Foster Denovo Talks

Marketing can be one of the biggest growth drivers for financial advice firms, but only when it is approached properly. 

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena is joined by Phil Bray, founder of The Yardstick Agency, to explore what advice firms often get wrong when it comes to marketing, and what they should be focusing on instead. 

Phil explains why firms can be too quick to jump into tactics, such as SEO, paid ads or social media, without first understanding who they want to work with, what they want to achieve, and whether their marketing foundations are strong enough. 

They discuss why social proof matters so much in a profession that still faces trust issues, why testimonial pages may not be doing the job firms think they are, and how reviews, client videos, website messaging and referral strategies can help firms stand out. 

The conversation also explores the role of social media in a regulated industry, how AI is changing the way consumers search for advice firms, and why marketing return on investment should be looked at strategically, rather than expecting every single pound to be perfectly attributable. 

In this episode: 

• Why strategy needs to come before marketing tactics 
• What advice firms should be clear on before launching campaigns 
• Why social proof is such a powerful differentiator 
• Why testimonial pages may not be enough 
• How adviser websites can better reflect what clients are actually looking for 
• Why referrals deserve a proper strategy 
• How compliance can affect social media creativity 
• How AI is changing the consumer search journey 
• Why marketing ROI is not always as simple as pound-for-pound attribution 

Why do people avoid financial advice, even when they know they might need it? 

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena is joined by Dr Phil Courtenay to explore the psychology behind financial decisions, client behaviour and the barriers that stop people from taking action. 

Phil explains why clients do not always optimise for the spreadsheet, why anxiety plays such a powerful role in financial advice, and how advisers can unintentionally overwhelm clients by focusing too heavily on what has gone wrong. 

They discuss why people procrastinate after seemingly positive meetings, how advisers can design client experiences around emotion, and why the role of the adviser is shifting from being the holder of information to helping clients filter noise and make better decisions. 

The conversation also explores how clients are using AI before, during and after advice conversations, why that does not have to be a threat, and how firms can think more carefully about the value they create in an increasingly efficient world. 

Phil also shares practical insight on referrals, including why asking clients if they “know anyone who might benefit” is often too vague, too lazy and too much cognitive effort for the client. 

In this episode: 

• Why people avoid engaging with financial advice 
• How anxiety affects client behaviour and decision-making 
• Why clients can freeze after a positive advice meeting 
• The difference between designing for outcomes and designing for emotion 
• How AI is changing the way clients prepare for advice conversations 
• Why efficiency can sometimes reduce perceived value 
• What advisers often get wrong when asking for referrals 
• Why satisfied clients do not automatically become referring clients 

AI is moving quickly, but in wealth management, the real question is not simply whether firms are using it, it is whether they are using it in a way that actually improves the client experience. 

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena is joined by Ed Beckett, co-founder of Palindrome, to explore how agentic AI is already starting to reshape the way wealth management firms work. 

Ed explains the difference between basic AI tools, such as note-takers and chatbots, and a more connected agentic AI approach, where data, processes and human oversight all work together. 

They discuss why wealth management is so well suited to AI, how firms can move beyond point solutions, and why the real opportunity is not replacing advisers, but giving them more time, better insight and stronger recall. 

The conversation also explores personalisation, governance, client trust, human accountability, and why the firms that get this right will be the ones that use AI as part of their wider growth strategy, rather than treating it as a shiny side project. 

In this episode: 

• Why wealth management is so well suited to AI 
• The difference between generative AI and agentic AI 
• Why note-takers are only a gateway into AI 
• How AI can support more personalised client experiences 
• Why human oversight and accountability still matter 
• What agentic AI could change about the adviser’s role 
• Why firms need a growth strategy with AI in it, not just an AI strategy 

Sustainable investing has become one of the most talked-about areas in financial advice, but also one of the most misunderstood. 

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena is joined by Gavin Francis, founder of Worthstone, to cut through the noise around sustainable investing and explore what it really means in 2026. 

They discuss why sustainability can still feel cliquey, overly technical or politically charged, and why advisers may be missing important client conversations by avoiding the topic altogether. 

Gavin shares why sustainable investing is not about being perfect, why it does not need to be an all-or-nothing decision, and how advisers can approach the conversation in a more practical and relevant way. 

The conversation also explores performance concerns, investment cycles, client preferences, the great wealth transfer, and why sustainability should be seen as a lens across investment decisions rather than a separate niche. 

In this episode: 
👉 What sustainable investing really means in 2026 
👉 Why sustainability can still feel like a “dirty word” 
👉 How advisers can approach client conversations with more confidence 
👉 Why performance and cost concerns may be more nuanced than they first appear 
👉 How younger generations are shaping client expectations 
👉 Why sustainable investing does not have to be all or nothing 
👉 How everyday examples, from coffee to chocolate, can make the conversation more relevant 

What makes a great financial adviser?

For years, the focus has been on technical expertise. But as the industry evolves, that may no longer be enough on its own.

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena is joined by Emma Boardwell, founder of Emotional Finance, to explore how emotional intelligence, trust and human connection are becoming the true differentiators in financial advice.

Drawing on her background as a psychotherapist, Emma shares why the profession often overlooks relational skills, how this impacts client outcomes, and what advisers can do to build stronger, more effective relationships.

They unpack her framework built around trust, connection and collaboration, and discuss how advisers can move away from interrogation-style conversations towards something far more client-led.

The conversation also explores the risks of becoming either too technical or too therapeutic, and how finding the right balance is key to delivering real value.

In this episode:

• Why technical expertise alone is no longer enough
• How to build trust intentionally rather than assuming it
• The difference between knowing a client and making them feel known
• Why many advisers struggle with emotional conversations
• How to balance professionalism without becoming a therapist
• What emotional intelligence looks like in practice

AI is rapidly becoming part of the conversation across financial advice but turning it into something that genuinely supports growth is another challenge entirely. 

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena sits down with Gary Abela to explore how firms should be thinking about AI in a more practical and strategic way. 

Drawing on his experience across both financial services and technology, Gary shares why AI should not be treated as a standalone solution, where firms are going wrong, and what a more effective approach looks like. 

They also explore how stepping outside the industry shaped Gary’s perspective, and whether the current pace of AI adoption could be leading towards a bubble. 

In this episode: 

• Why AI should support strategy, not replace it 
• Where firms are falling short with AI adoption 
• The link between AI, efficiency and growth 
• How different experiences shape better decision making 
• Whether the industry is heading towards an AI bubble 

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena is joined by Seb Balrow, who shares how he went from cold calling straight out of university to becoming a self-employed financial adviser at just 23. 

Seb talks about resilience, rejection and deliberately putting himself in uncomfortable situations to accelerate his growth. He reflects on qualifying while working full time, managing imposter syndrome in early client meetings and adjusting to a more complex proposition after joining Foster Denovo. 

He also opens up about the influence of his grandfather, whose work ethic shaped his mindset around ambition and responsibility. 

🎧 In this episode: 

• From university to cold calling 100 people a day  
• Qualifying within eight months while working full time 
• Advising clients at 23 and overcoming imposter syndrome 
• Why he chose Foster Denovo and what he looked for in a firm  
• Adjusting to high net worth clients and a new proposition  
• Advice for young people considering financial planning

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Patrick Horwood is joined by Daniella Humble, our People and Culture Manager. 

From starting her career at the Wimbledon Championships to leading People and Culture during a period of rapid growth and acquisitions, Daniella shares how Foster Denovo has built a culture that puts people at the centre of everything. 

She talks about rebranding HR to People and Culture, achieving Investors in People Platinum status, embedding a six-pillar strategy and ensuring culture remains strong as the business scales. 

🎧 In this episode: 

• How Daniella moved from Wimbledon into HR 
• Why she fell into HR and why she stayed 
• The evolution from HR to People and Culture  
• Leading through Covid and rapid legislative change 
• Supporting acquisitions and cultural integration  
• Achieving Investors in People Platinum  
• The six pillar People and Culture strategy  
• How Foster Denovo develops and retains talent 
• Why culture must evolve as businesses grow 

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena is joined by Raymond Pirrie, founder of Rosemount Asset Management and now part of Foster Denovo, who shares an honest and practical account of what it really takes to prepare a business for sale. 

Raymond talks through his journey from founding Rosemount in 2010, to spending several years preparing the firm for acquisition, to becoming part of Foster Denovo. He shares the lessons he learned along the way, the mistakes others should avoid and why culture, values and people matter just as much as numbers. 

This episode is essential listening for advisers and firm owners who are thinking about selling their business, whether that decision is months or years away. 

🎧 In this episode: 

• Founding Rosemount Asset Management 
• Why Raymond started thinking about selling years in advance 
• Preparing a firm properly for sale 
• The realities of due diligence for small firms 
• Choosing the right buyer and avoiding red flags 
• Independent versus restricted advice 
• What life looks like after an acquisition 
• Advice for firm owners considering their next step 

In this episode of Foster Denovo Talks, Helena is joined by Liberty Elder-Davis, who shares her powerful and honest journey through financial services, from starting her career overseas to rebuilding her life and career in the UK. 

Liberty talks about beginning her career in an IFA firm in Spain, where a planned gap year turned into a decade working in offshore advice. She opens up about being told she was too young, female and inexperienced to succeed, how becoming a mother shaped her perspective, and why stepping away from advising was not a failure but a strategic reset. 

Now based in the UK, Liberty reflects on what sustainable success really looks like, the importance of support and flexibility, and why the industry must evolve if it wants to attract and retain more women. 

🎧 In this episode: 

• Liberty’s early career and move to Spain 
• How a gap year became a ten year career in offshore advice 
• Being told she was too young and female to succeed 
• Becoming a qualified adviser while working full time and raising a child 
• Building a client bank from scratch as a self-employed adviser 
• Burnout, identity and the decision to step back 
• Why returning to the UK changed everything 
• Finding a role that fits life, not the other way around 
• Why the financial services industry must change for women