When Jon Doyle launched Juniper in 2018, he didn't set out to build the fastest-growing financial planning firm.

He set out to build the right business for his life.

Starting with £18 million of assets under management and around 40 client families, Jon shares the lessons from growing Juniper to more than £140 million while balancing family life, navigating difficult hiring decisions and building a business with intention.

In Part 1 we discuss:

• Why he turned down the opportunity to sell
• Starting Juniper with just one administrator
• The hiring mistake that slowed growth
• Why building around your lifestyle isn't a weakness
• Growing from £18m to £140m
• Developing advisers from outside financial services

A refreshingly honest conversation about building a financial planning business on your own terms.

What makes a financial planning business valuable?

And more importantly, what makes it sellable?

In Part 2, Gaynor Rigby and Vicky go behind the scenes of more than 100 financial planning transactions to explain what buyers are really looking for, why some firms struggle to sell, and how owners can maximise the value of their business.

We discuss:

• How financial planning firms are valued • Why profit matters more than revenue • The data every firm should be tracking • Common mistakes sellers make • What buyers really want • Succession planning and exit readiness • Why culture and people can impact value

Whether you're planning to exit next year or in the next decade, this episode is packed with practical lessons for building a stronger business.

From £120m TO £1bn

After helping grow Equilibrium from £120m to more than £1bn in assets under management, Gaynor Rigby learned a simple truth:

Most advisers become business owners by accident.

In this episode, Gaynor and Vicky discuss what it really takes to build a successful financial planning business, from leadership and culture to marketing, systems and growth.

We discuss:

• How Equilibrium grew from £120m to £1bn+

• Why many advisers accidentally become business owners

• The importance of data, structure and accountability

• Building a strong culture as your team grows

• Why marketing should be a business priority

• The biggest mistakes firms make when trying to scale

A practical conversation for advisers and firm owners looking to build a better business, not just a bigger one.

After helping build a £700m advice business over nearly two decades, Dave Carter made one of the biggest decisions of his career.

He left the firm he helped build to become CEO of Absolute Financial Planning.

In Part 2, Dave explains why he took the leap, the vision behind Absolute, and why he believes independent financial planning still has a major role to play in the future of the profession.

We discuss:

• Why he left a successful £700m advice firm
• The challenge of building a national financial planning business
• What makes a successful acquisition
• The mistakes consolidators have made
• Why independence still matters
• Recruitment, adviser development and the future of advice
• The opportunity Dave sees in the market today

A fascinating conversation about leadership, ambition and building something bigger.

In Part 1, Dave Carter joins Adam to share the story behind his rise from a cashier at Bradford & Bingley to becoming Managing Director of a £700m financial planning firm.

The conversation covers the pre-RDR world, building a client bank from scratch, generating hundreds of referrals, developing advisers from non-traditional backgrounds, and the lessons learned from nearly two decades in one business.

A fascinating look at ambition, opportunity, leadership, and why some of the best advisers don't start in financial services at all.

In Part 2, Dominic McLoughney and James Thompson unpack how Becketts is approaching technology, AI, automation, and the future of financial planning.

The conversation explores the development of Beckett’s Connect, solving the advice gap, integrating AI into the client journey, and why the firms that embrace technology early will have a major advantage over the next decade.

But despite all the innovation, one thing remains central: human relationships.

A practical and honest discussion on how modern advice firms can scale smarter without losing what makes financial planning valuable in the first place.

In Part 1 with Becketts Financial Services, Dominic McLoughney and James Thompson unpack the journey of building the firm from the ground up. From losing advisers and surviving the early years to scaling through culture, client experience, and strategic hiring.

The conversation explores the turning points that shaped the business, why growth requires mindset shifts, and how they built a firm focused on exceptional client outcomes rather than sales targets or short-term wins.

A candid discussion on leadership, ambition, partnerships, and what it really takes to grow a modern advice business.

In Part 2, Steve Jordan shares how Five Wealth scaled to £1.2bn without sales targets, lead buying, or aggressive growth tactics. We explore culture, hiring, leadership, succession planning, and what changed after taking external investment. A practical conversation on what it really takes to build and grow a modern financial planning firm.

Steve Jordan, co-founder of Five Wealth, shares the reality of starting out as a financial adviser with no clients and no safety net. From early career uncertainty to building relationships through networking and honesty. This episode explores how he developed a client bank from scratch and the mindset that helped lay the foundations for a £1.2bn firm.

In Part 2 with Tom Morris (Ovation) and Rich Ellis (Ellis Davies), we go deeper into what it really takes to build and run a modern financial planning firm.

We explore partnerships, decision-making, and why building a business alone is often overrated. The conversation covers tough moments. From COVID disruption to leadership pressure - alongside honest reflections on imposter syndrome, hiring, and losing team members.

Tom and Rich also share how they generate clients, their views on the future of the profession, and the reality of technology and AI inside advice firms today.

A candid, practical episode on leadership, growth, and building a financial planning business that actually works.