Investing Early, Thinking Long-Term: Financial Wisdom from SGM’s Sam Gibson
In this insightful episode of TheMorePeople Podcast, our host Andrew Fitzmaurice sat down with Sam Gibson, co-founder of SGM, a firm of independent chartered financial advisers. What followed was a refreshingly honest conversation about career journeys, starting early with financial planning, and cutting through the noise of social media’s false promises.
From History to Finance: A Career That Found Him
Sam’s path into financial services wasn’t meticulously planned, it evolved. Like many, he left university with a history degree and little clarity on what came next. A suggestion from a family friend led him to train as an accountant, a move that gave him professional structure, but not a long-term fit. Eventually, he transitioned into financial advice, and in 2020, he launched SGM alongside two trusted colleagues.
“It professionalised me. It made me grow up.” – Sam Gibson, on training as an accountant
SGM now offers trusted, independent financial advice for clients looking to make smart decisions about their wealth.
What SGM Does - and Who It’s For
SGM primarily serves individuals who have already started to build capital. Sam is candid: while it’s ideal to start financial planning young, most of their clients reach out later, often when they’ve built some wealth or are approaching key life events.
Their role?
To help clients invest wisely, balancing growth with regulation and transparency. As an FCA-regulated firm, SGM avoids speculative, unregulated schemes and focuses on traditional, proven investment tools, stocks, funds, bonds, and property.
“We’re not stockpickers. We choose the fund managers who are proven to deliver strong, consistent returns.”
Why Young Professionals Need to Care…Now
The most powerful takeaway from this episode? Start early. Even if it’s small.
In industries like recruitment, where young professionals can earn well early on, the temptation to spend rather than save is strong. Sam and Andrew reflected on the common experience of ignoring pensions and ISAs until it feels “too late.”
“I just put it off… until I realised I’d hit 30 and squandered the first 10 years of work.” – Andrew Fitzmaurice
For employers, there’s an increasing sense of obligation, not just to pay salaries, but to educate teams on long-term financial wellbeing. For employees, understanding credit scores, starting ISAs, and topping up pensions, even by modest amounts, can compound into meaningful financial security later.
The Reality of Today’s Financial Landscape
Sam called out a key issue: social media’s influence on financial decisions. Young people are bombarded with posts promising 50% returns, forex schemes, and crypto hype. It’s a dangerous distraction from sound, long-term investing.
“It’s sexy, it’s loud, and it’s often complete fiction.”
Real growth, he argues, comes from patience, discipline, and reliable advice.
What Advice Would Sam Give His 24-Year-Old Self?
It’s a question we’ve asked all our guests this year as MorePeople celebrates its 24th anniversary. For Sam, the advice is both simple and profound:
Buy a property sooner
Start investing earlier
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes - but start
“Everyone I work with who has financial security in later life got there by starting somewhere even if it was just £100 a month.”
Final Thoughts
This conversation wasn’t just about finance; it was about empowerment. Whether you're a graduate, a growing professional, or an employer trying to support your team, the key lesson is this:
It’s never too early, and never too late to take control of your financial future.
