About me
Hi, I’m Jeremy! Watch me as I explain why I can help you achieve a more fulfilled life.
About Jeremy Deedes
My name is Jeremy Deedes, I am a coach and former financial planner.
My background and story
For over thirty years, I was at the forefront of revolutionary changes in how the financial advisory community helped clients develop their life and financial plans. In 2007 I became the first registered financial life planner in the UK. However, being authorised had its drawbacks, so I relinquished my FCA permission to focus on creating a powerful combination of life coaching and financial planning based on my expertise, experience, and new approaches to the role of money in achieving aspirations.
My world view and the virtuous circle
I understand that you achieve spirituality by making a positive difference to others, which gives meaning and purpose to your life. In so doing, you become focused on others, not yourself, and let go of much of your “stuff” to focus on making an impact. And change is always a challenge, a sort of pilgrimage, leading to a more spiritual life.
However, I believe you must create and hold wealth in all its forms to do this. Wealth includes skills, values, relationships, networks, and financial wealth. There is nothing wrong with wealth. However, it becomes a millstone of materialism rather than a source of spirituality when used for personal ends rather than to make life better for others.
Money is the most common form of wealth and possibly the most important. Money makes the world go round. There is no doubt about it. However, money is destructive when it becomes the centre of your universe. Money is a great spiritual teacher, and I believe you handle your financial wealth better when you have deep financial maturity and excellent financial organisation.
This is the virtual circle of spirituality, wealth and impact.
What do I do?
I run online workshops, training sessions, one-to-one and group coaching, and a community for empty nesters.
Raising your children is a full-time job lasting twenty years or more. Hopefully, when it's over, you feel a sense of fulfilment but may also feel a sense of loss, empty and directionless. Your sense of purpose and identity needs adjusting. And children are expensive, leaving your energy and wealth, as well as your connections, skills and even your generosity of spirit, depleted.
So I have developed programmes to help you create a new direction for your life and money in your post-children world, and I provide support and training in life and financial skills as you implement your plan. I will enhance your self-belief, develop your self-awareness as you rediscover yourself, get you financially well-organised and develop the life skills you need to take you through the next stage of your life.
Transformation
I help empty nesters who have survived parenthood to organise their money and their lives so they can grow wealthy, make an impact and thrive spiritually.
How do I do it?
At the high level, my coaching, courses and community use the unique FUTURE process I developed as a financial life planner. FUTURE stands for Foundation, Utopia, Transformation, Utilisation of Resources, Roadmap, and Engagement, and provides a reliable structure for change and a clear route to success without leading to overwhelm.
In practice, I ask powerful and open questions designed to help clients open up new avenues of thought, grow and develop. For example, I recently coached a couple in their mid-50s whose children had left home. Their parenting “job” had ended, as would their “day jobs” in the not-too-distant future as retirement approached. They were concerned because the purpose and meaning of their lives seemed to be fading away, and they feared the rest of their lives would be empty and unfulfilling even though they still had the skills, health and energy to make an impact.
The couple were also concerned their money might run out before they did, making it difficult to support their children and grandchildren and maintain a strong family relationship. And they wondered how they might occupy their time, meet new friends, become part of new communities, make an impact and generally continue to lead a life that gave them purpose and meaning.
I spent ninety minutes with the couple, during which I asked powerful open questions, listened to answers, and helped the clients work out what they needed to do.
As a result, the clients left with a spring in their step and a plan for the future, which included moving to London to be close to their children and the capital’s cultural communities, winding down their practices and negotiating ongoing part-time work with their clients and employers.
They would also re-assess their relationship with their money with a view to ensuring their money lasted their lifetime with some left over for the children and allowed them to live a fulfilled life.
Why do I do it?
Three pivotal events have inspired me to work with empty nesters - those between the kids leaving home and retirement.
After my father retired, Mom and Dad quickly slipped into a slow, stay-at-home life which seemed dispiriting and a waste of their experience and talents. So, instead, I vowed to remain active for as long as possible and do what I could to help others avoid being snared by the trap of inactivity.
Then, in my twenties, I made a severe financial misjudgement with ruinous consequences. However, I recovered when I put my life first and my money second, not the other way around. This philosophy has stood me in good stead since then and inspires me to help others see their money as a means to an end, not an end in itself.
Finally, twenty-five years ago, my wife and I started a family, and I started my financial planning business. My "job" was to raise my family with my wife and build a successful business. So, when Alex left home, and I sold my business, I felt fulfilled. However, I also felt lost, empty, and directionless. And my energy and wealth, and even my generosity of spirit, felt depleted.
So, instead of retiring, I launched a coaching and training business to use my skills and experience. Coaching gave me a new purpose, fulfilment and income. I also volunteered as a trustee of a local educational charity, I volunteer at Lourdes, looking after sick and disabled pilgrims, and I publish our local village newsletter.
My mission and impact
In a world that seems dark and riven by war, greed and corporate control, I am passionate about helping empty nesters rediscover themselves, rebuild their wealth, live with compassion and purpose and balance their spiritual and material needs. I am known for redefining the lives of parents who feel lost after their kids leave home, and my mission is to ensure your children become as proud of you as you are of them.
