The Plannex Podcast

Plannex

Hosted by Adam Carolan and Rohan Sivajoti (Co-founders of Plannex), this is the podcast for ambitious UK financial planning firm owners.

We sit down with top-performing advisers to unpack how they build client banks, scale profitable firms, hire well, structure fees, and navigate regulation - without the fluff.

If you want practical insights on growing a modern advice business, this is for you.

Find out more about our Community by searching 'Plannex' on Google.

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20 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes20

Newest first

Friday · 42 min
Laura Pearson Part 1: Building an Advice Firm From Scratch
Building an advice business is one thing. Building one without existing clients, recurring income or previous wealth advice experience is another. In Part 1 of the Plannex Podcast, Laura Pearson shares the journey from corporate mortgage management to launching Storeton Rose from her spare bedroom. We discuss: Leaving corporate life Starting with no clients Why she chose independence Building confidence despite inexperience The power of simple marketing Growing to £180k revenue in year one A practical conversation for anyone thinking about starting or scaling a financial planning business.
July 24 · 44 min
Jon Doyle Part 2: What Won't AI Replace?
AI is dominating conversations across financial planning but what does it actually mean for advice firms? In Part 2 of our conversation with Juniper founder Jon Doyle, we move beyond the hype to explore where technology is genuinely creating value, and where the industry risks getting carried away. Jon shares how his team has built automations that save time, why he's sceptical of claims that AI can replace the human side of financial planning, and the principles guiding Juniper's investment in technology. We also discuss developing advisers, building scalable systems, and why, even in an AI-driven world, people skills remain the profession's greatest competitive advantage. If you're a financial planning firm owner trying to work out where AI fits into your business, this is a conversation you'll want to hear.
July 17 · 49 min
Jon Doyle Part 1: Build It Your Way
When Jon Doyle launched Juniper in 2018, he didn't set out to build the fastest-growing financial planning firm. He set out to build the right business for his life. Starting with £18 million of assets under management and around 40 client families, Jon shares the lessons from growing Juniper to more than £140 million while balancing family life, navigating difficult hiring decisions and building a business with intention. In Part 1 we discuss: • Why he turned down the opportunity to sell • Starting Juniper with just one administrator • The hiring mistake that slowed growth • Why building around your lifestyle isn't a weakness • Growing from £18m to £140m • Developing advisers from outside financial services A refreshingly honest conversation about building a financial planning business on your own terms.
June 29 · 46 min
Victoria Hicks and Gaynor Rigby Part 2: What Is Your Firm Really Worth?
What makes a financial planning business valuable? And more importantly, what makes it sellable? In Part 2, Gaynor Rigby and Vicky go behind the scenes of more than 100 financial planning transactions to explain what buyers are really looking for, why some firms struggle to sell, and how owners can maximise the value of their business. We discuss: • How financial planning firms are valued • Why profit matters more than revenue • The data every firm should be tracking • Common mistakes sellers make • What buyers really want • Succession planning and exit readiness • Why culture and people can impact value Whether you're planning to exit next year or in the next decade, this episode is packed with practical lessons for building a stronger business.
June 19 · 51 min
Victoria Hicks and Gaynor Rigby Part 1: The Business Behind The Advice
From £120m TO £1bn After helping grow Equilibrium from £120m to more than £1bn in assets under management, Gaynor Rigby learned a simple truth: Most advisers become business owners by accident. In this episode, Gaynor and Vicky discuss what it really takes to build a successful financial planning business, from leadership and culture to marketing, systems and growth. We discuss: • How Equilibrium grew from £120m to £1bn+ • Why many advisers accidentally become business owners • The importance of data, structure and accountability • Building a strong culture as your team grows • Why marketing should be a business priority • The biggest mistakes firms make when trying to scale A practical conversation for advisers and firm owners looking to build a better business, not just a bigger one.
June 12 · 52 min
David Carter Part 2: Comfortable or Growth?
After helping build a £700m advice business over nearly two decades, Dave Carter made one of the biggest decisions of his career. He left the firm he helped build to become CEO of Absolute Financial Planning. In Part 2, Dave explains why he took the leap, the vision behind Absolute, and why he believes independent financial planning still has a major role to play in the future of the profession. We discuss: Why he left a successful £700m advice firm The challenge of building a national financial planning business What makes a successful acquisition The mistakes consolidators have made Why independence still matters Recruitment, adviser development and the future of advice The opportunity Dave sees in the market today A fascinating conversation about leadership, ambition and building something bigger.
June 5 · 52 min
David Carter Part 1: The Referral Mindset
In Part 1, Dave Carter joins Adam to share the story behind his rise from a cashier at Bradford & Bingley to becoming Managing Director of a £700m financial planning firm. The conversation covers the pre-RDR world, building a client bank from scratch, generating hundreds of referrals, developing advisers from non-traditional backgrounds, and the lessons learned from nearly two decades in one business. A fascinating look at ambition, opportunity, leadership, and why some of the best advisers don't start in financial services at all.
May 29 · 44 min
Dominic McLoughney and James Thompson Part 2: AI Won’t Replace You
In Part 2, Dominic McLoughney and James Thompson unpack how Becketts is approaching technology, AI, automation, and the future of financial planning. The conversation explores the development of Beckett’s Connect, solving the advice gap, integrating AI into the client journey, and why the firms that embrace technology early will have a major advantage over the next decade. But despite all the innovation, one thing remains central: human relationships. A practical and honest discussion on how modern advice firms can scale smarter without losing what makes financial planning valuable in the first place.
May 22 · 50 min
Dominic McLoughney and James Thompson Part 1: The Advice Gap
In Part 1 with Becketts Financial Services, Dominic McLoughney and James Thompson unpack the journey of building the firm from the ground up. From losing advisers and surviving the early years to scaling through culture, client experience, and strategic hiring. The conversation explores the turning points that shaped the business, why growth requires mindset shifts, and how they built a firm focused on exceptional client outcomes rather than sales targets or short-term wins. A candid discussion on leadership, ambition, partnerships, and what it really takes to grow a modern advice business.
May 15 · 39 min
Steve Jordan Part 2: No Target, But Still Growth.
In Part 2, Steve Jordan shares how Five Wealth scaled to £1.2bn without sales targets, lead buying, or aggressive growth tactics. We explore culture, hiring, leadership, succession planning, and what changed after taking external investment. A practical conversation on what it really takes to build and grow a modern financial planning firm.
May 1 · 41 min
Steve Jordan Part 1: No Clients? Just Go And Find Some
Steve Jordan, co-founder of Five Wealth, shares the reality of starting out as a financial adviser with no clients and no safety net. From early career uncertainty to building relationships through networking and honesty. This episode explores how he developed a client bank from scratch and the mindset that helped lay the foundations for a £1.2bn firm.
April 24 · 50 min
Tom Morris & Rich Ellis Part 2: Don't Build a Firm On Your Own
In Part 2 with Tom Morris (Ovation) and Rich Ellis (Ellis Davies), we go deeper into what it really takes to build and run a modern financial planning firm. We explore partnerships, decision-making, and why building a business alone is often overrated. The conversation covers tough moments. From COVID disruption to leadership pressure - alongside honest reflections on imposter syndrome, hiring, and losing team members. Tom and Rich also share how they generate clients, their views on the future of the profession, and the reality of technology and AI inside advice firms today. A candid, practical episode on leadership, growth, and building a financial planning business that actually works.
April 17 · 50 min
Tom Morris & Rich Ellis Part 1: We Got It Wrong At First
Tom Morris (Ovation) and Rich Ellis (Ellis Davies) share their journeys from accidental entry into financial services to leading their own firms. We explore the reality of early career struggles, what it takes to become a great financial planner beyond technical knowledge, and the transition into leadership. From employee to MD, and from employed adviser to business owner. The conversation also dives into fee models, network vs DA decisions, and the mistakes made in the first few years of building a firm. A candid look at growth, leadership, and the real decisions behind running a modern UK financial planning business.
April 10 · 1 hr 4 min
Barry Horner & Philippa Hann Part 2: From Suing IFAs to Leading a Top Firm
Philippa Hann, CEO of Paradigm Norton, joins the conversation to share her unconventional journey from lawyer. Spending 20 years suing financial firms to leading one of the UK’s most respected financial planning businesses. Together, they explore what Philippa learned from seeing the industry at its worst, why financial planning is “life-changing” when done well, and how she’s reshaping the firm alongside Barry through structure, leadership, and a shift toward organic growth. A candid conversation on career change, leadership transition, culture, and what the future of financial planning firms really looks like.
March 27 · 56 min
Barry Horner Part 1: From Start-up to Employee Ownership
Barry Horner, a Founder of Paradigm Norton, shares the journey of building one of the UK’s most respected financial planning firms. From hand-to-mouth early days to scaling through acquisitions and transitioning to employee ownership. We explore the key decisions that shaped the firm, from pioneering fee-based advice in a commission-driven market to building a strong culture, hiring for values, and planning succession over the long term. A candid conversation on growth, mistakes, leadership, and what it really takes to build a financial planning business that lasts.
March 20 · 54 min
Jo Little & Alfie Mullan Part 2: The Leadership Doubts No One Talks About in Financial Planning
In Part Two of our conversation with Jo and Alfie from Emery Little, we go deeper into the realities of leadership, personal growth, and building a modern financial planning firm. Alfie shares his experience with imposter syndrome, explaining how self-doubt can still appear even for confident leaders, and why pushing through discomfort has been essential to his development. Jo reflects on her journey as a young female CEO in financial planning, the challenges that come with visibility in the industry, and the importance of representation. The conversation also explores how Emery Little is evolving internally. From experimenting with a pod-style team structure to overhauling their technology stack with Microsoft 365 and AI tools like Copilot. Jo and Alfie discuss leadership mistakes, communication challenges, and what they’ve learned from difficult decisions. They also share their ambitions for the firm’s future, including plans to scale toward £600m and eventually £1bn in assets, while maintaining a lean, high-performing team. A candid conversation about leadership, vulnerability, technology, and building a values-driven financial planning business.
March 12 · 40 min
Jo Little & Alfie Mullan Part 1: Rebuilding a 3rd-Generation Financial Planning Firm
In this episode of the Plannex Podcast, Adam Carolan & Rohan Sivajoti are joined by Jo and Alfie from Emery Little, a third-generation financial planning firm navigating leadership transition, strategic change, and the power of niche positioning. Jo, now CEO of the family-founded firm, shares the journey of stepping into leadership after her father, while Alfie reflects on his 18-year path from school leaver to key leader within the business. Together, they discuss the emotional and practical realities of succession, the importance of having a clear leader, and how coaching helped them navigate the transition. The conversation explores Emery Little’s transformation, from redefining their investment philosophy and fee structure to reshaping the team and doubling down on their niche advising BP employees and retirees. Jo and Alfie also reflect on lessons from a failed startup aimed at tech entrepreneurs, how the firm streamlined from 25 to 19 employees, and why culture - described internally as “joyful professional” - sits at the heart of their strategy. A candid conversation about leadership, niche strategy, culture, and evolving a family-founded financial planning firm for the next generation.
March 6 · 36 min
The Growth Traps No One Warned Me About with Sam Sloma Part Two
In Part Two, Sam Sloma dives into the niche that shaped Engage FS - advising professional footballers - and why that market runs on trust, discretion, and long-term agent relationships. While athletes make up 25% of the firm, the real growth engine is advising younger business owners exiting for £10m+. We explore how exit planning differs from traditional retirement advice, and why Sam uses financial planning software as a "red flag" tool rather than a forecasting crutch. We also discuss niche positioning, acquisition offers, scaling a UK financial planning firm, percentage vs fixed fees, and Sam's candid views on industry ego and long-term wealth planning.
February 26 · 55 min
The Growth Traps No One Warned Me About with Sam Sloma Part One
In Part One, Sam Sloma, Managing Director of UK financial planning firm Engage FS, shares his journey from lower-league professional footballer to building a 140-family advice business. We unpack how he launched his IFA firm in 2017 with 25 loyal clients and £180k in first-year revenue, the early operational mistakes that shaped the business, and why he chose - and later questioned - a fixed-fee pricing model. We also explore his annual "Surge" client review system, lessons from his first acquisition, and how he thinks about scaling a financial planning firm without sacrificing lifestyle. A candid conversation on fee models, firm growth, and staying calm under pressure.
Jun 20, 2025 · 35 min
Your Myths on ESG Portfolios Debunked with Max Tennant
In this episode of That NextGen Planners Podcast we chatted with Max Tennant. Here we discussed; the power of thoughtful client questions, misconceptions about ESG investments and shifting the advice profession's mindset from "Do Nothing" to "Do Something". Join our community: www.nextgenplanners.co.uk