Financial Planner Life Podcast

Hosted by Sam Oakes

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296

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Welcome to The Financial Planner Life Podcast. We cover an intimate and honest account of what it’s really like to work in the financial planning profession. Our guests share their stories of success, failures, and learnings, as well as what to expect from a career in the financial planning profession! We host guests at various stages in their careers, as well as multiple roles, to ensure that our audience has a variety each week. Financial planners, business owners, paraplanners, and back-office staff all have their own stories to share, and The Financial Planner Life podcast serves as a platform for them to discuss their personal and professional journeys. The podcast covers a multitude of topics, from mindset and motivation, health and wellbeing, all the way to diversity and inclusion. We approach each episode with the idea that it will educate and spark a conversation within the industry on topics that may not be openly discussed. If you're considering a career as a financial adviser or are curious about learning more about this exciting sector, we encourage you to give the podcast a listen. The Host: Sam Oakes is the host of The Financial Planner Life Podcast. since 2008 Sam has been supporting leading national and global financial planning firms in finding the best talent, he was the director of Recruit UK, a 7 figure turnover financial planning recruitment company that he successfully exited in 2024, Sam then worked as the Head of Creative for Hoxton Wealth in Dubai, building out podcasts, YouTube and social content for this fast growing fee based international financial planning firm before leaving Hoxton Wealth in 2025 to focus purely on financial planner life podcast and the financial planner life creative studio helping product/service providers and financial planning firms build podcasts and video content into their social marketing strategies. Sam Oakes has always had a passion for financial services, starting as a trainer for a leading product provider in the UK, and he has been in the industry for over 20 years. He sees himself as a partner to the financial planning profession and wants to contribute useful resources, such as this podcast, to educate those who are further seeking advice and help about how to push their careers forward in this amazing profession. Please reach out to sam oakes directly on sam@financialplannerlife.com if you would like to be a guest on this podcast or build a strategic advertising partnership. We welcome product and service providers that want to promote their product, services or tech to financial planners as well as companies who want to attract talent (recruitment ) to their financial planning company.

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60 recent

August 20, 202652 min

The Investment Clock: What Financial Advisers Need to Know About Market Cycles | Trevor Greetham & Robin Ellis

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 1930s Why knowing exactly where you are in the economic cycle in real time is nearly impossible How Trevor's team uses growth and inflation indicators instead of guesswork Why this year's read has pointed to stagflation, and what that means for portfolio positioning Why Trevor believes "passive multi-asset" is a phrase that doesn't really hold up Why a great conference speaker isn't always a sign of a great investment team How St. James's Place vets and curates the fund managers advisers ultimately rely on Why SJP runs a weekly adviser podcast alongside its annual investment conference This 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 Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.

August 17, 202632 min

This CPD Strategy is Like “Netflix For Financial Advisers?!” | Redmill Advance

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 practice Why Redmill Advance's content is built to be interactive rather than a standard read-and-answer format How firms can automate the rollout of mandatory training like AML and TCF across the year Why David tells advisers never to cram their CPD hours at the end of the year What a good monthly CPD strategy actually looks like Why the true purpose of CPD is staying sharp for clients, not just hitting a number of hours What size firms actually use the Redmill Advance platform, from small practices to major UK names The difference between the white-labelled and Redmill-branded versions of the platform This 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 Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.

August 13, 202646 min

You Can Build A Brilliant Financial Adviser Career Without Going Self-Employed

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 week Laura 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 chance What building a client bank from nothing demands Why Laura chose to stay client-facing rather than build her own business How to build professional referral connections without a hard sell What it takes to win over clients who arrive through acquisition rather than their choice Only around 16% of financial planners are women and what Laura believes needs to change Learn more about Titan Wealth at www.titanwealth.com . Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.

August 6, 202659 min

From Level 4 To Chartered Financial Planner - Is It Worth It?

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 adviser Why chartered financial planners earn 31% more income than Level 4 advisers, according to a 2025 market survey Why becoming chartered is linked to a 50% increase in business on average What actually changes between Level 4 and Level 6 qualifications The credit system behind Chartered, and Lewis's sequencing hacks for getting there faster Why Lewis found Fellow easier to achieve than Chartered, and why he thinks that's backwards How the SJP and University of Gloucestershire master's programme works for chartered advisers How Redmill Advance is using AI avatars to help scale training for advisers working towards Chartered This 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 Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.

August 3, 202649 min

Why Financial Advisers Shouldn’t Sign Long-Term AI Contracts - Hardy Michel From Marloo

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 quality How a one-hour client review meeting can generate ten hours of follow-up admin Why Hardy says Marloo can cut an annual review report from three hours down to 20 minutes Why Hardy and his co-founder spent six months researching inside advice firms before building Marloo Why Hardy advises against long-term AI contracts, even though Marloo only offers monthly ones How Marloo's data handling differs from advisers using ChatGPT or Claude directly Why Hardy sees AI as a complement to a firm's CRM, not a replacement for it This 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 Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.

July 30, 202648 min

How A Mortgage Adviser Built A Predictable Income As A Financial Planner

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 planner How she passed the CII Investment Advice Diploma in under a year while running that business solo What day-to-day support from a St. James's Place business development manager and administrative specialist looked like How she rebuilt momentum with her existing 1,200-client mortgage bank How a mortgage-introducer partnership became a steady source of new business How she grew from £40,000 to £6 million in funds under management in 18 months What winning the Mike Wilson Award meant to her, and the resilience behind it This 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 Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.

July 27, 202654 min

How a Financial Advice Podcast Beat £1 Million in Google Ads for recruitment | New Leaf Distribution

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 instead How Mark went from thinking podcasting was a gimmick to backing Dan's idea completely Why New Leaf avoids generic advice content in favour of what it is really like to become an adviser How New Leaf supported an adviser's family through a business sale with no contract in place Why New Leaf positions itself as a compliance thought leader rather than buying its own advisers' client banks Why New Leaf would rather a business stay within its own network than go to an M&A buyer How Kelsey, New Leaf's first podcast guest, ended up with more development finance leads than she was ready for Why New Leaf's own advisers are now asking to be featured on the podcast This 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 Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.

July 23, 202653 min

ADHD and Neurodiversity Exam Support for Financial Planning from Redmill Advance & Neurosparks

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 today How Dan built Neuro Sparks with his mother after a decade as a regulated financial adviser What it was like working in financial planning before Dan was diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia and dyscalculia How 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 think What reasonable adjustments actually mean under the Equality Act, and where the limits of "reasonable" sit for employers How Redmill Advance tailors training for neurodivergent delegates inside academies of up to five hundred people Why Sam decided to share his own ADHD diagnosis on the podcast, and what it changed about how he runs Financial Planner Life This 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 Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.

July 20, 202638 min

How UK Planners Can Advise Clients With US Assets

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 internationally How knowledge compensates for lack of experience in client meetings and why young advisers should prioritise their exams How Covid changed international financial planning delivery and what that means for advisers thinking about going global What a 401k is and why so many sit dormant and unreviewed for international clients What the IRA rollover actually means and why it matters for US clients with UK connections What One Titan means in practice and why a borderless financial planning business changes everything for internationally mobile clients Why Titan Wealth International is expanding into the US and what that means for financial planners considering an international career If 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.com Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.

July 16, 20261 hr 1 min

I Switched From Investment Managment to Financial Planning £0 - £40m AUM in 3 years!

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 Management 00:40 Samantha Wood’s Financial Planning Career Story 01:40 Joining the British Army at 16 03:29 Transferable Military Skills for Financial Services 04:26 Leadership, Communication and Leading from the Front 05:33 Discipline, Well-Being and High Performance 06:34 Leaving the Military and Exploring New Careers 10:50 Breaking into Investment Management 13:11 Working with High-Net-Worth Private Clients 15:40 Why Client Relationships Matter More Than Technical Knowledge 17:27 Becoming a Chartered Wealth Manager 19:44 Investment Management vs Financial Planning 22:11 How Investment Experience Adds Value for Clients 23:54 Financial Planning, Anxiety and Financial Well-Being 27:47 Communicating with Clients During Market Volatility 32:14 Why Samantha Chose a Career in Financial Planning 34:00 Leaving Employment to Build a Financial Advice Business 35:10 Why She Chose St. James’s Place 36:44 Making the Leap into Self-Employment 39:31 Planning Your First Year as a Self-Employed Adviser 41:02 How Long Does It Take to Earn Consistent Income? 44:22 Building a Financial Planning Practice to Nearly £40m 45:43 Finding a Financial Planning Niche 47:09 Helping Business Owners Plan Beyond Their Business 48:28 Building a Referral Network with Accountants 50:13 Systems, Technology and Your First 12 Months 52:12 Taking Smart Risks and Aiming Higher 54:37 Autonomy, Family Life and Running Your Own Practice 57:50 The Reality of Being a Financial Planner and Business Owner To find out more about Samantha's work at St. James's Place, visit www.sjp.co.uk Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether 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 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl 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.