At UMi, we love highlighting the people who make it easier for businesses to do more and go further. This month, we’re shining a light on James Ryan, one of our Business Funding Advisers within the UMi Get Funding team.
What is your role at UMi?
I work as a Business Funding Adviser, helping businesses source the right finance for their needs. My focus is on making sure any finance is sustainable and genuinely supports the business. No mithering, no pressure — just clear, honest guidance.
Tell us about your career to date
My early working life mostly involved washing a lot of dishes for a lot of different companies. Character‑building stuff.
I moved into financial services during the PPI boom. My job was to assess cases to see whether people were eligible for a refund, so rest assured I wasn’t one of the ones pestering everyone on the phone about claims.
Since then, I’ve worked with loans across their full life cycle, including origination, completion and debt recovery. That experience has given me a strong understanding of how lending works from start to finish, and it’s made me passionate about making sure lending is done responsibly.
What does your current role involve?
My role is varied. I spend a lot of time speaking with businesses to understand their journey so far and what they need next. I also work with them to make sure they’re finance‑ready and that any funding they take on is appropriate.
I spend time out building relationships with intermediaries to understand how I can support their clients and how they can support ours. I’m always happy to get the coffee round in.
I also make a point of keeping up with both the business landscape and the funding landscape in my area, so I can use that knowledge to help local businesses thrive.
What makes UMi Get Funding different?
What I really value about UMi Get Funding is that we’re here for the whole business journey, not just for one‑off transactions. With UMi’s experience and long‑standing relationships, we’re able to help businesses find what they genuinely need.
As a broker service, we focus on what’s best for the client, not what’s best for us. We’re transparent in how we work and committed to doing the right thing.
What do you enjoy outside of work?
At home I have two Yorkshire Terrier and Papillon crosses (Yorkillions). The best way for me to unwind after a busy day is to take them for a long, peaceful walk.
I play seven‑a‑side football every Monday night — or at least I try to. I’m also an unabashed dork and I love classic video games.
And finally, tell us one interesting fact about yourself
When I was twelve, we went on a family holiday to America. At the airport, staff had to contact Interpol because my name matched a warning for a known criminal. They decided fairly quickly that I probably wasn’t the person they were looking for.