The Plannex Podcast

Philippa Hann, CEO of Paradigm Norton, joins the conversation to share her unconventional journey from lawyer. Spending 20 years suing financial firms to leading one of the UK’s most respected financial planning businesses.Together, they explore what Philippa learned from seeing the industry at its worst, why financial planning is “life-changing” when done well, and how she’s reshaping the firm alongside Barry through structure, leadership, and a shift toward organic growth.A candid conversation on career change, leadership transition, culture, and what the future of financial planning firms really looks like.

Barry Horner, a Founder of Paradigm Norton, shares the journey of building one of the UK’s most respected financial planning firms. From hand-to-mouth early days to scaling through acquisitions and transitioning to employee ownership.We explore the key decisions that shaped the firm, from pioneering fee-based advice in a commission-driven market to building a strong culture, hiring for values, and planning succession over the long term. A candid conversation on growth, mistakes, leadership, and what it really takes to build a financial planning business that lasts.

In Part Two of our conversation with Jo and Alfie from Emery Little, we go deeper into the realities of leadership, personal growth, and building a modern financial planning firm.Alfie shares his experience with imposter syndrome, explaining how self-doubt can still appear even for confident leaders, and why pushing through discomfort has been essential to his development. Jo reflects on her journey as a young female CEO in financial planning, the challenges that come with visibility in the industry, and the importance of representation.The conversation also explores how Emery Little is evolving internally. From experimenting with a pod-style team structure to overhauling their technology stack with Microsoft 365 and AI tools like Copilot.Jo and Alfie discuss leadership mistakes, communication challenges, and what they’ve learned from difficult decisions. They also share their ambitions for the firm’s future, including plans to scale toward £600m and eventually £1bn in assets, while maintaining a lean, high-performing team.A candid conversation about leadership, vulnerability, technology, and building a values-driven financial planning business.

In this episode of the Plannex Podcast, Adam Carolan & Rohan Sivajoti are joined by Jo and Alfie from Emery Little, a third-generation financial planning firm navigating leadership transition, strategic change, and the power of niche positioning. Jo, now CEO of the family-founded firm, shares the journey of stepping into leadership after her father, while Alfie reflects on his 18-year path from school leaver to key leader within the business. Together, they discuss the emotional and practical realities of succession, the importance of having a clear leader, and how coaching helped them navigate the transition. The conversation explores Emery Little’s transformation, from redefining their investment philosophy and fee structure to reshaping the team and doubling down on their niche advising BP employees and retirees. Jo and Alfie also reflect on lessons from a failed startup aimed at tech entrepreneurs, how the firm streamlined from 25 to 19 employees, and why culture - described internally as “joyful professional” - sits at the heart of their strategy. A candid conversation about leadership, niche strategy, culture, and evolving a family-founded financial planning firm for the next generation.

In Part Two, Sam Sloma dives into the niche that shaped Engage FS - advising professional footballers - and why that market runs on trust, discretion, and long-term agent relationships. While athletes make up 25% of the firm, the real growth engine is advising younger business owners exiting for £10m+. We explore how exit planning differs from traditional retirement advice, and why Sam uses financial planning software as a "red flag" tool rather than a forecasting crutch. We also discuss niche positioning, acquisition offers, scaling a UK financial planning firm, percentage vs fixed fees, and Sam's candid views on industry ego and long-term wealth planning.