In this episode of the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes speaks with Aleem Nijabat, a self-employed financial planner who built £12 million in AUM without a client bank, without leads, and without a background in finance.

Aleem started during lockdown, working alone from his bedroom. He had just qualified, had no clients, and relied entirely on cold outreach through LinkedIn to get started.

This conversation is packed with practical advice for anyone considering a self-employed career in financial planning, especially those thinking about going it alone.

What we cover:

• How Aleem used LinkedIn Sales Navigator to connect with ideal clients
• Why consistency in cold outreach beats waiting for inbound leads
• What it really felt like starting during a market downturn
• The role mentorship played in levelling up his client base
• How joining Foster Denovo changed the game for his business
• Why testimonials and authentic content now matter to his strategy
• His goal of becoming a Senior Partner before the age of 30

This episode offers a real-world view of what it takes to build a financial planning business from the ground up. It’s not about shortcuts or luck - it’s about showing up every day and doing the work.

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