The Financial Planner Life Podcast

A paraplanner sits down on a Monday morning to write one new business suitability report and loses most of the day to it. The document runs to 40+ pages. The client takes it home after a one hour meeting and, if we are honest, reads about five of them.Sam Oakes is joined by Jack Sleator, co-founder of Templi and a former paraplanner and adviser who spent five years inside UK advice firms before he started building software for them. Jack went from a graduate admin scheme at a large Irish wealth manager, into paraplanning at a national firm in Newcastle, then into advice at an IFA, before co-founding Templi in 2024.Templi started life as a suitability report writing tool and relaunched as a connector that sits across the systems advice firms already use, automating the work in between client meetings. That shift is the heart of this conversation. Writing the report faster is the easy win. What happens to the paraplanner career path, to accountability, and to the 40 page document itself is the much harder question, and Jack does not dodge any of it.In a survey of 209 advisers, suitability report writing came out as the single biggest bottleneck in the advice workflow, taking around three hours on average. Jack has customers who have cut that to 20 minutes. He is also the first to say that a time saving in one place does not change what an advice business is capable of.This episode is built for paraplanners, financial advisers and firm owners who want a straight answer on what AI actually changes inside a regulated advice business, rather than another round of provider marketing.EPISODE TAKEAWAYS:• Why Jack thinks the paraplanner role survives, and which tasks he expects to disappear first• The uncomfortable gap behind a 74% AI adoption rate and a 6.2 out of 10 efficiency score• The reason your data does not need to be perfect before you start, only reachable• What happens to the junior career ladder when AI handles the letters of authority• The one question to ask an AI output before you put your name on it• Whether the 40 page suitability report deserves to survive at all• Where to start on Monday morning if your firm has not touched AI yetFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Almost nobody in financial services can explain what an employee benefits consultant actually does all day, which is strange for a specialism that sits inside most of the big advice firms in the UK.Sam Oakes is joined by Natalie Malone, who leads the Risk and Reward team within Titan Wealth's corporate division. Natalie has spent almost 17 years in this part of the profession, starting in junior support roles and working her way up to running a specialist team of healthcare and group risk consultants.Her clients are businesses rather than individuals, so the people she advises are HR directors, finance directors and, in smaller firms, the CEO. The job is to build a wellbeing strategy that keeps staff healthy, engaged and at work, then justify every pound of it with data the business can see for itself.Rising private medical premiums, group income protection, salary exchange, early intervention on long term absence, menopause awareness, neurodiversity support: all of it sits alongside corporate pensions and individual advice, and all of it is regularly bought, filed and forgotten by the businesses paying for it.Key takeaways:●Why an employer's greatest asset is the exact thing most benefits packages fail to protect properly●The difference between risk and reward, and why confusing them costs businesses money●How claims data turns a nervous employer into a convinced one●What early intervention really means, and why the target is the people who are struggling but not yet signed off●Why Natalie will not call herself a broker● What she looks for when hiring, and the one thing she says cannot be taughtFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Financial planners are sitting on a confidence problem: a 70% opportunity gap when it comes to closing, and it is costing them business they should be winning.Chris Larkin, founder of training consultancy BigRock, returns to the podcast alongside Mark Rockliffe, CEO of Pembroke Financial Planning, to unpack what is really behind that number and what Pembroke has done differently over the past 12 months, growing from around 80 to 170 people along the way.BigRock's Advisor Advantage diagnostic tool, completed by hundreds of Financial Planner Life listeners, found this audience scoring 48% higher than the industry average on protecting time before and after client meetings, one of several results Chris and Mark break down in this episode.For financial planners, advisers and business owners in financial services who want to close more consultatively, not more aggressively.Key takeaways:●Why "are you happy to go ahead?" is the only closing line advisers need● The acronym BigRock uses to turn a client's own words into the reason they act●What a 137% gap in structured objection handling is really telling the industry●Why only 9% of UK adults take financial planning advice●How Pembroke grew from 80 to 170 people without changing what “selling” means to its advisersFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Jeanne Mpondo asked a room full of women in London whether anybody there was investing in anything. Not one hand went up. She then asked who owned their home or held a pension, and hands went up all over the room.Jeanne Mpondo is a St. James's Place partner running her own practice in London, and a former senior data analyst at S&P Global. She came into financial planning by accident, after helping her uncle raise the funding for long term care.She talks to Sam Oakes about coming through the St. James's Place Academy with three children at home, choosing to build her own practice from nothing rather than inherit a client bank, and specialising in women who are independent business owners and senior executives in the city. Running underneath it all is a language problem: the profession keeps describing money in words that do not match how a lot of clients experience their own.Around 56% of the world's wealth is expected to be in the hands of women from 2027. Jeanne is candid about what she has learned about actually reaching that client, from the 37 to 45 age window she works in to the reason her clients book that first meeting on their own.Key Takeaways:• The question that emptied a room of raised hands, and what it revealed about how clients hear the word investing• Why her female clients come to the first meeting alone, and what changes when the spouse finally joins• The asset most women overlook in a divorce until the negotiation has already moved past it• What a career break quietly costs a pension by 60, and the window to make it back• Why she tells anyone eyeing the partner route to bank two to three years of resources first• The half of the qualification nobody warns you about, and it is not the examsFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

 Towards the end of her ten years in law, Imogen worked out that fifteen hour days for three and a half months would get her to the billable hours she needed for her bonus. She did it, hit the number, and then handed in her notice. Sam Oakes speaks to Imogen Winfield, Paraplanner and soon to be qualified financial planner at City Gate Financial Planning, about the five month career break that became a complete change of profession. Imogen spent a decade at a US law firm, qualifying into litigation and working on commercial disputes and investigations with a financial services focus. Her clients were institutional investors, hedge funds and ultra high net worth individuals. What she did not have was control over her own time, and partnership, the destination everyone else was working towards, was the part that appealed least. She took an 84% pay cut to join City Gate, the largest pay cut that Sam has come across from anyone entering the profession. She started as operations manager, moved into paraplanning within four months, and is now close to being signed off as a competent adviser. Key takeaways: • Why partnership does not mean taking your foot off the gas, from someone who watched it up close • The billable hours maths that produced fifteen hour days for three and a half months • The single question that made financial planning click, and it had nothing to do with returns • Why lawyers on six figures need advice years before they think they do • What an operations role teaches a career changer that an admin role never will • The cashflow assumption almost every adviser gets wrong about high earning lawyers  Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Rebecca Ellis became a Chartered Fellow in her early twenties, but becoming a financial adviser wasn't her immediate next step.Today, she is Head of Advice at Titan Wealth International in Dubai, with experience spanning technical financial planning, paraplanning, international advice, operations and leadership.In this episode of the Financial Planner Life Podcast, in partnership with Titan Wealth, Sam Oakes speaks with Rebecca about her career journey and the range of opportunities available within financial planning.Rebecca initially studied accounting and finance at university before switching to a financial planning degree. The course provided exemptions towards her professional qualifications and helped her progress towards Chartered and Fellow status.However, qualifications didn't automatically make her feel ready to advise clients. Instead, Rebecca built experience through administration, paraplanning and technical financial planning. They discuss the difference between technical knowledge and real-world confidence, the value of developing depth early in a career and whether young professionals feel pressure to progress too quickly.Rebecca also reflects on the importance of female role models. Working alongside a successful female adviser who had progressed through administration and paraplanning helped her see what was possible in a profession where women remain underrepresented.After moving from the UK to Dubai, Rebecca developed a career in international and cross-border financial planning. She explains the complexities of working with internationally mobile clients who may live in one country, hold assets in another and eventually return to the UK, as well as the importance of technical expertise and collaboration across jurisdictions.The conversation also explores Rebecca's role at Titan Wealth International. Her responsibilities now extend beyond technical advice and supporting financial planners to include operations, business integration, acquisitions and wider group initiatives.Rebecca has participated in Titan Wealth's Next Generation Leaders programme, and completing an MBA has strengthened her interest in business strategy and leadership.This episode challenges the idea that becoming a financial adviser is the only career destination in financial planning. Opportunities also exist in paraplanning, technical advice, operations, proposition development, leadership, strategy and international planning.In this episode we discuss:• Financial planning degrees and apprenticeships• Becoming Chartered early in your career• Qualifications versus real-world experience• Administration, paraplanning and technical planning careers• Women and female leadership in financial planning• Moving from the UK to Dubai• International and cross-border financial planning• Working with internationally mobile clients• Careers at Titan Wealth International• Titan Wealth's Next Generation Leaders programme• Moving into business strategy• Career opportunities beyond becoming a financial adviser Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

After 13 years inside a financial advice network, Wayne Griffith and One Financial Solutions have become directly authorised by the FCA.But what does it really take to become a directly authorised financial advice firm? How long does FCA authorisation take, what are the risks, and when is the right time to leave a network?Wayne joins Sam Oakes on the Financial Planner Life Podcast to share the full story behind One Financial Solutions becoming directly authorised.The process took around 18 months, including nine months of preparation followed by a demanding nine-month FCA application. Wayne speaks honestly about the interviews, capital adequacy requirements, compliance responsibilities and the steep learning curve that comes with taking full accountability for a financial advice business.He also explains why the FCA was far more supportive than he expected and how compliance consultancy 360 helped prepare the business for direct authorisation.Why did One Financial Solutions become directly authorised?For Wayne, it came down to greater control, accountability and agility. He wanted the freedom to shape the firm's investment proposition, decide which advisers joined the business, develop future advisers and build a privately owned company capable of creating long-term wealth for its people.This is not an attack on financial advice networks. Wayne explains why networks remain essential, particularly for new advisers and smaller firms that need a “business in a box.” After 13 years of support, One Financial Solutions had simply reached a stage where its ambitions required greater independence.In this episode, we explore:• How to become directly authorised by the FCA• How long the FCA authorisation process can take• The true cost and responsibility of becoming directly authorised• The difference between a directly authorised firm and an appointed representative• Why financial advice networks remain valuable• Capital adequacy, compliance and FCA interviews• Building a centralised investment proposition• Creating generational wealth for financial advisers• One Financial Solutions' plan to grow to 100 advisers• Training trainee and junior financial planners• Why new advisers should learn marketing and build a niche• Neurodiversity within financial planning firms• How AI could change administration, paraplanning and client serviceShould your financial advice firm become directly authorised?Wayne's answer is clear: direct authorisation is not automatically better. It depends on the size, experience, resources and long-term ambitions of the business. A network can provide valuable protection and infrastructure. Direct authorisation provides greater control, but also places far more responsibility on the firm and its leadership team.If you are considering leaving a network, applying for FCA authorisation or joining a growing directly authorised financial advice firm, this episode gives you a refreshingly honest view of what lies ahead.CHAPTERS00:00 Wayne Griffith's big announcement01:10 Why One Financial Solutions became directly authorised02:19 Working with the FCA and 36004:40 Why financial advice networks are valuable06:17 When a network may stop fitting your business07:50 Control, accountability and generational wealth12:00 The reality of the FCA application process14:10 Training the next generation of advisers20:24 Marketing, lead generation and building a niche23:55 Neurodiversity in financial planning30:36 AI, upskilling and serving the mass market34:24 The future of One Financial Solutions42:49 The Hundred Club growth plan48:28 How to contact Wayne GriffithLearn more about One Financial Solutions at www.onefinancialsolutions.co.uk Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Trevor Greetham, Head of Multi-Asset at Royal London Asset Management, still measures market timing with a clock face borrowed from a 1930s newspaper. The idea dates back to a reference Trevor found from the London Evening Standard, a clock face marking out stages of the economic cycle: recession, recovery, late cycle, slowdown, each paired with the assets that historically perform well there. The problem, he explains, is that confirming exactly where you sit on that clock in real time is nearly impossible. Recessions are usually only confirmed months after they start, by which point markets have already moved on without you.Rather than guessing, Trevor's team at Royal London reads growth and inflation directly to estimate the current position. Falling inflation paired with strengthening growth points to recovery, favouring stocks. A slowdown paired with rising inflation points to stagflation, favouring commodities. This year, that reading has pointed to stagflation, with tensions in the Middle East cited as the driver, and it feeds directly into the team's daily tactical positioning.The conversation also brings in Robin Ellis, Director of Portfolio Management at St. James's Place, who talks through how Saint James's Place selects and vets the fund managers advisers ultimately rely on. He's candid about a trap he fell into earlier in his career, mistaking a confident conference speaker for a genuinely strong investment process, and why SJP now runs a weekly adviser podcast and curates its annual investment conference specifically to avoid that mistake. Trevor also explains why the phrase "passive multi-asset" doesn't really make sense to him, since clients rarely come to an adviser asking for a specific asset class, they come with a savings goal and a risk appetite that needs blending into a portfolio, not a label.Key takeaways from this episode:How the investment clock framework has been used to read markets since the 1930sWhy knowing exactly where you are in the economic cycle in real time is nearly impossibleHow Trevor's team uses growth and inflation indicators instead of guessworkWhy this year's read has pointed to stagflation, and what that means for portfolio positioningWhy Trevor believes "passive multi-asset" is a phrase that doesn't really hold upWhy a great conference speaker isn't always a sign of a great investment teamHow St. James's Place vets and curates the fund managers advisers ultimately rely onWhy SJP runs a weekly adviser podcast alongside its annual investment conferenceThis episode is for financial advisers who want a clearer framework for reading market cycles, and for anyone curious about how professional portfolio managers actually separate a good pitch from a genuinely good process.Learn more about Royal London Asset Management at royallondon.com , and about St. James's Place at sjp.co.uk. Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Think about it like Netflix, but for CPD. That's how David Tait, of Redmill Advance, describes the platform he's built for financial advisers, back on this week's episode to talk through it. Rather than static articles followed by a handful of multiple-choice questions, the platform's content is genuinely interactive: cards to flip, embedded videos you have to engage with, and many tests to work through along the way, specifically so advisers actually retain what they've studied rather than just logging hours.Firms can also automate the rollout of mandatory training across the year, spreading modules like AML, TCF, and whistleblowing training out on a schedule rather than leaving it to individual advisers to remember, a separate but equally practical piece of what the platform handles.Most advisers treat their annual CPD hours as a box to tick, something to squeeze in whenever there's time, often right before the deadline. David Tait sees that as backwards. His actual advice is to commit to three or four hours a month, every month, aiming each session at whatever gap in your knowledge is most relevant to the clients you're currently working with, rather than treating all 35 hours as one undifferentiated pile to clear at the last minute.David also talks through who actually uses the platform, a genuinely wide range, from four or five person practices right through to some of the largest financial services organisations in the UK, including SJP, Quilter, and Openwork. Larger firms tend to take the fully white-labelled version, everything branded in their own name, while smaller firms typically use the Redmill-branded platform instead, with the same content and reporting tools underneath either way.Key takeaways from this episode:Why David compares his platform to Netflix, and what that actually means in practiceWhy Redmill Advance's content is built to be interactive rather than a standard read-and-answer formatHow firms can automate the rollout of mandatory training like AML and TCF across the yearWhy David tells advisers never to cram their CPD hours at the end of the yearWhat a good monthly CPD strategy actually looks likeWhy the true purpose of CPD is staying sharp for clients, not just hitting a number of hoursWhat size firms actually use the Redmill Advance platform, from small practices to major UK namesThe difference between the white-labelled and Redmill-branded versions of the platformThis episode is for financial advisers who treat CPD as an annual scramble, and for firm owners and compliance leads evaluating whether their current training setup is actually working.Learn more about Redmill Advance at redmilladvance.com. Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Laura Fordham's (Financial Adviser at Titan Wealth) route into financial planning wasn't planned. She spent her first year handling the job entirely alone, while her client bank was still small. She lays out exactly what that year looked like in conversation with Sam Oakes this weekLaura Fordham's route into financial planning wasn't planned. She started out on maternity cover in an admin role at Barclays Wealth, and it was proximity to the financial planning job , printing client packs and greeting people in the office, that first got her curious about the profession. From there she trained through the St. James's Place Academy, deliberately choosing to stay client-facing rather than build a partner practice of her own, and later moved into an independent firm,  before they were eventually acquired by  Titan Wealth.Laura is candid about how tough the early years actually were. Building a client bank from scratch inside a heavily regulated industry took what she describes as an "eat what you kill" mentality: real drive, real setbacks and small wins that made the whole thing worth it. She's just as direct about what came later: leaving St. James's Place for independence, learning how to build professional connections with accountants and solicitors without ever resorting to a hard sell, and the responsibility of inheriting clients through acquisition who never chose her as their adviser in the first place.The conversation closes on a wider industry issue. Only around 16% of financial planners are women, and Laura shares her own view on why more women should consider the career, along with what she's doing within her own client base to encourage more engagement from  the female clients in the couples that she looks after.Key takeaways from this episode:How an admin role at Barclays Wealth led Laura into financial planning, almost by chanceWhat building a client bank from nothing demandsWhy Laura chose to stay client-facing rather than build her own businessHow to build professional referral connections without a hard sellWhat it takes to win over clients who arrive through acquisition rather than their choiceOnly around 16% of financial planners are women and what Laura believes needs to changeLearn more about Titan Wealth at www.titanwealth.com.Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Lewis Prosser has spent years myth-busting what it takes to go chartered. He is joined this week by David Tait of Redmill Advance.Lewis runs the St. James's Place programme supporting advisers from Level 4 through to Chartered status, and one of the most common myths he encounters is the assumption that becoming a Chartered Financial Adviser requires five years of experience, specifically as a financial adviser. Interestingly, Lewis has  never advised a client himself, yet he's chartered, a fellow across three professional bodies, and holds a master's degree in finance. In this conversation, alongside David, he unpacks the real data behind whether becoming Chartered is worth pursuing at all, including a 2025 market survey showing chartered financial planners earn 31% more income than Level 4 advisers (around £30,000 a year in real terms), and an average 50% increase in business linked to going chartered. Lewis also reveals that he actually found becoming a Fellow easier to achieve than Chartered and thinks that's wrong, arguing the Fellowship should demand more from candidates, not less.Beyond the numbers, Lewis walks through the credit system behind becoming chartered, his own hacks for getting there faster, and why the process requires three years of recorded CPD. He shares how a study text would switch him off after a couple of pages, how he leaned on audio and video learning instead, and how a realistic two-to-three-year plan with mentors got him through it: sacrifices, rugby, and all. David also shares how Redmill Advance is using AI avatars to keep training current and scalable for a growing population of advisers working towards Chartered.Key takeaways from this episode:Why the five-year experience requirement for Chartered doesn't have to be as a financial adviserWhy chartered financial planners earn 31% more income than Level 4 advisers, according to a 2025 market surveyWhy becoming chartered is linked to a 50% increase in business on averageWhat actually changes between Level 4 and Level 6 qualificationsThe credit system behind Chartered, and Lewis's sequencing hacks for getting there fasterWhy Lewis found Fellow easier to achieve than Chartered, and why he thinks that's backwardsHow the SJP and University of Gloucestershire master's programme works for chartered advisersHow Redmill Advance is using AI avatars to help scale training for advisers working towards CharteredThis episode is for financial advisers weighing up whether to pursue Chartered or Fellow status, and for training providers and firms thinking about how to structure long-term professional development.Learn more about St. James's Place at www.sjp.co.uk, and about Redmill Advance at www.redmilladvance.com.Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Hardy Michel is the founder of Marloo, an AI tool for financial advisers, and one of the most unusual things you'll hear him say as a tech founder, is that he'd rather you didn't sign a long-term contract for AI - even though it works against him commercially!Spending years working behind the scenes at retail investing platforms, Hardy Michel watched the same pattern play out again and again: people wanting to do the right thing with their money, then panicking and getting it wrong the moment markets got volatile. That observation, more than any grand plan, is what eventually led him to found and build "Shares" in New Zealand, which grew to over 20% of the country's population as users and 250 employees, and later Lightyear, launched across 22 European countries.Rather than build another consumer-facing platform, Hardy chose to focus on advisers directly. He and his co-founder spent six months embedded inside advice firms across the UK and Australia researching the profession before building Marloo, shadowing every role from managing director to paraplanner to understand exactly where time and energy were being lost. What that research surfaced was a profession where a single one-hour client meeting can generate ten hours of follow-up work. Hardy says Marloo can cut an annual review report from 3 hours down to 20 minutes.The conversation also covers a candid warning: Hardy tells advisers not to lock into long-term AI contracts, even though it works against Marloo's own commercial interest, because he's seen firms overpromised and under-delivered by competitors who don't keep pace. He also addresses how Marloo handles client data differently to advisers using ChatGPT or Claude directly, and where he sees AI fitting alongside, rather than replacing, a firm's CRM.Key takeaways from this episode:Why Hardy believes the real gap in financial advice is access, not qualityHow a one-hour client review meeting can generate ten hours of follow-up adminWhy Hardy says Marloo can cut an annual review report from three hours down to 20 minutesWhy Hardy and his co-founder spent six months researching inside advice firms before building MarlooWhy Hardy advises against long-term AI contracts, even though Marloo only offers monthly onesHow Marloo's data handling differs from advisers using ChatGPT or Claude directlyWhy Hardy sees AI as a complement to a firm's CRM, not a replacement for itThis episode is for financial advisers and firm owners weighing up whether an AI tool is worth adopting, and for anyone curious about the research that goes into building software for a profession this heavily regulated.Visit https://www.marloo.com/us  to try Marloo.Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Natalie Cheesman, Partner at St. James's Place, joins Sam Oakes to talk about how she built a financial planning practice to £6 million in funds under management in 18 months, without ever fully stepping away from the mortgage business she'd run for 15 years. In this episode, Natalie explains why a transactional mortgage career, however loyal her 1,200-client bank was, left her wanting something more predictable, and what it actually took to build financial planning on top of it rather than instead of it.Natalie talks through passing the CII Investment Advice Diploma in under a year while still running that mortgage business solo, and training through the St. James's Place Academy while continuing to submit mortgage applications in the evenings and on breaks. She describes the support that got her through those first months as a new financial planner, including a business development manager she'd sometimes speak to daily and an administrative specialist who had her submitting business from day one, and how she methodically worked back through her existing client bank and added mortgage-introducer partnerships to grow from £40,000 to £6 million in funds under management through organic growth alone.She also talks about the moment a client realises they can retire years earlier than they thought, what it took to keep building a business through a genuinely hard period in her own life, and what winning the Mike Wilson Award meant to her after 18 months of work.Key takeaways from this episode:Why Natalie kept her mortgage business running while training as a financial plannerHow she passed the CII Investment Advice Diploma in under a year while running that business soloWhat day-to-day support from a St. James's Place business development manager and administrative specialist looked likeHow she rebuilt momentum with her existing 1,200-client mortgage bankHow a mortgage-introducer partnership became a steady source of new businessHow she grew from £40,000 to £6 million in funds under management in 18 monthsWhat winning the Mike Wilson Award meant to her, and the resilience behind itThis is an episode for mortgage advisors weighing up whether financial planning is the right next move for them, and for newer financial planners looking for a practical blueprint on client conversion and introducer relationships.Learn more about St. James's Place at www.sjp.co.uk Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Dan Hobbs, CEO at New Leaf Distribution, joins Sam Oakes to talk about what building their own podcast has delivered for an IFA Network. He's joined by his father, Founder & Chairman of New Leaf Distribution, Mark Hobbs, whose own scepticism about podcasting turned around once it started outperforming close to £1,000,000 spent on Google Ads." In this episode, Dan and Mark explain why Mark was initially convinced podcasting was a gimmick, and what it took for Dan to change his mind. They talk about why New Leaf deliberately avoided the well worn topics every other network already covers, choosing instead to focus on what it is actually like to become an adviser and what happens in the silence after qualifying, when the phone stops ringing. The conversation also covers how New Leaf supports advisers through retirement and exit, including a striking story about completing a business sale with no contract in place after an adviser's death, and why New Leaf positions itself as a compliance thought leader rather than buying out its own advisers' client banks.Dan and Mark also share what happened after their very first guest, Kelsey Phillips, went live on the podcast, and why New Leaf's own advisers are now lining up, asking to be featured on the podcast.Key takeaways from this episode:Why most business podcasts fail, and what New Leaf built theirs around insteadHow Mark went from thinking podcasting was a gimmick to backing Dan's idea completelyWhy New Leaf avoids generic advice content in favour of what it is really like to become an adviserHow New Leaf supported an adviser's family through a business sale with no contract in placeWhy New Leaf positions itself as a compliance thought leader rather than buying its own advisers' client banksWhy New Leaf would rather a business stay within its own network than go to an M&A buyerHow Kelsey, New Leaf's first podcast guest, ended up with more development finance leads than she was ready forWhy New Leaf's own advisers are now asking to be featured on the podcastThis is an episode for anyone running a business in financial services, who is weighing up whether a podcast is worth the investment, and for any adviser starting to think about what their own exit from the profession might look like.Learn more about New Leaf at https://newleafdistribution.co.uk/ Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Dan Armitage (CEO of Neuro Sparks) and David Tait (Founder of Redmill Advance,) joins Sam Oakes to talk about supporting neurodivergent individuals in financial planning. Dan spent a decade as a regulated financial adviser, as well as a bank manager in his early twenties, before founding Neuro Sparks with his mother three years ago. He lives with ADHD, dyslexia and dyscalculia himself, and that experience now shapes every part of how he trains other financial planners.In this conversation, Dan explains what it was like navigating a career in financial services before he had the language for his own neurodivergence, and what changed once he understood it properly. He and David discuss why 15% of the population is neurodivergent, and why so many employers still are not equipped to identify or support that within their own teams. They also walk through Dan's own academic journey, from sitting his CII exams with a short term memory in the bottom 1% of the population, through to completing a level seven postgraduate certificate in neurodiversity at university - something he describes as the first time in his life he felt he could genuinely study.David shares how Redmill Advance builds neurodivergent support directly into training academies of up to 500 delegates at a time, including how trainers are taught to spot when someone is struggling and quietly adjust their approach without singling anyone out. Sam also shares his own ADHD diagnosis in detail, and how it changed the way he runs Financial Planner Life, once he understood his own way of working.Key takeaways from this episode:Why 15% of the population is neurodivergent and what that means for financial planning firms todayHow Dan built Neuro Sparks with his mother after a decade as a regulated financial adviserWhat it was like working in financial planning before Dan was diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia and dyscalculiaHow Dan sat his CII exams with a bottom 1% memory What employers notice, and what they don't, when it comes to how their people thinkWhat reasonable adjustments actually mean under the Equality Act, and where the limits of "reasonable" sit for employersHow Redmill Advance tailors training for neurodivergent delegates inside academies of up to five hundred peopleWhy Sam decided to share his own ADHD diagnosis on the podcast, and what it changed about how he runs Financial Planner LifeThis is an episode for financial planning firms thinking seriously about how they support neurodivergent staff, for managers who want to spot the signs before someone reaches a crisis point, and for any financial planner who has ever wondered whether their own brain works a little differently to everyone else's.Learn more about Neuro Sparks Business Solutions at www.neurosparksolutions.com and Redmill Advance at www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Matthew Samuel, UK Chartered Financial Planner and SEC Regulated Financial Planner at Titan Wealth International, has built a career across both the UK and the international market, specialising in advising clients with US connections and US assets from his base in Dubai.He holds his UK chartered status alongside the Series 65 qualification, which makes him a registered investment adviser under the SEC, the US regulator. That means he can advise American expats living anywhere in the world, UK pension holders based in the US, and anyone navigating assets across both jurisdictions. It is one of the most technically demanding niches in financial planning, and it is exactly where he chose to specialise.In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with Matthew in Dubai to find out what that career actually looks like day to day. How he established credibility as a young adviser without years of experience behind him, and why getting your exams done early is the single best thing a young financial planner can do. How Covid changed the way international advice is delivered, making it possible to speak to clients across New York, Texas and San Francisco all in one evening without boarding a single flight. And what the One Titan philosophy actually means in practice, from following clients across borders as their lives change to having specialists in-house for almost every jurisdiction in the world.Titan Wealth International is expanding into the US with advisers on the ground, building the infrastructure to serve clients wherever in the world they end up.This is an episode for UK financial planners thinking about an international career, for anyone curious about what advising US-connected clients actually involves, and for anyone who wants to understand what a genuinely global financial planning business looks like.The episode's key takeaways:Why Matthew combined his UK chartered status with the Series 65 to advise US-connected clients internationallyHow knowledge compensates for lack of experience in client meetings and why young advisers should prioritise their examsHow Covid changed international financial planning delivery and what that means for advisers thinking about going globalWhat a 401k is and why so many sit dormant and unreviewed for international clientsWhat the IRA rollover actually means and why it matters for US clients with UK connectionsWhat One Titan means in practice and why a borderless financial planning business changes everything for internationally mobile clientsWhy Titan Wealth International is expanding into the US and what that means for financial planners considering an international careerIf you are a UK financial planner thinking about taking your career international, this is the episode to listen to.Learn more about Titan Wealth International at www.titanwealthinternational.comFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

What does it take to leave a secure career, become self-employed and build a financial planning business managing close to £40 million in just three years?In this episode of the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes speaks with Samantha Wood, founder of Wood Mitchell Financial Planning and a Partner at St. James's Place.Samantha's career began in the British Army, where she progressed from soldier to officer and developed the discipline, leadership and adaptability that would later shape her career in financial services.After leaving the military, Samantha moved into investment management, completed her Chartered Wealth Manager qualifications and spent almost a decade working with high-net-worth private clients. She later made the decision to leave employment, become a self-employed financial planner and build her own business from the ground up.Samantha shares how she started with zero clients, built trusted relationships with accountants and professional introducers, developed a niche working with business owners and grew her practice to nearly £40 million in assets under management.The conversation also explores why financial planning is about more than investment performance. Samantha explains how strong financial planning can reduce anxiety, improve financial well-being and give clients greater confidence about their future.This episode is essential listening for aspiring financial planners, investment managers considering a career change, military professionals exploring financial services and advisers who want to build a sustainable financial planning business.Subscribe to Financial Planner Life for more honest conversations about careers, leadership, business growth and opportunities within financial planning and financial services.In this episode, you will learn:00:00 From Zero to Nearly £40m Under Management00:40 Samantha Wood's Financial Planning Career Story01:40 Joining the British Army at 1603:29 Transferable Military Skills for Financial Services04:26 Leadership, Communication and Leading from the Front05:33 Discipline, Well-Being and High Performance06:34 Leaving the Military and Exploring New Careers10:50 Breaking into Investment Management13:11 Working with High-Net-Worth Private Clients15:40 Why Client Relationships Matter More Than Technical Knowledge17:27 Becoming a Chartered Wealth Manager19:44 Investment Management vs Financial Planning22:11 How Investment Experience Adds Value for Clients23:54 Financial Planning, Anxiety and Financial Well-Being27:47 Communicating with Clients During Market Volatility32:14 Why Samantha Chose a Career in Financial Planning34:00 Leaving Employment to Build a Financial Advice Business35:10 Why She Chose St. James's Place36:44 Making the Leap into Self-Employment39:31 Planning Your First Year as a Self-Employed Adviser41:02 How Long Does It Take to Earn Consistent Income?44:22 Building a Financial Planning Practice to Nearly £40m45:43 Finding a Financial Planning Niche47:09 Helping Business Owners Plan Beyond Their Business48:28 Building a Referral Network with Accountants50:13 Systems, Technology and Your First 12 Months52:12 Taking Smart Risks and Aiming Higher54:37 Autonomy, Family Life and Running Your Own Practice57:50 The Reality of Being a Financial Planner and Business OwnerTo find out more about Samantha's work at St. James's Place, visit www.sjp.co.ukFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Romany Youell, Founder of The Finance Woman, qualified as the UK's youngest ever financial adviser at 18 after dropping out of college at 16. By 24 she had built a £10 million financial planning business. But the journey between those two moments nearly broke her.In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with Romany to hear the full story. How she grew up going to client meetings with her dad from the age of 11. How she dropped out of college at 16 and qualified as a mortgage adviser before most of her peers had finished their A-levels. How Quilter Financial Adviser School made a one-year exception to let her in early. And how, after becoming the UK's youngest financial adviser, she spent two to three years being told she would never succeed because she was a woman and nearly walked away from the profession entirely.The turning point came at a women in business networking event she almost cancelled. Six women around a table. One conversation. And the moment she realised it was not just her who did not fit into the industry. There was a whole community of people being left out of it. She went home that night and set up The Finance Woman.This is an episode for anyone early in their financial planning career who feels like they do not belong. For anyone who has been told they are not what the industry is looking for. And for anyone who wants to understand what it actually takes to build a financial planning business from scratch.The episode's key takeaways:How Romany dropped out of college at 16 and qualified as the UK's youngest financial adviser at 18What it was like growing up watching her dad build a mortgage business from his bedroomWhy Quilter Financial Adviser School made a one-year exception to let her in earlyThe comments she received from other advisers about being a woman in financial planningWhy trying to change her accent, wardrobe and language to fit in made things worseThe networking event she nearly cancelled that changed the direction of everythingHow one conversation with six women led to The Finance Woman being bornHow she built a £10 million financial planning business before the age of 24If you are building a financial planning career and feeling like you do not fit in, this is the episode to listen to.If you would like to find out more about Romany's work or get in touch, visit www.thefinancewoman.co.ukFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Aycan Richards, Chartered Financial Planner at Titan Wealth, spent 13 years building a financial planning career across Qatar and Dubai before making the decision to sell her business and hand her clients over to Titan Wealth.In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with Aycan to find out what that journey actually looked like. How she moved to Qatar in 2013 with a seven-year-old daughter and no existing client base. How she built trust from scratch using a referral-first approach that eventually became the foundation of a business worth selling. What it meant to be one of the few female chartered financial planners working in the international expat space. And what the emotional and practical reality of exiting a financial planning business actually looks like.Aycan also speaks openly about the misconceptions most people have about working and living in the Middle East as a woman, and why almost every concern she had before she moved turned out to be wrong. She talks about the "One Titan" philosophy and why Titan Wealth's presence across multiple countries was a key factor in her decision to sell her book to them rather than anyone else.This is an episode for women thinking about taking their financial planning career international, for advisers in the expat space wondering how to exit their business on their own terms, and for anyone who wants to understand what a long, respected international financial planning career actually looks like.The episode's key takeaways:What it was really like to move to Qatar in 2013 as a female financial planner with a young familyHow Aycan built a client base from scratch with no existing relationships in a new marketWhy almost every preconception about working and living in the Middle East as a woman turned out to be wrongWhat it means to be a female adviser in a profession where only 16% of UK advisers are womenWhy Aycan chose Titan Wealth to take over her clients and what the transition process looks likeWhat the "One Titan" philosophy means in practice for clients moving between countriesThe emotional reality of exiting a business you have spent years buildingWhy women considering international financial planning should reach out to Aycan directly on LinkedInIf you are a financial adviser thinking about going international or planning your exit, this is the episode to listen to.Learn more about Titan Wealth at www.titanwealthinternational.comFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Most financial advisers already know they should be more active on LinkedIn. What they don't know is why what they're doing isn't working.Free LinkedIn Webinar - book here -  http://www.leadgenfs.co.uk/fpl    It's not the content. It's not the consistency. It's who they're connected to, what they're saying in messages, and whether they've ever stopped to define exactly who they're trying to reach. Get those three things wrong and LinkedIn produces nothing. Get them right and, as Louis Adkins puts it, consistent inputs get consistent outputs.In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with Louis Adkins, Founder of LeadGenFS, who started building his LinkedIn system at 19 during his second year of university. He was studying geography, had no marketing background, and no clients. His first break came through a friend's dad. By his third year he had a waiting list of 27 clients, built entirely from LinkedIn. He graduated and went straight into the business full time.In the last 12 months alone, LeadGenFS has worked with over 100 financial advisers, helping them generate 3 to 5 qualified appointments a week from LinkedIn. One adviser added £12 million in AUM in 12 months. Another booked 47 calls in 90 days. A third sent 20 messages, went for a shower, came back seven minutes later and had an interested reply waiting.Louis breaks down the full system in this episode. How to niche down so your message actually lands with the right people. Why automated outreach destroys trust and gets accounts banned. How to build content that speaks to clients rather than other advisers. How to generate ideas consistently from your own conversations. And how to use direct messages to convert your audience into booked appointments without opening with a pitch.He also covers why referrals, as good as they are, will never give you control over your own growth, and what to build instead as your primary source of new clients.The episode's key takeaways:Why referrals are a bonus, not a primary strategy, and what to build alongside themWhy 95% of financial advisers' LinkedIn connections are other advisers, not potential clientsWhy automated outreach gets accounts banned and never builds the trust needed to convertHow to niche down so your content and messages cut through to the right peopleWhy asking for business in the first message is like proposing on a first dateThe three legs of the LinkedIn system: connecting, content, and direct messagingHow to generate consistent content ideas from your own client conversationsThe three parts of every LinkedIn post: hook, value, and actionThe message priority ladder: who to contact first and in what orderWhy LinkedIn leads convert at around 30% versus 75% for referrals, and why that still makes LinkedIn the better primary sourceIf you are a financial adviser who wants to stop relying on referrals and start generating clients consistently, this is the episode to listen to.Louis has also put together a free resource for Financial Planner Life listeners: five of the best performing post templates from LeadGenFS, available athttp://www.leadgenfs.co.uk/fpl Want to build your personal brand and generate better client leads on LinkedIn? Sam Oakes and Louis Adkins are hosting a free webinar. Register here

Why 30 to 39 Is the Best Age to Become a Financial Adviser Is 30 too old to start a career in financial planning?A lot of people would say yes. The reality is the opposite.The 30 to 39 age group is the fastest growing cohort entering financial planning right now, up 13% according to fresh FCA data. And the average age of a financial adviser in the UK isn't 56, like most people assume. It's 48.In this episode, Sam sits down with John Somerville, Director of Financial Services at the London Institute of Banking and Finance (LIBF), and David Tait, Founder and Managing Director of Redmill Advance, to dig into why this is the perfect window to start, what the LIBF Level 4 qualification actually involves, and what firms need to do right now to attract the next generation.They also go deep on the qualification itself. How it works, how it differs from the CII and CISI, why exams can be taken at home with no booking required, and why the case study approach is changing how advisers learn and qualify.If you're between 30 and 39 and considering a switch into financial planning, studying for your Level 4, or trying to bring younger talent into your firm, this is the episode for you.What we cover in this episode:Why the 30 to 39 age group is the fastest growing cohort entering financial planning, up 13%Why the average age of a financial adviser is 48, not 56, and what the FCA data actually showsWhy fewer than 150 practicing IFAs in the UK are under the age of 25How the LIBF Level 4 qualification works and how it differs from the CII and CISIWhy LIBF exams are split into two parts and can be retaken without sitting the whole paper againHow the six-week case study replaces the traditional written examWhat the new LIBF Chartered Member status means and who it is forWhy not starting an academy is a missed opportunity for financial planning firmsWhat AI means for the future of financial advice and why relationship management is the answerFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

What's the best age to become a financial planner?Adele Cable changed career at 53, convinced she was nearly on the ‘scrapheap'. Victoria Cable started at 23, convinced nobody would trust someone her age with their finances. Together they've built a practice worth £2.8 million in three years, and Victoria's own business is already valued at £400,000 after just a year and a half.This week on Financial Planner Life, Sam is joined by an extraordinary mother-and-daughter duo from Advanced Wealth Management at St James's Place to share exactly how they got here, what they've learned, and why the age question that puts so many people off financial planning is completely irrelevant.From Adele's career in corporate sales at Xerox and HP, to Victoria starting as a bag carrier watching her mum in client meetings, to becoming the top 0.01% of advisers at SJP for protection advice, this is a story about what happens when you back yourself, find the right environment, and build something that genuinely changes people's lives.This one is for anyone who thinks they're too old, too young, or too inexperienced to make the move into financial planning.The episode's takeaways

Care costs up to £100,000 a year. 1 in 4 people in the UK sell their home to pay for it. And most financial planners are having the conversation far too late.Click here for the KareHero Website In this episode, Sam sits down with Stephanie Leung, founder and CEO of KareHero, a UK-based service helping families navigate the care system and access funding they did not know existed. Stephanie has been a carer since the age of 14. She left a C-suite career at Uber managing 20 countries across Europe, and built KareHero after her father became seriously ill during Covid. She knows this world from both sides, and she pulls no punches.If you have clients approaching later life, this is not a niche topic. 1 in 5 people in the UK are currently caring for someone. By age 50, there is a 50% chance your client is either a carer or being cared for. This is already your clients' reality. The question is whether you are ready for it.What we cover in this episode:Why care can cost up to £100,000 a year and why 1 in 4 families sell  their home to fund itThe three types of care funding available and who qualifies for eachWhy the care conversation should happen at the IHT planning stage, not in a crisisHow power of attorney works, what happens without it, and why it takes 8 to 10 weeks to processWhat reverse parenting is and the emotional reality of caring for a parent with dementiaHow KareHero has accessed £12.3 million in funding for families told there was nothing availableThe role financial planners can play in signposting clients before care becomes a crisisWhy this conversation is the key to building relationships with the next generation of clientsFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Should UK financial planners be looking at the international advice market? Andreas Hollas has spent 13 years in Dubai building expertise that has no textbook, and the career it's given him is unlike anything available in the UK.In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam sits down with Andreas Hollas, chartered financial planner and technical advice director at Titan Wealth International, to explore what international financial planning actually looks like, the clients, the cases, the complexity, and the career opportunity most UK advisers don't even know exists.Andreas came straight out of university into financial services, built the largest client book at HHR, and now supports 80 advisers across Titan Wealth International with the most complex cross-border cases in the business. His clients span from the Dominican Republic to the Republic of Korea. His cases have no rulebook. His answers come entirely from experience.The result? A career at the front edge of a growing market that is desperately short of advisers genuinely equipped to serve it.If you're a UK financial planner curious about the international space, already working overseas and wondering what's next, or simply looking for a career path that rewards deep specialisation, then this is the episode for you.What we cover in this episode:What international financial planning actually means and who the clients really areWhy cross-border advice has no textbook and why that's the entire opportunityHow Andreas built the largest client book in his firm without being the busiest adviserThe supply and demand gap in the international market and what it means for career progressionWhat the One Titan philosophy means in practice for globally mobile clientsThe two routes into Titan Wealth International for UK advisers considering the moveWhy moving internationally doesn't mean losing your existing UK client relationshipsWhat the Denmark/Dubai case study reveals about what 13 years of experience actually buys youHow Titan Wealth's Next Generation Leaders programme is developing the next generation of international advisersWhy the international market rewards specialisation faster than almost anywhere in the UK profession

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Hannah Wooldridge isn't only the person keeping Financial Planner Life running behind the scenes. She's also training to become a financial planner, and sharing every step of the journey in real time.In this episode, Sam sits down with Hannah for the second update in an ongoing series following her path from a complete beginner to a qualified financial planner. She's one exam down, five to go, and already doing things most trainees don't think about until they're qualified.They dig into what it actually felt like to sit her R01 after 11 years away from exams, what she's learning by shadowing real client meetings, and why she's already thinking seriously about the business she hasn't launched yet. Most importantly, Hannah makes the case, without even realising it, for why waiting until you're ready isn't the way to building success.This one's for anyone who's thinking about becoming a financial planner, currently in the middle of their exams, or wondering what the path to self-employment actually looks like from the very beginning.The key takeaways

For most financial planners, the point of entry into the industry is either from an adjacent field or by working up from admin through paraplanning roles.But not Tim. His route stands out as unconventional, but it's far from hindering his professional success. Law school. A year in Swansea chasing training contracts that never materialised. A sales recruitment firm. And then, a client engagement role at a financial planning firm in Cheltenham, a job he recruited for without really knowing the industry. On day one, his main question was: What exactly is financial planning?In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam sits down with Tim Brienza, a self-employed financial planner with Montpelier Asset Management, to trace the full arc of his career, from that accidental entry point to managing close to £50 million in assets under management as a chartered fellow in his mid-thirties.Tim talks with Sam about how the unique first role that gave him a bird's-eye view of the profession, before he ever gave a piece of advice, how he leapt into advice and got chartered within 12 months of his first client meeting, but most importantly, his deliberate approach to networking that built his client base over a decade without him ever chasing the wrong people in the wrong rooms.He also breaks down the reality of going self-employed and what it's like to help build a firm from scratch. He shares the tips and ambitious approach he's adopted to propel him into a career as a financial adviser, now managing £50AUM. Tim also explains his voluntary role with the Personal Finance Society and how their inaugural New Gen programme aims to bring more young people into a profession he believes is one of the best-kept career secrets going.The episode's key takeaways

75% of financial advisers lose their AUM when a client passes away. Not because of bad performance. Not because of high fees. Simply because nobody built a relationship with the next generation.Ben Mason form Kinvault did something about that. In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam sits down with Ben Mason, the founder of Kinvault, to discuss the technology he built to address one of the most overlooked risks in financial planning: intergenerational wealth transfer. Ben explains why AUM walks out the door on death, why families are being failed at their most vulnerable moments, and how a simple, white-labelled platform is changing both of those things at once.They get into the real numbers, why 25% of beneficiaries don't even know they can stay with the existing adviser, why only 4% of Gen X clients retain the family's financial adviser after inheriting, and why 90% of widows who do switch move to a female adviser. They also discuss what KinVault does for clients while they're still alive, why Ben believes this kind of solution will be a baseline industry expectation within five years, and the story of the adviser who lost £2.6 million over Christmas and called Ben in January to say he should have done it sooner.At £10 per household per year, the maths speak for themselves.Whether you manage a book of 200 clients or 2,000, if you haven't thought seriously about what happens to your AUM when your clients die, this is the episode to start with.In this episode, we discuss…Why 75% of AUM leaves on client death, and the three reasons behind itHow Kinvault builds a relationship with the next generation before it's ever neededWhat the platform does for clients during their lifetime, not just at the point of deathThe generational retention gap that should concern every adviser Why women are being left out of the financial planning process, and what that costs at the point of transferCost, implementation, and why this won't become shelfwareThe story of the adviser who lost £2.6 million over Christmas and signed up in JanuaryFinancial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Most financial planning firms have both a financial planner and an investment manager. Far fewer have a team that operates as a single unit, with a shared philosophy, clearly defined roles, and a consistent client experience regardless of who's in the room or where the client happens to be.In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam sits down with George Davey (Financial Planner) and Matt Beddall (Regional Managing Partner) from Titan Private Wealth, to discuss what that kind of partnership looks like in practice and why it makes such a difference for the clients they work with.George manages over £100 million in client assets and specialises in repatriation work for clients returning to the UK from the Middle East. Matt spent 25 years at some of the UK's largest investment management firms before joining Titan to help build something different. Together, they argue that the relationship between a financial planner and an investment manager is among the most undervalued in the profession.George and Matt discuss what a genuine house view means for client outcomes, how their roles complement each other during client meetings, and why service will always matter more than performance when building long-term trust.They also get into the One Titan philosophy, what it means for clients who move abroad, come back to the UK, or have financial lives that span more than one country, and why very few firms can follow a client through those transitions the way Titan can.The episode's key takeaways

Should technical professionals go freelance immediately or start as employed advisers? Alwyn Van Staden's journey offers a fresh perspective on entering financial planning from a technical background.In this episode of Financial Planner Life, we chat to Alwyn about his strategic career path from investment management to financial advice. Despite having deep technical knowledge and years of experience at major firms, Alwyn made a choice to join St. James's Place as an employed adviser instead of going independent immediately.The result? He's now managing over £150 million in client assets as an independent adviser with Pinnacle Wealth Management.Alwyn shares his perspective on why employment first worked better than jumping straight into freelance life, how technical skills transfer to client success, and why building confidence matters more than rushing into independence.Sam and Alwyn discuss the real pressures of starting a financial planning career, the benefits of structured training programmes, and how employment can actually be more liberating than restrictive for career changers.The episode's key takeaways

Frazer James aren't looking for every candidate. They're looking for A++ people.Check out the jobs and book a meeting with James Mackay today!!And if that's you, or if you're also interested in attracting some of the industry's best talent, then this episode was made for you.In this week's episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes is joined by James Mackay, co-founder of Frazer James, to find out what a firm that's serious about attracting exceptional talent actually looks like from the inside.James and Chris Hindle built Frazer James from scratch, with no clients or referrals, and today it's growing at 40% year on year. The reason? A founding philosophy that is rarely brought to fruition: build the business you'd actually want to work for.He breaks down exactly what that means in practice. Explaining the five-stage career framework inside every role. The benefits package, which includes a four-month paid sabbatical, a 5% personal growth allowance and up to three months working abroad. Plus, the associate financial planner pathway, a carefully designed development programme that actually delivers on what most firms only promise.The episode's key takeaways

What actually determines whether a financial advice firm can be successfully sold?In this episode of Financial Planner Life, we sit down with Dan Dickinson to explore the reality behind selling a business and why most advisers are thinking about exit in the wrong way.From the outside, exit often looks like a financial event.Valuations, deal structures, and timing.But as Dan shares, the real pressure points sit elsewhere: in culture, in structure, and in whether a business can truly operate without its founder.He talks through his own journey of exploring multiple offers before joining Titan Wealth, and why many deals fell through despite strong financial terms.Because when conditions start affecting client outcomes or how a business operates day to day, the decision becomes far more complex.This episode also explores what happens beyond the deal:

What if financial advisers could spend 70%… or even 100% of their time with clients?Book a demo - here In this episode of Financial Planner Life, we sit down with Alan Gurung, founder of AdvisoryAI, to explore how AI is reshaping the way advice firms operate.From disconnected tech stacks and time-heavy admin, to compliance bottlenecks and the growing advice gap, this conversation gets to the core of what's really holding advisers back.Alan shares how AI agents like Colin, Evie and Atlas are already helping firms reduce admin, improve compliance oversight, and uncover insights hidden across multiple systems.But this isn't just about technology: It's about time.Because if advisers can spend more of it with clients, everything changes: capacity, growth, and the ability to serve more people.If you're thinking about the future of financial advice or how to scale without burning out, this episode is for you.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Introducing AdvisoryAI & the vision01:55 – From financial planner to AI builder03:17 – Why financial advice doesn't scale06:12 – The advice gap explained09:47 – The biggest bottlenecks in advice firms12:40 – Introducing Atlas: connecting the tech stack14:18 – Real-world AI use cases for advisers18:24 – The future of AI in financial planning28:05 – Meet the AI agents: Evie, Emma & Colin43:05 – Rethinking compliance with AI48:58 – Increasing capacity & serving more clients

Consolidation is rapidly reshaping the financial planning profession.But what's really driving it? And what does it actually mean for advisers, firm owners, and the future of advice businesses?In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with James Kaberry and Andrew Fearon, co-founders of Titan Wealth, to unpack the reality behind consolidation, private equity, and the structural changes happening across the industry.Drawing on their experience building one of the UK's fastest-scaling advice businesses, James and Andrew share an inside perspective on what it really takes to grow through acquisition, integrate firms, and create a centralised model that goes beyond the traditional approach to financial advice.They also explore the deeper forces driving consolidation, including an ageing adviser population, increasing regulatory pressure, and the growing need for businesses that are scalable, transferable, and built for the future.A key part of the conversation focuses on Titan Wealth's global expat advice model, supporting UK clients as they move across jurisdictions. This approach highlights how scale is no longer just about growth, but about building the capability to serve increasingly complex client needs.Alongside this, James and Andrew discuss their working relationship, the role of trust in leadership, and how private equity is enabling a new generation of advice firms to emerge.This episode offers a clear and honest look at where financial planning is heading and what advisers need to consider as the profession continues to evolve.

What happens when you realise your relationship with money needs to change, and it ends up changing your entire life?In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes speaks with Hannah Wooldridge about her journey from living with £10,000 of debt without concern to becoming debt-free and pursuing a career in financial planning.Hannah shares the moment that shifted her perspective, how she paid off her debt within a year, and why that experience sparked a deeper curiosity about saving, investing, and financial independence.She also opens up about leaving a job that no longer aligned with her values, how building an emergency fund gave her the freedom to step away, and what it's like exploring financial planning as a career in real time.This episode highlights the power of mindset, the importance of financial education, and why lived experience is becoming increasingly valuable in the next generation of financial advisers.Key Takeaways

What happens when a professional athlete's career comes to an end… and what comes next? In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with Ethan Waller, a former professional rugby player turned financial planner at Titan Wealth, to explore the reality of transitioning out of sport and into a new career. Ethan shares his personal journey from a 14-year rugby career into financial planning, opening up about the emotional challenges that come with losing identity, structure and purpose, even when you think you're prepared. He breaks down Titan Wealth's Sports Academy, a new programme designed to help athletes retrain as financial advisers while still playing, giving them the qualifications, experience and support needed to step into a second career with confidence. This episode covers the hidden side of life after professional sport, why financial planning is a natural fit for athletes, and how, with the right structure, community and opportunity, it can open up an entirely new pool of professionals. Key Takeaways

In this episode of the Financial Planner Life Podcast, Sam Oakes is joined by Helen Longland from Openwork and David Tait from Redmill Advance to explore how advisers are really being developed in today's profession and what it takes to build an academy that works at scale without losing quality.Helen and David bring a long-standing working relationship into the conversation. Having partnered on previous academies, they share how that experience shaped the decision for Openwork to work with Redmill again when launching its new Academy. This episode gives a clear view of how that partnership operates in practice and why trust, transparency, and delivery matter when developing new advisers.The discussion begins with the wider industry context. An ageing adviser population, ongoing challenges in attracting new talent, and why firm-led recruitment alone is no longer enough to address the advice gap. From there, Helen explains how the Openwork Academy has been structured to provide a clearer, more supported route into the profession.Listeners are taken step by step through the Academy journey. Starting with RO qualifications and internal licensing, where technical knowledge is built alongside advice skills and communication. This is supported by Redmill through structured learning, blended delivery, and clear visibility on learner progress.The journey then moves into central employed practice, where individuals begin working with real clients while being supported by experienced advisers, managers, and coaches. This stage also includes Competent Adviser Status sign-off, removing a key barrier many face when entering the profession.From there, the focus shifts to ongoing development. Advisers continue to build their capability through Openwork's Business School, with access to continuous professional development, leadership training, and further qualifications. For those looking to build their own businesses, the Route to Principal provides a structured pathway into running a firm, supported by peer-to-peer learning and growth programmes.The episode also explores the flexibility within the Academy. Individuals can progress at their own pace, with the option to specialise in protection or mortgages, or continue through to full diploma-level advice. A key part of this is the employed route, which remains rare in the market and plays an important role in attracting both younger entrants and second careerists.Alongside this, Helen shares insight into OWL Financial, where she is Director. This provides a self-employed protection route, with real examples of individuals building advice businesses alongside existing careers before progressing further.Throughout the episode, David explains how Redmill supports the Academy at every stage. From Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

How can financial advisers use AI to grow their business without hiring more staff?Book Free Demo of Wealth Space - HereIn this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with Max Anderson, former financial planner and founder of Wealth Space, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the day-to-day reality of running an advice firm.Max built Wealth Space after experiencing the same challenge most advisers face today: capacity.Advice firms are not short of demand. They are short of time.Client meetings, suitability reports, compliance documentation, and administration create an operational bottleneck that stops firms from scaling.In this conversation we explore how AI for financial advisers can reduce admin, improve productivity, and help firms grow without increasing headcount.Max also shares how the technology was used in his own advice business and how it helped replace adviser capacity for £149 per month.We also discuss:• How AI is changing financial planning • Reducing suitability report time from 90 minutes to 20 minutes • Using technology to increase adviser capacity • Growing from 80 clients to 120 clients per adviser • Why the biggest challenge in advice firms is operational workflow • How AI tools can support paraplanners and advisers • The future of advice technology and the Polaris junior adviser modelIf you're curious about AI in financial planning, wealthtech, or how advice firms can scale more efficiently, this episode is for you.

In this episode of the Financial Planner Life Podcast, Sam Oakes speaks with Caroline Laudren-Quillet, who transitioned from investment banking at Deutsche Bank to becoming a self-employed IFA and financial planner.Just two years into her financial planning career, Caroline has built £14 million assets under management, while balancing family life and designing a career with genuine flexibility.Caroline shares her full journey from investment banking to financial planning, including how she qualified, why she chose the self-employed IFA route, and how she evaluated different firms before joining a directly authorised financial planning firm.We also dive into the practical realities of becoming a financial adviser in the UK. This includes how much money you need saved before going self-employed, how adviser revenue splits work, and what support new financial planners should look for when joining a firm.Caroline also explains how she generated clients in her first two years as an IFA through Unbiased leads, networking groups, accountant referrals, and financial wellbeing workshops.If you are exploring a career change into financial planning, thinking about becoming a financial planner or financial adviser, or weighing up the self-employed IFA route, this episode is packed with practical insights.What we cover:Moving from investment banking to IFA Completing financial planning qualifications (Level 4) Choosing between IFA academies vs smaller financial planning firms The realities of becoming a self-employed financial adviser How much savings you need before going self-employed How financial advisers are paid and how fee splits work Building your client bank from scratch Lead generation for financial planners Networking, referrals and LinkedIn for advisers Why financial planning offers purpose and flexibilityThis episode of Financial Planner Life is essential listening for anyone considering a career as a financial adviser, financial planner, or self-employed IFA.00:00 - Ex-Deutsche Bank Investment Banking to IFA: self-employed start + £14m AUM 01:23 - Mindset check: “It's Friday” + starting your Financial Adviser journey 02:34 - Why she left Investment Banking: COVID, redundancy, pregnancy, Plan B 03:56 - Finding the UK Financial Planning route: Sam's videos + where to begin 05:27 - Lifestyle + family: why becoming a Self-Employed IFA fit her life 06:58 - Choosing a small firm: Directly Authorised IFA vs bigger routes 11:01 - Big bank to small Financial Planning firm: freedom, purpose, building a team 15:27 - Comparing firms: Quilter/SJP academy vs smaller IFA setup 17:20 - Going self-employed as a financial adviser: the 9–12 month savings rule 21:34 - What support should look like: paraplanners,Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

The Evolution of International Financial Planning | Titan Wealth International | Dubai Careers and Global Financial Advice OpportunitiesInternational Financial Planning is evolving and Titan Wealth International is helping shape what comes next.In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with Tyla Phillips and William Burrows, now part of the senior leadership team at Titan Wealth International, to explore their journey from starting at the bottom in Dubai to becoming leaders within one of the fastest-growing global financial planning businesses.Both Tyla and Will share the harsh early realities of building an international financial planning career. No safety net. No guaranteed pipeline. Just resilience, ambition and a willingness to learn.They went on to become top producers in the international space before founding Harrison Rose. That business later merged with Arlo to form AHR, combining leadership, infrastructure and ambition. Eventually, AHR was acquired by Titan Wealth, marking the creation of a true global powerhouse in international financial planning.In this episode we cover:• The real story of starting a financial planning career in Dubai • Building Harrison Rose from scratch • Merging with Arlo to create AHR • Why they chose to join Titan Wealth • What makes Titan Wealth International different • Clear career structures and employed adviser opportunities • Market leading remuneration models • The adviser marketing fund and fair lead distribution system • The importance of culture and cognitive calm in high performance environments • What One Titan means across global officesTitan Wealth now manages £44 billion in assets, employs over 1,400 people globally and benefits from long term private equity backing. The group continues to expand internationally, offering financial planning careers and global financial advice opportunities across Dubai, Mexico City, the USA, Europe, the Channel Islands, the UK and beyond.Whether you are:• Considering a move into international financial planning • Exploring Dubai careers • Looking for global financial advice opportunities • Or thinking about exiting your business and want to hear from founders who have successfully gone through an acquisition with Titan WealthThis episode is essential listening. Reach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com if you are interested in careers at Titan Wealth.  International financial planning is entering a new era, and this conversation gives you an inside look at where the profession is heading.Listen now.Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

Thinking about a career change into financial planning?How do you become a financial adviser if you're changing careers? In this episode of The Financial Planner Life Podcast with Titan Wealth, Azela explains the fastest practical route into the profession after moving from engineering into financial advice.Should you start as a paraplanner before becoming a financial adviser? Azela breaks down why paraplanning builds technical knowledge, client meeting experience, and confidence — making it one of the strongest entry points into a trainee financial planner role.What do firms look for in career changers entering financial planning? We discuss mindset, transferable skills, qualifications, and how to stand out when moving into the UK financial advice profession.Check out Titan Wealth career opportunities here, or speak to me directly!  This episode is essential listening for anyone researching a financial planning career, exploring the move from paraplanner to financial adviser, or planning a career pivot into finance.In this episode we cover: • Changing careers from engineering into financial planning • The quickest route to becoming a financial adviser • Why paraplanning is a powerful entry point • Building confidence in client meetings • Skills needed for trainee financial planners • Career opportunities inside Titan Wealth • Real expectations of the financial advice profession • Advice for career changers entering financeIf you're asking “how do I become a financial adviser?” this episode gives practical answers from someone who's done it.Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

In this special episode of the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes welcomes David Tate, Managing Director and Founder of Redmill Advance, our official training and development sponsor for 2026.David shares the inspiring growth journey of Redmill Advance and how they are transforming training and development in the financial planning profession through accessible qualifications, CPD, and behavioural support. From self-study learners to large-scale corporate academies, David explains how their tech-first, learner-centric approach is improving pass rates and raising industry standards.We explore learning styles, neurodiversity, and how financial planning firms can deliver consistent, high-quality CPD. With a first-time pass rate above 85% in their academies and less than 5% client churn since inception, Redmill Advance is quietly becoming one of the most impactful education providers in financial services.This episode is a must-listen for aspiring financial planners, T&C professionals, and business leaders seeking to develop internal talent and futureproof their advice businesses.Key Subjects Covered in This Episode:

This week on the Financial Planner Life podcast, I'm joined by Sean Standerwick, co-owner of MLP Wealth Management, a financial planning firm based on the high street in Surrey with a powerful story: a 42-year legacy that's now being run with the mindset and energy of a startup.Sean and his brother have taken the reins from their father, infusing the business with a culture built on innovation, career development, and deep local community ties. From installing a defibrillator on their office wall to hosting pitch meetings where team members create service ideas, MLP isn't your average advice firm, and Sean isn't your average leader.We talk about:How being on the high street has driven client engagement and local brand dominanceBuilding a startup culture in an established firm (and why that matters for talent attraction)The journey of James, a trainee-turned-adviser, and what great career development looks likeHow Sean's practice of Buddhism influences company culture, emotional intelligence, and leadershipWhat makes MLP's recruitment and onboarding process different (and more human)Why hyper-local marketing still works in a digital-first worldAnd how one small idea, pitched internally, led to new service lines like wills and LPAsIf you're an aspiring financial planner looking for a forward-thinking firm, or an established adviser wanting to run your own business without losing your soul, this one's for you.Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.✅ Trusted by top UK firms

In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes speaks with Heather Hiley, founder of Heather Hiley Financial Planning and a Partner Practice with St. James's Place. Heather shares her inspiring transition from retail and e-commerce into financial planning via the St James's Place Financial Adviser Academy at the age of 45, showing what's possible with courage, curiosity, and commitment.

Title: From 17 Clients to £500M AUM: How Marc Norris Built a Thriving Financial Planning FirmIn this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes is joined by Marc Norris, founder of Twelve Wealth Management, to explore how he went from estate agency to building a financial advice business with over £500 million under management.Marc shares his journey from day one of the St. James's Place Academy, through the early years of client acquisition, to leading a team of 38 advisers and staff, with big plans to triple the size of the business in the next five years.

In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes talks with Neil Whiteside, a financial planner at First Equitable, about his winding, risk‑reward career journey from starting as a cashier in banking to embracing financial planning, taking a pay cut for growth as a trainee Financial Planner, and ultimately choosing a role that lets him help build a business rather than just sustain one.Neil shares:How his early roles in banking taught him core skills (customer service, fact‑finding, relationship building).The tough choice to leave a secure management path to pursue financial planning.What it took to get back to his previous income after stepping into a trainee adviser role. How specialisation (e.g., working with hospital doctors and understanding complex pension schemes) boosted his confidence and client value.His transition from corporate structures to smaller firms, where influence, autonomy, and entrepreneurial energy matter.Why protection advice is undervalued and the power it has to transform clients' lives.How voluntary work and governance roles are shaping his long‑term vision - including non‑executive director aspirations.This episode offers honest career reflections and tactical lessons for aspiring and established advisors alike.Be sure to follow Financial Planner life on YouTube for extra content about career development within Financial Planning. Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production. Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes speaks with Tammy Salmon and Emma Layton of Salmon Financial Planning, a partner practice of St. James's Place in Bishop's Stortford.We hear how Emma transitioned from redundancy to a qualified financial planner through the St. James's Place Financial Adviser Academy, supported by Tammy's mentorship. Tammy shares her 20-year journey in financial services and why creating a flexible, values-led business was essential for her success and her team's.Together, they explore:Why women leave financial services mid-careerThe power of local, relationship-led client acquisitionFrom mortgage adviser to business ownerWhy visibility of women in leadership mattersHow motherhood and financial planning can thrive side-by-sideIf you're considering a career in financial planning or want to build a more inclusive practice, this episode is for you.00:00 - Intro to Tammy & Emma's Story01:45 - Why So Few Women Become Financial Advisers04:30 - Tammy's Journey from Mortgage to Financial Advice07:50 - Emma's Career Change & Entry via SJP Academy11:10 - The Role of Mentorship in Career Progression14:30 - Creating a Flexible, Family-First Advice Firm18:15 - Visibility of Women in Leadership Roles22:00 - Local Marketing & The Bishop's Stortford Mummies25:45 - Authenticity Over Aggression in Sales29:00 - Work-Life Balance and Setting Boundaries32:10 - Advice for Women Entering Financial Planning35:20 - Who the SJP Academy is Right For37:45 - Legacy, Purpose & Final Reflections40:00 - Wrap Up & How to ConnectBe sure to follow Financial Planner life on YouTube for extra content about career development within Financial Planning. Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production. Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

This week on the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes sits down with Rosie Hooper, Chartered Fellow and Financial Planner at Quilter Cheviot. Rosie shares her inspiring 26-year journey from her early days in bank management, through corporate employee benefits, to becoming a highly respected private client planner.Rosie talks candidly about how growing up in a household where money was tight shaped her relationship with finances and fuelled her passion for planning. She opens up about the emotional depth of her client work, why she proudly calls herself a "financial planner" rather than an advisor, and how truly understanding her clients' lives, not just their portfolios, makes all the difference.In this episode, you'll learn:The mindset shift from corporate benefits to private client advice, and how the two worlds are more connected than you thinkHow to create a referral engine by delivering a first-class, emotionally resonant client experienceThe power of coaching and mentorship in developing new talent (and why "menchoring" might be the secret sauce)Why confidence is just as important as competence, and how Rosie helps emerging planners build bothHow AI is enhancing client service at Quilter Cheviot while preserving the all-important human touchRosie's two "magic wand" wishes for the future of the financial planning professionPlus, hear about the "health and wealth seesaw” she uses to help clients balance financial goals with living a fulfilling, healthy life. Discover how this approach, alongside her deep client relationships, has earned her the nickname Rosie Poppins.Whether you're new to financial planning or a seasoned pro, this episode is packed with insight, honesty, and practical wisdom for building a client-focused, referral-based business.Be sure to follow Financial Planner life on YouTube for extra content about career development within Financial Planning. Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production. Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

This week on the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes speaks with James Westpfel, a financial planner at Foster Denovo, who shares his career journey from self-employed to employed and how going hyper-local helped him build a thriving client base from scratch.After 22 years working in a building society, James made the leap into self-employment. With no client book and no lead funnel, he turned to his local community for opportunity. His strategy? Show up in person, build trust and offer financial guidance where people needed it most.By setting up a weekly financial advice clinic in a local community library, James became a familiar, approachable presence. That hyper-local client strategy helped him win over 40 clients organically, through word of mouth and relationships built face-to-face.In this episode, James opens up about:✅ His transition from redundancy to retraining as a financial planner✅ The highs and lows of being a self-employed financial planner✅ How he used a hyper-local strategy to win clients and build trust✅ Why he moved to an employed role at Foster Denovo✅ How structure and support have helped him thrive, managing a book of 170 clients✅ What financial planners should consider when choosing between self-employed and employed pathsIf you're exploring a financial planner career, looking for new ways to connect with clients, or considering the realities of self-employed vs employed advice, this episode is packed with insight and real-world experience.00:00 – Intro: Why finding clients is the hardest part  00:30 – Redundancy after 22 years in banking  01:45 – From cashier to branch manager: James' early career  04:00 – The reality of high street banking and community connection  06:20 – Is banking still a good route into financial planning?  08:00 – Retraining at 42: Overcoming fears and starting again  09:40 – Finding opportunities after qualification  10:20 – Choosing the self-employed route in financial advice  11:30 – The biggest challenge: confidence and standing out  12:40 – The hyper-local idea that changed everything  14:00 – Setting up a financial advice clinic in a community library  16:00 – Becoming “The Library Guy” and winning 40+ clients  18:10 – Why James works with clients of all wealth levels  19:40 – Building a referral network with care and integrity  22:00 – Hyper-local visibility: how trust builds trust  24:00 – Connecting with local businesses and schools  26:30 – From library pop-ups to career opportunities  27:20 – Why James chose to join Foster Denovo  29:00 – Managing 170 clients: structure, support, and growth  30:30 – Balancing work, family, and purpose  32:00 – Keeping the community work alive at Foster Denovo  34:00 – Advice for planners considering employed vs self-employed  36:00 – Final thoughts: trust, career clarity, and client care  Be sure to follow Financial Planner life on YouTube for extra content about career development within Financial Planning. Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production. Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

In this episode of the Financial Planner Life podcast, Kanishk Swarup shares his incredible journey from high-stakes equity derivatives trading at JP Morgan and Credit Suisse to launching his own financial planning practice through the St. James's Place Academy.We explore what it's really like to work on a trading floor, the burnout behind big bonuses, and the unexpected truth: even successful finance professionals often have no financial plan.Kanishk opens up about growing up in a small town in India, landing a scholarship at LSE, navigating culture shock in the UK, and building a life from scratch — all leading to a career defined by purpose over pressure.He now runs Compound Wealth Planning, a thriving partner practice with £70 million in assets under management.

In this episode of Financial Planner Life, host Sam Oakes sits down with Andrew Spence, Co-Founder of Aspen, to challenge the industry's most controversial questions - what we call the Marmite topics of financial planning.Aspen was born out of something deeper than disruption. After a personal health crisis led Andrew to reflect on the impact of his work, he decided to build a model portfolio service that put purpose, clarity & client outcomes first.Now, he's leading the charge on topics that divide financial services professionals daily.