About
Chris Thompson
Geordie by birth. Essex by postcode. Big fan of Greggs and financial clarity. Not necessarily in that order.
50+
Families currently looked after
8 yrs
Average client relationship
15+
Years advising clients
CFP™
Certified Financial Planner
FCSI
Chartered Fellow, CISI
1-to-1
Always direct, never a handoff
Why broadcast
and production?
When I began working with people in broadcast and production, I noticed a recurring theme. The financial services industry was built around conventional careers and conventional retirement - and it was failing to answer the questions my clients were actually asking.
Generalist advisers were focused on building the biggest possible portfolio for a retirement date decades away. But experienced freelancers and production professionals needed answers to entirely different questions.
Most didn't want to stop working completely. They just wanted to know if they could ease off the gas. They needed an adviser who understood freelance income, limited-company structures, irregular schedules and the reality of a career behind the scenes.
So I stopped trying to serve everyone and started serving one group properly.
- 01Can I afford to slow down?
- 02Can I become more selective about the projects I take?
- 03Am I going to be okay?
- 04Do I still need to accept everything that comes my way?
Background and experience
I've spent over 15 years in financial planning. Before providing client-facing advice, I worked as a paraplanner - the technical engine room of financial planning. That background means I don't just talk about strategy; I understand the deep mechanics of how pensions, taxes and investments actually work together.
Today, I hold the internationally recognised Certified Financial Planner™ certification and I am a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. But qualifications only matter if they translate into clarity for the person sitting across the table.
I also hold the full suite of UK financial planning qualifications required for regulated advice - well above the minimum required.
An intentionally small business
Encore Financial Planning is designed to be small. I currently look after approximately 50 families. When you call, you speak to me. There are no adviser handoffs, no call centres and no junior staff learning the ropes on your finances.
I start with your life, not your products. We figure out what you want the next few years to look like, and then we arrange the money to support that. It's a relaxed, direct and honest process. No jargon. No judgement.
I am independent - not tied to any investment provider or product range. That means the advice you get is shaped by what's right for you, not by what earns a commission.
A different kind
of conversation.
- Specialist focus on broadcast and production
- Understanding of irregular freelance careers and limited-company structures
- One-to-one service - no adviser handoffs, ever
- Intentionally small firm - currently around 50 families
- Plain-English communication and life-first planning
- Independent advice - not tied to any provider or product range
- Relaxed, honest and non-judgemental manner
- Transparent about fees before any commitment is made
Ready to see the
full picture?
The first conversation is informal, with no pressure and no preparation required. It's just a chance to see if working together makes sense.
Start with a conversation