About WhenI'm

About our founder Jude, and why WhenI'm is different

Meet our founder

I'm Jude Gardner, founder of WhenI'm.

I’ve spent most of my career in financial services market research, including as Head of Research & Insight at The People's Pension. I loved running focus groups and bringing colleagues together to really understand customers, and watching people leave sessions buzzing with newfound knowledge.

In 2023, a cancer diagnosis changed everything. Eight months in hospital and a lot of reflection made me realise: life is short; do what makes you happy. And what makes me happy is bringing people together and helping them feel more in control of their future - that’s why I started WhenI’m.

Why WhenI'm is different

My personal journey, from a career in customer research talking to people about their finances, to founding WhenI'm, has given me a deep understanding of what really stops people from tackling their pension planning.

It's not laziness or lack of interest; it's overwhelm, uncertainty about who to trust, and worry about costs.

I’ve seen the gap first-hand: there's a sea of information online, financial advisers who feel out of reach, and social media influencers offering tips, but how do you know what's genuine? And how do you get guidance that's actually tailored to you and your situation?

WhenI'm brings together my knowledge and experience to provide education, time, and companionship for all the financial things we need to sort out in midlife. It's financial planning designed for real people, delivered with empathy, honesty, and without the jargon or hard sell.

Our ethos

Invest in your future

Most people will cover the cost of the WhenI’m course by recovering lost pensions, reducing charges, understanding tax or getting their investments in better shape.

Get on the same page

Whether it’s your partner, or your wider family, we all need to be on the same page when it comes to sorting out our financial futures. We tend to save for retirement individually through work, but our income and expenses in retirement are shared between partners.

All in it together

Support each other and have some fun along the way. Take the pain out of the admin by tackling it together.

Real people

Face-to-face connection with a friendly local group going through the same life stage. No hiding behind screens. Because life's too short to do it all on your own.

Real help

Practical support you can use right now. Not vague advice or links to out-of-date websites. We give you real help to get things sorted.

No judgement

If tackling your pensions and financial planning has been on your to do list for too long, you’re not alone. Together we can make the most of what we’ve got and plan for what's ahead.

No jargon

No complicated language or sales — just practical, understandable financial education, in plain English.