Financial Planner Life Podcast

Sam Oakes
  • 4.7 (55)
  • Careers
  • Updated weekly

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

  1. 6 days ago

    International Career Advice from a Number 1 Financial Planner at Titan Wealth

    Should UK financial planners be looking at the international advice market? Andreas Hollas has spent 13 years in Dubai building expertise that has no textbook, and the career it's given him is unlike anything available in the UK. In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam sits down with Andreas Hollas, chartered financial planner and technical advice director at Titan Wealth International, to explore what international financial planning actually looks like, the clients, the cases, the complexity, and the career opportunity most UK advisers don't even know exists. Andreas came straight out of university into financial services, built the largest client book at HHR, and now supports 80 advisers across Titan Wealth International with the most complex cross-border cases in the business. His clients span from the Dominican Republic to the Republic of Korea. His cases have no rulebook. His answers come entirely from experience. The result? A career at the front edge of a growing market that is desperately short of advisers genuinely equipped to serve it. If you're a UK financial planner curious about the international space, already working overseas and wondering what's next, or simply looking for a career path that rewards deep specialisation, then this is the episode for you. What we cover in this episode: What international financial planning actually means and who the clients really areWhy cross-border advice has no textbook and why that's the entire opportunityHow Andreas built the largest client book in his firm without being the busiest adviserThe supply and demand gap in the international market and what it means for career progressionWhat the One Titan philosophy means in practice for globally mobile clientsThe two routes into Titan Wealth International for UK advisers considering the moveWhy moving internationally doesn't mean losing your existing UK client relationshipsWhat the Denmark/Dubai case study reveals about what 13 years of experience actually buys youHow Titan Wealth's Next Generation Leaders programme is developing the next generation of international advisersWhy the international market rewards specialisation faster than almost anywhere in the UK profession🔔 Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for more career insights from the financial planning profession. HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com regarding sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production. Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    49 min

  2. 11 Jun

    39% of people don't trust financial planners, take 'Adviser Advantage' test for free! | Chris Larkin, BigRock

    Take the Adviser Advantage test here! 👈 Only 39% of UK adults trust financial services.  For a profession built entirely on trust, that number should be a wake-up call. In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam sits down with Chris Larkin, founder and MD of Big Rock, a consultancy that has spent 22 years helping advisory firms across the UK build better client relationships, drive organic growth, and create the kind of experiences that make clients stay, refer, and trust you with everything they have. Chris's argument is straightforward: the financial planning profession has invested heavily in technical expertise and almost nothing in the human skills that actually determine whether a client relationship thrives. With AI now capable of replicating much of what average advisers do, the firms that differentiate on the human side will win. The ones that don't will increasingly find themselves competing with software they can't beat on price. This is one of the most important conversations we've had on this podcast. If you're a financial planner, a firm leader, or someone considering a career in financial advice, this episode will change how you think about what the job actually is. What we cover in this episode: Why 39% trust in financial services is the result of a skills gap, not a values gapThe bookending technique top advisers use before and after every single client meetingWhy one adviser went nine years without recommending protection and what that reveals about the professionHow AI is making the human side of financial advice more important, not lessWhat the research on trust actually says and how to apply it in a real client meetingWhy sharing your personal "why" builds more trust than any qualification ever willThe two currencies you need to generate consistent referrals from professional introducersHow to build your value proposition in under 30 minutes using the Simon Sinek frameworkThe Adviser Advantage diagnostic tool and how to benchmark your firm against the industryWhat a 90% improvement in profitability actually looks like when firms invest in client experiencehttps://www.bigrockhq.com/adviser-advantage/   Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for more career insights from the financial planning profession.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Reach out to ceri@financialplannerlife.com or sam@financialplannerlife.com regarding sponsorship, partnerships, videography, or podcast production. Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    1hr 15min

  3. 4 Jun

    Training to Become a Financial Planner - Exams, Client Meetings & Building in Public

    Hannah Wooldridge isn't only the person keeping Financial Planner Life running behind the scenes. She's also training to become a financial planner, and sharing every step of the journey in real time. In this episode, Sam sits down with Hannah for the second update in an ongoing series following her path from a complete beginner to a qualified financial planner. She's one exam down, five to go, and already doing things most trainees don't think about until they're qualified. They dig into what it actually felt like to sit her R01 after 11 years away from exams, what she's learning by shadowing real client meetings, and why she's already thinking seriously about the business she hasn't launched yet. Most importantly, Hannah makes the case, without even realising it, for why waiting until you're ready isn’t the way to building success. This one's for anyone who's thinking about becoming a financial planner, currently in the middle of their exams, or wondering what the path to self-employment actually looks like from the very beginning. The key takeaways 🔥 How Hannah passed her R01 after 11 years away from exams and her top tipsWhy the phrasing of exam questions matters as much as knowing the contentWhat she learned watching a real financial planner in two live client meetings that no textbook taught herWhy she's building her personal brand and client pipeline before she's anywhere near qualifiedThe Women in Finance event she almost talked herself out of attending, and what happened when she went.Why "sales" feels like a dirty word to her, and how that thinking is starting to shiftThe CAS status question every trainee should ask firms before committing.Her new deadline: five exams in six months, with the last R06 slot of the year in her sightsWhether you're a trainee financial planner figuring out your next step, someone considering a career change into financial advice, or a qualified adviser curious about what the entry into this profession looks like for the next generation, this episode is the one for you. Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    44 min

  4. 28 May

    How Tim Brienza Built a £50M Client Base Through Financial Planning

    For most financial planners, the point of entry into the industry is either from an adjacent field or by working up from admin through paraplanning roles. But not Tim. His route stands out as unconventional, but it's far from hindering his professional success.  Law school. A year in Swansea chasing training contracts that never materialised. A sales recruitment firm. And then, a client engagement role at a financial planning firm in Cheltenham, a job he recruited for without really knowing the industry.  On day one, his main question was: What exactly is financial planning? In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam sits down with Tim Brienza, a self-employed financial planner with Montpelier Asset Management, to trace the full arc of his career, from that accidental entry point to managing close to £50 million in assets under management as a chartered fellow in his mid-thirties. Tim talks with Sam about how the unique first role that gave him a bird's-eye view of the profession, before he ever gave a piece of advice, how he leapt into advice and got chartered within 12 months of his first client meeting, but most importantly, his deliberate approach to networking that built his client base over a decade without him ever chasing the wrong people in the wrong rooms. He also breaks down the reality of going self-employed and what it's like to help build a firm from scratch. He shares the tips and ambitious approach he’s adopted to propel him into a career as a financial adviser, now managing £50AUM.  Tim also explains his voluntary role with the Personal Finance Society and how their inaugural New Gen programme aims to bring more young people into a profession he believes is one of the best-kept career secrets going. The episode's key takeaways 🔥 Why an unconventional entry into financial planning can be a career superpowerHow Tim built a £50M client base through patient, peer-level networking: not chasing senior partnersWhy learning on someone else's time and money is the smartest move any entrepreneurial adviser can makeThe reality of going self-employed: the J curve, the squeaky bum moments, and what comes out the other sideWhy the relationships you build before you need them are the ones that build your businessWhat it takes to get chartered in 12 months while managing 200 clients from day oneWhy financial planning doesn't need a degree: and what it can offer people who don't know it exists yetWhether you're a young financial planner trying to figure out how to build a client base, someone considering the move to self-employment, or just curious about what a decade of unconventional decisions can produce, this episode is worth your time. Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    1hr 6min

  5. 21 May

    Financial Planners Will Lose Millions, this £10 Tech can solve the Wealth Transfer Problem!

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

    36 min

  6. 15 May

    How Financial Planners and Investment Managers Serve Wealthy Families

    Most financial planning firms have both a financial planner and an investment manager. Far fewer have a team that operates as a single unit, with a shared philosophy, clearly defined roles, and a consistent client experience regardless of who's in the room or where the client happens to be. In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam sits down with George Davey (Financial Planner) and Matt Beddall (Regional Managing Partner) from Titan Private Wealth, to discuss what that kind of partnership looks like in practice and why it makes such a difference for the clients they work with. George manages over £100 million in client assets and specialises in repatriation work for clients returning to the UK from the Middle East. Matt spent 25 years at some of the UK's largest investment management firms before joining Titan to help build something different. Together, they argue that the relationship between a financial planner and an investment manager is among the most undervalued in the profession. George and Matt discuss what a genuine house view means for client outcomes, how their roles complement each other during client meetings, and why service will always matter more than performance when building long-term trust. They also get into the One Titan philosophy, what it means for clients who move abroad, come back to the UK, or have financial lives that span more than one country, and why very few firms can follow a client through those transitions the way Titan can. The episode's key takeaways 🔥 Why a shared investment philosophy produces better outcomes than a bespoke-for-everyone approachHow financial planners and investment managers divide roles to give clients clarity rather than confusionWhy service comes before performance, and what that looks like during volatile marketsHow Titan supports clients repatriating from the Middle East and other international marketsWhat One Titan means in practice for clients whose lives and wealth span multiple geographiesWhy long-term trust is built through consistency, not strong quartersWhat draws experienced investment managers and financial planners to Titan, and what they find when they get thereWhether you're a financial planner curious about what a true investment management partnership looks like, or an experienced investment manager wondering if there's a better place to do the work you love, this episode is worth your time. ⏱️ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction: George and Matt's backgrounds 5:30 - George's route into financial planning and joining Titan 12:00 - Matt's 25 years in investment management and why he made the move 19:15 - What a genuine house view means and why consistency is the product 27:40 - How financial planners and investment managers work together in practice 35:10 - Building trust with ultra-high-net-worth clients over the long term 42:25 - Repatriation work and the complexity of worldwide  clients 50:00 - One Titan: following clients wherever life takes them 57:30 - Service before performance: lessons from five years of market volatility 64:00 - What the One Titan philosophy means for the future of the business Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    55 min

  7. 7 May

    I left St James's Place for an IFA and Instantly Regretted it!

    Should technical professionals go freelance immediately or start as employed advisers? Alwyn Van Staden's journey offers a fresh perspective on entering financial planning from a technical background. In this episode of Financial Planner Life, we chat to Alwyn about his strategic career path from investment management to financial advice. Despite having deep technical knowledge and years of experience at major firms, Alwyn made a choice to join St. James's Place as an employed adviser instead of going independent immediately. The result? He's now managing over £150 million in client assets as an independent adviser with Pinnacle Wealth Management. Alwyn shares his perspective on why employment first worked better than jumping straight into freelance life, how technical skills transfer to client success, and why building confidence matters more than rushing into independence. Sam and Alwyn discuss the real pressures of starting a financial planning career, the benefits of structured training programmes, and how employment can actually be more liberating than restrictive for career changers. The episode’s key takeaways 🔥 Why technical professionals often fear client-facing roles and the strategic benefits of being employedHow St. James's Place's training programme builds real confidence and removes business pressureWhy are technical skills becoming a competitive advantage in client relationshipsThe power of life planning through Voyant software to create visual client storiesBuilding a referral based practice through exceptional client deliveryThe transition from employed adviser to successful independent practiceWhy employment and independence are complementary career phases, not competing pathsIf you're considering a move into financial planning, especially from a technical background, this episode offers a practical blueprint for making the transition successfully. ⏱️Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction and Alwyn's background  5:15 - The decision to leave technical roles for financial planning  12:30 - Why he chose St. James's Place over going independent  18:45 - The power of structured training programmes  25:10 - How technical skills translate to client success  32:20 - Building confidence through the employed route  40:15 - The transition to independence with Pinnacle Wealth  47:30 - Life planning and the Voyant software approach  55:45 - Building a referral-based practice  62:10 - Future plans and inheritance tax focus Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    46 min

  8. 30 Apr

    Are these the Best Paid Jobs and Benefits in Financial Planning? Frazer James, The best should be paid more!!!!

    Frazer James aren't looking for every candidate. They're looking for A++ people. Check out the jobs and book a meeting with James Mackay today!! And if that's you, or if you’re also interested in attracting some of the industry’s best talent, then this episode was made for you. In this week’s episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes is joined by James Mackay, co-founder of Frazer James, to find out what a firm that's serious about attracting exceptional talent actually looks like from the inside. James and Chris Hindle built Frazer James from scratch, with no clients or referrals, and today it's growing at 40% year on year.  The reason? A founding philosophy that is rarely brought to fruition: build the business you'd actually want to work for. He breaks down exactly what that means in practice. Explaining the five-stage career framework inside every role. The benefits package, which includes a four-month paid sabbatical, a 5% personal growth allowance and up to three months working abroad. Plus, the associate financial planner pathway, a carefully designed development programme that actually delivers on what most firms only promise. The episode’s key takeaways 🔥 Why Frazer James only want A++ people, and what they offer themThe five-stage career framework baked into every roleAdministrator salaries up to £55k. Paraplanners up to £85k. Planners up to £130kThe four-month fully paid sabbatical and how it works in practiceWhy outcomes matter more than hours at Frazer JamesThe associate pathway from shadowing to managing 60+ client relationshipsWho this firm is genuinely built for…and who it isn'tIf you're an exceptional financial planner, paraplanner or administrator who's been waiting for an environment that actually matches, you’ll want to listen to this one.  ⏱️Timestamps: [00:00] – Why most financial planning careers only go one direction [01:45] – How Frazer James started from zero in a Bristol pub [04:10] – Building a firm you'd actually want to work for [07:30] – The five-stage career framework explained [11:20] – What the administrator role really looks like at Frazer James [15:40] – Remote working, outcomes and maximum autonomy [19:15] – The full benefits package: sabbaticals, growth allowances and more [23:00] – The associate financial planner pathway — and why it's different [27:30] – Lewis's story: from associate to managing 60 client relationships [31:10] – Who Frazer James is built for (and who it isn't) [35:00] – What the talent shortage means for financial planning firms [38:45] – The roles Frazer James is hiring for right now Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    1hr 14min
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4.7
out of 5
55 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Sam Oakes
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    280
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Financial Planner Life Podcast
  • Show Website
    Financial Planner Life Podcast

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