Talk FS

Romany Youell became the UK's youngest financial advisor at 18. In this episode of Talk FS, she talks to Ryan Venner about the mentors, setbacks and one pivotal networking event that shaped her career.
Romany grew up sitting in client meetings alongside her father, a mortgage adviser who built his business from his spare bedroom. She dropped out of college at 16, joined his firm, and became the UK's youngest ever financial adviser after an exception was made to Quilter's usual age requirements. Today she runs The Finance Woman, a business built around clients the traditional industry has often overlooked, including women, business owners and non-traditional professionals, and she's now mentoring the next generation of advisers herself.Watch the Video Version Here: https://youtu.be/ODpOSdIP9nQ

Lifestyle financial planning is the approach that transformed Nick Lincoln's career, and in this episode of Talk FS, he explains why it's made his advice business one of the stickiest in the industry.
Nick is an independent financial adviser and founder of Values to Vision Financial Planning, with over 20 years' experience in the industry. He entered financial services almost by accident in 1993 before qualifying as an IFA in 2001. In 2008, a chance seminar introduced him to lifestyle financial planning, and he's used it with every client since, building a business of 85 families with what he describes as a near-zero attrition rate.
In this conversation with host Ryan Venner, Nick discusses:
- How he stumbled into financial services with no long-term plan, and why he never left
- What lifestyle financial planning actually is, and why cash flow modelling changes client conversations
- Giving clients "permission" to spend the money they've spent a lifetime saving
- Why he believes AI will increase, not reduce, the need for human financial advisers
- How to build the judgement and resilience new advisers need to guide clients through market downturns
- Why he thinks the "advice gap" is really a money gap
- The value of consistency, trust and treating every client the same way, regardless of wealth
Whether you're an adviser, a paraplanner, or considering a career in financial services, this episode is a candid, unfiltered look at what it actually takes to build a long-term advice business rooted in trust rather than product-pushing.
🎧 Subscribe to Talk FS for more conversations with the people shaping the future of financial services.
Guest: Nick Lincoln, Values to Vision Financial Planning
Website: https://www.v2vfp.co.uk/
Podcast: The Real Adviser Podcast, https://www.therealadviserpodcast.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hattipnick/
Prefer to Watch?https://youtu.be/eysKzwK1nG8
 

Self-employed paraplanner Rebecca Hewick joins Talk FS just two weeks into launching her own paraplanning business, and she's pulling back the curtain on exactly what it took to get there.In this episode, host Ryan Venner sits down with Rebecca to trace her career from financial services administration, through para planning and leadership, to taking the leap into business ownership. They dig into:
 
✅ What really pushed Rebecca to go self-employed, and why it wasn't about the money
✅ The practical steps to prepare for self-employment in financial services (IT, insurance, security, notice periods)
✅ Why building a genuine professional community and network matters more than people think
✅ The evolving role of the paraplanner — and why "report writing" is dying out
✅ The difference between transactional paraplanning and true collaborative partnership with advisers
✅ Why Rebecca chose paraplanning over becoming a financial adviser
✅ Her advice for anyone considering the leap into self-employment
 
Whether you're a paraplanner thinking about going independent, an adviser wanting to understand how to get the best from your paraplanning support, or just curious about career paths within financial services, this conversation is full of honest, practical insight.🎙️ Talk FS is the podcast for professionals in, or entering, the financial services industry, hosted by Ryan Venner.
👉 Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping careers in financial services.

Financial planning coaching is transforming the way advisers build relationships with clients.In this episode of Talk FS, Ryan Venner sits down with Adrian Kidd, host of the Emotionally Invested podcast, to explore why the future of financial planning is about far more than numbers. From his early career in investment banking to becoming a financial planner focused on coaching and behavioural finance, Adrian shares how understanding people is becoming one of the profession's most valuable skills.The conversation explores financial planning, coaching, behavioural finance, client relationships, emotional intelligence, AI in financial services and why advisers who can build trust and understand human behaviour will continue to thrive.Whether you're a financial adviser, planner, paraplanner or someone interested in the future of financial services, this episode offers valuable insights into the changing role of advice and what clients really value.Connect with Adrian Kidd:🌐 Website: https://www.eqfinancialplanning.co.uk/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-kidd-eq-financial-planning/🎙️ Emotionally Invested Podcast: https://emotionally-invested.alitu.com/1?order=newest

Women in financial advice are helping reshape the future of financial planning.
Women in financial advice are helping reshape the future of financial planning. In this episode of Talk FS, Ryan Venner sits down with Danielle Sissons to discuss her journey into financial services, the challenges and opportunities facing women in financial advice, and why she chose to build a financial planning business that better reflects the needs of modern clients and advisers.
Danielle shares how a work experience placement first introduced her to the profession, the importance of balancing technical expertise with strong relationship skills, and the role mentorship has played throughout her career. She also discusses returning to work after maternity leave, launching her own business, and her passion for helping close the gender wealth gap.
The conversation explores financial planning, women in finance, entrepreneurship, financial coaching, leadership, mentorship, AI in financial services, and the future of client relationships in advice.
Whether you're considering a career in financial planning, building your own advice business, or looking to attract more women into financial services, this episode is packed with valuable insights.
About Danielle Sissons:
Danielle Sissons has spent more than a decade in financial services and recently launched her own financial planning business. Her mission is to help close the gender wealth gap, improve financial literacy, and create more flexible opportunities for women in financial services.
Throughout the episode, Danielle shares practical insights from her own career journey, discusses the challenges facing the profession, and explains why attracting and retaining more women in financial advice is essential for the future of financial planning.
 

Mortgage advice is about far more than interest rates.
In this episode of Talk FS, Ryan Venner sits down with Rob Gill, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Altura Mortgage Finance, to discuss his journey from investment banking into mortgage advice and the lessons he has learned from nearly three decades in financial services.
After graduating from Exeter University with a degree in Economics, Rob began his career as an Equity Trader before making the move into mortgage broking just before the 2008 financial crisis. He shares how resilience, adaptability, and long-term thinking helped him navigate economic uncertainty, build successful businesses, and develop a leadership style centred around culture and values.
The conversation explores mortgage advice, entrepreneurship, leadership, recruitment, and the importance of creating opportunities for the next generation entering financial services.
Whether you're a mortgage broker, financial services professional, business owner, or someone looking to build a long-term career in the industry, this episode is packed with valuable insights.
About Rob Gill: Rob Gill graduated from Exeter University with a degree in Economics and began his career in investment banking, working as an Equity Trader for Japanese bank Nomura. He later moved into mortgage broking before co-founding his own firm in 2009 and subsequently co-founding Altura Mortgage Finance in 2019.
Rob has worked with a wide variety of clients throughout his career, including first-time buyers, home movers, self-employed borrowers, high-net-worth individuals, and international clients.
Rob's Links:
Altura Mortgage Finance: https://alturamortgagefinance.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgill1/
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#MortgageAdvice #MortgageBroker #FinancialServices #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Property #MortgageIndustry #TalkFS

Mortgage advice is evolving, and in this episode of Talk FS, Ryan Venner sits down with Sarah Tucker, founder of The Mortgage Mum, to explore how branding, content, and authenticity are reshaping the mortgage industry.
Sarah shares the journey behind building one of the most recognisable brands in UK mortgage advice, discussing everything from growing a business and building a team to creating content that genuinely connects with clients.
The conversation covers the challenges of entrepreneurship, balancing business and family life, and the importance of personal branding in modern financial services. Sarah also shares insights into leadership, social media, and how advisers can stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
Whether you're a mortgage adviser, financial professional, business owner, or someone interested in building a personal brand, this episode is packed with practical insights and honest experiences.
About Talk FS: Talk FS is a podcast from Premier Jobs UK, featuring conversations with professionals across the financial services industry. Each episode explores business growth, career journeys, and the future of financial services.

Protection insurance explained in this episode of Talk FS, where host Ryan Venner is joined by Karla Edwards, founder of The Protection Parent.
Karla shares how she unexpectedly entered financial services, built a successful protection business through social media, and became one of the UK’s strongest advocates for better protection awareness.
In this episode, Ryan and Karla discuss:
✅ Why protection insurance education matters more than ever
✅ The importance of income protection, critical illness cover and life insurance
✅ What advisors need to know about Global Treatment and Zurich Accelerate
✅ How Karla built The Protection Parent brand through authentic social media content
✅ Social media strategies for mortgage and protection advisors
✅ Why “conscience over commission” is central to Karla’s business philosophy
If you work in financial services, mortgages, protection or financial advice, this episode offers valuable insight into educating clients, building trust, and growing a personal brand in the industry.
🎙️ Guest: Karla Edwards – Founder of The Protection Parent
Subscribe for more interviews with leading professionals across financial services, mortgages, recruitment, protection and adviser businesses.
Karla's links:
The Protection Parent: https://theprotectionparent.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karla-edwards-9ba043189/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theprotectionparent
#ProtectionInsurance #FinancialServices #IncomeProtection #CriticalIllnessCover #LifeInsurance #MortgageAdvisers #ProtectionParent

Transitioning into a career in financial advice is the focus of this episode of Talk FS, as Ryan Venner sits down with Matt Machan to explore his journey from professional cricket into building a successful financial planning business.
After his cricket career was cut short through injury, Matt was forced to rethink his future earlier than expected. In this conversation, he shares how the mindset, discipline, and resilience developed in elite sport helped him transition into financial services and launch his own advice business.
Matt discusses the challenges of entering a completely new industry, lessons from building client relationships, and what advisers can learn from applying a professional athlete mindset to business growth.
Whether you're considering a career in financial advice, growing your own firm, or interested in career transitions into financial services, this episode is packed with valuable insights.
Chapters
00:30 – Introduction Who is Matt Machan?
01:34 – Leaving Professional Cricket Behind How injury changed Matt’s career path
03:13 – Why Financial Advice? Choosing a new direction after sport
07:52 – Adapting to the Real World The biggest challenges after elite sport
10:09 – Building a Financial Advice Business Early wins, exams, and business growth
12:23 – Thinking Long-Term in Business Moving from seasons to long-term planning
15:28 – Scaling the Business the Right Way Growth, systems, and future plans
18:20 – Building a Client Base From Scratch Why Matt didn’t rely on his sporting network
24:24 – The Importance of Mentorship Learning from experienced advisers
27:05 – What Matt Would Do Differently Lessons from building a business
28:54 – Career Lessons From Sport How elite sport shaped his mindset
29:40 – Outro Final reflections and takeaways
About Talk FS:
Talk FS is a podcast from Premier Jobs UK, featuring conversations with professionals across the financial services industry. Each episode explores career journeys, industry insights, and the future of financial advice.

Building a successful financial planning business is the focus of this episode of Talk FS, as Ryan Venner is joined by James Woodfall to explore what it takes to grow and sustain a modern financial advice firm.
James shares his experience working within financial planning, offering insight into how advisers can build strong client relationships, develop their proposition, and create a business that delivers long-term value. From winning new clients to maintaining trust and delivering consistent advice, this episode provides practical takeaways for financial advisers at all stages of their career.
The conversation also dives into the challenges facing today’s financial advice profession, including client expectations, business growth, and maintaining high standards in a competitive market. James offers his perspective on what separates successful advisers and how firms can continue to evolve.
Whether you're an established financial adviser or looking to grow your financial planning business, this episode is packed with actionable insights and real-world experience.
About Talk FS Talk FS is a podcast from Premier Jobs UK, featuring conversations with professionals across the financial services industry. Each episode explores real stories, career journeys, and insights shaping the future of financial advice.