14/04/2025
Who am I???
Iāve noticed a few new faces lately, so I thought now would be a great time to reintroduce myself.
Iām Sarah Jacob, 48, originally from Cardiff. Iāve lived all over the UK, but Colchester has been home since 2021āand I absolutely love it.
Thereās such a strong sense of community here, especially among the veterans. The events, the support networks, and the energy they bring are genuinely inspiring. Plus, I love the history hereāColchester being the first recorded town (now a city!) in the UK just adds to the pride of living here.
My upbringing was simpleāwe didnāt have much, but I never felt like I missed out. My mam and dad gave me something far more important than money: love, values, and strength. I was raised to understand that things didnāt have to be material to be meaningful.
In my downtime, Iām usually off kayaking, travelling, or spending time with my mamāsheās one of my best friends. I also love getting stuck into anything involving the veteran community and giving back in any way I can.
My working life started at 15 with a Ā£35-a-week YTS job. I was brought up knowing thereād be no sitting around claiming doleāI had to find my way. That early job taught me basic office skills, and from there, I moved into insurance before eventually joining the Civil Service.
I spent years as an examiner at the Insolvency Service, interviewing people facing bankruptcy or winding-up petitions. I also gained my qualification in insolvency law during my time there. Outside of work, I often found myself helping people before they ever reached that pointāsupporting them with debt management and financial guidance in my own time.
After my divorce in 2012, I took redundancy and set up as a limited company, contracting in finance. I qualified as both a mortgage and financial adviser and worked with several banks and pension companies across the UK. That chapter gave me broad experience in both client-facing roles and behind-the-scenes compliance workāskills that now help me support my own clients with confidence, clarity, and care.
But life had other challengesāyears of severe anxiety left me barely able to leave the house, a result of a domestic abuse relationship. During that time, I completed a qualification in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), which was a turning point. It helped me rebuild my mindset, reclaim my confidence, and take control of my life again. I even lost 7 stone 7 pounds in less than a yearāa personal transformation Iām incredibly proud of.
In 2024, everything changed. I knew I wanted to rebuild my career by helping othersāespecially military personnel, whoāve always held a special place in my heart. I set up as a mortgage advisor and made the decision not to charge any broker fees for standard mortgages for HM Forces. Itās my way of giving back.
Now, coming up to a year working solely for myself as a whole-of-market advisor, my goal is simple: I want to leave my pension contractor job, go full-time in mortgages, spend more time with my mum, and continue doing meaningful work that makes a difference.
These days, Iām proud to run my own business as a mortgage advisor, helping people from all walks of lifeābut especially serving those in HM Forces and the veteran community. I specialise in:
ā¢ Military mortgages ā for current personnel and veterans, with no broker fee on standard cases
ā¢ First-time buyers ā guiding them with patience and clarity
ā¢ Remortgages ā helping clients save money or raise funds with confidence
ā¢ Buy-to-let ā supporting both new and portfolio landlords
ā¢ Clients with complex income ā including self-employed individuals
ā¢ Adverse credit cases ā where others may have said āno,ā I look for the āhowā
I particularly enjoy seeing a smile on someoneās face when Iāve managed to achieve what they thought was impossible. That moment is everything. What makes my service stand out is that people who know me, know I go above and beyond. I care deeplyāand I mean that. Iām passionate about making sure our forces community is looked after properly.
I want every client to walk away feeling like they truly matteredāand that getting their home wasnāt just a result, but a win they genuinely deserved.
Now for the fun bitsā¦
Iām a laugh a minute (or so they say). Trouble seems to follow me ālike the time I was caught in a bomb going off in Sri Lanka (2008), a hurricane in Mexico (2005) where we were stranded for over a week, and political unrest while in Venezuela (2007)! Or when I go out for a quiet drink but end up in the pub with the lads šš»š. I somehow always find myself in the thick of it, but I wouldnāt have it any other way.
Outside of work, my family and friends are everything. I make as much time as I can for them while still giving back to othersāit keeps me grounded and fulfilled. Fundraising, volunteering, being out and about in the communityāit all gives me so much more than I give it.
When people meet me, they probably think Iām nuts. And to be honest, I amābut in the best way! Youāve seen the military community, right? You have to be a little mad to keep upāand I wouldnāt change it for the world.
