Spotlight Series: lawrie wilson - willu financial

Legacy Club SHINES A LIGHT ON SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY, to see what makes them and their businesses tick!

We spoke to former pro footballer lawrie wilson, now a founding partner at wufg.

Please tell us a little bit about you the person (not you the business owner): 

Ex-professional footballer with a real passion for a healthy, active lifestyle. A plant-based cycling enthusiast whose number one job is father to a son.

Describe your business in less than 30 words:

FCA regulated, the WillU Financial Group comprises of 5 companies that provide; Health & Life Insurance, Asset Management, Wills & Estate Planning, General Insurance and International Payments. Our goal is to support our client's financial, mental & physical well-being.

What industry or sector does your business fall into? Finance.

What did you do before you started your business?: I’ve always been heavily involved in sports. I was awarded a place at Millfield, one of the best sports schools in the country, where I had to make the decision to follow a professional path in either cricket or football. I journeyed through the Youth Academy ranks at Charlton Athletic FC and then went on to pay for Stevenage FC (winning promotion twice to the football league), Bolton Wanderers and then again as a pro for Charlton Athletic. I’m still playing now semi-pro at Billericay FC. I love keeping active but get to enjoy a less restrictive schedule which has allowed me to settle into the finance industry! Whilst playing, I utilised the PFA’s education initiatives and gained a first-class degree.

What have been the biggest struggles that you have encountered, and what did you do to overcome them?: I had absolutely no experience being in an office. I had to start from the beginning and take a fast-track crash course! Thankfully my years within the cut-throat world of professional sport taught me discipline, focus, time management and how to adapt quickly in new environments.

Have you had any external investment to date?: No but we’re looking to raise funds to take the business to the next level.

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on your business and did you make any changes or pivots?: During the pandemic, the importance of access to healthcare was really highlighted. We saw a big rise in those taking out private health policies and also taking out protection for their families with Life cover. Our team grew, as did the business, with us launching the latest 2 companies within the umbrella; WillU Insure and WillU Wills.

We also saw an increase in our fitness community. Our ethos is to help people feel their best -  healthy bodies, healthy minds - so being able to get people moving during such a challenging time was great!

Do you struggle with, or have you found any of the following barriers to your business growth?:

Staff – we offer something so special and unique at the WUFG and trying to find valuable team members that share the same passion and ethos as the rest of the team is really difficult to find.

Do you have any business hero's, if so, who are they?:

Whilst I am adapting from being a professional athlete to business, I am reading a lot of books. One that has been a standout for me and an individual I have a lot of admiration for in creating one of the biggest brands in the world is Phil Knight, NIKE.

Financial Rewards or Business Awards?: Business Awards

What was the last book you read?: The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown

Tell us something totally unique about your business: The WUFG is a one-stop-shop offering multiple financial services products. Alongside that, we created our own employee assistance program, WillU World.  We offer complimentary access to it for all our clients. They can access discounts, win prizes, join fitness and wellness classes and find support from external partners including CALM.

Finally, please tell us what we can look forward to with your business in the 2022:

The WUFG has some exciting plans for 2022. We are planning on expanding our product offering in Q3/Q4 of 2022. Shorter-term we are currently speaking with a few individuals who are interested in becoming Non-Exec Directors of the group to help us achieve everything we have planned over the next few years.