News and Blogs How can I make a difference as a financial adviser?

Financial advice is about so much more than just money. It’s a career that is built on long-term relationships, trust, empathy, as well as the financial advice you give.

We often overlook the life-changing differences that great financial advisers can make in the lives of their clients, whether that’s helping them to create a robust savings plan, retire early, or put their children through university. As an adviser, you can expect to make a meaningful difference to people’s lives every single day.  

There is, of course, far more to life than money, but it is nonetheless a critical resource in today’s world – one that people spend decades of their lives earning. As a financial adviser, you can help people to make the most out of the money they work so hard for and achieve their goals.  

Whether big or small, most people’s dreams will require some form of financial backing – be it paying for education or buying a home. Advisers offer the financial expertise that is a fundamental component of making dreams like these come true. This is one of the greatest differences you can make to someone’s life and is part of the reason that financial advice is such a rewarding career. 

 When you work closely with people for an extended period of time, you get to know not only them, but also their close social circles: family, friends and other important people in their lives. For many, protecting their family financially is one of their major life goals. However, often people aren’t sure how to achieve it.   

Financial advisers are the first line of defence for clients and their families; they can put in place protective measures to help clients to look after themselves and their loved ones. For example, advisers might put in place tax-efficient inheritance plans, insurance, and protection for elderly family members, or saving plans for their children’s education. When you protect a client’s assets, you protect not only them, but also their family and their legacy. 

What could be more important than preserving people’s quality of life and the lives of those closest to them? 

Wellbeing is becoming an increasingly prevalent discourse in society, particularly when it comes to physical and mental health. However, when it comes to financial wellbeing, people are far less aware of the importance of it; they know they need to look after their bodies and their minds, but all too often overlook the importance of looking after their finances too. 

Research has shown that people’s financial situations directly impact their mental health, and vice versa. People’s physical health can also be affected by the stress that comes with navigating personal finances. Financial advisers can help to ease the burden and bridge the gap in financial education by offering their expertise and advice to help clients to uncover what financial wellbeing looks like for them.  

The long-term impact that financial advisers have on their clients’ lives cannot be overstated. 

A financial plan proposed by an adviser will affect the decisions that clients make for the rest of their lives. Even the seemingly small changes that an adviser might make to a savings plan or investment portfolio has a long-term impact on the client. It’s a big responsibility and therefore is hugely rewarding when the client secures their financial future. Advisers get to make a real difference, knowing that it’s one that can last a lifetime – and sometimes even longer.  

Becoming a financial adviser not only enables you to make a difference to other people’s lives, but yours as well. It is a career that offers a little bit of everything: challenges, rewards, and, above all, purpose. You can earn a living by building relationships, helping people and making a life-changing differences every day. It’s also a career that offers a great deal of autonomy, the opportunity for entrepreneurship and flexibility due to its client-facing nature. It’s a career you can grow in, while still having control over your life outside of work.  It is a rare opportunity, and one that has been greatly overlooked.