Twenty years is a long time in business. Long enough to see the industry change beyond recognition, long enough to build relationships that have lasted the whole journey and long enough to learn a few lessons that we’ll carry with us for whatever comes next. As we close out our 20th anniversary celebrations, we wanted to share some of the things two decades in business finance have taught us.
Relationships outlast everything else
Products change. Rates change. Lenders come and go. But the relationships we’ve built with clients, partners and our own team are the thing that’s genuinely stood the test of time. The businesses that have stuck with us for years didn’t do so because of a single deal; they did so because of trust built over many small interactions along the way. If we’ve learned one thing above all else, it’s that relationships are the real asset in this industry, not any single transaction.
Adaptability isn’t optional
We’ve operated through financial crises, changing regulation, shifting interest rates and, more recently, the rapid rise of AI and automation across financial services. None of it was predictable and trying to plan for every eventuality would have been a waste of time. What mattered instead was staying adaptable by willing to learn new tools, rethink old processes and change how we worked without losing sight of who we were doing it for.
Good customer service never goes out of fashion
However the industry evolves, however fast decisions get made or however much of the process gets automated, the businesses that get remembered are the ones that made their clients feel genuinely looked after. That’s been true for the last 20 years and we don’t expect it to change in the next 20 either.
Giving back matters more than we expected
When we started out, supporting local charities and community projects felt like the right thing to do. What we didn’t fully appreciate at the time was how much it would come to mean to us and how much it would shape the culture of the business along the way. From the causes close to our own team’s hearts to the wider Oxfordshire community we’re part of, giving back has become as much a part of who we are as the finance work itself.
You can’t do it alone
No business gets to 20 years on the strength of one person, or even one team. It takes clients who trust you, lenders who partner with you, a team who care about getting it right and a community that supports you along the way. If there’s a single lesson that sums up the last two decades, it’s that success in this industry and probably in any industry, is a shared effort.
Looking ahead
We don’t know exactly what the next 20 years will bring. If the last two decades have taught us anything, it’s that the industry will keep changing in ways we can’t fully predict. But we do know the principles that got us here, adaptability, genuine relationships and a commitment to doing right by our clients and our community, aren’t going anywhere. They’re the foundation we’ll keep building on.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey so far. Here’s to the next chapter.
About The Author
Maria Morris, Co-founder
Maria is the co-founder of NGI Finance, bringing 16 years’ experience as an Area Manager at Lloyds Bank before helping establish the business in 2005. She settled in Oxfordshire in 2003 and has been at the heart of NGI’s growth ever since.
