The Plannex Podcast

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.