
Financial Planner Life Podcast
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 story to share, and The Financial Planner Life podcast is a platform for them to talk about their personal and professional journey. 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 is going to educate and spark a conversation within the industry with topics that may not be openly discussed. So, if you are thinking of becoming a financial adviser, or you’re curious about learning more about this brilliant sector, we urge 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 now works as the Head of Creative for Hoxton wealth, building out podcasts, YouTube and social content for this fast growing fee based international financial planning firm. Sam has always had a passion for financial services, starting out as a trainer for leading product provider in the UK, he has been in the industry for over 20 years. He sees himself as a partner to the industry and wants to contribute useful resources such as this podcast to educate those further who are seeking advice and help about how to push their careers forward in this amazing profession. Be sure to check out Financial Planner Life Academy - start your career today! https://financialplannerlife.com/academy/
Latest episodes

Apr 21, 2022 • 1h 14min
Nothing about employment worked for me - Tom Skinner
This week Sam is joined by Tom Skinner, co-founder and financial planning director for Barnaby Cecil. Today Tom shares his career journey and tells us why being employed didn’t work for him at all. He has now set up his own firm which allows him to put family time first. What is interesting is the way he went about building his business, surrounding himself with people who can do things better than he can. Tom rightly says that you can’t be good at everything. This is a great episode for the entrepreneurs out there! Enjoy. We cover: Tom’s career Using LinkedIn to network Outsourcing tasks that you can’t/don’t want to do Asking ‘why’ before starting a business Work/life balance Innovation coming from smaller firms Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planner Life Academies - Where we bring together the leading financial planning academies and entry-level opportunities to kick start your financial planning career. Learn more here. Experienced and searching for a new role within the financial planning profession? Click here for a free career consultation.Check out the 2022 Financial planning Salary Guide here. If you would like to discuss partnering with The Financial Planner Life for jobs, advertising, marketing or academies please reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712. Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Apr 14, 2022 • 1h 9min
My biggest challenge as a woman in financial planning - Susie Laws
This week Sam is joined by Susie Laws, co-owner and director of Fiducia Wealth Management. Susie is a Chartered Financial Planner, a fellow of the PFS and she is also a 2 x Financial Adviser of The Year winner (East Anglia and the Midlands) in the Women in Financial Advice Awards, wow! Today we talk about her career journey, from Paraplanner to Co-Owner of her own firm. Susie also shares the biggest challenge she has faced as a woman in the profession, creating a great company culture plus tips on wellbeing in the workplace. We cover: Susie’s impressive career journey How to attract and retain the best talent Women in leadership roles Having children and a career Entrepreneurial motivation Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planner Life Academies - Where we bring together the leading financial planning academies and entry-level opportunities to kick start your financial planning career. Learn more here. Experienced and searching for a new role within the financial planning profession? Click here for a free career consultation.Check out the 2022 Financial planning Salary Guide here. If you would like to discuss partnering with The Financial Planner Life for jobs, advertising, marketing or academies please reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712. Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Apr 7, 2022 • 51min
Protecting your wealth – Adrian Benjamin
This week Sam is joined by financial protection adviser Adrian Benjamin. He helps property investors protect themselves and their families financially, allowing them to pass on generational wealth. We talk about why this protection is often overlooked, why it’s so important, the role of a financial protection adviser and how it can be a stepping stone into other areas of the financial profession. Adrian brings a lot of knowledge and energy to the podcast today. We hope you enjoy it. We cover: Adrian’s career journey Why people don’t talk about financial protection How to get a job in financial protection How protection advisers make their money The different types of life insurance products out there Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planner Life Academies - Where we bring together the leading financial planning academies and entry-level opportunities to kick start your financial planning career. Learn more here. Experienced and searching for a new role within the financial planning profession? Click here for a free career consultation.Check out the 2022 Financial planning Salary Guide here. If you would like to discuss partnering with The Financial Planner Life for jobs, advertising, marketing or academies please reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712. Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Mar 30, 2022 • 20min
100% of mortgage business from social media! Dan Knott
This week Ali is joined by Dan Knott from Dan Does Mortgages. We chat about Dan’s mortgage broker career and how social media has played a key role. In the early days Dan realised that the business leads he was being provided with were of low quality so he decided to take matters into his own hands. ‘Dan Does Mortgages’ on social media was born and now this is where he sources 100% of his business from! Join us to hear how he did it. You can follow Dan on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/dandoesmortgages_?utm_medium=copy_link We cover: CeMAP qualification Social media in Business Advice for anyone trying to find their feet in mortgages Work/life balance Self-employed vs employed Growth strategy Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planner Life Academies - Where we bring together the leading financial planning academies and entry-level opportunities to kick start your financial planning career. Learn more here. Experienced and searching for a new role within the financial planning profession? Click here for a free career consultation.Check out the 2022 Financial planning Salary Guide here. If you would like to discuss partnering with The Financial Planner Life for jobs, advertising, marketing or academies please reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712. Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Mar 24, 2022 • 1h 27min
A Marathon a day for 100 days straight! Kate Jayden
This week Sam is joined by superhero Kate Jayden. Kate is running a marathon a day for 100 days straight! This incredible challenge is all in aid of UK food & hygiene poverty as well as encouraging people to support refugees. In fact, the distance of her 100 marathons is 2600 miles, the same distance that a Syrian refugee must travel between Aleppo and Dover. When Kate isn't saving the world she's working her day job, a Compliance Monitoring Officer at ThreeSixty Services. She shares with us some of the challenges that she's faced in her career with an ADHD and Autism diagnosis but also what benefits this has brought to the job. If that was all not enough, we also touch on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We're sure that you'll enjoy this one!To support Kate you can visit her fundraising page here: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/what-katie-did-nextWe cover:Why and how Kate is running 100 marathons in 100 daysHer career journey and the advantageThe importance of diversity and inclusivityHow financial planning firms can give back to societyThe LGBTQ+ community within the financial planning professionLiving with ADHD and AutismBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planner Life Academies - Where we bring together the leading financial planning academies and entry-level opportunities to kick start your financial planning career. Learn more here. Experienced and searching for a new role within the financial planning profession? Click here for a free career consultation.Check out the 2022 Financial planning Salary Guide here. If you would like to discuss partnering with The Financial Planner Life for jobs, advertising, marketing or academies please reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712. Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Mar 17, 2022 • 1h 1min
A Financial Planner does NOT need to be academic – Sam Robinson
This week Elena is joined by Sam Robinson, Director of Almond Financial Ltd. Sam proves that you don’t need to be a high performer at school in order to be a successful financial planner. If you have the gift of people skills then the sky’s the limit in this profession. In this episode Sam shares his unusual but fascinating career journey, from chef to financial planning firm director. Sam & Elena also talk about the importance of embedding a strong & positive culture in the workplace, the benefits of having a younger age profile team and how a positive mindset can take you anywhere! We cover: Sam’s unusual but fascinating career journey Dyslexia not holding you back What type of person would make a great financial planner Advice for anyone who wants to get into the financial profession How a new firm can generate business What is a modern firm? Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planner Life Academies - Where we bring together the leading financial planning academies and entry-level opportunities to kick start your financial planning career. Learn more here. Experienced and searching for a new role within the financial planning profession? Click here for a free career consultation.Check out the 2022 Financial planning Salary Guide here. If you would like to discuss partnering with The Financial Planner Life for jobs, advertising, marketing or academies please reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712. Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Mar 10, 2022 • 51min
Using wealth management to tackle the climate and nature crisis – Yan Swiderski, the Global Returns Project
This week we have a new podcast host! Charlie Scott is joining the team and today she is speaking with Yan Swiderski, Executive Trustee & Co Founder of the Global Returns Project. We all understand that wealth management needs to adapt to the climate and nature crisis. Sustainable investing has offered a powerful first step in that process.Now it's time for a true breakthrough. Symbiotic Wealth Management means allocating a small amount, alongside your normal investments, to the Global Returns Fund and their carefully selected portfolio partners - six not-for-profits tackling the climate and nature crisis.Through these Regenerative Investments, it helps support three key environmental issues: 1. Climate change2. Life on land 3. Our oceans This is the future of Wealth Management – a conscious decision to act for the environment.The economy and the environment working in true power together – protecting one another’s investments. For more information on the Global Returns Project, you can visit their website: https://globalreturnsproject.earthWe cover:• Yan’s career journey• How the Global Returns Fund was created• Who the portfolio partners in the Global Returns Fund are• How the Global Returns Fund can help businesses reach net zero • A deep dive into Symbiotic Wealth Management• The future of the Global Returns Project Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planner Life Academies - Where we bring together the leading financial planning academies and entry-level opportunities to kick start your financial planning career. Learn more here. Experienced and searching for a new role within the financial planning profession? Click here for a free career consultation.Check out the 2022 Financial planning Salary Guide here. If you would like to discuss partnering with The Financial Planner Life for jobs, advertising, marketing or academies please reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712. Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Feb 24, 2022 • 43min
A clear career progression path – Natalie Cooke
This week Sam is joined by Natalie Cooke, a Paraplanner from Iron Market, to chat about her career journey from an administration role to Paraplanning. More importantly we talk about self-confidence and self-belief. How much of that do you need to get ahead in the financial planning profession? Do you have confidence in your employer to support you on your career journey and do they have a personal development & mentorship programme? Natalie thinks that this support is vital to move your career in the right direction, without this it’s easy to stagnate in a role that you’ve fallen out of love with. We cover: Natalie’s career journey What does an administrator role entail? How Iron Market are supporting career progression What firms can do to attract more females into the financial planning profession Advice for someone who wants to move on up in their career Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planner Life Academies - Where we bring together the leading financial planning academies and entry-level opportunities to kick start your financial planning career. Learn more here. Experienced and searching for a new role within the financial planning profession? Click here for a free career consultation.Check out the 2022 Financial planning Salary Guide here. If you would like to discuss partnering with The Financial Planner Life for jobs, advertising, marketing or academies please reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712. Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Feb 17, 2022 • 56min
Working in Spain as a Financial Planner – Chris Burke
This week Sam is joined by Chris Burke, Partner at The Spectrum IFA Group, based in their Barcelona office. Before making the brave decision to head to Spain Chris had no experience in financial planning or speaking Spanish! The odds were against him and he was in for a tough start to his new life abroad. Chris is very honest with us today, he shares his career journey, the highs and lows of his lifestyle change and he gives some great advice to anyone who is thinking about doing the same. He provides a fascinating insight into how the financial profession works over in Spain and shares the realities vs the expectations. We hope you enjoy. We cover: The benefits of living in Spain How an adviser is paid their income Buying a house in Spain What due diligence you should do on a company before taking a job abroad The earning potential in Spain What qualifications are needed? Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! Below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planner Life Academies - Where we bring together the leading financial planning academies and entry-level opportunities to kick start your financial planning career. Learn more here. Experienced and searching for a new role within the financial planning profession? Click here for a free career consultation.Check out the 2022 Financial planning Salary Guide here. If you would like to discuss partnering with The Financial Planner Life for jobs, advertising, marketing or academies please reach out to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712. Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Feb 3, 2022 • 1h 2min
Educating the next generation through the Personal Finance Society - Robert Boland
This week Sam is joined by Robert Boland, Chartered Financial Planner for Cotswold Independent Financial Services. Robert is also an education outreach ambassador at the Personal Finance Society (PFS) and he shares some of the fantastic work that he is doing to champion the profession and educate the next generation. Robert talks about the highs and lows of his 16-year career in financial services and he’s very honest about mistakes and lessons learnt along the way. He also gives some fantastic advice on what sort of due diligence you should be doing on your future employer when looking for your next financial planning opportunity. An interesting conversation, enjoy! We cover: Robert’s career journey Being prepared for self-employment Building relationships to generate business What does it mean to be an education outreach ambassador for the PFS? What makes Cotswold Independent Financial Services a good firm to work for? Finding your next financial planning job Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! below are some excellent links from our sponsor Recruit UK for any aspiring or experienced financial planners looking for new job opportunities or looking to get ahead in their career. Financial Planning Qualifications guide https://recruitukltd.co.uk/whats-the-true-cost-of-becoming-a-financial-planner-or-paraplanner-a-definitive-guide/ 2021financial planner salary guide Financial planning Salary Guide https://recruitukltd.co.uk/recruit-uk-salary-survey-2020/ If you are an experienced financial planning candidate looking for a new job opportunity please reach out directly to sam@financialplannerlife.com or call 07854778712 he covers all roles within the profession across the UK. if you hold level 4 qualification and looking for an entry role into financial planning please also reach out! Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.