Latest / Financial Planner Life Podcast / Achieving your career goals in financial planning | Bobby Sahota

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Achieving your career goals in financial planning | Bobby Sahota · Financial Planner Life Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_02: And today's guest on the Financial Planner Live podcast is Bobby Cajota.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_02: She's an award-winning lifestyle financial planner.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_02: She's an IFA and she spent 20 years in the financial planning profession.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_02: Today we talk about vision boards and how financial planning and vision boards are so connected when it comes to achieving your goals.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_02: We transcend that to career development within the financial planning profession.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_02: And she gives some fantastic tips about how to manifest and visualize the career that you want.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_02: We talk about the power of social media, surrounding yourselves with the right mentors.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_02: We talk about the success she had with LinkedIn legend Leah Turner.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_02: And we talk about the future of financial advice.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_02: I hope you enjoy the episode today.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_02: Bobby, thank you for joining me today on the Financial Plan of Life Podcast.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um we've been having some conversations, obviously, off camera over the last few weeks, and it's been really interesting getting to know you.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: So I thought I definitely want to get you on the Financial Plan of Life podcast.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_02: You've got a wealth of experience.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_02: But what I really love about you is you're an outside of the box thinker, and I'm the same.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm really looking forward to having a conversation with you today about your career within financial planning, where you see yourself going, what things you think need to change, and what you love about it, what you enjoy about it, the realities of the jobs, the ups and the downs.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_02: Because at the end of the day, this podcast is about inspiring those already in the profession to get ahead or to hopefully attract more people to this profession.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_02: And we say desperately need more people, don't we?
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_02: We need them.
• 1:32
  unknown: Why?
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_02: Desperately.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_02: Well, let's start there though, right?
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, why is the financial planning profession such a great profession?
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_02: Why should somebody actually join it?
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: If you're passionate about helping people, um and I think I've had this conversation with people that I've mentored in the past, and people come in and they say, I want to be an I want to be an IFA, I want to be a financial advisor.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: And the first question I ask them is, why?
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: If they tell me the right answer, then it's a right, come on, I'll mentor you.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: And if they don't, which that rarely happens, but um, yeah, I mean, if you genuinely are there because you want to help people, and you know, you you have that passion in you, then I think it is the right career for you.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, obviously, people have different reasons in terms of why they choose their career paths, some fall into them like I did.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: Um, some kind of follow the footsteps of their parents or um their you know, their siblings because they don't know what else to do.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: But I think you know, nobody, I definitely didn't at school thought when I grow up, I want to be a financial advisor.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: It's normally things like, you know, I want to be a teacher, I want to be a doctor, or those kinds of problems.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody actually thinks that they want to be and grow up and be a financial advisor, do I?
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_02: So you think if someone's to become a financial advisor, really the main thing that should be driving them is a purpose to help people.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_02: Is that what you're saying?
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: I think the bottom line is if you have got with this industry, as you know, um Sam, uh the there's a good guys and there's a bad guys, isn't there?
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: So we have had a lot of stick within the industry about things like fees, about you know, um advisors not servicing clients but taking fees and not gen not genuinely having that uh intent um to provide that service.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: And I think this is a big difference with financial planning and flugging products.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: And that is the difference, isn't it?
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: When you genuinely take that time out with a client, because I'm we spoke yesterday, didn't we?
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I am a big advocate of vision boards.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and to some degree, like with I mean, my son's got a vision board, um, you know, people that I've mentored in the past, one of the things I say is like have something in place, have a focus.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and especially with like a kind of IFAs that I've mentored as well.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, how I see that is within your role, if you are to be a successful planner, you need to A, educate the client.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, B, you also need to take them on that journey.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: When you're sort of so many years ahead, you know, you've got so many years until you retire, you don't think, but you don't think because you think, oh, because I've got 20, 25 years, whatever it is, whenever you meet that client at that life uh stage.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: However, you've got to put them in that picture, and this is where I think the visualization comes in.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, one of the questions I kind of ask is if you were to retire tomorrow, what does that look like?
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: So imagine it, what would you like to do more of?
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: Do you enjoy what you do?
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: Those kind of questions, and it's what's important to them, not you know, things like I can get you more growth on your um money that's sat in the bank account.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: That's meaningless.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's the the objective of finding out what is important to them and how as an IFA you can help deliver um to your client um you know the a plan for their lifestyle.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: So, in effect, like I said, it's it is those things.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes I think with this role, and I've definitely found a lot of my clients are they become friends, they come, you know, they do, and you know so much about their um about their life and their journey and the milestones and you know the ups and the downs.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um, that when you're part of that, you you should take an interest.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: And it's not about um, you know, I work in a sales role because there is that culture as well, and I need to make sure that I've hit my target.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: That's you're absolutely doing it for the wrong things.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I've seen that before in the industry, I've been in the industry for over 20 years.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I think this this is the difference.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: You're whatever you do, when you're sat with that client, you not every client is the same.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: And you've got to take them on that journey to find out what's important for them, not just go in and product first, and then talk about what they're like after.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: So I I've I have found that a lot where I've adopted clients from other advisors, and it's things like you know, you'll have a instance where I've taken over a client and they've got these investments.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: And when you're sitting down and you're talking about, you know, what's important to you, your career, your lifestyle, your property, your family, uh, what does retirement look like?
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: And then you find out they've got all these pensions that they've not done nothing with because they thought the IFA didn't deal with pensions because all they're interested in is that part.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: So for me, that's a big fail on behalf of the IFA that you've actually I A, then they don't trust you to tell you other things, or B, you've not asked that question, and they just see you as he looks after my investment bond or he looks after my ISIS, because I I have seen it as well, where um there are advisors that they're not advising, they're like kind of being told the client tells them what to do, so they're not advising, or they'll say, I want to invest someone each, how much do you want to invest?
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, come on, come on, you need to take them on that, you need to tell them you're the advisor, not the client.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: They've come to you for advice.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: What are you paying?
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: What are they paying you for?
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_02: That irritates me.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, well, absolutely.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_02: You're the difference there between being this is the the argument, isn't it?
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_02: A financial advisor versus a financial planner.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_02: And you touched on it a second ago in respect of the visualization of the future of what that individual is looking for.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_02: What's the goals attached to the reason why that person sat there?
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_02: Do you find more often than not that the client they might be an expert in the job that they do, right?
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_02: They might be fantastic marketers, they might even be running companies, right?
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_02: But that doesn't mean they're gonna know how they feel about their financial future.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_02: And they might be feeling hugely insecure about it, right?
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_02: And what they don't want to do is sit in front of somebody who kind of almost puts them on a bit of a pedestal and is afraid to challenge them.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_02: Because most people in those situations actually quite like to be challenged.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_02: And I assume you enjoy probing somebody to get to uh the center of where they are.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_02: What are they lacking?
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_02: What are they missing?
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: What are they worried about?
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_02: What are they fearful of?
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_02: Because that's where change happens, isn't it?
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: But also, what's most important to them?
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: Not me, not the neighbor, not the colleague to them.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: I am sitting in front of you.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: What is important to you?
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: What's your drive?
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: What makes you tick, etc., etc.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: So again, like I said, in I I do this with my 12-year-old son, um, in terms of like when he will get him to do his vision board as well.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I say, like, it's not, you know, people say, yeah, I want to grow my money, or I want loads of money, what for?
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: And how will that make you feel?
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: And what does that look like?
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: What is like I want to be financial freedom is different to everybody, you know, financial freedom to one person is completely different to somebody else.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: Somebody may just want to make sure that they've got enough to pay their bills.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: Somebody may want to ensure that, as well as their bills, they can help their um family, their children, deposits, everybody, everybody's got different objectives.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: And this is where the putting putting together a plan for a client is really delving in and getting to know them.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I always say I can't stress enough about, you know, when you're talking about family, um, talking about, you know, your children, okay, how old are they?
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: Things like, what are their plans?
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: You've got your plans, you know, your children are your most, well, some people, not all, most important to you.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, what are their plans?
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: University, what does that look like?
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Do you intend, you know, helping them out?
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: Would you all those things is probing them?
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: And if you don't probe, you don't get the answer um into what's important to them.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I I I met with um, I did a uh presentation for a company yesterday on Vision Boards.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: It was really interesting, actually, where um and and this kind of well just kind of reinforced the importance of reviewing.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um and I just I'm quite against what you call annual reviews because I think you should have that relationship where a client shouldn't have to wait for an annual review, just pick up the phone to them, just talk to them, have that relationship where if there's a change in circumstances or just anything that they think of you as a first port of call as opposed to waiting for a letter to come through to say that, oh, it's your annual review, and then you tick a few boxes because I do see that happening, and for me that's really frustrating.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so uh yeah, I was speaking to somebody yesterday um about you know, when they were kind of younger, one of their dreams was to have um an SL500.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: That particular person now could probably buy 20 of those, but that's not important to them anymore.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: But what's important to them is their children and helping them out.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: So even though that was important to them at that time, unless you're having that um you know constant dialogue and finding out what's important to them, you're not doing the job.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: You're not doing the job, you simply aren't because you can't be.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: If you just think that things are the same and their goals are the same, you know, life events, things that happen in your life change your whole perspective.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: And personally, you know, I've been through things with throughout my life where it's changed my um perception, not perception, in terms it put puts things into perspective, um, in terms of what's important.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes you kind of need that, it's a bit of a wake-up call.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it also kind of tests your um resilience and also like in thinking in terms of boundaries, what you'd accept before, you you may not.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I think it, you know, with your career, you're gonna be doing it a long time in a job.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_00: So within this industry as well, you it's so important to enjoy what you do and have that passion um as to why you're doing it.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: If you're doing a job just for the money, uh chances are chances, I mean you may enjoy it, chances are that you're gonna be counting down the days till retirement because you're just doing it for that purpose.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: There's gotta be a bit more because client, I mean, clients I uh my clients, I mean, some of them have had for like like a long time, years.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and one of the things that they say is you can tell you enjoy what you do.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: So clients sense that if you enjoy what you do, your client will know you genuinely are there to provide that service and help them through their kind of lifestyle planning, but it's a two-way thing as well, I think.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_02: Bobby, let me cut you off.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely, let me cut you off there.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_02: Are you somebody who's head down in the books?
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_02: Theory, theory, theory, theory, or are you head up in conversation?
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_02: Who are you?
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not one of the I hate, like I like speaking to people.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: I can't stand, I'm not one of these that will sit on the laptop and I want to get information.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: I want to delve and I want to know about that person.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: I'm the rubbish admin, hate admin, hate it.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: I do what I need to do, but in terms of um processes, and I hate like I'd be rubbish at compliance, I'll tell you what.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, our role has that element to it, but in terms of I think sometimes we're very rigid in processes, and not every client, yes, we have a process because we need, you know, we're in a regulated um environment and we need to make sure that we're not ticking the boxes, but I would say you're doing the right thing for your client.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: So you've got that understanding, you're educating them, they know the you know the pit pulls, but you you've got to be you can't it can't be a one size fits all, you've got to change your dialogue as to the client that's in front of you and how they're gonna receive that because how you're delivering something, that client may not receive it.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: So obviously, it takes a bit of time and skill, and you will pick up things over time in terms of body language.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: Are they just nodding because they really haven't got a clue, but they don't want to feel that they're stupid and they don't, they should understand.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: So it's these kind of things um where having that, like I would say, like that connection with the client, making them feel comfortable that they can ask that question.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: So the last thing you want is to go through a you know, a process and a plan and etc.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: And they've not fully been open to you because that's not right for them either.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_02: So how do you get those clients in a state of vulnerability to be able to be honest and actually show that they don't know what they're talking about?
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_02: Because I think the problem is a lot of us worry what others think of us.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_02: And if we're sitting in front of an advisor, I've done it, I'm 42 years old.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_02: My finances, my finances are me?
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'm 42.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_02: You're 42 in 2019.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_00: 1981.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_02: 81, mate.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I'm sorry, I'm 42 this year, I'm 41 actually, but I'm 42 this year.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: Can we cut that bit out?
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: I don't really want to be telling me.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_02: No, I'm not cutting that out, we're keeping it in.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_02: Everyone, Bobby was 42 years old.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_02: 43 in June.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah, yeah, 42 in September.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_02: So I've gotten to this stage in my life, and sometimes like where I've been so hyper-focused on creativity, focused on the business, um, focused on fitness, and all these things are kind of important and mental health, all those things that are really important to me.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_02: I often neglected and have neglected like my finances.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_02: And that's mad because I worked at a Viva as a trainer, I used to train out pensions, investments, and all those typical types of things.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_02: But the way my brain works is that if it's a bit boring, I don't go towards it.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_02: If it's really like got a reward attached to it and it's shiny, then I gravitate towards it.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_02: So but I worry sometimes what people think.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_02: And I remember I sat down with a financial advisor quite recently and I was like hosting the Financial Plan Life podcast.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_02: I talk to financial advisors all the time.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_02: Don't do your own.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_02: But I don't do yeah, but I wasn't doing my own.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_02: And I was really, and I thought, do you know what?
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_02: Fuck it.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna be vulnerable here, and I'm just gonna open up and be vulnerable and say, look, I am a little bit scared about my future, I am a bit worried about how much money I've saved, and you know, and I've only recently bought a house because I went through breakups before, and and I was really kind of I've always been fearful around money, but what if people expect you to know because you're in the industry?
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_02: Because they expect me to know.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_02: So, how do you kind of make somebody feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable?
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_02: Because that's a skill set.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it is.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: I think um, again, it's like kind of little things like you know, avoiding jargon, speaking to their tone and language, um, and just explaining things like you know, I have lots of different, you know, and you might know a lot of information, but I just need to make sure that as you're advising, that you understand everything.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: So if you don't understand, feel free to ask me.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: So you you're kind of prepping them initially to say it's okay if you don't understand, because there's many clients that I have that don't understand as well, but we we're gonna make sure that it, you know, we do it to your pace, it's not my pace, it's not, and this is where I say, in terms of process, following a rigid process doesn't work for every client.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and some may need more time.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: And as an advisor, and and it develops over time that skill set in terms of knowing and picking up these signs in terms of you know, you might have a client and they're just gazing at you, and you know you can tell that they don't really understand.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: So it's just picking up um that body language, um, but also then, like I say, tapping into the vulnerability and kind of reinforcing the fact that no, no, no, it's fine.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: I have many clients like this, and that's my job because I'm not a plumber.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, there's no way I'd be able to fix things, and you're not an advisor, so it's it's it's just kind of using analogy, using other people as an example to say it's not you, it's me.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_02: Talk to me about this presentation you did quite recently because you talked about financial planning being vision boards.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_02: And when you actually said that to me, no one's ever really explained it in that way, but I knew exactly what a vision board was.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_02: I'm into manifestation, I'm into visualization.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_02: And when I believe something, I can believe it into reality, I can talk it into reality, I can write it into reality.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_02: A lot of the things that I've created over the last few years came from here, and then I executed it from my mouth.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_02: So I tell people what I'm gonna do.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do this, and when I do it, it comes, it comes true.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_02: So for me, visualization is definitely there.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_02: When it comes to vision boards, essentially.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: No, I've never done a vision board.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: Well, there's three elements, isn't there, Sam?
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: Speak, think, write.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's how I say.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I think you know, you said you tell everybody.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, it's quite interesting you say that because one of the things that um we spoke about yesterday is your environment and where you are has a big impact in terms of you kind of getting to where you are.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_00: I would say be careful of who you share that with, because sometimes if they're not on your um say vibration, on your level, then their limiting beliefs can be a seed that's implanted in yours.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it's very um, and again, this this kind of um happens over time, doesn't it?
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: You kind of when you start to recognize, I think we spoke about this yesterday, in terms of like people around you and how you know you walk into a room and you can either you can you can feel it, you can someone walks into a room and that room lights up.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's that individual and what they're kind of playing out, right?
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I think in that sense, in terms of the people that you surround yourself with, they can either add or take away, yeah.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I call them energy vampires, energy vampires, and being able to recognize that and deal with that is so so important as well because that's the difference in in being like kind of stuck in this box where you're being told that.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: You know, this is it, you're like, this is all, you know, not that you're only good at this, but kind of because that person, and it could be anybody, it could be your manager, it could be your partner, it could be your parent, because they feel that you should just be in this box, it kind of stunts your growth as well because then you start believing it.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: So it does, yeah, it does have a huge impact, I would say, in terms of the environment that you surround the people that you surround yourself with.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_02: Your your clients that you work with, do you know, do you notice a difference between a female and a male, for instance, when it comes to managing money?
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_02: Is there a difference in in their belief systems and their approach to finance?
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_02: And who do you tend to gravitate towards more when it comes to getting them to visualize and to think about their future and to open up?
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: I wouldn't say there's a difference between female and male, but I would say in terms of generations, because in terms of there is, you know, and I see a lot with that generation where the male has predominantly looked after the finances, and the saddest thing is is when they're no longer here, the the female has no clue about what to do, and they are so overwhelmed that they don't know how to pay the bills, they don't even know what's coming out of their account.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_00: So, in terms of um, I wouldn't say like female, male, in terms of um like with regards to who do I gravitate more to, I think it's more generational, and I do feel that like um kind of the younger generation are probably more open to visualization, manifestation, um vision boards and things like that.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_00: But I do think that is mainly because of social media, TikTok, all these um channels where there seems to be a lot more content around that.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_02: No, I get it.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_02: How do you so when you so you don't literally sit down with a client and bring out a vision board and create a vision board with them?
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, that would be kind of cool in a way, if there was a, you know, you could bring up on your laptop and go, come on, let's have a bit of fun, let's create your vision board.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_02: And you could just grab it.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: I kind of do because I use what's called a lifetime planner.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: So it's broken down into four sections.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so property lifestyle, career, and family.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_00: Where are you now?
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_00: So what's your current position?
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_00: We'll talk about that.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, what's happened in the past, because it's good to identify kind of um what's kind of you know, like things like um how long have you lived where you are, where did you live before?
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you know, getting an idea of okay, where have I moved from, what prompted that move?
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_00: It just helps you to kind of delve a little bit.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_00: Was it because of career?
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_00: Was it that to come and look after a family?
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: It just kind of opens up that conversation to get to know them, um, just as opening questions, as opposed to just how long have you lived where you are?
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_00: Are you looking to move?
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's boring.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's boring.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_00: There's no, but like in terms of like that, that I would say, like, you know, how long have you looking to move?
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_00: What does it, you know, what does that look like?
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um, even to down size, things like that.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_00: Um, what would you like to do, you know, how a lifestyle?
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_00: How often do you go away?
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_00: Three, four times.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: So would you what what does in 10 years, five, 15 years retirement, what does that look like?
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah, I'd still I'd still want to do that.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: Where have you got a like if I think about it, I do talk about things like have you got a bucket list?
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, where are things, what's stopping you from doing it now?
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: So financial planning isn't always about long-term goals, it's also educating your clients.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I always say that to the time, I had one of my clients um text me yesterday, a text message from her actually.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: She was like, I've told, like, I won't say her name, but I've told my husband that Bobby said we should spend, she said, I've just booked two holidays, and I was like, Good for you, do it.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, it seems like it's it's a combination of your short term and your long-term goals as well.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_00: But again, this goes back to what's important to them and that granular detail about um their hobbies, pastimes, and then you can really kind of get like under the not under the skin, yeah, kind of under the skin, but get to understand, like I said, what's most important to them?
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_02: Do you invest much?
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_02: Do you invest much of your energy in learning about behavioral science or behavioral finance, for instance, or is this just something that you feel you've naturally got, which is these natural relationship-building skills, because you can communicate well or you can help somebody visualize what a life looks like and help them, I don't know, give them permission almost to believe that they can have that life.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's one of the things as well.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_02: Leaning into an advisor, an advisor or a financial planner, um, is almost there to give permission to allow somebody to believe that actually they can achieve something, right?
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's giving them the tools really to show them and I mean, I uh my recent one of my clients, um and I can use the story, they lived in Birmingham and both in education, um, both in education, both on um medication for depression in very kind of stressful, stressful jobs.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: Both in one was a lecturer, one was a teacher.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_00: And um, I think they were like, yeah, 56 or 57 at the time, um, we're talking about their goals, love whales, absolutely love it, and that's where they saw themselves in retirement.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_00: But they were on depression, you know, depression tablets, and they were just it was almost felt like they were counting the years until they could retire.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so like obviously, when we sat down and we looked at everything, and I was like, Well, why do you say why 65?
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, because my pension statement says 65.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_00: And when you sit down and you break it down, they think, and I think this when you talk about behaviour, when you're used to having a set amount of income each month, and again, this goes down to when you break down what clients have coming in, what they actually need, the essential to the discretionary.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_00: And some people think that their£500 month savings is a spend, it's not a spend, they don't need that.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_00: So when you break it down, we looked at it.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, okay, let's get all your paperwork together and everything.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_00: But I had a look.
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_00: If you could retire earlier, would you like to?
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_00: That would be the ultimate dream.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: We'd love to move to Wales, etc., etc.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, whether we're gonna retire, cut a long story short, whether we're gonna retire at 65, they actually retired at 59.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_00: Finished, but because they knew now that it's not eight, nine years, it's like two years, I went to visit them in Wales.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_00: So they did they they went on that the weekend after they went and had a look at somewhere, and they made started making plans because they could see that it was a reality, and then again, unexpected inheritance came in and they weren't able to do it quicker.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_00: But when I went to visit them, and this is why, like in terms of um what kind of drives me is making that difference, and when I saw them, and and I I could they look like honestly, different people, big smiles, no medication.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they've got like chickens, they've got chickens, they you know that they they were doing a lot more walking, they were just generally their whole outlook of life had completely changed compared to when they're in these stressful jobs and on medication and looking forward to the weekends and counting down to retirement.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_00: It it's it's that, and I think that education, because nobody's told them any different, and they've not really sat down, and I think this is a difference, like I said, with a financial planner and somebody that's just gonna manage your pensions within your risk level.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's a difference because they haven't really spent the time to find out what's important to you and really get under the skin as to what you're happy with now.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_00: If you could change, if you could do it today, would you?
• 31:17
  SPEAKER_00: Not everybody, some people love work, like don't want to retire and that they like that routine.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_00: And this is what every to me, like every client is different.
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I would say the difference between a good financial planner and a not so good, I would say an advisor planner, um, is being able to connect, connect with clients.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_02: You've just described what I believe the financial planning profession is and the benefits to wanting to join it, and goes back to what you said, you have to want to do it.
• 31:56
  SPEAKER_02: What the financial planning profession is, and what financial planners are when they understand humans and they understand people's pain points and they understand hopes and dreams and our idiot, you know, our character traits, our beliefs, hopes, and all those typical types of stuff.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_02: What you're describing is a well-being proposition.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it is a it's a well-being proposition.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_02: It isn't like a tick box, right?
• 32:20
  SPEAKER_02: You got this, you got that, here's a transaction, you're gonna get this much at this age, and that's it.
• 32:24
  SPEAKER_02: See you later.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_02: You're actually working with them to unlock what it is they want from their future.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_02: And that's where you bring in the analogy of the vision board, which I think is beautiful.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_02: It's picking a vision and it's creating a reality.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_02: Now, what you've also described is that with that client, clients, they were on medication, they were depressed, they weren't really enjoying their life, they were waiting for the clock to tick down.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_02: Now, the sad thing about that is the clock.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, your life is ticking away.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_02: So, what you're losing is life on the hope that you're gonna hit an age where it's all of a sudden gonna make you happy.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_02: But what you do, you come in and you challenge that.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_02: You challenge what is what is it you want, and what do you think, how long do you think it's gonna take to get there?
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_02: And you say, Well, actually, I can bring that forward for you.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_02: And here's how we're gonna do it.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_00: And and I think I kind of use my client stories with other clients.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I mean, so most recently, um, probably about two two years ago, um the education around clients is is huge.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I long-standing clients, again, of that generation where they're not used to spending, it's all saving.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_00: Save, save, save, save, save.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_00: They're retired.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_00: What are you saving for?
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_00: What are you saving for?
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_00: I don't understand.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I challenged them.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_00: I said, and they were like, oh, but we find we feel really guilty when we spend.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_00: So I said, I said to uh Jen, I said, Jen, like what I want you to do is go out and for the next 28 days, because I say it takes 28 days to change your habit, go and spend every day for the next 28 days, and then let me know how you get on.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, as I was walking out of work, I saw her and she was like, guess what?
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, Well, she went, I've just been to Helsa Froza and I bought myself a dress.
• 34:16
  SPEAKER_00: And she's like, I can't believe I've done it.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_00: So in day one, she did it straight away.
• 34:21
  SPEAKER_00: Because they have that fear of money running out, and this is why it's so important to challenge, challenge and also educate, educate in terms of what you've got coming in, what you've got going out, what your guaranteed income is, how much you can, you can spend, you can do that holiday, you can do this.
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_00: So they started to do that, and then once she started doing that, I was like, well, what else?
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_00: What else?
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_00: I would love to have my kitchen done.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_00: So what's stopping you?
• 34:50
  SPEAKER_00: You've got this money that's earning virtually anything, like in your cash account that I we need to do something with anyway, use that.
• 34:59
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, so should we we should spend it, not invest it?
• 35:02
  SPEAKER_00: No, do not invest it because do the things that you want to do, had the kitchen replaced, um, did a few holidays and things like that.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_00: But again, without that challenge, they were just ready to invest more money.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, what for?
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_00: What for?
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_00: You know what you're saying, you need to spend, you've got an inheritance tax liability.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_00: So we did some planning around their existing investments and putting them in trust and making sure the children were okay, but there was still that element of them.
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and when they kind of understood what they were actually uh, and I had to just sit down and say, Well, actually, all you're doing is taking inheritance away from your children.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_00: And when you say it like that, it kind of something just something just switched up there.
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_00: And they were like, Yeah, so you've worked so hard, like what enjoy it now.
• 35:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I was actually gonna, I I actually one of my regrets is I wish I had met them a lot earlier.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_00: Because sadly, like he he passed away from ultra neuron disease, right?
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm obviously still um in touch with um like uh Jen.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_00: So uh he he passed away from ultras neuron disease.
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_00: But one of the things that she always says is like he always says, Poppy said you can spend.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_00: So to me, that's quite wow, powerful.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, they during that last three, four years, they still did some of the things that they wanted to do.
• 36:33
  SPEAKER_00: The house is comfortable, they had the kitchen, you know, they went on a few holidays, they started spending.
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, to me, that's important.
• 36:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's not just about you know, investing more money because it's not about it's doing what's right.
• 36:48
  SPEAKER_02: So changing their habits, changing their money beliefs, looking at their defects of character, challenging them.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_02: You're almost seeing yourself as in a as somebody who's setting somebody free at a stage of their life that they don't quite understand.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_02: So it's getting them to understand, getting them to take a look at themselves from an expert opinion that you do have enough.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_02: Now, why don't you start enjoying yourself?
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_02: Because that scarcity mindset, and I've fallen into a scarcity mindset myself, it's very toxic, it's very damaging to you because not only does it it's about money, it stops you enjoying your life.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_02: Like when we're younger, we don't care as much, do we?
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_02: I traveled the world, I was going on holidays all the time, I was doing this, that, and the other.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_02: The older I got, the more money I got, the more responsibilities, I suppose.
• 37:29
  SPEAKER_02: The more scarcity mindset I've become.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_02: And it was just like I'd challenge it quite recently because it's like Sam, you're you should be enjoying yourself at this point.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_02: You always say, when I hit this amount of money a year, I'm gonna be doing all the things that I want to do, and I'll be happy at that stage.
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_02: But the problem is, you've built all these beliefs.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_02: You've got to be happy now.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_00: You've got to be happy now.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, and being grateful for what you have.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_00: And again, one of the conversations that we had yesterday in that um uh team meeting that we had, um, and and and gratitude does it it's important.
• 38:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and in terms of your words, words are so powerful.
• 38:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's like we were talking about um like you know, people say, What's important to you?
• 38:17
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want any debt.
• 38:20
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so all you're feeding your mind is debt.
• 38:26
  SPEAKER_00: The don't isn't in there.
• 38:28
  SPEAKER_00: So, what will happen is you it's you're in that fear mode.
• 38:31
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want any debt, I don't want any.
• 38:32
  SPEAKER_00: What guess what?
• 38:33
  SPEAKER_00: You're gonna get more of it.
• 38:35
  SPEAKER_00: You are gonna get more of it.
• 38:37
  SPEAKER_00: So, how about just switching your language and your time with language and you know, things like grateful for what I am, I am financially free.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_00: So live it as in you're in that moment now, as opposed to um that fear state, because that can have an impact on your future, not just yourself, but also um when we talk about behavior, um, I do feel that like your kind of upbringing and your childhood has a big impact on how you treat money.
• 39:16
  SPEAKER_00: So you you know, in terms of like if you've come up from a background where you've not had much of it, it can be both ways.
• 39:25
  SPEAKER_00: You can either be scared and you want to say, say, say because you've been in a position where you know you've not been able to, your parents have struggled to put food on the table and things like that.
• 39:36
  SPEAKER_00: So you have that mindset, or you can be the complete opposite way and not being able to, you know, you you you're earning money, but you want to spend more because you've not had it before.
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_00: So behavioral it is quite deep, really, if you think about it in terms of finance, isn't it?
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's all linked.
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_02: I think how we look at life in general in all aspects of our life.
• 39:58
  SPEAKER_02: I think financial security is just one of the instincts of self that can be effective.
• 40:04
  SPEAKER_02: So your social instincts can be effective, how you're perceived by others, your financial instincts, your your roof over your head, security, food in your belly, you know, all these things.
• 40:14
  SPEAKER_02: There's these different instincts, and finance plays a part in it.
• 40:17
  SPEAKER_02: Unfortunately, you know, it's never been there since the dawn of time, but we've always traded as human beings.
• 40:21
  SPEAKER_02: We've always had to give something or gain something to be able to get ahead, to be accepted within the tribe, or we get kicked out, or wherever it was.
• 40:28
  SPEAKER_02: Prestige, the element of who we are, how we're perceived by others, all of that.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_02: So we've got all these different instincts that need to be kind of met.
• 40:35
  SPEAKER_02: And finance is one of those tricky ones because when you look outside of yourself and you look around you, there's so many ways that money can affect all of your instincts, your ego as well.
• 40:45
  SPEAKER_02: It can it can really be quite damaging.
• 40:47
  SPEAKER_02: But the thing is, people don't understand money, they think it's complicated, therefore they minimize it, push it down, and then spending habits change.
• 40:55
  SPEAKER_02: So maybe they spend, spend, spend, spend, spend because they think that's going to make them feel better.
• 40:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, actually looking at it from a different perspective and saying, well, have I got enough?
• 41:02
  SPEAKER_02: Am I putting enough away?
• 41:02
  SPEAKER_02: But if I'm putting enough away, what does that actually mean?
• 41:06
  SPEAKER_02: What for?
• 41:07
  SPEAKER_02: And it goes back to it, doesn't it?
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_00: What for?
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 41:10
  SPEAKER_02: And that and that's the and and that's the aspect that I think a lot of us don't.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_02: And that's what the beautiful thing about things like cash flow forecasting is, right?
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you can sit down with somebody, you can you can do a plan with them, and that's the financial plan.
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it's not like you know, stick it in here and I'll see you next year and we'll tell you how much you got in there.
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_02: It's look, what do you want to do?
• 41:26
  SPEAKER_02: When do you want to do it by?
• 41:28
  SPEAKER_02: How much do you think you'll need?
• 41:29
  SPEAKER_02: Why do you challenge them?
• 41:31
  SPEAKER_02: Why do you think you're gonna need that?
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_02: And I love all that aspect of it.
• 41:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I think, you know, again, that ties in with good financial planning, that ties in with really financial well-being because you're preempting, you can't even got a crystal ball, none of us have got crystal balls, but we can definitely create a plan.
• 41:45
  SPEAKER_02: And I suppose, as well, that fixed mindset of like, oh god, I've got to stick to the plan.
• 41:51
  SPEAKER_02: But actually, you don't have to stick to the plan, life changes, like the client you spoke about inherited some money in the end, right?
• 41:57
  SPEAKER_02: They inherited some money in the end.
• 41:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so there are changes that happen, and then your plan can change as life progresses.
• 42:03
  SPEAKER_02: But if we stick to this fixed mindset, it can isolate us, it can hold us back from being the best version of ourselves that we can be.
• 42:10
  SPEAKER_02: I battle that so often, so often within myself.
• 42:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 42:13
  SPEAKER_02: Can I ask you?
• 42:14
  SPEAKER_02: Let's go to your career, right?
• 42:15
  SPEAKER_02: And let's look at you work within the financial planning.
• 42:17
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, you're you're massively into the well-being side of things.
• 42:20
  SPEAKER_02: I've got all of that.
• 42:21
  SPEAKER_02: But how does that transcend?
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_02: How does that transfer across into the workplace?
• 42:25
  SPEAKER_02: So when it comes to working within financial planning, you've always been employed, haven't you?
• 42:31
  SPEAKER_02: Still I'm employed.
• 42:32
  SPEAKER_02: So you have 20 years of employment, you never went off and ran your own business or or anything along those lines.
• 42:36
  SPEAKER_02: Interested to know why.
• 42:38
  SPEAKER_02: But first of all, let's just look at uh what does culture mean to you and and the values of a company you work for?
• 42:45
  SPEAKER_02: How important is that to Bobby?
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_02: So Bobby's happy in the job that she's doing, so she can make the clients happy.
• 42:52
  SPEAKER_00: I think culture is top-down.
• 42:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's filtered through.
• 42:59
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so if you're again going back to if your intent is doing the right thing for your clients, for your people, yeah, and there's honesty, transparency, integrity, it's clear in a company that you work for, where um it filters through.
• 43:29
  SPEAKER_00: And this is where you know people talk about toxic environments, toxic workplaces, they hear toxic all the time.
• 43:36
  SPEAKER_00: What is toxic?
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_00: What would you say toxic is that?
• 43:40
  SPEAKER_02: Like I think toxicity within a culture is how somebody perceived a situation so personally.
• 43:50
  SPEAKER_02: So I would really struggle in a culture that was really closed because I'm an open person.
• 43:57
  SPEAKER_02: So for me, a toxic culture would.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_02: Be where nobody talks about anything, nobody shares how they feel.
• 44:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I yeah, absolutely.
• 44:06
  SPEAKER_00: So not being able to be your true self and have an opinion, or being um, or having an opinion, and then being afraid to voice that opinion, that to me is not a culture um that is healthy, where you can't voice yourself.
• 44:31
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, that that to me is very important.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like with my team as well, I encourage that openness.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I don't want to be the last person to know, but so I want to be the first person so we can put things right.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_00: I want them to be open, you know.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_00: If it's something that's gone on, then they they need to feel comfortable that they can speak, they can voice their opinions without it being a detriment to their future employment within this business, within the company.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's what it is.
• 45:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I said doing the right thing, it's not about profitability, uh it's not about squeezing um fees out of clients.
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_00: The investment, the product, the proposition, that's all there.
• 45:28
  SPEAKER_00: That's like a byproduct.
• 45:29
  SPEAKER_00: If your intent and you have integrity within your business, that you're not I'm trying to be say this in the most diplomatic way.
• 45:43
  SPEAKER_00: You can talk about culture and you can do theme days, and you can do and you can make yourself look like with this fantastic culture and all that kind of stuff, but it's how somebody feels within that business when they walk through those doors, can they be their authentic self?
• 46:09
  SPEAKER_00: And have they got a voice?
• 46:11
  SPEAKER_00: If they've got a voice, are they being listened to what actions are being taken?
• 46:15
  SPEAKER_00: To me, that is a healthy culture where there's genuine care, there's genuine, like it's it's transparent.
• 46:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's not we want this, but actually we don't want that.
• 46:30
  SPEAKER_00: We're saying we're we're all these things, you know, we're open, we're honest, we want your feedback, but actually we don't want it.
• 46:37
  SPEAKER_00: We're just saying it because we need to take a policy.
• 46:40
  SPEAKER_00: That to me is it's evident.
• 46:44
  SPEAKER_02: You were a top IFA for quite a few years running, but from the Times, yeah.
• 46:48
  SPEAKER_02: So in the Times you were voted top IFA for how many years running?
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_00: I was in the vouch, like in the vouch for um since 2019.
• 46:57
  SPEAKER_00: So, based on that's all based on client feedback um and reviews, yeah.
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_02: When it comes to culture and working for a company, do you think the culture determines whether or not somebody can be a high performer or not?
• 47:13
  SPEAKER_02: Do you think a high performer can go into a culture and get absolutely smashed apart and not be able to be the true person they can be?
• 47:20
  SPEAKER_02: Or do you think a performer can go into a culture and become a high performer?
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_00: I think it depends.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it can work both ways.
• 47:29
  SPEAKER_00: It depends what your values are and your morals, what's more important.
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, you can continue within a business and still be a high performer, but if internally things don't sit right, it will either consume you and you become a shadow of a person, and you won't be that top performer after time.
• 47:52
  SPEAKER_00: But it depends on you can either ignore it, but sometimes it's so you can only ignore it for so long.
• 47:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 47:59
  SPEAKER_02: So let's look at that then because some of these people that are going to be listening to this podcast are kind of possibly be sitting in a job right now where they are in conflict, they feel they can better themselves, and maybe they're just hoping that the culture will change.
• 48:13
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe the manager will listen to them, maybe that person they're working with will leave, or whatever it might well be, right?
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_02: And they're minimizing it and they're minimizing it.
• 48:23
  SPEAKER_02: What advice would you give to those individuals?
• 48:26
  SPEAKER_02: Have you experienced something like that in the past?
• 48:29
  SPEAKER_02: What would what advice would you give them now to get the courage to perhaps move forward, speak up, challenge?
• 48:39
  SPEAKER_02: Have you been in that situation and what would you say to them?
• 48:42
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, what I would say is go within.
• 48:47
  SPEAKER_00: What is important to you?
• 48:49
  SPEAKER_00: What is important to you?
• 48:51
  SPEAKER_00: What does that look like?
• 48:53
  SPEAKER_00: Where you are working, are you aligned?
• 48:57
  SPEAKER_00: Is it the same?
• 48:58
  SPEAKER_00: Can you do the best for your clients based on your like what your beliefs and your morals and your values are within that business?
• 49:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know, no, I wouldn't say no workplace is perfect.
• 49:10
  SPEAKER_00: You're always gonna, you know, your good days and your bad days.
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I have them all the time, but um where it, you know, you've got a moral compass, and there's things that you just know that they're not gonna change, or you've tried, then I would say don't wait for somebody else to leave, go and network, go and build connections, and you will find your place that you can be your authentic self.
• 49:43
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I'd say.
• 49:44
  SPEAKER_00: I said go out there, connect with people, put it on your vision board.
• 49:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's one thing I did actually.
• 49:50
  SPEAKER_00: One thing I did um kind of I think it was last year, is I want to work with I want to work with people that are aligned, that have got my same values, inspirational people.
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, how lucky are we at Atibo?
• 50:05
  SPEAKER_00: We have Johnny Wilkinson as our ambassador, meeting twice so far, and meeting him again next month.
• 50:11
  SPEAKER_00: But to me, like I say to the get like my team, I was like, I put this on my vision board, like it's there.
• 50:20
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, you know, these are the type of clients that I want to work with, these are the people that I want to surround myself with.
• 50:25
  SPEAKER_00: So put it out there.
• 50:27
  SPEAKER_00: Like, if you're not not even if you even if you are happy where you are, put something in place in terms of where you see yourself.
• 50:38
  SPEAKER_00: Don't just look at now, and otherwise you're just gonna plod along, plod along, plod along.
• 50:43
  SPEAKER_00: Have some clear defined goals, and whether that's something material about you know the kind of house that you want to live with, live in, the car that you want to drive, um, the holidays that you want to, you know, the schools that you want your children to go to, um health, you know, your goals, everybody's goals are different.
• 51:06
  SPEAKER_00: What do you want?
• 51:07
  SPEAKER_00: Work-life balance, what does that look like?
• 51:09
  SPEAKER_00: That's different to everybody.
• 51:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um and just generally, in terms of I think it's down to the feelings, how you want to feel.
• 51:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's very important.
• 51:21
  SPEAKER_02: I think, yeah, I think you bang on there.
• 51:24
  SPEAKER_02: And I think you do need to when you when you okay, let's look at this because I think it's really important because there's a lot of people that stay in jobs they hate and they stay where they are and hope it changes.
• 51:35
  SPEAKER_02: They hope the environment changes.
• 51:38
  SPEAKER_02: They hope that that's going to change to get what they want out of their life instead of taking the step to actually get what they want, right?
• 51:45
  SPEAKER_02: We have a choice.
• 51:46
  SPEAKER_02: We can go out and get what we want, and it's probably out there, but you're just being put off by maybe a fear of failure, I don't have enough experience, I'm not good enough, or maybe you're that bit downtrodden because of the environment that you're actually in.
• 51:58
  SPEAKER_02: So, where would they start?
• 51:59
  SPEAKER_02: You know, when you say vision board, what are they doing?
• 52:01
  SPEAKER_02: Are they cutting pieces out of a magazine and sticking it on it?
• 52:03
  SPEAKER_02: Or are they gonna be a combination?
• 52:05
  SPEAKER_02: Tell us about the process that someone could actually go through and what you've done the first.
• 52:08
  SPEAKER_00: If you've never done one before, I would say like read read up a little bit on it.
• 52:12
  SPEAKER_00: There's lots of like I said, videos on YouTube, TikTok, etc.
• 52:16
  SPEAKER_00: There's a lot of um kind of famous celebrities that do vision boards.
• 52:20
  SPEAKER_00: So there's there's a lot of content out there on social media.
• 52:23
  SPEAKER_00: My kind of um first kind of, I would say the the big kind of uh epiphany moment within my career was when I first started.
• 52:35
  SPEAKER_00: I was quite fortunate at the age of 22 when I worked at West Bromwich Building Society.
• 52:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we did a three-day um course with um Tony Robbins.
• 52:46
  SPEAKER_00: So we did a firewalk then.
• 52:48
  SPEAKER_00: When I came back, so the leadership team at that time were very much into like vision boards and things like that.
• 52:54
  SPEAKER_00: And um, one of the guys at West Brom was like, Oh, Bobby, put your vision board together.
• 53:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, how's this like?
• 53:02
  unknown: Oh, what is it all about?
• 53:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like, how is that gonna make any difference?
• 53:05
  SPEAKER_00: Like, how is that gonna get me to where I need to get to?
• 53:09
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, I did it because I was told to do it, and cut all these, like what kind of house I wanted to thing in.
• 53:18
  SPEAKER_00: But one of the things that I've always done is top advisor of the year, like that's what I wanted, like um the salary, it's worked for me, the holidays and the car that I want to drive.
• 53:31
  SPEAKER_00: That's where I would start off.
• 53:33
  SPEAKER_00: And also, as you start to don't think about the how, think about what you actually want, because you will get there.
• 53:44
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes, you know, things like, like I said, like salary, I've put that on there, what I want, and I've put like kind of quite big amounts on there, and when it's happened, I'm like, oh my god, I can't should have put more, because it's to the penny, it's worked, and I was just like, and I've shared this story before in the past.
• 54:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and sometimes it's like when you see things as a setback, it's because there's something bigger that's coming.
• 54:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I've done it in the past where, and it's only ever happened to me once, where I got turned down, not turned down, I got to the final two, and I was supposed to go into a role and then decided to give it to somebody within that team because they thought that this young female, these older IFOs are not going to be receptive to that.
• 54:34
  SPEAKER_00: That was the only reason.
• 54:36
  SPEAKER_00: But actually, the only reason I'd put that salary on there was because I thought I had to apply at this job, but it wasn't really the job that I wanted to do, but I applied for it because it fitted the salary, but it wasn't actually really what I wanted to do.
• 54:52
  SPEAKER_00: But within like two months, the salary that I'd put on the board was the next role that I took, but it was what I wanted to do.
• 54:59
  SPEAKER_00: So sometimes it's if you want to if you want to put something down, be quite specific in terms of don't let don't let a role fit that salary, fit the like put your what you want to earn.
• 55:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and some people write checks for themselves.
• 55:20
  SPEAKER_00: Jim Carrey, here's one.
• 55:21
  SPEAKER_00: Have you heard of this story?
• 55:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 55:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 55:24
  SPEAKER_00: So think things like that, it's just putting that, don't think about the how.
• 55:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um, like I said, the first time I did it was when I um came back from Tony Robbins and I did it all, put it away, and then forgot about it.
• 55:41
  SPEAKER_00: When I moved into my first home back in 2007, when I opened up my vision board, oh my god, like the house, I wanted a three-bed detached as my place.
• 55:52
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't want a semi-detach, I didn't want a terrice, I wanted tap chairs.
• 55:56
  SPEAKER_00: I'd cut out a picture from um uh just like off Google images.
• 56:02
  SPEAKER_00: And when I was unpacking and I had a look, oh my god, Sam, that house was identical to the one I'd moved in.
• 56:08
  SPEAKER_02: That's amazing.
• 56:09
  SPEAKER_00: To me, that was just like, but it's happened like I said so many times, like where I live now as well.
• 56:15
  SPEAKER_02: Like I think um, I think the whole manifestation, um, laws of attraction.
• 56:20
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, laws of attraction is is a scientifically proven in quantum physics, things attract.
• 56:27
  SPEAKER_02: Like, and it's the manifestation and manifesting something so deeply, I think you taking it out of your head and materializing it in words or materializing it in a picture makes it even stronger because it's no longer a thought and it's no longer at the mercy then of your internal dialogue.
• 56:44
  SPEAKER_02: It's out, it's achievable, it's something, and you know it's there.
• 56:48
  SPEAKER_02: And I think the visualization part where you actually cut things out and put it on there makes it even more real because you're seeing a picture of it.
• 56:53
  SPEAKER_02: And I think some of us need that.
• 56:55
  SPEAKER_02: Some of us need to take it out of our head and actually physically see the picture of something because it makes it more real than it's sitting inside your head, and then it's something you have to turn to and you can respond to.
• 57:05
  SPEAKER_02: I did actually do some research yesterday in 706% of businesses that incorporate vision boards into their businesses.
• 57:13
  SPEAKER_02: 70 percent 70 percent six percent of them achieve those goals when they put in a vision board.
• 57:18
  SPEAKER_02: So it's something that we're doing.
• 57:19
  SPEAKER_02: I've got a team of people that are very much into that.
• 57:20
  SPEAKER_02: We're quite spiritual.
• 57:21
  SPEAKER_00: We've done one as well.
• 57:22
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we're quite a spiritual team.
• 57:23
  SPEAKER_02: So we're we're having a goals meeting quite soon, but I want that to be a visualization one, and I want that to be a manifestation one, and I want that to be a vision board, and I'm all for it because everything that I've manifested is coming true.
• 57:35
  SPEAKER_02: It's funny about the house.
• 57:36
  SPEAKER_02: I said exactly the same thing detached, three bedroom, garden, garage, got it all.
• 57:40
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know, I don't know how I managed and in the countryside.
• 57:43
  SPEAKER_02: We don't think about the hair, do you just do it?
• 57:45
  SPEAKER_02: Just yeah, and it and it happened.
• 57:47
  SPEAKER_02: And I'll tell you what, the journey to that wasn't an easy journey.
• 57:50
  SPEAKER_02: No, but I got there, I got there, I got there in the end.
• 57:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and it takes you down different pathways, and some of those pathways are quite painful, but it's ups and it's the dangs, but you eventually get there.
• 58:01
  SPEAKER_02: So I do hear what you're saying there on that.
• 58:03
  SPEAKER_02: Lovely.
• 58:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you're a leader, you manage people, don't you?
• 58:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 58:07
  SPEAKER_02: What makes a great manager in financial planning?
• 58:11
  SPEAKER_00: Again, what I would say is for me, it's not about um okay, as a business, we have objectives, but as a leader, it's finding out we've got our objectives, I've got my personal objectives, the business has got their, but finding out what's important to them, every single member of my team, like they have all our vision boards, they have one out there, and it's having that kind of um relationship where I will support you and I will help you, and I will raise your profile as much or as little as you want to, and I'm there and I'll be your support.
• 58:54
  SPEAKER_00: I've been there, like I've I've kind of done, I've had people had good, really, really good mentors.
• 58:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm not a um kind of one of these where I want to see you clock time at nine o'clock and five o'clock.
• 59:09
  SPEAKER_00: No, can you just go and pick up your kids?
• 59:10
  SPEAKER_00: Go and pick up your kids, having that flexibility, but having that transparency and and honesty.
• 59:15
  SPEAKER_00: But actually, what is it that you want to do?
• 59:17
  SPEAKER_00: And some people might just be fine with I want to be in this role and I'm gonna stay in this role, and that's good.
• 59:23
  SPEAKER_00: How do we make that more enjoyable for you?
• 59:26
  SPEAKER_00: What does that look like?
• 59:28
  SPEAKER_00: So it's kind of connecting, that kind of it is, it's connecting with your people as well, connecting with hearts and minds and being um kind of uh open um and again, it goes maybe not everybody has it.
• 59:48
  SPEAKER_00: If you have that genuine care and intent that you want the best for your people, the people, your people will want the best for you, they will want to help you.
• 59:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I know I can call upon any of my team now, if even if it's after five o'clock and I need a favor, they will be there to support me because it's a two-way, it's a two-way thing.
• 1:00:10
  SPEAKER_00: It's that trust relationship, that's all it goes back to.
• 1:00:14
  SPEAKER_00: And this it's the same with clients, they trust you, they will work with you.
• 1:00:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's it, it's just clear, I think.
• 1:00:23
  SPEAKER_02: We've been on a bit of a journey with social media because I did a bit of social media stalking before.
• 1:00:27
  SPEAKER_02: That's how that's how I find that's how I found that's how I found out about you.
• 1:00:30
  SPEAKER_02: Well, Frank Bruno sharing you, and yeah, that's pretty cool.
• 1:00:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um tell us a little bit about social media because a lot of financial planners, financial advisors, they're quite nervous about getting out there on social media.
• 1:00:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's always been a very judgmental profession, and I think people are actually leading the way when it comes to social media content out there, especially within financial planning, financial coaching, and all those elements.
• 1:00:56
  SPEAKER_02: Tell us a little bit about your social media journey because you seem to be investing a bit of energy and a bit of time in that.
• 1:01:01
  SPEAKER_02: Are you reaping the rewards?
• 1:01:03
  SPEAKER_02: Is it something you recommend other financial planners do?
• 1:01:06
  SPEAKER_02: And how do you just get over that fear and get stuck in and do it?
• 1:01:09
  SPEAKER_00: I think in the world that we're in now, digital, digital world, clients will research you.
• 1:01:15
  SPEAKER_00: They will put your name in Google, they will have a look at your vouch for reviews, and they will look at your LinkedIn profiles and have a look.
• 1:01:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I I've seen it in the past where I've had a new client meeting, people that have pro viewed your profile, and it will be that client before your meeting.
• 1:01:31
  SPEAKER_00: So it's, I would say it's about when you meet somebody face to face, they get to know you.
• 1:01:38
  SPEAKER_00: On social media, just having your picture and where you work is just not enough.
• 1:01:44
  SPEAKER_00: They need to know a little bit about what you're about and what you're and there's some things that will you will connect with, and I and I do get clients that will um reach out to me and and opportunities that have come my way because something resonates.
• 1:02:00
  SPEAKER_00: I think I put a post up in you comment in Isam about um was it New Year end of year and people and values and morals.
• 1:02:09
  SPEAKER_00: So you just don't know what you're in terms of what you're going through, somebody may have been on that journey or it resonates.
• 1:02:19
  SPEAKER_00: Quite a few people private message me at that particular post, and it's a way of them.
• 1:02:26
  SPEAKER_00: I don't overshare, so you will never see me put in what I've had for dinner or any of that.
• 1:02:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I don't do that, but I like to share like client stories for people to know a little bit about my values because that's what I want to attract in.
• 1:02:43
  SPEAKER_00: I want to attract like-minded, I want to work with like-minded people, I want my clients to be like-minded people because I just feel that you know, in that sense, it makes it a more enjoyable work-life balance.
• 1:03:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and you know, who wouldn't want your clients to be your friends?
• 1:03:04
  SPEAKER_00: But initially that journey started with um actually Leah, Leah Turner, we spoke about her as well.
• 1:03:11
  SPEAKER_00: So we did a bit of training with her last year, attended one of her parties, and um I'm actually with with Leah and a few others off LinkedIn off to Mount Killy next week.
• 1:03:24
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, good luck.
• 1:03:25
  SPEAKER_02: I did see her advertising that.
• 1:03:26
  SPEAKER_02: Good luck with that.
• 1:03:27
  SPEAKER_02: So you're going next week.
• 1:03:28
  SPEAKER_02: Is it is it how long are you doing it?
• 1:03:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's about how many days weekend, is it?
• 1:03:32
  SPEAKER_02: Seven.
• 1:03:33
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 1:03:35
  SPEAKER_02: How many of you are going?
• 1:03:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think there's over 20 now.
• 1:03:39
  SPEAKER_00: I joined quite late in the group.
• 1:03:40
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't know it was um, it was that that group actually.
• 1:03:43
  SPEAKER_00: They they actually was it January they'd all signed up.
• 1:03:47
  SPEAKER_00: I only signed up in October.
• 1:03:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um just because I wanted to do something.
• 1:03:51
  SPEAKER_00: I actually wanted to do something this year.
• 1:03:53
  SPEAKER_00: Last year I did the boxing, the white colour boxing event.
• 1:03:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um and I wanted to do this something this year, but again, life tight's over, I've had lots going on, and I just couldn't fit anything in, changing roles, moving to a Tebo in October.
• 1:04:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I thought, and I was speaking to again, someone from LinkedIn, Aspire Adventures, Jason.
• 1:04:13
  SPEAKER_00: I was really want to do something.
• 1:04:15
  SPEAKER_00: And he's like, Well, I said, but time-wise, and he was like, I said, I want to do something in the new year.
• 1:04:20
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, just co you know, coincidentally, it happened to be the same group as um Leah and uh Hopeful.
• 1:04:28
  SPEAKER_00: So we're raising some money for um for for that charity and Hopeful.
• 1:04:34
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, next week I'm off.
• 1:04:36
  SPEAKER_02: So there we go, though.
• 1:04:37
  SPEAKER_02: But the prime example, if we look back on it, right, in a kind of simple way, if you wouldn't have put yourself out there on social media, if you wouldn't have started getting some um advice from Leah Turner about how to get yourself out on LinkedIn and how to use LinkedIn to your advantage, you wouldn't be doing some of these fantastic things.
• 1:04:53
  SPEAKER_02: You know, even the fact that you and I are having a conversation, I saw you because you were sharing content.
• 1:04:58
  SPEAKER_02: I commented on your post, you were thinking, who the hell is this Sam Oaks?
• 1:05:01
  SPEAKER_02: And all of a sudden we're back and forth, and now we're here talking.
• 1:05:03
  SPEAKER_02: Now I I I see value in who you are.
• 1:05:07
  SPEAKER_02: I want to align myself to someone like you.
• 1:05:09
  SPEAKER_02: And we find those people, we connect, and we help each other and we raise each other's profiles up even further.
• 1:05:15
  SPEAKER_02: Like the amount of business I've generated on LinkedIn purely from in bank since setting up the financial plan of life is insane.
• 1:05:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 1:05:22
  SPEAKER_02: The content I put out gets millions, you know, over the years, millions of views.
• 1:05:26
  SPEAKER_02: The the podcast episodes to think that I'm in the ear of 10,000 people every month without even having to get out of bed, it's kind of quite exciting because people are hearing me and they're learning and then they're seeing the value in me.
• 1:05:38
  SPEAKER_00: So when I actually pick the phone up, yeah, they're connecting with, yeah.
• 1:05:42
  SPEAKER_00: And they this is what I said to Leah when we when I first met.
• 1:05:45
  SPEAKER_00: I said, Leah, I feel like I already know you.
• 1:05:47
  SPEAKER_00: That's how I feel like, and that's what it is, and it's just be having that presence on there.
• 1:05:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you will attract like minded.
• 1:05:55
  SPEAKER_00: I said, like I've had um I think this week I've had three potential clients.
• 1:06:00
  SPEAKER_00: That have contacted me just and again never met them, just senior profile.
• 1:06:04
  SPEAKER_00: Actually, you just just by fate, you know, this is what I was looking for.
• 1:06:08
  SPEAKER_00: Can you help me?
• 1:06:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I can.
• 1:06:10
  SPEAKER_00: So my role now is more business development as opposed to kind of financial planning.
• 1:06:14
  SPEAKER_00: But I can't let go of the financial planning just yet.
• 1:06:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:06:18
  SPEAKER_00: Because I don't want to.
• 1:06:19
  SPEAKER_00: I can't.
• 1:06:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so I'm still kind of doing a dual role, but um in terms of the opportunities for business development by LinkedIn have been huge.
• 1:06:29
  SPEAKER_00: Massive, massive.
• 1:06:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 1:06:31
  SPEAKER_02: You should listen to a podcast episode I did uh with Paula Forsberg.
• 1:06:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we go deep on LinkedIn.
• 1:06:37
  SPEAKER_02: So for about an hour, we just talk about all the different things that you can do on LinkedIn to generate business.
• 1:06:42
  SPEAKER_02: I'm sure Leah Turner is obviously you know agreed, she's does a fantastic job on that as well.
• 1:06:46
  SPEAKER_02: But we definitely add value within that, especially within financial planning.
• 1:06:49
  SPEAKER_02: So it's definitely worth um taking a look at that.
• 1:06:52
  SPEAKER_02: Look, I'm a massive advocate of LinkedIn.
• 1:06:54
  SPEAKER_02: There's a huge amount of business, it is essentially networking on steroids, and you are and you are able to promote yourself in exactly the way that you want to do it.
• 1:07:02
  SPEAKER_02: You definitely need to just keep on doing it.
• 1:07:05
  SPEAKER_02: For you, it's a snowball over the next few years.
• 1:07:07
  SPEAKER_00: It gets easier as well.
• 1:07:09
  SPEAKER_00: It gets easier.
• 1:07:09
  SPEAKER_00: I think when you're doing your first post and you think, oh my god, this sounds cringe and it's so long.
• 1:07:15
  SPEAKER_00: But now you just when you have for me, if I think of something, I'm like, oh, could do a post on that.
• 1:07:22
  SPEAKER_00: And it just comes and it comes so naturally now that putting a post together and putting the words together because it's coming from here, it's so much easier.
• 1:07:31
  SPEAKER_02: And just have the courage to actually go through with it.
• 1:07:33
  SPEAKER_02: You know, if it's something that means something to you, then it probably means something to somebody else.
• 1:07:37
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that often I I muck about and I think I write something and I go, uh, hovering over it.
• 1:07:43
  SPEAKER_02: Should I, shouldn't I, should I, shouldn't I?
• 1:07:45
  SPEAKER_02: And when I do, I get an amazing response.
• 1:07:47
  SPEAKER_02: If I say usually when I say something from the heart, you know exactly that.
• 1:07:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:07:52
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what I said, you'll connect with people on that side.
• 1:07:55
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'd rather much in terms of business development rather than going, oh, I'm not into breakfast clubs and all that kind of stuff.
• 1:08:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'd rather spend more time on this and connect with people that want to connect with me.
• 1:08:09
  SPEAKER_02: 100%.
• 1:08:09
  SPEAKER_02: I've been asked to do I've been asked to do seminars, stand up in front of people and talk.
• 1:08:14
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like, well, I don't actually need to do that.
• 1:08:17
  SPEAKER_02: That's very old school.
• 1:08:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I do it to teach myself how to step outside of my comfort zone because I actually get uncomfortable having to stand up and present.
• 1:08:27
  SPEAKER_02: But talking to people on a podcast, knowing those of people are listening, put myself out on social media, that's become a confidence thing for me now.
• 1:08:34
  SPEAKER_01: It's easy.
• 1:08:35
  SPEAKER_02: But why would I when I can when I could be in front of a hundred thousand people on social media on a monthly basis?
• 1:08:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, why would I want to go and sit in a room with people?
• 1:08:44
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I'll do it every now and then if it's the right thing for me to do to raise my profile and to connect with the right people.
• 1:08:50
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I've made way better connections through LinkedIn.
• 1:08:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, than I don't use any of the social platforms.
• 1:08:58
  SPEAKER_02: LinkedIn for me is just the place to be if you want to make money and raise your profile and connect and progress your career.
• 1:09:06
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I think it is like career networking on steroids as well.
• 1:09:10
  SPEAKER_02: I have to leave us right there because I've got another podcast to do.
• 1:09:15
  SPEAKER_02: So it's been lovely getting to know you, Bobby.
• 1:09:19
  SPEAKER_02: And I want to get to know you some more.
• 1:09:20
  SPEAKER_02: So I feel like this is the beginning of a journey of us knowing each other.
• 1:09:23
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, absolutely.
• 1:09:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:09:24
  SPEAKER_02: I think if anybody's listening, give Bobby a follow.
• 1:09:27
  SPEAKER_02: She's excellent value on LinkedIn.
• 1:09:29
  SPEAKER_02: Reach out to her.
• 1:09:30
  SPEAKER_02: I'm sure be interested in hearing from you know anybody that's gonna kind of you know listening to the episode.
• 1:09:34
  SPEAKER_02: What would be your one final parting bit of advice to anybody listening right now who might be at the beginning of their journey, Bobby?
• 1:09:43
  SPEAKER_00: Keep going.
• 1:09:45
  SPEAKER_00: That's it, keep going.
• 1:09:46
  SPEAKER_00: You're beginning of your journey, just keep going.
• 1:09:48
  SPEAKER_00: If it's uh if you're talking about social media and posting, it's consistency, consistency will get you to where you need to go.
• 1:09:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, don't stop.
• 1:10:00
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
• 1:10:00
  SPEAKER_02: And any advice for any aspiring financial planners.
• 1:10:05
  SPEAKER_00: I would say think about why.
• 1:10:09
  SPEAKER_00: What is your why?
• 1:10:10
  SPEAKER_00: Why do you want to become a get yourself a mentor?
• 1:10:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I say.
• 1:10:14
  SPEAKER_00: Having somebody there that's been through your journey will put you in front of the rest.
• 1:10:25
  SPEAKER_00: So a mentor is very a good one.
• 1:10:28
  SPEAKER_00: I've got two.
• 1:10:29
  SPEAKER_02: Surround yourself with the people who have been there, done it, and got the t-shirt.
• 1:10:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 1:10:33
  SPEAKER_02: You know, yeah, they'll give you the shortcuts to where you've got to get to.
• 1:10:36
  SPEAKER_02: In fact, I've got a couple of coaches, coaches I'm looking at, and mentors that I'm looking at.
• 1:10:40
  SPEAKER_02: And for me, and and and naturally, I've gravitated towards some over the last year, and it's been instrumental in allowing me to open my mind because a lot of the ideas that I often have have been quite in here.
• 1:10:51
  SPEAKER_02: As soon as I speak to two or three people that have been there, got it done, and got the t-shirt, they're like, that's actually brilliant.
• 1:10:56
  SPEAKER_02: So you get your validation.
• 1:10:58
  SPEAKER_00: See that validation, confirmation, don't you?
• 1:11:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, definitely.
• 1:11:01
  SPEAKER_02: Validation and confirmation is so important.
• 1:11:03
  SPEAKER_02: So believe in yourself, reach out to people, get that validation and confirmation, and it will push you forward to the next level.
• 1:11:09
  SPEAKER_02: Because life's just levels, isn't it?
• 1:11:10
  SPEAKER_02: Levels of confidence.
• 1:11:11
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, definitely.
• 1:11:12
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 1:11:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's all learning.
• 1:11:14
  SPEAKER_00: And if you think you're at the top level, you're not.
• 1:11:16
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 1:11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Because there is it carries on and on and on, and yeah.
• 1:11:21
  SPEAKER_02: Fantastic.
• 1:11:22
  SPEAKER_02: Bobby, thank you so much for your time and uh looking forward to keeping it.
• 1:11:25
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Sam, and I'll catch up with you soon.
• 1:11:28
  SPEAKER_02: Cheers, mate.