Most business leaders start the year with clear goals and good intentions.Then momentum drops. Habits slip. Difficult conversations get avoided. And before long, it’s business as usual.In this recorded live session, we tackle two problems that quietly limit performance and value in growing businesses:1. Why motivation fades and change doesn’t stickDr Stephen Ford, Exit Partner at Melo, explores the psychology behind behaviour change, why people struggle to maintain momentum and what leaders can do differently to make progress last.2. Why leaders avoid difficult conversationsSara Cooke and Rhi Baxter from We Are Brave share practical approaches for handling disagreement, conflict and challenging conversations with more clarity and confidence, before avoidance creates bigger issues.This session is designed for business owners and leaders who want a better year, not just a busier one.If you want to turn intention into progress this year get in touch. Melo works with ambitious financial planning business owners to improve decision-making, leadership, and long-term value, whether or not an exit is imminent.Find out more at melo.co.uk or follow us on LinkedIn for more insights.

00:00 Intro
03:48 – Why we fail to stick to resolutions
10:36 – The psychological impact of not sticking to goals
12:44 – Tips to help you stick to new habits or behaviours
15:12 – How to form positive habits
17:04 – How to get back on track if you've got lost
21:36 – Why do we shy away from hard conversations?
23:24 – What are we so scared of?
24:32 – The impact of staying quiet
30:36 – Why you should schedule difficult conversations
32:00 – Changing your mind shouldn't be humiliating
35:48 – "I don't want to speak up because I'm scared of their reaction"
38:30 – How to disagree in a group setting
42:36 – What to do if you're a reflector
45:36 – The 5 point framework to have better conversations
48:40 – How to deal with someone who doesn't want to engage
50:54 – The conversations you wished you'd had last year
53:42 – Final thoughts keeping new habits on track
55:00 – You might not actually be disagreeing
56:12 – Wrap up

Music: Good Night (Lofi) by FASSounds

In this episode of Melo's Growing or Going Podcast, we unpack one of the most common and complex decisions firm owners face. Joined by Melo CEO Victoria Hicks, COO Gaynor Rigby, Ben Wright explores how adviser structure impacts growth, operations, culture and exit value.

This conversation covers:

• Why adviser structure matters more than many firms realise
• Autonomy vs alignment in self-employed and employed models
• The real cost and scalability considerations
• Culture, client experience and consistency
• How adviser structure influences business valuation and exits
• What to consider if you’re thinking about transitioning models

Both approaches can work. The key is designing intentionally, not drifting into a structure by accident.

If you’d like a confidential conversation about your firm’s structure or exit readiness, get in touch with Melo.

Like, subscribe and share with anyone wrestling with this decision.

This is a recording from the Sheffield Life & Pensions Society Annual Conference, where Melo CEO Vicki Hicks, took the stage to talk about The Efficiency Flywheel – how to strip out friction, boost capacity and build a business that runs smoother every quarter.These are some of the practical actions we've learned from working with hundreds of financial planning firms.By audience request, she also talked about what’s really happening in the M&A and exit market right now, including buyer trends, valuation shifts and what firm owners should prepare for next.If you're running, growing or preparing to sell a financial planning business, this session is packed with practical takeaways you can use immediately.If you're wanting to run a more effective business, or you're thinking about selling in the next 5 years, this one is for you.🌐 https://melo.co.uk📧 [email protected]

00:00 Intro

00:43 The Efficiency Flywheel

22:49 Exit market update

#FinancialPlanning #IFA #BusinessEfficiency #MergersAndAcquisitions #ExitPlanning #Sheffield #ProfessionalDevelopment #Melo #AdviceFirms #PracticeManagement

Thinking about selling your financial planning business but have historic Defined Benefit (DB) transfer cases in the past? You're not alone. DB history is one of the biggest unknowns for firm owners planning an exit, and it can impact valuation, deal structure, PI, premiums and how buyers approach due diligence.In this webinar recording, Ben Wright from Melo hosts a practical, no-nonsense conversation with:• Vicki Hicks, CEO at Melo• Ben Goodwin, Director and Actuary at Isio, specialists in DB, redress and compliance due diligenceTogether we covered:

00:53 – Welcome

05:20 – Why DB history matters when you sell

09:20 – What counts as DB advice and safeguarded benefits

13:20 – Understanding your DB book and risk mapping it

17:20 – How DB redress really works in practice

21:50 – Opt in rates and the rise of “no loss” outcomes

25:50 – DB risk, PI cover and premiums

30:20 – How buyers assess DB exposure today

34:50 – Valuation impact and deal structures with DB history

39:20 – Regulatory expectations, CP23/24 and deed polls

43:50 – Preparing your firm: options, PBR and timescales

48:20 – Picking the right buyer and shaping the deal

52:20 – Practical first steps if you have DB exposure

55:20 – Live Q&A highlightsIf you have any DB history at all, even if you’re not selling anytime soon, now could be the perfect time to sort it out.Learn more:Melo: https://www.melo.co.ukIsio: https://www.isio.com/#FinancialPlanning #DefinedBenefit #FinancialAdvisers #Melo #Isio #BusinessSale #IFA #FinancialServices #DBTransfers #SuccessionPlanning #ExitPlanning #Redress

How do you bring AI into your advice firm the right way?Not by bolting it onto broken processes, but by rethinking how your business could run using the latest technology.In this live conversation, Melo's Chief Innovation Officer, Ben Wright, sits down with Tom Hind of Saturn AI and Head of Progress at Melo, Kath Harvey, to explore how AI is reshaping financial planning.You’ll learn:💡 Where AI adds real efficiency (and where it doesn’t)⚙️ Why process design must come before tech🧠 How to build firm-wide adoption that actually sticks🚀 What an “AI-empowered paraplanner” could look like📊 How the best firms are using AI to create more human advice experiencesIf you’re a leader or operations head in financial planning and want to use AI to make your firm run better, this one’s for you.00:00 – Show intro01:00 – Why “make shift happen”05:40 – What AI is (and isn’t) for advice firms13:10 – Process before tech: the non-negotiable21:30 – Note-taking & data quality wins30:45 – Report writing reality check39:20 – The AI-empowered paraplanner48:10 – Getting client consent to record meetings54:00 – Hiring, roadmaps & picking providers58:30 – Final takeaways & next steps👉 Listen now, take notes, and get ready to make shift happen.📥 Download our free guide: “Approaching AI in Financial Planning”🌐 Learn more at https://melo.co.uk/events-ai-financial-planning/📧 Or get in touch at [email protected]#FinancialPlanning #ArtificialIntelligence #AIForAdvisers #WealthManagement #FinTech #FinancialAdvice #Melo #SaturnAI #BusinessEfficiency #AIImplementation #AdviceFirms #FinancialServices #FutureOfFinance

Consumer Duty has raised the bar (and the cost) of running financial planning businesses. In this practical session, and with the help of 8AM Global, we unpack advisory vs discretionary models, demystify co-manufacturing/insourcing, and show how to reduce burden without losing control of your proposition.Who it’s for: financial planning firms using advisory or discretionary model portfolios, and providers working with advisers who want to be able to have smarter conversations about investment management.You’ll learn:* What “manufacturer” means under PROD & Consumer Duty* How responsibilities, reporting, and liability differ across advisory, outsourced MPS, and co-manufactured solutions* How much control you keep with co-manufacturing—and how to evidence value* Migration, comms, and positioning with clients (without losing trust)* Objective MPS comparisons * Asset levels needed to launch a fundSpeakersBen Wright (Melo), Paul Hogg & Ash Weston (8AM Global)

Here's what we talked about:

00:46 – Introduction
05:31 – Jargon buster: advisory vs discretionary vs MPS vs co-manufacturing (what’s what?)
09:18 – Who’s responsible for what under each model? (permissions & duties)
10:36 – If we run advisory model portfolios, are we a “manufacturer”?
11:05 – How do reporting and evidence requirements differ across models?
15:32 – Considering co-manufacturing: how much control do we keep?
24:43 – If we gain discretionary permissions later, can we take over the models?
29:14 – What’s the easiest way to migrate clients from advisory to an insourced/co-manufactured solution?
32:37 – How do we reposition with clients without “losing face”?
38:15 – Value chain: where (and how) can firms fairly take value for investment work?
42:49 – “Aren’t model portfolios just fancy multi-asset funds?”
46:54 – If we blend several multi-asset funds, are we co-manufacturing?
48:46 – We currently use 3 multi-asset funds per risk level—what’s the smarter next step?
49:28 – One multi-asset fund vs moving to an MPS provider—how to choose?
51:30 – What about blending outsourced MPS ranges—smart or messy (and are we manufacturers)?
54:14 – Quick-fire: best way to compare MPS propositions objectively
56:00 – Quick-fire: how much AUM do you need to start a fund?

To find out more or get in touch visit https://melo.co.uk.#ConsumerDuty #FinancialPlanning #FinancialPlanner #AdvisoryVsDiscretionary #ModelPortfolios #CoManufacturing #Insourcing #Outsourcing #MPS #WealthManagement #BuildingBetterBusinesses #Melo

Hey everyone - it's been a while, but we're back with the new show name of Growing or Going.

Every financial planning firm is unique, but most face similar challenges. In this live, unscripted Q&A session, we tackled real questions from owners and leadership teams, getting to the root cause, sharing fixes that work and giving ideas you can apply in your financial planning firm.

Here’s what we talked about:

00:05 Introduction

01:25 Start

06:20 Advice on selling to local firms or consolidators

11:33 When should owners step back from giving advice?

17:38 How to get your staff to step up and deal with underperformance23:59 The main factors that determine sale value33:35 What’s EBITDA?37:16 What’s a good profit margin?38:57 Do you need to segment your clients?41:27 Top 3 tips to make a business more effective49:48 How to tell your team you’re selling56:50 What’s the average ongoing service fee?57:36 Closing remarks

For more useful ideas visit our website at www.melo.co.uk. If you’d like to talk either GROWING or GOING from your financial planning firm, get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling 0113 4656 111.

What to know how AI works? Want to catch a glimpse into the future of the technology financial advice firms will use? Want to hear first hand what advice Defaqto CEO John Milliken would give to his 10 year old self?

This episode is guaranteed to blow your mind!

Ben talks to founder of the 311 institute and Fanatical

Matthew works with NASA, leaders of G7 and G20 countries, banks, technology providers and even Disney!

Our conversation covers;

· Is the future as bad as people think? 2.08

· Are we backsliding to pre-pandemic thinking? 09.36

· What should employers think about flexible working?12:48

· What does a world without work look like? 19.12

· What does the future of financial services look like? 39.12

· AI advisers? 41.52

· AI assisting advisers? 1.00.00  

· What to do with all the knowledge in the world? 1.05.04

· How to deal with AI Hallucinations? 1.08.00

· What does AI mean for large v’s small businesses? 1.11.52

· Liability for algorithms? 1.26.00

· Marine biology to futurist? 1.38.52

· Quickfire questions 1.47.29

If you want to find out more about Matthew’s work and access his free codex’s, visit www.311institute.com

As always, a massive thank you to our sponsor Owen James Events. There are loads of great events coming up including Meeting of Minds, WealthTec Matters and Retirement Matters. Check out www.owenjamesevents.com to book your place – you’ll probably see Ben there!

If you want to build a better business, Change Squared can help. We help leadership teams be more effective, teach soft skills and help firms launch change projects and make them stick.

Find out more at www.changesquared.com.

In this episode Ben Wright interviews industry titan and CEO of Dynamic Planner, Ben Goss.