Lifetime Social Media Manager Andrew Lodge was fortunate to be able to ‘sit in’ on an insightful and informative ‘Business In The Community-Meet The Buyers’ event held at Boots HQ in Nottingham on Monday.

Almost 50 small-to-medium businesses had been invited to attend.

Andrew took the opportunity to listen to some excellent speakers, ranging from people from the hosts Boots to Stuart Pemble, the CFO for Brand and Technology at Burberry, and Jeffery Wagstaff, the CEO of Canadian-based Indeed Laboratories.

Mr Wagstaff proved to be particularly interesting. His small company, based in one office in Toronto, has 10 staff, yet, due to their business partnership with Boots, sells its skincare serums and products all over the United Kingdom, in the United States and Canada, and also in Asia.

He clearly came across as passionate about his business, and that he had real belief in it, but he also stressed the need to be different, to be alternative, to be innovative, to stand out.

All things that Lifetimer Andrew found himself nodding his head in appreciation and agreement with!

One of the other main things to emerge from the speeches and subsequent ’round-the-table’ discussions’ was the importance of ‘building relationships’, whether that is business to business or company to client/customers.

That is something that Lifetime takes particularly pride in.

We put clients at the centre of our services, rather than their money.

This might sound unusual for a financial management company. However, as Financial Planners we are committed to helping our clients live the life they want both now and in the future. This is the most important part of our business.

Gaining a clear understanding of our client’s needs and aspirations requires us to get to know them as people and discover what’s important to them, rather than what’s important to us.

We have all the tools to give effective, fee-based advice to our clients, including specialist advisers in all aspects of finance. Most importantly, that advice enhances our clients’ ability to achieve their life plans and, if required, helps clients live the life they want. The only way to make sure of this is to understand what that life looks like for each individual client.

Our starting point is your story – not ours!