Financial Planner Life Podcast

Sam Oakes

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. 3d ago

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

    What does it take to leave a secure career, become self-employed and build a financial planning business managing close to £40 million in just three years? In this episode of the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes speaks with Samantha Wood, founder of Wood Mitchell Financial Planning and a Partner at St. James’s Place. Samantha’s career began in the British Army, where she progressed from soldier to officer and developed the discipline, leadership and adaptability that would later shape her career in financial services. After leaving the military, Samantha moved into investment management, completed her Chartered Wealth Manager qualifications and spent almost a decade working with high-net-worth private clients. She later made the decision to leave employment, become a self-employed financial planner and build her own business from the ground up. Samantha shares how she started with zero clients, built trusted relationships with accountants and professional introducers, developed a niche working with business owners and grew her practice to nearly £40 million in assets under management. The conversation also explores why financial planning is about more than investment performance. Samantha explains how strong financial planning can reduce anxiety, improve financial well-being and give clients greater confidence about their future. This episode is essential listening for aspiring financial planners, investment managers considering a career change, military professionals exploring financial services and advisers who want to build a sustainable financial planning business. Subscribe to Financial Planner Life for more honest conversations about careers, leadership, business growth and opportunities within financial planning and financial services. In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 From Zero to Nearly £40m Under Management 00:40 Samantha Wood’s Financial Planning Career Story 01:40 Joining the British Army at 16 03:29 Transferable Military Skills for Financial Services 04:26 Leadership, Communication and Leading from the Front 05:33 Discipline, Well-Being and High Performance 06:34 Leaving the Military and Exploring New Careers 10:50 Breaking into Investment Management 13:11 Working with High-Net-Worth Private Clients 15:40 Why Client Relationships Matter More Than Technical Knowledge 17:27 Becoming a Chartered Wealth Manager 19:44 Investment Management vs Financial Planning 22:11 How Investment Experience Adds Value for Clients 23:54 Financial Planning, Anxiety and Financial Well-Being 27:47 Communicating with Clients During Market Volatility 32:14 Why Samantha Chose a Career in Financial Planning 34:00 Leaving Employment to Build a Financial Advice Business 35:10 Why She Chose St. James’s Place 36:44 Making the Leap into Self-Employment 39:31 Planning Your First Year as a Self-Employed Adviser 41:02 How Long Does It Take to Earn Consistent Income? 44:22 Building a Financial Planning Practice to Nearly £40m 45:43 Finding a Financial Planning Niche 47:09 Helping Business Owners Plan Beyond Their Business 48:28 Building a Referral Network with Accountants 50:13 Systems, Technology and Your First 12 Months 52:12 Taking Smart Risks and Aiming Higher 54:37 Autonomy, Family Life and Running Your Own Practice 57:50 The Reality of Being a Financial Planner and Business Owner To find out more about Samantha's work at St. James's Place, visit www.sjp.co.uk Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    I Switched From Investment Managment to Financial Planning   £0 - £40m AUM in 3 years!
  2. 6d ago

    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.uk Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    How the UK's Youngest Financial Adviser Built a £10 Million AUM Business Before 24 | Romany Youell
  3. Jul 9

    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 LinkedIn If 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.com Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered. ✅ Trusted by top UK firms 👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning.  Reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.  Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.

    Aycan Richards on Building and Exiting a Financial Planning Career in the Middle East | Titan Wealth
  4. Jul 6

    How Financial Advisers Are Booking 3 to 5 Client Appointments a Week on LinkedIn | Louis Adkins

    Most financial advisers already know they should be more active on LinkedIn. What they don't know is why what they're doing isn't working. Free LinkedIn Webinar - book here -  http://www.leadgenfs.co.uk/fpl     It's not the content. It's not the consistency. It's who they're connected to, what they're saying in messages, and whether they've ever stopped to define exactly who they're trying to reach. Get those three things wrong and LinkedIn produces nothing. Get them right and, as Louis Adkins puts it, consistent inputs get consistent outputs. In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with Louis Adkins, Founder of LeadGenFS, who started building his LinkedIn system at 19 during his second year of university. He was studying geography, had no marketing background, and no clients. His first break came through a friend's dad. By his third year he had a waiting list of 27 clients, built entirely from LinkedIn. He graduated and went straight into the business full time. In the last 12 months alone, LeadGenFS has worked with over 100 financial advisers, helping them generate 3 to 5 qualified appointments a week from LinkedIn. One adviser added £12 million in AUM in 12 months. Another booked 47 calls in 90 days. A third sent 20 messages, went for a shower, came back seven minutes later and had an interested reply waiting. Louis breaks down the full system in this episode. How to niche down so your message actually lands with the right people. Why automated outreach destroys trust and gets accounts banned. How to build content that speaks to clients rather than other advisers. How to generate ideas consistently from your own conversations. And how to use direct messages to convert your audience into booked appointments without opening with a pitch. He also covers why referrals, as good as they are, will never give you control over your own growth, and what to build instead as your primary source of new clients. The episode's key takeaways: Why referrals are a bonus, not a primary strategy, and what to build alongside themWhy 95% of financial advisers' LinkedIn connections are other advisers, not potential clientsWhy automated outreach gets accounts banned and never builds the trust needed to convertHow to niche down so your content and messages cut through to the right peopleWhy asking for business in the first message is like proposing on a first dateThe three legs of the LinkedIn system: connecting, content, and direct messagingHow to generate consistent content ideas from your own client conversationsThe three parts of every LinkedIn post: hook, value, and actionThe message priority ladder: who to contact first and in what orderWhy LinkedIn leads convert at around 30% versus 75% for referrals, and why that still makes LinkedIn the better primary sourceIf you are a financial adviser who wants to stop relying on referrals and start generating clients consistently, this is the episode to listen to. Louis has also put together a free resource for Financial Planner Life listeners: five of the best performing post templates from LeadGenFS, available athttp://www.leadgenfs.co.uk/fpl  Want to build your personal brand and generate better client leads on LinkedIn? Sam Oakes and Louis Adkins are hosting a free webinar.  Register here 👉 https://038a8hn1lhs.typeform.com/to/NXlbUqAI  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.

    How Financial Advisers Are Booking 3 to 5 Client Appointments a Week on LinkedIn | Louis Adkins
  5. Jul 2

    LIBF Level 4 Qualification Deep Dive | John Somerville & David Tait

    Why 30 to 39 Is the Best Age to Become a Financial Adviser  Is 30 too old to start a career in financial planning? A lot of people would say yes. The reality is the opposite. The 30 to 39 age group is the fastest growing cohort entering financial planning right now, up 13% according to fresh FCA data. And the average age of a financial adviser in the UK isn’t 56, like most people assume. It’s 48. In this episode, Sam sits down with John Somerville, Director of Financial Services at the London Institute of Banking and Finance (LIBF), and David Tait, Founder and Managing Director of Redmill Advance, to dig into why this is the perfect window to start, what the LIBF Level 4 qualification actually involves, and what firms need to do right now to attract the next generation. They also go deep on the qualification itself. How it works, how it differs from the CII and CISI, why exams can be taken at home with no booking required, and why the case study approach is changing how advisers learn and qualify. If you’re between 30 and 39 and considering a switch into financial planning, studying for your Level 4, or trying to bring younger talent into your firm, this is the episode for you. What we cover in this episode: Why the 30 to 39 age group is the fastest growing cohort entering financial planning, up 13%Why the average age of a financial adviser is 48, not 56, and what the FCA data actually showsWhy fewer than 150 practicing IFAs in the UK are under the age of 25How the LIBF Level 4 qualification works and how it differs from the CII and CISIWhy LIBF exams are split into two parts and can be retaken without sitting the whole paper againHow the six-week case study replaces the traditional written examWhat the new LIBF Chartered Member status means and who it is forWhy not starting an academy is a missed opportunity for financial planning firmsWhat AI means for the future of financial advice and why relationship management is the answerFinancial 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.

    LIBF Level 4 Qualification Deep Dive  | John Somerville & David Tait
  6. Jun 29

    Mother and Daughter Financial Planners: Building a £100M AUM Partner Practice! Adele and Victoria Cable

    What's the best age to become a financial planner? Adele Cable changed career at 53, convinced she was nearly on the ‘scrapheap’. Victoria Cable started at 23, convinced nobody would trust someone her age with their finances. Together they've built a practice worth £2.8 million in three years, and Victoria's own business is already valued at £400,000 after just a year and a half. This week on Financial Planner Life, Sam is joined by an extraordinary mother-and-daughter duo from Advanced Wealth Management at St James's Place to share exactly how they got here, what they've learned, and why the age question that puts so many people off financial planning is completely irrelevant. From Adele's career in corporate sales at Xerox and HP, to Victoria starting as a bag carrier watching her mum in client meetings, to becoming the top 0.01% of advisers at SJP for protection advice, this is a story about what happens when you back yourself, find the right environment, and build something that genuinely changes people's lives. This one is for anyone who thinks they're too old, too young, or too inexperienced to make the move into financial planning. The episode's takeaways 🔥 Why Adele's decades of corporate sales experience turned out to be the perfect preparation for financial planningWhat the Saint James's Place Academy actually puts you through and why it's worth every minuteHow Victoria went from bag carrier to top 0.01% protection adviser in under two yearsWhy starting as a professional support specialist is one of the smartest routes into the professionHow Victoria's youngest client is one week old, plus why intergenerational planning is the biggest opportunity in adviceWhy protection is the most undervalued entry point for building deep client relationshipsHow Adele built her own networking event when every existing group turned her awayWhy lived experience, divorce, career change, and financial uncertainty make you a better adviserWhat a £400,000 business valuation at 24 years old actually looks like in practiceWhy the profession needs more women and what Adele and Victoria are doing about itWhether you're considering a career change into financial planning, already in the profession and looking for inspiration, or simply wondering what it looks like to build a family business that genuinely matters, this episode delivers. 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.

  7. Jun 25

    The Care Conversation Financial Planners Are Missing with Stephanie Leung of KareHero

    Care costs up to £100,000 a year. 1 in 4 people in the UK sell their home to pay for it. And most financial planners are having the conversation far too late. Click here for the KareHero Website  In this episode, Sam sits down with Stephanie Leung, founder and CEO of KareHero, a UK-based service helping families navigate the care system and access funding they did not know existed. Stephanie has been a carer since the age of 14. She left a C-suite career at Uber managing 20 countries across Europe, and built KareHero after her father became seriously ill during Covid. She knows this world from both sides, and she pulls no punches. If you have clients approaching later life, this is not a niche topic. 1 in 5 people in the UK are currently caring for someone. By age 50, there is a 50% chance your client is either a carer or being cared for. This is already your clients' reality. The question is whether you are ready for it. What we cover in this episode: Why care can cost up to £100,000 a year and why 1 in 4 families sell  their home to fund itThe three types of care funding available and who qualifies for eachWhy the care conversation should happen at the IHT planning stage, not in a crisisHow power of attorney works, what happens without it, and why it takes 8 to 10 weeks to processWhat reverse parenting is and the emotional reality of caring for a parent with dementiaHow KareHero has accessed £12.3 million in funding for families told there was nothing availableThe role financial planners can play in signposting clients before care becomes a crisisWhy this conversation is the key to building relationships with the next generation of clients 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.

  8. Jun 18

    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.

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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. 

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