Money can feel complicated and overwhelming at times. That’s exactly why our Edinburgh Money Matters event with Rachel Harris & Co felt so needed. The goal was simple: to bring clarity, confidence and real, practical understanding to the financial decisions that shape our lives. From business income to property, pensions and long-term planning, it was a morning for honest conversation about how wealth is actually built, structured and protected in real life.
We had women in the room at every stage of life. Some just starting out, some juggling careers and kids, others thinking about retirement or supporting family. That mix made the whole morning feel really relatable. Everyone came with different questions, but there was a shared feeling of “I’m not the only one figuring this out.”
We kicked things off in true egg style with lots of chatting, connecting, coffee and cakes. People spoke to freely our experts from FreeAgent, Brodies LLP, Niksen Property and Melville Independent Plc before Kylie opened with some fun facts about the room.
Kirsty Mitchell, Director of Practice Marketing and Events at FreeAgent, then sat down with Rachel Harris to hear all about her journey. Rachel, also known as accountant_she, is a Forbes 30 under 30 honouree and winner of Accountancy Personality of the Year and honestly, you can see why straight away. She has that rare ability to make money feel human. Relatable. Actually doable. Not intimidating or out of reach. She strips everything back to what really matters. No jargon, just clarity. And she summed it up perfectly:
“Money isn’t good or bad – it’s an amplifier of who you are. If you are good, money is great,” Rachel explained. “Start by designing the life you want, then build the business around it.”
One of the early takeaways that really stuck was how helpful it is to make money feel simple. Using routines and clear “pots” for your money, such as bills, future you and fun, can take away so much stress. It’s not about being perfect with numbers, it’s about creating a system that works for your life.
Then we moved into the panel with Hayley Robertson of Brodies, Ben Di Rollo of Niksen Property and Jack Ferguson of Melville Independent. Together, they brought a really grounded, practical view of money across legal, property and financial planning. It all linked together, and it became clear just how much the small decisions you make early on can shape your options later.
Hayley, a Partner Solicitor and Lawyer at Brodies law firm in Edinburgh, shared a powerful personal story that really stayed with people.
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 35. It was never on my agenda – I genuinely thought, ‘It’s not going to happen to me,’ she revealed. “But unbelievably I had put critical illness cover in place five weeks before I was diagnosed. It gave me that financial cushion and mental stability when everything else was uncertain.”
It was one of those moments that brought everything into perspective. Financial planning is not just about growing wealth. It’s about protecting yourself and your family when life doesn’t go to plan.
The Brodies advice that followed was clear and practical:
- Seek expert advice when writing your will. Whilst it can be tempting to draft your own will, seeking expert will‑drafting advice ensures that your wishes are clearly expressed, legally valid and protected from potentially costly mistakes. Issues that we commonly come across include invalid signing, missing executors or guardians, unclear or contradictory wording, and outdated information about assets or family circumstances. These sorts of issues can result in additional court applications which can mean significant delays, expense and stress for your executors.
- Have those important conversations early. The results of our recent YouGov survey shines a stark light on how few people have discussed their estate planning with loved ones. Whilst these conversations can be tricky (emotionally and practically), making your wishes known from the outset can help to avoid uncertainty, reduce stress, and prevent complications for family members further down the line.
- Plan for the “what ifs”. Nobody knows what the future holds, but should you become unable to make your own financial or personal decisions, a continuing and welfare power of attorney ensures that someone you trust can act on your behalf. Granting these powers in advance allows your chosen attorney to manage your finances and make welfare and health‑care decisions if you lose capacity. By putting a power of attorney in place now, you can also avoid the need for a guardianship application later on - a process that can be lengthy, costly, and stressful for families.
Jack from Melville Independent also highlighted just how powerful time can be when it comes to pensions.
“The earlier you can start a pension, the more time you have for compounded returns. It makes such a difference to what options you have when you get to retirement.”
On the property side, Ben Di Rollo brought it back to real life decisions many people are making right now:
“One of the biggest issues we see is couples buying together before marriage with nothing written down,” Ben shared. “A cohabitation agreement is a really sensible way to say, ‘What happens if this doesn’t work?’ It just puts it in black and white.”
After the panel, we got everyone up and moving with our Find your Board session. A great way to get people connecting, chatting and building new relationships in true egg style.
Rachel Harris closed the morning with a keynote that pulled everything together. She has a way of saying the thing you didn’t realise you needed to hear, in a way that makes you want to actually do something about it.
She talked about the difference between owning a business and owning a job. And how so many of us are sitting somewhere in between without realising it. Her approach is simple but powerful. Start with the life you want. Work out what that actually costs. Then build your business model, systems and support around that. It’s not all meant to sit on your shoulders. As Rachel put it, “The more you matter to your business, the less your business is worth.”
What started as a morning of uncertainty around money turned into clarity, confidence and a sense of “I can actually do something with this.” People stayed on, chatting, connecting and asking questions, which always says it all.
A huge thank you to all our speakers and to our sponsors FreeAgent,Brodies LLP Edinburgh lawyers, Niksen Property estate agency and Melville Independent Plc financial planners for helping bring this Money Matters event to life. These brilliant egg partners share our values, supporting women and creating space for connection, learning and great conversation.
Our thanks also go to Jennifer McLuckie Photography, the team at The Caledonian Hotel Edinburgh and Woosh, who will be bringing this Money Matters event to life again through the upcoming egg podcast.
