Kevin Henry is proud to be Ireland’s only All-Star Accredited pension brokerage which offers bespoke investment solutions for sole traders, self-employed professionals, company executives and business owners. He is also proud of his unique Pensions Robo-Advisor. You can see it here.
You can contact Kevin on (01) 442 3929 or email kevin@thepensionstore.ie if you need a trusted pensions advisor to help you start a pension, review your existing plans, track down pension benefits from old jobs or simply put a plan around what you have already.
IIBN asked Kevin How did he get the idea for the Pension Store.
Most people find pensions confusing so I looked at how the most innovative financial services companies around the world are utilising technology to create user-friendly digital platforms for the ‘digital’ generation.
I wanted to bring this approach to the Irish market so, since I knew that I was going to have to wait 1 year to get a broker’s license, I spent this time building my intuitive pensions robo-advisor at www.thepensionstore.ie
It’s the complete digital representation of the Irish pension system and gives 5 accurate funding quotes for business owners, sole traders and employees based on their existing entitlements.
Give a brief account of your education background.
- Leaving Cert – St.Mary’s College, Rathmines
- Honours Economics Degree – UCD
- Entrepreneurship Diploma – Smurfit Business School
- Qualified Financial Advisor – LIA
- Retirement Planning Advisor – LIA
Did you always know/ever think you would become an entrepreneur when you were younger?
Yes – I have always admired business owners as those brave people who ultimately back themselves and their idea and I always wanted to join the ranks.
Is entrepreneurship a common trait in your family?
No it’s not a common trait in my family.
Did you have prior knowledge of the industry before setting up your company?
Yes, I previously worked as a pension specialist with IrishLife since joining them all the way back in 2005.
What was your previous work experience (if any)? Do you think this gave you an advantage when setting up your business?
Yes – I went from only being able to offer one range of relatively expensive products and services to being able to offer a range of products from a whole host of incredibly innovative Irish and international investment management companies at broker rates.
My clients are amazed at the deals they can get when they shop around. Loyalty is a nice trait to have but it doesn’t get rewarded by the big institutions in Ireland. In fact, it can end up costing people a fortune when they stay with one provider for too long. Always look for deals.
What characteristics do you feel benefited you most when starting your business?
I have always been conscious that most of my business comes from my existing customers. So, I always strive to go above and beyond to nurture this. People just want to be looked after by their advisors and this attitude has been the most beneficial aspect I have taken into my own business.
To what do you attribute your company’s success/growth to?
I believe in giving value first which is why I spent so much time designing the calculator and now spend so much time writing blogs and newspaper editorials and I am also very different to everyone else in the market.
What is your opinion on the importance of a professional network for an entrepreneur?
I fully appreciate the importance of a good professional network especially now that I don’t have a big corporate environment around me.
Do you think entrepreneurship has changed in recent years?
Yes, it would seem that success in business is now about success on social media before anything else so it’s either a case of jumping on board or being left behind.
Would you ever consider starting another company or involving yourself in new start-ups again?
Yes, I would be very interested especially if it offered the opportunity to broaden my horizons outside of financial services and fintech.
If you had one piece of advice for a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
Self-confidence is everything.
You can have all the best degrees, funding and contacts in the world but they all count for little if you hold yourself back. Working by yourself is the most reliable way to get ahead.
