The Plannex Podcast

Want to start a business podcast that attracts the right audience and delivers meaningful results? Charlie Perry, founder of podcast network Astrid, joins Adam Carolan to explain what separates a successful business podcast from another show disappearing into the noise. Having built the podcasting arm of Steven Bartlett’s Social Chain and produced shows that have entertained millions, Charlie shares a practical guide to defining your audience, choosing the right format, booking guests and creating conversations people genuinely want to consume. They discuss why businesses shouldn’t simply copy The Diary of a CEO, the realities of studio and remote recording, what happens during post-production and how one long-form episode can power an entire content strategy. Charlie also explains why YouTube has changed podcast discovery, how to approach SEO, titles and thumbnails, and why conversions, trust and audience relevance matter more than vanity metrics. A practical conversation for financial planners, business owners and marketing teams who want to build a podcast with a clear purpose, not merely chase views. The Plannex Podcast is proudly sponsored by Iress.

What happens when the business exit you worked towards finally happens and the money creates a completely new set of problems? In Part 2, James Ashford gives Adam Carolan an unusually candid account of financial planning from the client’s side. Before building GoProposal, James describes himself as financially fearful, poorly informed and carrying the consequences of a failed business. Financial planning helped align him and his wife around their values, give their business a purpose and turn an unimaginable future into a route they could work towards. But selling the business changed the game. James went from playing to win to playing not to lose. He explains the fear of moving large sums away from the apparent safety of a bank account, why trusted referrals mattered more than a polished sales message and what advisers need to understand about communicating with entrepreneurial clients. The conversation also tackles the profession’s most difficult value question. For James, the greatest return has not been a tax wrapper or an investment figure. It has been the change from anxious weekend voice notes to calm, constructive decisions and the peace of knowing somebody capable is in control. Finally, James and Adam explore AI. James is an enthusiastic user, but he will not give it responsibility for his children’s and grandchildren’s financial future. His challenge to planners is not to resist the technology, but to use it safely so there is more time for the human relationship clients value most.

What does it actually take to build a team that sells confidently, protects standards and performs without the founder becoming the bottleneck? James Ashford, founder of GoProposal, joins Adam Carolan for a characteristically honest conversation about ethical selling, client experience, culture and letting go. James explains why clients compare financial planners with Amazon and Uber, not simply with other firms. Why knowledge has little value without implementation. He challenges founders who project their own discomfort withselling onto younger team members and argues that ‘great clients’ are created by the standards set from the very first meeting. The conversation then turns to building a 12-person team that produced the output buyers expected from a business four times its size. James shares how playbooks, weekly training, radical candour and safe-to-fail experimentscreated freedom rather than bureaucracy. He also reveals the two-poker-chip exercise that finally trained him to stop solving every problem himself. Expect an unusually direct conversation about sales, delegation, standards and the truths business owners too often avoid. You don't want to miss this! Find out more about Plannex: https://plannex.co.uk/

What does it really take to scale a financial planning firm? In part two of our conversation with Laura Pearson, founder of Storeton Rose, we explore the systems, people and leadership decisions that have fuelled the firm's growth. Laura shares how client experience has become their biggest marketing channel, why hiring the right people matters more than hiring the most experienced, and the challenges every founder faces as a business grows beyond them. We also discuss how AI is changing recruitment, building a high-performance culture, and the operational rhythms that keep the business moving. In this episode: Why client experience drives referrals Building a team that can scale with the business The founder bottleneck and knowing when to let go How AI is changing hiring decisions Creating systems that support long-term growth Leadership lessons from scaling Storeton Rose Whether you're building your first advice firm or leading a growing business, this episode is packed with practical insights from someone who's doing it today.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.