How Mentorship Shapes a Financial Planning Career - with James Trewren

Mar 19, 2025

James Trewren, a financial planner at Hoxton Wealth, shares his inspiring journey from Cornwall to Dubai, detailing the challenges he faced in the financial planning industry. He emphasizes that success stems from perseverance, not luck. The conversation dives into the role of mentorship, particularly in a male-dominated field, and the importance of building trust with clients over merely focusing on fees. Trewren also highlights the unique cultural diversity in financial planning and the need for personal reflection in retirement planning.

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ANECDOTE

Leaving Cornwall Built Resilience

James grew up in Cornwall and moved away due to the slow, comfortable, and deeply rooted community.
His decision to leave allowed him to build resilience by exploring new cultures and environments.

INSIGHT

Retirement Numbers Are Personal

Clients often compare their retirement numbers to others rather than defining their own needs.
Financial planning should be personalized to individual goals, not a one-size-fits-all figure.

ANECDOTE

Career Journey From Cornwall to Dubai

James had no initial ambition to be a financial planner in Dubai growing up in slow-paced Cornwall.
He moved in 2017-2018 from Cornwall to London, then Qatar, meeting Chris Ball and joining Hoxton early on.

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What if the biggest risk in your career was never taking one at all?

Most people want success - but how many are actually willing to leave behind everything familiar to chase it?

James faced that exact question growing up in Cornwall, where life is slow, comfortable, and deeply rooted. Most people stay. He chose to leave.

His journey took him from a quiet coastal town to London, then to Qatar, and finally to Dubai - where he became employee number 15 at Hoxton Wealth and built a career in international financial planning.

But it wasn’t easy.

In this episode of Hoxton Life, James shares the realities of breaking into financial planning, the challenges of going from trainee to financial planner, and why most people fail before they even get started.

💬 We talk about:

✅ Why financial planning is more about trust than fees
✅ The transition from Business Development Manager to Financial Planner
✅ The importance of mentorship and learning from experience.
✅ Why most people have no idea what retirement actually looks like.

James’ story proves that success isn’t about luck - it’s about sticking with it when others quit.

🎙️ Search ‘Hoxton Life’ on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts - links in the comments.

What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career? Let me know below 👇

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