Expect The Unexpected

By Ally Oliver

Ambitious, energetic and enterprising, Attivo’s Business Development Director, Bobby Sahota, is ready for a new challenge.

Bobby Sahota is officially a whirlwind. On the day of her interview with Attivo Life Magazine, she was still recovering from her trek to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with a fundraising team for Hope4, a charity that raises money for those in need in war-torn areas of the world. Bobby climbed in memory of her friend and former work colleague, Harj Atwal, who passed away unexpectedly from a rare form of brain aneurysm. Harj’s son, Diernn, also works for Attivo. When I ask Bobby how it felt to spend six days climbing Africa’s highest mountain, she pauses. ‘It was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life,’ she says quietly. ‘During the climb, my face and lips swelled up, I had altitude sickness, and we were camping! I hate camping! There were so many times when I felt like turning back.’

Parts of the Kilimanjaro climb are very dangerous and Bobby did, at times, question her decision to take the trip. ‘I did pause to think, “Why am I doing this?” I’m a single parent; was this really a sensible idea? But I’d committed to it, and even though it took all my determination, I did it. I’m proud of that. You learn a lot about yourself when you complete something so hard. It is a transformative experience.’ The money raised for Hope4 was matched by Attivo and stood just shy of £5k at the time of going to press.

It’s not the first time Bobby has put herself out of her comfort zone for charity. In 2022, Bobby entered (and won!) a white-collar boxing event with Ultra Events, raising £2,270 for Cancer Research. This mental (and physical) toughness has stood Bobby in good stead during her career, which began at the West Bromwich Building Society in Great Barr, Birmingham, when she was in her early 20s. She joined Attivo as Business Development Director in October 2023, attracted by the culture, vision and ambition for the company which shone through as she discussed the role with CEO and Founder Stephen Harper.

What Matters Most

Bobby joins with quite a career pedigree; She was listed in The Times as a top- rated IFA in the UK between 2019 and 2023. However, she is modest about her achievements. She says: ‘What matters to me is my clients. It’s not about the awards. I’m successful at what I do because I genuinely care. I think, “How can I help them get to where they need to get to in life?”. I want to be part of that journey with them, and that’s why getting to know people is so important. ‘I use a one-page lifetime planner document as a conversation starter with new clients to discuss what’s important to them: property, career, family and lifestyle. I’m asking because I’m genuinely interested – it helps me to help them. And I share parts of my life; it’s a two-way conversation, and some of my clients have become friends over the years. Sharing life experiences helps us understand what the future might look like and what matters most to them. They trust me and know I can help them with their long-term aims if they open up to me.’

One of the most important lessons life has taught Bobby is that the unexpected can – and does happen – and that Lifestyle Financial Planning can mitigate a life crisis. She explains, ‘Nine years ago, my dad had a brain aneurysm. It was completely unexpected, and he was only 53. We were told there was no way he was going to make it. My sister flew over from Australia because we were told we were going to lose him. By some absolute miracle, he pulled through. It took him two years to recover, and if you met him now, you would have no idea that he’d gone through something so traumatic. It was a real wake-up call for the whole family and an awful time for us all. I share this story with my clients because I tell them; don’t wait; do what you need to do and do it now.’

‘Financial Planning can mitigate a life crisis.’

Bobby’s experience changed her perspective on life, and she’s determined to enjoy the journey. ‘We have to make the most of everything, do what we can as well as we can and just live our lives with some sort of purpose,’ she says. She is a keen advocate of using vision boards, which she creates to help focus on her ambitions for the future – she’s even enlisted her son to the cause, and he’s already planning a future trip to Las Vegas!

She shows me an example of one of her previous boards and explains why she believes in them. It has some motivational phrases, a picture of a house, a car and other specific aims and objectives – some just single words. ‘You see that picture of the house? I did that five years ago,’ she tells me. ‘Now look at a picture of the house I bought 18 months ago and tell me, is it similar?’ It is uncannily similar! It’s hard not to be swept along with Bobby’s enthusiasm for “visioning”. ‘I had the word ‘Director’ on my vision board because I wanted my next career move to be as Director of a company, and I’d been quite specific about the timing of it. But actually, I’m a firm believer that the vision board has speeded up the process! It’s the law of attraction, and it works!’

Clear vision

Vision boarding is increasingly popular, and Bobby’s team and mentees all have one. It’s something she encourages others, and even some of her clients, to try out. According to psychologists, there is evidence that seeing images that encapsulate your goals means that the brain prioritises them. Neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart, a visiting senior lecturer at King’s College London, says: ‘The brain assigns a higher “value” to images than written words on a “to-do” list… and the more you look at those images, the more those images move up in importance.’ It’s clearly working well for Bobby, who is also passionate about mentoring. She tells me: ‘I’m a big believer in having a mentor.

It’s how we learn: from someone you respect, who acts as cheerleader to motivate you in your career. When I was considering a change at work, my mentor and former colleague, Jon Dear, asked what I wanted from the next company I worked for, and there were a few stipulations. For example, I wanted a company that operated with a low-cost platform, and Attivo doesn’t charge for their platform. I wanted the chance to work with inspirational people – and Jonny Wilkinson is our Ambassador. I also wanted to be a Director, (and this has since come to pass with Bobby’s appointment at Attivo last autumn). ‘I met Stephen Harper and immediately loved his enthusiasm, which is so evident in such an energetic company. If I run an idea past him, I know he’ll listen. Attivo feels dynamic, and there’s a real sense of “let’s get things done” here. There isn’t really a hierarchy within the company, everyone’s ideas will be considered.’

‘Stephen and I share the same vision. Client first, Lifestyle Financial Planning and investing in our people to ensure they have the qualifications to succeed.’ Bobby’s full role is Financial Planner and Business Development Director, and she will have joint responsibility for business growth and developing relationships with partners and other firms where together we can offer something more to clients. ‘I’m very excited about connecting with new people, and I have a great new team too who are trained in onboarding new clients, building relationships, and now learning about business development,’ she says.

If you have read Bobby’s posts on LinkedIn, you’ll know that she talks candidly about her priorities and has, as a result, gained a following in the industry and beyond with her take on subjects ranging from financial services to mood boards and mentoring. You really get the sense Bobby lives and breathes the industry and her clients’ needs. She believes that the business landscape is changing, and there is no such thing as a “typical” client. Engaging with a broad spectrum of people on social media is as important as the “networking breakfasts” of old. Next, though, is to find another charity challenge, but maybe one that’s not quite as tough as Kilimanjaro!

Listen to Bobby on The Financial Planner Life Podcast with Sam Oakes. Available on YouTube, Apple and Spotify.

If you’d like to explore your options for financial planning, why not talk to Attivo? Our team of Chartered Financial Planners happy to help to make the process a smooth one. Call us on 01242 585444 or Clientservices@Attivo.co.uk.