Dont Shoot The Messenger

Chris Ball
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Hi, I'm Chris Ball, and welcome to my podcast, "Don't Shoot the Messenger."   My no-nonsense approach to building wealth and scaling businesses comes from real experience, not theory. I’ve built an international financial planning company with $3.3bn assets under management. I have coached top performers and seen what works (and what doesn’t) up close.   This podcast is for the ones who are done with fluff: The high earners who still feel brokeThe entrepreneurs are burning out trying to chase growthThe ambitious professionals who are starting to question the game they’re playingAnd anyone who’s beginning to realise that more isn’t always betterI’m not here to coddle. I’m here to be honest.  You might not like everything I have to say, but I’m not here to be liked.  I’m here to help you get clear, get focused, and get real results.   All I ask is: Don’t Shoot the Messenger. This is a Financial Planner Life Production 🎬

  1. 25 June

    The Financial Advice Industry Has a Talent Crisis with Hannah Moore

    The financial advice profession has a talent problem. Experienced advisers are approaching retirement, firms are struggling to attract younger talent, and artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape many of the entry-level roles the profession has traditionally relied upon. In this episode of Don't Shoot the Messenger, Chris Ball sits down with Hannah Moore, founder of Guiding Wealth and Amplified Planning, creator of the Externship programme, and one of Investopedia's Top 100 Financial Advisors. They discuss: • Why financial planning struggles to attract new talent • The biggest mistakes firms make when training advisers • How AI will change entry-level roles • Why relationship skills matter more than ever • The future of adviser education and development • Why career changers are entering financial planning • What firms need to do to build the next generation Hannah has helped thousands of aspiring planners gain real-world experience through her Externship programme and is helping reshape how financial advisers are trained. If you work in financial advice, wealth management, or are considering a career in the profession, this conversation is essential listening. #FinancialPlanning #WealthManagement #FinancialAdvice #FinancialPlanner #AI #Careers #WealthManagementCareers #FinancialServices If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩

    47 min

  2. 10 June

    From Cold Calling to 139 Clients: How Guy Skinner Built Citygate Financial Planning

    How do you build a successful financial planning business? In this episode of Don’t Shoot The Messenger, Chris sits down with Guy Skinner, founder of Citygate Financial Planning, to discuss how he built a thriving financial planning firm, won 139 clients in his first year, and why most planners underestimate what it really takes to run a business. Guy shares the lessons that shaped his approach to financial planning, from cold calling and niching into lawyers, to building a referral engine and scaling a growing team. Guy opens up about the personal experiences that shaped his belief in financial planning, including losing his father at a young age and seeing first-hand the impact proper protection planning can have on a family. Whether you are a financial planner, business owner, or someone interested in wealth, growth, and building a meaningful business, there is a huge amount to take from this conversation. Subscribe for more conversations with leading financial planners, business owners, and industry experts. #FinancialPlanning #FinancialAdvisor #WealthManagement #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩

    52 min

  3. 14 May

    The Adviser Who Joined a Fund Manager to 10x His Impact | David Swanwick, Dimensional Fund Advisors

    David Swanwick is Head of Client Communications EMEA at Dimensional Fund Advisors, but he didn't start there. He began his career in banking, moved into independent financial advice in Brisbane, helped merge 14 firms into a single national group managing $10 billion AUD, then made the leap to London to join Dimensional in 2011.  Whether you use Dimensional or not, this episode is packed with practical thinking on how to run a better advice business, communicate more effectively, and position the value of what you do with confidence. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩

    49 min

  4. 17 Apr

    How to Get Clients to ACT on Your Advice with Paul Taylor

    In this episode of Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Chris sits down with Paul Taylor, a financial planner turned coach who has spent over 25 years working with business owners and entrepreneurial families. After building a £100m client book, Paul stepped away to focus on what he believes is the most undervalued skill in the profession: Communication that actually drives action. In this episode, we cover: - Why clients do not act on financial advice - Why “sales” has become a dirty word (and why that is a problem) - The role of emotion in decision-making - How better conversations lead to better outcomes If you are a financial planner, advisor, or business owner looking to improve how you communicate, influence, and deliver real value to clients, this episode is for you. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩

    56 min

  5. 8 Apr

    From Broom Cupboard to £100M+ Advice Firm (Alan Smith’s Story)

    In this episode of Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Chris Ball sits down with Alan Smith, Founder and CEO of Capital Asset Management, to unpack what it really takes to build a successful financial planning business. Alan started his firm over 20 years ago from a small office in Victoria. Today, he is widely recognised as one of the most respected voices in UK financial planning. They cover: - How Alan went from a salaried role to building his own firm - Why being a great adviser does not automatically make you a great business owner - The reality of starting from scratch and managing early uncertainty - How referrals, niche positioning and content drive consistent growth - The story behind The Real Adviser Podcast (TRAP) and its impact on the profession - Why AI could elevate financial planning rather than replace it If you are a financial planner thinking about building a business, growing your client base, or positioning yourself in a changing industry, this episode is worth your time. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩

    58 min

  6. 19 Mar

    How I Built a $4.4BN Global Wealth Firm in 8 Years

    When I started Hoxton Wealth in 2018, we had $35 million of assets, five people, and two small offices. Today the business manages over $4 billion for more than 10,000 clients globally, with licences and offices across multiple jurisdictions. But the journey from there to here was not simple. In this episode of Don't Shoot the Messenger, I sit down on my own to walk through the full story of how Hoxton grew. If you are a financial planner thinking about starting your own firm, or someone building a business from scratch, this episode will give you a realistic view of what the journey actually looks like. If you enjoy the episode, make sure to subscribe and follow the show. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩

    23 min

  7. 5 Mar

    Advisor Alpha Explained: What Financial Planners Get Paid For with Don Bennyhoff

    In this episode of Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Chris Ball sits down with Don Bennyhoff, former Vanguard investment leader and one of the key architects behind the widely referenced “Advisor Alpha” research. Don spent nearly 23 years at Vanguard, helping redefine how financial advisors communicate their value beyond portfolio performance. He later served as CIO and Investment Committee Chair at a $1.7bn RIA and now works as a fractional CIO through Bennyhoff & Co, helping advisory firms build disciplined, repeatable investment frameworks. This conversation goes beyond the headlines of “3% alpha” and into what truly drives long-term value in financial advice. We discuss: • What Advisor Alpha actually meant, and what it never claimed  • Why behavioural coaching often adds more value than stock picking  • The dangers of unnecessary portfolio complexity If you are building an advisory firm, refining your investment philosophy, or thinking about the evolution of financial planning, this episode is packed with practical insight. Because in the end, the real value of advice is not about outperforming markets. It is about helping clients make better decisions over time. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩

    54 min

  8. 19 Feb

    How Great Financial Planners Win with Carl Richards

    Behavioral finance legend Carl Richards explains what great financial planners actually get paid for, and why human connection is becoming the most valuable skill in advice. In this episode of Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Chris Ball sits down with Carl Richards (author of The Behavior Gap and The One-Page Financial Plan, and former New York Times “Sketch Guy”) to talk about the real craft of advice: trust, communication, and meaningful relationships. 📌 Featured resource Carl’s community for planners: The Society of Advice → https://www.thesocietyofadvice.com/ 🎧 Listen on @HoxtonLifePodcast 💬 Question for you: What do you think advisors will need to double down on in the next 5 years, technical skill or human connection? #HoxtonWealth #FinancialPlanning #BehaviouralFinance If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩

    52 min
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About

Hi, I'm Chris Ball, and welcome to my podcast, "Don't Shoot the Messenger."   My no-nonsense approach to building wealth and scaling businesses comes from real experience, not theory. I’ve built an international financial planning company with $3.3bn assets under management. I have coached top performers and seen what works (and what doesn’t) up close.   This podcast is for the ones who are done with fluff: The high earners who still feel brokeThe entrepreneurs are burning out trying to chase growthThe ambitious professionals who are starting to question the game they’re playingAnd anyone who’s beginning to realise that more isn’t always betterI’m not here to coddle. I’m here to be honest.  You might not like everything I have to say, but I’m not here to be liked.  I’m here to help you get clear, get focused, and get real results.   All I ask is: Don’t Shoot the Messenger. This is a Financial Planner Life Production 🎬

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Ball
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Dont Shoot The Messenger
  • Show Website
    Dont Shoot The Messenger

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