Platinum Member Spotlight: Protection & Investment Ltd

Meet the Member: Protection & Investment Ltd

Helping individuals and business owners protect what matters most while planning for their financial future with confidence.

Founder of Network My Club, Bradley Hatchett, sat down with Coran Archer, David Mills and Nicola Pilling from Protection & Investment Limited (PIL) for their Platinum Member Spotlight.

Learning how the business came together, the range of clients they support across mortgages, protection and financial planning, and why networking has played such a key role in their growth.

Bradley: To kick things off, I’m interested as to how the three of you eventually came together to form the business?

David: In my previous role I was a director of another business and, funnily enough, networking played a big part in how this all started.

We had become too busy and needed another financial advisor, so I stood up at a networking meeting and said exactly that. Then someone introduced me to Nicola and it went from there.

Even Georgia in our team came through Coran via a connection.

We’ve never really advertised for people. A lot of the growth has come through relationships and recommendations, which probably reflects how we like to build the business.

Now to what the business does and who you typically help. What does a typical client look like?

David: Between the three of us we’re able to help people at different stages of life.

Nicola works with clients entering or moving within the property market, including later life lending and equity release for older clients.

I tend to support people in the middle stage where they’re thinking more seriously about pensions, wealth and financial planning once they’ve settled down or built a business.

Coran works with protection clients, both individuals and businesses. Within Network My Club there are lots of business owners who are probably underinsured, so corporate protection is a big opportunity there.

It’s quite hard to define a single ideal client because together we cover a wide spectrum.

I’m interested to understand one common misconception or myth that you’re often debunking in your sector.

Nicola: A big misconception around equity release is that people think they’ll lose their home or that there’ll be nothing left in their estate.

In reality it falls under the broader umbrella of later life lending and equity release isn’t always the right solution. There are often other options that can be more appropriate depending on someone’s situation.

Coran: From a protection perspective, many people assume they’re uninsurable or that cover will be extremely expensive.

It’s one of those “grown-up jobs” people put off because they assume the worst. But often there are more options available than they expect, especially when looking at group policies or workplace schemes alongside individual cover.

David: With pensions, many people are still thinking about them the way they were years ago when they were more restrictive and harder to understand.

Modern pensions are far more flexible and incredibly tax efficient, so a lot of what I do is helping people understand how valuable they can be as part of long-term financial planning.

From a partnership and referral perspective, where do you tend to pass and receive referrals to/from?

Nicola: Accountants are a strong source of introductions, as well as financial advisors who don’t specialise in later life lending themselves. Family lawyers can also be a good source, alongside existing clients.

A lot of growth simply comes from helping people well and then growing alongside them.

Coran: For me, networking has been huge. Pretty much my whole business has grown through networking and referrals from people I’ve met along the way. Accountants though are a strong connection for me.

David: It’s similar for me as well. Accountants often work with limited company owners where there are real tax efficiencies around pensions and planning, so networking with those professionals has always been valuable.

What would you say the biggest milestone to date has been for the business?

David: Probably the pace of growth over the last year. A year ago we didn’t even have an office and since then we’ve doubled the team and grown significantly.

Nicola: Another highlight was being recognised by our peers across the wider Protection & Investment group. There are almost 30 advisors operating under the same brand, and at the annual conference we were voted the best company within the group for the year.

That was a really proud moment for us.

Looking ahead, if we were sat here in a year’s time, what goals would you like to have achieved?

David: Continued growth is the main one. We’ll likely need another advisor in the next year or two and there are also opportunities where we may look to take over another business.

The aim is to keep building the team and supporting more clients as we grow.

Obviously it would be silly not to touch on networking. How has networking impacted you professionally or personally?

Coran: Networking has had a huge impact for me. Stepping into self-employment, it became incredibly important.

One thing I’ve learned is that meeting someone in the room is only the first step. The real value comes from following it up afterwards and building a genuine relationship.

Let’s imagine you’re talking to someone who’s just starting out networking, or maybe someone who’s frustrated by it. What advice would you give them?

Coran: Don’t focus purely on what someone does. Focus on who they are as a person.

For me, networking works when you build real relationships – meeting for a coffee, having lunch, or grabbing a drink after work. When you get to know people properly, referrals and opportunities tend to follow naturally.

A good example is someone I met at a networking event earlier this year. We later met for a drink and realised we were both Network My Club members, and now we’re attending events together.

Nicola: If you’re at an event, be present – put the phone away for a couple of hours and engage with people properly.

And don’t treat networking as something you dip into only when you need business. The value comes from showing up consistently and building relationships over time.

Lastly, what are you all passionate about outside of work?

David: Football is a big one for me. I’m a Brighton season ticket holder. I also enjoy walking the dog in the countryside, finding a good pub and getting away skiing when I can.

Nicola: A lot of my time is spent with my two boys and taking them to football. When I do get downtime I enjoy catching up with friends over a nice bottle of wine, and I also picked up crocheting during lockdown which I still enjoy.

Coran: My parents live in Spain so I spend a lot of time travelling there. I’ve also got teenage twins who keep me busy, so between family life and social media there’s always something going on.

Learn more about Protection & Investment Ltd
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