Sanjay Shah, Chartered Financial Planner & Managing Director
I have managed several small businesses throughout my career. A topic that was often a cause for debate was how we were measuring our success. After all, it’s easy to get carried away focusing on profitability and growth. But what good is that in the long-run if you have unhappy clients? And is doubling your turnover really that much to celebrate if it’s being outpaced by costs?
At Smart we, of course, have profit and revenue targets like anyone else. However, we also choose to measure our success by the success of our clients. I understand that might sound like a cliché. But, to me, a growing and prosperous client base is a sign of a sustainable business.
Collaboration – one of our three core values (alongside Integrity and being Straightforward) – is going to be a key component here. We can’t do this alone. To help our clients be successful, we need to work closely with them and the wider professional services community to understand their needs in order to provide solutions. Everyone has a part to play.
This means putting our short-term commercial interests aside. It means being honest if we don’t think we have the best answer to a client need, and then pointing them towards another professional that is better positioned to help.
Why? Well, because it’s the right thing to do. But also, if our clients know that we have their best interests at heart, they’ll become strong advocates for the Smart group of companies and choose to work with us again.
In my career, I have worn many different hats; I have been an entrepreneur, I have founded and co-founded businesses. Now I bring all these values, experience and strategic knowledge to family businesses. I also believe it is sometimes important to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in if there is a critical task, get involved with management at a closer level or to coach business leaders.
A culture of collaboration
Creating a sustainable business which puts the interests of our clients front and centre starts with the people. At Smart, we live and breathe collaboration. We don’t promote a hard sales culture, but instead celebrate how we have supported our clients.
For me, this creates a working environment that is much more enjoyable. One built on working together, supporting each other and providing feedback. I hope our clients feel this too.
It’s still early days for Smart. But I know that – together – we can create a something that can truly empower business owners to succeed. I’m looking forward to working with you!
My background
I have over 30 years’ experience in Financial Services. I established a Wealth Management business in 2004 based in Mayfair, London. Initially specialising in Employee Benefits Consultancy as part of the firm’s B2B strategy and later also developed a B2C financial planning service. Following significant growth, I was approached by Private Equity and sold the business in 2013 to help create what is now the fastest growing privately owned Wealth Management business in the UK: Succession Group.
I became a main board director as Group Distribution Director then Managing Director of Succession Advisory Services where I was responsible in bringing a further 20+ professional wealth advisory firms from across the UK to acquisition stage and subsequent integration into the group.
I stepped down from my role as MD in July 2018 to concentrate on other business opportunities. I established Smart Commercial Finance Solutions and Smart Advisory Solutions to help SMEs in their business growth strategies as well in raising commercial and development finance to help achieve this and the ability to preserve that wealth.
