Getting to know Steve Balmer our Independent Financial Adviser and Managing Director.
Tell us about yourself
I joined David Allen Financial Services in March 2012 and have now been in the industry for over 20 years. I am married to Helen and we have two boys and a Shitzu. We live in Carlisle now, although I was Penrith born and bred.
What did you aspire to be as a child?
Like my Dad.
What do you feel most proud of in your life to date?
Having a fantastic circle of family and friends.
Describe your job in three words.
Dynamic
Manic
Rewarding
You recently achieved the Pension Transfer Gold Standard, how did you achieve this? What does it mean for the business?
Pension transfer advice is becoming more and more prominent in my day to day working life, with more and more people looking for guidance. I felt it important that our clients received the added reassurance that they were dealing with a company that not only cared about their individual circumstances, but displayed the highest degree of care and knowledge in this subject matter.
After passing the relevant industry qualifications and displaying a thorough, consistent and educational process for clients seeking advice in the area of pension transfers, David Allen Financial Services applied for and are proud to have been awarded The Pension Advice Gold Standard mark by the Chartered Insurance Institute.
The Pension Gold Standard mark was set up to raise the standard of professionalism within the pensions advice field and is designed to help individuals recognise and find firms that will give advice that adheres to high professional standards. It therefore gives our customers the added peace of mind that when contacting our team we are working to find the best solution for them and their circumstances.
What drew you to work at David Allen, and how has your career progressed since starting?
The colour, the energy and the professionalism of the company, and one that matched my own ambitions in delivering an amazing customer experience.
There were significant changes in the world of the financial advice sector at the time, and I felt the chance to work within a proactive local accountancy practice complemented these.
After joining the firm in 2012 as an Independent Financial Adviser, I was made Managing Director in 2015. Since then we have grown the team and diversified our services to include Mortgage, Wills, Probate and Corporate Protection advice, alongside the Pension and Investment advice I was brought in to provide.
What is your strongest personal quality?
Positivity and not wanting to let people down.
If you could trade lives with one person for an entire day, who would it be and why?
Floyd Mayweather; just to see what it is like to have a day where money is no object so I can treat my family and friends to one massive party.
Choose a movie title for the story of your life.
I did it my way.
What is the first piece of advice you would give an aspiring Financial Adviser?
Put the client at the centre of any decision you make.
What is your Monday Motivation?
Always make people smile and brighten the room when you walk in.