Elaine Wilson, our managing director, is a qualified financial advisor and accountant with over 25 years’ experience in helping Irish clients. Here’s her story, as told in Brokers Ireland.
How long have you worked as a Broker – how did you come into the industry?
My career found me rather than the other way round. I started out in finance as a training accountant. I paused briefly, with plans to become an interior designer, but while waiting for that course to start I took a summer job as a bank official. And I never looked back!
I moved from the bank to financial services as it offered more flexibility and a better work life balance. Twenty five years on, with lots of determination and a fair bit of luck, I’ve built a career I love. I recently realised my dream of founding my own business, called Vita Financial. Vita means “LIFE” in Latin; I believe in living your life and making the best possible plans for tomorrow so you can enjoy today to the full.
What’s your favourite and least favourite thing about being a Broker?
I love helping people. I like to think outside the box and find new solutions that haven’t been considered. My job puts me in a privileged position and I get to know my clients very well.
I understand their concerns, their goals and even their dreams. When a new client says “I don’t know anything about pensions” or “I am not sure how the mortgage process works”, this gives me purpose. I share my knowledge and experience so I can support clients in making informed decisions at important junctions in their lives.
I always consider things from the client’s perspective; my least favourite thing is striking that right balance of giving sufficient information to fulfil compliance requirements but not so much it overwhelms or confuses them. I appreciate the work our regulators do in making our industry more transparent and client centric, but I believe giving too much information can be as confusing as not giving any.
Top tips to someone who’s interested in becoming a Broker?
“The key to selling is not sell at all” is the advice I give. Be yourself, take the time to get to know your clients, give advice you believe in and never stop learning. Stay grounded, act with integrity – this is the way that leads to deep job satisfaction.
Secondly, don’t be afraid to take risks. The risk-adverse often take the most risks by doing nothing. A pivotal moment for me was the financial crash in 2008. Like most financial advisors, my phone stopped ringing. As pipelines dried up, the worry set in.
Then one day I realised there was only one person I could rely on to change things – and that was me. I joined networking groups where I learned the best lesson; “if you focus on doing the right thing, you won’t have to worry about finding business”. Putting this into practice every day has served me well.
What’s been the biggest industry advancement since you started as a Broker?
I believe the recent digitalisation shift to be one of the biggest advancements. Before the pandemic business models were traditionally manual, full of paper and in person. Then overnight we moved to online systems, video meetings and paperless offices. Without the pandemic, this shift would have taken a decade at least to achieve.
As an industry we have shown resilience and strength. This is regularly tested, as it is now, with market uncertainties, continued regulatory changes, and issues with providers’ service levels. We face these challenges with brilliance and perseverance.
What’s your favourite and most used business mantra?
My business mantra is also my philosophy, “I only give the advice I give myself”. For every client recommendation, I put myself in their shoes. I consider their needs and objectives with my financial services’ experience and I never compromise. This makes me grounded, focused and confident in the advice I give.
How do you switch off in your spare time?
On the beach is where you’ll find me finding my inner peace. My favourite pastime is listening to the waves crash as they run to shore, whatever the weather.
As a child I was scared of the sea – not because of the dangers but because of the cold. A few years ago I conquered that by swimming in the sea in December and last year I swam around a little island near where I live. Next up is buying a house by the sea – and I am really looking forward to realising this challenge!
In the media: Broker Spotlight
This interview with Elaine Wilson of Vita Financial was published in the Brokers Ireland magazine in May 2025.
- To contact Elaine, or book a call with one of our advisors, go to our Contact page.
- For media enquiries please contact info@vitafinancial.ie or phone: 021 4323770 in office hours.
