From Broom Cupboard to £100M+ Advice Firm (Alan Smith’s Story)

The Adviser Who Joined a Fund Manager to 10x His Impact | David Swanwick, Dimensional Fund Advisors

David Swanwick is Head of Client Communications EMEA at Dimensional Fund Advisors, but he didn't start there. He began his career in banking, moved into independent financial advice in Brisbane, helped merge 14 firms into a single national group managing $10 billion AUD, then made the leap to London to join Dimensional in 2011.  Whether you use Dimensional or not, this episode is packed with practical thinking on how to run a better advice business, communicate more effectively, and position the value of what you do with confidence. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  [https://www.youtube.com/@HoxtonLife] For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com [https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com] For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩ [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCscfSzwe7_2i1GZN0WfQ-Aw]

How to Get Clients to ACT on Your Advice with Paul Taylor

In this episode of Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Chris sits down with Paul Taylor, a financial planner turned coach who has spent over 25 years working with business owners and entrepreneurial families. After building a £100m client book, Paul stepped away to focus on what he believes is the most undervalued skill in the profession: Communication that actually drives action. In this episode, we cover: - Why clients do not act on financial advice - Why “sales” has become a dirty word (and why that is a problem) - The role of emotion in decision-making - How better conversations lead to better outcomes If you are a financial planner, advisor, or business owner looking to improve how you communicate, influence, and deliver real value to clients, this episode is for you. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  [https://www.youtube.com/@HoxtonLife] For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com [https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com] For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩ [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCscfSzwe7_2i1GZN0WfQ-Aw]

From Broom Cupboard to £100M+ Advice Firm (Alan Smith’s Story)

In this episode of Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Chris Ball sits down with Alan Smith, Founder and CEO of Capital Asset Management, to unpack what it really takes to build a successful financial planning business. Alan started his firm over 20 years ago from a small office in Victoria. Today, he is widely recognised as one of the most respected voices in UK financial planning. They cover: - How Alan went from a salaried role to building his own firm - Why being a great adviser does not automatically make you a great business owner - The reality of starting from scratch and managing early uncertainty - How referrals, niche positioning and content drive consistent growth - The story behind The Real Adviser Podcast (TRAP) and its impact on the profession - Why AI could elevate financial planning rather than replace it If you are a financial planner thinking about building a business, growing your client base, or positioning yourself in a changing industry, this episode is worth your time. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  [https://www.youtube.com/@HoxtonLife] For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com [https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com] For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩ [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCscfSzwe7_2i1GZN0WfQ-Aw]

How I Built a $4.4BN Global Wealth Firm in 8 Years

When I started Hoxton Wealth in 2018, we had $35 million of assets, five people, and two small offices. Today the business manages over $4 billion for more than 10,000 clients globally, with licences and offices across multiple jurisdictions. But the journey from there to here was not simple. In this episode of Don't Shoot the Messenger, I sit down on my own to walk through the full story of how Hoxton grew. If you are a financial planner thinking about starting your own firm, or someone building a business from scratch, this episode will give you a realistic view of what the journey actually looks like. If you enjoy the episode, make sure to subscribe and follow the show. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  [https://www.youtube.com/@HoxtonLife] For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com [https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com] For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩ [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCscfSzwe7_2i1GZN0WfQ-Aw]

Advisor Alpha Explained: What Financial Planners Get Paid For with Don Bennyhoff

In this episode of Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Chris Ball sits down with Don Bennyhoff, former Vanguard investment leader and one of the key architects behind the widely referenced “Advisor Alpha” research. Don spent nearly 23 years at Vanguard, helping redefine how financial advisors communicate their value beyond portfolio performance. He later served as CIO and Investment Committee Chair at a $1.7bn RIA and now works as a fractional CIO through Bennyhoff & Co, helping advisory firms build disciplined, repeatable investment frameworks. This conversation goes beyond the headlines of “3% alpha” and into what truly drives long-term value in financial advice. We discuss: • What Advisor Alpha actually meant, and what it never claimed  • Why behavioural coaching often adds more value than stock picking  • The dangers of unnecessary portfolio complexity If you are building an advisory firm, refining your investment philosophy, or thinking about the evolution of financial planning, this episode is packed with practical insight. Because in the end, the real value of advice is not about outperforming markets. It is about helping clients make better decisions over time. If you want to see what life in Hoxton Wealth is like, please visit:  / @hoxtonlife  [https://www.youtube.com/@HoxtonLife] For more information on Hoxton Wealth careers, please https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com [https://www.careers-page.com/hoxtonwealth.com] For my videos by Chris, please visit his Youtube:  ⁨@ChrisBallHoxton⁩ [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCscfSzwe7_2i1GZN0WfQ-Aw]