You Built It. Can You Afford to Sell It?

In Episode 126, Louise Jeffreys joins the show to discuss M&A, valuations and the market forces reshaping financial planning.

We explore what firms are actually selling for, how buyers assess value, and why succession should begin years before an exit is agreed. Louise explains the difference between buy-side and sell-side models, the role of private equity in consolidation, and the importance of cultural fit over headline price.

We also discuss the emotional side of selling, the risks that derail transactions, and what the next phase of the advice profession may look like.

If you are building a firm today, this is a conversation about the future.

Financial Advice at the AI Crossroads: Empathy, Expertise, and Human Touch in the Agentic Era

In this episode of Soapbox, Matt, Abraham and Philippa Hann explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in financial services.

They examine whether AI challenges the empathy advantage of human advisers, the potential risks to entry-level roles, and the importance of protecting new professionals from scams. The discussion also addresses the debate around qualification standards and the persistent myth of market concentration risk.

A thoughtful conversation about how the profession adapts to technological change without compromising trust, competence and human judgement.

What does it look like to build a financial planning firm that is not designed to be sold?

In this episode, Abraham sits down with Andy Hounsell, Managing Director of Beyond Finance, to explore stewardship over ownership, leadership beyond control, and why succession should start far earlier than most advisers think.

Since taking over the business in 2015, Andy has reshaped the firm around long-term responsibility rather than short-term valuation. A significant proportion of profits are committed to a charitable trust. An employee share scheme allows the team to participate in dividends. And the ownership structure is being designed to ensure the firm transcends its founder.

This is a conversation about:

• Designing a firm to outlast you
• Moving from manager to multiplier
• Taking risks to unlock real growth
• Sharing equity and responsibility with your team
• Planning for generations rather than an exit

If you are building a business you want to endure, not simply monetise, this episode will challenge how you think about leadership, ownership and scale.

In Episode 124 of Adviser 3.0, we are joined by Ian Dempsey to explore what it really takes to build a modern advice business.

From going independent and finding his voice, to using content with intent rather than chasing followers, Ian shares a grounded perspective on growth, credibility, and control. He explains why independence brings responsibility, why audience size is often misunderstood, and why behavioural coaching has become a core part of how he adds value to clients.

This is a practical conversation for advisers thinking seriously about independence, visibility, and how to build a business that lasts without losing focus on what matters.

In this episode of Adviser 3.0 The Podcast, Abraham is joined by Ashton Chritchlow, Managing Director and owner of IFC Max, to unpack one of the rarest outcomes in financial advice: internal succession that genuinely works.

Ashton shares his full journey, from joining the firm in 2008 with no industry experience, to remortgaging his home to buy equity, taking on the role of Managing Director, and completing a successful management buyout.

The conversation explores what separates employees from owners, why most succession plans fail, and what founders must do if they want their firm to outlive them. This is a practical, honest discussion about leadership, accountability, legacy, and the long game of ownership in financial advice.

A must listen for founders thinking about succession, advisers aiming for ownership, and firms navigating growth without losing independence.

In this episode of Adviser 3.0 The Podcast, we are joined by Sasha Wakefield, founder of The Paraplanner Project, to explore what growth really looks like behind the scenes of a modern advice business.

Sasha shares her journey into paraplanning, how she built an outsourced business model around collaboration and trust, and why growth quickly becomes a leadership challenge rather than a technical one. She speaks candidly about employing a remote team, managing capacity without predictable income, and the pressure that comes with being responsible for other people’s livelihoods.

The conversation also covers the evolving role of paraplanners, the stigma that still exists around outsourcing, how firms are responding to AI, and why curiosity and asking better questions matter more than titles or qualifications. Sasha also reflects on leadership during major life changes, including shared parental leave and stepping back from day-to-day delivery without compromising service or culture.

This episode is essential listening for advisers, firm owners, and leaders thinking seriously about growth, delegation, and building businesses that scale without losing quality or trust.

SoapBox Ep.3 - Passive Investing Didn’t Break Markets, It Exposed Active Management

Hosts Abraham and Matt are joined by Carla Brown, President of the Personal Finance Society, for an unfiltered discussion on markets, behaviour and the realities of modern financial advice.

The episode explores why UK investors continue to exit equity markets at the worst possible moments, even during periods of strong performance, and what this reveals about confidence, communication and access to advice.

The conversation also covers active versus passive investing, loyalty to underperforming managers, and the growing tension between evidence and narrative. Alongside this, the panel addresses the advice profession’s succession problem, the ageing adviser population, and why attracting new talent has become a defining issue for the future of advice.

In the episode of Adviser 3.0: The Podcast, we speak with Alasdair Walker, Managing Director and owner of Optimum Financial Planning, about the conversation most firm owners delay for too long: ownership and control.

Alasdair shares his full journey from trainee adviser to completing a management buyout, offering rare insight into how internal succession actually works in financial planning firms. He explains why early equity alignment matters, how unclear ownership expectations create long-term risk, and why many firms default to selling when succession planning is avoided.

The discussion also explores founder transitions, trust between generations, and what firm owners need to understand about incentives, transparency and long-term value. Later in the episode, Alasdair shares his perspective on AI adoption in financial planning, including where technology adds value and why it cannot fix poor structure or unresolved ownership issues.

This episode is essential listening for financial advisers, firm owners, principals and next-generation leaders thinking seriously about succession, equity and the future of their business.

Topics covered:

• Financial planning succession and ownership

• Management buyouts and internal succession

• Founder transitions and control

• Selling versus long-term independence

• AI adoption in advice firms

In this episode of Adviser 3.0 The Podcast, we sit down with psychologist and human optimisation specialist Ross Anderson to explore how high performers approach growth.

Ross unpacks the relationship between mind, performance and behaviour, challenging the idea that growth is driven by motivation alone. Drawing on psychology, behavioural science and lived experience, he explains why sustainable performance starts with awareness, strong foundations and better decision making.

The conversation explores how high performers think differently about growth, why behaviour matters more than intention, and how clarity and structure support long-term performance.

Ross will also be joining us on the road in 2026 as part of the Timeline Growth Series, where he will be sharing these ideas live with advisers across the UK.

This episode is a grounded discussion for professionals who want to grow with intent, consistency and resilience.

A clear and practical conversation with Will Webber on resilience, networks and the habits that support sustainable growth across fintech.
Will shares lessons from the military, BlackRock and professional services, covering mindset, commercial development, community building and the future of the sector.