39% of people don't trust financial planners, take 'Adviser Advantage' test for free! | Chris Larkin, BigRock

Take the Adviser Advantage test here! 👈Only 39% of UK adults trust financial services. For a profession built entirely on trust, that number should be a wake-up call.In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam sits down with Chris Larkin, founder and MD of Big Rock, a consultancy that has spent 22 years helping advisory firms across the UK build better client relationships, drive organic growth, and create the kind of experiences that make clients stay, refer, and trust you with everything they have.Chris's argument is straightforward: the financial planning profession has invested heavily in technical expertise and almost nothing in the human skills that actually determine whether a client relationship thrives. With AI now capable of replicating much of what average advisers do, the firms that differentiate on the human side will win. The ones that don't will increasingly find themselves competing with software they can't beat on price.This is one of the most important conversations we've had on this podcast. If you're a financial planner, a firm leader, or someone considering a career in financial advice, this episode will change how you think about what the job actually is.What we cover in this episode:Why 39% trust in financial services is the result of a skills gap, not a values gapThe bookending technique top advisers use before and after every single client meetingWhy one adviser went nine years without recommending protection and what that reveals about the professionHow AI is making the human side of financial advice more important, not lessWhat the research on trust actually says and how to apply it in a real client meetingWhy sharing your personal "why" builds more trust than any qualification ever willThe two currencies you need to generate consistent referrals from professional introducersHow to build your value proposition in under 30 minutes using the Simon Sinek frameworkThe Adviser Advantage diagnostic tool and how to benchmark your firm against the industryWhat a 90% improvement in profitability actually looks like when firms invest in client experiencehttps://www.bigrockhq.com/adviser-advantage/  Be sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for more career insights from the financial planning profession. Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] regarding sponsorship, partnerships, videography, or podcast production.Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill AdvanceWhether 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/fplBe sure to follow Financial Planner Life on YouTube for extra content about  career development within Financial Planning. Reach out to [email protected] in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production. Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? Drop Sam a message.