Episode Details

Hannah Wooldridge isn't only the person keeping Financial Planner Life running behind the scenes. She's also training to become a financial planner, and sharing every step of the journey in real time.

In this episode, Sam sits down with Hannah for the second update in an ongoing series following her path from a complete beginner to a qualified financial planner. She's one exam down, five to go, and already doing things most trainees don't think about until they're qualified.

They dig into what it actually felt like to sit her R01 after 11 years away from exams, what she's learning by shadowing real client meetings, and why she's already thinking seriously about the business she hasn't launched yet. Most importantly, Hannah makes the case, without even realising it, for why waiting until you're ready isn’t the way to building success.

This one's for anyone who's thinking about becoming a financial planner, currently in the middle of their exams, or wondering what the path to self-employment actually looks like from the very beginning.

The key takeaways 🔥

• How Hannah passed her R01 after 11 years away from exams and her top tips
• Why the phrasing of exam questions matters as much as knowing the content
• What she learned watching a real financial planner in two live client meetings that no textbook taught her
• Why she's building her personal brand and client pipeline before she's anywhere near qualified
• The Women in Finance event she almost talked herself out of attending, and what happened when she went.
• Why "sales" feels like a dirty word to her, and how that thinking is starting to shift
• The CAS status question every trainee should ask firms before committing.
• Her new deadline: five exams in six months, with the last R06 slot of the year in her sights

Whether you're a trainee financial planner figuring out your next step, someone considering a career change into financial advice, or a qualified adviser curious about what the entry into this profession looks like for the next generation, this episode is the one for you.

Financial Planner Life is sponsored by Redmill Advance

Whether you're starting out, already qualified, or building a training academy, Redmill Advance delivers expert-led learning, exam support and CPD from Level 4 to Chartered.

✅ Trusted by top UK firms

👉 www.redmilladvance.com/fpl

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