What happens when you walk away from a successful career and start again in mid-life?

In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, Dennis cooks a Turkish feast while we sit down with marketing leader and entrepreneur Paul Mills.

After years in senior corporate marketing roles, Paul chose to leave the security of employment and build his own business, working with companies as a fractional marketing leader and strategic adviser.

Over dinner we talk about the realities of that transition, including:

• the mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur • the financial realities of building a business later in life • how your relationship with money changes in your 50s • why many founders quietly see their business as part of their long-term financial plan

It's an honest conversation about reinvention, risk and what it really takes to start again.

Along the way Dennis prepares a Turkish meze feast, proving once again that some of the best financial conversations happen around a table.

About Paul Mills

Paul Mills is a fractional CMO and marketing adviser who works with organisations looking for experienced strategic marketing leadership without the need for a full-time hire. After many years in senior corporate roles, he founded his own advisory practice and now helps leadership teams bring clarity and commercial focus to their marketing.

You can find Paul at:

https://www.vcmo.uk/

Connect & Subscribe: Enjoyed the episode? Make sure you subscribe and join us next time for more conversations that blend food, life, and smart money decisions.

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Contact us: [email protected]

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

What happens when the person who planned everything for you dies at 38?

In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, we sit down with Emma Gray, founder of Rainbow Hunting, former wills and probate solicitor, and widow.

Over Dennis's Japanese black cod with miso, we talk about grief, preparation, and the emotional handrails that matter when life changes overnight.

We explore:

• What grief really feels like, physically as well as emotionally

• The "sadmin" no one prepares you for

• Why powers of attorney are not just for later life

• The balance between living fully now and planning responsibly for the future

• How financial planning can protect the people you love from chaos

Emma brings both professional expertise and lived experience to a conversation that is honest, practical and deeply human.

Because financial planning is never just about numbers. It is about people.

About Emma Gray

Emma Gray is the founder of Rainbow Hunting, a therapeutic coaching practice supporting people through grief and major life transitions. A former wills and probate solicitor, Emma combines legal knowledge, counselling training and lived experience to help clients navigate both the emotional and administrative challenges that follow loss.

You can find Emma at: www.rainbowhunting.co.uk

Connect & Subscribe: Enjoyed the episode? Make sure you subscribe and join us next time for more conversations that blend food, life, and smart money decisions.

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Contact us: [email protected]

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

A Taste of Financial Planning brings together great food, honest chat and big life questions.

Each episode, Chartered Financial Planner and enthusiastic cook Dennis Hall invites a guest to lunch. Along with co-host Sarah Steele, they explore memories of money and food, before the guest gets to ask Dennis their own questions about financial planning.

No jargon. No judgement. Just good conversation over a meal Dennis has cooked himself.

Whether you're planning your future or just here for the food chat, you're always welcome at the table.

Lunch with Lee Spencer: Rowing Oceans, Climbing Mountains, and Finding Purpose

In the first episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, hosts Dennis Hall and Sarah Steele sit down for lunch with former Royal Marine, world record-breaking ocean rower and author, Lee Spencer.

Over a Caribbean-inspired lunch and a bold glass of Syrah, Lee shares the remarkable story of how he became The Rowing Marine. From a life-changing injury to crossing the Atlantic solo, climbing Kilimanjaro with his daughter, and even testing kit for NASA.

The conversation moves between resilience, purpose, loss and of course, money. Lee talks candidly about growing up in Dagenham, his family's financial struggles, and how those experiences shaped his views on security, success and satisfaction.

There's honesty, humour and debate as Dennis and Lee discuss what money is really for: chasing wild dreams, building a legacy, or simply feeling free.

On the menu

Dennis served a Caribbean-inspired menu, starting with a rum-based cocktail. The main course featured beef short rib cooked sous vide for 40 hours, glazed with rum, sugar, soy and lime zest, and served with coconut plantain purée, sweet potato and steamed broccoli.

Dessert: Rum, coconut and lime posset with toasted coconut flakes Wine pairing: Porseleinberg Syrah 2023 — rich, spicy and a perfect match for the bold flavours

In this episode, we talk about:

• Growing up with money worries and how early habits form

• Camaraderie and discipline in the Royal Marines

• Record-breaking adventures and learning from adversity

• Whether money is for living or leaving a legacy

• How planning for the future helps you live more fully in the present

• Debt, lessons from parents, and generational attitudes to money

• Happiness, purpose, and the things money can't buy

Find out more about Lee here: https://leespencer.co.uk/

Lee's book: https://amzn.eu/d/0ebu7dHU

Connect & Subscribe: Enjoyed the episode? Be sure to subscribe and join us next time for more conversations that blend food, life, and smart money decisions.

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Contact us: [email protected]

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

"You are good enough. You do know enough. You just need to start."

For the final episode in our summer series, we're joined by the brilliant and refreshingly honest Holly Mackay, CEO of Boring Money, to talk about the real barriers to financial confidence — and why money is never just about the numbers.

We dive into: – Why women still feel "rubbish with money" – The behavioural edge female investors may have (even if they don't know it) – Why "just doing nothing" might be the best investment strategy – The power of empathy in advice – And how to make financial planning feel less like a private club

Holly also shares her own story — from $8.50/hour unit pricing in Australia to becoming one of the most trusted voices in UK consumer finance. It's candid, funny, and deeply human.

Whether you're a financial professional, a reluctant investor, or simply someone trying to make better decisions for a longer life — this one's for you.

Don't forget to follow or subscribe — and let us know your favourite moment from the episode.

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Learn more about Holly's work at boringmoney.co.uk

Contact us: [email protected]

Produced by Yellowtail Financial Planning

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

In our second special summer episode of The Century Plan, we step outside the world of finance, but only just.

Dennis Hall and Sarah Steele are joined by Toby Swallow, a former world champion powerlifter turned strength coach, who now calls himself a health pension planner. His mission? Helping people build the physical reserves they'll need for a longer, more independent life.

We explore the powerful parallels between financial and physical planning, from building long-term reserves to avoiding crisis-driven decisions. Toby shares personal insights, practical steps, and a clear message: wealth alone won't protect you from frailty.

Whether you're planning for retirement, already there, or working with clients who are, this episode will challenge how you think about health, wealth, and what it really means to prepare for the future.

In this episode:

• Toby's journey from powerlifting champion to health coach

• What it means to build your "health pension"

• The connection between VO2 max, bone density, and longevity

• Why functional fitness matters more than aesthetics

• How to start building physical reserves — at any age

• The cost of waiting until it's too late

"Just because you look fit doesn't mean you're ready for what ageing brings. We plan financially, why not physically?"

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more conversations on long-term thinking, financial wellbeing, and living a life that matters.

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Contact us: [email protected]

Follow Toby on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/toby-swallow/

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

In the first of our summer specials, we're joined by Dr. Daniel Crosby - psychologist, behavioural finance expert, and author of The Soul of Wealth.

Daniel's work invites us to rethink wealth not as a number, but as something deeply connected to our values, our behaviour, and our vision of a meaningful life.

We explore:

• Why we often know the right thing to do with money, but still don't do it

• The hidden power of "Enough is a decision"

• Why women often outperform men as investors

• How the PERMA model helps us plan for fulfilment, not just freedom

• The small wins that make delayed gratification easier

• Why vulnerability could be an advisor's greatest strength

Whether you're building your financial future or helping others plan theirs, this episode is packed with insight, warmth, and actionable ideas.

Learn more about Daniel's book: The Soul of Wealth

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more conversations on long-term thinking, financial wellbeing, and living a life that matters.

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Guest: Daniel Crosby Ph.D

Contact us: [email protected]

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

In this season finale of The Century Plan, we wrap up our exploration of what often holds people back from engaging in financial planning. Throughout this season, we've tackled several common barriers and uncovered ways to overcome them. Here are some key factors we discussed:

• Difficulty connecting with our future selves: Many people struggle to envision their future and prioritise present desires over long-term goals.
• Perfectionism: The fear of making the "wrong" decision or not having all the perfect information can prevent action.
• Lack of time: We explored whether people truly don't have time for financial planning or if procrastination is the real issue.
• Decision overwhelm: With so many options available, the inability to make decisions can lead to inaction.
• Not knowing where to start: Financial planning can feel like a huge, overwhelming task, and not knowing where to begin stops many from taking action. We give you five actionable steps to help.
• Emotional barriers: Past financial mistakes or the emotional attachment to money can prevent people from taking the next step.
• Cost concerns: Many people hesitate to invest in financial planning due to concerns over cost, despite the potential for long-term savings.

If any of these resonate with you, you're not alone. Tune into this episode for a recap of the season and tips on how to get started with your own financial planning journey.

Useful information

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Contact us: [email protected]

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

In this episode, Sarah throws out a challenge to Dennis: Is financial planning actually worth it?

Is she about to regret her question!?

But it has to be addressed, because there are some who think it's a waste of time—believing pensions won't be there when they retire, their business or property will fund everything, or they'll just keep working. But are these assumptions really true?

In our latest episode of The Century Plan, we tackle the common myths that stop people from planning for their future. Financial planning isn't just about numbers—it's about making sure you have real choices later in life.

Listen now and find out why planning is worth it.

Useful information

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Contact us: [email protected]

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.

Our latest episode of The Century Plan explores a key question: How much does financial planning actually cost? And just as importantly, what value do you get in return?

Financial planning fees can sometimes seem unclear—hourly rates, fixed fees, percentages, subscriptions—so in this episode, we provide clarity. We explain how different charging models work, what to consider when choosing a planner, and how working with the right professional can help you make informed financial decisions that support your future.

We also discuss:

✔️ The impact of fees on your long-term investments ✔️ Why an initial conversation with a planner should be free of charge ✔️ The reassurance and structure that financial planning provides

As Dennis puts it: "Good financial planning helps you stay on track, even when the unexpected happens."

If cost has been a concern, this episode will help you understand how to assess value and make confident decisions about your financial future.

Useful information

Host: Dennis Hall

Host: Sarah Steele

Contact us: [email protected]

ABOUT YELLOWTAIL

Founded by Dennis Hall, Yellowtail are the trusted financial planners who advise individuals & families across the UK. Yellowtail's experts provide the clarity, control and confidence to guide you through financial planning, estate planning, pension transfers and investment management directing your journey towards a prosperous retirement and financial peace of mind.