Your Financial Planning Maestro

Do not underestimate the time commitment to become a CFP pro! 

In the first episode of series 10 of #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro podcast we talk to Laura Ripley, Financial Planner at BRI Wealth Management, about her journey to become a CFP professional. 

We talk about the importance of: 

1. Planning out your time 

2. Not underestimating how much time it will take you 

3. Not leaving it until the last minute to start – you’ve just got you start somewhere! 

4. Obtaining support along the way.  Professional support will make a huge difference but don’t forget about family and friends. 

5. Identifying the hurdles in the financial plan creation process 

6. Knowing that it’s ok and natural to feel emotional at times – it is all part of the journey of self-improvement. 

Congratulations on passing on your first submission Laura and thank you for being open and honest about the ups and downs of your journey. 

Laura Ripley bio: 

I joined Financial Services in 2007 in a junior role and over the years have gained experience and qualifications in a range of areas. I have a real passion for lifetime financial planning, and I get great satisfaction from helping clients live their best lives. I’m an accredited Retirement Planning Specialist and hold the CFA IMC qualification alongside being a Chartered Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and now a Certified Financial Planner™.   I work at BRI Wealth management as a Financial Planner. 

Outside of work I am a keen runner, a (fair weather) cyclist and spend most my Saturdays exploring the local woodland/ countryside with my 6-year-old, Oscar. 

If you would like to learn more about becoming a CFP professional in the UK go to our website: www.LockieConsultants.com

#CFP #CertifiedFinancialPlanner #CISI #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro #podcast

In this week’s podcast episode, we talk to Ciaran Quinlan CFP™, Paraplanner at Close Brothers Asset Management, about his journey to becoming a CFP Professional following his return to the industry after a career break.

At age 25, having passed all his Chartered Financial Planner exams at the first time of asking, Ciaran took the opportunity for a career break to travel around the world. Returning to the UK after a year away, he decided to sign onto Jackie’s course and study full-time on the Level 7 Financial Plan Case Study to ‘ease’ him back into the profession…

‘Ease’ however was a short-lived descriptor of Ciaran’s CFP journey!

#CFP #CISI #OnlineCourse #podcast

Ciaran Quinlan bio:

As well as holding the Certified Financial Planner™ designation, Ciaran is a Chartered Financial Planner with the CII and a Chartered Member with the CISI.

Graduating with an Economics degree from the University of Nottingham in 2018, Ciaran first discovered financial planning as a career when researching for his dissertation on ‘Population Ageing’, which focused primarily on the viability of the State Pension in the future and consequently the urgent need for enhanced private pension provision.

At age 25, having passed all his Chartered Financial Planner exams first-time, Ciaran took the opportunity for a career break to travel around the world. Returning to the UK after a year away, he decided to sign onto Jackie’s course and study full-time on the Level 7 Financial Plan Case Study to ‘ease’ him back into the profession…

‘Ease’ however was a short-lived descriptor of Ciaran’s CFP journey!

Having encountered numerous initial stumbling blocks that required him to restart the case study from scratch several times, Ciaran was delighted to learn in October 2023 that he had passed the case study assessment first-time with a 99% pass mark in the assessment standards. Following on from this result, he is eager to share some tips for a successful submission.

Ciaran currently works as a Paraplanner at Close Brothers Asset Management where he started in January 2024 and is enjoying his new role, further developing his skills preparing and writing financial planning reports.

In this week’s podcast episode, we talk to Jane Jones CFP™, Director of Operations at Mackenzie Financial Planning, about her journey to become a CFP professional. 

Jane wasn’t fully prepared for what was in store for her and as she puts it, “I was unprepared and thought that I’d just do what I normally do with clients.  I hadn’t realised the scope of the assessment.” 

Despite the initial difficulties, Jane overcame those issues and passed on her second submission. 

Her approach to studying for level 4 and level 6 exams at the same time whilst running the back-office side of a financial planning business and being mum to three children, is remarkable. 

Some critical lessons we explore are: 

 Know what you’re letting yourself in for! 

Do some preparatory work before your case study arrives. 

Understand how you like to work and plan your time accordingly.  

 She also explains what stress-foria is and how it helps her work. 

If you are about to apply for your CISI L7 case study this month, this is a must listen episode. 

#CFP #CISI #FinancialPlanAssessment #podcast 

Bio: Jane Jones CFPTM BA (hons) FPFS:

Jane is director of operations at Mackenzie Financial Planning. 

She achieved Chartered Financial Planner status and fellowship of the Personal Finance Society in 2022, and recently became a Certified Financial Planner in May 2024. 

Jane has worked alongside her husband Paul for almost 15 years, and together they run Mackenzie Financial Planning, a Chartered and Accredited Financial Planning Firm, specialising in providing holistic financial planning in the North West of England.  

Jane has a background in paraplanning, and was awarded Paraplanner of the Year at the Institute of Financial Planning Conference in October 2012. She also holds a degree in English Language from the University of Lancaster. 

Jane has 3 children, between primary and university age, and is happiest when she can spend time with her children and extended family.  

In this week’s episode we talk to the 2024 CISI L7 case study award winner Kyle Glowacki CFP™, Financial Adviser at Cavendish Ware, about his journey to becoming a CFP professional.

Kyle had a more unusual route to completing his CISI L7 case study assessment when becoming a CFP professional; in fact he did the CFP assessment twice over in two different countries! Not because he had to, but because he wanted to.

During the interview we talked about:

· How he became a CFP professional in South Africa

· Why he felt it was important to redo his certification when he emigrated to the UK

· How he found the two different countries approaches

· His approach to completing his CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment

· Which aspects of his financial planning skills have improved by doing the CISI L7 case study assessment

· Why you should stop thinking about it and just do it!

Congratulations Kyle on winning the CISI L7 award for 2024. We are pleased to have supported you with our Fast Track Course and 1:2:1s along the way to this fantastic achievement. All your hard work has paid off!

Listen now by searching #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro on YouTube or wherever you stream your podcasts.

#CFP #FinancialPlanning #CISI

Kyle is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professional and financial adviser at Cavendish Ware in the UK. He first attained his CFP certification in South Africa in 2013 before following the structured pathway to re-certify in the UK. This included earning the Investment Advice Diploma, Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning, and passing the level 7 case study to receive his diploma and UK CFP certification in 2023. 

The double CFP qualification showcases Kyle's commitment to the profession. Kyle advises aspiring CFP professionals to start early, consistently work on their studies, utilise external trainers, and manage their time effectively. He recommends setting short-term goals and taking breaks to manage stress during exam periods. Kyle credits the CISI for providing a structured qualification pathway, quality study materials, and a seamless overall experience. 

His CFP knowledge has enabled Kyle to progress from paraplanner to financial adviser, providing exceptional service to clients by understanding their lifestyles, goals, and building comprehensive plans to achieve and maintain their desired lifestyles throughout their lives. 

In this week’s episode we talk to Will Oswald CFP™, Financial Planner at Chiltern Hills Financial Planning, about his journey to becoming a CFP professional. 

Will had a more unusual route to completing his CISI L7 case study assessment when becoming a CFP professional; he missed a course, did some work on it unsupported and then embarked on a series of 1:2:1s to help create and execute a plan to pass. 

As Will’s honest account of what happened shows, having to undo some things and redo others to get his financial plan back on track and ready for submission was no mean feat.  But his determination and positive mindset won through. 

During this interview we talk about the ups and downs of his experience, how it is natural to feel overwhelmed at times but getting support and putting strategies in place can help enormously. 

We all have a different journey to become CFP professionals and in every case, those I’ve interviewed have explained that it has changed them for the better.  Will’s journey was no exception. 

Listen now by searching #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro on YouTube or wherever you stream your podcasts. 

#CFP #FinancialPlanning #CISI 

Will Oswald CFP™ is a Financial Planner and Director at Chiltern Hills Financial Planning Ltd.  

I am a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Wealth Manager, with a master’s degree (MSc) in Wealth Management, a First-Class Honours degree in Economics and Finance and an Investment Management Certificate. I’ve been working in Wealth Management for over 8 years, working in various roles across Advising, Strategy, Investment Management and Technology.  

I help people align their money to meaning. Our approach is all about helping our clients live differently and believe good financial planning is as much about your life as it is your money. 

We are true goals-based financial planners, starting by really understanding what's important to clients (before even talking money!), and then we build them a life-orientated financial plan. This involves using cash-flow modelling to show whether their goals can become a reality and if they're not, how we can help them get there, with an emphasis on actionable, easy-to-implement advice. We offer a complete approach and advise on everything from investments, pensions, estate planning, tax-advantage investments to protection. 

Growing up in Devon, I enjoy living an active lifestyle and spending most of my time outdoors. I can be found appreciating great food and travelling with friends and family, keeping fit, teaching myself Spanish or supporting the Exeter Chiefs rugby team. 

In this week's episode we talk to Angela McAfee CFP™, about her journey to become a CFP professional.

Angela shares her journey from studying a degree in architecture to CFP professional and how she, like many, seem to fall into the financial planning profession.

During the interview we talked about:

* How her next-door neighbour helped her switch into financial advice

* Why she studied with CISI instead of CII

* The jump between level 4 minimum advice requirements and the CFP

* The vital tips and advice for those thinking of embarking on their own journey to become a CFP professional

Listen now by searching #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro on YouTube or wherever you stream your podcasts.

#CFP #FinancialPlanning #CISI

Angela McAfee Bio:

Angela's career in financial services has spanned circa 17 years, during which she has amassed a wealth of experience across a range of roles with local firms in Northern Ireland, in an outsourced capacity and with National firms.

Self-driven, she sought CISI's Level 7 Diploma in Advanced Financial Planning as a Paraplanner as she was keen to be on a similar knowledge level as the Advisers she was working with.

Outside of work, she leads a busy family life with 3 children and 2 dogs. They are embarking on their second self-build campervan to continue their off-grid travel aspirations.

In this week’s episode we talk to Graeme Smith CFP™, Financial Planner at Miln Craig, about his journey to becoming a CFP professional.

He talks about his journey from mortgage adviser to wealth manager to embarking on the CFP and then finding out what financial planning was all about!

Some of the key things that were important for Graeme during CISI L7 case study assessment were:

Approach to the case study – it’s natural to feel overwhelmed at times, so having a plan on how to tackle it is vital.

Don’t go it alone – get help. It will save you time, money and stress!

Plan extra time at the start of the process to really get to know your clients.

Your excel skills will be taken to the next level – that’s nothing to be afraid of as it will help you to better understand the software you use at work.

Your client meeting skills will improve no end.

It’s not an easy thing to achieve, but it is worth it!

Listen now by searching #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro on YouTube or wherever you stream your podcasts.

#CFP #FinancialPlanning #CISI

Graeme Smith bio: 

I have worked in financial services since 2006. I currently offer Independent Financial Planning advice to both personal and corporate clients. I have experience as a senior adviser in large firms including as a wealth manager for high-net-worth individuals within a large Private Bank. I hold advanced qualifications in Financial Planning, Wealth Management and Pension Advice. 
 
I am an Associate member of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and hold the title of Chartered Financial Planner (RQF level 6) with them. I have also recently completed the RQF level 7 Certified Financial Planner (CFP) qualification through the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI). The CFP certification is recognised globally as the gold standard for financial planning professionals. 

How to decide what you want from an employer.

In the first interview of the new series we talk to Hetty Hyde-Durrant CFP™, financial planner at Broadway Financial Planning.Hetty shares her remarkable journey from back-office investment admin to CFP professional in just two years.

We talk about the wider network of friends and family that support us in our studies, her individual ups and downs during her journey to become a CFP professional.

Hetty also shares lots of tips and insights for those thinking about embarking on the CISI level 6 exam or the level 7 case study assessment soon.

Hetty Hyde-Durrant bio: 

Hetty began her role as a Financial Planner in October 2022. 

She has an MSc in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Bristol and has since completed the qualification to become a Certified Financial Planner™. 

Outside of work she loves to travel with her fiancé, going to music festivals with friends and exploring local pubs to find the best Sunday roast! She also attends CrossFit classes most days which she says keeps her mentally and physically fit and healthy.  

In this new mini-series of podcast Lockie Consultants Director, Jacqueline Lockie CFP™and training instructor, Chris Wicks CFP™ talk through the important aspects of various stages of the assessment.

They also talk in detail about the most important things that, in their 35 years combined experience of assessing financial plans for Institute of Financial Planning and CISI, are your non-negotiables!

This mini series of podcasts is packed full of help, advice and tips to ensure you are on the road to successfully passing the CISI L7 assessment and becoming a CFP professional in the UK.

Chris Wicks bio:

Chris is a specialist adviser with 38 years’ experience for those undergoing major life changes- bereavement, retirement, redundancy, business exit and expatriates leaving and returning to the UK.

He also was a CFP case study assessor for Institute of Financial Planning case study assessment and Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) level 7 case study financial plan assessment for over 15 years.

Additionally, in January 2024 Chris also became a course instructor for Lockie Consultants and supports those embarking on the CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment courses.

In this new mini-series of podcast Lockie Consultants Director, Jacqueline Lockie CFP™and training instructor, Chris Wicks CFP™ talk through the important aspects of various stages of the assessment. They also talk in detail about the most important things that, in their 35 years combined experience of assessing financial plans for Institute of Financial Planning and CISI, are your non-negotiables! This mini series of podcasts is packed full of help, advice and tips to ensure you are on the road to successfully passing the CISI L7 assessment and becoming a CFP professional in the UK.

Chris Wicks bio:

Chris is a specialist adviser with 38 years’ experience for those undergoing major life changes- bereavement, retirement, redundancy, business exit and expatriates leaving and returning to the UK.

He also was a CFP case study assessor for Institute of Financial Planning case study assessment and Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) level 7 case study financial plan assessment for over 15 years.

Additionally, in January 2024 Chris also became a course instructor for Lockie Consultants and supports those embarking on the CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment courses.

In this new mini-series of podcast Lockie Consultants Director, Jacqueline Lockie CFP™and training instructor, Chris Wicks CFP™ talk through the important aspects of various stages of the assessment.

They also talk in detail about the most important things that, in their experience with more than 35 year combined assessment knowledge, are you non-negotiables!

This mini series of podcasts is packed full of help, advice and tips to ensure you are on the road to successfully passing the CISI L7 assessment and becoming a CFP professional in the UK.

Chris Wicks bio:

Chris is a specialist adviser with 38 years’ experience for those undergoing major life changes- bereavement, retirement, redundancy, business exit and expatriates leaving and returning to the UK.

He also was a CFP case study assessor for Institute of Financial Planning case study assessment and Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) level 7 case study financial plan assessment for over 15 years.

Additionally, in January 2024 Chris also became a course instructor for Lockie Consultants and supports those embarking on the CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment courses.

In this new mini-series of podcast Lockie Consultants Director, Jacqueline Lockie CFP™and training instructor, Chris Wicks CFP™ talk through the important aspects of various stages of the assessment.

They also talk in detail about the most important things that, in their experience with more than 35 year combined assessment knowledge, are you non-negotiables!

This mini series of podcasts is packed full of help, advice and tips to ensure you are on the road to successfully passing the CISI L7 assessment and becoming a CFP professional in the UK.

Chris Wicks bio: 

Chris is a specialist adviser with 38 years’ experience for those undergoing major life changes- bereavement, retirement, redundancy, business exit and expatriates leaving and returning to the UK. 

He also was a CFP case study assessor for Institute of Financial Planning case study assessment and Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) level 7 case study financial plan assessment for over 15 years. 

Additionally, in January 2024 Chris also became a course instructor for Lockie Consultants and supports those embarking on the CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment courses. 

Professionally lonely! That’s how the late Paul Etheridge used to describe financial planning sole practitioners. He went on to explain that not having anyone to work with on a regular basis can make us feel a little isolated but also, as financial planners, we need to be able to challenge ourselves and others in order to do better and be better financial planners. In this week’s #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro podcast we talk to Greg Cooke, a sole practitioner at Polaris Wealth, about his journey to become a CFP professional, how it challenged him and how he is changing the way he works because of it. This episode is particularly relevant for those starting out in business on their own or who are planning on doing so in the future.

#CFP #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro #podcast 

Greg Cooke bio: 

I am a Chartered and Certified Financial Planner running my own firm, Polaris Wealth Management Ltd. I have been advising clients for just over ten years now and started my own firm in 2015. I started off in the industry advising clients on their mortgage and protection needs, but now provide advice on all areas of personal finance. Whilst I still provide mortgage advice, my practice is now very much focused on providing long term financial planning to our clients and their families.  

I am passionate about continuous development and always looking to learn and improve my skills as a planner. Last year I completed the CFP and I have since enrolled on a coaching course led by a highly respected financial planner. Aside from the CII & CISI qualifications mentioned, I have a degree in financial services and hold the Investment Management Certificate from the CFA Society.  

Outside of work my main hobby is walking. I live on the edge of the Peak District with my long-term partner Cathy. We try to walk most days, but life sometimes gets in the way. 

In this week’s #YourFinancialPlanning Maestro podcast we talk to Oz Shtrosberg CFP™ from MAG Financial Services about his journey to become a CFP professional.

This is a fascinating conversation about how financial advisers need to shift their mindset to become CFP professionals.  Oz talks through the various aspects of the process to complete his financial plan for the CISI L7 assessment, where he was challenged and how it made him reconsider his approach to the assessment.

We also discuss what aspects of the business he went off and changed straight away!

#CFP #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro #podcast

Oz Shtrosberg bio:

Oz Shtrosberg CFP™ is a Financial Planner at MAG Financial Services Ltd. 

He studied Economics at Manchester University and went on to complete a MSc in Management. Following a career as the Marketing Director of a successful hair care distributor, Oz came back to his roots and passion for financial planning, joining MAG Financial Services in early 2015. 

 
Oz provides his clients with Lifestyle Financial Planning, initially spending time getting to know his clients, their goals, and aspirations, before working together to build a suitable plan to reach those objectives. He has a keen interest in behavioural finance and believes this enhances the value he can give clients. He will often be heard stating that managing people's emotions surrounding finances is as important, if not more so, than managing their finances.  

In this week’s #YourFinanciaPlanningMaestro podcast we talk to Natalie Norman Certified and Chartered Financial Planner at Blake Brooke Financial Advice Ltd. 

Natalie shares her eventful journey to becoming a CFP professional.  Everyone’s path is different but commonly it is a bit of a rollercoaster! Natalie shares her feelings of being overwhelmed initially along with how she overcame them to be successful. 

Natalie embarked on the CISI level 7 case study, the final part of the CISI CFP pathway, without support initially.  But after being unsuccessful, she found the support she needed to rectify her financial plan and pass.   

We also talk about what difference the whole process has made to her business as well as the aspects that have helped her improver her approach to client meetings and the advice that flows from them. 

Natalie Norman’s bio: 

I’m a Certified and Chartered Financial Planner at Blake Brooke Financial Advice Ltd, based in East Leake, near Loughborough.  

I work with clients around the country to allow them to live their best life now and in retirement. Prioritising their needs, we work together to create a financial planning roadmap to ensure they remain on track to achieve their goals and objectives. I offer face to face advice in all areas of financial planning, including retirement planning, tax planning, inheritance tax planning, life and critical illness cover and savings and investments.  

When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my husband and three children and our wider family. I also enjoy exercising at the gym and running a couple of times a week to maintain my fitness. 

In this week's podcast we talk to Dan Boden CFP™, Managing Director of Abode Financial Planning, about his interesting journey to become a CFP professional.

We discuss his approach, his struggles and what he did to overcome them. We also discuss the important and often unreported positive impact that gaining CFP can have on a business and the client experience proposition. Daniel Boden bio: Daniel is dedicated to helping clients and their families secure healthy financial futures. 

He has a calm approach and takes time to demystify financial matters. Providing peace of mind is always at the forefront for Daniel as he works with you to plan the future you envision. 

He has over 10 years’ experience working hand in hand with clients as a trusted adviser as they design and secure their financial goals. He has advanced qualifications in tax and pensions advice and holds the highest designation with two governing bodies; the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (CISI). 

Daniel is an ex-rugby league player, but these days it’s his three young daughters keep him active. Family time is precious to Daniel and he enjoys all the new experiences that fatherhood brings. 

In this week’s #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro we talk to Dani Nicholls CFP™ Senior Paraplanner at Cooper Parry Wealth, about her journey to becoming a Certified Financial Planner.

We talk about how working in a positive supporting environment that supports their team through to gain their CFP certification was a big help in setting high expectations. 

Her employers have also built a strong support network and walk the talk, all of which made life a little less stressful for her.

In this episode we talk about her approach to the CISI Level 7 case study financial plan assessment, how it challenged her thinking as wellas the impact on her work going forward.

This episode is a must for employers who want to support their teams better.  Gains like these can encourage team members to come forward with ideas of improvement in the business and create a more supportive and forward-thinking culture.

Dani also offers lots of tips to those about to embark on their own journeys to become CFP professionals.

#CFP #Employers #Tips

Dani Nicholls bio:

Dani started working in financial services in 2012, mainly in a paraplanning role. Having achieved Chartered and Fellowship status with the CII, she decided to undertake the CFP to challenge herself further. Although coursework isn’t something that comes naturally, Dani persevered and was successful completing the qualification in 2023. Now she hopes to help guide others through the process by sharing her own experience.  

In this week’s #YourFinancialPlanningMaestro podcast we talk to Anick Sharma CFP™, Financial Planner at Mercury Wealth Management.

He shares his journey to becoming a CFP professional in just four years from entering the profession.We talk through his structured approach to studying and the sacrifices he made along the way.

He offers important insights to the financial planning business owners of today and tomorrow and discusses the importance of supporting your teams and working in the right environment where all roads lead to comprehensive financial planning.

Whether you are embarking on a career in financial planning, starting your journey to become a CFP professional, own a financial planning firm, or aspire to own one in the future, this episode is packed with lots of helpful tips and advice.

#YourFinancialPlanningMaestro #podcast #CFP

Anick Sharma bio: 

Having completed his MSc and published a postgraduate research white paper, Anick gained experience at another Financial Planning firm before moving to Mercury Wealth in May 2023. He is a Fellow with the Chartered Insurance Institute (Personal Finance Society) and a Certified Financial Planner, having achieved both in around four years. These qualifications are considered the gold standard across two professional bodies and were attained at an early stage of Anick's career, highlighting his exceptional dedication and aptitude. 
 
Anick is passionate about connecting with clients and embarking on a collaborative journey to understand what they really want out of life. By understanding this, Anick ensures that their Financial Plan is tailored to their unique goals. 
 
In his spare time, Anick enjoys being outside and active. He also loves to travel abroad as often as possible. 

In this week’s episode we talk to David Henry CFP™, Financial Planner at Sylva Financial Planning, about his journey from wealth manager to financial planner.

It is a fascinating discussion about the differences between investment management and financial planning and what drives people to change.

David passed his CISI Level 7 case study financial plan assessment on his very first submission – you get up to three.  That demonstrates that there is quite a lot of overlap between investment management and financial planning, but what he hadn’t fully appreciated was that embarking on the CFP certification would help him realise what parts of the advice process he enjoyed the most and ultimately that changed the direction of his career.

Being a wealth manger by the US definition is financial planning PLUS discretionary investment management.  This podcast episode shows clearly how those to complement each other.

David Henry bio:

Following successful completion of the CISI Level 7 Diploma in Advanced Financial Planning, David Henry CFP™ has recently taken the step to move into financial planning by joining Sylva Financial Planning as a financial planner. This follows a twelve-year career in discretionary investment management with Vestra Wealth and latterly, Quilter Cheviot.  
 

Along the way he has helped hundreds of households to manage their affairs and has developed a passion for helping clients to make the most of their money. He is passionate about improving financial literacy, and particularly enjoys writing about investing and personal finance. You can find his blog at themoneyden.substack.com  

In the first episode of the seventh series of Your Financial Planning Maestro podcast we talk to Fiona Bolt CFP™, owner of Cameron Jones Financial Management.

Fiona shares her journey to become a CFP professional – and it was quite a journey!

Along the way she encountered the dreaded excel spreadsheets but overcame those and now reflects on an overall positive experience but also one that has made her a better financial planner too.

This is an honest and humorous conversation, packed with lots of help and tips for those wanting to become CFP professionals in 2024.

Fiona Bolt bio: 

I have worked as a Financial Planner for 18 years in Devon following a career in Marketing with BT based in Aberdeen and London. Previously working as an IFA in Exeter, I was delighted to be invited to join St. James's Place in November 2017 and opened offices on Exmouth Marina in February 2018. As a goals based Financial Planner, I help clients to develop their plans to meet their aspirations and goals. Using Cashflow modelling helps them to visualise their futures at different life stages. 

I work with other Professionals, Business owners and Private clients, focussing on Pension and Retirement planning, Pensions on Divorce, Investment and Tax planning and how to ensure wealth is passed on down through future generations.. 

Having attained the SOLLA accreditation as a specialist Later Life Adviser, I help families and clients, who can be at a vulnerable time in their lives. This ranges from giving guidance about steps to take when looking into Care costs and allowances available, to helping construct plans to ensure monies are going to be available to cover the future costs of care, whether at home or in registered care homes. 

Delivering seminars for women in business and highlighting the importance of Pensions and building Investment knowledge is important to me. As is helping children to learn the importance of learning about money.  

As a business, I like to ensure we give back to the local community through a range of sponsorships and Charitable donations. Currently we are proud sponsors of the Withycombe Ladies Rugby team, East Devon Golf Club Juniors and Budleigh Salterton Bowls Club. 

I remarried in 2020 and enjoy playing golf at East Devon Golf Course with my husband, Nigel. We also enjoy sailing and making passages to all the beautiful towns along the South Devon and Cornish coasts. We have adult children between us, some still at Uni, and like to visit and support them. 

In this Christmas Special episode we talk to Dante De Gori CFP®, CEO of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB).

The FPSB is the global standards setting body for the international CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certification which is licensed in 27 territories around the world and boasts over 213,000 CFP Professionals worldwide.

In this episode we talk about the new Financial Planner Competencies that were released in April 2023. These will affect all CFP awarding bodies around the world, including hte CISI in the UK. All bodies have until 1 Jan 2025 to implement these changes.

The major addition is that of behavioural finance. But it not just intended that all CFP professionals learn more about the theory but we also need to demonstrate how our awareness helps us moderate our behaviours to enable better client outcomes.

Dante's bio:

Dante De Gori, CFP®, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB), the nonprofit standards-setting body for the global financial planning profession and owner of the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification program outside the United States.  

Prior to this, De Gori served as Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) – the financial planning professional body in Australia and sixth largest Affiliate within the FPSB Network. For six years, he led teams focused on standards, certification, education, events, advocacy and consumer awareness, and made exceptional contributions to the Australian financial planning profession through a period of tremendous reform to help raise education and professional standards. 

A proud CFP professional, De Gori is passionate about advancing the profession of financial planning and supporting CFP professionals around the globe. He has served on several FPSB committees and working groups, including as chair of the Council and chair of the Chief Executives Committee (CEC) from 2018 to 2021. In early 2022, De Gori joined FPSB as Head of Stakeholder Engagement.  

De Gori has more than 20 years of experience in the financial planning profession. He’s worked in various senior roles within financial planning and compliance at ClearView Financial Management, Zurich Financial Services, Asteron Life and Suncorp Bank. He also spent six years as General Manager, Policy and Government Relations at FPA Australia before being named CEO. De Gori also served as Director of the Future2Foundation, the charity foundation of the financial planning profession in Australia, from 2016 to 2021.   
 
De Gori was recently awarded the Association Influencer of the Year 2022 by the Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE). He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (finance and marketing), a graduate certificate in politics and policy, a diploma in financial planning, has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course (2021), and is currently completing a Master of Laws at the Australian National University.  

De Gori is a proud husband and father who dedicates his life to the four F’s: family, food, football and financial planning. 

In this week's episode we talk to Rachel Howard CFP™, Director at Rachel Howard Wealth Management, about why she embarked on her CFP certification.

We talk about her inspiring journey and the struggles she overcame to become a CFP professional. Rachel shares her honest do's and don'ts when it comes to preparing for and completing the CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment.

This episode is packed full of helpful advice and tips for those starting their CISI L7 case study as well as some great business expansion tips for those looking to attract more clients.

Rachel Howard bio: 

Rachel is a highly motivated, enthusiastic individual and is driven to succeed but without compromise delivering a first-class client experience. Rachel has 35 years’ experience in the Banking industry, 12 of those in Senior Leadership roles including Directorship. Rachel decided to channel her experience and set herself a new challenge with St. James's Place as a Partner of her own Practice, Rachel Howard Wealth Management. Rachel has now achieved Level 7 Chartered Fellow status. 
 
Rachel has vast experience with individuals and businesses looking for a personalised service aiming to achieve financial goals. Rachel's focus is upon maintaining long term trusted relationships with clients demonstrating quality, integrity and excellence. Rachel specialises in Investment planning, Retirement planning, Inheritance tax planning and wealth protection - helping to change clients financial lives for the better. 

In this week's episode we are back talking to CFP professionals who have recently passed their CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment and gained their CFP certification.

Just two years ago Jamie Little CFP™was in the heating engineering trade managing a team of plumbers working on building sites. In this interview we talk about how he transitioned to becoming a financial planner, why he decided to change, how he went about it and why he continued on to become a CFP Professional.

This is a must listen episode for anyone thinking of joining the financial planning profession.

Jamie Little bio: 

Jamie joined Bailey Cook in September 2021 in his first role in Financial Services, having gained the Level 4 Diploma Certificate in Personal Financial Planning.  
 
Through further study and exams and gathering day-to-day practical experience of working with our clients, in January 2023 Jamie achieved his ambition of becoming a Financial Planner within the business. In addition to this, he has now gained the qualification of becoming a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). 
 
Jamie is married to Charlotte with whom they have a son, Jonas and a daughter, Nola. 

In this week's podcast we are changing tack and talking to a social media expert, Lindsay Chree, owner of Chree8 Social Media, about how to make social media work for your business.

We cover the following things:

1. What platforms are best for different client groups

2. How to design a social media strategy

3. Business v personal LinkedIn accounts

4. Sales tactics to attract clients

5. What affects the visibility of posts

6. How to deal with negative comments or reviews

This is a fascinating and highly useful episode for those who want to attract and engage with clients using social media.

Lindsay Chree bio:

I am Lindsay Chree and I run Chree8 Social Media. Lindsay is a marketing professional with over two decades of experience. She specialises in helping businesses boost their online presence and engage with customers through social media and Facebook ads, with strategies, training, audits and platform management. 

Website: chree8.com 

Book a discovery call here: https://chree8.com/book-a-discovery-call/ 

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaychree/  

In this week's episode we take a different tack and look at how you can grow your business AND be present with loved ones in your personal life.

Many of our listeners are entrepreneurs building financial planning businesses whilst maintaining a healthy life outside work.

In this episode we talk about the LIFT strategy that Travis teaches to help with all this, namely:

Live your values Ideal your calendar Family support Teamwork

We also talk about business niche and how to tell the world about your services.

This episode is a must for all entrepreneurs.

Travis Parry bio: 

Dr. Travis Parry is the author of two #1 Bestselling books, "Achieving Balance" and "Balanced Growth". He earned a joint PhD in Family Relations and Human Development, to root out the vital principles of balance, from a family and individual perspective. Travis is the founder of the Make Time Institute which has helped thousands of business owners in all 50 states to grow balanced businesses. He is an international keynote speaker and the host of the Balanced Growth Show, a Feedspot Top 25 Podcast. However, his greatest accomplishment in life is husband to his wife of 20 years and father to their 8 amazing children. 

www.achievingbalancebook.com 

www.maketimeinstitute.com 

In this week's podcast episode we talk to Matt Greer CFP™, Financial Planner at Navigate IFA about his journey to gaining his CFP certification.

We talk through the process that Matt used with his CISI Level 7 case study and the issues he faced along the way.

Perhaps most importantly, we discussed the areas of the business that have been changed to make a positive impact on the client experience proposition.

Matt Greer bio:

Matt has been in financial services his entire working life, starting out in a high street bank before moving into pensions and wider financial advice. He specialises in working with pension schemes, particularly quirky old schemes that can be difficult to understand and is passionate about delivering proper financial planning that helps clients map out their future goals – and achieve them. 

In 2021 Matt embarked on the rigorous process of achieving Certified Financial Planner status, which is the globally recognised gold standard for financial planning qualifications. 

Matt is married to Victoria, and they have a daughter Joni (and another on the way) and a rescue greyhound called Jessie. Outside of work, Matt’s main hobby is running. He is currently training for his first marathon in Belfast in 2024! 

In this week's episode we talk to David Burgess CFP™, Financial Planner at Bloomsbury Wealth, about his journey to CFP certification.

He shares why he decided to embark on a career in financial services and why he want to seek out a great financial planning firm to work in.

We talk in detail about the parts of the CISI L7 assessment process that were the hardest and what he did to overcome those issues.

This episode is packed full of tips for anyone about to embark on the process.

David Burgess bio:

David has been at City-based Bloomsbury Wealth since January 2022.

Prior to that he was an Associate Partner with St. James’s Place for four years.

Bloomsbury Wealth works with a relatively small number of private client families and provides a financial planning-led wealth management service. It is a member of the Global Association of Independent Advisors, an international best practice grouping of like-minded fiduciary firms. 

In this week's episode we talk to Steve McBurnie CFP™, paraplanner at Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP, about his journey to become a Certified Financial Planner professional.

We explore his approach, what happened along the way and how he achieved a long-held dream.

This is a story of determination and hard work!

Steven share's lots of tips to help you if you are thinking of embarking on your own journey to become a CFP professional.

We also talk about Steven's volunteering work and why it's so important to give something back to help the profession grow and flourish.

Steven's Bio:

I am a Fellow of the CISI, an Accredited Paraplanner and a committee member of the Paraplanner Interest Group.

I have recently passed my Level 7 case study and awaiting confirmation of my entitlement to use the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP™) designation. I work for Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP as a Paraplanner within our Wealth Planning department.

WJM is a full-service law firm with an impressive client base throughout Scotland and the UK. We act on behalf of private individuals, businesses, companies, trust and charities, providing tailor-made plans to help you achieve your goals and objectives, now and in the future.

In this week's episode we talk to Daniel Ryan CFP™ Director and Client Advisor at UBS Wealth Management about his journey to become a CFP professional.

Daniel shares is approach, honestly how long it took him and the different thought processes along the way. In this refreshingly honest interview, Daniel shares lots of do's and don'ts to help you avoid the mistakes that he made, the impact on those around him and the positive takeaways that will impact his long-term client relationships. Daniel's bio:

Daniel is Director – Client Advisor at UBS Wealth Management and is responsible for managing a portfolio of private clients to deliver advice towards achieving the financial objectives of his clients and their families at UBS.

Throughout the last 20 years, Daniel has been focused on working with private clients from a vast array of backgrounds; including business owners and entrepreneurs in the UK, Energy Specialists throughout Africa and Financial Executives across Europe. Daniel also has experience working in tandem with single and multi-family offices to deliver solutions for their investors.

Daniel is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) and currently holds the PCIAM, CeMap and CFP™ qualifications.

In this week's Your Financial Planning Maestro podcast we talk to Sian Davies Cole CFP™co-owner at Plan Works about her journey to becoming a CFP professional as well as the importance of mentoring and why she helped set up the Paraplanner Club to give paraplanners more support across the profession.

Sian's journey wasn't plain sailing, but determination and application of her extensive knowledge helped her be successful.

Sian's bio:

Sian is a Certified Financial Planner professional, Mentor and Paraplanner.

She joined outsourced Paraplanning business, Plan Works, in 2020 and is a co-owner, co-director and a fundamental part of their paraplanning team.

She believes that paraplanning works best as a collaboration between Financial Planner and Paraplanner and having a strong awareness of the skills and personalities involved in both roles is key. This along with a quality mix of experience and qualifications, she feels, is necessary to provide the support Financial Planners want and need.

Sian is engaged with the Paraplanner and Financial Planning community, and co-founded The Paraplanner Club which offers free 1:1 mentoring for anyone wanting to be an awesome paraplanner.

In the final episode of this series we talk to Chloe Phillips CFP™, Financial Planner at Pura Vida Financial Planning.

Chloe shares her journey to gain her CFP certification with lots of tips on how NOT to do things! Chloe is a self-confessed crammer and took quite a different approach to others that we have interviewed on our podcast. During this very honest interview, Chloe explains how she tackled the CISI L6 exam and the L7 case study along with how she came unstuck initially before getting back on track to pass the L7 case study assessment.

Chloe also shares lots of ideas for those getting into the profession and those feeling a bit disillusioned and thinking of leaving altogether. She talks about the various important groups there are there to support everyone and we talk specifically about the additional support for women as well as those who identify as non-binary.

Here are links to those groups that we talk about:

NextGen Planners

The Paraplanner Club

FFEM - Education and Mentoring for Female Financial Planners

Chloe's bio:

Meet Chloe, a Chartered & Certified Financial Planner™ with a passion for empowering her clients and those entering the profession. Chloe joined the team at Pura Vida Financial Planning in April 2022, following a successful transition into a client-facing role in the summer of 2021. With 15 years of experience in financial services industry, Chloe has honed her skills across a diverse range of roles. As the co-founder of The Paraplanner Club mentoring scheme, Chloe is committed to providing a supportive environment for individuals. Through this initiative, The Paraplanner Club offers a valuable sounding board and guidance to help others excel in their careers.

In this week's episode we talk to Lara Gentles CFP™ a Vice President at Santander Private Banking.

Having recently passed her CISI L7 case study assessment and become a CERTIFIED FIANCNIAL PLANNER™, Lara shares her experience of the process as well as loads of tips along the way, including the things she wished that she had done beforehand, how she got ready for the assessment, her approach and the outcome. As we discuss in this interview, I always give lots of advice myself, but many people don't seem to follow it. Lara is one of the few that did, and, as you will hear, it made her journey much smoother.

Lara Gentles Bio:

Lara is currently a Vice President within Santander Private Banking in Scotland. As a designated Chartered Wealth Manager and Certified Financial Planner™ with 25 years’ experience, Lara advises a diverse group of High-Net-Worth Individuals, predominantly based in the UK, with both domestic and global investment requirements. Previously, she was an Associate Director with HSBC Private Banking and has held relationship management positions with Barclays and Bank of Scotland.

She holds qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland, Chartered Insurance Institute, CFA Society of the UK, and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment.

Outside of work, she loves the great outdoors and spends most of her spare time walking or mountain biking in Scotland.

In this week's episode we talk to Dante De Gori CFP® the newly appointed CEO of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB).

The FPSB is the global standards setting body for the international CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certification which is licensed in 27 territories around the world and boasts over 213,000 CFP Professionals worldwide.

In this episode we talk about the continued growth in numbers of CFP Professionals, what is driving this growth and what the plans are to support the existing community and embrace new territories as well.

We also talk in detail about Dante's plans for the profession, where FPSB can help individual territories, independent research studies and what we can all do to help the public benefit from financial planning advice rather than product sales.

Bio: Dante De Gori, CFP® , Chief Executive Officer, Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd.

Dante De Gori, CFP®, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB), the nonprofit standards-setting body for the global financial planning profession and owner of the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification program outside the United States. 

Prior to this, De Gori served as Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) – the financial planning professional body in Australia and sixth largest Affiliate within the FPSB Network. For six years, he led teams focused on standards, certification, education, events, advocacy and consumer awareness, and made exceptional contributions to the Australian financial planning profession through a period of tremendous reform to help raise education and professional standards.

A proud CFP professional, De Gori is passionate about advancing the profession of financial planning and supporting CFP professionals around the globe. He has served on several FPSB committees and working groups, including as chair of the Council and chair of the Chief Executives Committee (CEC) from 2018 to 2021. In early 2022, De Gori joined FPSB as Head of Stakeholder Engagement. 

De Gori has more than 20 years of experience in the financial planning profession. He’s worked in various senior roles within financial planning and compliance at ClearView Financial Management, Zurich Financial Services, Asteron Life and Suncorp Bank. He also spent six years as General Manager, Policy and Government Relations at FPA Australia before being named CEO. De Gori also served as Director of the Future2Foundation, the charity foundation of the financial planning profession in Australia, from 2016 to 2021.  

De Gori was recently awarded the Association Influencer of the Year 2022 by the Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE). He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (finance and marketing), a graduate certificate in politics and policy, a diploma in financial planning, has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course (2021), and is currently completing a Master of Laws at the Australian National University. 

De Gori is a proud husband and father who dedicates his life to the four F’s: family, food, football and financial planning.

In this week's episode we talk to Louise Oliver CFP™ co-founder of Piercefield Oliver, a very successful financial planning business.

We cover a wide range of subjects in this enlightening conversation, including:

* How you can set up and run a boutique financial planning business,

* How to attract more women into the profession and why more should be encouraged to become client facing advisers for the long-term benefit of clients.

* The good and bad things the Government are doing in the field of financial education and what they should be doing more and less of!

* What financial planners should be doing more of to help younger generations understand their finances better.

* What Louise thinks of the recent Government announcement on the reviews of PRIPS and KIIDs.

Louise's Bio:

Having a wealth of experience in the financial services sector amounting to over 30 years I am often a go-to expert for commentary for the National and local media. I particularly enjoy working with individuals and families to help them navigate through life’s changes such as divorce, bereavement, retirement, and inheritance. Having the benefit of supporting people through some challenging situations and out of the other side feeling empowered and happier gives me huge pleasure.

I have been fortunate to be recognised by my peers winning several awards including, Role Model of the Year in Financial Services and Female Financial Adviser of the Year.

As UK President of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs, which is part of the largest international women’s entrepreneur network in the world, I am able to fulfil my passion for supporting women in business. 

This voluntary role enables me to provide guidance and connect businesses not only in the UK but all over the world. I enjoy guiding young women starting out in business and seeing their successes. More locally I enjoy connecting with local businesses, schools and Universities. I am a Visiting Professor at Aston University, a role I thoroughly enjoy.

I am a fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and commerce. My goal continues to be to break the mould in financial services and provide clear, accessible financial planning and advice to all age groups at whatever stage of their lives. I believe it is something we do very well here at Piercefield Oliver.

I truly love the great outdoors and in my spare time, you will find me paddle boarding, sailing and travelling around the country in my beloved motor home, Tilly. As a proud Sheffield girl, I also love going home to catch up with family and long-standing friends. In contrast, I enjoy trips to London to meet with clients and enjoy the buzz of the City. I have set myself goals to raise funds for charities close to my heart and recently completed a cycle ride from Milan to Venice in 3 days for women’s cancer charities.

Quirky fact about myself? I hate wooden lolly sticks!!

In this week's episode we talk to Dr. Moira Somers, a neuropsychologist, family wealth consultant, author and executive coach. 

Moira specialises in behavioural economics and the psychology of money. 

We talk to Moira about the practical things financial planners can do to improve the questions that they ask clients in order to gain a deeper understanding of their clients' needs.

Moira's bio:

In her work, Dr. Somers addresses matters that range from the highly personal concerns of business-owning individuals and families all the way up to broader service, design and structural issues affecting financial follow-through and equitable access to capital. 

Although Canada is her home, her client base is international.

Dr. Somers is a faculty member at the Ultra High Net Worth Institute and at the Financial Transitionist® Institute. She leads the Financial Psychology Special Interest Group for the American Psychological Association.  She is a featured guest and writer for many financial advising / family office podcasts and publications. 

Her book, Advice that Sticks: How to Give Financial Advice that People Will Follow, tackles the problem of unimplemented financial advice. It has been adopted as an authoritative guidebook by such diverse groups as advisor training institutions, private firms specialising in Ultra Hight Net Worth clients, and credit counselling agencies.

To learn more about her services, check out the following: www.moneymindandmeaning.com

In this week's episode we talk to Robert Lockie CFP™, branch principal at Bloomsbury Wealth, about a phrase that I see written quite a bit in financial plans for clients; I am going to err on the side of caution.

Robert is one of the most well respected Certified Financial Planner professionals in the UK.  He has been a long-standing CFP professional and has a reputation for his knowledge and expertise for all things technically related in the financial planning sphere.  

There's not much this chap doesn't know about assumptions.  As you will hear in this episode, as the king of assumptions in the UK, we talk through the impact of this approach on the various financial planning assumptions and the pitfalls of taking various courses of action on the back of that. 

We also talk about why you should get to know how to change the financial planning assumptions in the cashflow tools that you are using and why you should be revisiting the reasons for and numbers being used firm-wide on a regular basis.

This episode is a must listen for both those going through their CISI level 7 financial plan assessment and all those using financial planning cashflow tools to give advice to clients.

Robert's Bio: 

Robert Lockie CFP™ Chartered Fellow (Financial Planning) FCSI, Investment Manager and Branch Principal at Bloomsbury Wealth.

Robert Lockie has been an investment manager and branch principal at City-based Bloomsbury Wealth since 2005.  

The firm works with a relatively small number of private client families and provides a financial planning-led wealth management service.  It is a member of the Global Association of Independent Advisors, an international best practice grouping of like-minded fiduciary firms and Robert is an ambassador for the Transparency Task Force, which aims to improve the standards of transparency in financial services.

In the first episode of the fifth series of this podcast we talk to Jennifer Kay CFP™ who is a financial planner at Arlene Addison.

Jennifer shares her journey to become a Certified Financial Planner professional, her views on why there aren't enough female financial planning role models and what benefits becoming a CFP professional has bought her both professionally and personally.

Jennifer has a hidden super power! Listen to the podcast to find out what that is and how that has helped her improve her confidence, credibility and kudos in the financial planning profession.

Jennifer's Bio:

Jennifer is a Chartered & Certified Financial Planner ™ and Mortgage Adviser. She joined Arlene Addison, a Senior Partner Practice of St. James’s Place in 2014 and qualified as an adviser in the summer of 2019.

With a university degree in French & German, her path has taken quite a turn from translating at her kitchen table to a career in financial advice. A planner by nature, she loves hearing her clients talk about their plans, goals and dreams for the future and designing a plan to help make those dreams a reality. Fortunately, she also loves spreadsheets. 

She is passionate about greater female representation in financial services and galvanising young women to take control of their financial lives early on. She sees her professional purpose as doing everything in her power to help narrow the gender wealth gap, and particularly the pension gap.

In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, running and reading and is also working on her language skills as they’ve grown a little rusty in recent years.

In the final episode of this series of podcasts we talk to Charlotte Phillips-Lynn, Senior Operations Analyst at Seccl.

There are so many small changes that we can all make to make our workplaces more comfortable for our team members from the LGBTQA+ community.  

Some of your team might not be 'out' as part of that community.  They might fear backlash or to be treated differently to others.  What can you do help make everyone more comfortable in the workplace?  Many things that you can do cost nothing more than a little of your time.

Charlotte's Bio:

I am currently a Senior Operations Analyst at Seccl, specialising in the dividends and corporate actions sector. 

My career started working in a contact centre for a life and pensions provider - after always saying I would never work in an office or on the phone, this has been a current theme in my career. As I moved up within the company and onto the next one, my role centred around system migration projects and diving deeper into more technical roles within the industry.

I'm a big advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, and enjoy various roles/accolades that I have within that space. These include: Top 100 Gamechanger with LGBT Great, Project 1000 Role Model with LGBT Great, Volunteer Regional Ambassador for It Gets Better UK, Country Ambassador and mentor for myGwork. 

I have also delivered Keynote speeches virtually and in person surrounding LGBTQIA+ people in finance.

Useful Links:

It Gets Better UK - https://www.itgetsbetter.org.uk/

 Stonewall – https://www.stonewall.org.uk/

 Mermaids - https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/

 LGBT Switchboard - https://switchboard.lgbt/

 In addition Charlotte shares lots of information on LinkedIn and on her Instagram account @yourglutenfreegaybestfriend

In this week's podcast we are back to talking all things CFP certificate related with Carmen Bacaoanu, Head of Paraplanning at Wealth Matters.

We talk about her journey in the financial advice industry, how she was treated, how she found people to support her and how she became a career paraplanner.

Carmen also shares why it was important for her to gain her CFP certification and why she believes that it's a qualification for all, not just for client facing planners.  Along the way we discuss various tips and pitfalls of working on the CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment and the do's and don'ts to pass.

This is a great episode if you are a paraplanner interested to know whether it is worth embarking on the CFP and employers who want to better support their teams.

Carmen's Bio:

I started my career in Financial Planning in 2018 as a trainee paraplanner and prior to this I worked in retail banking for 8 years.  I came into the Financial Planning industry with very little experience, however, within four years I have completed my industry exams and qualified as a Certified Financial Planner, accredited by the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.

My current role is Head of Paraplanning and I manage a team of four Paraplanners. We have recently started training graduates in the role, who often have little or no financial services experience. My focus is on my team and using my skills and experience to help them thrive professionally and personally by helping them blend work commitments with family life.

I also interact with clients, dealing directly with them and presenting in meetings to reassure them about their portfolios. Although I’m a Paraplanner by trade, a lot of my role involves relationship management, and I pride myself on my people skills.

When I am not spending time helping our clients, I am with my daughter and our pets. I also enjoy painting and am very proud to have many of my artworks present in my friends’ homes.

In this week's podcast episode we talk to Michael Yuille CFP™, Founder of Northern Cross Wealth Management about all things Certified Financial Planner.  Michael shares his journey to CFP certification and talks about how mentoring helped him gain his certification and to look at things a little differently.

We also talk about the difference that that experience has made to him personally and also professionally and how it gives his clients more confidence in him.  He also lets us into a little secret and he tells us why you can do great financial planning anywhere!

Michael Yuille Bio:

During his University years studying for his Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Science, Michael quickly realised that the laboratory environment was not for him, so he decided to move into a more client-facing role. His progression from the Pharmaceutical field to the Financial world was to utilise his skills in assisting clients in planning for their future. Having spent the last 10 years in Africa, Michael decided to set-up his own company in his adopted home, Cape Town.

Since returning to Cape Town having worked in West Africa for 2 years, Michael has completed both his RE1 (Key Individual) and RE5 (Representatives) regulatory exams in South Africa, and has obtained his U.K. Level 4 Investment Advice Diploma, as well as his U.K. Level 6 Certificate in Pension Transfers & Planning Advice, through the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments.

Michael has recently earned his U.K. CFP™ (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™) qualification and will be sitting the (U.S.) Series-65 exam which will allow him to understand the needs of U.S. citizens and assist with their financial planning.

Michael now lives in France with his wife Renee and two beautiful daughters, and in his spare time, he is currently learning French and working towards achieving his Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL).

In this week's episode we talk to Michelle Hoskin, founder and director of Standards International, about the work she is doing in the field of financial abuse.

During the hard hitting interview we left no stone unturned and we talked about:

✔︎ How to spot clients who could potentially be being abused.

✔︎ How to identify those who are being financially abused.

✔︎ How to approach the conversations with both parties involved.

✔︎ What to say to offer guidance and support for those being abused.

✔︎ Why we shouldn't ignore this growing issue.

✔︎ How financial planners are key in identifying these situations and, crucially, doing something about it.

If you don't think financial abuse is widespread, think again!

If you think that as a financial planner, it is none of your business to spot it or do anything about it, think again!

Listen now to find out why.

Michelle's Bio:

Michelle Hoskin is an international speaker, author and regular contributor to the professional press and media, with more than 20 years’ experience working alongside some of the world’s most successful financial services organisations. She is also the Founder and Director of Standards International a leading dedicated certification body in the UK for BS 8577, BS 8453, ISO 22222 and The Paraplanner Standard™ certification. Michelle has also earned the title of the leading expert in professional standards of operational best practice.

In this week's podcast episode we talk to Andy Booth, Senior Partner at Nine Wealth.

Andy recently gained his CFP certification and talks through his journey to get there as well as offering lots of advice and tips along the way.

Andy is using his CFP certification to great effect attracting by changing the way he asks client questions and how he thinks through their options when faced with meeting their objectives.  He also talks through how his recent experiences are helping him attract better quality clients.

If you are interested in completing the CFP certification and want to grow your business, this is a must listen episode.

Andy Booth bio:

He has over 25 years experience in the insurance and financial services industries and has been a Partner at St. James's Place for the last eight. Andy focuses primarily on the SME/Business owner market and successful high net worth individuals, including sports professionals. Andy, as a business owner himself, understands and appreciates the challenges of running a business and the need for security whilst striving to maximise the end goal. Andy offers bespoke wealth management advice helping clients achieve their financial goals and long-term security through cash flow modelling.

Andy was educated at Swansea and Cambridge Universities, playing in the 1989 and 1990 Varsity Match at Twickenham. He was a professional rugby player with Cardiff and Swansea and represented Wales at all levels including Wales at the 1991 World Cup. He also had the honour of playing for Crawshays, Scottish Co-optimists and The Barbarians on many occasions. Andy is an Ambassador for local charity Velindre Cancer Centre and on the Board of The Cardiff Blues Former Players Foundation, as well as the St. James's Place Charitable Foundation for the Cardiff area.

A keen sportsman, Andy continues his passion by playing golf and also attends the gym regularly to keep himself fit. At home, Andy relaxes with his new interest in cooking and also enjoys spending time with his wife and three daughters.

In this episode we talk to Katherine Pautard CFP™ about her journey to become a Certified Financial Planner Professional.

Katherine started out her career wanting to be a midwife, but when she found that it wasn't her passion after all, she put her empathy, drive and ambition to use to become a great financial planner.

She shares her journey to find her true vocation in life as well as her passion to help clients.  This year she has gained her CFP certification and won Professional Advisers Rising Star of the Year award to boot.

Katherine shares some special tips for those embarking on their CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment as well as her views on diversity and inclusion and how the financial planning profession is changing in front of our eyes!

Katherine's Bio:

I joined Wealth Matters in 2019 as a paraplanner, having been in the financial services industry for 8 years. Prior to starting at Wealth Matters I worked for a financial advisory firm and a major pensions company, dealing in corporate pensions. This is where I gained the necessary foundation knowledge, however, it is since being at Wealth Matters that I have completed my industry exams and qualified as a Certified Financial Planner. In May 2022, as well as achieving CFP™ status, I was also recognised as Professional Advisers Rising Star of Year.

I am excited to continue to develop my career in the industry and provide valuable advice to my clients for years to come. I’m also working to empower women and younger people to engage with finance.

When I am not talking to my clients about their bucket lists and aspirations, I am with my friends and family, making memories and ticking things off my own list. This usually includes travel, good food and even better wine!

In this week's podcast episode we are back talking to Meg and James at the Verve Group and catching up on what they have learned since we lat talked to them.

We had a really interesting discussion about the weight of expectations that they put on themselves when studying for exams.  We share their ups and downs and talk openly about how we all fail; some just don't want to admit it!

If you are an employer who has recently taken on new members of your team, this is a must listen episode.

In the first of the series, we talk to Gareth Tregidon CFP™, CEO and Head of Financial Planning at Nugenis Financial Planning Ltd.

Gareth was a CFP assessor for the Institute of Financial Planning L6 and Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment L7 financial plan case study assessor for many years and has assessed 600 financial plan assessments!

We talk all things assessment related including:

If you are writing up your financial plan at the moment or thinking about obtaining your CISI L7 case study in August, this is a must listen episode.

Gareth's Bio:

Gareth Tregidon is a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Fellow (Financial Planning), and currently CEO of Nugenis Financial Planning in Cardiff.

Gareth has been involved in the financial services sector for over 35 years, including periods as an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) and Financial Planner, as well as working in management for both insurance companies and financial services firms.  He was also Branch Chairman for the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP) between 2006-2011, and Branch Chairman of the Year in 2010.

From 2007 until 2021 Gareth was a Senior Assessor for the CFP licence, in addition to which he has undertaken various work for the IFP and, since 2015, CISI.  This has involved writing case studies and educational material, technical and exam-related work, as well as running courses aimed at helping ‘advisers’ become ‘planners’. 

In the final episode of this series, we talk to Andy Bounds, one of the best communicators I know!

We waste many hours each week cc'ing people into needless emails, covering your backside and preparing to blame your manager when they don't instantly recall said email and swoop in to fix mistakes.

We are swamped with so many emails that we miss the critical ones, we can't make decisions quickly.

Andy shows us how to stop all that today by thinking about the 'afters' - what will be better after they've read your email.  We talk about how you can improve your website content, how to structure newsletters (I'm looking at mine right now) and how to tackle the email mountain to make better business decisions and help clients find you faster.

We are ending the series with a bang!!

Andy's bio:

Awarded the title Britain’s Sales Trainer of the Year, and described by AstraZeneca’s Global Communication Director as “a genius, whose advice can’t be ignored”, Andy’s insights and passion stem from the fact his Mother is blind. This has given him a lifetime’s experience of communicating from someone else’s point of view… a critical skill to master when persuading others!

Andy’s three books are all international best-sellers. The first was only kept off Amazon's #1 spot by Harry Potter!

Andy has worked in 40+ countries, with some of the world's largest and most famous companies, as well as for Governments, professional bodies and business experts. He's presented alongside experts from business (like Michael Gerber and Drayton Bird) and sport (like Manchester United's Assistant Manager Mike Phelan).

His core belief is “AFTERs drive everything. It's not what you say that counts. It’s what people do differently AFTER you’ve said it.”

In this week's episode we talk to Brett Davidson, FP Advance, about how to attract and communicate with clients.

When trying to attract new clients, it's tempting to try to appeal to a wide audience, but that's not how things work when it comes to attracting clients.

Growth doesn't come from comfortably blending in and in this episode we take a deep dive into:

- Focus on what makes you unique

- Own your point of view and get it out into the world

- Get comfortable that 50% of people will love you and 50% will think you're a goose 😱

Brett's Bio:

Brett is the Founder of FP Advance and the Uncover Your Business Potential programme. He helps great financial planners become great business people, so they can stay in love with their business and fulfil their potential. 

You can follow Brett online and via social media:

Website: www.fpadvance.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brettdavidson 

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsonbrett

In this week's episode we talk to Ian McKenna, Director of the Financial Technology Research Centre about all things technology in the financial planning profession.

Find out what new tools are coming on to the market and where you can achieve more efficiencies in your business.

We also talk about how the FCA is changing the face of tech and what are the likely changes on the horizon for advisers in our profession.

This episode is packed with up-to-date information to help keep your business running smoothly.

Ian's bio:

Ian McKenna is an industry veteran with a long history of providing added value services to advisers. Having started his career with an insurer he quickly moved to being an adviser by the age of 18 and set up his first advice firm at the age of 22. Having been involved with a number of advice firms throughout the 80s and 90s in 1995 he founded Finance Technology Research Centre (FTRC) nearly two decades before "FinTech" became part of the industry lexicon. 

He has been columnist with various trade publication since the late 80s and continues to write for Money Marketing and Corporate Adviser. Over the past decade Ian has focused on the evolution of technology, spending time in the US and other countries to understand the advances being achieved in digital financial advice around the world.

More recently Ian has launched a range of technical information services for advisers including Benefits Guru, AdviserSoftware.com and Protection Guru.

Links to the event we talk about in this episode: 

Empowering Advice Through Technology event on 26th May www.advisersoftware.com/eatt-2022 for details of the event, the agenda and how to register to attend. 

In this week's episode we talk to Jonathan Gibson CFP™ about how his journey to build his own financial planning firm and how he's so passionate about attracting new talent, that he's doing things differently.

We talk about the biggest influencers in his life, the successes and failures along the way and what he's doing to attract new talent to the profession.

Jonathan's firm has the Lockie Consultants 'Your Financial Planning Symphony' Training and Development scheme too which gives structure and content to support his vision to build a more vibrant financial planning profession.

A fascinating discussion about the ups and downs of running your own business, sharing a vision and developing a core team to take on the thriving business in the years to come.

Jonathan bio:

Jonathan Gibson CFPTM, Chartered FCSI, Managing Director of Wells Gibson Limited & Author of Purposeful Wealth

Prior to establishing Wells Gibson, Jonathan was a co-founder and director of Verus Wealth, Dundee (est. 2005) and AAB Wealth, Aberdeen (est. 2011), two successful and national award winning businesses, which were established in conjunction with two leading firms of accountants.

Jonathan is a Chartered Fellow of Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment and his qualifications include:

•         Chartered Financial Planner

•         CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional

•         Chartered Wealth Manager

 Jonathan has 25+ years experience as an advisor for private clients and 15+ years as a business owner.

Jonathan is married to Claire and has 3 daughters, Christina, Hannah and Katie.  A member of St. Peter’s Free Church, Dundee, Jonathan also enjoys playing golf and going to the gym when time allows.

About Wells Gibson:

Wells Gibson is a CISI Accredited Financial Planning Firm ™ and boutique, family owned business, founded in 2016 by Jonathan Gibson, Managing Director.

In 1988, Jonathan was introduced to the banking sector by his late grandfather, James Wells Gibson and in 1991, was introduced to the financial advisory sector by his late father, Terry Wells Gibson.

We believe real wealth is about much more than money and possessions and our vision is to see lives change, one client, one family at a time, by bringing clarity, contentment and certainty to the financial lives of those we serve and advise.  We deliver lifetime wealth planning, incorporating investment consulting, advanced financial planning, and an ongoing relationship-driven service.  

In January 2021, Jonathan published his book, Purposeful Wealth which introduces Jonathan’s principles for living a fulfilled and purposeful life.  Available via Amazon, Purposeful Wealth guides you through the concepts of a fulfilled life and authentic investing before sharing wise financial strategies and advice on how to implement each in your life, including how to find a financial planner and what attributes to look for.  Following the successful launch of the book, the Purposeful Wealth podcast was launched to promote proper financial planning and sensible investing. 

Better client questions leads to better information, better outcomes for clients and ultimately happier clients!  Do you think you ask great questions?  Think again!

In this week's episode we talk to Brendan Frazier, the founder of Wired Planning in the US.  He has a refreshing way of improving the quality of the questions you ask your clients.  We discuss the content of questions as well as the approach and order to ask them.

His 'Pillars of great questions' include:

1) A great question minus listening is no longer a great question

2) Order and Structure play a crucial role

3) Don't stress over closed-ended questions

4) The most powerful question is a follow-up question

and there's so much more...

We explore in detail the issues to improve our skills; what to worry about and where we shouldn't get hung up!

No-one has the monopoly on a great question.  Challenge yourself by listening to this episode and understand where you can improve.

Brendan bio:

Brendan Frazier is the founder of Wired Planning, the host of The Human Side of Money podcast, a keynote speaker and was named one of Investopedia’s Top 100 Financial Advisors. He helps financial advisors around the world master the human side of advice to enhance client outcomes and ignite growth in their business.

To sign up for his newsletter go to: www.wiredplanning.com 

In this week's episode we talk to Katie Braden, CFP® at Innovating Advice, about all things marketing.

Why are so many financial planning business websites the same?  Why do so many feel static and (dare I say it) boring?  How can you stand out from the crowd of financial planning businesses?

There's that age-old saying that only 20% of your marketing is effective, but no one knows which 20% it is!  In this conversation we delve much deeper into all these issues, including common misconceptions that marketing has to project a corporate image and video recordings professionally edited.

In order to reach clients of the future, we need to change the way we market ourselves - let Katie challenge you to do just that.

She also kindly offers a BIG discount on her community group content too - listen to find out the code.

I took onboard a lot of what Katie teaches and it really works.  Why don't you try it?  It might just work for you too.

Katie Braden Bio:

After 16 years in the profession, Katie Braden, CFP® has combined her passions and expertise to focus on helping financial advisors leverage video to grow their businesses. She obtained a degree in photography from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia before returning to the U.S. and joining her mother's RIA. She left in 2013 to start one of the first completely virtual, subscription-model financial planning business and then pivoted to working, speaking and consulting with financial planners in 35 countries, encouraging them to innovate in all areas. Katie is also a Private Pilot and loves the freedom of the skies, whether flying herself or traveling around the world with her husband. 

There are so many different terms surrounding ESG that understanding them all and thinking through how they impact the type of service you offer your financial planning clients can be tricky.

I saw three fund manager presentations recently, each fund manager said only one aspect E, S or G was the most important.  Funnily though, they each said something different to the others!

In this week's episode we talk to Sam Adams, CEO and Co-Founder of Vert Asset Management and we delve deep into the practical aspects that need to be considered when making changes to your financial planning business offering to clients.  We talk through the practical differences of ESG, Socially Responsible and Impact investing and what you need to do to overlay these any of these areas in your investment advice process for clients.

We look at the technical aspects and, for those firms who offer evidence-based investment solutions, we discuss how you can incorporate these areas too.

Crucially, we discuss how to set your firms ESG agenda and how to discuss that with clients.

If you are struggling with setting out your business proposition on ESG and want practical help in doing so, this is a must listen episode.

Sam Adams Bio:

Sam is CEO and co-founder of Vert Asset Management.  He also chairs the Investment Research Group. Sam leads the development of new products to help make sustainable investing easier for investors. He has been a featured speaker on sustainable investing at financial advisor conferences in the US, UK, Europe, and Australia.

Sam is the author, with Larry Swedroe, of ‘Your Essential Guide to Sustainable Investing’.  He is an instructor for the College of Financial Planning’s Chartered SRI Counselor Program, and is member of the Plan Sponsor Council of America’s Investment Committee.

Prior to launching Vert, Sam spent 20 years at Dimensional Fund Advisors where he led the European Advisor business and launched the Global Sustainability Core Fund.  

Sam has a BA in Philosophy from the University of Colorado, Boulder and an MBA in Finance from the University of California, Davis. 

In this week's interview we talk to Noel Maye, CEO of the Financial Planning Standards Board, about the global financial planning profession and what it means to be a CFP professional in the UK and across the world.

We talk in detail about the key areas that CFP professionals are changing to support more clients both during the pandemic and beyond.

We also look at how the global numbers of CFP professionals is growing, why that might be as well as future projects for financial planners and the professional bodies that support them.

Sometimes it is good to step back and look at the global picture and consider the role we all play in helping more people receive good quality financial planning advice.

Noel Maye's Bio:

Noel Maye is Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB). Before joining the organization, Maye was Senior Vice President of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) in the United States, where he oversaw the international, legal, consumer and public affairs, and communications departments, and served as corporate spokesperson.

Prior to CFP Board, he was an associate with Ogilvy, Adams & Rinehart, a New York-based public relations firm, where he specialized in working with financial services clients.

Maye holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential, completed the National Association of Corporate Directors’ director training program, and qualified as a lead auditor for certification bodies through the American National Standards Institute. Born and raised in Ireland, he holds an undergraduate degree in electronic engineering from Trinity College Dublin, an MBA in business administration from the University of Colorado and INSEAD’s Executive Certificate in Global Management.

In the first in our series of business planning podcast episodes, we talk to Marlene Outrim CFP™ at Uniq Family Wealth.

Marlene shares her approach to clients, how she explains what financial planning is and how she identifies and deals with conflict between couples. We also talk about how those insights gave her drive to write several books including her most recent, Cascading Your Wealth.

A fascinating and thought provoking episode to challenge the way you deal with clients.

Bio: Marlene J Outrim MSc.Econ

Author of: 

Cascading Your Wealth: December 2021 (How to create a family wealth plan for the next generation)

Boomers: Redefining Retirement January 2018

My first career was as a Probation Officer and have 13 years’ experience in counselling & therapeutic skills. In 1991 I established a Financial Planning practice, aiming to provide a personal but professional service. Such was its success, in 2007 I sold the company. I continued as a Planner for that company until 2012. However, I saw a need for a more family focussed approach and set up UNIQ Family Wealth in 2013. I only want to work with those who are committed to achieving their lifetime goals and objectives.

Qualifications

• Certified Financial PlannerTM Professional

• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (FCSI)  

• Chartered Wealth Manager

• Chartered Financial Planner

• STEP Advanced Certificate in Enterprise Family Advising 

• Certificate in Professional Consulting

Awards

2018

Winner of “Best Use of a Tax Efficient Investment” Tax Efficiency Awards 

Moneyfacts Commended for Retirement Adviser of the Year

CISI Finalist Certified Financial Planner

Professional Adviser Awards - Best Client Engagement in UK

2016 Professional Adviser Awards - Best Client Engagement in UK

2016 Professional Adviser Awards - Best UK Adviser in Wales

2014 Retirement Planner, for excellence in advice on Retirement. Retirement Planner magazine & sponsored by Scottish Widows.

2009 Financial Planner of the Year in the New Breed Adviser awards (supported by High Net Worth magazine)

2009 New Model Adviser for Wales 

2008 Retirement Planner of the Year New Breed Adviser Awards

Areas of Expertise

I founded UNIQ Family Wealth a Financial Planning practice to helps families, individuals & Family Businesses lead more fulfilling & financially secure lives by making the most of their assets, and to cascade wealth seamlessly from one generation to another.  Whatever life throws at you. We will be on hand to guide you with your own personal Financial Plan. As a past President of the IFP (2010-12), I am passionate about Financial Planning and voice this regularly in the media.

Personal Interests

A mercurial go-getter who loves her grandchildren, art, music, entertaining, fine wine, skiing & dance.

In this week's episode we talk to Matthew Walne CFP™, Santorini Financial Planning.

Matthew became interested in obtaining his CFP certification quite a few years ago and had a tough journey to get there.

Matthew is one of the nicest financial planners that you will ever meet in the profession.  But underneath that Mr Nice Guy, there is a man with a dogged determination to continue his own personal development of knowledge and skills.  In doing so, he has proven to himself what many of us already knew, that he's a great financial planner.

He is happier (understatement of the year) and his clients are already feeling the benefits of gaining his CFP certification.

Matthew's bio:

Matthew Walne CFP™ is a Certified Financial Planner™, Chartered Wealth Manager and Registered Life Planner and the owner and founder of Santorini Financial Planning Ltd since 2011. 

Santorini Financial Planning is a boutique lifestyle financial planning business based in Loughborough, Leicestershire serving small business owners and senior executives looking to plan their retirement and beyond.

In this week's episode we talk frankly and openly about the issues around giving advice to vulnerable clients with Martin Lines, Development and Events Director, Just

With recent FCA research suggesting that around 50% of people who seek financial advice should probably be classed as vulnerable because of the pandemic, now is a good time to revisit these issues.  

We discuss what the regulator is doing and we explore how financial planning firms are tackling this issue in their day-to-day work with clients.  We talk through the practical aspects of spotting vulnerability, the do's and don'ts when it comes to advising clients who you suspect might be vulnerable and the changes to regulation on the horizon.

Martin also gives lots of practical tips to paraplanners and planners to ensure their client's are suitably cared for and I challenge him on and how, or even if, planners should tell clients if they think that they should be classed as vulnerable.

A throughly engaging conversation full of practical take-aways for all those who have any find of contact with clients.  No stone is left unturned in this episode!

Martin Lines' Bio:

Martin heads up Just’s team of Retirement and Later Life Specialists, supporting adviser training events and conferences across the UK – and online!  

He joined Partnership in 2009, ahead of the creation of Just, having worked alongside local and national adviser firms on pensions and retirement-related issues.  He is a regular speaker at financial services events with subjects ranging from the technical issues to consumer vulnerability and behavioural bias.

Want to know more?

Watch the following couple of videos:

Vulnerability: award winning ideas

Vulnerability: Changing perceptions

Many financial planning firms 'give away' the financial plan as part of an investment management service or as a loss leader because they are paid a percentage of assets under management.  This puts the emphasis on gaining more assets for the business rather than providing financial plans for clients.  Numerous surveys show a reluctance for the public to pay for advice they seek - this is partly because they do not see the value in what you offer. 

In this week's episode we talk to Warren Shute CFP™, Lexington Wealth about why he built is financial planning business on the premise that all client should have a financial plan.  

We talk about why he believes this is critical to his clients' success and why it is important to make it the centrepiece of your client service proposition.

We also talk about how you can get on TV and why is is important to help educate as many people as possible, whether they become clients or not.

Warren's bio:

Warren Shute MSc. CFP is a fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, and a multi-award winning Certified Financial Planner at Lexington Wealth. Where they practise true financial planning linked to the clients lifestyle; the firms motto “to help clients live life by design, and not default”. 

Warren is passionate about financial education and has for many years taught in schools, educated the public and businesses on the benefits of financial planning. 

 He has an Amazon bestselling personal finance book; The Money Plan, a podcast by the same name and a Sunday Mirror column called Money Talk.  He’s appeared on BBC and ITV and national and local radio all to raise awareness of financial planning in the UK. 

 He says financial planning is ‘the best profession in the world’.

In this episode we talk to Susie Bewell CFP™, Branch Principal, Raymond James Hitchin, about why she decided to become a CFP professional, her journey to get there and the way she has moved her more traditional wealth management business to offer a comprehensive financial planning service to her clients.

Many investment/wealth managers tell me that they don't think they need to think about financial planning, but as both the wealth management market shrinks due to technological advances and the financial planning market grows as more advisers embrace financial planning, Susie explains why and how her firms now offers a better service even to those clients who receive investment only advice.

Susie’s Bio.

Susie is a Chartered Wealth Manager and Branch Principal of Raymond James Hitchin which she founded in March 2002 with her father Robert.

As well as becoming a CFP Professional in 2021 Susie holds investment and financial planning qualifications with both the CII and CISI and is an enthusiastic networker and member of several local business networks.

With her business partner Faye Silver they won the Women In Business Services Best Business in Financial Services Award in 2019 and Susie was a Finalist at the Investment Week Women In Investment Awards in November 2021.

Their business is open to clients of all sizes as accessibility of advice is a key driver to their success. They have a focus on empowering women (and all individuals) at all stages in life to understand what their finances can bring them and maximising their potential.

In this week's episode we talk to Sarah Huffen CFP™ Chartered MCSI, Principal of Gilded Wealth.

Sarah is a very determined lady.  Sarah left school with very few qualifications she embarked on a unique path into financial services, starting her own business and being one of very few people to pass their CISI L7 assessment on her first submission.  She did all that whilst arranging a wedding and catching COVID-19 too! 

Sarah believes passionately that more women should enter the financial planning profession, the value that a wider mix of backgrounds, gender and age can bring and that this should be more widely welcomed.

She shares her tough journey to success and offers encouragement and tips to anyone looking to undertake the CFP Certification in the UK.

Sarah's bio:

After starting in the industry as a receptionist, Sarah is now a CFP with her own successful business. Sarah strives to provide outstanding goal based planning whist building a strong relationships with her clients.

Our website: LockieConsultants.com

In this week's episode we talk to Tina Weeks CFP™, Serenity Financial Planning, about how financial planners can become even better at helping clients achieve their goals.  We talk about how cashflow planning is only scratching the surface as far as giving comprehensive financial planning is concerned and why she decided to gain the CFP certification and how it has helped her in business and with her clients.

We have a frank discussion about her journey to CFP and the changes that she has made to her business since passing as well as the impact that FCA introduction of Vulnerable Clients Guidance has impacted the way she gives advice.  We even delved about in my favourite subject, assumptions, and discuss the changes that she has made to her business processes.

This episode is packed full of practical tips to help you improve your business position and service to clients.

Tina Weeks CFP™ bio:

I have been a financial adviser for over 24 years and during that time I have come to realise that so many people struggle so much with money. Regardless of how much they have. People’s relationship with money actually impacts their relationship with everything in their life and taking control of it brings an amazing positive impact.

I work with my clients over the long-term helping them build on and grow their financial plans so that they have enough money to do all the things that they want to do. I coach my clients to stop worrying about money and feel confident about their finances. As well as helping my clients change their mindset, I show them how to manage their money on a day to day basis and explain financial and tax concepts in a simple way.

I believe that financial planning is about so much more than money. I work best with people who are ready to get their finances and their investments in order and are willing to be coached to look at all aspects of their life so they can achieve the best possible outcomes.

I believe so strongly in the relationship-based approach to financial planning that I run training programmes that help other financial planners work in this way.

In this week's episode we talk to Louise Sagar CFP™, Live Vitae Financial Planning, who went on quite a journey to gain her Certified Financial Planner certification.

In this frank discussion she shares her journey and experiences and explains how becoming a paraplanner started her journey to CFP and with a young family, lead her ultimately to start her own lifestyle business.

Louise offers invaluable tips for those embarking on the CFP in the UK and also offers some sound advice to those juggling a young family and trying to progress their career.

Louise Sagar CFP™ bio:

Louise has worked in financial services since 2003 and during that time has passed a number of different qualifications. She is both a Chartered and Certified Financial Planner and also Fellow of the Personal Finance Society. 

 Louise has recently set up her own financial planning business – Live Vitae Financial Planning, building a brand in line with the values that are important to her.

Website: LockieConsultants

Wendy is a CFP™ professional who started the charity Ditch Debt with Dignity in 2014 and since then has supported hundreds of wealthy people who have got into debt.  In a world where so many on lower incomes have struggled financially during the pandemic, many wealthier people have tried to keep up the appearance of affluence which has resulted in many feeling ashamed and reluctant to seek help.

We talk about how to identify which of your clients might be starting to struggle financially, practical steps to support them in making the tough decisions needed to find a solution and sources of help and education for us and for clients.

As we start 2022, this is perhaps one of the most insightful conversations we've had on our podcast.

Website: Ditch Debt with Dignity

The book we talk about in this podcast:  Time to Think, Nancy Kline. Please support your local bookshops if you can.

Listen again via: LockieConsultants.com

In this week's podcast episode, the final one in this series, I talk to Joanna Redmond CFP™, Financial Planner at Investment for Life.

Joanna has been a CFP Professional for around seven years and has spent most of the last six assessing IFP and CISI L6 and L7 financial plan submissions before stepping down in 2021.

She gives us many significant tips and advice to those who are about to embark on the CISI L7 case study financial plan assessment and even more advice to those in the middle of the process.

We talk through the do's and don'ts when writing up your financial plan, the common errors that candidates make, the common subject areas that cause confusion and the way the feedback letters are created if you fail a submission.

As we explain in the podcast, Joanna is no longer an assessor and so cannot help you with individual queries.  Please respect that fact and contact the CISI qualifications team directly if you have any queries with your own financial plan assessment or feedback.

This conversation is very timely with the quarterly release of the CISI L7 results just around the corner.

Joanna's Bio: 

Joanna enjoys the technical side of building a Financial Plan and presenting her ideas to our clients, bringing them closer to their goals. Joanna is actively involved within our professional bodies and helps develop the profession by assessing the global Certified Financial Planner Licence.

Our website: LockieConsultants.com

In this week's episode we talk to Phil Billingham and Shannon Currie, both Certified Financial Planner professionals at Perceptive Planning.

We talk about the international advantages of being a CFP professional and why they structured their business to give CFP assessment-style comprehensive financial planning advice to all clients.  In addition we discuss how they work with CFP professionals all over the world, but particularly in South Africa, to bring comprehensive financial planning advice to clients who cross boarders.  The ethical considerations in these situations are very interesting.

We also get into much more controversial territory and talk about why so many CFP professionals are NOT doing financial planning and what needs to happen in the profession to recruit, train and retain the next generation of paraplanners and financial planners as well as what needs to happen to the professional bodies in the UK.

Any frank conversation with these two wonderful people would not be complete without the mention of warm baths and hobby horses.

I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation; it's a corker!

Phil's Bio:

Phil is both a Chartered and Certified Financial Planner, and has been an adviser since 1982.

He is a past Director of the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP), the Society of Financial Advisers (SOFA), and is a past member of the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) Regulatory Advisory Panel.

Professional Adviser Magazine listed him amongst the ‘UK Top 50 Influential Advisers’ in 2005 and 2011, and International Adviser has listed him as one of the Top 100 Global Influencers in Financial Services for 2018 and 2019.

At Perceptive Planning he specialises in working with ‘Cross Border’ clients.

Shannon's Bio:

Shannon grew up in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) and South Africa, before coming over to the UK in 1994 to find her roots – theoretically backpacking for a year and is still here! A ‘temp’ role in a Financial Services firm became a permanent position and shortly after resulted in her becoming Investment Director for the Financial Planning division of a ‘Top Four’ accountancy firm.

Shannon's skills and focus are on delivering highly personalised service coupled with technical competence.  That is what actually matters when dealing with clients affairs. In particular, she is well known for her work with Private Individuals & Families, Trustees and Charities. Those with what looks like substantial assets – usually over £500,000 – often have a complexity in their affairs that she can help with.

Our website: LockieConsultants.com

In this week's podcast episode we are back talking to Meg and James at the Verve Group and catching up on what they have learned since we lat talked to them.

We had a really interesting discussion about what employers could do more of to help those entering the profession.

If you are an employer who has recently taken on new members of your team, this is a must listen episode.

Website: LockieConstulants.com

In this week's podcast episode we talk to Farida Hassanali Certified Financial PlannerTM, Senior Paraplanner, Paradigm Norton

We talk about why she decided to become a financial planner at such a young age, how she got her break in the profession, her experience of studying for here CFP certification in the UK and how she helps a particular group of clients achieve their goals.  Farida also shares her tips on how to approach your CISI L7 financial plan case study assessment and in particular things NOT to lose sight of along the way.

Farida has been in the financial planning profession since she graduated from Loughborough University in 2007 with a degree in Maths with Economics. She’s kept up a steady flow of qualifications since then to become and Chartered and Certified Financial PlannerTM and obtained the STEP for Financial Services and IMC qualifications to name a few along the way too.

She joined Paradigm Norton in 2019 and is a Senior Financial Planner as well as Deputy Chair of their Investment Committee. She is also an active member of the financial planning community as a member of the CISI Financial Planning Forum.

Outside of work, Farida enjoys keeping active and usually has a challenge or two planned to keep her motivated.

Our website: LockieConsultants.com

In this week's podcast episode we talk to one of the most well respected Certified Financial Planner professionals in the UK, Robert Lockie.  He has been a long-standing CFP professional and has a reputation for his knowledge and expertise for all things technically related in the financial planning sphere.  There's not much he doesn't know about assumptions.  As you will hear in this episode, he gives you a fascinating insight into how to think through assumptions and how to apply them in real life when talking to clients.

Bio:

Robert Lockie CFPTM Chartered FCSI, Investment Manager and Branch Principal at Bloomsbury Wealth

Robert Lockie has been an investment manager and branch principal at City-based Bloomsbury Wealth since 2005.  The firm works with a relatively small number of private client families and provides a financial planning-led wealth management service.  It is a member of the Global Association of Independent Advisors, an international best practice grouping of like-minded fiduciary firms and Robert is an ambassador for the Transparency Task Force, which aims to improve the standards of transparency in financial services.

Our website: LockieConsutlants.com

In this episode we speak to Alasdair Walker who recently gained his CFP certification in the UK.  Alasdair is a long standing self confessed serial 'exam passer' but the CISI L7 assessment proved a challenging path to CFP certification.

He shares an honest account of the ups and downs of the process, how to approach it and the changes he has made in his business because of it.

Bio:

Alasdair Walker CFP™ MCSI FPFS, Managing Director, Handford, Aitkenhead and Walker

Alasdair is an award-winning CFP™ Professional and Chartered Financial Planner and holds the Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management, as well as being a qualified coach and mentor. He is managing director and sits on our investment committee.

Alasdair has expertise in pensions and investments, with a particular passion for lifetime financial planning. He is an active contributor to the wider financial planning profession, and chairs the influential Expert Practitioner Panel at the Personal Finance Society, which supports and shares best practice across the sector and pushes for higher standards and better consumer outcomes.

Our website:LockieConsultants.com

In this week’s podcast we are dropping in on two new entrants to the financial planning profession.  Meg and James are like a breath of fresh air.  We catch up with them to find out what attracted them to the profession and what their first few months have been like.

We will be catching up with both of them on a regular basis and following them on their journeys in the financial planning profession.  By doing this we hope to highlight the highs and lows of their experiences and help financial planning businesses plan better for new entrants in the future.  Thanks to The Verve for allowing us to share their journey with you.

Meg Wicks, Graduate Compliance Support, Apricity Compliance:

Meg entered the world of financial services in early 2021, taking on her role at Apricity Compliance.  Prior to that she studied French and History at Newcastle University, graduating in 2020.  Meg works closely with a team of consultants on Apricity, helping advisers on their route to competence.

James Winship, Graduate Paraplanner, Para-Sols:

James joined Para-Sols in early 2021, straight from university. Before embarking on his career as a paraplanner, he studied International Relations and Modern History at the University of East Anglia.  James spends his time conducting research into financial products, discussing cases with financial advisers and getting stuck into writing suitability reports for clients.

In this podcast we talk all things Certified Financial Planner Professional certification with Amyr. Amyr earned his CFP professional certification two years ago and during this interview he shares his story about his "Ah ha!" moment that so many financial planners have when undertaking the required assessments to become certified.

Amyr also shares some excellent tips and advice to those thinking of undertaking this journey. 

Amyr Rocha Lima, MSc FPFS CFP® is a financial planner who specialises in helping successful professionals with their retirement planning. He is a partner at Holland Hahn & Wills LLP, a financial planning and wealth management firm based in Kingston upon Thames. Amyr is a frequent commentator on financial planning and wealth management matters for both national and specialist media. A graduate of the Cass Business School (City, University of London), Amyr is also the chairman of the CISI Financial Planning Forum, working with over 6,670 members to champion the financial planning profession in the UK.

Noel Maye is Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB). Before joining the organization, Maye was Senior Vice President of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) in the United States, where he oversaw the international, legal, consumer and public affairs, and communications departments, and served as corporate spokesperson.

Prior to CFP Board, he was an associate with Ogilvy, Adams & Rinehart, a New York-based public relations firm, where he specialized in working with financial services clients.

Maye holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential, completed the National Association of Corporate Directors’ director training program, and qualified as a lead auditor for certification bodies through the American National Standards Institute. Born and raised in Ireland, he holds an undergraduate degree in electronic engineering from Trinity College Dublin, an MBA in business administration from the University of Colorado and INSEAD’s Executive Certificate in Global Management.

Here is the link to the FPSB event on 8 September 2021 that we talk about in this podcast:

https://financialplanet.fpsb.org/events/simple-registration?CalendarEventKey=f4ff0117-981f-46ef-bd1e-61585d2d178d&CommunityKey=76575fe1-115b-4302-80c4-4e460098bcb6&Home=%2fevents%2fnew-item2