary’s professional advice and upbeat approach to investing, leading up to a very comfortable and stress free retirement with my investments in safe hands with Blue Sky.

The entire team are a pleasure to work with

I have been a client of Blue Sky Financial Planning for nearly 15 years.

Throughout this time I have benefitted greatly from clear and expert advice on financial planning, investments and pensions from Gary Neild and the team at Blue Sky. The entire team are a pleasure to work with and are very helpful and approachable. They have put me and my wife in a position to enjoy a secure and well financed retirement and I therefore, very strongly recommend Blue Sky for all aspects of financial planning and investment.

For financial peace of mind, working with Blue Sky has been the best thing we have ever done.

My wife and I have been under Gary and Blue Sky’s guidance for nearly 20 years.  Gary and latterly Russell, have both been brilliant in steering us through, shall we say, some interesting times, with the likes of negative equity and interest rates at 15% in the early 90’s, to the Banking crash in 2007/8, and now Covid 19!!

The pandemic in particular, has made us really appreciate Blue Sky’s worth. Covid 19 has made us realise that life is too short and that we needed to get out there and enjoy our retirement as quickly as possible, so as to live our remaining years to the full (travel permitting of course!).

Having discussed the possibility of taking early retirement with Gary and Russell, it became clear how vital our financial planning and investments have been over the years, allowing us now to feel comfortable that we will have enough money to see out our remaining years. Without Blue Sky’s guidance, help and understanding, I’m convinced that I would feel that I should still be working. Instead my wife and I are really excited about the years to come, knowing that our financial future is secure”.

Living the life we wanted, for over 15 years.

A big thank you to Gary, Russell, Tammy & Andrew and all the team. It doesn’t matter who we speak to we are always treated in a friendly caring and professional manner. This I am sure is due at least in part to Gary’s leadership.

We have been clients of Gary for nearly twenty five years and seen Blue Sky expand and develop into what it is today. All this without any loss of its core values and personal service.

Our last review was conducted by Andrew via zoom and I am pleased to say we came away with the same level of confidence and reassurance as always, (sorry Gary).The only thing missing were the coffee and chocs!

On a more serious note having initially learnt about our background and identified our goals, Gary developed a strategy to achieve these.

Over our long relationship, Gary’s greatest achievement has been when I said I wanted to retire at age fifty five. Despite a limited amount in the pot we have now been living the life we wanted for over fifteen years.

Thank you Gary

I’ve experienced both the passion and commitment of the Blue Sky Team

Right from the outset of initial discussions to the transfer of funds, Russell and all the Team at Blue Sky have always interacted in a very professional, knowledgeable, timely and informative manner.

I have clearly seen and experienced both the passion and commitment the Team at Blue Sky provide their clients with. To now have a clear financial plan for both the ‘here and now’ and the future, has provided me with so much insight and, in a way, comfort, and I have Blue Sky to thank for that.

Stop dreaming, start living

We have worked with Gary and the team in the initial stages of planning our joint retirement.  They put you at ease and are able to present in a friendly and informative manner.  They have already guided us in sorting out our pension funds and helped us understand that can we can realistically achieve many of our dreams, the main one being retirement before we thought possible. Here a photos taken from the balcony of our holiday house, looking across the garden to the view beyond. We look forward to continuing our working relationship with Blue Sky.

A Clear Path…

Switching to Blue Sky instead of trying to manage my own finances in brief moments between work and family has been a really good decision for me.

I am confident that they are taking good care of our family and business finances and they have given my a clear path to realising my financial ambitions.

I now spend less time thinking and worrying about financial planning and more time relaxing with my family.

They have also been very useful in helping navigate the complex NHS pension system and pension tapering as well as offering a variety of useful alternatives for retirement planning.

How lucky am I?

I’ve just been reading through the presentation folder on Sustainable Investments and I’m really excited to be investing in sustainable companies.

How lucky I am to have plenty of money for a good life. Thank you for looking after it and making it grow and sustain me.

It was, as always, a pleasure to meet with you and to exchange family news as well as talk money. You know me and my view on life well and have managed my financial affairs efficiently and courteously for many years now.

Big thanks and very best wishes.

We could do it ourselves, but why when Blue Sky offer so much peace of mind.

I suspect, like many working couples, we invested as much money as we could in our pension, because it seemed like the right thing to do. However, we didn’t really understand how much was enough or when we could afford to retire. Dealing with Blue Sky was a breath of fresh air. Before any discussion about investment plans and options, a lot of valuable time was spent understanding our ambitions for the future.

When you work all your life, it’s strange to find that one day you don’t need to work. Not only that, with a solid investment strategy, you can still enjoy all the things you did before, and a whole lot more besides.

Regular updates and online apps and tools make it easy to keep track of your investments (if you choose to). You can rely on the focus that Blue Sky pays to the markets and trends to do that for you and advise when it might be time to make an adjustment.

I guess you can do all of this yourself if you want to, but frankly, there are many more things we would rather be doing!

How far would you be prepared to travel to achieve blue sky?

A few thousand miles maybe, perhaps to Spain, Italy or Greece. Well, in September 2015 we went about 130 miles to Poole in Dorset in search of our blue sky. It turned out to be a very fruitful mission!

At Coy Pond we made our way into Blue Sky Financial Planning who had previously been armed with our relevant financial information. Following a warm welcome and very professional presentation we left 3 hours later doing high fives in their car park.

‘You can retire now’ they said, much earlier than we could ever have expected as we were only 59 and 60; both anticipating at least another 5 years at work. Based upon our current spending pattern we were told our funds would not run out until age 94 barring any unforeseen circumstances. Wow, what were we waiting for?!

The power of professional planning, help and support had hit us head on, so in June 2016 we did retire and have not looked back since. We now have the time and resources to experience the real blue sky (Greece next) and all this is thanks to Gary Neild and Russell Skinner at Blue Sky Financial Planning.

Our strong recommendation to those who haven’t yet planned for the rest of their lives, is to not delay doing so any longer. Gary, Russell and their colleagues are waiting to do that for you now and we are very confident that if you engage them, you will not be disappointed.

Good luck and happy travels.

Family wellbeing

Many thanks indeed for your most helpful advice at our meeting last week. We will be house hunting with our niece this week and she’s delighted that with financial input from family and ourselves, she may now at last be able to get ‘a home of her own’.  You are indeed overseeing the wellbeing of our entire family!

Tailored advice for the long haul

Gary and the team have been looking after my financial affairs now for over 30 years, from the dark days of 15% interest rates in the late 80’s/early 90’s and negative equity, leading now to the autumn of my working life before heading towards what I now can see as a happy stress free-retirement, with the very real prospect that I can now choose to retire earlier than I expected.

This is something that I never thought would be possible. The fact that I can actually now contemplate this, is because I finally bought into Gary constantly telling me about financial planning and its importance. Initially, I thought it was not for me, as financial planning has always frightened me. But I’m relieved now that I listened and went with his advice.

What Gary and Russell have shown me is a life plan,  providing me with the comfort and knowledge that my retirement years are covered and the big events such as weddings etc. are not so frightening from a financial point of view. I’m actually better off than I thought I was and I can go on holiday…..although don’t tell the wife!

I’ve been so impressed with what Blue Sky have done for me, that I have insisted on some work colleagues (of varying age and stages of their lives) to meet with Gary and Russell so they can listen to what they have to say and be shown what can be achieved. Whether they go for it is up to them, but at least they can see what can be done with a bit of forward planning. Don’t get me wrong, a comfortable retirement from a financial perspective does not come easy and we have had to tighten some belts along the way, but certainly in hindsight, turning a blind eye to the future is not an option and it would be a hell of a lot scarier if you do!

Financial planning in the truest sense

Gary has been dealing with our financial affairs for several years now and a few years ago we had a dream of finishing our business and retiring  early. When we saw Gary, Russell and Tammy last year, the future looked really rosy and we couldn’t wait. But, as is often the case with life, things happened and it wasn’t as straightforward as we’d hoped and I for one was actually quite concerned about things.

However, with Gary’s calm reassurance and intelligent planning strategies, we found this year that we are still able to pursue our dream of retiring early and being able to do all the things we’d planned.

The service you get is exemplary and the team take a holistic view of your life plans and are able to factor in whatever eventuality you can think of such as expenses for holidays, weddings, new cars and so on.

To know that someone from Blue Sky is at the end of the phone is very reassuring and, for the simple peace of mind it has given us to pursue our dreams, it has been worth every visit we have made.

Finding someone to trust

When I met Gary for the first time ten years ago I was 54 years old, had just come out of a 35 year marriage and was in a very vulnerable state, frightened to trust anyone with my money.

Obviously the management of my pension fund was going to make an enormous difference to my life, and I knew nothing about investment. Straight away it became clear to me that Gary really enjoyed his work and took a great pride in keeping ahead of the game.

Since then I really do not believe anyone could have done better with my money. Without taking too much risk, he has ridden the recession so well. When we sat down and assessed my needs in retirement, Gary got me thinking about spending some money on something I really wanted, I bought a Shepherds Hut, which has given me a much needed extra room. This has made a huge difference to our lives, I really would not have contemplated spending that money without Gary’s encouragement.

Gary has treated me as an individual and put a lot of thought into helping me. He has gathered around himself a superb team, who are very kind and helpful.

I am very glad that I placed my trust in him.

More than just financial advice

I have never liked the financial industry. I have had a distinctly dim view of ‘financial advisers’ since some 30 years ago when I was persuaded to get myself into almost unmanageable debt at the start of my career, jeopardising my home and contributing to the demise of my first marriage. Sure, it wasn’t all their fault, but what they saw in me was an opportunity to sell some products and make a commission rather than give out sound, sensible advice on not just money matters, but everything else that is intrinsically attached to money.

The language of money, the structure and procedure of the industry may as well have been Mandarin to me, but at the time it was the fashion to mortgage yourself inside out, get a loan, get a credit card. At no point did anybody tell me, in plain English, what the consequences could really be.

Since those dark beginnings, I have had several other ‘financial advisers’, all of whom have left me with a feeling of them not getting the point – not seeing that I was someone who wasn’t educated in the ways of the finance industry (let’s face it, who is when they leave school?). Financial competence seems to be something we’re all supposed to inherit genetically, or absorb out of the ether. I was intent on being myself, getting on with my work as a sound engineer to the best of my ability, earning a crust. Money, although important, wasn’t the biggest thing. There was and still is, more to life.

In my business people are the most important commodity. The work can consume you and all those around you if you let it, which I have and although it is possible to earn a reasonable wage – at what cost? And who do you trust to advise you on managing both the money and yourself?

Time has a habit of occasionally coming through, and a few years ago my sister persuaded me to approach Blue Sky, and Gary Neild in particular, with a view to him helping me out with investing some inheritance money. I was reluctant, but acquiesced. To say that I am happy I did would be a gross understatement!

I approached Gary with all my defences up, and determined to expose him as yet another con-man in a sharp suit with a maths O Level. Before I knew it, he was agreeing with me! We talked about how wrong it was that financial management wasn’t a critical part of the school curriculum, about how ethically broken the industry could seem to somebody like me.  Most importantly, Gary was able to educate a hardened cynic and imbue a deep sense of trust in me. He spoke my language, knew my pain and wanted to put it right.

Above all, what Gary has given me is the self-confidence to believe in myself as a saleable commodity, a desirable brand. I have suggested that Gary should consider re-branding Blue Sky as what they do is so much more than dish out financial advice. Life coaching, financial education, business mentoring, personal guru services – I could go on. He has helped me initiate the process of changing the way I work, to align it more with the other things around me that are important, like my family. He has taught me to listen to myself and those close to me, and to have the courage to change things for the greater good. He has taught me that money isn’t a dirty word, and that life is about living, not earning. He has put me on the right path.

I’m still not rich, but at least now I can see what’s possible!

The personal touch

Thank you for your time the other Friday. It was helpful to meet and have our review. We really appreciated you considering our needs individually and your advice in terms of going to a bi-annual review.

We hope you have a good summer and we look forward to working with you via Tammy and Martin in the future.

A friendly approach

At Blue Sky you are made to feel more than just a customer, you are made to feel like a friend. From the moment you walk in and are greeted by friendly smiles the whole aim is to appraise your situation and glean from you, just what you want from your visit. In a pleasant atmosphere you tell Blue Sky how you feel and what you want and you are listened to. They will then use their expertise to tailor a solution that does it’s best to meet your goals for investment whilst also meeting your requirement for caution.

Live in the moment!

I continue to be very impressed with the service I have received from Blue Sky and, in particular, Gary and Russell.  They are extremely professional and are very knowledgeable on all financial matters. They are always on the end of the phone to talk through any issues or concerns that I may have. Their cashflow forecasting model has given me peace of mind and enables me to “live in the moment” and not worry about the future. Thank you!

Don’t plan to invest, invest in planning

It’s a tremendous reassurance to know that Gary and his team have such a firm understanding of our financial wishes.   The care they show in all our dealings with them is enormously impressive – in creating a life plan, in explaining their recommendations, in discussing our reactions and in implementing our decisions! We would have no hesitation in recommending Blue Sky to anyone!

Long may it continue

I have been with Blue Sky for 15 years and in that time I have never doubted their ability to look after my finances.

Gary and Russell are very professional, experts in their field and are passionate about what they do.

When it comes to money, I am one of those who needs all the help I can get.

They care not just about my money but about me as a person and, after leaving our annual review meetings, I feel happy, confident and rejuvenated.

Long may it continue.

Not at all as we had feared

It was an amazingly uplifting feeling leaving Gary’s office following our consultation with him. I had gone in expecting the voice of doom telling me I would have to work well passed retirement and that we wouldn’t be able to afford any real pleasures if we didn’t work.

Gary asked us about our dreams, desires and ambitions if money was no object, which was quite an emotional experience because they seemed like impossibilities.

Using the cashflow forecast, he was able to demonstrate that, with sensible management, our future was.  He showed us ways to use our money and make it work for us; ways that we could afford to spend several thousand on a holiday, family or to give to charity every year and still have enough to look after ourselves in our old age.

He opened our eyes to a comfortable future of fun, enjoyment and giving – rather than guarding our money just in case.

Making a difference

Before we went to see Gary, we were doubtful that a financial adviser could make much of a difference to our circumstances. Our mortgage was backed up by an under-performing endowment which worried us but we thought we would just be advised that we need to make larger monthly contributions.

Now, with Gary’s help and advice, we have a plan in place which not only means that we are happy and confident that our mortgage will be covered without having to make larger contributions, but also that if we continue and invest and plan well, our financial future will be much better than we had previously hoped.

A refreshing and rewarding experience

We have been with Blue Sky for nearly three years, and during this time Gary and his team have demonstrated a very high level of professionalism coupled with a sound, down-to-earth approach.

We like the principles on which Blue Sky activity is based, we like the way in which, through a dialogue, the client’s objectives are identified and then the overall financial strategy is constructed. In this time we have been stimulated to think more clearly about our financial objectives in the short, medium and long term and have been encouraged to play a more active role. The advice we are receiving is undoubtedly tailored to address our specific objectives, and we feel that there is a lot of proactive thinking in Blue Sky’s management of our investment portfolio.

In conclusion, we are glad that in 2011 – when we felt the need to change financial adviser and vetted 3-4 possible alternatives – we selected Blue Sky because their business philosophy appealed to us. It has been a very refreshing and rewarding experience, and we are looking forward to many more years of cooperation.

The personal touch

My wife and I first joined with Blue Sky Financial Planning in 2003, and since we have watched the company develop into what is a highly proactive and professional organisation.

The senior team is knowledgeable, current and innovative in their thinking. We have appreciated the personal touch offered by advisers; what is key for us has been their continuing sensitivity to the needs and aspirations of us as clients. We have been delighted with our association with Blue Sky and with the progress our portfolio has made under their stewardship.

Taking Ownership Of Our Future

Thank you for taking time out to meet us yesterday to present the cash flow projections prepared on our behalf.

To be honest, it was probably fair to say that we didn’t really know what to expect and were a little sceptical with regard to the likely outcome. I’m very pleased to say that you very quickly allayed our fears and we both came away feeling somewhat liberated and satisfied that we were finally taking ownership over our future security.

It may sound like a cliché, but I can honestly say, I woke up this morning without the customary nagging doubts about our future and, above all, my ability to plan for our retirement!

In safe hands

Retiring can be a daunting process, giving up a regular salary to rely on pension income.

I needn’t have worried as Gary and the team at Blue Sky have done an excellent job sorting out my finances.

From analysing my future income needs to arranging investments and generating pension income the whole process was expertly managed and I felt fully informed every step of the way.

I can now relax knowing my retirement finances are in safe hands at Blue Sky.

I was impressed with the way Blue Sky guided me on the fund selections within my pension portfolio while I was at JPM.

On retirement I was more than happy for Blue Sky to look after my pension investments, confident that I wouldn’t need to worry about my pension income.

Comfort In Turbulent Times

Gary Neild has looked after our money for around 14 years and during this period, there have been turbulent times; most notably 9/11 and the recession. There have been ups and downs, but we always knew that the portfolio was being watched closely on a daily basis giving us comfort in the difficult times that all the financial markets faced.

We have watched Blue Sky grow and evolve into the company it is today.  As it has grown, Gary has not forgotten or ignored the smaller investor, and we are very pleased with our returns.  In particular, around 8 years ago, my husband transferred in a frozen pension that had been stagnating. He is now shortly to retire, and the growth in this pension pot has been significant, whilst following a balanced investment approach. As he approaches retirement, Gary has helped to sort out the other smaller pensions, provided advice, and arranged drawdowns. He has made the process hassle free and we cannot speak highly enough of Gary and the Blue Sky team.

A rich retirement

I met Gary Neild about 20 years ago when I first moved to Bournemouth to start a new job, and he came to give a talk about financial management on my induction programme. Since that time Gary has supported and encouraged me to use my money wisely and plan for the future.

However, I am a bit of a worrier and was very anxious about retiring and fearful that I would not have enough money to enable me to enjoy life after working for 45 years. I delayed retirement until I really had a few wake up calls concerning my husbands health and some of my friends were dying before they could enjoy their retirement. 

It was then that Gary encouraged me to consider the Cash flow analysis to see just what I could afford to spend and still have enough as a back up plan if life got tough. 

I had a dream of going to Canada to see my good friend and I really wanted to see the wild life and especially a black bear!  I had never allowed myself the luxury of a long haul holiday as I thought I could not afford it but Gary showed me that I really could afford to do it. 

Last year my dream came true and I had the most wonderful time and I saw my black bear within a few feet of me!! I am so glad I listened to Gary in the end because he could demonstrate clearly with flow charts and figures that I could afford more than I would have believed.

Listen to Gary because he knows what he is talking about!