Just Covered

In this special International Women's Day episode of Just Covered, hosts Wayne and Georgia sit down with two inspirational senior leaders from L&G – Victoria Jefferies, Market Development Director, and Jo Coan, Strategic Partnerships Director.

Vikki and Jo share their career journeys into financial services, from Vikki's early days in insurance sales, to Jo's "wild card" job application that led her to implementing over £1 billion in assets within her first year. 

They open up about the challenges they've faced as women in the workplace, including pregnancy discrimination, the pressure to return from maternity leave early and being the only woman in the room. The conversation tackles the harsh reality of financial services' 27% pay gap and explores why vulnerability has become their superpower, rather than a weakness.

The discussion also explores the crucial role mentorship and male allyship can play in amplifying women’s roles in the workplace. Vikki and Jo share practical advice for young women entering the industry, and their optimistic vision for a more diverse, authentic future in financial services.

This episode also covers:

• The importance of how diversity in financial services can bring new experiences, relatability and authenticity to the “people business”. 
• Why "saying yes and worrying later" and "running your own race" are essential mindsets for career growth.
• Actionable ways men can support women in the workplace, from backing up their ideas in meetings to calling out poor behaviour and unconscious bias.

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In this episode of Just Covered, we meet Georgia Perkins, Marketing Development Manager here at L&G and our new co-host!

Last year Georgia took the gong for Woman of the Year – Intermediary Support at the 2025 COVER Women in Protection and Health Awards, so we’re in great company. She talks to Wayne about getting started in her financial services career in protection before moving into underwriting and finally, sales. With her formal education being in Literature, she talks about how this passion for storytelling underpins her work with financial advisers. 

Wayne and Georgia’s inaugural chat explores Georgia’s role in growing the market and looking for innovative ways to help advisers get the best outcomes for their clients. They discuss the two key themes for the Marketing Development Team in 2026 – legacy and income – and how her team is planning to upskill and equip advisers to meet upcoming market changes through these lenses.

This episode also covers:

• The importance of building trust and relationships to encourage clients to share their life story.
• The work L&G is doing to give advisers the confidence to walk clients through a holistic financial plan across disciplines.
• The actionable content advisers can look forward to this year in the brand new on-demand Adviser Academy.

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In this episode of Just Covered, we meet Dave Chamberlain, Chartered Financial Planner and Director of Better Future Financial Planning, and Alex Gager, his Adviser Associate. Apprenticeships are unusual in the industry. So, when Alex approached Dave through LinkedIn with a proposal to become a sponsored apprentice at his self-built, independent firm, it was certainly a surprise. His background wasn’t in financial services, but he was keen and passionate to learn. We delve into their experience of the scheme, how it’s benefitted Dave’s organisation, Alex’s progression – and why the industry could use their example to resolve some of its not-so-distant challenges…

This episode also covers:

· The impending succession crisis in financial advice and how apprenticeship schemes can attract more young people into the industry. 

· The structure of Alex’s Skills Edge apprenticeship, how apprentices are trained, and the funding options available.

 · The importance of soft skills, alongside more formal financial education, and how firms can disseminate this knowledge to future generations of advisers. 

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In this episode of Just Covered, we meet Rachel Eason-Whale, Head of Impact and Inclusion, and Amy Potter, Senior Advice Manager, at L&C Mortgages. Both of them have spent a large part of their recent lives focusing intently on how to make the financial industry more representative, inclusive, and supportive. We discuss their career progression, including formative experiences, personal hurdles, and confidence building. And, how they’ve used these lessons to start their Journey to Management initiative that aims to encourage a wider range of employees into leadership roles. It’s a refreshing vision for the future of financial services, so be sure to listen…

This episode also covers:

• The impact of their initiatives on employee retention, innovation, and industry collaboration, as well as the pathway for continuous improvement and inclusive practices.
•  How to recognise and cultivate leadership skills in the workforce, and how to value both extroverted and introverted employees. 
•  Building diversity and inclusion best practices right from day one and maintaining it across everyday business operations.

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In this episode of Just Covered, we meet David Mead, founder of multi-award-winning protection specialist, Future Proof. From humble beginnings, David started Future Proof in 2011, and in their early days they began managing orphan clients for a major provider that closed. By 2018, St. James’s Place (SJP) had acquired them, and today, they’ve handled over 25,000 referrals from over 2,600 advisers. He also now sits as Head of Protection for SJP. We dig into his journey, the organic growth of his business and his passionate philosophies around protection. He even helped pioneer the ‘write it, or refer it’ approach, so take notes…

This episode also covers:

• David’s 25-year journey in financial services, and how he’s successfully expanded his business along the way.
• The importance of pre-sales support, regular and ongoing communications and back-office support.
• The impact of Consumer Duty on the protection industry.

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In this episode of Just Covered, we meet Andrew Jenkins – an inspirational individual with a background in sales and business leadership. He’s also well known as a contestant from BBC One’s popular series, The Traitors. In 1999, Andrew’s life was turned completely upside down by a horrific road accident. The experience and subsequent recovery led him to become a dedicated advocate for wellbeing and personal growth. Today, he works as a mental health coach and motivational speaker, while supporting numerous charities. Remarkably honest and open about his struggles – his story is powerful, thought-provoking and universally relevant. Don’t miss this one.

This episode also covers:

· Steps and considerations for properly supporting the other people in your life, whether that’s relatives, colleagues or friends and having honest and meaningful conversations. 

· Building a growth mindset, overcoming fear of failure and being your most-authentic self, both personally and professional.

 · Breaking down traditional stigmas around counselling and mental health support, especially for men.  

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 Matt Brown | Recognising opportunity: Supporting the next generation of intermediaries

In this episode of Just Covered, we meet Matt Brown – HL Partnership’s new Propositions Director. Already a respected figure in the mortgage sector, Matt has 20 years’ experience working at firms like PRIMIS Mortgage Network, eConveyancer and NatWest. We were delighted to discuss his career so far, as well as the challenges and opportunities he currently sees in the intermediary space. We also heard about HLP’s success at our BQA awards. And, we got to uncover some of his key tips for new advisers and intermediaries, especially around training and embracing emerging technologies. 

This episode also covers:

· Balancing risk and customer needs when developing propositions.

· The importance maintaining a balance between work and personal life and the role of discipline in achieving this.

 · The role of new technology, including AI, in enhancing adviser efficiency and customer interaction, as well as supporting personalised advice.

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Sidney Wager | Guiding professional growth: Being comfortable with the uncomfortable 

In this episode of Just Covered, we meet Sidney Wager, newly appointed Managing Director at L&C. Well known across the Mortgage industry, Sidney stands out for his diverse, sector-spanning career. Something that not only gives him an original industry perspective but has, no doubt, informed his success over multiple decades and roles. During our chat, he’s able to share some real gems about career longevity, professional agility, adapting to change, and confronting new challenges.

This episode also covers:

· The role of mentoring and support in delivering the next generation of financial talent.

· Embracing professional growth and navigating new roles and confronting other key challenges with confidence.

 · The importance of understanding the customer's voice and having a broad skill set to be a strong leader.

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Stuart Borthwick | Doing the right thing: Customer care, community and forging real client relationships

In this episode of Just Covered, we meet Stuart Borthwick from Dartmoor Financial LLP – an adviser working in mortgage, equity release and estate planning for over 20 years, and specialist in later life lending. Working for a family-run, independent firm operating on the edge of Dartmoor, Stuart has a unique story. But what comes across most during our 45-minute chat is his genuine passion and enjoyment for his work. He puts proud emphasis on integrity, people-first advice, community and building real long-term connections with clients. It’s a heart-warming, yet insightful discussion.

This episode also covers:

· Rethinking client vulnerability, Consumer Duty and avoiding longstanding assumptions about what makes clients vulnerable.

· Community networking and the importance of building a community of financial support that can enhance your offering to clients.

 · Knowledge sharing and moving beyond the traditional client-adviser relationship to build meaningful and lasting connections with customers. 

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Rhian Mannings | Turning trauma into triumph: Filling the vacuum in bereavement support

This episode contains reference to suicide and infant death that listeners may find upsetting.

In this episode of Just Covered, we speak with Rhian Mannings, founder of the 2Wish Charity about her emotional and thought-provoking story. In 2012, Rhian suffered a deeply profound and challenging experience, losing both her infant son and husband in just a matter of days. It changed her life forever. And, the clear absence of bereavement support in her Welsh community caused her to set up her own charity service. Today, it operates in England too and her incredible work has been recognised with an MBE, the New Year Honours list, and more. It’s a powerful story that some listeners may find upsetting.

This episode also covers:

· The best ways to approach grieving and traumatised clients, as well as dealing with children in traumatic circumstances. 

· Key challenges for bereavement services in the UK.

 · Understanding some of the financial implications of loss and the role of advisers in empathetically addressing these issues.

For more information on the 2wish Charity visit - Home - 2 Wish

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