I’ve sat in meetings where advisers sound like they’re auditioning for a financial dictionary. They throw out terms like cashflow modelling, alpha, beta, lifetime allowance, chargeable gains, discretionary trustee structures, and the client just nods politely, trying not to look lost. That’s not advice.
I understand the technical side, deeply. You don’t advise expats for 25 years without mastering the complex cross-border stuff. But the real skill? It’s not in how much I know. It’s in how clearly I can make you understand it.
Because if you walk out of a meeting more confused than when you walked in, you haven’t been advised. You’ve been overwhelmed. And I’ve seen too many good people make bad decisions simply because no one had the courage, or the patience, to explain things properly.
What I’ve built my name on isn’t jargon, it’s clarity. Clients come to me with years of fragmented advice, product folders, and buzzwords. And the first thing I do is unpack it all and bring them back to one question: What are you actually trying to achieve?
I’ve worked with high-flying lawyers, surgeons, entrepreneurs, oil execs, retirees, and I’ll tell you this: the moment I break through the noise and show them a plan they actually understand, something incredible happens. They breathe easier, they lean in, they start to believe again. They go from uncertainty to ownership, and that shift is priceless. Because money isn’t just numbers. It’s emotion. It’s freedom. It’s legacy.
Simplicity doesn’t mean easy. Behind every simple explanation I give, there’s hours of thinking. Research. Strategy. Compliance. Scenario testing. Hard conversations. Long nights. But that’s my job, not theirs.
My job is to take all of that complexity and make it digestible. So when they’re lying in bed at night, they’re not wondering what a trustee does, they’re sleeping, knowing their family is protected and their future is on track.
And that’s what great advice does. It gives you peace of mind when the room is quiet and no one’s watching.
"if you walk out of a meeting more confused than when you walked in, you haven’t been advised. You’ve been overwhelmed."
I’ve had clients say to me, “Mike, you’re the first person who’s ever made this make sense.”
That’s the win. Not the sale. Not the structure. Not the shiny dashboard. The moment of understanding, that’s what builds loyalty. It’s not about transactions. It’s about transformation.
Let’s be clear, I don’t simplify because I think my clients aren’t smart. Quite the opposite. They’re successful, intelligent, and driven. But they’re not financial experts. That’s why they come to me. They don’t need to understand the tax code. They need to understand their plan. They want clarity. They want someone who can make them feel in control, not like they’ve just sat through a finance exam.
We don’t hide behind industry language. We don’t use complexity as a crutch. And we don’t ever forget that our job is to serve, not to show off.
I tell every adviser I work with: explain it to your clients like you’d explain it to your sister, your dad, your best friend. Respect them enough to be real. Earn their trust by being human. Because the person who makes the client feel calm, not clever, is the one they’ll come back to.
I lead from the front. Not just in results. In clarity. In trust. In how we speak to real people about real challenges. If I can’t explain it simply, I don’t deserve to be advising you.
I’ve seen what happens when advice goes wrong. When families are left picking up the pieces of financial plans they never really understood. When protection was overlooked. When growth was prioritised over security. When complexity got in the way of action.
That’s why I do this differently. Because real leadership in this profession means not just knowing the rules, but knowing how to relate. To listen. To translate. To guide.
I built my reputation on clarity. On trust. On showing up, year after year, in boardrooms, coffee shops, Zoom calls, living rooms, explaining big decisions in ways people could act on.
If you’re an expat, and you’ve sat through meetings that made you feel smaller, not stronger, I see you. You deserve advice that makes you feel confident, understood, and safe. So let’s change that. Let’s cut through the jargon. Let’s build a plan you believe in. And let’s do it in plain English.
"I tell every adviser I work with: explain it to your clients like you’d explain it to your sister, your dad, your best friend. Respect them enough to be real. Earn their trust by being human. Because the person who makes the client feel calm, not clever, is the one they’ll come back to."
If you’ve ever felt lost in the complexity of financial advice, it might be time for a change. At Skybound Wealth, we believe you deserve clear, actionable advice tailored to your unique life abroad. No jargon. No confusion. Just a straightforward plan to help you achieve your goals with confidence.
Get in touch today to start a conversation about how we can help you build a financial future that works for you, wherever you are.
Let’s cut through the noise, make sense of your options, and get your financial journey back on track.
