Our Story and Mission

We started with a simple belief: everyone deserves to understand their money. A decade later, that belief still drives everything we do.

How We Began

crisp-pursuit was founded in 2014 by two financial professionals who saw a gap in Glasgow's landscape. Banks offered products, not education. Financial advisers served the wealthy. And for everyone else? Generic online content that rarely translated into real-world change.

We decided to do something different. We opened a small office on Sauchiehall Street and started running workshops for anyone who wanted to learn the fundamentals of money management. No minimum net worth. No complex jargon. Just practical skills that make a genuine difference.

What started as evening sessions for twelve people at a time has grown into a comprehensive education and consulting practice serving thousands of individuals and families across Scotland.

Our Mission

To make financial literacy accessible, practical, and transformative for everyone in our community—regardless of their starting point or background.

What We Believe

The principles that guide our work and relationships

Clarity Over Complexity

Financial concepts don't need to be complicated. We strip away the jargon and present information in a way that sticks. If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.

Respect for Every Situation

Money is personal. We never judge where you're starting from or the decisions that got you there. Our job is to help you move forward, not look backward.

Practical Application

Knowledge without action is just information. We focus on skills you can implement immediately, with real tools and frameworks you'll actually use.

Honest Guidance

We don't earn commissions on products. We don't have hidden agendas. Our only goal is your financial success, which means sometimes telling you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.

Long-term Thinking

Quick fixes rarely work with money. We help you build sustainable habits and systems that will serve you for years, not just until the next payday.

Accessible Support

Questions don't follow a schedule. We make ourselves available and responsive because we know that timely guidance often makes the difference between good and bad decisions.

Our Leadership

The people behind crisp-pursuit

Margaret Chen

Co-Founder & Director

Former banking executive with 15 years at RBS before founding crisp-pursuit. Margaret holds the CeFA qualification and specialises in debt management and budgeting strategies.

Robert MacLeod

Co-Founder & Education Lead

Background in adult education and curriculum development. Robert spent a decade teaching financial literacy in community colleges before joining Margaret to create crisp-pursuit.

Aisha Patel

Senior Consultant

Chartered accountant with expertise in small business finances. Aisha leads our business owner programmes and has helped over 400 entrepreneurs separate personal and business finances.

James Crawford

Workshop Facilitator

Former secondary school maths teacher who discovered his passion for financial education. James leads our group workshops and is known for making numbers feel approachable.

Our Journey

Key moments that shaped who we are today

2014

The Beginning

Margaret and Robert launch crisp-pursuit with evening workshops in a rented space on Sauchiehall Street. First year: 86 participants.

2016

First Office

Demand grows enough to warrant a permanent location. We move to West George Street and hire our first additional team member.

2018

1,000 Clients

We celebrate serving our 1,000th client. Client surveys show 91% report improved financial confidence after working with us.

2020

Going Digital

The pandemic forces us online. We develop virtual workshop formats and begin serving clients across Scotland and beyond.

2022

Community Partnership

We partner with Glasgow City Council to deliver free financial literacy sessions in community centres across the city.

2024

10 Years Strong

A decade of helping Glasgow manage money better. Over 2,400 clients served, £4.2M in client debt reduced, and still growing.

Our Approach to Financial Education

We Start With Behaviour, Not Theory

Most financial education focuses on what you should know. We focus on what you actually do. Understanding compound interest is useful; automatically transferring money to savings on payday is what changes your life. We build habits first, then layer in the concepts.

We Use Your Real Numbers

Generic examples only go so far. When we work together, we use your actual income, your real expenses, and your genuine goals. This makes the learning immediately relevant and the recommendations specifically tailored.

We Follow Up

A workshop or consultation is just the beginning. We check in to see how implementation is going, answer questions that arise, and adjust strategies as needed. Lasting change requires ongoing support, not just a one-time session.

Recognition

Scottish Business Awards

Finalist, Community Impact Category (2022)

Money Advice Scotland

Approved Education Provider

Google Reviews

4.9 stars from 180+ reviews

Want to Learn More?

We'd love to hear about your financial goals and discuss how we might help you achieve them.