Is This a Job or a Career? 24 Months in Financial Planning | Lalith Mangalarapu

I mean ev even now to be fair, I've got some of my you know, some of the lads at cricket ask me about what happens if I do this, what happens if that. I was like, unfortunately I can't give you advice, but I know no company. Welcome back to another episode of Hoxton Life. And today I have Lalit joining us.

Lalit is back for a second visit to the podcast. Realising prospecting in this sort of role is completely different because you don't actually know anything. So looking back, I just go to my source to take a step back and actually just, you know, I'll see what Chris says about two of these and one of these, so just just listen more. I had a comment from Haroon the other day and he was like, God, that that looks better than what we did.

Which, you know, I felt a bit bad. I think, you know, when you when you when you start off, you just sort of see as a job, and as you sort of then go into the next stage of your of your progression, you then start to see actually I could do this for a career, not just a job. You're living proof that it works, right? You're two years into the programme, you've done two exams, you're now meeting clients.

You know, when you do step up to the next phase, that should be seamless. I think a lot of work I did 12 months ago is now starting to pay out for me now. Welcome back to another episode of Hoxton Life. Um, today I have Lalit joining us.

Lalit is back for a second visit to the podcast. Um, as for those that don't know, I'm Jacob Hall. I'm the regional director of International Advice, and basically I work with a lot of the advisors and the trainee wealth managers and the people that are coming through and developing into our next generation of financial planners. So we had Lallitt on last year talking about his first year of his journey.

We thought it'd be great to get him back on and talk about how the next 12 months are gone and how that progression has been in the in the trainee wealth manager structure. Um I'll let Lalit do a very quick introduction into himself and then we can we can dive in and ask him some questions. Yeah, so firstly, thank you for having me back. Um so yeah, my name is Lalit.

Um I'm a trainee wealth manager at Hoxton. Uh it's my second year now uh of being in this role. Uh started off in the UK and then moved over to the Dubai office, where obviously progressing on to the next stages. Perfect.

So when we started, so Lalit was actually in the first cohort we did. So we we completely reshaped the trainee wealth manager development role about two and a half years ago. Traditionally, people just move to Dubai and then they wouldn't join with a group of people, you join with a couple of others, and we tried to put a lot more structure around it. And as we talked about last year, regular training sessions, you know, interaction with advisors.

Uh, a lot of it at the beginning is prospecting because that's the most important bit of what we do. We spend an awful lot of money on marketing and and generating leads for financial planners, and you've obviously done a great job of that prospecting and moving forwards. So we're one year on. Um, how's the last 12 months been?

Yeah, good. Uh a lot of learning, um, a lot of change as well, obviously, moving out here. Um, yeah, I think it's it's been one of those where you sort of see yourself progressing. Um, I think a lot of work I did 12 months ago is now starting to pay out for me now, and you know, a lot of learning I'm doing since 12 months ago, you know, you can see that all come into effect now as well, and just in terms of the way I talk to people, uh the way I interact with clients, and even working with advisors as well.

So, really, really well at the moment, really good, really enjoying it at the moment, yeah. Yeah, it's funny you say that. I mean, obviously I see everyone's journey because I've been working with people from the beginning. I think I actually initially probably I think I definitely interviewed you right at the beginning.

And uh you came into the UK, and and it's great for me to see, and it's a maturity thing, and it's also moving into corporate structure and growth. I mean, obviously your progression's been fantastic. Um, I believe you've done two exams now? Correct, yeah, two exams.

Yeah, so which exams have you done so far? Uh I've done my level four financial planning advice uh and level four regs UK regulations. Oh, fantastic. And you've been working, so we we have Rebecca obviously that comes in.

Rebecca sits with the the guys on a weekly basis. Rebecca's been helping a number of our training wealth managers. How's that having that structure with Rebecca has that been beneficial for you? Oh, absolutely.

It's um I could probably look back when I was younger doing exams, having someone there to sort of help you talk you through certain topics, just having someone you can go to you don't understand anything, it's so so beneficial. Um, and like she's she's amazing. Like she spends time with you, she takes time to go out of her way as well, outside of work, and when she's not available, she'll message you and check up on you. So having her around has actually made the learning process or the technical side of things a lot easier to learn compared to just sort of just reading a book by yourself and not understanding every cut everything part of it.

I think there's two things with Rebecca. One is the accountability, too. She's worked with dozens and probably hundreds of international um trainee wealth managers and planners over the years, and she's also quite good at calling you out on your uh excuses, I find, as well. She's quite direct, so that's that's how she's gonna be.

She can be a bit intimidating sometimes, I guess I can say it out. I know uh I know when I first when I first had a session with her, she was like, I know everyone in this comp in the in the office, and I've pretty much trained everyone here. So you know, straight away you're in good hands in that case. But yeah, she can uh she can definitely uh be a bit intimidating sometimes, but it's quite good, I suppose.

You keep keeps you on the ball. Yeah, so year one was very much, and and as we talk about in, you know, I've I've done other podcasts talking about our program. Year one is prospecting, prospecting, prospecting. Um, and we do that first because that's the hardest part of the job, and and really it it sorts the the men from the boys a little bit as well.

I know that you switched towards doing Australia, so you were getting in the office early in the mornings, it's quite often I'd get there at 6:30 and you'd be there. Sometimes you'd say you'd be there and you wouldn't, but most days you most days you were. Um year two, there's been a lot of change for you. I've I've seen things obviously now, you've been doing more training around the advice processes, started to understand what we're doing.

So talk to me a little bit more around how much more involved in that you are now and and how that's going for you. Yeah, I mean, so at this stage now I'm sort of getting partner up with with advisors, so actually you get a bit more uh exposure to the actual client side of the role. Um, so in the sense that, you know, what what does what does an advisor do after they had that first meeting? So now I'm getting to a stage where I'm doing fact finds with prospects or potential clients, uh, working with an advisor to sort of understand what solutions there are for their needs, uh, working with them to sort of present these solutions and things like that as well.

So it's gone from just speaking to to a potential lead that's come in to actually going through the whole journey and understanding how actually, you know, sort of seeing a more of a human side of a person as well, rather than oh, you know, just uh just someone I'm speaking to on the phone and they deal with an advisor after. Yeah, I think talking back about being humanizing stuff, obviously you did the first podcast. I remember last year we had a great story where someone had gone on and listened to your podcast.

I think you'd booked in for somebody and they listened to your podcast and they said they commented about it in the uh meeting and it helped close the deal. So it obviously worked for you. 100%. Yeah, I think she it's it's one of those like you know, when you when you speak to someone on the phone, you don't know if they're a real person.

And uh I think she saw my podcast, she was like, actually, no, you know, you are a real person, you know, you are someone who's working. Um, and yeah, and then from there she's now a client of ours. So you know it does work, but it's just from my perspective, you don't really see that completely, but now I'm actually getting that full explode uh exposure of you know, this is a real person I'm speaking to. They've got real real problems or real issues that they want to work on, and you know I'm here to help them trying to navigate through that uh financial problem or financial situation.

Fantastic, fantastic. So you're obviously, I mean, how old are you now, Lalek? 28. 28.

So when you came out to Dubai, I know there was quite a bit of uh getting lord out for a few beers after work on the weekends and stuff. I've seen that slow down a little bit. Yeah, I think you put a little bit of weight on and lost a bit of weight now. So what have you been doing in your in the social life?

How have you how have you built? Because I know you've done a really good job of building out a network outside of work, which is always good to see. How have you gone about it? I think cricket's a big part of that.

Um used to play a lot of cricket back home when I was younger. Uh still play out here now. So I've joined a cricket club out here, paddle, uh, got into that recently. Um, getting very uh very competitive in that side of things.

But yeah, I think just joining sports societies or sports teams has been a big part. Um it's a big part of my life growing up as a kid. So it's quite an easy transition to go and meet new people, talk to new people, uh, and rate new friendships as well. Yeah.

And when you moved over, obviously you moved in, I think you were in shared accommodation, which you're still you're in shared now. Um have you managed to to separate and have a social circle outside of cricket and outside of work? And you know, obviously, has that been quite successful for you? Yeah, yeah, 100%.

I think it's quite important as well to have that. Um, I think you know, having a social circle outside of work, you can actually switch off completely. Um, so yeah, my housemates, great bunch of people. Uh, and even through them, you know, you meet mutual friends for them.

So you actually end up getting a wider and wider circle. Um, I was quite lucky, I had a few friends that already moved out here that I knew from back home. So joining that circle as well, and then you know, expanding that network as well. So yeah, it's been it's been slow, but it's been a you know, it's I've got a lot of friends outside of work now, which is really nice.

So you get to sort of you know mix it up a bit, sometimes go out for with the work lads and then sometimes go out with your own friends and have different environments to be around. And Dubai for someone your age, a good place to live? 100%, 100%, yeah. Um, you know, it's it's it's simple things, and obviously, you know, you don't pay any tax out here, but it's a great stepping stone to to building up what you want to do in the future.

So I know I'm starting to save a lot more, uh starting to sort of think about what I want to do in my life in the future, obviously with this role, but you know, whatever else after that as well. Um so yeah, absolutely a great place. There's so much to do out here as well. So you know, you're never really bored.

Yeah, fantastic. So you start, as I say, you started off in the first cohort. And when we started off the training wealth manager program, it was kind of myself, Kane, Tommy, and a few of the other guys just helping the guys along. We brought Matt Matt Morgan in in um January this year.

He came on and he now has had a much more integral role in the development. I mean, how's that mentorship uh been received? One by yourself and the rest of the team, and and what have you seen that's different with having him there? Yeah, I think it's very positive.

Uh, I think everyone in the team is happy that he's there. There's a lot more structure in place now for us. I think when it was just yourself, Tommy, Kane, you know, it's quite hard because obviously your diaries are very, very busy. So finding that time to have that little bit of conversation can be difficult.

With Matt, you know, he he's first thing he said is you know, he's always open for a conversation. If you need any help or if you need to talk to him, go to him straight away. And so, in that case, you know, I've always got someone, like I said before, there's always someone on the floor that I can, you know, you can you can talk to and help you, but you know, Matt will always have the time for you because that's what he's there for. Um, and then following that, the structure he's sort of put in place with all the training that we're doing, the regular training that we're doing.

Um, you know, it's development side of things, you are progressing a lot faster than you probably would have done before. Yeah, and it's it's hard to balance, right? Because you've got to be doing your role and you've got to be prospecting, you've got to be meeting people, you're doing your exams outside of work, and you obviously get a little bit of time in work, you then need to be developing. But I would say that the best development comes from that mentorship.

So we've recently, so as you've come up to two years, we've just partnered you up with to work directly with two advisors, which you mentioned before is getting more involved in the advice processes. I think that was a real turning point. I think that was a really important part of your development because when you were working with Five Six Seven, everyone's got a slightly different process. And it was like I noticed from speaking to you in our one-to-one's, it was like, well, he does it this way, he does it this way, and you didn't really know what's right.

I mean, how's that uh building the relationship and working with James and Rob? How's that going for you? Uh, really well, yeah. Um, yeah, you're right, you know, in terms of the processes, they both still have different processes, um, both have different needs as well in terms of what they need from me or what support they need from me, which is kind of nice because it sort of diversifies the role a little bit.

So you get to do a little bit different things all the time. Um, but yeah, working with both of them, you know, you sort of understand um how one person works, but also it's actually the the one-to-one time understanding each solution that we have. Um, so you know, there's things that I didn't know about when I first started that I actually understand better now. So it's actually you know, you have that person you can go to.

You have to got Matt there, but you also have an advisor that can actually talk to you about the technical side of things as well. So actually, when you're doing your exams, you've got technical advice and you've got Matt there, it all comes together. You're you're the way you're learning, the way you're improving, and your knowledge just increases so much quicker. Yeah, and the prospect the prospecting part's tough, right?

Yeah, very hard. Yeah, tough. And uh, you know, when you first started off, I remember I remember sitting there with with the uh cohorts when they start, and I look at them and I tell them what they've got to do, and I can see people looking at me going, like, are you sure? Surely there's a better way to do things and and whatever else.

But you worked very hard, you worked long hours, you stuck it in, and you've got you know, you've got very, very good at speaking to people on the telephone. You know, I find that some people can get too technical, they'll try to be too matey, you know. You've obviously got a very professional way of speaking to people which has worked for you, which has come with your maturity. You know, you've obviously matured over the last 12 months and 18 months, and I know we spoke about this the other day.

When you started off, and we were all saying these things, I could see it in your eyes, but oh yeah, I think there's better ways of doing this or whatever. I mean, you've listened and followed that process, and and it has come good, yeah, you know, and I mean, if you look back 12 months, what would you say to yourself if you uh if you could? Um I think it was different for me because I started a little bit older in this role than a couple of the other lads. So I already did the the the business development prospecting role before.

Um the one thing I realized is prospecting in this sort of role is completely different because you don't actually know anything. So looking back, I'll just go to myself, just take a step back and actually just you know, obviously, what Chris says you've got two of these and one of these, so just just listen more. Um, and then you know, that's that's sort of what I've been doing more recently for the last 12 months or last six to twelve months, just listening to what other people in the office are like, how they speak to people, but then also actually listen to to prospects more as well, because then you understand what they actually are asking you, and it's easier to have a conversation with them when you understand what they're saying.

So, yeah, just just just listen more. It's the it's the best thing I can say. I mean, listen, you know, we I was exactly the same, you know, it's just part of going through the processes, and it's not that we know what's right all the time, we know the structure that's right, but we've also seen things that have worked really well. Um, that the the younger guys have done, and we've adapted that and put it into our programme.

And we take the feedback from you guys on a regular basis, and that's how we've evolved our trainee wealth manager program. Absolutely. I mean, you look now, we're on cohort four, which are the guys that have recently started. And I know I had a comment from Haroon the other day, and he was like, God, that that looks better than what we did.

Yeah. Which, you know, I felt a bit bad because I was like, God, well, was yours not very good? He said, No, but he said you've learned from what didn't work and what did work. I mean, for instance, you started in the UK and then came to Dubai, the recent guys come straight to Dubai.

I mean, you've watched that program evolve, and and what's your feedback on it? Uh, it's got so much better. I think obviously being the first cohort is still a bit of learning from your side as well, as from our side. Um, but as I actually see each one come through or each cohort come through, there's so much more structure in place, there's so much more routine for what those guys are doing.

It's getting to a stage where if I started now, I'd be so much happier. Like I know what I'm doing straight away, I've got the communication straight away. Um, you know, you're learning, you have a sort of a timetable or timeline, sorry, in terms of this is what your progression is going to be. Yeah, obviously, you know, when I started, I got told that too.

But for these guys, it's visualized for them as well. So in their diaries and know what they're doing, they know what they're when they're doing this, when they're doing that. So, yeah, it's a it's a really good program now. And I think I said, I think you know, we've got we've had a lot of feedback about it over the years, and you know, you guys have obviously listened to it and have made it better and better for these guys.

Well, I mean you're you're living proof that it works, right? You're two years into the program, you've done two exams, you're now meeting clients. You know, when you do step up to the next phase, which might be 12 months, might be 18 months, um that should be seamless. Because actually, I remember when I moved from business development to an advisor, I did a week course in uh a week course on it, and that was it.

And I'd never really met with clients, and it was like a baptism of fire going out, and back then it wasn't online, it was all going out on the road. So I could have been saying something that you know was was stopping my business going forward and whatever else. I mean, obviously, we do core listening with the guys, but Tom Streder, who was one of the team, we we made him a team leader actually of the trainee wealth manager before he stepped up to an advisor. I mean, I think he did business in his first three weeks because he literally just stepped into an advice role, he knew exactly how to do a fact-find, exactly how to present advice and create create the process.

Yeah, 100%. Yeah, I think I think it's one of those as well. Because obviously, with Tom, he was partnered up with an advisor, yeah. And I think that was a big part in us getting partnered up as well.

Because when you're with that advisor, you understand the process, the behind the scenes that you need to do. Where, as a as a as just a business development or relationship manager, you don't really get involved in that side of things. So the actual transition for Tom probably was a lot smoother because he was involved from the beginning, which is something I'm starting to do now. So it will hopefully be a lot easier in you know 18 months' time.

And is it is I mean, is the goal 12-18 months? Is that what you're looking at? I think so. Yeah, I think what I'd like to do is complete my exams, um, completely be fully UK regulated, potentially look at other exams that I want to do.

Um, but yeah, still be still be in this relationship role with both Rob and James, and then slowly progress into that maybe back end of next year or early early year after into the advisory role. Yeah, I mean I I joke about this with everyone, right? But you know, doing as much as you can now is so beneficial to your career because you're only gonna get, you know, once you start seeing clients, you're out on the road, you're gonna be more stretched, you might start a family in the future.

You know, your time's only gonna get more and more limited, and you've got more time now than you'll ever have. And you know, it is it is important to make sure you do it. I mean, obviously the office has changed, the office has got busier. Yeah, um, we had a refurb last year, which I think was just after you after you came.

Just after I moved out, yeah. After you moved out. Um, how's the office environment? You know, you've obviously got you you sit with a with your team.

I mean, how is that? I mean, you've got I know you have a bit of banter and stuff, but no, I love it. Like, uh, you know, I've been as been someone who's played sport their whole life, so growing up in a change room, you know, you sort of spend a lot of time with other people. Um, so being in the office, it's it's sort of like that, you know, you you sort of push each other to to try and get better, try and try and out compete each other a little bit, but while still supporting each other.

So I I do love being in the office. Um, and like I said, it's like I said it last time as well, it's is the accessibility to information as well, it's so easy. I can go speak to any person on that floor and they will help you. Um, you know, even if it's little things, you know, there's always someone available to help.

So when it comes to that, yeah, it's the best part about being in that office. It's good to hear that because obviously when you're in a management role, you know that you want that to happen, and you know things, and obviously I'll always make myself available when I can, and Matt will and all those. But I know that you've mentioned to me you can go and speak to pretty much any advisor, or I mean, obviously, there's some people that are locked into their desk, but it's good to get that feedback that everyone is doing what we expect, you know, that no ego helping them helping people develop because we've all been there, yeah.

You know, and uh, I was speaking to somebody else I did a podcast with recently about how when I started I go and ask someone for help, and they were like, you know, they didn't want to know because it didn't benefit them, yeah. Whereas we've created that community, that team where it's kind of it's a it's a group benefit as such, you know, which is uh which obviously is important. So what are you gonna work on? Obviously, you're gonna do your exams.

I mean, what what's important in the next 12 months? Obviously, you know what the program is, so you've started to fact-find yeah, how's that next 12 months going to evolve for you, and how are you gonna support those advisors? Yeah, I think it's continue to do the the prospecting, the client relationships. I said that's probably the most important part of any advisory role.

Um, but with with someone like Rob, for example, it will be learning about the different types of solutions, how to present, and sort of understanding clients' needs, where with someone like James is more creating that structure in place. So James is very good at that. Uh, he's got a very good structure on how things work. So a lot of it will be the back-end side of things, understanding what the next steps are.

Well, we've had your first meeting now. What do we do next? You've had your second meeting, oh, this is a fact find is learning going through those different stages and understanding the back end side of things. Um, obviously, it said exams, uh, getting that out of the way.

Um, and yeah, just continuing to improve in terms of other areas of the business as well. So when you're looking at the sort of understanding fact sheets or or understanding how funds work and things like that. So these sort of information you don't really think about until you actually have to look into it. Um, so all this little bits of stuff is probably what I'm trying to pick up now.

Um, and then you're obviously trying to get a bit more uh involvement in the client side of things as well, having a bit more meetings with a client, helping James and Rob in sort of you know the processes. So if they're busy, then I can contact me and I can speak to them. So keeping that relationship going, but being more hands-on, I suppose, with clients as well. Yeah, and you've got to do that, right?

So you we put the team leaders in place. So part of the training wealth manager obviously have pods, there's like 20 or 30 people coming through at different stages, and we put the team leaders in place to to basically be there to support you and give you a little bit more guidance and a bit more accountability. I mean, talk to me through how that team leader roles, how you because you work with Ollie at the moment. Well, Ollie at the moment.

Yeah, how does that work? So, how what what does Ollie do to help you? You know, where where does he fit within your uh within your career? Yeah, so I mean Ollie is like a bridge really to to for me to Matt to you, I suppose.

Um so you know, if it's like little day-to-day problems, you know, you instead of sort of I've going into your diary or going to Matt's diary, you can go to Ollie and he'll probably put it all together and come to you and present it. These are the problems that the guys are facing. So with Ollie, it's really useful because you have that little extra bridge that you know you can go to someone when you if you have any issues or have any problems that they will look into for you.

Um, but yeah, I mean, even that, you know, accountability, we have you know, we have catch-ups every every week to sort of see how your week's gone. Is there anything I can help you with? Anything Jake can do? Is there anything Matt can do to help you?

So yeah, it's just a it's just another layer of support that you have uh in your day to day job. And I as you know, I'm uh very passionate about statistics and data and and you know, the because I I think the numbers don't lie. You know, if it's if you're struggling to book some meetings in, you've kind of got to speak to more people. Um we so we look at everything from how many leads get, you know.

How many leads we create from a marketing point of view on a monthly basis? How many times those leads are contacted, the times those leads are contacted. You start to take a keener interest in the numbers. You know, you probably understand it a lot more now.

And how is that tracking of your data and understanding what you've got on and that accountability? How much has that helped? Uh, massively. I think what what I do with Matt in my one-to-ones with him is we go through how many people I've contacted each month.

And you can correlate, you know, the more effort I've put in, the more the more meetings I've booked, but then you know there'll be certain moments there, there's less effort, but still quite a lot of meetings. So using our data to understand actually, well, this is the area I was doing very well in. I don't have to do work too hard to get a meeting, but I'm doing better in this area. So in that case, why don't I focus on that a bit more?

Because I'm struggling this month. This area is you know a bit bit quieter. So um, yeah, data's really important. Um, it's a great way to analyze where where your strengths and weaknesses are, and you know, that's something that we go through in Matt every single month uh in our one-to-one.

So yeah, I I really enjoy those actually because I can see actually I'm doing really well in this area. I'm not just struggling in general, actually, I have I've got my strengths here. Let's just focus on the strengths a bit more right now and then keep pushing and we'll work on the weaknesses in the background. Yeah, and one thing that we brought in this year with Matt was bringing in behaviours as well.

Because obviously, you know, you could be unbelievably hardworking and you could be, you know, really, really good on the telephone and great with the leads that come in and book loads of meetings. But if you show up to work late or you're not willing to sit in a training session or you're not engaged, being good at that part's one thing, but to be actually successful, you need to create behaviours, so you know, functionality, presentation, you know, all of those things are what what and that's part of maturing as well.

Yeah, um, I think it's really important to to understand what makes you a rounded advisor, not just great on the telephone. Yeah, and that's where I think this integration into the advice processes and the behaviours are really important. Have you done anything else? Obviously, the personal development, we do the exams.

Um, you're doing the integration with the with the team. Do you do you do anything else with regard to personal development? So is there anything else? Yeah, yeah, I mean, I've actually started reading a lot more.

Okay. Um, not something I'm really that into, uh, but just reading, you know, the FT, anything else that you have James might send me something to read, articles in terms of just keeping updated on what's happening in the market. Um, you don't really you know you don't realize until you start doing that. Actually, there's a lot of information out there for you.

Um, podcasts is another thing. Uh, listen to a lot of podcasts, more more towards probably uh personal development uh rather than probably work related, but it's just you know understanding mindsets and uh sort of trying to you know managing you know your your sort of time, your stress and things like that. So that's probably helped a lot uh compared to you know last year when I was probably all over the place a little bit, trying to manage my diary, yes, finders, you know, different people I'm working with.

And it's a little bit easier now when you're working with two, but you know, it's the main the main thing is the mindset side of it kind of things for me. I think getting that discipline in place to help me hopefully I should say be more mature and and progress further forward. Well that that you know that's mindset in a role like ours is so so important, you know, because you do have days where you do feel like a little bit I'm bothered, and it's having that discipline and mindset to do it.

And I say to everyone, you know, if you can get your mindset right early on, the rest is easy. Yeah, but it's so so important. And podcast and self-development and everything else is obviously, and we've had uh we've had uh mindset coaches inter speak with you guys as well, which I think has been really useful. And I always find that people from sport generally have a better team mindset and you know, and a good what I've noticed a lot this year is as you are a team and you've become quite a unit, if someone's head goes down, rather than just letting them sit there, you guys will pick each other up, and I think that's really important, and you've now become one of those senior people that's doing that, so that's obviously great to see.

Um what's what so next 12 months, you're gonna do your exams, come and do more advisory, yeah, continue with the prospecting. Yeah, as we're adding in that extra level of work, so you're sitting down with the advisors now, you're helping with fact finds helping time management's probably quite challenging. Yeah, it can be. Um so with Rob and James, luckily for me, they're both working in different jurisdictions.

Um, so it works quite well because I could do Rob in the work of Rob in the morning, James in the afternoon. So it's just that creating that structure. Yeah, obviously, there's a bit of crossover sometimes. Um but yeah, it's it's it's more so now that I think you know, obviously, the work's one side, but actually focusing on the structure of my day.

Um, you know, I'm I you know I'm voluntarily going to go work on a weekend just because I want to get ready for the week. So it's it's things like that now. It's probably more of a focus rather than just thinking day-to-day job and you know, ringing people, speaking to people, working with clients, stuff like that. It did when we played, we played paddle together on a Saturday morning recently and asked you what you're doing for the day, and you said you were going to the office.

Yeah. I actually checked to make sure you were there, but uh, it's good to see. No, I worked from a cafe that day instead. It's good to um, it's good that you're like taking it seriously and you know you can see it.

And I suppose when you started, we obviously said this is a pathway to becoming a financial planner. Yeah. How real does that feel for you now? Uh a lot more real.

Um I think you know, when you when you when you start off, you just sort of see it as a job. Um and as you sort of then go into the next stage of your of your progression, you then start to see actually I could do this for a career, not just a job. I can, you know, I can speak to people, I can help people, and and now it's getting to that stage where actually you know what you've done the hardest part of the role. Well, let's try and teach you more and more to you know build on what you've just done.

So yeah, I mean when I first when I first joined, it was I'm looking for a job, let's let's this this is this seems interesting, let's try it. But now I think actually, well, I'll probably want to stay in this role and be be an advisor and help people going along for in the long term. I mean, I personally see it as one of the best professions in the world, really. If you can get over that initial bit of how you meet clients.

I mean, you can be the best advisor and best financial planner in the world, but if you can't sit in front of people, well, you're never gonna do business, yeah. And that's why we really focus on this prospecting, and you guys see the value of that now. But I think you get to the point where one, you can go anywhere in the world with it, yeah. Two, you can build it around your lifestyle.

So if you're the kind of person that likes to work evenings, you can do more, you can start work a little bit later and finish later as long as you're doing the hours, and you can build up an asset which is which is your client bank, which when you do decide to exit 20, 30 years down the line, you know it has an intrinsic value to it. Yeah, it's you know, it's like you're building up your own business, really. Um within a business, which is quite, I mean, I think that's quite a cool concept to think about.

So, you know, you know, it's it's you know you do you get back as much work you put in. And it's rewarding when you when you see good client outcomes. Yeah, and you spoke to somebody on the telephone and they've been able to, oh yeah, well, I just downloaded the guide online and then they booked a meeting, and then they sit the meeting, and someone maybe do some cash flow planning or wealth flow planning with them, and then they become a client, and then 12 months down the line they do something else.

Yeah, that's a really rewarding journey because you're taking that client down that journey, and obviously that's that's going to be the next phase of what you do. So you were a bit older when you moved over, which obviously that maturity was there. You I remember when you came over, you you went into things. Any tips for people that are moving to the GCC on, you know, obviously you mentioned sports, but what should they and shouldn't they do when they're just getting started up in this profession?

Uh that's a tip, it's a difficult question because I'm sort of uh sort of saying what I what I did, and but you shouldn't do that. But I mean I I did spend a lot of time out um just because you know I didn't re yes, I had friends out here um that helped, but actually I wanted to explore more than anything else because the only way to sort of meet people is by is by going out now. There's there's probably better ways than going out, I just go for a beer all the time. But um, yeah, no, I spent a lot of time out.

Um, I think people do get uh into that Dubai lifestyle of going out and showing the luxury and stuff like that. Probably something I did do very early on, and then I just realized I can't really afford it, it's just not worth it. Um, you can know you can go have a beer somewhere very quiet or somewhere still fun, but still a lot cheaper than going to you know the Berge Al Arab, for example, for a first meal or something like that. So, I mean, if you are gonna move out here, yeah, of course, enjoy Dubai because it's it's it's it's one of a kind, right?

There's no there's no other city like this. Um, one of the best places in the world to live, I think. But you've also got to realise that most people are here to work, they're not no not everyone's gonna be the flashy, uh, you know, I've got a Lamborghini, drive around like that. So, yeah, just enjoy it, but just just also be mindful of what you're doing at the same time.

I think, I mean, I said that's something that I do talk to the guys about now, it's something I've added into our training. You know, it's you've got to learn to budget. You know, you move from I moved from North Wales, right? So, you know, my local was a local pub in a village and it was the only pub around, and it was three pounds for a pint of carling or something ridiculous.

Yeah. And then you move over here, and then suddenly you end up going to five-star hotels on a weekend every weekend because the rest of the guys are going, and but some of those guys may be further down the line and they've got a bit more money. And I've seen some really good talent um actually run out of time because they've run out of money over the years. I mean, that's why we put this salary structure in place to try and mitigate that.

Because obviously, when you've got a set amount of money you can plan, you know, this is for your rent, this is for your eating, this is for everything else. I mean, it still blows my mind sometimes when these guys start up and they woke up in the morning with a Starbucks when there's a coffee machine in the office. Yeah, I'm like, that's five pounds for a coffee, and then the delivery order comes and oh, it's only 25 dirhams, but the delivery, you know, it's 15 dirhams on top of delivery orders.

Well, I might be I might be a bit guilty of that myself. Yeah, but you know, it's about you know, you you've proven it, you're here two years. Yeah, you've got over that hump. I remember the beginning there was a bit of pressure financially when it when you do go out a bit excited, but you've also got to experience it as well.

You know, Dubai is an amazing place, and you will, you know, uh end up at some point two children and a wife like me, and probably looking back at the younger lads and thinking, God, I wish I'd done a bit more of that. So it's it's about the balance. I think the sport part was a big thing for you because actually, yes, you do booze at the cricket a little bit, I believe, but you're doing something for six, eight hours that you know is is getting you integrated and getting you that community as well, right?

I see, and it's you know it's something I've grown up playing. Um it's you know, it's probably my favourite sport, so it's it's it's it's it's a team sport as well, which is one of the things I I love team sport because you have different types of characters in a in a change room, just like in the office. You know, you've got to learn how each person interacts with you. Um and then yeah, just being active because you know that you can, as you probably mentioned, I did put on a bit of weight when I first moved out here.

We all did. Um, you could divide pounds, do pile on. Um, but just getting back to being active and actually having that sort of time in your diary where you you know you can switch off. For me, sport has always been somewhere I can switch off completely, regardless of his personal life, work, anything in the world.

I can just just focus on what I'm doing. Um, and yeah, being active out here is hard. It's hard to be active sometimes. Um but you sort of you sort of walk around, you see that everyone's running around and like to get in better shape.

So just do just doing things like that, it does help. I noticed that you got players, was it players player this year? Players player players player this year, which is a good accolade to have because that's them voting for you. Yeah.

I don't I think you underestimate the power of that team sport that you're in right now. Because as a as a uh a business development, as a trainee wealth manager, you're building relationships with people, and and I know that you're keen to continue growing out of the relationship. When you become an advisor, you'll be trusted by those people. If they've voted for the players, players are already trusted, and naturally they're gonna be like, Oh, you're qualified now, you can give advice.

People will naturally just say, Would you mind having a look at this for me? Or I've had this investment from before, or can you help me with my pension? When I came over, I set up a goal society because I didn't, you know, I I wasn't very good at um outbound with lead generation, things like that. And it was very different back then as well.

And I think I did it for 18 months and nothing came from it. And then when I became an advisor, people would just naturally turn up and they'd be like, Oh, I need some have someone mentioned insurance, can you help me? And then they became a client. Yeah, and then somebody said, Oh, I've been looking at some investments, can you help me?

Because I was Jacob from Abu Dhabi Gold Society, not Jacob, the financial planner that's trying to sell me something. Yeah, absolutely. You put it just puts a different perspective on who you are. Yeah, um, I mean, even now, to be fair, I've got some of my friends, some of the lads at cricket asked me about what happens if I do this, what happens if that?

I was like, Unfortunately, I can't give you advice, but I know no company, I know no advisor. You're just holding them all back ready for when you stab up or two. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I've seen that happen before.

Very good, very good. Okay, well, Lally, it's been fantastic to hear about um your progression over the last 12 months. I mean, personally, I've seen you go from, you know, you did a great job and go from here to here, your maturity. I can now see you out advising clients.

You know, the fact that you're already doing fact finds, I've seen, I've I've I've spoken to talk through those with you is is great. When I look back to 18, 24 months ago when you started to where you've got to now, it amazes me as where you could be in the next 24 months. You've obviously got to continue with that hard work and pushing forward, but I'm sure we can get you back on at some point and hear how hopefully by the next time you're on, you'll be out advising clients fully and let off let off the leash a little bit.

Yeah, hopefully. Look forward to it. Thank you for having me. Thanks, Lonek.

Thank you.