This week’s Business Ninja is financial planner extraordinaire Sandy Wilson from Silk Financial Services. With offices in both Melbourne and Geelong, Sandy’s unique business has helped many people to ‘Smooth Their Financial Journey’ without intimidating psycho-financial babble. Very approachable and knowledgeable, Sandy will help sort out your finances and plan for a happy and profitable future. To contact Sandy, click here. Here’s Sandy!

1. What are your maddest ‘ninja skillz’?

I often take leaps into the unknown and operate on instinct.

2. How did your lightbulb moment in creating your business about?

When working with a lifestyle coach around 4 years ago, we were exploring my passions and the things I wanted to achieve.  I remember I wanted to become a better cook, learn the Argentinean tango, start my own business and develop a network of like minded women. As we delved into my aspirations further I recall how excited and ‘right’ it seemed to combine the last two together.  It was at that moment when I came up with the idea of starting a financial planning practice which would focus on the unique financial needs of women. It took another 3 years before my dream became reality and after 13 years working for other financial planning firms, Silk Financial Solutions opened its doors at the beginning of 2010. 

Why Silk? 

Well, there three main reasons. 

•             I wanted to help smooth the financial journey; you know ‘smooth as Silk’;

•             I thought that the process of creating Silk starts from something very rudimentary but over time, produces something very beautiful; and

•             I like the idea of ‘Wealth and Wellbeing woven together with Silk’ Which means that if you have your finances in order, and have enough  money (however much you determine that to be) to live the life that you find deeply fulfilling, then you gain that much sought-after sense of wellbeing. 

(As for becoming a better cook and learning the tango; I have dabbled with both but must confess there hasn’t been much progress in either area). 

4. What is your earliest memory?

My great aunt insisting I give her a kiss or she wouldn’t give me my present (I think I was around 4years old). I was reluctant to kiss her and I can’t remember whether she gave me the present.

5. What would your last meal be?
Hrmm, because I’m usually quite conscious of what I eat, my last meal would include foods that I don’t eat often enough:

Indian food, chilli prawns, rich chocolate cake with triple cream and French champagne.

6. What is your best tip for recruiting staff or choosing business partners/associates?

I look for people who have similarities in passion and vision, but possess skills and insights that I don’t have. I want to surround myself with people who are good at the things I’m not good at. 

7. What is your favourite sound?
Rain on the roof in winter, when I’m snug in my warm bed.

8. Who would you like to invite to dinner?
Bill & Melinda Gates, Stephen Fry, Hillary Clinton, Ayaan Hirshi Ali, J K Rowling and Richard Branson