Jeri Williams on Scaling a Business, Letting Go of Control, and Building a Life with More Freedom

In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes sits down with Jeri Williams, the powerhouse behind Smooth Accounting in the UK and now Smooth Dubai.

Jeri shares how she built a business that runs without her, the mindset shift that allowed her to finally let go of control, and why protecting her time is now non-negotiable.

We dive deep into:

✅ Why she expanded into Dubai - and how it’s transforming her business
✅ The reality of stress and anxiety as a business owner
✅ What it really means to delegate and build a self-sufficient team
✅ Her obsession with time, freedom, and being present for her kids
✅ How showing up consistently online has helped her grow a loyal client base
✅ The role of marketing in building trust, visibility, and long-term success
✅ Why community, not competition, is at the heart of her approach

This conversation is packed with practical insights for business owners, financial professionals, and anyone chasing more freedom without sacrificing success.

🔗 Learn more about Jeri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeriwilliams
📚 Join the waitlist for her new book on moving to Dubai
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Begin your financial planning career journey today

Whether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you.

With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbs

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In this episode of the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes speaks with Aleem Nijabat, a self-employed financial planner who built £12 million in AUM without a client bank, without leads, and without a background in finance.

Aleem started during lockdown, working alone from his bedroom. He had just qualified, had no clients, and relied entirely on cold outreach through LinkedIn to get started.

This conversation is packed with practical advice for anyone considering a self-employed career in financial planning, especially those thinking about going it alone.

What we cover:

• How Aleem used LinkedIn Sales Navigator to connect with ideal clients
• Why consistency in cold outreach beats waiting for inbound leads
• What it really felt like starting during a market downturn
• The role mentorship played in levelling up his client base
• How joining Foster Denovo changed the game for his business
• Why testimonials and authentic content now matter to his strategy
• His goal of becoming a Senior Partner before the age of 30

This episode offers a real-world view of what it takes to build a financial planning business from the ground up. It’s not about shortcuts or luck - it’s about showing up every day and doing the work.

👉 Ready to take control of your financial planning career?
Subscribe for weekly conversations with the professionals shaping the future of this industry.

Begin your financial planning career journey today

Whether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you.

With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbs

Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON!

If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy here

Reach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

In this episode of Financial Planner Life, Sam Oakes is joined by certified money coach Dennis Harhalakis to explore the powerful emotional side of money - and why financial planners can't afford to ignore it.

Dennis shares how our earliest money experiences shape the way we think, feel, and act around money as adults. Whether it’s shame, fear, scarcity, or self-worth, these emotional drivers often get in the way of good financial decision-making.

We discuss:

• Why childhood money stories influence adult financial behaviour
• How money shame blocks clients from implementing advice
• Why planners must understand their own money beliefs first
• The power of creating emotional safety in client conversations
• Tools and training to help financial planners explore money coaching

If you're a financial planner who wants to build deeper trust, improve client outcomes, and bring more human connection into your advice process - this one's for you.

🔗 Learn more about Dennis and Cambridge Money Coaching:
https://www.cambridgemoneycoachinguk.com/

📌 Subscribe to the channel for more career insights from the world of financial planning.
👍 Like this video if it made you think differently about client conversations.
🗣 Drop a comment — what’s your first memory of money?

Begin your financial planning career journey today

Whether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you.

With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it’ll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbs

Be sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON!

If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy here

Reach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.