Financial Planner Life Podcast

How Dan Armitage Became a Financial Planning Trainer, With David Tait of Redmill Advance | Neuro Sparks

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

How UK Planners Can Advise Clients With US Assets

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

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

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

How the UK's Youngest Financial Adviser Built a £10 Million AUM Business Before 24 | Romany Youell

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

Aycan Richards on Building and Exiting a Financial Planning Career in the Middle East | Titan Wealth

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