Dave Southby of Dave Southby Financial Planning has had an amazing 2023!

December is here! Christmas lights are up and businesses are starting to wind down to take a break over the festive season.

Today we’re talking to Dave Southby who is Principal of Dave Southby Financial Planning LTD and is based in Swindon. They help clients through a friendly, down-to-earth approach and provide long term peace of mind based on your specific needs and budget.

What does December mean for your business? Is it busy, quieter? If the latter, how do you use your time usefully? 
December is usually a month of two halves for us, we are usually incredibly busy up until the middle of the month and then it goes very quiet because not many people want to see their financial adviser a week before Christmas! We use the time to tie up any loose ends and start planning for the new year so the time is certainly not wasted.

Give us a flavour of your highlights of 2023 - tell us up to five positive things that have happened to you and/or your business in the last year.
I have to say the biggest thing for me this year was getting married to my beautiful wife Bex. We had an incredible day followed by an unforgettable honeymoon!

The biggest highlight for the business has to be Neil coming on board – It was a big leap to take but it was the right one. 

We have also just moved into our office which is another big leap for us as a business. 

We have also been shortlisted for the St. James's Place Responsible Business of the Year Award which is an incredible achievement for us. There are over 2,000 SJP practices in the UK, so being shortlisted for this award, after just 2 years of trading is fantastic. 

Would you like to thank anyone who has been especially helpful to you throughout this year? 
I have to thank my wife, Bex, for all the support she has given me this year. I wouldn’t be in the position I am now without her.

Have you done anything for charity or your community this year? Please share any example of you ‘giving back’.
Our quarterly drop-in sessions have been one of the many ways we have been able to give back to the community. These were held in the Ellendune Community Centre in Wroughton and were designed to give local residents help and support with any financial questions or concerns that they had. They were extremely popular and we will be continuing them in 2024. 

December 3 was Small Business Saturday in the UK. Can you name up to three local independent ‘retail’ businesses you would recommend using? 
There have been lots of businesses which have helped us throughout the year – both professionally and personally. But professionally, I need to give a special thank you to Nickel Design, Scott Media, OrangeStripe Outsourcing & Accountancy, Martin Baker Estate Planning and Blackwell Mortgages.

December 20 is the Festival of Winter Walks. Do you love any walks in your own community that you could recommend?
We love getting out for walks with the dogs. Some of our favourite walks are Barbury Castle, Salthrop and Avebury. The views are just amazing!

What has been your proudest moment in 2023? 
That’s easy, there’s only one thing it could be - getting married! 

If you could choose three words to sum up 2023 – what would they be – and why? 
I would have to choose the words rollercoaster, unforgettable and growth! This year has had its ups and downs but it is hard to believe the growth the business has had in 12 months. It has been an unforgettable year because even amongst all of that business success I was able to marry my wonderful wife in a beautiful wedding and we got to experience an amazing honeymoon!

To find out more about Dave visit www.davesouthbyfp.co.uk