Pursuing Progression in Your Financial Planning Career

This week’s guest on the Financial Planner Life Podcast is Ben Slater, Chartered Financial Planner & Director at Stephen Eve Financial Planning Ltd. Ben started his career straight out of education, as an apprentice client services administrator within a Financial Planning firm, moving into paraplanning after 2 years, before pursuing his qualifications and becoming a Financial Adviser. Ben undertook an apprenticeship in Financial Planning at a time where entering the profession was in no way a well-lit path, so Ben is in a position to offer some really valuable insight into how to effectively start your career in Financial Planning. We talk about the way in which the industry is changing for the better when it comes to early careers, and how starting to allow more accessible and inclusive options for getting into Financial Planning is the right way to inspire an influx of new talent.   After his time as an employed Financial Planner, Ben made the decision to become Self-Employed, which in itself presents a new set of challenges. Ben talks us through the journey, what to consider if you’re looking at your options for Self-Employed and how to take a calculated approach to this transition.  Time Stamps  00:02:21 | Ben's first years in Financial Planning 00:04:33 | What you need to enter as an Administrator 00:08:18 | Apprenticeship  00:10:40 | Exams and qualifications as an Administrator 00:13:40 | Speed of progression 00:16:01 | Nurturing employee's 00:17:44 | Employed to self-employed journey 00:21:07 | Client acquisition 00:23:00 | Building client connections 00:29:29 | Why going self-employed isn't scary 00:39:31 | How Ben makes money self-employed 00:42:36 | Is going self employed as a new academy graduate a bad idea? 00:52:42 | Quick wins for income as an Adviser 00:56:04 | How Ben caters to lower income clients 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.