What Should You Be Paying for Financial Planning - What Is Fair and Who Do You Choose?
Release Date: 02/27/2024
Mike Hesketh: Perspective, Pressure and What Financial Independence Really Means
A Taste of Financial Planning
In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, we’re joined by Mike Hesketh. Mike’s career has taken an unusual path, from training as a dentist and serving in the Royal Navy alongside the Royal Marines, through to building and selling a successful dental practice, and now working with practice owners through . But this conversation goes far beyond career milestones. We explore how early experiences shape our attitudes towards money, how different types of pressure influence decision-making, and what financial independence really means when it stops being theoretical and becomes real....
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Abraham Okusanya: Early Money, Big Decisions, and Building Something Over Time
A Taste of Financial Planning
We’re joined at the table by Abraham Okusanya. Abraham grew up in Nigeria before getting a scholarship to study in the UK, a turning point that changed the course of his life. Today, he runs a business responsible for managing over £13bn of client assets. But this conversation doesn’t follow a straight line from A to B. We start much earlier. With childhood memories of money, sitting around the table with family, sometimes not quite enough to go round, and what that teaches you about earning, spending and valuing it. From there, the conversation moves through very different moments in...
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A Taste of Financial Planning - Paul Mills - Reinventing Your Career in Midlife
A Taste of Financial Planning
What happens when you walk away from a successful career and start again in mid-life? In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, Dennis cooks a Turkish feast while we sit down with marketing leader and entrepreneur Paul Mills. After years in senior corporate marketing roles, Paul chose to leave the security of employment and build his own business, working with companies as a fractional marketing leader and strategic adviser. Over dinner we talk about the realities of that transition, including: • the mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur • the financial realities of building...
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A Taste of Financial Planning - Emma Gray - Grief, Preparation and Growing Life Around Loss
A Taste of Financial Planning
What happens when the person who planned everything for you dies at 38? In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, we sit down with Emma Gray, founder of Rainbow Hunting, former wills and probate solicitor, and widow. Over Dennis’s Japanese black cod with miso, we talk about grief, preparation, and the emotional handrails that matter when life changes overnight. We explore: What grief really feels like, physically as well as emotionally The “sadmin” no one prepares you for Why powers of attorney are not just for later life The balance between living fully now and planning...
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A Taste of Financial Planning - Lee Spencer - The Rowing Marine
A Taste of Financial Planning
Lunch with Lee Spencer: Rowing Oceans, Climbing Mountains, and Finding Purpose In the first episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, hosts Dennis Hall and Sarah Steele sit down for lunch with former Royal Marine, world record-breaking ocean rower and author, Lee Spencer. Over a Caribbean-inspired lunch and a bold glass of Syrah, Lee shares the remarkable story of how he became The Rowing Marine. From a life-changing injury to crossing the Atlantic solo, climbing Kilimanjaro with his daughter, and even testing kit for NASA. The conversation moves between resilience, purpose, loss and of...
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Holly Mackay: Making Financial Advice More Human
A Taste of Financial Planning
“You are good enough. You do know enough. You just need to start.” For the final episode in our summer series, we’re joined by the brilliant and refreshingly honest Holly Mackay, CEO of , to talk about the real barriers to financial confidence — and why money is never just about the numbers. We dive into: – Why women still feel “rubbish with money” – The behavioural edge female investors may have (even if they don’t know it) – Why “just doing nothing” might be the best investment strategy – The power of empathy in advice – And how to make financial planning...
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Health is Wealth: The Other Side of Retirement Planning
A Taste of Financial Planning
In our second special summer episode of The Century Plan, we step outside the world of finance, but only just. Dennis Hall and Sarah Steele are joined by Toby Swallow, a former world champion powerlifter turned strength coach, who now calls himself a health pension planner. His mission? Helping people build the physical reserves they’ll need for a longer, more independent life. We explore the powerful parallels between financial and physical planning, from building long-term reserves to avoiding crisis-driven decisions. Toby shares personal insights, practical steps, and a clear...
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The Soul of Wealth with Daniel Crosby Ph.D
A Taste of Financial Planning
In the first of our summer specials, we’re joined by Dr. Daniel Crosby - psychologist, behavioural finance expert, and author of The Soul of Wealth. Daniel’s work invites us to rethink wealth not as a number, but as something deeply connected to our values, our behaviour, and our vision of a meaningful life. We explore: Why we often know the right thing to do with money, but still don’t do it The hidden power of “Enough is a decision” Why women often outperform men as investors How the PERMA model helps us plan for fulfilment, not just freedom The small wins that make...
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What's Holding You Back?
A Taste of Financial Planning
In this season finale of The Century Plan, we wrap up our exploration of what often holds people back from engaging in financial planning. Throughout this season, we've tackled several common barriers and uncovered ways to overcome them. Here are some key factors we discussed: Difficulty connecting with our future selves: Many people struggle to envision their future and prioritise present desires over long-term goals. Perfectionism: The fear of making the "wrong" decision or not having all the perfect information can prevent action. Lack of time: We explored whether people truly don't...
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Is Financial Planning Actually Worth It??
A Taste of Financial Planning
In this episode, Sarah throws out a challenge to Dennis: Is financial planning actually worth it? Is she about to regret her question!? But it has to be addressed, because there are some who think it’s a waste of time—believing pensions won’t be there when they retire, their business or property will fund everything, or they’ll just keep working. But are these assumptions really true? In our latest episode of , we tackle the common myths that stop people from planning for their future. Financial planning isn’t just about numbers—it’s about making sure you have real choices...
info_outlineIn this episode of The Century Plan, Sarah asks Dennis "How Much Does it Cost to Work With a Financial Planner?".
What is fair? How are different fees structured? What should you expect?
Dennis has some interesting thoughts on hourly rates and explains how he works at Yellowtail Financial Planning.
We explore in detail the structure of how fees are charged and why transparency is paramount to a long lasting relationship.
How do hourly rates work in financial planning?
What is a fixed price for financial services?
Why do some people charge a percentage of assets under management?
What is a fair ongoing management cost?
Useful information
Host: Dennis Hall
Dennis is a Chartered Financial Planner whose career spans 35 years, mostly in central London. After working for larger organisations (including a spell in Moscow) he founded Yellowtail in 2006 and later relocated the office to Exeter. Dennis's particular expertise lies in Lifestyle Financial Planning, helping busy successful people transitioning from working for a living to financial independence, allowing them to choose whether they work, retire, or something in-between. Dennis regularly writes for the trade press and the finance sectors of national newspapers and also has written a book on getting your financial affairs in order called "Who Will it Hurt When I Die"
Host: Sarah Steele
Sarah joined Yellowtail in 2017 having worked previously at Coutts Bank in Central London. Her role focused on clients in the sports and entertainment industry and, more recently, in private healthcare. In 2022, Sarah became Yellowtail's second Director and now looks after all the non-regulated aspects of the business. Sarah is particularly interested in the psychology of money and the interactions clients have with their financial planner. These interactions form the basis of many of the questions Sarah puts to Dennis on The Century Plan. Contact us: sarah@yellowtail.co.uk