On this session of the Adviser Hangout, Abraham Okusanya talks to Steve Martin of Smart Financial about how he runs his UK-based lifestyle financial planning firm while he and his family lives in Spain!
A big part of a financial planner’s job is helping clients figure out what kind of life they want and working with them to design, and ultimately achieve that lifestyle. But here is a question every financial planner needs to ask Am I living the life I want? Am I walking they talk? And if I’m not, who’s the hypocrite?
This is what Steve Martin did. Having set up the firm nearly 6 years ago, Steve decided to move his family to Spain but continues to runs his UK based financial planning firm.
Can you imagine that? With everything a firm owner has to deal with; running a business, serving clients, dealing with an overzealous regulator, yet that hasn’t stopped Steve from growing his business. He is now looking to increase the number of advisers within the firm. Steve thinks ‘the best way to have a lifestyle business is to have a lifestyle within a proper business’
The takeaway from this interview is that as financial planners, just like in any other career or business, the there natural forces trying to stop you from achieving your objectives. Every business owner has that in common. What sets the successful ones apart is how they deal with these obstacles. Some people allow obstacles to derail them; others find ways to jump the hurdles. Your choice!
You can listen to the extended interview in our podcast here
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