5 minutes with…Ben Keeley

What makes Carpenter Box Financial Advisers (CBFA) stand out from the rest is our people and their commitment to having great relationships with their clients, and with their colleagues.

In our ‘Five minutes with…’ series we meet some of the great team at Carpenter Box Financial Advisers. We posed various sets of questions to people across our firm to provide a glimpse into their lives and perspectives.

We catch up this week with Sales Support, Ben Keeley!

Tell us about yourself

I am Ben Keeley, Sales Support at Carpenter Box Financial Advisers, working primarily in the Gatwick office. I was born and raised in Robertsbridge, East Sussex but went to school in Tunbridge Wells, Kent before attending The University of Birmingham. I completed a year of my degree at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada and combined this with extensive travelling in western Canada and western USA. My degree is in biology and physics, with a focus on the genetic basis of cancer. I joined Carpenter Box Financial Advisers in May 2021, in my first role in the financial services industry. I am currently studying for the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning through the Chartered Institute of Insurance (CII).

What is the best career/professional advice anyone has given you?

“Try and learn at least one new thing every day”. This came from one of my tutors at university as a revision and study tip but can be applied to most circumstances. The “thing” can be about yourself, about someone else, about something you need to know, about something you want to know or about something you never expected to know! I am an avid reader, which certainly helps with this, but I’m also naturally inquisitive about almost everything. In the early stages of a career, as I am right now, this advice goes a long way towards development in the practical and technical aspects of the work. Plus in day-to-day life it makes you a desirable teammate for a pub quiz!

What do you value most about working at Carpenter Box Financial Advisers?

The support of my colleagues and the firm in my training, both on the job and for my exams. I am new to the industry and therefore have had a busy few months learning the role of a Sales Support team member. I have also been given the opportunity to get involved with marketing campaigns and wider business tasks. I have started studying for my Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, so spend additional time studying and preparing for exams. The Advisers and Paraplanners are always happy to set aside time for a chat about anything covered in my exams. They will often identify a client as a case study for me. Seeing how the theory and practice is applied to our clients really helps to reinforce what I am learning in the study books.

Outside of work, what keeps you busy?

My main activity outside of work is cricket. I have played for the same club since the age of 9 and now play regularly in the 1st XI in the Sussex Leagues. I am also heavily involved in the background running of the club and have overseen the bar and social facilities since 2014. I am a qualified coach and umpire, but there aren’t enough hours in the week to do everything!

I like to cook and enjoy experimenting with and trying new food and drink. My latest experiment has been a BBQ-top pizza oven (with mixed results). I am also a keen traveller and always try local food and drink when I can. Highlights include elk poutine in Canada, octopus paella in The Galapagos Islands and homemade wine in Romania (ABV unknown).

What are your plans for the future?

My long-term goal at Carpenter Box Financial Advisers is to become an Adviser. I have completed two of the Diploma exams (four to go) and hope to complete the Diploma in the next 12 months. From there I can start further practical training with the Advisers and Paraplanners. I am also hoping to get more involved in the analysis and research that goes on in the background.

I have a long list of travel destinations for the future, including Central America, Japan, Vietnam, and New Zealand so I hope to be able to find the time to travel the world in between studying, exams and work.  

Find out more about ways in which we can help you by getting in touch with our team on 01903 534587.