My role at Larkbridge allows me to deliver in a wide array of protection solutions tailored to businesses and individuals throughout the UK. I am deeply committed to building enduring relationships with clients, guiding them to understand and navigate the complexities of protection insurance. As a Protection Consultant, I am passionate about devising a wide range of bespoke insurance solutions that safeguard business ownership and profitability, facilitate employee group benefit schemes, and ensure individuals and families are financially protected should the unexpected happen. My approach is client-centred, dedicated to understanding and addressing the unique insurance needs of each person and business I work with.My focus encompasses key areas such as life assurance, income protection, critical illness cover and private medical insurance – all of which are available to businesses, employees, individuals and families.

Within my role, I help employers to understand and comply with the new pension legislation, Auto Enrolment. On first joining the parent company, St Edmundsbury Financial Services, I was responsible for setting up a new brand, 3SQ Employee Benefits. My role primarily involves helping small and medium sized businesses to comply with the workplace pensions legislation, Automatic Enrolment. Many employers feel concerned and confused about how to comply, so my role is to help them feel at ease, and confident with how best to manage Auto Enrolment. I visit employers, explain the legislation to them, saving them hours that they may otherwise spend trawling through the internet trying to understand all of the information that has been published. When a pension scheme is required, I set up a pension scheme on behalf of an employer, then summarise the key points electronically, giving an employer everything that they need in order to comply with the legislation. My role also involves event organisation to promote our businesses, organising networking and charity events, new business generation, organising and presenting group client seminars, and the project management of clients through the auto enrolment process.I have built a number of strategic relationships with accountants, employment law specialists, HR specialists and payroll providers, which has raised the profile of 3SQ Employee Benefits within East Anglia.

My role at O2 was as Business Development Manager within the SME and LME markets, selling a range of communication solutions into all industries. O2 is a fast paced technology business, so being quick to learn and present information to market was essential.During my time at O2, I was nominated for The National Sales Awards, which are national awards across all industries, in which I came second. This involved presenting a case study to a board of senior business professionals who judged the entrants.I also achieved and maintained Gold accreditation within the O2 Sales Academy – the academy follows an American methodology of sales training called Creating Client Value. Here I learned how to use advanced sales techniques to uncover client opportunities, create urgency, overcome objections from all buyer roles within a business, and ensure the customer feels that they are getting true value from the business relationship. The academy was a key focus for Senior Management at O2, and to achieve Gold was rare and well respected.I was consistently in the top 5% of sales professionals within O2, and achieved every primary quarterly target set throughout my 8 years at O2. To this end, I benefitted hugely from the O2 Reward and Recognition scheme which involved long weekends away across the UK and Europe.Within my regional team, I was responsible for training new staff members, and would often present to the entire Salesforce at quarterly conferences.The role was KPI driven, and I measured myself each week on calls made, appointments booked, appointments sat, how many opportunities I had at each stage of the buying cycle, and how many opportunities were converted into wins.As a home worker I needed to be highly motivated, determined and proactive to ensure success.

This role was my first real introduction to face to face selling within the telecoms industry.The job included generating sales opportunities, managing and supporting existing accounts, meeting potential new clients and encouraging them to join Worldroam, networking at local events such as Chamber of Commerce and BNI.