Pioneers of Financial Planning Live a first in the UK

There’s a moment, when you have said yes to something, when the reality of what you’ve agreed to starts to sink in.

For us, that moment came somewhere between reading the event brief and realising we had just volunteered to do live financial planning in front of a room of peers, industry professionals and the very people we most wanted to inspire  at The Lang Cat Home Games 5: New Blood, held at the Glasgow Science Centre.

As Glasgow Financial Planners, this was on our doorstep, it really was a home fixture, not many large financial services events are held in Glasgow. Most are in London or Edinburgh, we had to represent our city well.

No pressure, then.

Why We Said Yes To Pioneer Financial Planning Live

The honest answer? Because someone had to.

Wellington Wealth has always been built on the belief that financial planning should feel human less stuffy boardroom, more real conversation. So when the opportunity came to demonstrate that on a live stage, walking away felt wrong. If we genuinely believe that financial planning done well is something worth showing the world, then hiding it behind closed doors isn’t just modest, it’s counterproductive.

But there was a deeper reason too. One that matters to us far more than any profile or recognition.

The Problem Nobody Talks About Enough

Too many people coming into financial services never really see financial planning. Not properly and there is a massive advice gap looming. Newbies might make the tea. They might handle some admin. They might shadow a meeting or two. But unless they understand the goal, the actual purpose of what excellent financial planning looks and feels like how on earth are they supposed to aim for it or aspire to it?

The Lang Cat’s New Blood concept exists precisely to change that. It brings together a room that’s roughly a third peers, a third industry professionals and a third new entrants people right at the start of their careers, a mixture of university students and senior school pupils. That third matters enormously to us.

“If nobody shows them what brilliant financial planning looks like, how will they know what to aspire to?”

We’ve both been in this profession long enough to know that the best financial planners aren’t just technically excellent, they are skilled communicators, emotionally intelligent and deeply curious about the people they serve. None of that gets taught in an exam. It gets absorbed by watching, by experiencing, by seeing someone else do it with skill and warmth and confidence. That takes someone being willing to show their workings.

Meet Charlie, Our Imaginary Client

Of course, doing live financial planning requires a client. Enter Charlie.

Charlie was played by the rather remarkable Duncan Airlie James, a man who, if you wrote him as a fictional character, you would be told was too far-fetched. Duncan is a Glasgow-born, six-time world Muay Thai and kickboxing champion, the first Scottish fighter ever to win a world Muay Thai title and compete in the prestigious K-1 events in Japan and Scotland’s most successful ring fighter of all time. His trademark? Tartan shorts and a fighting kilt. Of course.

But if that wasn’t enough and apparently it wasn’t, Duncan then reinvented himself entirely as an actor. He’s appeared in major Hollywood productions including Tomb Raider alongside Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft and Outlaw King, the Netflix epic about Robert the Bruce starring Chris Pine. He played a knight. Naturally.

“A six-time world champion turned Hollywood actor as your imaginary financial planning client. Just a normal day at the office for Wellington Wealth.”

What made Duncan such a perfect ‘Charlie’ was precisely the complexity he brought to the role. Here was a client who had build a business, had remarried after divorce, had four children, two from each marriage, wanting to plan retirement, succession planning and leave a legacy to his children. A story that didn’t fit neatly into any standard financial planning template. Planning for someone like Charlie isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about truly understanding who they are, what they’ve built, what they value and what they want their future to look like.

It was also we’ll admit pretty brilliant fun and his answers were entertaining, a real crowd pleaser. When your imaginary client has fought in Japan, worn a kilt into a ring and shared screen time with Chris Pine, the conversation tends to be anything but ordinary. And that was rather the point.

What ‘Live Financial Planning’ Actually Means

Let’s be clear about what we were doing because ‘live financial planning on stage’ might conjure images of spreadsheets on a screen or someone rattling through cashflow projections. It isn’t that.

Live financial planning is an exercise in real human connection. It means sitting with someone you’ve never met before, in front of an audience and creating the conditions for them to open up about what genuinely matters to them their hopes, their fears, their money story and then helping them to see their future more clearly.

It requires presence. It requires skill and it requires the willingness to be completely transparent about how and why you do what you do, because in a live setting, every question, every moment of reflection, every technique is visible to the room.

“Verging on stupid, career ending? Perhaps.”

Putting Your Neck on the Line

We won’t pretend there wasn’t a moment of ‘have we lost our minds?’ This was our reputation on the line. Our work the very thing we care most about professionally exposed and examined in front of peers who know the craft, industry figures who have opinions about it and newcomers forming their very first impressions of what financial planning can be.

The stakes felt real and extremely high. But then, the best things usually involve real stakes. The pressure was on and we know many people who said “I would never do that”

Ultimately, we came back to this, if we believe in what we do, truly believe in it, then showing it shouldn’t frighten us. It should excite us. The discomfort wasn’t a warning sign it was confirmation that it mattered.

What We Hope New Blood Took Away

If even one person in that room left thinking ‘I want to do that’ not in a vague, career-aspiration way, but in a specific, felt-in-the-chest way then it was worth every nerve.

Financial planning is a genuinely extraordinary profession. It changes lives. It gives people clarity and calm and confidence in their futures. It lets you sit with someone during some of the most significant moments of their life and actually help. That’s not something to be modest about.

But it will only attract the brilliant people it deserves if those of us already doing it are willing to show what it actually looks like not the polished brochure version, but the real, human, sometimes messy, always meaningful version.

To Anyone Considering Taking the Stage

Do it. Be scared. Do it anyway.

The financial planning profession needs more people willing to be visible to demonstrate the craft, to invite scrutiny, to say ‘this is what we do and this is why it matters.’ Events like The Lang Cat Home Games are rare and valuable precisely because they create that space.

Wellington Wealth has always tried to lead from the front. That sometimes means doing things before they feel entirely safe. It means being the first, or one of the first, or the ones who say yes when everyone else is still deciding. This is the only way to get real progress to push boundaries and accomplish our mission of changing the image of financial services.

“But if someone has to be first, we’re always happy to lead the way.”

We hope to see more financial planners on that stage. We hope some of them are the New Blood who were in the room that day, watching, absorbing and quietly deciding what kind of planner they want to become.

That would make the whole thing more than worthwhile.

What the Room Said Afterwards

We’ll be honest once it was over, the adrenaline took a while to wear off, we needed a glass of wine! But then the messages started coming in and they meant more than we can quite put into words.

Mark Polson, founder of The Lang Cat and the man behind Home Games, set the tone:

“Can’t thank you enough for doing what you did. Unbelievable session. I hate to think how many favours we owe you now.” – Mark Polson, The Lang Cat

“You were sensational.” – Steve Nelson

“The guys have said it all — you were phenomenal.” – Natalie Holt

We also had a barrage of wonderful unexpected comments from peers across the profession, the response was overwhelming:

“I second Steve’s comment – the both of you were absolutely brilliant and displayed serious minerals to do that in front of more than a few of your peers!” — Ian Anderson

“Well done you two – you deserve a rest after that giant performance.” – Ian Beestin

“So glad you did this! It was amazing to watch and you did it all brilliantly!” – Michael Gobbi

“Well done ladies – you were both excellent. Cracking live display of quality financial planning.” – Lisa Lamont

“It was fantastic to see you both live – very brave, but a true example of financial planning in action.” – Michael Steyn

“Well done – a great advert for financial planning!” – Kevin Wood

“Very impressive! Sandy Begbie talked about why employers should take risks – you certainly proved his point.” – Matt Duncan

“You guys were amazing – an inspiration to financial planners and new blood alike.” – Sian Davies Cole

“What a legend.” – Keith Boyes

“Legend.” – Aidan Banks-Broome

Probably the most meaningful comment for us was from one of the very individuals we were aiming to inspire.

“I hope you are feeling rested and recovered after yesterday’s event! I just wanted to reach out and say how inspiring it was to hear from you and your sister in Financial Planning LIVE. I’m an aspiring  Financial Planner myself, I have already completed some exams and I actually attended the event with my own sister, who has just graduated and is also hoping to enter the profession and become a Financial Planner. Seeing two sisters succeeding in roles we both aspire to was incredibly motivating for us and really reinforced our excitement for our future in this industry. Thanks again for yesterdays session, it truly left a lasting impression!” – Mirren.

We don’t share these to pat ourselves on the back. We share them because every single one of those messages is really about the profession about what financial planning looks like when it’s done with genuine care, skill and a willingness to be seen. That’s what people were responding to. Not us, but the work, they all know what it means, they have seen the impact on peoples lives and they all want to shout loudly.

If reading them makes even one person think about showing up more visibly for this profession, whether that’s speaking at an event, mentoring someone new or simply letting people see what excellent financial planning really looks like then we’ll consider our job done.

Follow us on social media  > https://uk.linkedin.com/company/wellington-wealth

We were not the only ones on stage that day, we encouraged Bryce Clark & Lewis Clark to share their own stories of how they got into the industry and they also made us proud, in how they presented themselves on stage and delivered great insights to the audience.

If you fancy a conversation with us contact us here >>>

This information is for guidance only and does not constitute regulated financial advice. To ensure you have personalised advice for your particular set of circumstances, you must make an appointment and speak to one of our professional advisers. Please note these services are chargeable. The facts in this article were correct at time of writing, but you may be reading it in the future. Always check rates and allowances before taking action or speak to a qualified financial planner. All investments carry an element of risk, they can fall as well as rise and you may not get back what you pay in. Errors & omissions excepted.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Speaking at Financial Events & Industry Pioneer Status

Q: How do I get invited to speak at financial industry events?

A: Build a visible professional profile first. Publish thought leadership content (LinkedIn articles, industry blogs, whitepapers), engage actively in professional networks and establish expertise in a niche area. Event organisers seek speakers who demonstrate credibility, originality, and audience appeal. Proactively pitch to event organisers with a clear topic proposal and evidence of your expertise.

Q: What topics are most in demand at UK financial events?

A: High-demand topics currently include: retirement planning innovation, sustainable/ESG investing, financial wellbeing, consumer duty compliance, AI in financial services, intergenerational wealth transfer and financial inclusion. Regulatory changes (e.g., FCA Consumer Duty) consistently attract large audiences.

Q: Do I need FCA authorisation to speak publicly about financial topics?

A: Speaking at events is generally not a regulated activity in itself. However, care must be taken that content does not constitute a financial promotion or amount to regulated advice. Presentations should be clearly educational and informational. Always include appropriate disclaimers and consult your compliance team before public speaking engagements.

Q: How should I handle audience questions that stray into personal advice territory?

A: Redirect confidently and professionally. Acknowledge the question, provide general educational context only and direct the individual to seek personalised regulated advice from a qualified adviser. Never provide specific advice from a public platform this protects both the audience member and your regulated status.

Q: What makes a financial speaker stand out?

A: Clarity over complexity. The most impactful financial speakers translate technical subject matter into relatable, actionable insight. Use real-world examples, avoid excessive jargon, demonstrate genuine client empathy and back points with credible data. Authenticity and storytelling resonate more than technical recitation.

Q: How do I manage compliance obligations when presenting publicly?

A: Before any public engagement: obtain internal compliance sign-off on all materials, ensure any statistics or regulatory references are current and sourced, include disclaimers confirming the content is informational not advisory and avoid referencing specific products without complying with financial promotion rules.

Q: What does it mean to be a pioneer in the financial industry?

A: A pioneer introduces new thinking, approaches, or solutions that meaningfully shift how financial services operates or how clients are served. This could mean adopting new technology early, championing underserved client segments, leading on ESG integration, or redesigning how advice is delivered and communicated.

Q: Can smaller or independent firms be industry pioneers?

A: Absolutely and often more effectively than larger institutions. Smaller firms can move faster, test new ideas with less bureaucracy, and build genuinely client-centric models. Many of the most significant shifts in financial planning (fee transparency, holistic planning, wellbeing-led advice) originated in boutique or independent practices.

Q: How do I establish my firm as a thought leader in financial services?

A: Consistently produce high-quality, original content that addresses real client challenges. Engage with industry bodies (CII, CISI, PFS), contribute to consultations, seek award recognition, collaborate with academics or researchers and share genuine outcomes and learnings including challenges. Credibility is built through consistency, not one-off activity.

Q: What are the risks of positioning as a pioneer in a regulated industry?

A: Reputational risk if innovation outpaces compliance. Any new approach must still satisfy FCA regulatory requirements, Consumer Duty obligations and suitability standards. Pioneer status should never be used to justify shortcuts. Ensure innovation is paired with robust governance and that client outcomes remain the central measure of success.

Q: How can being a pioneer benefit my clients directly?

A: Pioneering firms typically offer clients earlier access to better tools, more transparent processes, more personalised communication, and higher service standards. Clients benefit when their adviser is forward-thinking better technology, clearer explanations and a firm that anticipates regulatory and market changes before they impact clients.

Q: How do I balance innovation with the trust and stability clients expect from a financial adviser?

A: Lead with outcomes, not novelty. Clients do not need to know every operational innovation they need to feel confident their adviser is ahead of the curve on their behalf. Communicate changes in terms of client benefit (“this new tool means we can review your plan more frequently and accurately”) and always maintain the consistency and professionalism that underpins trust.