Episode Details

In this episode of the Financial Planner Life Podcast, Sam Oakes speaks with Caroline Laudren-Quillet, who transitioned from investment banking at Deutsche Bank to becoming a self-employed IFA and financial planner.

Just two years into her financial planning career, Caroline has built £14 million assets under management, while balancing family life and designing a career with genuine flexibility.

Caroline shares her full journey from investment banking to financial planning, including how she qualified, why she chose the self-employed IFA route, and how she evaluated different firms before joining a directly authorised financial planning firm.

We also dive into the practical realities of becoming a financial adviser in the UK. This includes how much money you need saved before going self-employed, how adviser revenue splits work, and what support new financial planners should look for when joining a firm.

Caroline also explains how she generated clients in her first two years as an IFA through Unbiased leads, networking groups, accountant referrals, and financial wellbeing workshops.

If you are exploring a career change into financial planning, thinking about becoming a financial planner or financial adviser, or weighing up the self-employed IFA route, this episode is packed with practical insights.

What we cover:

• Moving from investment banking to IFA
•  Completing financial planning qualifications (Level 4)
•  Choosing between IFA academies vs smaller financial planning firms
•  The realities of becoming a self-employed financial adviser
•  How much savings you need before going self-employed
•  How financial advisers are paid and how fee splits work
•  Building your client bank from scratch
•  Lead generation for financial planners
•  Networking, referrals and LinkedIn for advisers
•  Why financial planning offers purpose and flexibility

This episode of Financial Planner Life is essential listening for anyone considering a career as a financial adviser, financial planner, or self-employed IFA.

00:00 - Ex-Deutsche Bank Investment Banking to IFA: self-employed start + £14m AUM

 01:23 - Mindset check: “It’s Friday” + starting your Financial Adviser journey

 02:34 - Why she left Investment Banking: COVID, redundancy, pregnancy, Plan B

 03:56 - Finding the UK Financial Planning route: Sam’s videos + where to begin

 05:27 - Lifestyle + family: why becoming a Self-Employed IFA fit her life

 06:58 - Choosing a small firm: Directly Authorised IFA vs bigger routes

 11:01 - Big bank to small Financial Planning firm: freedom, purpose, building a team

 15:27 - Comparing firms: Quilter/SJP academy vs smaller IFA setup

 17:20 - Going self-employed as a financial adviser: the 9–12 month savings rule

 21:34 - What support should look like: paraplanners, mentoring, case checking

 24:00 - IFA network vs directly authorised: which route suits you?

 26:14 - Self-employed adviser pay: 30% split explained + what it should include

 29:08 - Client ownership: who owns your clients as an IFA? (contract must-know)

 33:50 - How she built her client bank: Unbiased leads → networking → referrals

 38:08 - LinkedIn + Google: marketing as a Financial Planner / IFA

 50:58 - Fulfilment: helping real people vs institutional investment banking

 57:06 - Advice for bankers: switching from Investment Banking to Financial Planning

 59:12 - Long-term career: building a client book, equity value, future options

Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance

Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advanc